Comic Book Resources

Halloween Viewing | Gambit and Rogue go to the movies

This week's episode of Marvel Super Heroes: What The--?! features not only a tribute to the greatest zombie-dancing video of all time, but also the voiceover work of Stan Lee. Enjoy!

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Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes

The Avengers #4

Creators | Using the copyright-reclamation bid by Jack Kirby's children as a news hook, Geoff Boucher takes a look at the artist's legacy, his creative partnership with Stan Lee, and his bitter feud with Marvel. "A lot more people know the name Stan Lee than the name Jack Kirby," says daughter Lisa Kirby. “I’m not putting down Stan Lee’s talents but it’s difficult for us to see that he does dominate the credit. That doesn’t reflect the work or the reality. To see Jack Kirby in small letters and Stan Lee in big letters, that’s hard for us.” [Los Angeles Times]

Publishing | Jim Shelley considers what effect the recession may be having on the illegal downloading of comic books. He finds there are more downloads, but they've become more difficult to track. [Flashback Universe, via Kleefeld on Comics]

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SDCC '09 | But who holds the record for the most fat Supermen in one place?

Guinness World Records was at the San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend presenting awards for various records achieved by comic books, TV shows and other activities you might associate with the con. Here's a complete rundown of what they presented:

DC's Paul Levitz and Guinness’ Craig Glenday

Longest Running Sitcom and Longest Running Animated TV Series - With over 443 episodes, The Simpsons is the longest running sitcom (by episode count) and longest running animated series. During its 20th season (2008-09), The Simpsons finally overtook the 435 episodes of former record holder The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-66).

Best-selling Comic (single edition) - Spider-Man No.1, first published in August 1990, is the Best-selling Comic (single edition). With an initial print run of 2.35 million, the record-breaking edition was sold with a variety of differently colored covers and several reprints were ordered to keep up with high public demand.

Longest Continuosly Published Comic Book - The longest running comic book is Detective Comics, which has been printed continuously by DC Comics in the USA since Issue #1 in March 1937. The comic introduced the character of Batman in Issue #27 in May 1939.

Most Successful Sci-fi TV Show - Doctor Who, the longest running sci-fi television show, is now the Most Successful Sci-fi Show on Television. Based on the length of the show's run and international sales data, the series about the adventures of the iconic Time Lord was presented with the new record at Comic-Con 2009 International.

Most Digital Effects in a TV Series - Farscape employed about 25 computer artists to create between 40 and 50 effects shot per episode. The effects team had just seven days to work on each episode, at a rate of 22 episodes per year.

Largest Gathering of Zombies - The record largest gathering of zombies was achieved by 3,894 participants in the 'Red White and Dead Zombie Party' in association with Night Zero on July 3, 2009 in Seattle, Washington. Ryan Reiter, Artistic Director for Freemont Outdoor Cinema Events.

Picture via The Source

SDCC '09 | Stan Lee's doing what he wants to do

Stan Lee

Stan Lee, whom we learned today will lend his voice and likeness to a character in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 video game, is the subject of a nice profile by The Hollywood Reporter.

The article focuses on Lee's numerous POW! Entertainment projects with Disney and other current work, and touches briefly upon his career highlights. In between it delivers a couple of prime Stan Lee quotes.

"People usually retire because they can finally stop working and they'll have the time to do what they really want to do," says the 86-year-old creator. "But I'm doing what I want to do! If anybody forced me to spend a day on the golf course, I'd feel I was being tortured!"

Also: There's a fun illustration of Lee by Jim Mahfood.

SDCC '09 | Marvel's signing schedule

Marvel signing schedule

Marvel sent over their booth signing schedule for the San Diego Comic-Con ... of note: Stan Lee at 1 p.m. and Warren Ellis at 6 p.m. Friday, and an Iron Man 2 signing at 11 a.m. Saturday. The line for that one started forming last week.

You can also find their panel schedule here.

Straight for the art | Stan Lee draws Usagi Yojimbo

Stan Lee's Usagi

Every year the San Diego Comic-Con puts together a souvenir book that spotlights various anniversaries, such as the 50th anniversary of Green Lantern or 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The book features artwork from professionals and fans celebrating these anniversaries.

