Culture

By Todd Allen Yesterday, DC announced their book line-up (HC/TPB) for Spring 2013.  OK, you're expecting a regular slate of New 52 collections.  But what...

Yes, the world is a little stunned by the announcement of Matt Groening quitting Life In Hell. It isn't like this hasn't been threatened though. Back in November of 2009, roughly two and a half years ago, the Chicago Humanities Festival had a panel on the declining market for Alt Weekly comics. Groening was there. Lynda Barry was there. Chris Ware was there. Jules Feiffer was even there. And back then, Groening was already talking about quitting.

Now this is sad and yet it is part of life. Matt Groening has announced that on June 15th he ended his long-running Life in Hell weekly comic strip, which has run in alternative newspapers for 32 years. Reprints will run until Friday, July 13th, (during SDCC) and then it will fade away. "I love the characters, I love doing it, but it was just time," he told USA Today. "Life in Hell prevented me from doing other projects, because every week I had to go back to the same drawing table. Quitting will open me up to new things, more animation, more stuff. I may just sit and stare into space."

It's time for comic-book fans to clean up their act and start dressing more appropriately, don't you think? Indochino have today kicked off what will hopefully be a new wave of classy fashions for superhero fans, so we can finally throw away our old 'Tony Stark Was Right' shirts.

Novelist Max Allan Collins is no stranger to the comics, with his ROAD TO PERDITION graphic novel being turned into an actual prestige movie, and his long-running Ms. Tree comic. His new novel is actually set in the world of comics with a comics section by long-time collaborator Terry Beatty.

You know how you're always reading about how great the first Comic-Con in San Diego was with everyone sitting around the pool at the El Cortez while throwing rubber duckies at Jack Kirby and Ray Bradbury? Well some of the surviving founders of SDCC have gotten together to put on an old-timey show called The San Diego Comic Fest, to be held October 19-21 at the San Diego Town & Country Resort and Convention Center. The guest list consists of some people who were actually at the first cons in the '70s, including George Clayton Johnson, Jackie Estrada, Mark Evanier, Murphy Anderson, Ron Turner, and Tim Powers.

The occasion of ASTONISHING X-MEN's same-sex wedding has also seen several parties and receptions at various comics shops across the nation, including Zeus Comics, which held a bachelor party last week. But Midtown Comics is going all the way by hosting two actual same sex weddings this Wednesday, with a reception taking place at the Eventi Hotel. Two couples—Scott Everhart and Jason Welker, and Khris Wilson and Chris Orme—will be tying the knot. Both events are private but people are being encouraged to take photos outside, as the shop will be opening late due to the nuptials.

Meanwhile, what is going on over at the Billy Ireland collection of comics and cartoon art? Oh just some doodles by Playboy/New Yorker cartoonistEldon Dedini like this one of painter Diego Rivera. Dedini donated his art archives to the collection before his death.

I'm sure you've seen heard of celebrities having perfumes before.  Paris Hilton has one.  As Does Kim Kardashian.  There's also the category of celebrity driven "fragrance for men."  Entrants in this category include Justin Beiber, Tim McGraw and Usher.  Add to this list... James Bond?!?  Yes, there's a "the making of" teaser video for the James Bond Fragrance for Men:

The Beat salutes the secret superheroes, fathers!

Debuting this weekend at CAKE, Gabby Schulz's new comic documents the return of character Gordon Smalls, as he muses over American consumerism 40,000 feet in the air.

As we previously noted, and as this sales chart shows, and The B&N chart from last night confirmed, Jeffrey Brown's DARTH VADER AND SON is doing very well, especially in advance of Father's Day this Sunday. The Tribune interviews Brown with a classic cartoonist profile description: