Comics

Last week the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the winners of the 4th Annual International Manga Award. The International Manga Award - the...

An AP story flooded the wires with a total spoiler on the death in this week's FANTASTIC FOUR #587. We blanked out the name here but click on the link if you MUST know:

TAKIO is definitely something different from Brian Bendis and Michael Oeming: a kids' story. Set in a family where two squabbling sisters learn to...

Tony Millionaire at Desert Island -- let do this!

By Jen Vaughn -- What do you do with a man with a wild mind of his own and a pair of drawing hands that just won't quit? You make him KING.

James Kochalka is the one of forerunners of autobiographical diary comics with his syndicated comic, American Elf, which is also available online and began way back in October, 1998. He is also the creator of other excellent comics like irreverent SuperF*ckers and children's books like the Johnny Boo series and most recently, Dragon Puncher. His comics are published by Portland-based comics publisher, Top Shelf.

Over a year ago, when Marvel and DC both turned into pawns of the larger game of Disney and Warners, it wasn't too hard to see the handwriting on the wall for some massive changes as the "Big Two" at the heart of comics publishing fundamentally altered their corporate structures -- including eliminating up some of their unprofitable businesses and looking to save money all over. At DC, there have been lots of snippets of change coming out, including, of course, shutting down the Zuda, CMX and WildStorm lines, and more recently, a major change in the contracts for creator participation books which has made Vertigo a much less desirable destination for creators. Chris Butcher has an interesting post which mentions other cost cutting measures, including not shrink wrapping hardcovers any more.

A few months ago, we wrote about artist Tony Harris and his attempt to raise $60,000 via Kickstarter to fund his dream project, a graphic novel called ROUNDEYE: FOR LOVE. This raised a bit of discussion about whether $60k was too much for Kickstarter or whether this was an appropriate amount to attempt to raise. (Harris said it reflected his need to feed kids and pay the mortgage.) Since then a couple of things happened.

We continue our series on cheap, obsolete media formats by showcasing a technology little improved in two thousand years. In an age when technology gets tossed aside in favor of the Latest Thing Next Year, is it any wonder that books are finally becoming quaint antiques, reminiscent of an earlier, less complicated age? But don't worry, bibliophiles! Just as there are still markets for mangles and typewriters, so too will a market for books exist in less developed cultures! As the book market in the U. S. slowly shrinks and shrivels, numerous bargains will appear, like the ones below!

A minor market segment, these box sets offer what most fans are clamoring for: ownership of the actual file instead of an app, affordable comics (even at $50, the per-comic cost is usually below twenty-five cents), and extras which turns these collections into electronic omnibuses. However, due to sticker shock, and the experience of reading these comics on a horizontal screen, many fans have been reluctant to purchase these collections. Which means that now, as the digital marketplace transitions to apps and browser-based readers, these older CD- and DVD-ROM collections are being sold at clearance prices. So, dear readers, in these challenging economic times, we offer you this bargain bin listing of select titles found on Amazon.com. We make no money from directing you to these forgotten gems, and, as with anything on the web, caveat lector et emptor.

It's strange, I suppose, to find a show so entrenched in geek culture as CES almost completely devoid of comics influence, only to discover a porn show roughly three miles away swimming in the stuff.

After yesterday's news that DC Comics was dropping the Comics Code, leaving Archie the last surviving member of the Comics Code Authority...comes word that...

Sierra Hahn and Dave Marshall have been promoted to full editors at Dark Horse Hahn has edited many media tie-ins and original series, while...