John Munn, owner of Comic Book Ink

Retailing | Tacoma, Washington, store Comic Book Ink, a seven-time nominee for the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award, could close as early as August because of mounting debt. In a plea to customers, owner John Munn attributes the store’s dire financial situation to a combination of the economy, relocation costs, an unresolved dispute with the previous landlord, the move by Diamond Comic Distributors to “call in short-term notes” in the wake of the Borders bankruptcy, and “personal trials.” In the extremely frank letter, he lays out what steps he’s taken (payment plans, using his salary from an outside job to cover payroll), and what he hesitates to do (fire staff, close the nearly nine-year-old store and declare bankruptcy): “I have juggled as far as I can juggle. I have kept a constant vigil on our shop, but currently it is resting on a house of cards and not a strong foundation (yet) that could go at any minute. [...] I need your help. This week is bad … Very bad.”

Munn asks that customers pick up any special orders or pull-list titles, purchase gift certificates, make a short-term loan or buy shares in the store. “I think we can make it,” he writes. “I wouldn’t have sent this message if I didn’t. I did not want to write this letter. I did not want to ask for help. All I ever wanted to do was to create a place where people could come and escape for awhile. A place that would invest in the community, and its organizations, that surrounded it.” [Comic Book Ink]

DC Comics

Publishing | Heidi MacDonald reports that DC Comics Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee sent a memo to creators working on titles for the “New DCU” relaunch requiring them to have three issues completed by Aug. 31, “no exceptions.” “If that criterion cannot be met,” the memo states, “we’ve instructed Editorial to begin work at that time on material that will be able to meet the deadlines for the series.” [The Beat]

Education | Japan’s Kyoto Seika University will begin offering the country’s first doctoral program in manga studies next year, while Dundee University in Scotland will launch the United Kingdom’s first master’s degree in comics studies this fall.  [The Associated Press, BBC News]

Awards | Larry Cruz takes a look at the Eisner Award nominees for best digital comic. [The Webcomic Overlook]

Creators | Legendary artist Joe Kubert appeared over the weekend at Dewey’s Comic City in Madison, New Jersey. [Daily Record]

Creators | Artist Peter Krause talks at HeroesCon about leaving Irredeemable: “It’s just a good time to do it. I do have another non-comics project coming up this summer that I really have to devote some time to, and it’s a really once-in-a-lifetime type project. I’ve loved working with BOOM! and Mark Waid, it’s been a joy working with them. It’s kind of bittersweet.” [MTV Geek]

I like to imagine that “Love Signal“, Mike Maihack’s contribution to this year’s HeroesCon art auction is a prequel to that Morning After drawing by Natalie Nourigat.

HeroesCon 2011

Not to mince words, HeroesCon is my San Diego. Scheduled for June 3-5 at the Charlotte Convention Center this year, I recently caught up with Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find Creative Director Rico Renzi, to discuss what to look forward to at HeroesCon 2011. Anyone that has read my past con reports knows how much I always enjoy this family friendly/comics focused con, and will not be surprised to learn I will be in attendance again this year. Thanks to Renzi for the interview and for giving us the scoop that  Farel Dalrymple is returning to the con this year. I was also enthused  to learn the con is trying a Friday night event this year, as well as introducing a new section of the convention floor devoted to comic strip creators.

Tim O’Shea: How are things shaping up with less than a month to go before the con, starting to panic? Planning-wise, how do you and Shelton Drum (con founder/organizer and owner of Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find) divvy up the heavy lifting of making this con happen?

Rico Renzi: HeroesCon is like breathing to Shelton so I’m pretty sure he’s not panicking. This is my first time doing anything like this so, yeah I think there’s some pressure on me. Maybe I get a pass since this is my first year though? Dustin Harbin has been a great help showing me the ropes on a few things, especially the floor plan. Deciding where everyone is going to sit seems like the hardest job to me right now. Aside from that we get great help from our warehouse manager, Seth Peagler. Whether I need someone to brainstorm with or edit my blog posts, Seth is my guy. Also, Andy Mansell has been instrumental in planning and coordinating our programming. These guys keep me sane!

O’Shea: Last year, when describing this con (based on others’ con reports), Robot 6′s Brigid Alverson likened HeroesCon as sounding “like the exact opposite of San Diego: Laid-back and all about the comics”. Would you say that’s a fair juxtaposition?

Renzi: Yeah, I think that’s pretty fair. We are almost exclusively a COMIC convention with a big focus on the great creators who make the comics we love. You won’t see a lot of big corporations pushing their latest movies or videogames at HeroesCon.

O’Shea: Can you tease folks with some of the fan favorite guests that are returning to the con, as well as creators attending for the first time?

Renzi: HeroesCon always has an incredible guest list. Lots of creators tell us this is their favorite show and fortunately for us, they also tell their friends! A few of this year’s first-time guests are attending because a friend told them what a fun show we run. Geof Darrow is coming because Mike Mignola, Adam Hughes and Allison Sohn told him about HeroesCon. Eric Canete told Becky Cloonan what a good time he had here so she’s coming down for the first time this year. I invited Ryan Sook out because he had never been to the show, he not only said yes but he also provided the art for our program cover! We also went through all our program books from HeroesCons past looking for creators we love who hadn’t been to the show in a few years. This led to getting Kevin Nowlan, Ed McGuinness, and Joe Quinones back to the show this year. Of course there are a bunch of fan fave comic creators who we consider family, folks like Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze, Cully Hamner, Steve Niles, Matt Fraction, Phil Noto and many more. They go way back with Shelton and these guys rarely, if ever, miss HeroesCon.

O’Shea: How is Indie Island shaping up–that aspect of the con almost seems in a sense a con within the con, given the diversity of indie talent that always assembled there?

