Are comics coming back? What’s coming back? Or is it a new thing? Does anyone really know?
Nice art: Lynda Barry's younger years
Slate has a preview of the autobio material in the upcoming Lynda Barry collection Everything Vol. 1. More in link.
Former Nickelodeon editors launch COMIXER iPad app for kids
This is just the news day for comics folks developing their own apps. Former Nickelodeon Magazine comics editor Chris Duffy, and his co-workers Laura Galen, and Carmen Morais all had some free time when the magazine was canceled. And now they’ve come up with Comixer, an iPad app aimed at kids that allows them to mix and match panels in various genres to make their own stories. The app is on sale for 99¢ at launch. More here:
Graphicly acquires mobile app Double Feature
Continuing the frantic pace of digital comics announcements, acquisitions and positioning, Graphicly has announced its acquisition of Double Feature, an application for mobile phones that was developed by the studio of Tim Seeley of HACK/SLASH fame. While the app was originally built to showcase the work of Seleey and his studiomates, apparently it will be available for more content from Graphicly.
Marvel going day and date line wide by April 2012
Marvel is committing to making virtually all its comics available digitally day and date, accoridng to a story at Gizmodo.
The plan will roll out over the next six months, with “print and digital for nearly all comics will be same day release by April 2012” according to Marvel’s Ryan Penagos on Twitter. The books will shift over as they reach new “jumping on points” meaning the roll-out will be staggered. However the adults only MAX line and licensed books, inclduing the Stephen King adaptations, will NOT go to the DaD system.
Stan Lee teams with MASScanvas for T-shirt contest
As you all know, Stan Lee pacts the way other people breathe. Here’s a new one — a contest with online community MASScanvas to design a t-shirt; a portions of the proceeds of the winning design will go to the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Winners get their very own congratulatory video from Stan, as well.
Must Read: The story of L’Association
The importance of this story will be self-evident to anyone familiar with L’Asso’s work but here’s a few reasons for those now in the know:
1) They published some of the best comics ever by major creators like Trondheim, Sfar and David B., to name a few.
2) L’Association was the original publisher of PERSEPOLIS, the work which more than any other legitimized graphic novels in the mainstream US publishing world of the Aughts
3) The story of the controversial Jean-Christophe Menu reveals one of the great paradoxes of the creative endeavor, in how the same character trait can often be both the doorway to greatness and its downfall.
NYCC: "Men, if you are here to get laid, leave. Ladies, if you here to get laid, take your pick."
This article on the “Speed Dating” sessions at the recent New York Comic Con paint an interesting picture of the social dynamics of Nerd World, especially with the growing participation of women
due to the anime and Vampire influences.
Brabner launches Kickstarter campaign for Harvey Pekar library statue
Since his death last summer, there’s been much talk about honoring the late Harvey Pekar in his native Cleveland with a statue.
Pekar’s widow Joyce Brabner, was uncomfortable with the idea of a heroic monument, so in conjuction with some local artists they’ve come up with a more populist memorial: a statue at the Cleveland Heights library that would also serve as a place where people can read and make comics.
