I thought I'd mention this for Austin-area Leaguers:
Austin Books is having its annual Labor Day blow-out.
This sale is actually a pretty big deal. The good folks at AB will have all kinds of graphic novels, comics, etc... on deep discount.
As a Superman and Jimmy Olsen back-issue collector, I'm hoping that I can find some stuff on discount in their Showcase comics selection. Last year I actually found a couple of great items, so with any luck...
I also occasionally pick up Flash comics, DC Comics Presents, and a few other things if they catch my eye. So, yeah! It's Nerd Christmas.
I did pick up a trade or graphic novel or two last year as well, but I can't recall exactly what.
The sale runs from tomorrow night until Monday.
If anyone wants to go tomorrow or on Saturday, let me know!
Showing posts with label comic misc.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comic misc.. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Disney Buys Marvel
So, it sounds like this Disney purchase of Marvel is going to happen.
The New York Times says so and Stan Lee likes it! (and owns Marvel stock, so...)
I was thinking a bit today about what Jack "King" Kirby would think. Jack worked mostly for hire, I believe, and so the Marvel Empire he created with Ditko, Lee and others, is now worth a lot more than the company that was so broke they figured "well, we might as well let Stan try this superhero thing".
My comic history is an undergraduate level, but I don't really know enough about Kirby to make a solid call. But if Siegel's family is still grumbling about the loss of the Superman rights, the Kirby, Ditko and the rest of the families have to be feeling a bit screwed, too. $4 Billion.
What comic nerds all know is that DC Comics has been owned by Warner Bros. for decades. They were a successful publisher, risen up from soft-core and other pulp imprints prior to comics, and it was a good deal when Warner Bros. integrated them.
Marvel, when I first noticed anything about the business, was owned at the time by New World Pictures. It was supposed to do what WB had done, bring recognizable properties to the big screen. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out when New World went under.
Since then, Marvel went through another owner or two before going it alone, with a stock offering that culminated in what I found to be a stunning bit of arrogance when Marvel dipped out of the red and actually published their annual report as a collector's item for the fanboys. No. Really. They did.
This was shortly after the release of Spider-Man 1, and the launch of the Ultimate line. So, yeah, Marvel had some reason to gloat.
Unfortunately, Marvel also spent that time making fun of DC for being owned by a corporation, and, regularly, in print, referred to DC as "AOL Comics" in reference to the AOL/ Time-Warner merger. It wasn't so much that it had any effect on DC, but it was the sort of juvenile posturing going on at Marvel at the time marked the years when Jemas took the reins, with current Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada right next to him.
I do, in fact, wonder if Quesada is wondering if DC will be referring to Marvel as "Mickey Marvel".
I don't doubt there's any "why" to Disney's purchase of Marvel. Disney has usually created brands within the company to reach certain demographics, or purchased them if that seemed more convenient. Touchstone Pictures was Disney's Rated-R arm for a while, and they bought Miramax from the Weinsteins when having something vaguely independent in appearance seemed profitable.
Marvel has a certain street cred of cool that DC hasn't had in 40 years, and their stable of super-heroes have become as well known as the Super Friends once were. Their characters appeal to the ever-profitable audience of young adult males. Disney hasn't been able to maintain the continuum with Mickey and Co., losing that audience after childhood, and waiting for people to become parents themselves to fully tap into the licensed property market. In fact, I'd say the closing of a good portion of the Disney Stores at malls was a sign that the licensing was missing a few key demographics.
Comics
Let's be clear: Disney is not buying Marvel so they can put out comics. In fact, this is a fairly messy area for Disney.
In recent years, Disney has tried to crack the comic-sphere. I believe they currently have a deal with SLG comics, where they tried to exploit the medium with comics based on The Haunted Mansion and other properties. I don't think I've seen any of the Disney comics that were supposed to come from that deal in four or five years, so that's some indicator of the success of that deal.
Within the last two months, upstart comic publisher Boom! Studios has made huge waves with their Disney/ Pixar licensed comics, and an announcement of the old Scrooge McDuck an other comics making their way from Gemstone over to Boom! And, honestly, I feel pretty badly for Boom! at the moment as this move means that their deal will most likely not last beyond the term of their current contract. And, in fact, Disney seems to have acted in a bit of odd, if not bad, faith.
Further, Marvel's publishing arm hasn't actually been doing super-duper the past year or so. However, in this game, its not about the comics, its about the licensing and film opportunities.
Part of the implied insult in Marvel's bad-natured teasing of DC about its Time-Warner ownership was the idea that DC's characters, beholden to their corporate overlords, couldn't be as "edgy" as Marvel's characters. To some degree, while I would guess all sorts of assurances are being made today, Marvel does now have a corporate structure within which it will fall. No matter the guarantees, at some point a Disney accountant is going to point out that "We are Disney. Our best known superhero does not make marriage-ending deals with Satan himself."
While I sincerely believe the Disney corporate overlords have better things to do than worry about Spidey's thrice-monthly adventures, this is also the same company that subducts its waste into an elaborate system of tunnels at Disney World so that one never sees someone handling a trashcan at The Magic Kingdom.
The Licensing
Marvel has never been shy about slapping Spidey's face on everything from a Universal Studios Theme Park Island to the pair of plastic binoculars I had in first grade.
With Disney owning the most important theme parks in the western Hemisphere, Marvel has an entire "Marvel Island" located at Universal Studios in Orlando. Its hard to believe that when the contracts expire, that Disney will simply renew the contracts without exacting a hefty fee from their neighbors a cab-ride away from the Magic Kingdom. (I met Captain America when I was there. It was neat.)
Marvel's licensing has accounted for a goodly chunk of the profits, to toy manufacturers, popsicle makers, etc... I don't pick up many Marvel comics, but they must also have some print-ad deal when they sign a contract, because half the comic looks like a catalog for hastily-crafted Marvel gear (there was Marvel cologne a few years ago).
Jason often makes fun of me for "buying any crap with an 'S' on it", but the truth is that were I an avid Spidey collector, Jamie and I would have to move out of the house to make room for all the junk with Spidey's two pale white eyes staring back at you. Seriously, walk around Target sometime with Spidey on the brain. It's a mind-boggling experience.
I don't believe Disney has anything to actually learn here. After Eisner was shown the door (and a bit before), they've had no trouble putting the face of their princesses, Pooh and the Mickey gang on all sorts of junk. But, again, there's that demographic where princesses and Mickey don't really work, but Iron Man most certainly does work.
Movies
When it comes to feature films, my assumption is that Disney is looking to buy tentpole summer movies that it can't seem to cook up on their own, what with the relative failure of the Narnia Chronicles. Not only do the movies tend to rake in dough, but the sale of the movie-related toys seems to be quite good.
Prior to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Marvel's history with movies was rocky, at best. Several 70's-era TV movies and a post-Burton-Batman Captain America film that never saw the silver screen... and, the much discussed but rarely seen Roger Corman Fantastic Four.
Here's the odd part to me about focusing a lot on the films...
Spider-Man is pretty well locked up at Sony. The FF isn't really ready for a reboot quite yet (although that's the next logical step). The last Hulk outing did less-well than the criticized Ang Lee Hulk. Ghost Rider and several other Marvel flicks (Elektra, Daredevil, two separate Punisher movies) were either critical or commercial bombs, or both. And the Wolverine film has a strong opening weekend and then fizzled.
In the past three or four years, only Iron Man has been a stand-out hit, and that may have been beginners luck. But iron Man, Hulk and several of Marvel's latest films that actually lent heavily from the comics (unlike the egregious FF movies) were actually produced in-house by Marvel Entertainment.
Will Disney buy the Marvel style of movie-producing, or will they do what WB insisted on doing withe the pre-Nolan Batman franchise, Catwoman, etc...?
That said, you never know. Iron Man is supposed to lead us to an Avengers movie, and there's just a blanket assumption that an Avengers movie will be The Next Big Thing. I can see it.
Animation and Television
Here's an area where DC has been kicking the crud out of Marvel for years.
DCU Animated has been doing pretty well with its slate of animated feature films, at least critically and from fan response. Marvel... has a long way to go. DC could easily still be spinning stories out from Bruce Timm and Co.'s vision which started when I was in high school, but that era has sort of wrapped.
I have no idea why Marvel's animation projects always wind up as a bit of a mess, but its not for lack of a quantity of attempts. Movies. MTV-3D-animated Spidey. 3D animated Iron Man. Baby Avengers. What-have-you. None of it seems to make much of a dent.
One is led to believe Disney may know a thing or two about how to do this better.
With Smallville, DC has also had a show about the boyhood of Clark Kent on TV going into its 9th Season this fall. That's nothing short of incredible. Especially when one considers that the show was preceeded by Lois and Clark and Superboy in the past 25 years or so.
Marvel hasn't had a regular television staple since Spidey joined the cast of The Electric Company.
In Conclusion:
On paper, the Marvel/ Disney deal looks good. I will be curious to see how it all pans out over the next two years. To see who stays and goes. And if Stan Lee gets richer and kookier (I hope so).
It's impossible to know exactly what will happen, who will stay and who will go.
I'm insanely tired or there would be something to talk about the buying and selling of characters and their likeness, in a Marvel vs. DC world, but... I haven't got it in me tonight.