Renzi: I just moved to Charlotte from Maryland, home of the Small Press Expo, and I see a lot of that same spirit in Indie Island. We have some great guests there this year as always. Dustin Harbin did an amazing job building the Indie Island brand. I love the name, I love the idea but I’m wondering how much longer it will be necessary. The comic industry is so small and the lines between indie and mainstream are becoming really blurry.

I will give you a “you-heard-it-here-first” announcement though. One of my favorite “indie” creators just told me he’s going to make it down for our show this year, Farel Dalrymple! I’m very excited!

O’Shea: We’ve already reported about Roger Langridge’s piece for the Art Auction. Who else is involved with contributing to the art auction?

Renzi: Isn’t Roger’s piece amazing? The Heroes Annual Art Auction has been my favorite part of the show since my first visit in ’97. I’ve seen a few more pieces that people have done at home for the auction. Jeremy Bastian, John Tyler Christopher, and Mateo Scalera have all shown us the art they are bringing for the auction. One of the most exciting things for attendees of the convention though, is getting to see some of their favorite comic artists creating these amazing paintings right before their eyes on our art stage. Then, shortly after that, they are able to bid on the art they just saw someone pour their heart into! I know the ComicTwart guys are going to do their contributions to the auction live at one of our panels.

O’Shea: Is it too early to discuss panels, I always look forward to seeing what Ben Towle and Craig Fischer have cooked up for their panels?

Renzi: Ben and Craig have a “megapanel” planned for HeroesCon called The Master of Screaming Metal: A Tribute to Moebius. They are showing Moebius Redux by Hasko Baumann and then interviewing friend and fan of Jean Giruad, Geof Darrow regarding the work of this legendary cartoonist. The rest of our programming should be up on the site later this week, God willing. We have some great stuff planned!

O’Shea: What do you most enjoy about HeroesCon? For folks who have never attended, why do you think they should consider visiting the con this year?

Renzi: The laid back atmosphere of HeroesCon is a big draw for creators and fans alike. Our guest list blows my mind. Something new we’re trying this year that should be fun is a Friday night event across the street from the convention center with the founders of the Drink and Draw Social Club, Dave Johnson, Dan Panosian, and Jeff Johnson. The event is open to everyone and if it goes well I’d love to see it become another annual tradition at the show. Also we’ll have a new section of the convention floor called The Comic Strip dedicated to creators of , wait for it…comic strips! There will also be a collection of gorgeous Sunday newspaper originals on display in this area called, One Fine Sunday, curated by John Read. We are also very proud to have some special programming featuring Richard Thompson and Team Cul de Sac. There really is something for everyone at the show, whether you are into indie comics, strips, superheroes, mini comics, or webcomics, we really cover a broad spectrum at HeroesCon.

Thor by Roger Langridge

For the annual HeroesCon art auction, Thor: The Mighty Avenger writer Roger Langridge exercises his artistic muscles and redraws the cover to issue #6, originally drawn by his collaborator Chris Samnee and featuring the son of Odin’s face-off with Fin Fang Foom. The show kicks off June 3 in Charlotte, N.C.

By Dustin Harbin

The above is a pipin’ hot new strip from cartoonist Dustin Harbin. Harbin, who recently left his job working for Sheldon Drum’s Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find comic store and companion comic convention HeroesCon, has embarked on a full-time career in comics writing, drawing and lettering — the latter seen in the pages of the Marvel/Icon edition of Casanova. I hope this lands him a stint on Superman — seriously.

This shot from Heroesonline's Flickr account captures just how stunning this year was. All in one corner, you could see Evan Dorkin (cutoff on far left), Jill Thompson, Roger Langridge, Dave Roman & Raina Telgemeier. One corner!

All week I’ve been reading other people’s HeroesCon reports and thinking “Man I really need to get cracking on mine.” And yet I have not. I’ll be honest, unlike my friend Johanna Draper Carlson (“being sensible about things like leaving the floor to have lunch and going back to the hotel room in the afternoon to change clothes and shoes“), I wore the wrong dang shoes (“Sandals? Really? You flat-footed fool!” I now say to myself) for the concrete con floor. By Saturday afternoon I was limping anywhere I went. Then when I got back to Atlanta, my full-time job demanded a great deal more of my attention than usual. Excuses, excuses-all. But really when you stay up Friday and Saturday until 3 AM talking in the Westin bar, you have a harder time recovering (or at least I do). And as the week progressed, I was amazed at the level of detail and perspective that many folks offered in their con reports. I felt my report had to be just as good–among the best con reports. And then today, my Robot6 pal Brigid Alverson let me off the hook when she wrote of Tom Spurgeon’s con summary: “Tom Spurgeon, of course, has the ultimate con post, because he went everywhere and saw everyone.” Once he has written the ultimate post, what can I do, eh? (Side note: Tom, I gotta say I cracked up when you called the report “A Few Notes on Heroes Con 2010″. A few notes Tom? Try 3,000+ words, Tom. My god, your writing and analysis blows my mind.)

My HeroesCon began the way FLUKE of a few months back should have begun–with me visiting Joey Weiser. I must give Weiser major kudos. I had not been on the con floor more than 15 minutes and he waved me down. I had intentionally brought my copies of Caveman in Space and Mermin 1 and 2 that he had mailed me, just to prove he was genuinely on my radar. As I told Weiser, when I entered the con floor, the only books in my backpack were Weiser’s. By the end of that first day, I could not still make that claim, I’m happy to say. Visiting Weiser was the best note to start on, no doubt.

