News

I am going away from the computer for approximately 48 hours. Of course, this means that Marvel will announce a reboot, or Jim Lee will quit DC, or Alan Moore will announce he's writing HELLBOY, or Google will buy Archie Comics sometime during the next 48 hours. My Special Operatives will be keeping an eye on things, and I've left a few art posts to keep you all amused. But for now I'm going somewhere where giant Indians beat drums so loud that train tracks disintegrate. Because that's how I roll. So behave.

The most revealing development in the Siegel case since I last wrote for The Beat involves a check. Not the check issued to Siegel and Shuster in exchange for the Superman copyright, but one that DC has apparently* not written--payment to the Siegel family for Grant Morrison’s relaunch of Action #1.

Marvelman creator Mick Anglo died last week at age 96, Bleeding Cool reports. Although best known as the actual creator of Marvelman-- later Miracleman-- whose resurrection by Alan Moore and Garry Leach led to one of the most bizarre rights battles in comics history, Anglo had a long career as a writer (sometimes under the name Jonny Dekker) and artist, from 1940 onwards. Although involved in at least one legal wrangle for his character in recent years, Anglo settled up his end of things, and Marvel has recently been reprinting his early Marvelman/Miracleman adventures.

The Canadian comics free speech organization known as the CLLDF (Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund) has been mostly dormant for a while, but they have reactivated as part of the CBLDF case involving an American who faces charges over images found on his laptop by Canadian border inspectors. They've incorporated and added two Canadians retailers to their board, Jay Bardyla of Edmonton, Alberta; and Jennifer Haines of Guelph, Ontario. They recently held one fundraising event, and another is planned for the 11th at The Kozmik Zoo.

New series from Dark Horse, a new Brandon Graham project and a Martian team-up have been announced for early next year.

When he isn't pacting, Stan Lee is getting awards! This January he'll be present with the Vanguard Award from the Producers Guild of America.

Via Jeff Keane's Facebook page, word has come that Bil Keane, creator of the iconic Family Circus comic strip, has died. He was 89.

Oh yeah, it's on. After being ousted from the directing chair of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the troubled Broadway show about the webslinger, director Julie Taymor kept a tight smile at the opening of the show. However, now the gloves are off and she's suing the producers over her creative rights and unpaid royalties.

As the leaves turn and fall and the days get shorter, the world churns on, and our wonderful intern DaYoung Jung is moving on to a paid gig doing character designs and backgrounds for video games. Paying work drawing. Bah humbug. What is this world coming to?

Anyway we have another opening for an intern here. Our former interns have all gone on to fame and glory, so consider this the elite of internships.

There is no pay but you get LOTS of free comics and other perks. And if you write anything for the site, magazine or newsletter, you will be paid our regular rates.

Duties include mailing out review copies, coordinating digital review copies, updating spreadsheets, opening mail, and so on. Although we don't require writing ability, it is a bonus, and as mentioned, there are definitely spots for writing -- if you like to write about comics, that skill will be put to good use. Hours are flexible but approximately 10-12 a week.

Oni Press has sent out a call for interns. If you're one of the many comics-lover citizens of Portland, this could be a great opportunity. Info below:

Isabel Greenberg's "Love in a Very Cold Climate" -- the story of lovers repelled by polar magnetism -- has won the 2011 Graphic Short Story prize given out by the Observer/Comica/Vintage Books. London-Based Greenberg has contributed previously to Nobrow and Solipsistic Pop. The story is part of a larger work called The Encyclopaedia of Early Earth.