Anyway, it'll be fun to watch.
The New York Times says so and Stan Lee likes it! (and owns Marvel stock, so...)
I was thinking a bit today about what Jack "King" Kirby would think. Jack worked mostly for hire, I believe, and so the Marvel Empire he created with Ditko, Lee and others, is now worth a lot more than the company that was so broke they figured "well, we might as well let Stan try this superhero thing".
My comic history is an undergraduate level, but I don't really know enough about Kirby to make a solid call. But if Siegel's family is still grumbling about the loss of the Superman rights, the Kirby, Ditko and the rest of the families have to be feeling a bit screwed, too. $4 Billion.
What comic nerds all know is that DC Comics has been owned by Warner Bros. for decades. They were a successful publisher, risen up from soft-core and other pulp imprints prior to comics, and it was a good deal when Warner Bros. integrated them.
Marvel, when I first noticed anything about the business, was owned at the time by New World Pictures. It was supposed to do what WB had done, bring recognizable properties to the big screen. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out when New World went under.
Since then, Marvel went through another owner or two before going it alone, with a stock offering that culminated in what I found to be a stunning bit of arrogance when Marvel dipped out of the red and actually published their annual report as a collector's item for the fanboys. No. Really. They did.
This was shortly after the release of Spider-Man 1, and the launch of the Ultimate line. So, yeah, Marvel had some reason to gloat.
Unfortunately, Marvel also spent that time making fun of DC for being owned by a corporation, and, regularly, in print, referred to DC as "AOL Comics" in reference to the AOL/ Time-Warner merger. It wasn't so much that it had any effect on DC, but it was the sort of juvenile posturing going on at Marvel at the time marked the years when Jemas took the reins, with current Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada right next to him.
I do, in fact, wonder if Quesada is wondering if DC will be referring to Marvel as "Mickey Marvel".
I don't doubt there's any "why" to Disney's purchase of Marvel. Disney has usually created brands within the company to reach certain demographics, or purchased them if that seemed more convenient. Touchstone Pictures was Disney's Rated-R arm for a while, and they bought Miramax from the Weinsteins when having something vaguely independent in appearance seemed profitable.
Marvel has a certain street cred of cool that DC hasn't had in 40 years, and their stable of super-heroes have become as well known as the Super Friends once were. Their characters appeal to the ever-profitable audience of young adult males. Disney hasn't been able to maintain the continuum with Mickey and Co., losing that audience after childhood, and waiting for people to become parents themselves to fully tap into the licensed property market. In fact, I'd say the closing of a good portion of the Disney Stores at malls was a sign that the licensing was missing a few key demographics.
Comics
Let's be clear: Disney is not buying Marvel so they can put out comics. In fact, this is a fairly messy area for Disney.
In recent years, Disney has tried to crack the comic-sphere. I believe they currently have a deal with SLG comics, where they tried to exploit the medium with comics based on The Haunted Mansion and other properties. I don't think I've seen any of the Disney comics that were supposed to come from that deal in four or five years, so that's some indicator of the success of that deal.
Within the last two months, upstart comic publisher Boom! Studios has made huge waves with their Disney/ Pixar licensed comics, and an announcement of the old Scrooge McDuck an other comics making their way from Gemstone over to Boom! And, honestly, I feel pretty badly for Boom! at the moment as this move means that their deal will most likely not last beyond the term of their current contract. And, in fact, Disney seems to have acted in a bit of odd, if not bad, faith.
Further, Marvel's publishing arm hasn't actually been doing super-duper the past year or so. However, in this game, its not about the comics, its about the licensing and film opportunities.
Part of the implied insult in Marvel's bad-natured teasing of DC about its Time-Warner ownership was the idea that DC's characters, beholden to their corporate overlords, couldn't be as "edgy" as Marvel's characters. To some degree, while I would guess all sorts of assurances are being made today, Marvel does now have a corporate structure within which it will fall. No matter the guarantees, at some point a Disney accountant is going to point out that "We are Disney. Our best known superhero does not make marriage-ending deals with Satan himself."
While I sincerely believe the Disney corporate overlords have better things to do than worry about Spidey's thrice-monthly adventures, this is also the same company that subducts its waste into an elaborate system of tunnels at Disney World so that one never sees someone handling a trashcan at The Magic Kingdom.
The Licensing
Marvel has never been shy about slapping Spidey's face on everything from a Universal Studios Theme Park Island to the pair of plastic binoculars I had in first grade.
With Disney owning the most important theme parks in the western Hemisphere, Marvel has an entire "Marvel Island" located at Universal Studios in Orlando. Its hard to believe that when the contracts expire, that Disney will simply renew the contracts without exacting a hefty fee from their neighbors a cab-ride away from the Magic Kingdom. (I met Captain America when I was there. It was neat.)
Marvel's licensing has accounted for a goodly chunk of the profits, to toy manufacturers, popsicle makers, etc... I don't pick up many Marvel comics, but they must also have some print-ad deal when they sign a contract, because half the comic looks like a catalog for hastily-crafted Marvel gear (there was Marvel cologne a few years ago).
Jason often makes fun of me for "buying any crap with an 'S' on it", but the truth is that were I an avid Spidey collector, Jamie and I would have to move out of the house to make room for all the junk with Spidey's two pale white eyes staring back at you. Seriously, walk around Target sometime with Spidey on the brain. It's a mind-boggling experience.
I don't believe Disney has anything to actually learn here. After Eisner was shown the door (and a bit before), they've had no trouble putting the face of their princesses, Pooh and the Mickey gang on all sorts of junk. But, again, there's that demographic where princesses and Mickey don't really work, but Iron Man most certainly does work.
Movies
When it comes to feature films, my assumption is that Disney is looking to buy tentpole summer movies that it can't seem to cook up on their own, what with the relative failure of the Narnia Chronicles. Not only do the movies tend to rake in dough, but the sale of the movie-related toys seems to be quite good.
Prior to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Marvel's history with movies was rocky, at best. Several 70's-era TV movies and a post-Burton-Batman Captain America film that never saw the silver screen... and, the much discussed but rarely seen Roger Corman Fantastic Four.
Here's the odd part to me about focusing a lot on the films...
Spider-Man is pretty well locked up at Sony. The FF isn't really ready for a reboot quite yet (although that's the next logical step). The last Hulk outing did less-well than the criticized Ang Lee Hulk. Ghost Rider and several other Marvel flicks (Elektra, Daredevil, two separate Punisher movies) were either critical or commercial bombs, or both. And the Wolverine film has a strong opening weekend and then fizzled.
In the past three or four years, only Iron Man has been a stand-out hit, and that may have been beginners luck. But iron Man, Hulk and several of Marvel's latest films that actually lent heavily from the comics (unlike the egregious FF movies) were actually produced in-house by Marvel Entertainment.
Will Disney buy the Marvel style of movie-producing, or will they do what WB insisted on doing withe the pre-Nolan Batman franchise, Catwoman, etc...?
That said, you never know. Iron Man is supposed to lead us to an Avengers movie, and there's just a blanket assumption that an Avengers movie will be The Next Big Thing. I can see it.
Animation and Television
Here's an area where DC has been kicking the crud out of Marvel for years.
DCU Animated has been doing pretty well with its slate of animated feature films, at least critically and from fan response. Marvel... has a long way to go. DC could easily still be spinning stories out from Bruce Timm and Co.'s vision which started when I was in high school, but that era has sort of wrapped.
I have no idea why Marvel's animation projects always wind up as a bit of a mess, but its not for lack of a quantity of attempts. Movies. MTV-3D-animated Spidey. 3D animated Iron Man. Baby Avengers. What-have-you. None of it seems to make much of a dent.
One is led to believe Disney may know a thing or two about how to do this better.
With Smallville, DC has also had a show about the boyhood of Clark Kent on TV going into its 9th Season this fall. That's nothing short of incredible. Especially when one considers that the show was preceeded by Lois and Clark and Superboy in the past 25 years or so.
Marvel hasn't had a regular television staple since Spidey joined the cast of The Electric Company.
In Conclusion:
On paper, the Marvel/ Disney deal looks good. I will be curious to see how it all pans out over the next two years. To see who stays and goes. And if Stan Lee gets richer and kookier (I hope so).
It's impossible to know exactly what will happen, who will stay and who will go.
I'm insanely tired or there would be something to talk about the buying and selling of characters and their likeness, in a Marvel vs. DC world, but... I haven't got it in me tonight.
Anyway, it'll be fun to watch.
Yes, I Know
As always, Nathan C was first to alert me to the news, followed within five minutes by Randy, and Dan G. walking into my office.
Yes, I am now aware that Disney bought Marvel Entertainment.
More to come.
As I told Randy: We can now have that Quasar/ Clarabelle Cow crossover so many of us fans have long believed should occur!
But I confess that the idea of Mickey in a web-slinger outfit strikes me as a particularly great idea... And Wolver-Duck. Berserker rage, indeed.
Yes, I am now aware that Disney bought Marvel Entertainment.
More to come.
As I told Randy: We can now have that Quasar/ Clarabelle Cow crossover so many of us fans have long believed should occur!