This HeroesCon was a dream come true for me on many levels. I got to explore more of Charlotte after the con hours (something I had not done in past years to a great extent, despite having family here). But from a comics standpoint, there are creators I have had on a wish list for years (I will not name them here) and had hoped to secure for email interviews but have never been successful. This year, I can happily say the chances of getting that wish list a smidge shorter became a reality. I do not wish to jinx myself by saying who, however. Time will tell.

Originally I was going to try to do a three-day breakdown of what happened. I would drive myself crazy (and make readers angry) as well as exceed Spurgeon’s 3,000 masterpiece in a bad, painful way. So this is gonna be scattershot coverage, sorry if it goes all over the map, that’s literally how I did the show. (Example, I walked by Kevin Maguire’s booth seven times over the first two days on my way to other booths, before I realized: “Holy crap, is that Kevin Maguire?”)

Initially I planned on attending a great many panels, but then Spurgeon reminded us at one of the first panels that Dollar Bin would be recording most of the panels and posting them online. Plus Spurgeon committed to transcribe any panel he hosted. (Really, Tom, when the hell do you sleep?) After that, I decided that with few exceptions, I would stick to the hard unforgiving convention floor. My main exception? Ben Towle and Craig Fischer‘s Defective Comics discussion (which featured Evan Dorkin, Jeff [he who should avoid drinking "the enormous sweet tea" from Bojangles during panels] Parker, Colleen Coover and Chris Pitzer [while barely getting a word in edgewise, Pitzer was damn funny with what he did say, namely expressing a desire to hear more of Dorkin's opinion] in a panel discussion and–though logistics demanded I bail on my pal Chris Schweizer‘s discussion of art-comix creators diving into mainstream superhero comics).

I attended other panels though–Bill Willingham and Matt Kindt on worldbuilding (hosted by Spurgeon [yea, as Brigid notes, he went everywhere, God bless him]) was a fascinating discussion. My favorite part (revealing my fanboy roots) was Willingham’s admission that on his first trip to New York, he went looking for Doctor Strange’s house. Another panel, toward the end of the con was Scott Adsit (formerly of Adult Swim’s Moral Orel, as well as currently in NBC’s 30 Rock and the upcoming Adult Swim Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole) leading a wide-ranging discussion on a variety of topics with artists Mark Brooks, Adam Hughes, Phil Noto and J. Scott Campbell. The highlight for that one? Adsit and Hughes comparing their respective extended encounters with novelist and actress Carrie Fisher.

Earlier this week I posted my Tom Fowler commission piece. While at Fowler’s table, I had a chance to chat with his table neighbor, Steve Lieber, as well as buy the great Underground prequel, Fell, from Lieber, which was published in Image’s 2005 anthology, Four Letter Worlds. Also while in that table cluster, I scored Jeff Parker’s 1602: Spider-Man hardback collection and Colleen Coover’s mystery cards.

What’s almost as much fun as meeting the creators at these cons? Witnessing the interactions they have with their fans. Cases in point? Kate Beaton discussing her favorite moments in Canadian history. The woman who admitted to iZombie writer Chris Roberson that she did not like zombie tales–but she liked his work on Cinderella so much that she had given the new collaboration with Mike Allred a try–and liked it.  Or then when I was trying to see Sean Gordon Murphy‘s work but not getting close due to the number of folks vying for his time. Even better, watching former Marvel marketing guy (and current writer) Jim McCann explain to a fan the multiple crossover events and Marvel series that helped inform his current (and fun) Hawkeye & Mockingbird series. (Also should not forget to mention how much I’m looking forward to McCann and Janet Lee‘s Return of the Dapper Man).

Over the years I’ve interviewed a variety of folks for various sites, and HeroesCon gave me a chance to catch up with folks I had not talked with in awhile–such as Durwin Talon, who is currently collaborating with
Guin Thompson on the upcoming Beautiful Scars for Archaia Studio Press. It was also great to catch up with veteran artist Jamal Igle.

Other gems from the con?

Jim Rugg‘s first mini-comic in five years, Rambo 3.5.

The first volume of Erika Moen’s DAR: A Super Girl Top Secret Comic Diary (which I did not realize, until I got home, sported Lieber as well as several other comics folks on the cover).

Jill Thompson‘s a little book of art

Dave Roman‘s Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery (from 2007, but I hope there’s another volume down the road)

MK Reed‘s Cross Country

Horror: The True Story of Our First Date by Sally Madden (Always Comix)

Monsters by Ken Dahl

Papercutter 13 (edited by Greg Means [Tugboat Press])

Van Jensen‘s Pinocchio Vampire Slayer

Books One and Two of Evan Dorkin’s Hectic Planet

Issues Two and Three of Kramers Ergot as well as Comics Comics 3 from 2007 (in addition to getting a chance to talk to Sammy Harkham for a bit)

Steve Epting‘s 2009 Sketchbook (Epting was one of those folks that I almost missed seeing, as I never seemed to be able to find his table, though I finally did [to clarify, his table was in a good spot–the con floor was just jam-packed with so many great artists, Epting was another person I accidentally walked past numerous times [even though I was looking for him {Someone should come up with a GPS for con floors…})

And last but not least in the gem department: Thom Zahler‘s Love and Capes Volume 1

Zahler was one of many folks I got to talk to in the evening in the Westin loby/bar. Both nights I got to chat with Chris Roberson and his wife Allison well into the morning. On Saturday night, as Johanna mentioned in her recap, we got to go CD and DVD shopping at Manifest (an independent entertainment retailer set up in a former grocery store space) with Johanna, KC Carlson (former DC editor and current fine essayist at Westfield Comics) and Roger Ash (another solid writer for Westfield and elsewhere). Past midnight, after a great dinner, as Johanna wisely called it an evening, Roger, KC and myself impressed each other with our respective obscure musical knowledge.