Well, this year is the 25th anniversary of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, and he's posted artwork by none other than Stan Lee featuring everyone's favorite ronin rabbit wearing everyone's favorite webslinger's mask. "Other contributors include Sergio Aragones, Dan Spiegle, Dean Yeagle, Kazu Kibiushi, Bill Morrison, Mell Lazarus (Mama as Usagi), and Scott Shaw!" Sakai said on his blog.

When times get tough, the superheroes get real

Geist

The recession can be blamed for any number of things, ranging from home foreclosures to layoffs to business closings. Now add to that list the rise of real-life superheroes.

CNN reports that the dismal economic environment is leading more people to don masks in an effort to help their communities and fight crime.

Ben Goldman of Superheroes Anonymous estimates there are somewhere between 250 and 300 real-life superheroes worldwide, up from around 200 just last summer.

"A lot of them have gone through a sort of existential crisis and have had to discover who they are," Goldman tells CNN.

Of course as we, and Shadow Hare, have learned, more supervillains are discovering who they are, too.

But Stan Lee, for one, sees the increase in real-life superheroes as a positive sign.

"I think it's a good thing that people are eager enough to want to help their community," he says. "They think to do it is to emulate the superheroes. Now if they had said they had super powers [that would be another thing]."

They don't have super powers yet, but they do have BattleSuits. And, in the case of Rochester, Minnesota's Geist, bolas.

Hey, kid, big superheroes don't cry

From "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?"

The BBC's version of Stan Lee's reality show Who Wants to Be a Superhero? reportedly is under fire for subjecting contestants -- ages 9 to 13 -- to unnecessary stress and criticism.

I didn't even realize there was a British take on the series, which aired for two seasons in the United States on SciFi.

Although the original, American version featured adults, the Children's BBC show focuses on 13 kids who create their own superheroes and participate in a series of trials. Each week the contestants are judged on their performance, and one is cut from competition.

The winner will travel to Los Angeles to meet Lee.

According to the Daily Mail, the controversy was sparked by the past two episodes, which each showed children crying or choking back tears as they were eliminated.

The newspaper quotes a few psychologists who say the experiencing is potentially damaging to children, but a BBC spokesman disagrees. "There is absolutely no evidence of any distress to the children," he said. "They have all said they had a happy time."

In another twist, Marvel is sued for $750 million in movie profits

Marvel

Shareholders of Stan Lee Media on Monday sued Marvel Entertainment, Stan Lee and others for more than $750 million -- about half of the estimated proceeds from Marvel's movies.

Also named are Marvel Entertainment Chairman Isaac Perlmutter and former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad.

The suit, filed in federal court in New York City, accuses the defendants of denying shareholders of the failed dot-com their rights to 50-percent ownership of Lee's co-creations at Marvel.

A Marvel spokesman told The Associated Press that the lawsuit is filled with "ridiculous claims."

This is only the latest round in a dispute that dates back to 1998, when Perlmutter used bankruptcy procedures to end Marvel's $1 million-a-year lifetime contract with Lee. That negated Lee's assignment to the company of his rights to creations such as Spider-Man, The X-Men, Iron Man and The Hulk.

However, it also freed Lee to form Stan Lee Entertainment (which later merged with Stan Lee Media) with now-infamous entrepreneur Peter F. Paul. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2001, and emerged from protection in November 2006.

The lawsuit -- and the $5-billion one that came before it, in March 2007 -- hinges on a sequence of events that took place between August 1998, when Marvel terminated Lee's employment, and November 1998, when Lee entered into a new agreement with the company and signed over his likeness, and any claims to characters.

Representatives of Stan Lee Media previously have claimed that on Oct. 15, 1998, Lee transferred to that company rights to his creations and his likeness.

It also should be noted that in July 2007, Stan Lee Media sued Stan Lee, who returned the favor.

For more, and more colorful, background, Barron's published a solid article on the dispute back in June.

Update: Tom Spurgeon has commentary as he watches a press conference this morning featuring Martin Garbus, attorney for the plaintiffs.