Comic Book Resources

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

The Book of Genesis Illustrated

Sales charts | R. Crumb's The Book of Genesis Illustrated climbs seven spots to No. 2 in its second month on BookScan's list of top-selling adult graphic novels in bookstores. It's bested, as most are, by the latest volume of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto. But it's another story on USA Today's bestseller chart, where Crumb's book drops 49 places in its second week to No. 129. [ICv2.com, USA Today]

Passings | Tom Spurgeon, NPR's Mark Memmott and Ina Jaffe, and Michael Cieply of The New York Times have obituaries for Comic-Con co-founder Shel Dorf, who passed away on Nov. 3 at the age of 76.

Libraries | The Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library of Manga and Subculture opened over the weekend at Meiji University's Surugadai campus in Tokyo. Users can become one-day members of the library, where they can have access to about half of the 140,000 manga for about $1.10 per copy. The books can't be removed from the library. [The Japan Times]

Internet | Tom Spurgeon points out that the review blog Guttergeek will move to the expanded TCJ.com, joining a stable of hosted blogs that will include The Hooded Utilitarian. [Guttergeek]

Continue Reading »

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 100

One zero zero!

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

And look! There's even something going on on this page! Not just yakkity-yakkin' and stuff.

Thanks for sticking around so far, folks. Still got a pretty substantial chunk of story to go. And things look to be heating up in Drytown, so buckle in.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 099

And on, this the 99th page of THE THIRSTY, I give you:

Art by Gervasio and Jok. Written by Matt Maxwell.

I just realized that Collins' riding coat got ripped in the first chapter and it got patched sometime along the way.  You can see it real clear in panel 3.

I'd try to work up something exciting for the 100th page, but everytime I've tried to, real life has reached up and smacked me in the face.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep your eyes peeled, though.

Back on Wednesday.

Straight for the (horror) art | Alex Sheikman's Strangeways illustration

Part of an illustration by Alex Sheikman

For his one-a-day sketch series on his blog, Robotika creator Alex Sheikman drew a terrific illustration based on Strangeways, the Western-horror series by Matt Maxwell and Luis Guragna. The second graphic novel in the series, The Thirsty, is being serialized online right here at Robot 6.

To see the full illustration, visit Sheikman's blog.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 098

Holy cow! That inital 0 digit in the titles is about to become outmoded!

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

Wonder how long the residents of Drytown are going to let this makeover continue, anyways?

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 097

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

Remember kids, in real life, TNT is not to be enjoyed like a fine cigar.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 096

We've substituted the post day for everyone's favorite ongoing horror/western serial. Let's see if they notice...

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

That's just this week, folks.  Should be back on schedule for Halloween week.  Geez, Halloween already.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 095

Back from APE, will be collecting thoughts shortly.

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

Huh. Wonder what that's all about, then?

Back on Wednesday, APE posting may be up before then, but other work may supersede it.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 094

1. Today's page:

Art by Gervasio and Jok. Written by Matt Maxwell

2. I'll still be appearing at APE this weekend. And the Highway 62 compound will feature a special guest in the form of Alex Sheikman, author and illustrator of ROBOTIKA, put out by Archaia Studios Press. His book will be prettier than mine. And hardcover. And in color. Tough to compete with competition like that. But I'll be doing Five Minute Stories and he'll just be doing garden variety sketches. Take that, Alex! Anyways, hope to see some of you there. I know that JK Parkin (Robot6 High Overlord, or Co-High Overlord, depending on who you ask) will be at the show as well. Bet he'll sign your laptop if you leave the browser window open to R6.

3. I turn really old tomorrow. No, older than that. Like so old that this issue of FANTASTIC FOUR came out the month I was born.

4. Turns out that having children ages you prematurely. Who knew?

APE '09 | Exhibit A, NBM, SLG and more

The Alternative Press Expo, or APE, is coming up this weekend at The Concourse in San Francisco. The show runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Special guests include Jamaica Dyer, Phoebe Gloeckner, Dean Haspiel, Batton Lash, Lark Pien, Dash Shaw and Jeff Smith. I'll be there covering the show, while Matt Maxwell will have a table to sell copies of Strangeways.