There were many other folks I got to chance to chat with (sorry if I’ve forgotten ya, feel free to chide me in the comments section). It was good to meet and chat with Rich Faber and John Gallagher. Vito Delsante and I got to talk for a good long time as well–man there’s a person who has equal amounts of talent and ambition.

Toward the end of the final day, I was having another one of my many great discussions that I had with Dean Trippe over the whole weekend. There were still plenty of folks I wanted to see, while quickly running out of time. But clearly I should have been standing at Dean’s table the whole time (or so it soon seemed), as within three to four minutes, two folks that had eluded my sight suddenly appeared within minutes of each other–both writer Marc Bernardin and Longbox CEO Rantz Hoseley.

If ya can’t tell, I had a good time. As I frequently tell folks, HeroesCon is my San Diego. An abundance of comics riches, getting better every year.

Update: After writing my report and it going live, I looked to my right and saw Amy Mebberson‘s business card–which I picked up while visiting the BOOM table.  Mebberson was kept busy the whole weekend doing Muppet sketches on the BOOM convention edition blank slate covers, for a constant stream of kids and adult kids. So I could not believe I had not mentioned her. Also while at the BOOM table I caught up with writer Keith R.A. DeCandido. I wish I could say I caught up with BOOM EIC Mark Waid, but anytime I swung by, he was playing host to a long line of fans seeking his autograph.

I would also be remiss if I did not remember the charitable presence at HeroesCon. Given the help they were able to provide the late Stephen Perry (as well as the countless others they have helped and those in the future they will need to help), I made sure and stopped by the Hero Initiative booth to give a donation. It was also good to see Matt Wieringo and contribute to The Matt Wieringo Scholarship (SCAD)  fund.

Given that the AdHouse table is often one of the first places I visit, I cannot fathom how I neglected to mention catching up with Chris Pitzer. Over the course of the weekend, the AdHouse section was also where I got to visit with Scott Morse, as well as take a peek at the black and white preview of Matt Kindt’s upcoming Revolver for Vertigo.

I’m willing to bet there are other people I will remember that I forgot, or maybe they’ll pop up in the comments section. Either way, in an effort to retroactively cover as much ground as possible, I may add more names in this update section as names pop up.

Dean Trippe's Vision

Chris Giarrusso's G-Man (This one's for my son!)

Randy and Andy (Miss Piggy's nephews) by Roger Langridge

Tom Fowler's Vision

]]> http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/commissioned-pieces-from-heroescon/feed/ 3 http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/comics-a-m-the-comics-internet-in-two-minutes-146/ http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/comics-a-m-the-comics-internet-in-two-minutes-146/#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:38:46 +0000 Kevin Melrose http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/?p=46513

DrunkDuck

Business | Platinum Studios has sold webcomics community DrunkDuck to e-book publisher WOWIO for an undisclosed sum. WOWIO was purchased in 2008 by Platinum and then sold in July 2009 to a holding company formed by Platinum President and COO Brian Altounian.

The DrunkDuck acquisition follows the announcement last week that WOWIO has raised $1.7 million in private financing and purchased WEvolt.com, an online community for creators to share and promote their work. Established in 2002 by Dylan Squires, DrunkDuck provides free hosting for webcomics, as well as forums and a feedback/review system. The site was purchased in December 2006 by Platinum. [press release]

Invincible Iron Man Annual #1

Publishing | Sean Kleefeld considers reactions to Marvel’s decision to release Invincible Iron Man Annual #1 simultaneously in print and on the iPad: “There are people who are legitimately scared because they don’t know what’s going to happen to their livelihood and have no control over where the industry as a whole heads. I can’t begrudge them for that fear. But what doesn’t help their situation is ignoring the reality of what’s going on and acting as if the status quo will remain.” [Kleefeld on Comics]

Digital comics | So maybe Steve Jobs didn’t call Mark Fiore a liar after all. [The Daily Cartoonist]

Conventions | Tom Spurgeon and Ben Towle report on last weekend’s HeroesCon. [HeroesCon]

Retailing | Sadie Mattox offers pointers on comic-store etiquette for retailers and for customers: “… There was one comic store I entered that the guy barely looked up. Um, ok, fine he was reading a comic … forgiven. Then when I asked where the manga was, he pointed in a vague directions. Um, ok … found a very small manga section which is ok, I don’t expect a comic store to carry anything they don’t want to. Picked up the latest Shojo Beat. Then, I went to pay. Another guy had come out from the back and after patiently waiting for them to finish their conversation, I laid my magazine on the counter. They both exchanged a look and, I swear to god, actually smirked. Yup, I left the pretty Shojo Beat right where it was and walked out.” [Extremely Graphic]

Daniel Clowes

Creators | Christopher Borrelli profiles Daniel Clowes, with an emphasis on his connections to his native Chicago. [Chicago Tribune]

Manga | Tiffany Martin looks at Walt Disney’s early influences on manga. [The Escapist]

Fandom | Shannon Des Roches Rosa solicits advice from “three comics-loving feminist mentors,” including Lea Hernandez, for helping her comics-reading 11-year-old daughter to “bypass the underwear suits and find the feminist heroes.” [BlogHer]

The X-Men, as seen by Chris Schweizer

HeroesCon is just getting under way at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. Here’s a sample of what you have to look forward to if you are going—and what you will miss if you’re not.

Chris Schweizer, creator of Crogan’s Vengeance and Crogan’s March, will be there, and he’ll have some sweet art to sell.

Jeff Parker has created a handy map to make it easier for fans to find him.

Raina Telgemeier will be in Indie Island, and you can also spot her on the panels on Comics as Career and Autobio Comics.

