News

WonderCon may have moved to Anaheim for 2012 due to Moscone Center construction, but the Bay Area will not be without a spring comics show....thanks to Image Comics and the Image Expo. The creator-owned company is planning its OWN convention, to be held February 24-26 at the Oakland COnvention Center (original home of WonderCon, btw). Image Expo is planned as a 20th anniversary celebration for Image, and will feature as guests of honor Image partners Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. Other creators attending include Image founders Rob Liefeld, and Whilce Portacio, plus Joe Casey, Jay Faerber, Jonathan Hickman, Ryan Ottley, Richard Starkings, Fiona Staples, and Brian K. Vaughan. All will participate in panels, signings and other traditional convention activities.

Former comics retailer and convention runner Michael George was sentenced to life in prison today for the murder of his wife Barbara 21 years ago. The sentence was mandatory in Michigan, so there was little suspense. At the sentencing, George still protested his innocence. ""Something will be found,' he told the court. "Someone will come forward. I have never harmed a woman in my life. Let's not forget no one saw me there — no one."

As usual, Mark Evanier has word of the passing of writer Alvin Schwartz at age 95, a prolific writer for DC in the '40s and '50s who invented many elements of the Superman canon:

Marvel's culling continues, with both GHOST RIDER and BLACK PANTHER reaching their final issues.

While comics pundits continue to debate (well, really beat down) Frank Miller over his ornery comments about the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy Comics continues to ramp up, with the addition of contributions from Darick Robertson, Dan Goldman, and musician Amanda Palmer , just three new high profile contributors with, we're told, more to come. The project has a Kickstarter page , and is already $1000 away from their goal of funding comics coverage of the protest movement. Susan Cagle, Charlie Adlard, Molly Crabapple, Joseph Michael Lisner, Steve Niles, Tim Seeley, Ben Templesmith, and others are already on board.

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.