But I confess that the idea of Mickey in a web-slinger outfit strikes me as a particularly great idea... And Wolver-Duck. Berserker rage, indeed.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
70's Drac, Sorting Comics, Crime Flicks, Pics of Dead People
70's Dracula!
So this evening I watched the John (Saturday Night Fever) Badham directed "Dracula" featuring a surprisingly young Frank Langella as The Count.
It's an oddly English centric version of the story. There's no Texans lurking about, Harker never travels to Romania, Harker himself is played by someone who looks like Howard Moon, and Donald Pleasance gets a lot of screen time. And they don't actually return to Transylvania to wrap things up.
Its not a bad movie, but for reasons I can't piece together, they swapped names for the Lucy and Mina characters from the book, I believe. It seems this isn't the only place I've seen that, and I don't really get why this would be the case.
Also, Frank Langella's hair is quite awesome. And they do this odd bit where they leave it open for a sequel...
As the last vampire movie I saw was "Twilight", it was nice to see a movie that actually acknowledged the horror/ blood drinking/ soul stealing aspect of the whole enterprise. And I really did like the red-eyed, bare-fanged look of the undead in this movie.
Love's Labor
I also spent a lot of time sorting and indexing comics. This is one of those projects that if you don't do it regularly, you're going to regret it later. Well, i waited until later. It's been between a year and 14 months since I did this up proper.
Jamie is, I think, the only person who really gets what a ridiculously big task this really is. It's not something you knock out in an hour or two. And after 14 months... its quite a backlog of work.
Keep in mind, the first time I did a proper indexing of my comics, it literally took several days and was how I spent my Holiday break from work.
Sometimes its time for guys in hats
I also watched the crime-noir movie "Born to Kill". Which, sure enough, delivered some killing. It was part of a set Jason gave me for Christmas. He knows I like a good men-in-hats/ femme fatale flick, and this one delivered the goods.
People smoking cigarettes, sociopaths in love, good looking dames, you name it...
It's another example of the fact that no matter what Robert Wise directs, I pretty much like it. And there are a lot of movies on his filmography that I need to make sure raise to the top of my queue.
The plot is tight, the cast fairly small. But Wise handles his cast well, and the story manages to remain suspenseful right up to the last frame or so.
What the @#$% was wrong with the Victorians?
And if you want something really disturbing, Calvin posted about something called "Memento Mori". Apparently some Victorians thought it would be a neat idea to prop up their recently deceased relatives for one last snapshot.
It sounds as if they hadn't really sorted out appropriate use of a new technology. Like people who think its okay to talk on their cell phone in a movie or people who think its smart to let their digital party pictures show up on Flickr.
But I gotta say, I was kind of thinking of heading for bed, and looking at a bunch of well-dressed-albeit-dead Victorians sort of set me back a little on my journey to Sleepytime Junction.
Partially because the child mortality rate was still pretty high back then, and apparently it was an opportunity to get a picture of junior when he was willing to sit for a photo. (yes, lots of pics of dead kids).
Anyway, please don't take a picture of me after I'm dead.
Unless you can think of a way to make it really funny, of course.
So this evening I watched the John (Saturday Night Fever) Badham directed "Dracula" featuring a surprisingly young Frank Langella as The Count.
It's an oddly English centric version of the story. There's no Texans lurking about, Harker never travels to Romania, Harker himself is played by someone who looks like Howard Moon, and Donald Pleasance gets a lot of screen time. And they don't actually return to Transylvania to wrap things up.
Its not a bad movie, but for reasons I can't piece together, they swapped names for the Lucy and Mina characters from the book, I believe. It seems this isn't the only place I've seen that, and I don't really get why this would be the case.
Also, Frank Langella's hair is quite awesome. And they do this odd bit where they leave it open for a sequel...
As the last vampire movie I saw was "Twilight", it was nice to see a movie that actually acknowledged the horror/ blood drinking/ soul stealing aspect of the whole enterprise. And I really did like the red-eyed, bare-fanged look of the undead in this movie.
Love's Labor
I also spent a lot of time sorting and indexing comics. This is one of those projects that if you don't do it regularly, you're going to regret it later. Well, i waited until later. It's been between a year and 14 months since I did this up proper.
Jamie is, I think, the only person who really gets what a ridiculously big task this really is. It's not something you knock out in an hour or two. And after 14 months... its quite a backlog of work.
Keep in mind, the first time I did a proper indexing of my comics, it literally took several days and was how I spent my Holiday break from work.
Sometimes its time for guys in hats
I also watched the crime-noir movie "Born to Kill". Which, sure enough, delivered some killing. It was part of a set Jason gave me for Christmas. He knows I like a good men-in-hats/ femme fatale flick, and this one delivered the goods.
People smoking cigarettes, sociopaths in love, good looking dames, you name it...
It's another example of the fact that no matter what Robert Wise directs, I pretty much like it. And there are a lot of movies on his filmography that I need to make sure raise to the top of my queue.
The plot is tight, the cast fairly small. But Wise handles his cast well, and the story manages to remain suspenseful right up to the last frame or so.
What the @#$% was wrong with the Victorians?
And if you want something really disturbing, Calvin posted about something called "Memento Mori". Apparently some Victorians thought it would be a neat idea to prop up their recently deceased relatives for one last snapshot.
It sounds as if they hadn't really sorted out appropriate use of a new technology. Like people who think its okay to talk on their cell phone in a movie or people who think its smart to let their digital party pictures show up on Flickr.
But I gotta say, I was kind of thinking of heading for bed, and looking at a bunch of well-dressed-albeit-dead Victorians sort of set me back a little on my journey to Sleepytime Junction.
Partially because the child mortality rate was still pretty high back then, and apparently it was an opportunity to get a picture of junior when he was willing to sit for a photo. (yes, lots of pics of dead kids).
Anyway, please don't take a picture of me after I'm dead.
Unless you can think of a way to make it really funny, of course.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Meth & Comics, Admiral in Africa, Desertification of Austin
Superman would punch you in the face for that
It appears that some losers in Denver were using a collectible comic business as a front for trafficking drugs and laundering the dough. I don't know. It's all shady, and the fact that these guys were most likely using comics about costumed do-gooders to do bad is upsetting, but not quite as upsetting as the rest of what they were up to.
Here's a blog post from the Denver paper.
I don't expect drug dealers to be classy folks, but what is it with meth? Everyone involved with meth always looks like 20 miles of bad road and they do such weird stuff.
Leaguers, Superman would not approve.
The thing is, these guys could have legally been trafficking in iffy merchandise with the whole vintage comics business and done just fine. The fuzz seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of comics in this deal. Why not just take advantage of the nerds on eBay and live the good life with the comic business you've got?
Now all these great comics are off the market and entered as evidence. And that's just wrong...
The Admiral in Africa
Got my first e-mail from The Old Man, as he globe trots once again. He's apparently shaking down folks in Nigeria this week.
Sounds like he's got plenty of folks around him that know how to use a gun, which is kind of kooky. Mostly he's freaked out by the lack of discipline when it comes to traffic, which sounds exactly like him.
The Admiral in African urban sprawl doesn't equate in my head, but I guess he's doing okay.
Monsoon Season?
It's hot in Austin this summer, and has been since June 1. We've had record breaking temperatures both in how high the mercury is rising and the sheer duration of the period of 100+ days.
I had beers last week with some folks I don't know, but they work in environmentally friendly landscaping. They mentioned that Austin is being re-zoned as being more "deserty", and one of these folks wasn't a transplant but a lifelong Austinite. She's seeing the changes, too.
Anyway, two days in a row isn't a pattern, exactly. But the past two days, in the hour before sunset, we've had rain. In Arizona (which I think we can all agree is a hot desert) in late summer, they have something called Monsoon season. Right around sunset, rain would blow in from the east. I guess it was some mix of wet air from that gulf east of the Baja Peninsula and the hot, still air that had been hanging around all day.
Again, its just been two days of similar weather, but its starting to freak me out a little...
Saturday, August 22, 2009
In Which I Talk About Some Comics
editor's note: I've seen a surprising spike in traffic thanks to the link from When Fangirls Attack. Welcome to all new visitors! Please feel free to poke around, ask questions, take off your shoes, etc...
Poe #2
Writer: J. Barton Mitchell
Art: Dean Kotz
Obviously I'm a bit biased, what with knowing JackBart and all, but I was very pleased with Poe #2. The story took a supernatural turn I wasn't expecting, there's elements of Poe's work peppering the comic without weighing it down or feeling like a wink, and, honestly, its got an intriguing mystery that's a page turner.
I am also happy to report that there's a "blink and you'll miss it" shout out to a Leaguer or two in the comic.
Dean Kotz's style suits the mood for this story very well.
The comic comes in two different covers, so keep your eyes peeled if you pick up issues #1 and #2, so you don't think you're picking up different comics.
But I can safely recommend the book as a smart, well-characterized, well-paced read. For JackBart's first comic on the shelves, he's outdoing many of his veteran counterparts, and certainly bringing his own perspective to the work.
Color me impressed!
Power Girl #4
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray
Art by Amanda Conner
Power Girl has long been a point of contention in the comics-sphere. Her origin was a mess until 2006. She was sorta Supergirl/ sorta not. But mostly she became characterized as the poorly tempered hero with the cleavage-bearing costume.