Atomic Robo co-creator Scott Wegener sums up the show:

you should come down and say hey to Brian and me this weekend in disgustingly hot and steamy Charlotte NC, where the weather sucks balls, but the people are the best. Last year was my first time at Heroes and I loved it. It’s a fairly big show with a very down home small con feel to it. Unlike the massive spectacles that are NYCC (this October!) and SDCC, things are mellow enough at Heroes that we can actually hang out and shoot the breeze with folks.

Ben Templesmith will be there and will be taking part in the panel on Horror and the Macabre in Comics.

Rob Anderson's Animal Control comic

Rob Anderson will be debuting Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit at the con; look for him at Table SP-35 in the Artists Alley.

Brad Guigar will be debuting a new Power Girl print.

Nick Mizgala of Think Weasel arrived at his first convention ever and… his site went down. Happily, it’s up again,

The publishers who will be there include Archie Comics, which will have a truckload of creators there, BOOM! Studios, IDW, and Top Shelf.

In light of the recent, sad news about Thundercats creator Steve Perry, it’s worth mentioning that Hero Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to helping comics creators in need, will have a booth at Heroes Con, and Jimmy Cheung will be sketching there most of the weekend, so stop by and drop them some coin.

(If you’re on the fence, Heidi MacDonald has a more exhaustive list at The Beat, and the full guest list is here.)

by Steve Epting

If you’re going to HeroesCon today, look for artist Steve Epting at table AA-301. He’ll be selling the above Captain America WWII-style propaganda poster at the show.

by Roger Langridge

Here’s another submission for this weekend’s HeroesCon art auction — this time The Muppet Show and The Mighty Thor‘s Roger Langridge combines two of Disney’s properties into one awesome mash-up. And hey — why not a Thor/Muppets comic?

by Jim Rugg

This weekend’s HeroesCon will feature an art auction, and artist Jim Rugg is showing off his submission — featuring everyone from Lobo and Hellboy to the friggin’ Road Warriors — on his blog.

On an unrelated note, why the hell do I not have this convention in my travel plans every year?

Writer Jim McCann and artist Janet Lee are exhibiting at HeroesCon this weekend to support their upcoming graphic novel Return of the Dapper Men, and he sent over a look at the limited edition print they’ll be selling at the show. You can buy one at their table, AA-726; they’re limited to 314, signed and numbered, for $15.

Promo art for the Defective Comics panel

Heading to Heroes Con? This sounds like a good time: Ben Towle and Craig Fischer will be doing a mega-panel titled “Defective Comics” — “a lovingly critical look at just how bizarre the superhero genre can be.” Details:

The event will include a presentation by Towle on the sad-sack super-man in Chris Ware’s Acme Novelty Library; a panel discussion with Colleen Coover, Evan Dorkin, Jeff Parker and Chris Pitzer; a talk by Crogan Adventures creator Chris Schweizer about art-comix creators crossing over into mainstream superhero comics; and clips from some of the weirdest and worst superhero films of all time. Excelsior?

Wildcat and Robin, by Tom Fowler

Ahead of this weekend’s HeroesCon, artist Tom Fowler has posted a bunch of wonderful pre-ordered commissions, ranging from The Thing giving a piggy-back ride to the Richards children to Mysterius the Unfathomable chastising his assistant Delfi. But the best piece easily is this one, of Wildcat taunting an unhappy Robin during a boxing lesson. I’m jealous of the person who gets this commission. Fowler will be at booth 408, between Steve Lieber and Jeff Parker.

The Man with the Getaway Face

Welcome to a special holiday weekend edition of What Are You Reading?, as we take a break from hot dogs and street festivals to take a look at what comics we’ve been reading this week. Our special guest this week is Vito Delsante, writer of FCHS and the upcoming Stray. When he isn’t making comics, he’s selling them at Jim Hanley’s Universe, located in New York near the Empire State Building.

To see what Vito and the rest of the Robot 6 crew are reading, click below …

*****

Michael May

The Anchor

I read the first volume of Phil Hester and Brian Churilla’s The Anchor. It’s a lot more complicated than its simple concept about an immortal, demon-fighting Viking suggests. Of course, that’s no surprise because Phil Hester wrote it, but the specific complications are a lot of fun. Like how the Anchor is actually in two places at once, fighting demons in Hell as well as keeping them off the Earth. And how what happens to him in Hell is reflected on his physical body. And how he uses that to his advantage while protecting humanity. This is also the most overtly Christian book I’ve read from Phil, not only in its mythology, but also in its themes and the attitude of its hero. In a time when that belief system is under a lot of justifiable attack, I find the focus on love and peace-making refreshing and fascinating.

Sean T. Collins

Here’s what’s been on my nightstand and in my backpack for the past couple weeks:

Trigger #1 by Mike Bertino: A variety of familiar altcomix styles get a workout in this one-man anthology of the sort this entire segment of the industry used to consist of.

Weathercraft by Jim Woodring: Psychedelic funny-animal alternate-reality torture porn? Jim Woodring is a one-man subgenre.

The Mystic Hands of Doctor Strange

The Mystic Hands of Doctor Strange #1 by Kieron Gillen, Peter Milligan, Ted McKeever, Mike Carey, Frazer Irving, Frank Brunner, and Marcos Martin: This is how Doctor Strange comics ought to be done.

Snow Time by Nora Krug: “A short, achingly lovely-to-look-at story of weather and murder” is how I describe this comic in my review. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Held Sinister by Conor Stechschulte: Inky alt-horror of the Edgar Allen Poe school from the Closed Caption Comics collective.

