Comics

Continuing their moves into the e-world, SLG will be doing digital demos at their Comic-Con booth. Nothing too revolutionary in the means, but another example of how everything is going:

Gorman's art tumblr has quite a few little animated gifs that work as storytelling devices. Clean and nice.

The rejected Wonder Woman pilot, starring Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman, is making the rounds on the mysterious black market of such things in Hollywood. But until the omerta it is being supplied with is lifted, we'll have to do with these dribs and drabs. Thoughts: Palicki loooks fine. The costume looks okay. Maybe this could have worked?

If you were to guess where the first real world village of the lovable blue folk known as Smurfs would spring up, you probably would not say Abu Dhabi -- or maybe you would, as they seem to be one of the few countries with money to burn on a project like a Smurf Village.

Did Rich Johnston get burned on one of the most outrageous stories of the month? Or is DC really afraid of Superman saving kittens?

For people who liked the historical setting for X-MEN FIRST CLASS, Marvel is rolling out some similar treats in comics form. When it comes to retro comics that capture the feeling of past decades, Howard Chaykin is one of your go-to guys, and he's been tapped to write and draw AVENGERS 1959 which will feature Sabretooth, Kraven the Hunter and Namora. The book spins out of Avengers continuity and features a historical superteam trotting the globe for adventures.

We'll know what to call it thanks to this Lisa Hanawalt comic published in the Believer.

Today's slam dunk interview is Alex Dueben's chat with Fantagraphics' publisher Gary Groth, probably just because on the internet a frank discussion with a knowledgeable comics publishing figure is about as common as a humble moment from LeBron. Throw in that he has stellar vocabulary skills, and you have a winner.

Jason Patric and Lucy Punch have been cast as as Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim for the Powers pilot in production for FX.

A private commission Via

A growing body of comics observers have jumped on the bandwagon for Naoki Urasawa as the best genre cartoonist currently working with his layered, dynamic storytelling. But not everyone has gotten the religion! His 21st CENTURY BOYS is currently coming out from Viz, but with 15 volumes in print it could be a bit daunting to jump into. For those who prefer a video introduction, MONSTER, based on the manga of the same name, just began streaming from Netflix. The 74-episode series deals with Dr. Kenzo Tenma and his efforts to stop an insane killer whose life he saved as a boy.

In all the uproar over DC's relaunch, what was once a somewhat robust program for original graphic novels seems to have been lost: no talk of any more Earth One books, and Vertigo's OGN line is limping along in purgatory. Thus an Amazon listing for WONDER WOMAN: HAND OF THE GODS by Margaret Weis, Lizz Baldwin, Justiniano and Walden Wong is of some interest.