PREVIEW: Memorial by Chris Roberson and Rich Ellis
This December, MEMORIAL by Chris Roberson and Rich Ellis comes out from IDW. The six issue mini-series is the story of Em, a young woman who arrives at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, with no memory of her past. A year later, her newly-rebuilt life is thrown into turmoil after she inherits a magical shop, the kind that appears in an alley one instant and disappears the next. Em is drawn into a supernatural conflict between beings that not only represent, but are, fundamental elements of the universe itself. All of existence is at stake, so there’s only a little pressure on Em, the magical shop, and a talking cat.
Continue ReadingRetailer files complaint against Wizard AND posts dramatic video on YouTube
The Mid-Ohio Con was held this weekend — the first one to be run by Wizard since taking over the show last year — and based on reports, it was very well attended. But, in an echo of long ago scars from Con Wars, it was not quite as well attended as its organizers seem to imagine in their own worldview.
Continue ReadingMust read: Local Comics Scenes across the US
While news of great corporate conglomerates headlines the comics world news of late, it must always be remembered this is an industry of people and art, and the vibrancy of the the two coming together. Frank Santoro has been running an awesome series of "Local comics scene" reports at TCJ, and they are welcome reminders that the indie spirit of like-minded souls sitting in diners and sketching and talking over coffee and Strathmore is alive and well. We'd love to visit each and every one of these scenes. It's also of note that in these economic hard times, sometimes creativity thrives where money is scarce.
Continue ReadingKibbles ‘n’ Bits, 10/24/11
Return with us now to the wonderful world of comics, a joyful, laughing place of great creativity.
Continue ReadingThe Once and Future New York Comic Con
One week past, and most have recovered from the media spectacle that is New York Comic Con. A slight breather is in order as the convention season glides into hibernation, with just King Con III and the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival remaining here in New York City. As soon as the Con ended and attendance was announced, comixologists began to ruminate upon what they had witnessed, what went right and wrong, and what to anticipate if the Con keeps growing at an annual rate of 14,400 people a year. What might next year's show look like?
Continue ReadingFrankfurt Comic-Con 2011
While 105,000 people converged upon the New York Comic Con last week, some 150,000 booksellers, publishers, and bibiophiles packed the halls at the Frankfurt Book Fair, held October 12-16.
Continue ReadingGREAT ART: Mary Blair
It's Mary Blair's birthday and if Google can celebrate her, so can we. And so should we all. As an animator and designer, Blair is among the most influential artistic figures of the mid-century era, an icon and the creator of some of the loveliest art you'll ever see.
Continue ReadingNice art: Dustin Harbin’s dinosaur print
You had us at dinosaur, Dustin Harbin. And with "colored by Sam Bosma and Kali Ciesemier" you chained us up and threw away the key.
Continue ReadingDigital update: Amazon announces author tools for Kindle; comiXology rules the iPad Wednesday crowd
As the glow of the Amazon Kindle Fire begins to appear on the horizon, many questions over just how comics are going to work on it are still unanswered. But it looks like publishers will be able to adapt their own works using Amazon's tech specs. Amazon has announced some new author tools for the Kindle Fire on their website:
Continue ReadingMarvel layoffs: The cheapskate is coming from inside the House of Ideas!
Yesterday was a gloomy day for the comics industry, as 15 Marvel staffers -- including several popular editors and a couple of legendary Bullpenners -- were laid off. This followed the recent layoff of COO Jim "Ski" Sokolowski. We all know the economy sucks, and that comics sales are down this year. But was that the reason for the cost cutting? Or was it Disney? The Mouse purchased Marvel for $5 billion two years, two months ago and they are well known for being very budget conscious. Did some Disney suit look at revenue, say it wasn't enough and order some budget cuts? While both these scenarios sound plausible, according to Marvel insiders contacted by The Beat, neither seems to be the case. The budget slashing is the work of Marvel's CEO, Isaac Perlmutter, an executive of legendary stinginess whose fanatical devotion to saving money —an increased interest in being hands on at Marvel — has led to the layoffs and other draconian measures inside the company.
Continue ReadingSexy comic book women = “weird.”
I don't know who Richard Famous is -- a gay British man who makes little-watched YouTube videos -- but what he has to say about "the brokeback pose" and how hyper-sexualization depowers female comics characters is pretty dead on.
Continue ReadingAvengers trailer bonus: the Taiwan version and the “Sweded” version
Next Media Animation has gone gonzo with a new version of the AVENGERS movie that features several guest stars. What does this mean? Unsure.
Continue ReadingMAD comes to SCAD on November 12th
Jack Davis, legendary EC artist and caricaturist, doesn't do many public appearances, but he will be part of a panel spotlighting MAD Magazine at the Savannah College of Art and Design that sounds worth buying an airline ticket for. Davis will join Al Jaffee, Sergio Aragones, Paul Coker Jr, Nick Meglin, Duck Edwing, Sam Viviano and Tom Richmond for IT’S A SCAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WEEKEND on November 12th as part of a weekend celebrating the usual gang of idiots November 11-13th. This illustrious group will also be participating in workshops and portfolio reviews with the sequential art students at SCAD.
Continue ReadingNice Art: Rugg covers POOD
Let me translate that headline: POOD #4, the latest issue of the indie comics anthology is on sale this week, with a cover by Jim Rugg. Also inside: work by Eisner-winner Nick Abadzis, 2011 “Best American Comics” pick Kevin Mutch, “Dick Tracy” icon Joe Staton, and many more.
Continue ReadingWW3 takes on Tahrir
Long before OWS there was World War 3, the long running counterculture comics anthology put together by a rotating cast of politically aware cartoonists who lived on the LES back when it was Alphabet City and not a trustfund preserve. The next issue is out next month and takes on the spirit of protest being seen around the world, from Tahrir Square to Madison, WI.
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