Big Questions #14: Title and Deed by Anders Nilsen: Twelve years and thirteen issues worth of scattered plot threads and dark philosophical musings entwine in a violent climax in arguably the most powerful funny-animal story this side of Watership Down.

Brigid Alverson

Fairy Navigator Runa is a very typical magical girl shoujo manga, with all the requisite elements, from saucer eyes and an extravagance of screentones that fairly burst off the page to the usual storyline—clumsy girl with low self-confidence finds out she has a Special Power! Because she’s a Princess! There are a few moments that lift this one above the standard issue, though, like the raccoon with scythe blades instead of paws, and the couple from the fairy world who not only turn into an owl and a cat to evade detection, they turn into a super-cute owl and cat so they won’t scare her. This is the kind of book everyone likes to make fun of, and it’s not great literature, that’s for sure, but I can see a girl enjoying the basic story and the flashes of wit.

How I Made It to Eighteen

Shifting to an entirely different emotional key, How I Made It to Eighteen, by Tracy White, is a semi-autobiographical story of the author’s stay in a mental hospital after a nervous breakdown at 17. It’s a hard story to read. The main character, Stacy Black, is not very likeable, in part because her depression flattens her out and makes her hostile. Plus she has that teenage I-know-everything attitude that drives grownups (me) nuts. It’s hard not to get irritated with her and just want her to get on with it and get well; I felt like the book dragged on, but at the same time, that’s what depression is like. The art is done in a naive style that I assume is at least partly deliberate, but White does a good job of using the art to illustrate and amplify Stacy’s mental states.

Tom Bondurant

I read Darwyn Cooke’s two Parker adaptations, The Hunter and The Man With The Getaway Face. Both were gripping and immersive, and just about everything you’d want from a crime novel. Perfect examples of the ideal fusion of artist, subject, and medium. I loved The New Frontier and his other DC work, but this leaves it all in the dust.

(Not that I didn’t read any superhero books this week, of course….)

War of the Supermen #4

The final issue of War of the Supermen did a fine job wrapping up the various “New Krypton” storylines, but not before delivering some good old-fashioned superhero fights. In this age of dismemberments, eye-gouges, decapitations, etc., it was kinda nice to see Zod piledrive Superman with a battleship. The Supergirl/Ursa fight was a little rougher, and of course the eventual disposition of Zod’s army was a little too neat, but by then I felt like the miniseries had done its job. I found one early panel, where Superman is pleading with Zod’s men to find some peaceful resolution, to be particularly effective, because it reminded me of all the diplomatic groundwork he’d so carefully laid throughout the World Of New Krypton series. Still, it was never going to end that way, so in that respect at least it used its villains — Brainiac, Luthor, and now Zod — very effectively.

I can’t remember who said that Johnny Ryan’s Prison Pit was (probably paraphrasing) “Salvation Run without all the nuance,” but … yeah, pretty much.

All of the books I’ve mentioned so far have, in their own ways, been fairly violent, so it’s probably fitting that the last one is Unknown Soldier. I’m very sorry that this series is ending, because I think the past couple of issues have been excellent introductions to the character. Dr. Moses Llwanga is a disfigured surgeon trying to right innumerable wrongs as he makes his way through Uganda. Writer Joshua Dysart and artist Alberto Ponticelli don’t hold back on the brutality, but they don’t glorify it either. Instead, for the past two years they’ve done their best to put human faces on the kinds of tragedies we can otherwise easily ignore. Unknown Soldier has been a very smart series. It challenges me constructively every time I read it, and it always leaves me wanting to know more.

Tim O’Shea

I’m happy to say that this week saw the release of the Hero Initiative/Marvel 128-page benefit project, The Invincible Gene Colan. For only $19.99, you get a hardcover collection of Colan’s work for Marvel (as well as some of his pre-Marvel work). Net proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit Gene Colan. Given Mr. Colan’s current fiscal struggles (and recent injury), this is a simple as hell way to show your appreciation for the years of amazing entertainment the artist has given us over the years.

Secret Avengers

My stack of other buys for this week was big, but I only want to single out two books. Jeff Parker wrote an issue of Thunderbolts where he takes us in a new direction and gives readers a genuine surprise (for me, while not approaching the surprise of Busiek’s first issue way back when, but still a damn fun surprise). And Ed Brubaker made the inner child fanboy scream with delight when he had the Beast rejoin the Avengers (albeit the Secret Avengers) in Secret Avengers #1. It’s the first Avengers book I have bought in several years (pre-Bendis). Oh OK, three books–Jim McCann delivered on his hype in our interview and the standalone Dazzler one-shot was a fun retro/yet present day read. He lays the groundwork for a good ongoing or mini if sales and Marvel gives him a chance.

Did I say I wanted to single out two comics from my pile? I was kidding myself. I always put my favorite/most anticipated reads at the bottom of my pile. And this week the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #37 is at the bottom. Why? Editor Stephen Wacker went the untold tales route–leading with Karl Kesel writing the first team-up between Captain America and Spidey. Until Kesel is a writer on a regular basis, I will shout from the rooftops: “Get Kesel writing on an ongoing basis, Marvel!” I’ve never heard of artist Paulo Siqueira, but if the guy is consistently this strong, he’ll be a name we’ll be seeing more of–hopefully. The other title is Kurt Busiek and Pat Oliffe (yea the original, bona fide, thank you Steve Wacker Untold Tale creative team) doing what they do best. I am a sucker for nostalgia tales. What can I say?

Vito Delsante

Atlas #1

Atlas/Thunderbolts – Of all the Heroic Age restarts, these two have, so far, captivated me the most. No slight meant to any of the other books (I’m digging the oral history of the Avengers back-up so far) but Jeff’s take on the T-Bolts has me hooked. And Atlas was always good…should have never been canceled either time.