Whether bloggers had actually ever read any comics featuring Power Girl or not, the character design was held up routinely as "what's wrong with comics". And given how many artists and writers handled the character, it was hard to argue the point.
However, the new series takes Power Girl in one of the two directions in which Power Girl seems to work best. Position 1 is: capable leader or the JSA, with a short fuse, but a decisive "let's take the fight to them" sort of attitude. It works in a team book, but in a solo project, Power Girl works well as Position #2: She's great at being a superhero, but is sort of sit-com-ish about everything else.
Power Girl takes on a big challenge
I adore Amanda Conner's work (also currently being seen in her Supergirl strip in "Wednesday Comics"), but have not not always been a fan of her writer-husband and his partner, Justin Gray. I'd initially skipped the first issue, but eventually decided to give the series a try.
I have to give kudos to Conner, Palmiotti and Gray. I wasn't sure how things would shake out on this series after the first three issues, but #4 tells me what this team wants to do with the book, and I'm in.
They're not resorting to an endless bunch of boob jokes, and there's a lot of love for the character they see as cranky, messy, and probably a lot unfocused. There's not an attempt to make the character a "bad ass", a la everything Warren Ellis ever wrote. Nor is she a Mary Sue, filling in for a 12 year-old's fantasy version of themselves.
"Fun" was a dirty word in superhero comics a few years ago, but I think when you see a project like "Power Girl", you can have a little hope that there's an audience out there for a different tone in their superhero reading.
Potential pitfalls include:
-Tying into grim'n'gritty storylines in which Power Girl might appear (see: JSA vs. Kobra)
-Deciding Power Girl doesn't have enough pathos and steering toward much of the rest of superherodom
-The current team leaving and a new writer going back to "Power Girl's boobs" jokes (ie: laugh at, not with)
I'm pleased to say I'm recommending the title.
Batgirl #1
Writer: Brain Q. Miller
Art: Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott
Spoilers below.
He he. Spoilers.
Dear DC: On your new Batgirl comic. No.
Let me confess, there's a certain drudgery to reading a certain percentage of Batman comics. At the end of the day, there are only so many things a Batman can actually do as he wages a war against colorful villains in what has got to be the worst @#$%ing place to live in the Western Hemisphere.
What separates the great writers from everyone else at DC Comics may be whether or not they can pull off an interesting Batman story in this day and age, while keeping the stories in an environment in which the most fantastic thing about Batman is that nobody in Gotham has pieced together that the traumatized billionaire with the technology company might also be the Bat-guy with all the crazy technology.
These days, I'm giving Morrison an "A" in this area, Dini a "B-" on Streets of Gotham, Rucka a "B", Winick a "C-" and everyone else, a solid "D".
There is absolutely no compelling reason to read the new Batgirl series.
Batgirl is the character formerly known as Spoiler, btw (if you read comics and didn't put that together, well, you need your nerd-card revoked). I still remember when Spoiler showed up the first time. She was the teen-aged daughter of Injustice League villain "Clue Master", a Riddler-like villain who occasionally annoyed Batman. To get back at her old man, Stephanie Brown put on a mask and tried to ruin his day. She became the girlfriend of the 3rd Robin.
Brown would later become famous as the "failed Robin", who was supposedly killed by Bat-villain Black Mask. DC, reacting to their fans calling shenanigans, brought Brown back. She was Spoiler again.
For a #1, this comic is so tied up in recent (post Silver-Age) Bat-Comics, it feels like what it is: another unnecessary splinter off the Batman franchise that absolutely nobody was asking for (see: Red Robin and Gotham Sirens). Were Stephanie Brown a new character and not tied up with what has to be almost 20 years of Batman history, I would be more enthusiastic (see: Rucka's current take on Batwoman in Detective Comics).
Miller, in the first issue, assumes we've all already been following Brown for two decades. There's no explanation of the all-important origin. The passing of costumes from Cassandra (The Batgirl who made fandom say 'Meh") Cain to Brown is contrived and nonsensical (she walks off, presumably, in her underwear?).
Little details also make no sense. In the first few pages, the all-new Batgirl lands, breaking a guy's knee without warning, after destroying his car, because people are racing for car titles?
Judd Winick's "Batman" shouldn't feel light years more competent than anyone's Batbook, but that's the case here.
Also, DC: Stop it with the blond teen-aged heroines.
Your three-main franchise teen-girl spin-offs will now all appear identical when handled by 50% of your pencillers. Not all teen-aged girls are blond. Many of them aren't even anglo. Just a little something to ponder.
Also, how many people's houses is a wheelchair-bound Barbara Gordon really going to break into? There's got to be somebody tracking this.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
JackBart and Boom Studios at Austin Books on Wednesday
Austin Area Leaguers will want to hit Austin Books on Wednesday between 4:30 and 7:00 PM.
The League's own JackBart (billed as "The Best Looking Man in Comics") will be signing copies of the newest issue of his runaway hit comic, "Poe", which is about the exploits of Edgar Allen Poe as he takes on mystics and criminals in the wake of personal tragedy.
From the Boom site:
The creators of Boom/ Pixar's "Cars" and "Monster's Inc" comics will also be signing, so its a triple-header!
I'm excited for JackBart, Austin Books and Boom! Should be fun.
The League's own JackBart (billed as "The Best Looking Man in Comics") will be signing copies of the newest issue of his runaway hit comic, "Poe", which is about the exploits of Edgar Allen Poe as he takes on mystics and criminals in the wake of personal tragedy.
From the Boom site:
BOOM! STUDIOS FAVORITES SIGNING THIS WEDNESDAY!
Posted using ShareThis
The creators of Boom/ Pixar's "Cars" and "Monster's Inc" comics will also be signing, so its a triple-header!
I'm excited for JackBart, Austin Books and Boom! Should be fun.
Friday, August 14, 2009
My Worlds Collide: Big Bang Theory and Power Girl
There's a new comic out featuring the mostly obscure character of Power Girl.
PeeGee is about a female superhero with all the powers of Superman, with the added power of Super Curmudgeonliness.
In the next episode, it appears artist Amanda Conner has decided she should meet the cast of "The Big Bang Theory". BBT is on CBS and features former-high school drama chum, Jim Parsons.
Anyway, my worlds collide.
Here's the page.
Here's the full preview.
Thanks to Pop Candy for finding this and pointing it out.
PeeGee is about a female superhero with all the powers of Superman, with the added power of Super Curmudgeonliness.
In the next episode, it appears artist Amanda Conner has decided she should meet the cast of "The Big Bang Theory". BBT is on CBS and features former-high school drama chum, Jim Parsons.
Anyway, my worlds collide.
Here's the page.
Here's the full preview.
Thanks to Pop Candy for finding this and pointing it out.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Preview released for "Superman: Secret Origin"
It is most likely that my colleagues who grew up in the 1980's and knew much of comics take it as common knowledge that the reboot of Superman by Marv Wolfman and John Byrne is a superior and better imagined version of The Man of Steel. As with all kids, we looked upon the old with contempt and the new with a belief in its obvious superiority as the new that it may not always have earned.
Unfortunately, the attitudes we pick up as kids are often not reflected upon again in a way that perhaps older eyes might look upon a bit more kindly (and, well, maybe spending as much time as an adult as I pondering upon Superman is not something you do). In the 1980's re-boot, much was lost in regards to the 48 years of comics which had painted a vast history for the Man of Steel. No membership in The Legion of Super-Heroes left the concept of the super-teens of the future adrift. Smallville became an idyll oft referred to, but seemed to hollow out Lana Lang and reduce the point of Pete Ross immeasurably.
And, of course, the 1980's reboot greatly aged Lex Luthor and dropped any notion that Clark and Lex may have known one another in their formative years.
All of this will sound "wrong" to my fellow Gen-X'ers, and that's okay, I suppose. However, there's a kind of mythology the Superman comics began working with, especially beginning in the 1950's, that drove a thousand stories.
Almost as quickly as Wolfman and Byrne had launched their version, the comics began trying to rebuild the mythology, only with the trick of keeping the new rules in place (Lex was older, Superman was the only Kryptonian, etc...).
In 2006, the Superman comics were more or less re-touched once again, with elements of the old and new co-mingling very well. However, no definitive origin ever surfaced.
It was just as well. The origin, told before the creative team had made a few creative stabs one way or another, could have once again accidentally painted DC into a corner from which they could not be free to return to favored ideas, find new concepts, etc...
But three years on, there is a new mini-series coming, once again from one of DC's top-flight talents, and one with no small skill at reinterpreting DC Comics for a modern audience.
The team which brought you "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" and "Brainiac" of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank is soon bringing the re-telling of the first days of Superman's career with "Superman: Secret Origin".
Check out some preview pages here.
As much as I enjoyed "Superman: The Man of Steel" as the first Superman reading I ever took seriously, and Mark Waid and Yu's "Birthright", I'm glad that someone will have the opportunity to do what was unthinkable until three or four years ago and restore the classic mythology in a context which will work for today's reader. Just as I sincerely hope that in 20 years' time, the story will be told again for that generation of readers, returning to the bits that work, and making way for new ideas, tweaks to characterization, etc... which will make the story work for that generation of readers.