And over the next couple days, I'll be posting what various companies and creators have planned for the show. If you'd like to be included, drop me the details on where you'll be, what you'll be selling and all that good stuff.

Exhibit A Press | Jackie Estrada dropped us a note about what Exhibit A Press (table 312) will have at the show, where special guest Batton Lash will be celebrating 30 years of Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre.

"He’ll be signing the limited-edition Supernatural Law Tales from the Vault Anniversary Special as well as comics and trades," she writes. "We’ll also have Batton’s 'monster cameos,' one-of-a-kind hand-painted miniatures of everyone’s favorite monsters. Plus: new Graphitti Designs Supernatural Law T-shirt!"

More info at www.exhibitapress.com/pages/index.php

SLG Publishing | Jennifer de Guzman sent over an update on SLG's plans for the show. "Jamaica Dyer will be a special guest, so we will have plenty of copies of her new book Weird Fishes," she writes. "Jamaica will also be on the panel Personal Stories on Saturday at 5 p.m. with Dean Haspiel, Phoebe Glockner, and Dash Shaw. I'll be moderating her spotlight panel on Sunday at 12 p.m."

Things Undone

NBM | Ted Rall and Shane White will be at APE; Rall will have a few copies of The Year of Loving Dangerously, while White will sign copies of the recent release Things Undone (which is sitting on my dresser in my "to read" pile; I should read it before this weekend).

Top Shelf | Brett Warnock posts on his blog that Nate Powell, Grant Reynolds and Jeremy Tinder will be at their booth, along with himself and Leigh Walton. And as always, he'll be at the Isotope party Saturday night.

Creators | Scott Morse will be on hand doing commissions and selling the last few remaining copies he has of The Ancient Book of Sex and Science.

Manga | Deb Aoki rounds up what various manga publishers are doing at the show.

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 093

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

No funny caption today, though I can think of a few.

Getting ready for the upcoming APE show in SF in five short days from now.  Hopefully the inbound torrential rain won't wash the town away.  Be sure to stop by and say hello, and maybe get yourself a fancy Five Minute Story for your trouble.  Oh, and a look at upcoming chapters of THE THIRSTY, should that tickle your fancy.  See you then!

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 092

See, Wednesday really is new comics day.  You even get a new page of THE THIRSTY.

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

Guest starring, apparently, Warren Ellis this week.  Panel 4 in particular.  And no, I didn't plan that at all.

I mean, I've never even seen Mr. Ellis in a cowboy hat.  Well, maybe that one time in San Diego...

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 091

Welcome, new readers who're stopping by after visiting me at the Long Beach Comic-Con last weekend.  Hope you enjoy the show!

As for the rest of you reprobates, here's the newest page:

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

So maybe Joachim isn't out of the fight yet.  But whose side will he end up on?

Strangeways: The Thirsty - Page 089

Meltdown in progress.  Stand by to receive page.

Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.

And here you thought that trick only worked for the good guys.

Check in Wednesday to see if de Medina gets away or gets what's coming to him!

And dig this.  Strangeways: Murder Moon was named "Best Local Graphic Novel" by the Sacramento News and Review.  Sacramento's got like, more than a thousand people living there!  That's a lot!  See?  More people than just my mom like it!  Coverage at Robot 6.

Strangeways: Murder Moon named best local graphic novel by Sacramento News & Review

Murder Moon cover, dig?

Congratulations to our own Matt Maxwell, whose graphic novel Strangeways: Murder Moon was named best local graphic novel by the Sacramento News & Review, the local independent paper.

"We’ve got some serious local talent when it comes to comics and graphic novels (including artist Sam Kieth, who lives up in the foothills), so it’s no surprise that every so often a graphic novel crosses the transom that looks pretty damn good," the write-up says. "Strangeways: Murder Moon, the first in a series written by El Dorado Hills resident Matt Maxwell, is a genre bender that adds to werewolf mythology and transforms the traditional Western. The slightly retro black-and-white drawings are stark but detailed. It’s extremely unnerving and just right for this horror-slash-oater story of a Confederate veteran out to stop a family curse. Maxwell’s going places—and not just to Rocklin, either."

Be sure to check out the follow-up, The Thirsty, right here at Robot 6.