cci2010
SDCC ’10 | DC’s Weird Worlds to feature ‘monsters as superheroes’
Garbage Man
DC Comics is putting the “weird” back into the DCU with the launch of Weird Worlds, a new title that will feature three characters — the first of which will be Aaron Lopresti’s Garbage Man. “Monster books, they’ve become horror books in the last fifteen years, but I want to get back to monsters as superheroes,” Lopresti said of the character. No word yet on when the book will come out or who the other two characters are.
- July 24, 2010 @ 11:15 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’10 | Chloe Sullivan to appear in Jimmy Olsen’s Action Comics co-feature
Back in 2007, there was talk of Smallville‘s Chloe Sullivan making the jump from the long-running TV show to the comics world. It ended up not happening at the time, but if you’re a fan of the character played for so long by Allison Mack, you’re in luck — Chloe will appear in the Jimmy Olsen co-feature that’s debuting in Action Comics #893 and being written by Nick Spencer.
Here’s a teaser image, featuring both Jimmy and Chloe, courtesy of DC’s the Source:
Jimmy Olsen and Chloe Sullivan
- July 24, 2010 @ 10:39 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’10 | Fantagraphics, Disney to release Gottfredson’s Mickey strips [Updated]
From "Mickey Mouse Joins the Foreign Legion," by Floyd Gottfredson (June 1936)
Fantagraphics Books announced this afternoon from Comic-Con International, via Twitter, that it has partnered with Disney to publish the complete Mickey Mouse comic strips by Floyd Gottfredson, the cartoonist renowned for his defining work on the character. He is to Mickey Mouse comics what Carl Barks is to Donald Duck comics.
Gottfredson was 24 years old when he was assigned to the fledgling Mickey Mouse strip in 1930, and continued to work on it for the next 45 years. During his long tenure, he introduced such characters as the miserly Eli Squinch, Mickey’s nephews Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, Chief O’Hara and the Phantom Blot. Gottfredson retired in 1975, and passed away in 1986 at age 81.
Fantagraphics will begin releasing the collections in May 2011. No other details were announced.
Update: Douglas Wolk speaks briefly to Fantagraphics Publisher Gary Groth about the reprints.
- July 24, 2010 @ 06:21 PM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | Scuffle over seats in Hall H ends in stabbing [Update]
Comic-Con International
Multiple reports are emerging out of Comic-Con International this afternoon of a scuffle over seats in Hall H, ending in a stabbing. The massive room, where many of the film presentations are held, was locked down, and a man led away in handcuffs by police.
Although details are scarce at the moment, Dread Central reports the fight erupted just as the Resident Evil: Afterlife panel was ending about 4:45 p.m. PST. The fight between two attendees allegedly broke out when one of them refused to change seats. According to Dread Central, one man stabbed the other in the eye with a pen.
The lockdown of Hall H means panels for Paul and Cowboys & Aliens have been delayed, leading the hotly anticipated Marvel Studios presentation to be pushed back.
Comic Book Resources is attempting to contact Elite Security, the San Diego Police Department and area hospitals for more details. We’ll update as more information is available.
Update: CBR has details from San Diego police, and photos of the suspect.
- July 24, 2010 @ 05:57 PM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | Tokyopop, Yen Press and D&Q announce new manga licenses
Pavane for a Dead Girl
I’m going to lead with a new license announcement from the Tokyopop panel at Comic-Con International: Koge-Donbo’s Naki Shōjo no Tame no Pavane (Pavane for a Dead Girl), a story about a musical prodigy who makes a deal with the angel of death. Tokyopop’s Marco Pavia told me they have another new title as well, Ghost Face, by Min-Woo Hyung, the creator of Priest.
The other big manga news is that Drawn & Quarterly has the license for two Shigeru Mizuki manga, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths and NonNonBā. (If you’re wondering why that sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because NonNonBā won the Best Album Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival a couple of years back. This is very good news for those who like their manga on the literary side. And the D&Q folks had to be smiling pretty broadly after Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s autobiographical tome A Drifting Life took two Eisner awards.
Meanwhile, Yen Press announced a number of new titles, including Otoyome-Gatari (The Bride’s Stories) by Emma creator Kaoru Mori, as well as Highschool of the Dead, Aron’s Absurd Armada, Betrayal Knows My Name, and yet another arc of Higurashi When They Cry. They also revealed that Yen Plus magazine, which stopped print publication this month, will continue as an online anthology that will be free the first month and cost the reader $2.99 per month after that.
There was one bit of sobering news, a reminder that things are still not all they should be in the manga industry: Del Rey’s indefatigable marketing manager Ali T. Kokmen is no longer with the company. Ali is well-liked in the industry, and hopefully some smart manga company will snap him up soon.