Super-hero comics are a unique medium, paralleled only by the soap opera, with an ongoing story that depends upon audience engagement to continue. But unlike soap operas, the origins of each character are as important as Arthur's pulling the sword from the stone, Robin returning from the Crusades to discover his land bespoiled, Hercules' parentage, Achilles' propensity to take a dip... Without those elements as moorings, the "why" of the character gets lost, and we wind up with the 2D cartoon cut-outs of geeks in tights that so often make up the public's idea of a superhero.
Superman could have disappeared into the folds of audience disinterest, but his alien origin, idealized Rockwellian childhood and move to the most modern of American cities is a simple enough story (and is often bandied about when the elbow-patch crowd describes Superman as the ultimate immigrant analog). And while those elements re-appear in no small measure in the pages of the monthly comics, its a good idea to return to those roots, to reach back and see the highlight reel.
And we're lucky enough that DC has put a crew of its most talented on the project.
Should be fun.
Unfortunately, the attitudes we pick up as kids are often not reflected upon again in a way that perhaps older eyes might look upon a bit more kindly (and, well, maybe spending as much time as an adult as I pondering upon Superman is not something you do). In the 1980's re-boot, much was lost in regards to the 48 years of comics which had painted a vast history for the Man of Steel. No membership in The Legion of Super-Heroes left the concept of the super-teens of the future adrift. Smallville became an idyll oft referred to, but seemed to hollow out Lana Lang and reduce the point of Pete Ross immeasurably.
And, of course, the 1980's reboot greatly aged Lex Luthor and dropped any notion that Clark and Lex may have known one another in their formative years.
All of this will sound "wrong" to my fellow Gen-X'ers, and that's okay, I suppose. However, there's a kind of mythology the Superman comics began working with, especially beginning in the 1950's, that drove a thousand stories.
Almost as quickly as Wolfman and Byrne had launched their version, the comics began trying to rebuild the mythology, only with the trick of keeping the new rules in place (Lex was older, Superman was the only Kryptonian, etc...).
In 2006, the Superman comics were more or less re-touched once again, with elements of the old and new co-mingling very well. However, no definitive origin ever surfaced.
It was just as well. The origin, told before the creative team had made a few creative stabs one way or another, could have once again accidentally painted DC into a corner from which they could not be free to return to favored ideas, find new concepts, etc...
But three years on, there is a new mini-series coming, once again from one of DC's top-flight talents, and one with no small skill at reinterpreting DC Comics for a modern audience.
The team which brought you "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" and "Brainiac" of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank is soon bringing the re-telling of the first days of Superman's career with "Superman: Secret Origin".
Check out some preview pages here.
As much as I enjoyed "Superman: The Man of Steel" as the first Superman reading I ever took seriously, and Mark Waid and Yu's "Birthright", I'm glad that someone will have the opportunity to do what was unthinkable until three or four years ago and restore the classic mythology in a context which will work for today's reader. Just as I sincerely hope that in 20 years' time, the story will be told again for that generation of readers, returning to the bits that work, and making way for new ideas, tweaks to characterization, etc... which will make the story work for that generation of readers.
Super-hero comics are a unique medium, paralleled only by the soap opera, with an ongoing story that depends upon audience engagement to continue. But unlike soap operas, the origins of each character are as important as Arthur's pulling the sword from the stone, Robin returning from the Crusades to discover his land bespoiled, Hercules' parentage, Achilles' propensity to take a dip... Without those elements as moorings, the "why" of the character gets lost, and we wind up with the 2D cartoon cut-outs of geeks in tights that so often make up the public's idea of a superhero.
Superman could have disappeared into the folds of audience disinterest, but his alien origin, idealized Rockwellian childhood and move to the most modern of American cities is a simple enough story (and is often bandied about when the elbow-patch crowd describes Superman as the ultimate immigrant analog). And while those elements re-appear in no small measure in the pages of the monthly comics, its a good idea to return to those roots, to reach back and see the highlight reel.
And we're lucky enough that DC has put a crew of its most talented on the project.
Should be fun.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A Reminder (about Wednesdays and Comics)
Comics come out on Wednesdays. Sometimes I get distracted and forget to post.
Also, Action Comics, Superman Secret Files and Adventure Comics? All good.
Action was wall-to-wall Super goodness, Superman Secret Files was a good "let's check in, because we know this is complicated" moment. And, of course, Adventure Comics was both lovely and promising as an ongoing.
Off to read Blackest Night and GL stuff.
G4 fans will have a good laugh at this month's Booster Gold cover.
Also, Action Comics, Superman Secret Files and Adventure Comics? All good.
Action was wall-to-wall Super goodness, Superman Secret Files was a good "let's check in, because we know this is complicated" moment. And, of course, Adventure Comics was both lovely and promising as an ongoing.
Off to read Blackest Night and GL stuff.
G4 fans will have a good laugh at this month's Booster Gold cover.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Keanu, Superboy, Superdogs
Randy Wants For You To See This.
Randy is wise.
Adventure Comics #1
Tomorrow sees the release of the relaunch of Adventure Comics. For decades, Adventure Comics was up there with Action, Superman, Detective and other National/ DC Comics. It carried a lot of stories, but became well known for the Super-Family and Legion stories. Somewhere along the line they ended Adventure Comics, and added the Super Family title and gave Legion its own title.
After several Legion relaunches in the past few years, I am hoping this stabilizes the futuristic "Legion of Super-Heroes", which is contained as a back-up feature.
The main feature will contain stories of the modern Superboy, Conner Kent. And Krypto, the Superdog. And for that, I am very glad.
Add to it, the writing of Geoff Johns and art of Francis Manapul, and this series has as much potential as any new series from DC in years.
Link here.
Also, it's been this sort of week:
Just, you know, with two dogs.
Here's some more Superman stuff, too.
Dog Days - Day 3
Scout is very smart.
We adore Lucy. She is a sweet and loving dog, and she tries very hard, but we've always known that maybe she wasn't going to be getting into dog-Harvard.
But Scout just decided this evening to know how to fetch. Just sort of watched Lucy and decided "well, I can do that". She is learning her name. She knows where we're trying to guide her. She's cluing into the hints of dwelling with the family.
And, knock on wood, she really seems potty-trained. She just stood at the door and waited for me a few minutes ago after sniffling at my hand for attention.
I know that in a week or two, she and Lucy will not be growling at each other. And we'll be able to introduce her to Cassidy soon enough (I need to do some reading on best practices there).
Randy is wise.
Adventure Comics #1
Tomorrow sees the release of the relaunch of Adventure Comics. For decades, Adventure Comics was up there with Action, Superman, Detective and other National/ DC Comics. It carried a lot of stories, but became well known for the Super-Family and Legion stories. Somewhere along the line they ended Adventure Comics, and added the Super Family title and gave Legion its own title.
After several Legion relaunches in the past few years, I am hoping this stabilizes the futuristic "Legion of Super-Heroes", which is contained as a back-up feature.
The main feature will contain stories of the modern Superboy, Conner Kent. And Krypto, the Superdog. And for that, I am very glad.
Add to it, the writing of Geoff Johns and art of Francis Manapul, and this series has as much potential as any new series from DC in years.
Link here.
Also, it's been this sort of week:
Just, you know, with two dogs.
Here's some more Superman stuff, too.
Dog Days - Day 3
Scout is very smart.
We adore Lucy. She is a sweet and loving dog, and she tries very hard, but we've always known that maybe she wasn't going to be getting into dog-Harvard.
But Scout just decided this evening to know how to fetch. Just sort of watched Lucy and decided "well, I can do that". She is learning her name. She knows where we're trying to guide her. She's cluing into the hints of dwelling with the family.
And, knock on wood, she really seems potty-trained. She just stood at the door and waited for me a few minutes ago after sniffling at my hand for attention.
I know that in a week or two, she and Lucy will not be growling at each other. And we'll be able to introduce her to Cassidy soon enough (I need to do some reading on best practices there).
Monday, August 03, 2009
Comic Suggestion: The Stuff of Legend
On Wednesday I picked up a comic I'd never heard of, which was debuting from a company I'd not yet heard of, and found the start of what I think is going to be an engaging read.
The Stuff of Legend seems, at first, to be a rehashing of Pixar's "Toy Story" series (with a tiny dash of "Monsters, Inc."), but that illusion is quickly dispelled. While I hesitate to say what this comic will be about, in the end, the opening chapter is about toys who see the boy who owns them kidnapped by the Boogeyman. A small handful of toys and the boy's puppy enter "The Dark" (ie: the closet) to find and return the boy, and in The Dark, the toys become realizations of what they represent, be it bear, duck, tin soldier, Indian Princess, etc...
There's something intensely creepy about the comic and the world the writers and artist have created. Discarded toys seem to have joined forces with the Boogeyman, children plucked from their bed in the night, weak-willed toys, etc... It's also all a bit heartbreaking in the manner of "Toy Story II", or "The Brave Little Toaster".
I am, nonetheless, in for the ride. Issue #1 was good stuff, and I will most definitely be picking up issue #2.
