Comics

Led Zeppelin: check Avatar references: check 300 references: check Vast CGI alien crowd scenes: check Insane shots of Helium flyer fleet: Check.

DC isn't the only publisher betting big on the new generation of tablets -- IDW has made more than 30 of their GNs available for the NOOK, including Darwyn Cooke's Parker adaptations, and works by Joe Hill, Max Brooks, Anne Rice, and Eric Shanower. Unlike DC's exclusive with Amazon, this doesn't seem to have pissed off any retail partners...yet.

Marvel has updated its iOS app with a bunch of new features -- however, the App store tells me that you will have to restore all your purchases after the upgrade. The new features sounds worth it, however. What could go wrong? To entice you, Marvel is running a big sale on stuff like SCHISM, ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN, and other recent releases. That's a nice way to get people up to speed with the current goings-on for future print or digital purchases.

An anthology of Box Brown's much lauded EVERYTHING DIES mini-comic and webcomic is now available. Winner of two Ignatz Awards, EVERYTHING DIES deals with various historical and religious takes on the end of the world, second comings, death, and other eschatological matters. This Lulu-produced collection includes selections from both versions of the strip. Brown's THE SURVIVALIST is also available for pre-order and will be at BCGF this Saturday.

In the latest announcement of its kind, Dark Horse announced today that as of December 14, 2011 it will be releasing all its comics simultaneously in both digital and print. (Remember, just say no to the "day and date" phrase.) Over at Robot 6, Brigid Alverson did a little digging and found out this simultaneous release extends to original graphic novels and trade editions, with a price point from $2.99 to $7.99.

Eltingville! Fisher-Price Theater! Devil Puppet! ARE WE DREAMING? NO -- it is happening.

Our tech is on hold while we switch computers. In the meantime, enjoy these whirl animated covers by Kerry Callen.

It takes a while for all the elements of this cover to sink in, but like Clowes' previous efforts for the magazine, once they do, it's a keeper. Via the Fantagraphics blog.

Our review copy of THE NEW 52, the $150, 1216-page collection of EVERY SINGLE NEW 52 #1 issue has arrived. Future uses: pressing flowers, anchoring papers during hurricane. This thing is HEAVY. And big. We've shown it here next to a cup of coffee for size reference. Meanwhile, James Robinson is on Twitter drumming up support for the non-New 52 SHADE which is selling badly and in danger of cancellation. Which, if it had been a New 52 book, would probably be selling as well as BATWING or OMAC.

When you think of Scandinavia you think of cliches like austere and laconic and fatalism -- all words which apply to the work of Norwegian cartoonist Jason. The cliches happen to be true but in the happiest, freshest way. As you can tell by reading his blog, Jason is a big fan of classic films and their pacing, and his work mashes up funny animals, ligne claire, noir thrillers, introspective indie movies where people talk in diners for hours and horror icons into his own marvelous style -- tightly plotted stories where tall rangy birds and dogs talk without smiling of life, love and death, the very essentials of human existence. Jason characters are unsmiling because they know how deadly serious are the machinations of human heart; love is a matter of life and death (sometimes undeath) in every Jason story.

This new Image book from writer Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Artiz Eiguren looks plenty arresting, but the cover by Sas Christian is what will claw its way into your nightmares. The standalone graphic novel goes on sale in February.

A nice preview of the Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan version of the Cimmerian brawler.