- July 24, 2010 @ 04:52 PM by Brigid Alverson
SDCC ’10 | Jughead goes noir, J. Torres gets Jinx
Jughead #203
The Archie folks have had a busy time at Comic-Con International, taking part in a number of panels in addition to their own. Two of the more interesting stories to emerge this weekend:
Jughead Jones, Semi-Private Eye: This is a four-issue story arc (Jughead, #202-205) that imparts a very different style to Mr. Forsythe Jones, as he prowls the mean streets in trenchcoat and trademark hat, looking to solve a mystery for a beautiful dame. (This cover, provided exclusively to Robot 6, suggests that ninjas are also involved, which veers away from the noir genre a bit, but hey, that’s innovation!) Alex Simmons, who recently won a Glyph Award for his work on Archie & Friends, will write the story. The first issue shows up in comics shops on July 28 and everywhere else on Aug. 10.
The return of Li’l Jinx: Now styling herself simply “Jinx,” this icon of my childhood is back. Li’l Jinx mainly appeared in one-page stories in the various Archie comics, but she seems to have had a low profile of late. The exciting thing about this is that J. Torres (Alison Dare, Lola: A Ghost Story) will be writing the stories. (Click here for some samples of Li’l Jinx in her glory days.)
Sam Hill graphic novels: Jughead may be having fun playing the hard-boiled detective, but Sam Hill is the real thing, a tough guy who got the job done, apparently, as his series only lasted for seven issues, ending in 1951. Since no Archie-owned character can be permitted to sit idle (watch for Katy Keene, Josie, and Sabrina revivals as well in the near future), Sam has been brought out of retirement and will star in his own series, with all new adventures.
Watch also for some streamlining of their digests, with the return of The World of Archie Double Digest and the launch of an Archie and Friends Double Digest (which will replace the Archie Pals ‘n’ Gals Digest) and Betty & Veronica and Friends Double Digest. And the much-discussed Life With Archie magazine, which features dual stories in which Archie is married to Betty and Veronica (in different worlds) will be on newsstands Aug. 10.
- July 24, 2010 @ 04:08 PM by Brigid Alverson
SDCC ’10 | Watch the DC Universe Online ‘cinematic teaser’
Black Adam vs. Green Lantern in DC Universe Online
WB Games, DC Entertainment and Sony Entertainment Online have released a five-minute trailer for its hotly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game DC Universe Online. Called “Who Do You Trust?”, the short film — that’s what it is, really — is dark, compelling, action-packed and, frankly, downright amazing. And I say that as someone who doesn’t play video games.
Watch “Who Do You Trust?” after the break. DC Universe Online is set to debut in November.
- July 24, 2010 @ 01:22 PM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | Marvel to resurrect CrossGen properties next year
CrossGen Comics
During this afternoon’s “Cup O’ Joe” panel at Comic-Con International, Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada teased the audience with an image of CrossGen’s original “Sigil” logo and the date “2011.”
The obvious implication was, of course, that the CrossGen comics properties, purchased in 2004 by Marvel’s new parent Disney, will be making a return next year. The question is, however, in what form.
“We’re gonna be doing some CrossGen stuff,” Quesada confirmed to CBR TV. He said that although Marvel does have a plan for the properties, “we’re not really prepared to talk much about it right now.”
“But we have started to work on some concepts based on the old CrossGen concepts, trying to strengthen them up, and eventually bring them to Marvel,” he said.
“It just offers us a wider variety of stories to tell than just the normal Marvel Universe kind of stories,” Quesada added later. “I think with the CrossGen stuff you’re going to see us attempt a little more genre publishing, which I think is much-needed in our imprint.”
Founded in 1998 by Florida entrepreneur Mark Alessi, CrossGen featured a line of titles in a variety of genres with a shared universe, or “Sigilverse,” with characters broadly linked by the Sigils they received. The first wave of comics launched in 2000 with the space opera Sigil, the fantasies Meridian, Mystic and Scion, and the “untold tales” anthology CrossGen Chronicles. Later additions included the Victorian detective series Ruse, the contemporary horror Route 666, the pirate adventure El Cazador, the fantasy Sojourn and the wuxia comedy Way of the Rat.
- July 24, 2010 @ 12:11 PM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | A roundup of Friday’s news
Comic-Con International
The second day of Comic-Con International, which began with the official word of Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters video game, concluded with the presentation of the 22nd annual Eisner Awards and news of a feature-film adaptation of Will Eisner’s landmark graphic novel A Contract with God.
In between, there were plenty of other comics announcements:
• During DC’s “Batman: The Return” panel, Grant Morrison revealed he and artist Yanick Paquette will launch Batman, Inc., an ongoing series that will see Bruce Wayne joined by a number of other characters wearing the mantle of the Bat. CBR TV spoke with DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio about the new title.
• In the “DC Nation Special Edition” panel, Geoff Johns revealed plans for a second ongoing Flash series titled Flash: Speed Force, which will focus on the other speedsters of the DC Universe. DiDio also said the publisher will begin reprinting Young Justice material in October.
• Top Shelf unveiled plans to publish Jeffrey Brown’s Incredible Change-Bots Two, five new graphic novels for kids (plus new volumes of Korgi and Owly), Kagan McLeod’s Infinite Kung Fu, and Jess Fink’s Chester 5000 XYV collection. The publisher also previewed a page from Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century #2 — 1969.