Not having kids, I am unsure if this would scare the smaller Leaguers. Much of the stuff in the comic is not necessarily "cute", and it more or less plays on the fears kids may have of their own closets (or create some new fears). But, you know, there's always kids at the Rated-R stuff I see at the Westgate Cinema, so what the hell do I know about what's going to turn your kid into a schizoid? Go nuts.
The format of the comic is in the same square shape that you've seen with "Mouse Guard" and maybe "Superf*ckers" (yes, there is a comic called "Superf*ckers", and it is funny.). A bit unweildy for bagging and boarding, but I assume that when this is released as a hardbound book, it'll fit quite neatly on the shelf. And part of me already knows I'm going to want the hardbound book if the book retains its quality.
I don't want to oversell the comic. It's just a first issue, but for a comic I picked up on a whim, it's something I hope keeps up a good production schedule and makes a splash. It would be a shame to see this sort of offering disappear for lack of interest.
I'm recommending for fans of Mouse Guard, Bone, and those who don't mind a slow build in their imaginative fiction. (Ed. addition: I kept trying to remember what it reminded me of in spirit, and I think the answer is the DC/ Zuda project: Bayou. I've also been meaning to mention Bayou in these pages, so there you go.)
The Stuff of Legend seems, at first, to be a rehashing of Pixar's "Toy Story" series (with a tiny dash of "Monsters, Inc."), but that illusion is quickly dispelled. While I hesitate to say what this comic will be about, in the end, the opening chapter is about toys who see the boy who owns them kidnapped by the Boogeyman. A small handful of toys and the boy's puppy enter "The Dark" (ie: the closet) to find and return the boy, and in The Dark, the toys become realizations of what they represent, be it bear, duck, tin soldier, Indian Princess, etc...
There's something intensely creepy about the comic and the world the writers and artist have created. Discarded toys seem to have joined forces with the Boogeyman, children plucked from their bed in the night, weak-willed toys, etc... It's also all a bit heartbreaking in the manner of "Toy Story II", or "The Brave Little Toaster".
I am, nonetheless, in for the ride. Issue #1 was good stuff, and I will most definitely be picking up issue #2.
Not having kids, I am unsure if this would scare the smaller Leaguers. Much of the stuff in the comic is not necessarily "cute", and it more or less plays on the fears kids may have of their own closets (or create some new fears). But, you know, there's always kids at the Rated-R stuff I see at the Westgate Cinema, so what the hell do I know about what's going to turn your kid into a schizoid? Go nuts.
The format of the comic is in the same square shape that you've seen with "Mouse Guard" and maybe "Superf*ckers" (yes, there is a comic called "Superf*ckers", and it is funny.). A bit unweildy for bagging and boarding, but I assume that when this is released as a hardbound book, it'll fit quite neatly on the shelf. And part of me already knows I'm going to want the hardbound book if the book retains its quality.
I don't want to oversell the comic. It's just a first issue, but for a comic I picked up on a whim, it's something I hope keeps up a good production schedule and makes a splash. It would be a shame to see this sort of offering disappear for lack of interest.
I'm recommending for fans of Mouse Guard, Bone, and those who don't mind a slow build in their imaginative fiction. (Ed. addition: I kept trying to remember what it reminded me of in spirit, and I think the answer is the DC/ Zuda project: Bayou. I've also been meaning to mention Bayou in these pages, so there you go.)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Nathan C. sent me this story from NPR.org.
The article discusses the classic Superman story, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?", now collected in hardcover by DC Comics.
This will seem odd to folks who don't follow comics, but in 1986, DC decided to "reboot" their comics, believing that the then 50 years of history were a problem for storytelling as well as bringing in new readers to comics.
Editor Julius Schwartz hired an up and coming comic-writer from across the pond by the name of Alan Moore. Moore would set about telling a story about the last battle for Superman. It's an oddly melancholy story, and one of my favorites for many reasons (including Curt Swan's phenomenal art).
Anyhow, you guys probably don't care too much, but I'd remiss if I didn't mention the article as it discusses the reissue of not just a great Superman tale, but the drawing to a close of one of America's original myths.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I forgot (a San Diego ComicCon Follow Up)
More Bone comics coming our way!
I mentioned this a few days ago, but in my post about San Diego ComicCon that there was news about the Jeff Smith comic, Bone.
Bone is an all-ages fantasy adventure that was originally a black and white comic series starting while I was in college. Since then, its been collected and colored, and reprinted a few places. And, Leaguers, I can't recommend it enough for you and for your kids. Like Harry Potter, its really "all ages".
The name of Bone, by the way, refers to the species of the titular characters, Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone.
However, Bone was a single, lengthy story. Which is neat, in its way.
But now Smith is bringing more Bone stories to comics, and that is nothing but good news!
Sexism and ComicCon
There's an amazing amount of "not getting it" that goes on at ComicCon. Last year it was the reported groping of costumed visitors as well as costumed reps (ie: Booth Babes). Which wound up creating the Con Anti-Harassment Project (that there need be such a thing is pathetic).
On the "Blackest Night" panel, DC editor Eddie Berganza, the guy responsible for changing Supergirl from this to this, seemed to embarrass a lot of folks on the panel (at least from the awkwardness on the podcast) when he began going off about how this character and that character were "sexy". Eddie, dude. Stop it. People already look at you funny for the whole Supergirl thing and we sort of blame the Star Sapphire redesign on you, too.
And, trumping seemingly everyone, EA, the video games company, challenged con-goers to send them pictures detailing their "acts of lust" as part of a promotion. If the con-goers won, EA would turn out their spokesmodels and force them to spend an evening with whatever nerds had, by definition, harassed the most spokesmodels at ComicCon.
Even DC doesn't make bonehead moves quite like that.
I don't know who runs these things, but it's stuff like this that makes me weep for how marketers target young adult males, and that legal and staff members at these companies don't blink when this stuff is suggested.
Update: EA has apologized, etc... I don't know if I care. (a) This was an utterly predictable outcome, and they should know better, and (b) I sort of suspect they knew that they could get this reaction, and that it didn't matter as long as it built product awareness. So I am not linking to the apology.
Jimmy Fallon Meets Didio and Geoff Johns
I mentioned this a few days ago, but in my post about San Diego ComicCon that there was news about the Jeff Smith comic, Bone.
Bone is an all-ages fantasy adventure that was originally a black and white comic series starting while I was in college. Since then, its been collected and colored, and reprinted a few places. And, Leaguers, I can't recommend it enough for you and for your kids. Like Harry Potter, its really "all ages".
The name of Bone, by the way, refers to the species of the titular characters, Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone.
However, Bone was a single, lengthy story. Which is neat, in its way.
But now Smith is bringing more Bone stories to comics, and that is nothing but good news!
Sexism and ComicCon
There's an amazing amount of "not getting it" that goes on at ComicCon. Last year it was the reported groping of costumed visitors as well as costumed reps (ie: Booth Babes). Which wound up creating the Con Anti-Harassment Project (that there need be such a thing is pathetic).
On the "Blackest Night" panel, DC editor Eddie Berganza, the guy responsible for changing Supergirl from this to this, seemed to embarrass a lot of folks on the panel (at least from the awkwardness on the podcast) when he began going off about how this character and that character were "sexy". Eddie, dude. Stop it. People already look at you funny for the whole Supergirl thing and we sort of blame the Star Sapphire redesign on you, too.
And, trumping seemingly everyone, EA, the video games company, challenged con-goers to send them pictures detailing their "acts of lust" as part of a promotion. If the con-goers won, EA would turn out their spokesmodels and force them to spend an evening with whatever nerds had, by definition, harassed the most spokesmodels at ComicCon.
Even DC doesn't make bonehead moves quite like that.
I don't know who runs these things, but it's stuff like this that makes me weep for how marketers target young adult males, and that legal and staff members at these companies don't blink when this stuff is suggested.
Update: EA has apologized, etc... I don't know if I care. (a) This was an utterly predictable outcome, and they should know better, and (b) I sort of suspect they knew that they could get this reaction, and that it didn't matter as long as it built product awareness. So I am not linking to the apology.
Jimmy Fallon Meets Didio and Geoff Johns
Sunday, July 26, 2009
San Diego ComicCon- Highlights for The League
As I don't attend San Diego ComicCon, I spend a lot of time reading up on the panels.
These days, with YouTube and sites like Newsarama.com incorporating Tweet-line live posting (which archives) on each panel, I can get through an hour of discussion, etc... in about 6 - 10 minutes.
And after reading these reports for the past 7 years or so, someone from SDCC really, really needs to begin handing out a flier with the entry pass on "Are you wasting your time and everyone else's with your question? (ie: Is your question stupid?)"
At any rate, DC and Marvel have finally realized that their clever hints at SDCC and other Cons were giving away entirely too much, so the panels aren't exactly useless, but its hard to say what one would get out of a lot of the discussion.
So, while I can't say I thought I missed much in the way of announcements, here were some tidbits I am excited about:
1) Superman titles are mostly planned out through 2010. That means fairly stable creative teams and a vision for the books, as they've had since Idleson took over as editor.
2) 2010 may also see a Superman event, somewhat how Blackest Night is a DC event right now. I think this makes much more sense than how cross-overs/ events had been handled
4) The re-launched "Adventure Comics" will be where I can see Krypto.
