Comics

How better to celebrate Fred Van Lente Day than with this gem by Ryan Dunlavey, his collaborator on Comic Book Comics, their history of comics comic. For more Van Lente goodness, check out the first link for a preview of his book with Sarah Oleksyk.

Evidently, due to some misunderstandings, Dark Horse CEO Mike Richardson has released a statement regarding the publisher's imminent switch to simultaneous print and digital release: digital comics will be priced at $2.99 for the first month, dropping to the standard price of $1.99 after that. You can read the statement below. While it's obvious that keeping DH's retail partners from mutiny is part of these decisions -- DH also has a jacked-up digital price for a one month window -- it presupposes that the print and digital audiences are the same. There isn't really any evidence that this is the case right now. However, in the short term, digital sales will continue to be seen as a direct competitor to print. Like we said, we understand the concerns on both sides.

Marvel has sent out an announcementfor some kind of event taking place on Wednesday at 3 pm EST. This is the event that has been coming for a while. Given the flame-like background with a bird-like figure in the middle, best guesses are that this is tied in to some kind of basilisk. Or possibly salamander. Or just possibly, maybe...a Phoenix!

We were unaware that Titan Books has reprinted the highly sought after anatomy books by Andrew Loomis that have assumed a legendary status among classically minded cartoonists and illustrators. The Lines and Colors blog has a good write-up of the reissues and just why they are so prized:

  d'Holbachie-Yoko:  

Bully's running theme this month is Christmas in Duckburg -- nobody got into the holiday spirit better than Carl Barks!

A new Image teaser for a new kind of zombie book went out this afternoon...and it looks gory and pretty at the same time.

By Todd Allen What is it about the Legion of Super-Heroes that pulls in ex-Marvel editor-in-chiefs.  Roy Thomas wrote it.  Gerry Conway wrote it.  Jim...

Tee hee

The new 52 Universe is getting even more diverse with the return of Steel, who returns in ACTION #4 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales. In addition to teaming with Superman in the main story, the "John Henry Irons" of the DCU will get his very own 8-page back-up by Sholly Fisch and Brad Walker. And he'll be back for another back-up in ACTION #7. Created as one of the "variant Supermen" during the Death of Superman story, Steel had a pretty good comics run in the '90s, getting up to issue #52 of his very own series -- until he had the misfortune to star in a movie. With Steel by basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, the film is considered one of the very worst superhero movies of all time. Since then he's appeared as a back-up character here, there, and everywhere. Despite the cinematic setback, Steel has always been a pretty cool character, so it's about time he returned.

Let's get our Christmas art parade kicked off with Japanese artist Tsuneo Sanda, one of the best known contemporary Star Wars artists -- because nothing says Christmas like Yoda. Every Star Wars Christmas image brings back distant memories of the "Star Wars Holiday Special" and Bea Arthur's bravura performance as the cantina owner. And the burning question "What do you get a wookie for Christmas (when he already owns a comb)?"

I happened across Iron Man 2.0 Vol. 1: Palmer Addley Is Dead at the library and thought I'd give it a go. I'd given the monthly version a look, but it hadn't held my attention. Sometimes, a comic reads better as a book and I've enjoyed Nick Spencer's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and Infinite Vacation.