Batman & Robin – I rarely read comics to try to solve a bigger mystery than what’s presented, but Grant is taking us for a ride, and I don’t want to miss the sights. He’s so damn smart when it comes to visual language of comics, but also how to use the dialogue to further that same language. Always the last book I read because it doesn’t get any better.

Hark! A Vagrant and Let’s Be Friends Again – Too many of my friends do webcomics, so when I want to read something that I don’t feel any pressure to read, I go to these two. Kate Beaton was talked up to me by so many people, I prepared myself for disappointment. It never came, happily. I can’t get enough of H!AV. And Let’s Be Friends Again says everything I want to say…and says it meaner than I can.

The Man With The Getaway Face – Darwyn’s next Parker book can’t come soon enough! A friend of mine picked this up for me at WonderCon, so I’m constantly reading this…what he does in this…distills an entire book down to a 30 odd page comic is nothing short of a lesson in economy. If Darwyn ever teaches a comics making class, I will be in the front row.

Research – I have some books I’m working on currently, so I’m always doing research. Some of the topics of the books: the Kentucky Derby, the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, New York in 1977, Grand Central Terminal, and cloning. I’m kind of all over the place.

Submissions – I’m working with Mark Andrew Smith and a few others on a new project (shhh!) as the submissions editor and I’ve received a few pitches that were good, and some that are dynamite. I can’t wait for folks to see these.

A map – I’m getting ready to head down to Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC this week, so I’m getting the maps and GPS ready for the drive. Rachel Freire and her fiancee will accompany me on the drive, so pray for their souls. I have a lead foot.

FCHS – I keep reading this, preparing for the sequel! 1/8 of the way in on the script, and I’m hoping that by the time I finish the script, everyone will actually get to read the book and want to see where we go with it. I’m very proud of this book.

Go Alfred!

I linked to some of comic creator Roger Langridge’s HeroesCon sketches last week, but he’s added a few more that people have scanned in and emailed to him, and they’re just too fun not to point to again. So go check out Sandman drawn as a Muppet, Tom Waits and, as seen above, Alfred doing the Batusi.

HeroesCon

The most negative feedback I’ve heard about HeroesCon comes from a rather interesting source, Creative Director Dustin Harbin. “I flubbed updating all the seating locations correctly.” I’m here to tell you Harbin, if a creator is going to complain to anyone, it’s to the journalist from CBR who shows up at your table and introduces himself. Any creator I encountered over the weekend seemed quite pleased to be at the show, no complaints. And I had a blast, as I do every year I attend the con.

After attending this year’s con, I left with a newfound appreciation for the panel coverage all the news sites provide. I only covered a few panels, and I was overwhelmed at all that I had to take in (and all that I almost missed, thank you digital recorder…).

In between panel coverage, I had numerous great moments with or around creators:

• Finding out Roger Langridge‘s dream project would be a comics adaptation of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot using Laurel & Hardy (and buying Fred the Clown from him)
• Walking by Chris Claremont as he regaled a fan with what I can only guess may have been a Jim Shooter as EIC recreation, slamming his fist on the table and yelling: “Kill Iron Man! Kill the Avengers!”
• Standing with my wife in the Westin hotel elevator and watching as Mice Templar writer Bryan J.L. Glass boarded the elevator as a small child/complete stranger told him in detail of his plans to spend the day at a water park. There was a split second where I think Glass contemplated tagging along.  (I’m extra appreciative of Glass for not shunning me when I reminded him of my failure to follow-up on my commitment [at a con last year] to interview him.)

• Buying a copy of BOOM’s Incredibles for my son, getting Mark Waid to sign it and realizing letterer John Workman was standing in front of me, chatting with Waid. Leaving the BOOM panel and promptly finding Tom Scioli (the issue’s cover artist) to sign it as well. But then, the real payoff to this comics? As my son read the issue today, started studying the cover, asking questions that ultimately led to my son asking “Who is Jack Kirby?”
• Seeing a flicker of light go off in the eyes of some really young aspiring creators in a panel audience when Chris Schweizer explained the concept of minicomics to them
• David Petersen referencing Joseph Campbell in a panel and not going on about the George Lucas connection too much
• Consoling myself about missing the Jeff Smith/Alec Longstreth panel by getting to chat with Longstreth at his booth. (Look for an email interview with Longstreth in the coming months.)
• Talking with Ben Towle, Craig Fischer and Roger Langridge over a few beers on Saturday night (Yes, we really discussed Dazzler at one point). And getting to repay Towle for a drink round he bought, with my Sunday purchase of Snooker and Farewell, Georgia
• Catching up with folks like Marc Nathan, Sandy Jarrell and Thom (Love and Capes) Zahler
• Having the pleasure to speak with Colleen Doran, the kindest and most intelligent creator ever. No really.  And go to her blog, because I thought I had a great shot of Carla Speed McNeil in her pith helmet. But I didn’t get Jeff Smith to worship at McNeil’s feet. Go now, this photo must be seen.
• Last, but not least, after reading about his work for years and never being at the same con as him, I finally got to meet Jim Ottaviani and got to buy T-Minus: The Race to The Moon from him

People who were there, but I missed seeing:

• Scott Christian Sava
• Durwin Talon
• Rantz Hoseley
• Many, many others (feel free to chime in with your thoughst in the comments section)

I always love the number of strollers and kids I get to dodge at the con. I am serious. I want to see kids at cons. I want more cons where parents feel motivated to bring their kids. The industry needs more HeroesCons. But for now, I’m just feeling lucky that we have this HeroesCon. And if I’m lucky, they’ll see me there next year.