5) DC is building its line around known, workable franchises. Sounds like we may get not just a new "Flash" series, but a "Kid Flash" series. Also, two JSA series (which is fine, that's a huge cast). I won't be shocked to see two JLA titles before all is said and done.
6) Reports about the upcoming animated, direct-to-DVD Green Lantern movie were very positive. Sounds like WB got 4000 people to simultaneously give the GL oath. That's just awesome.
7) Marvel seems to think they own "Marvelman". I'll eat my hat if they didn't just purchase a whole mess of legal trouble, but it's something.
8) Mattel is putting out a "Movie Masters" line, that will include a General Zod figure and Christopher Reeve Superman. If it does well, they will continue the line (hopefully with Ursa, Non, Jor-El, Lara, etc...).
9) Mattel will also be releasing a Power Girl and Question figure. I'm mostly done with non-Superman collectibles, but I'd pick those up. There are also a few other Super-related items I'll be looking for.
10) This shocks even me, and I know they'll fail me, but some of the conversation at the "Smallville" panel sounded promising. Also, Johns is writing a JSA episode. Which is awesome. Please, oh deities of the DCU, give me Jay Garrick and Alan Scott (and Carter and Shayera Hall, if it won't kill you).
11) Ready for Cameron's "Avatar".
12) Marvel is doing some anime cartoons of their properties. Iron Man looks ridiculous but cool.
13) DCU Online is making progress
14) "Boom" having so many darn announcements is just good news.
15) The sequel to Iron Man sounds like it will be the same fun as the first installment
16) I may actually pick up Doom Patrol.
17) Two of my three hopes for a "prop replica" from DC Direct were on display, as "coming at some point". A Batman utility belt (which I will not be able to afford) and Wonder Woman's tiara and bracelets. I eagerly await the pricepoint on the tiara and bracelets.
All in all, looks like another good year. DC and Marvel are changing their editorial tactics to work with the collected format and their older audience. Its an interesting growth in how narrative is managed.
There were plenty of announcements that left me unimpressed, but surprisingly few that made me cringe (in fact, none come immediately to mind outside of the clip I watched of Marvel's anime-animated Wolverine).
Outside of Doom Patrol, Marvelman and a few items from "Boom", I haven't seen any comics which caught my attention, which is odd. It seems my reading is inline with the narrative thrust, at least at DC. I just don't pay too much attention to Marvel these days, and saw no notes about Captain America, etc... that I thought were terribly exciting.
These days, with YouTube and sites like Newsarama.com incorporating Tweet-line live posting (which archives) on each panel, I can get through an hour of discussion, etc... in about 6 - 10 minutes.
And after reading these reports for the past 7 years or so, someone from SDCC really, really needs to begin handing out a flier with the entry pass on "Are you wasting your time and everyone else's with your question? (ie: Is your question stupid?)"
At any rate, DC and Marvel have finally realized that their clever hints at SDCC and other Cons were giving away entirely too much, so the panels aren't exactly useless, but its hard to say what one would get out of a lot of the discussion.
So, while I can't say I thought I missed much in the way of announcements, here were some tidbits I am excited about:
1) Superman titles are mostly planned out through 2010. That means fairly stable creative teams and a vision for the books, as they've had since Idleson took over as editor.
2) 2010 may also see a Superman event, somewhat how Blackest Night is a DC event right now. I think this makes much more sense than how cross-overs/ events had been handled
4) The re-launched "Adventure Comics" will be where I can see Krypto.
5) DC is building its line around known, workable franchises. Sounds like we may get not just a new "Flash" series, but a "Kid Flash" series. Also, two JSA series (which is fine, that's a huge cast). I won't be shocked to see two JLA titles before all is said and done.
6) Reports about the upcoming animated, direct-to-DVD Green Lantern movie were very positive. Sounds like WB got 4000 people to simultaneously give the GL oath. That's just awesome.
7) Marvel seems to think they own "Marvelman". I'll eat my hat if they didn't just purchase a whole mess of legal trouble, but it's something.
8) Mattel is putting out a "Movie Masters" line, that will include a General Zod figure and Christopher Reeve Superman. If it does well, they will continue the line (hopefully with Ursa, Non, Jor-El, Lara, etc...).
9) Mattel will also be releasing a Power Girl and Question figure. I'm mostly done with non-Superman collectibles, but I'd pick those up. There are also a few other Super-related items I'll be looking for.
10) This shocks even me, and I know they'll fail me, but some of the conversation at the "Smallville" panel sounded promising. Also, Johns is writing a JSA episode. Which is awesome. Please, oh deities of the DCU, give me Jay Garrick and Alan Scott (and Carter and Shayera Hall, if it won't kill you).
11) Ready for Cameron's "Avatar".
12) Marvel is doing some anime cartoons of their properties. Iron Man looks ridiculous but cool.
13) DCU Online is making progress
14) "Boom" having so many darn announcements is just good news.
15) The sequel to Iron Man sounds like it will be the same fun as the first installment
16) I may actually pick up Doom Patrol.
17) Two of my three hopes for a "prop replica" from DC Direct were on display, as "coming at some point". A Batman utility belt (which I will not be able to afford) and Wonder Woman's tiara and bracelets. I eagerly await the pricepoint on the tiara and bracelets.
All in all, looks like another good year. DC and Marvel are changing their editorial tactics to work with the collected format and their older audience. Its an interesting growth in how narrative is managed.
There were plenty of announcements that left me unimpressed, but surprisingly few that made me cringe (in fact, none come immediately to mind outside of the clip I watched of Marvel's anime-animated Wolverine).
Outside of Doom Patrol, Marvelman and a few items from "Boom", I haven't seen any comics which caught my attention, which is odd. It seems my reading is inline with the narrative thrust, at least at DC. I just don't pay too much attention to Marvel these days, and saw no notes about Captain America, etc... that I thought were terribly exciting.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Coal to Diamond, Marvel does good, Jake Lloyd, Facebook
Can Superman Make Diamonds from Coal?
Thanks to JimD who sent this along:
Legendary question-answer man, Cecil, takes on the old Superman trick of using Super-strength to squeeze coal with so much pressure, it becomes a diamond.
The Straight Dope
While its understandable why one would want to find ways to make diamonds to impress Annette O'Toole (the trick was employed in the Pryor-rich Superman III), this was also done in the comics in the Silver Age. But Superman also used to fly so fast he would travel through time, and regularly destroy landmarks (and super-rebuild them) just to mess with Lois's head. So, you know...
Marvel Does Some Geek Good
Well, this is blowing my mind. In the 1980's, there was a comic on the stands called, alternately, "Marvelman" and "Miracle Man". The character may have the most complicated publishing history in comics, and I highly recommend you read the Wikipedia entry, as its quite fascinating. A knock-off of Captain Marvel for England (as Captain marvel had been a knock-off of Superman from a Mid-Western publisher), the character became caught up in some pretty serious legal disputes in the late 1990's or so, and has been in limbo ever since. This has meant no reprints, and odd stabs from different creators who've claimed they owned bits and pieces of Marvelman to put out product.
Creators with names like Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore have not just made their mark, but had ownership privileges, and its all led to Marvelman gaining a reputation as the best comic many comic readers haven't just never read, but which was impossible to obtain. To actually buy the back issues to read the series is prohibitively expensive.
Or was.
Apparently, Marvel just decided to cut checks to all involved and has purchased the rights to Marvelman.
Here.
This most likely means reprints and new material and a bunch of comic nerds in their early 30's and 20's who are now waiting for announcements about the reprints.
Well done, Marvel! I've only been waiting since about 1995 to read these stories.
Here's Jake Lloyd, the guy who played Anakin Skywalker in "The Phantom Menace"
He turned into a bitter nerd kid. Awesome.
Facebook
By the way, if you aren't a fan yet on Facebook, I'm actually using the thing. There's a bit of what I'd call Bonus Content. Plus, you get comments, etc... from folks who are coming in by way of Facebook.
Anyhow, use that box over there on the left and join up! Facebook is free and mostly not-scary.
Thanks to JimD who sent this along:
Legendary question-answer man, Cecil, takes on the old Superman trick of using Super-strength to squeeze coal with so much pressure, it becomes a diamond.
The Straight Dope
While its understandable why one would want to find ways to make diamonds to impress Annette O'Toole (the trick was employed in the Pryor-rich Superman III), this was also done in the comics in the Silver Age. But Superman also used to fly so fast he would travel through time, and regularly destroy landmarks (and super-rebuild them) just to mess with Lois's head. So, you know...
Marvel Does Some Geek Good
Well, this is blowing my mind. In the 1980's, there was a comic on the stands called, alternately, "Marvelman" and "Miracle Man". The character may have the most complicated publishing history in comics, and I highly recommend you read the Wikipedia entry, as its quite fascinating. A knock-off of Captain Marvel for England (as Captain marvel had been a knock-off of Superman from a Mid-Western publisher), the character became caught up in some pretty serious legal disputes in the late 1990's or so, and has been in limbo ever since. This has meant no reprints, and odd stabs from different creators who've claimed they owned bits and pieces of Marvelman to put out product.
Creators with names like Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore have not just made their mark, but had ownership privileges, and its all led to Marvelman gaining a reputation as the best comic many comic readers haven't just never read, but which was impossible to obtain. To actually buy the back issues to read the series is prohibitively expensive.
