Comic Book Resources

Talking Comics with Tim: Joshua Hale Fialkov

Tumor

This interview with Joshua Hale Fialkov (creator of the acclaimed Elk’s Run from a few years ago and current noir work at Archaia, Tumor [which reunites Fialkov with his Elk's Run artist Noel Tuazon]) took an interesting route before finally getting here. The initial interview started as a suggestion from Johanna Draper Carlson back in October 2008 (thanks, Johanna) and was intended for my pop culture blog, Talking with Tim. Fialkov was more than game to do the interview and we completed the initial interview in late 2008, right around the time I signed on to contribute my comics interviews to Robot 6.  So, savvy, yet disorganized guy that I am, I set the interview aside--and promptly misplaced it. When news of Fialkov's Tumor (available here for Kindle and here for free for those of without Kindles) started making the rounds, I realized my mistake and  tracked the emails down. I contacted Fialkov (offering my sincere apologies)  and he was kind enough to entertain new questions about Tumor. So please note, after the initial Tumor discussion, the interview moves on to the initial 2008 interview, which while it is understandably dated in some aspects, much of it is still quite engaging and relevant. My thanks to Fialkov for his understanding and for his time both in 2008 and 2009.

Tim O'Shea: How pleased have you been with Tumor's Kindle sales? How much has the story's word-of-mouth been boosted thanks to the website?

Joshua Hale Fialkov: Well, just using our placement in the ranks on Amazon, the fact that a Kindle only comic book can get up to be the 8th most ordered graphic novel on all of Amazon, including print, is pretty damn amazing. I think there's a lot of reasons that we're up there, including that we're giving the first chapter away for free, but, still, that says to me that there's an audience for comics on the device, and it's one that in some ways may soon rival the audience for print comics. At least, for those readers who use Amazon to get their fix. My whole career has been built on a lot of goodwill, and from the support of friends and fans with big mouths and wide audiences, and, frankly, in a niche business like comics, that's really how the whole thing works. What I hope to do is go the extra mile to really reward my readers, first with what I hope is excellent content, but secondly by giving them access to the stuff over on the website, including behind the scenes material, and special features that not only enhance their enjoyment of the book, but hopefully show them a side of the process they haven't considered. To that end, there's a healthy amount of traffic who make it over to the site every time we release an issue, so, I know that in some respects, it's working.

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

Conan

Publishing | Paradox Entertainment, which owns the rights to the Robert E. Howard library and is rebooting the Conan the Barbarian movie franchise, has signed a deal with Dark Horse to publish comics based on its slate of films. Dark Horse has been publishing Conan titles since 2003, and last year released miniseries based on Howard creations Solomon Kane and Kull. [Variety]

Publishing | Jeff Katz's new entertainment company American Original has brought together a group of top-name comedians to write a comic-book series called Comedy Death Ray. Those already signed on include David Cross, Zach Galifianakis, Janeane Garofalo, B.J. Novak, Bob Odenkirk, Patton Oswalt, Paul Scheer and Sarah Silverman. Each comedian will write on issue of the anthology series, which will be released through American Original's deal with Top Cow Productions. [Variety]

Publishing | Eric Reynolds, Fantagraphics Books' longtime director of publicity, quietly has been promoted to associate publisher. [The Comics Reporter]

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SDCC '09 | Image Comics hosts Image United signing event, more

Image United #1

Image Comics will be out in full force at the con, with several panels and a huge list of folks who will be signing all weekend -- everyone from Mike Allred to Christopher Yost.

The biggest event on their schedule is a special signing event with everyone involved in their upcoming Image United book: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Whilce Portacio and Jim Valentino.

Find their full press release and schedules after the jump

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Top Cow's third pilot season to feature Kirkman/Silvestri creations

On G4's Attack of the Show yesterday, Blair Butler announced that Top Cow's bringing back their Pilot Season competition, where they throw five comics into the octagon and let them battle it out (via fan voting) to see which two will go on to become mini-series. The twist this time around is that all five of them will be co-created by Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri, as detailed in this video:

No word on when the third Pilot Season competition starts. Last year's winners were Twilight Guardian by writer Troy Hickman and artist Reza, and Genius by writers Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman and artist Afua Richardson.

WonderCon '09 | Panel schedule announced

Comic-Con International has posted the programming for WonderCon, which is coming up Feb. 27-March 1 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. As its run by the same folks who do San Diego, it has that same feel and variety, but is a little more laid back and low key than the madness that is the San Diego Comic Con. My brother and I were able to walk right into the X-Files panel last year just as it started ... same with the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles panel. I don't think you could ever do something like that at San Diego. In any event, it's a great opportunity to see creators and actually chat with them a bit.

Let's see what will be going on ...

• Marvel's been absent from WonderCon for the past couple of years, and while they don't appear to have a booth, they do have a presence this year. Both Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction are guests of honor, and it looks like Jeph Loeb, Mark Paniccia and Axel Alonso, among others, will also be there. Of note is a discussion between Fraction and author Michael Chabon on Saturday that will likely be worth the price of admission alone.

• Speaking of special guests, Brian Azzarello and Dave Johnson are also attending and will host a panel on 100 Bullets on Saturday ... followed by a night at Isotope Comics. And although Dan DiDio won't be at the con this year, DC's got Jim Lee, Will Dennis, Ian Sattler, James Robinson and Aaron Lopresti, among others.

• Oni Press, IDW, Dark Horse, BOOM!, SLG, Aspen and Top Cow will also be on hand, both on the floor and at various panels to talk about their latest projects.

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