Rom

Chris Samnee, artist of The Mighty, shares this killer Rom sketch someone pre-ordered before the con. I had a hard time deciding whether to feature that one or this one featuring Daredevil fighting Swamp Thing.

(I mean, why would Daredevil fight Swamp Thing? Why would Daredevil be in a swamp in the first place? So many questions for a future Marvel vs. DC crossover …)

This Batman/Catwoman one he did for the auction is also a thing of beauty. Go check out his blog for more.

Moving on, Jason Latour draws Devil Dinosaur taking on Superman …

Devil Dinosaur vs. Superman

Speaking of questions that need to be answered in a future Marvel vs. DC crossover. Seriously, Marvel and DC … patch things up, then mash up the ideas behind Strange Tales MAX and Bizarro Comics into one mini-series or hardcover or whatever where guys like Latour and Samnee can draw the rest of these fight scenes. I’ll buy multiple copies.

OK, moving on … Cliff Chiang shares several sketches he did, including Amethyst:

Amethyst

Roger Langridge said he received a lot of requests for Doctor Who/Muppet mash-ups:

Gonzo Davros

And Steve Epting, naturally, did some Cap sketches, among others:

Captain America

And finally, Rachelle at Living Between Wednesdays shares many of the sketches she received at the con, including this one by Fred Chao:

Johnny Hiro

Longbox

This past weekend Philadelphia welcomed Wizard World, while Charlotte hosted HeroesCon. Two East Coast conventions, separated by more than 500 miles and a couple of states. If you were away from your computer, then you may have missed some of the announcements that sprang from both venues:

• For years people have been asking for an “iTunes for comics.” Well, it looks like we might actually get one. Rantz Hoseley’s Longbox will be a free download available later this year for PC, Macs and Linux. Comics can be download for a suggested price point of $.99 per issue, with the potential for block and subscription pricing. BOOM! and Top Cow have already signed on.

• Marvel had a lot of announcements at the show. Spinning out of the Uncanny X-Men/Dark Avengers crossover that kicks off any day now will be a series of one-shots that fall under the heading of Dark Reign: The List. Basically Norman Osbourn starts making a list of everyone standing in his way who he needs to do dirty, nasty things to.

The eight one shots and the creators working on them are:

Dark Reign: The List – Daredevil by Andy Diggle and Billy Tan
Dark Reign: The List – Wolverine by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic
Dark Reign: The List – Hulk by Greg Pak and Ben Oliver
Dark Reign: The List – Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott and Adam Kubert
Dark Reign: The List – Avengers by Brian Bendis and Marko Djurdjevic
Dark Reign: The List – Uncanny X-Men by Matt Fraction and Alan Davis
Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors by Jonathan Hickman and Ed McGuiness
Dark Reign: The List – Punisher by Rick Remender and John Romita Jr.

The project was announced at around the same time both in Philadelphia and in Charlotte. For more info, check out CBR’s interviews with Bendis, Fraction and Remender, as well as Pak, Hickman and Aaron. Also, Aaron talks a little bit about his Wolverine one-shot on his blog; it will feature both Marvel Boy and Fantomex, as well as a new Weapon XVI.

• Several of Spider-Man’s classic villains, like Electro, Rhino and Mysterio, are returning in a storyline called “The Gauntlet.” It also looks like the Black Cat is back for some Spidey lovin’.

Astonishing X-Men

• Creative team shuffles … Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre are the new creative team on Daredevil with issue #501. Rick Remender and Mahmud S. Asrar are doing a guest issue of Thunderbolts, which will feature Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Phil Jimenez is the new artist on Astonishing X-Men, joining Warren Ellis as of issue #31. And apparently Sean McKeever’s exclusive contract with DC is up, as he’s working on a new series for Marvel called Nomad: Girl Without a World, starring the Bucky from the Heroes Reborn comics.

• The new Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Voodoo, gets his own series in October written by Rick Remender, while the old Sorcerer Supreme gets a mini-series by Mark Waid.

• Marvel is launching another Moon Knight ongoing series by crime novelist and Punisher writer Gregg Hurwitz, with art by Jerome Opeña.

• Daniel Way and Richard Corben are working on a Starr the Slayer mini-series for Marvel MAX.

• Psylocke will star in a mini-series written by Christopher Yost. “The mandate on this series was ‘Tell us a story that reminds everyone of why she’s so kick ass,’” Yost told Kiel Phegley.

• Kieron Gillen and Cary Nord are working on an Ares mini-series.

• Gregg Schigiel and Jacob Chabot are doing an X-Babies mini-series that will feature the return of several Star Comics characters.

• There’s more Marvel Zombies coming.

• DC Comics used both conventions to show off their new Wednesday Comics title. Check out this picture from HeroesCon:

Wednesday Comics

That’s editor Ian Sattler, showing off a copy.

• In Philadelphia, Dan DiDio announced a new Jonah Hex hardcover by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Tony DeZuniga. He also announced a new Doc Savage series by Brian Azarello and Rags Morales set in an alternate universe where he’ll interact with the Spirit and the Blackhawks.

• Andy Runton’s Owly, published by Top Shelf, is now available on the Kindle.

• Jeff Katz revealed the first four titles for his American Original company.

• Former Wizard employee Steven Hoveke, who now runs Square 1 Press and has published convention sketchbooks by both Walt Simonson and Howard Chaykin, was barred from re-entering Wizard World Philadelphia on Saturday. He tells the story of what happened on his company’s blog and posted on Twitter that he was barred because of his affiliation with the Long Beach Comic Con. (Via Bleeding Cool)

• Artist Michael Cho was upset to find out someone was walking around HeroesCon wearing a shirt featuring his art. (Via the Comics Reporter)