Or was.
Apparently, Marvel just decided to cut checks to all involved and has purchased the rights to Marvelman.
Here.
This most likely means reprints and new material and a bunch of comic nerds in their early 30's and 20's who are now waiting for announcements about the reprints.
Well done, Marvel! I've only been waiting since about 1995 to read these stories.
Here's Jake Lloyd, the guy who played Anakin Skywalker in "The Phantom Menace"
He turned into a bitter nerd kid. Awesome.
By the way, if you aren't a fan yet on Facebook, I'm actually using the thing. There's a bit of what I'd call Bonus Content. Plus, you get comments, etc... from folks who are coming in by way of Facebook.
Anyhow, use that box over there on the left and join up! Facebook is free and mostly not-scary.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Maintenance Thursday
Not-Attending Comic-Con (again)
I have a hard time envisioning a future in which I will ever get around to attending the San Diego Comic-Con. This year I sort of thought about it, but the tickets for the full-event sold out before I ever realized they were on sale. And forget about a hotel room...
It looks like folks are having fun out there. DC already had their Superman panel, which is always sort of odd, because the idea is to get people excited about upcoming Superman comics, but without giving away the store.
At least nobody is asking if "Superman is really Superman or Clark Kent" anymore. I think that's sort of been resolved. The answer: That's not been relevant in twenty years.
The League's own JackBart is out there at the Boom! Studios booth promoting his comic, "Poe", and reportedly already landed me a signed copy of Irredeemable and The Muppets.
Jack is signing copies of Poe for me when he gets back.
I guess I'd like to go at some point, just for the spectacle, to say I've had that fan experience, so-on-and-so-forth. But, jeez... that's a lot of money. Not just travel, hotel, etc... but the point of Comic-Con is to also find those items that might not make it to your local shop, discover new material, etc... In short: to spend dough.
It all seems a little counter-productive, in an odd way. Of course, my local comic shop is pretty darn well stocked, so, I'm spoiled. In a lot of ways, I should have done it when we lived in Phoenix and I could have just driven in for a day or two.
But then you also see that DC has, for reasons I care not to think about, approved this statue in their line of "Anime Inspired" takes on their characters, and debuted it at the Con.
Actually, the WW statue might almost be okay in a "300"-meets-Grrl-Power, but the rest of the line looks more like this (that'd be WW's teen counter-part, Wonder Girl, who actually does own pants. Not just underwear and chaps).
Given how long this line has survived, someone is buying it, which means there's going to be quite a bit of this stuff from a lot more folks than DC at the Con. And if it is you who is filling your Ikea shelving with this stuff, know that I am making fun of you. My house is littered with seemingly nerdy stuff, and even I think its ridiculous. Get a girlfriend.
I am sorry
Jamie, i am sorry about the sandwich thing. I just don't really like curry. It's nobody's fault.
Is it any wonder...?
...why I never get bored?
I have a hard time envisioning a future in which I will ever get around to attending the San Diego Comic-Con. This year I sort of thought about it, but the tickets for the full-event sold out before I ever realized they were on sale. And forget about a hotel room...
It looks like folks are having fun out there. DC already had their Superman panel, which is always sort of odd, because the idea is to get people excited about upcoming Superman comics, but without giving away the store.
At least nobody is asking if "Superman is really Superman or Clark Kent" anymore. I think that's sort of been resolved. The answer: That's not been relevant in twenty years.
The League's own JackBart is out there at the Boom! Studios booth promoting his comic, "Poe", and reportedly already landed me a signed copy of Irredeemable and The Muppets.
Jack is signing copies of Poe for me when he gets back.
I guess I'd like to go at some point, just for the spectacle, to say I've had that fan experience, so-on-and-so-forth. But, jeez... that's a lot of money. Not just travel, hotel, etc... but the point of Comic-Con is to also find those items that might not make it to your local shop, discover new material, etc... In short: to spend dough.
It all seems a little counter-productive, in an odd way. Of course, my local comic shop is pretty darn well stocked, so, I'm spoiled. In a lot of ways, I should have done it when we lived in Phoenix and I could have just driven in for a day or two.
But then you also see that DC has, for reasons I care not to think about, approved this statue in their line of "Anime Inspired" takes on their characters, and debuted it at the Con.
Actually, the WW statue might almost be okay in a "300"-meets-Grrl-Power, but the rest of the line looks more like this (that'd be WW's teen counter-part, Wonder Girl, who actually does own pants. Not just underwear and chaps).
Given how long this line has survived, someone is buying it, which means there's going to be quite a bit of this stuff from a lot more folks than DC at the Con. And if it is you who is filling your Ikea shelving with this stuff, know that I am making fun of you. My house is littered with seemingly nerdy stuff, and even I think its ridiculous. Get a girlfriend.
I am sorry
Jamie, i am sorry about the sandwich thing. I just don't really like curry. It's nobody's fault.
Is it any wonder...?
...why I never get bored?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
So, Final Crisis: Legion of 3-Worlds #5
BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
(gasp)
BWAH-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Ohhhh.... mercy!
Man. Geoff Johns. That was great. That's going to go down as one of my favorite comics/ uses of medium/ use of the DCU/ weird-good/ character returns/ whatever-the-hell-that-was in quite a while.
I heart you, DCU.
Bonus Comic Stuff:
Green Lantern and Tales of the Corps... both good reads this week.
I don't really get the faux-exasperated comments I've seen online about people can't believe that there's, basically, bad stuff happening that our heroes will have to problem-solve.
Getting bent out of shape about the budget-busting spin-offs? Sure. Accusations of Zombie-ism? Okay (maybe. I mean, its obvious, right?). And, yeah, there's some nasty, bad stuff... but they are inhuman-alien-space-fascists bent on the annihilation of living things. So... you know. I don't expect them to just rob banks or make giant robots to stomp through town.
So far so good on Blackest Night.
Anyhow, I'm thinking about how this project was managed, versus how other events have been handled, and it sort of hurts one's brain to ponder Countdown as a lead in to Final Crisis as event and how badly mismanaged that one was.
(gasp)
BWAH-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Ohhhh.... mercy!
Man. Geoff Johns. That was great. That's going to go down as one of my favorite comics/ uses of medium/ use of the DCU/ weird-good/ character returns/ whatever-the-hell-that-was in quite a while.
I heart you, DCU.
Bonus Comic Stuff:
Green Lantern and Tales of the Corps... both good reads this week.
I don't really get the faux-exasperated comments I've seen online about people can't believe that there's, basically, bad stuff happening that our heroes will have to problem-solve.
Getting bent out of shape about the budget-busting spin-offs? Sure. Accusations of Zombie-ism? Okay (maybe. I mean, its obvious, right?). And, yeah, there's some nasty, bad stuff... but they are inhuman-alien-space-fascists bent on the annihilation of living things. So... you know. I don't expect them to just rob banks or make giant robots to stomp through town.
So far so good on Blackest Night.
Anyhow, I'm thinking about how this project was managed, versus how other events have been handled, and it sort of hurts one's brain to ponder Countdown as a lead in to Final Crisis as event and how badly mismanaged that one was.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Small Post Tuesday
An Important Excursion, Part 2
Jamie took most of the pictures, so if you want to see the trip in some quick snapshots, here's the link to Jamie's write-up.
Poe Comic Out
I neglected to mention it, but the Poe comic, written by Austin's own J. Barton Mitchell was released last week. JackBart (that's what we J. Barton here at The League) has told me repeatedly that "the first issue is a little slow". So, while I didn't find it to be so, the author did.
If only someone could have fixed that! But WHO?
I kid of course. I think it's a "slow boil" sort of thing, so do with that what you will.
Anyhow, go to your local comic retailer (when in Austin, try Austin Books) and ask for it by name! Poe! (It's about Edgar Allen Poe, not pop rock sensation, "Poe". Just FYI.)
Here's a preview at CBR.
JackBart if off to San Diego to do signings at the Boom! Studio booth, where he has promised to get me a signed copy of Irredeemable from Mr. Waid. Which would be nifty.
Dune Report
I'm actually reading Dune and enjoying it. So I'm off to go read more of it. That and comics.
Jamie took most of the pictures, so if you want to see the trip in some quick snapshots, here's the link to Jamie's write-up.
Poe Comic Out
I neglected to mention it, but the Poe comic, written by Austin's own J. Barton Mitchell was released last week. JackBart (that's what we J. Barton here at The League) has told me repeatedly that "the first issue is a little slow". So, while I didn't find it to be so, the author did.
If only someone could have fixed that! But WHO?
I kid of course. I think it's a "slow boil" sort of thing, so do with that what you will.
Anyhow, go to your local comic retailer (when in Austin, try Austin Books) and ask for it by name! Poe! (It's about Edgar Allen Poe, not pop rock sensation, "Poe". Just FYI.)
Here's a preview at CBR.
JackBart if off to San Diego to do signings at the Boom! Studio booth, where he has promised to get me a signed copy of Irredeemable from Mr. Waid. Which would be nifty.
Dune Report
I'm actually reading Dune and enjoying it. So I'm off to go read more of it. That and comics.
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