- July 24, 2010 @ 10:37 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | Red Hulk joins the Avengers in November
Avengers #7 variant
Marvel announced yesterday at the “Marvel: The Heroic Age: Avengers” panel that a Hulk is returning to the Avengers — the Red Hulk, that is. According to the panel report by CBR’s Kiel Phegley, the Red Hulk will join the Avengers team November’s issue #7 at the start of the second arc.
The variant cover for the issue by Ed McGuinness is up top, and you can see the cover by John Romita Jr. on Marvel.com.
- July 24, 2010 @ 08:00 AM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’10 | Winners announced for 22nd annual Eisner Awards
2010 Eisner Awards
A Drifting Life and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz were among the titles winning multiple honors in the 22nd annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, presented Friday night in conjunction with Comic-Con International. David Mazzucchelli and J.H. Williams III led the creator categories with two wins each.
The winners were announced at the Hilton Bayfront by presenters ranging from the cast of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and actor Thomas Jane to cartoonists Berkeley Breathed and C. Tyler. Bongo Comics co-founder Bill Morrison and voice actor Maurice LaMarche were the masters of ceremony.
The complete list of nominees can be found here. The winners of the 2010 awards are:
Best Short Story
“Urgent Request,” by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)
Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Captain America #601: “Red, White, and Blue-Blood,” by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)
- July 24, 2010 @ 06:32 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | An Asgardian hat trick at the Marvel booth
Thor, Loki and Odin helmets
Playing the God of Thunder, his mischievous brother or their father takes more than just a powerful presence, it also takes the right headgear. No doubt you’ve seen pictures of the gigantic throne of Odin in the Marvel booth at the San Diego Comic-Con, but today Marvel unveiled what was inside a case at the foot of it — the helmets that will be worn by Thor, Loki and Odin in the upcoming Thor film.
If you can fight your way into the always-crowded Marvel booth, they are worth a look.
Update: Kiel Phegley has more pictures of the helms on CBR
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- July 23, 2010 @ 09:34 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’10 | ‘Let the universe howl in despair for I — what was the question?’
Grant Morrison acts nonchalant in the presence of the Lord of Apokolips (photo by Kevin Mahadeo)
This photo, taken by CBR’s Kevin Mahadeo during this afternoon’s “DC Nation Special Edition” panel, will haunt my dreams. No Omega Beam-related audience casualties have been reported.
- July 23, 2010 @ 06:45 PM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’10 | Top Shelf gets naughty with Jess Fink
At their spotlight panel today, the folks at alternative comics publisher Top Shelf talked about a metric ton of titles they’ve got coming down the pipeline. None are more intriguing to me than the work of Jess Fink, a newcomer to the Top Shelf stable best known for her erotic steampunk-porn webcomic Chester 5000 XYV. Top Shelf is releasing a Chester collection in December — quite a stocking stuffer for that special someone! — and following it with another book from Fink called We Can Fix It!, which combines memoir and science fiction and promises to be on the sexy side as well. Fink, who’s also working on a new website for her personal comics and a one-shot featuring the band Mindless Self Indulgence for Image, took time out from turning people on to tackle our questions about her relationship with Top Shelf, sex, science fiction and more.
So how did a nice girl like you get mixed up with a dirty comic like Chester 5000 XYV?
Ha, who are you calling nice? And girl? And Jess? Oh wait, that is me. I’ve been drawing dirty things for a loooong time, longer than I’ve been comfortable telling people I draw dirty things so it’s more like how did this nice comic get mixed up with a dirty person like me? If we want to talk about inspiration I think a lot of it came from the Tijuana Bibles which were these tiny porn comics made in the 20′s-40′s. Before porn was legal to sell guys used to sell these little black and white books on the street. When I found out about them I became obsessed and I knew I’d have to make some of my own.
- July 23, 2010 @ 05:40 PM by Sean T. Collins
SDCC ’10 | Kagan McLeod’s Infinite Kung Fu coming from Top Shelf in 2011
No doubt you and probably everyone you know have seen Kagan McLeod‘s illustrations. His art has appeared in seemingly every major magazine being published today — Time, Entertainment Weekly, BusinessWeek, Maxim, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Money, Wired and many more, as well as newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. When he isn’t drawing illustrations for his clients or winning awards, he’s self-publishing his own comic, Infinite Kung Fu. You can also find chapters of it on Top Shelf’s website.
At Comic-Con International today, Top Shelf announced they will collect the series into one graphic novel next year. The collection will include all seven of McLeod’s self-published comics, plus about 200 as-yet-unpublished pages. McLeod was kind enough to answer my questions about the book, kung fu, self-publishing and more.
JK: When did you start self-publishing Infinite Kung Fu, and what led you to start doing it on your own?
Kagan: I guess it was 2000 or 2001. It was my first trip to an Artist’s Alley at a comic convention that made me want to do it on my own. I had never even thought of showing it to a publisher. The thought of getting tables at shows and getting the books into local comic shops was very appealing, though after a few years it kicked in that making money in $3 increments is tough, especially when you factor in all the expense that goes with it.
- July 23, 2010 @ 05:35 PM by JK Parkin