News

by Zachary Clemente STRAY BULLETS: SUNSHINE & ROSES A NEW PATH OF VIOLENCE The cult classic begins a new story arc about love and bad decisions Award-winning creator David...

Housekeeping: The Beat was down a bit over the weekend when my web host moved it to a faster, more up to date server. I also got one of those new fangled Time Warner modems that offers five times faster internet speed. So we're TURBO here! At the same time, the mouse I've been using for about five years went belly up. The coffee spill that happened a few weeks ago may have contributed but the autopsy results aren't in yet. I immediately went to Staples and bought a $10 mouse as a stopgap, and upon getting it home it did not work. PERIOD. MELONFARMER. NEVER BUY CHEAP TECH. However, luckily later in the day I was walking by a pile of discarded computer equipment and was able to obtain a Mighty Mouse from the pile.

by Zachary Clemente CHICAGO, IL – October 20, 2014 – New Chicago limited screen print society, Secret Panel, announced today that they are launching their...

by Zachary Clemente MAGNETIC PRESS TO PUBLISH “POET” COMIC BOOK SERIES BY TOM DELONGE Magnetic Press announced today that they are producing and publishing an original...

by Zachary Clemente IXTH GENERATION BURSTS ONTO SCENE The Top Cow Universe expands with an all-new IX spin-off series Writer Matt Hawkins (THINK TANK) pens a new...

by Zachary Clemente FANTASY ADVENTURE HAS FULL REYN This January, Kel Symons and Nathan Stockman kick off an all-new sword & sorcery epic Fan favorite Kel Symons (THE...

Hm let's see, we need an ambassador of comics who can work with schools, educators and more to show how comics can contribute to literacy and learning. We need someone who is smart, distinguished and universally loved... I know! Let's get Dave Gibbons!

While the harassment problems seems to have been put under control, by and large, there are a rather alarming number of reports of theft from the show, including this one, about a hand painted "Dunny" statue worth $2000 being stolen from a booth. The culprit was caught on tape taking the items at 7:25 after the show closed and fled on foot. I also saw tweets indicating that writer Amy Chu's laptop was stolen, and there's a report of an artist having some pages stolen as well. Thievery doesn't invite the same kind of "they were asking for it" response as other kinds of claims, but unfortunately, these incidents are a reminder that leaving valuable things lying around is not a good idea at a crowded con. It's also a sad comment on an otherwise peaceful crowd.

The British Comic Awards have announced their short list of nominees and that the great Posy Simmonds will be inducted into the hall of fame. The nominees were selected by the BCA Committee based on suggestions from the public and winners will be chosen by a panel consisting of Jonathan Entwistle, Jessica Hynes. Danny John-Jules (yes The Cat from Red Dwarf!), Jonathan Ross and Suzy Varty. Winners will be announced November 15th at Thought Bubble.

by Zachary Clemente In the incredibly crowded Artist Alley of New York Comic-Con, I sat down with illustrator Wes Craig to talk about his work...

In our cartoonists getting plaudits corner this week, Roz Chast has made the five book short list for the National Books Awards for her exemplary Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? which deals with the twilight years of her hilarious, annoying and lovable parents. She is entered in the non-fiction category and it is the first adultcomic, and only the third graphic novel over all to ever make the NBA lists. The entire category:

by Zachary Clemente Written by Ivan Brandon, Art & Colors by Nic Klein, Letters by Clem Robins, Design by Tom Muller, Edited by Sebastian Griner, Published by Image Comics. Mankind’s colonization of the...