Bil Keane 1922-2011
Via Jeff Keane's Facebook page, word has come that Bil Keane, creator of the iconic Family Circus comic strip, has died. He was 89.
Continue ReadingMarvel Month-to-Month Sales: September 2011
By Paul O'Brien -- It's the column you've been waiting for! The September sales - for Marvel! Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Okay, so September was DC's month. And understandably, most publishers got out of the way, rather than trying to launch any new titles against the New 52 onslaught. Marvel had the second month of the Ultimate relaunch, and there are a couple of new Icon books in the form of BRILLIANT and the returning CASANOVA, but that's really about it where new launches are concerned. Of course, there's also the continuing crossovers of "Fear Itself", "Spider-Island" and "Schism", and Marvel's standard practice these days would be to launch the new books after those events, not during. For the first time in quite a while, DC had the biggest share of the market, leading Marvel by 43% to 38% in units, and a razor-thin 36% to 35% in dollars. (Incidentally, those market share figures apparently don't apply the retainability discount which Diamond factored into the sales of individual issues.) If that seems closer than you expected, bear in mind that with 52 superhero comics, DC were actually cutting their line back. Marvel solicited almost 80 Marvel Universe superhero books for the same month - though that may not last, given that lower selling titles are now apparently being culled.
Continue ReadingTaymor to Spidey producers: Turn on the lawsuit
Oh yeah, it's on. After being ousted from the directing chair of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the troubled Broadway show about the webslinger, director Julie Taymor kept a tight smile at the opening of the show. However, now the gloves are off and she's suing the producers over her creative rights and unpaid royalties.
Continue ReadingDC’s decisive October win lifted a lot of boats
The month's startling sales chars are analyzed at ICv2 with a look at the overall growth for the year. With so many relists on the charts, a number of books from other publishers were squeezed off. However the #300 book -- Robert E Howards Savage Sword #3 -- sold 5,167, according to the ICv2 metric. Last month, the #300 book -- Stan Lee Starborn #10 -- charts with 3,341 copies sold. So that's exactly how much the rising tide lifted that boat.
Continue ReadingIt’s Official: comiXology ships on the Kindle Fire
Since the feverish excitement over the announcement of the Kindle Fire, there has been much speculation over just who and what would be comics-based partners for the platform. Although the comiXology app was prominently displayed on promo materials, all involved were mum when asked about the pact. And there has also been speculation about whether Amazon's panel view mode would be competition for comiXology's Guided View. Well, it is now official: the comiXology app will be available at the Kindle Fire's debut:
Continue ReadingDigital NARUTO precedes print from Viz
ICv2 catches the fact that two volumes of NARUTO will be released digitally before the print edition. Vol. 54 and Vol. 55 will be available as part of the shift to Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha, the digital weekly that's replacing the print edition. The availability window is pretty steep -- NARUTO Vol. 54 is available now; the print version drops January 3. It's just a scheduling anomaly but it is still startling to see one of the world's best selling comics available in digital first.
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October comics set many sales records
John Jackson Miller has posted his estimates for October 2011 sales ( ICv2's will be out tomorrow) and it was a month of records:
Continue ReadingHelp wanted, NYC: Publishers Weekly seeks comics intern
As the leaves turn and fall and the days get shorter, the world churns on, and our wonderful intern DaYoung Jung is moving on to a paid gig doing character designs and backgrounds for video games. Paying work drawing. Bah humbug. What is this world coming to? Anyway we have another opening for an intern here. Our former interns have all gone on to fame and glory, so consider this the elite of internships. There is no pay but you get LOTS of free comics and other perks. And if you write anything for the site, magazine or newsletter, you will be paid our regular rates. Duties include mailing out review copies, coordinating digital review copies, updating spreadsheets, opening mail, and so on. Although we don't require writing ability, it is a bonus, and as mentioned, there are definitely spots for writing -- if you like to write about comics, that skill will be put to good use. Hours are flexible but approximately 10-12 a week.
Continue ReadingHelp wanted, PDX: Oni seeks interns
Oni Press has sent out a call for interns. If you're one of the many comics-lover citizens of Portland, this could be a great opportunity. Info below:
Continue ReadingThe Twelve is actually going to be completed in ‘12
Marvel has released schedule and cover art info for THE TWELVE, an ambitious 12 issue miniseries by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston that stalled out somewhere after issue #8 in 2008. In order for newcomers to catch up, the'll be offering a colelction of the first 6 issues,, a must have of issues 7 and 8 and then the rest of the series twice monthly starting in February:
Continue ReadingJack Davis, Phoebe Gloeckner headline Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest
The featured guests for this Decembers Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival have been announced, and it's pretty spectacular: CF, Jack Davis, Phoebe Gloeckner, Lisa Hanawalt, Chip Kidd, David Mazzucchelli, John Porcellino and Brian Ralph. If you are like us, you are most excited about the chance to meet the legendary Jack Davis, who was not only an EC Comics mainstay, but one of the original MAD artists and one of the most influential illustrators of the 60s and 70s with his unmistakeable "bigfoot" style. So YEAH. Amazing.
Continue ReadingDiamond removes swastikas from GLORY and PIGS covers in Previews
Over at his blog, Image Publisher Eric Stephensonshows two Image covers that won't make it into the Previews catalog unaltered because they contain swastikas, which cannot legally be shown in Germany.
Continue ReadingSusie Cagle’s account of her arrest
Cartoonist/journalist Susie Cagle has a full report on the events on the night of her arrest along with 100 other Occupy Oakland protesters, from the fires at the barricades to jailhouse indignities.
Continue ReadingIsabel Greenberg wins the 2011 Graphic Short Story Prize
Isabel Greenberg's "Love in a Very Cold Climate" -- the story of lovers repelled by polar magnetism -- has won the 2011 Graphic Short Story prize given out by the Observer/Comica/Vintage Books. London-Based Greenberg has contributed previously to Nobrow and Solipsistic Pop. The story is part of a larger work called The Encyclopaedia of Early Earth.
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