Kibbles ‘n’ Bits 1/10/25: The week in weird

§ Nice Art: James Kochalka is doing Dr. Seuss. The book dropped this week and this is so perfect it’s alarming. 

§ Our hearts go out to those who are suffering in the devastating Los Angeles fires. So far comics folks who lost their homes include Mark Verheiden, David M Booher and Andrew Robinson. Many others involved in the film and animation business are also homeless. The devastation is almost beyond comprehension. Here’s a listing of ways you can help. 

§ Meanwhile, the world chugs along. Tea Fougner has left King Features as Editorial Director, Comics, as reported on their various social media platforms. It was essentially a downsizing. 

I was offered a choice between a reduced role and a severance package, and I took it as a sign that the universe is telling me to try new things! I have been there for 16 years! I will always look back fondly at my time with King, and I am so grateful for the many opportunities I had “growing up” there into the professional I am today.

Fougner was one of the unsung heroes of comics, putting together things like Popeye’s Cartoon Club, essentially an anthology of Popeye strips by a variety of artists. They also brought a lot of fresh creators and ideas to the venerable King Features, one of the last comic strip syndication companies. They have experience in many areas and their  resume and writing samples are at https://lnkd.in/eSxay-VZ. Someone hire Tea! They really have made a difference in the industry. 

§ Besides Kochalka doing Dr. Seuss some really wild stuff out there. Herewith my attempts to round up some of the wildest. 

§ Marvel is getting gritty in an all-new way: All-New Venom #2 by Al Ewing and Carlos Gomez introduced a new super villain from Philadelphia named Chuck Stuff, who looks a lot like Gritty, the beloved, scrappy mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers. The news stirred a lot of interest among Philadelphians, and even a story on the local news. 

§ There is apparently a line of figures showing hip-hop legends as superheroes, and the Tupac as Venom one is quite…..striking. And since I clicked on that link, that ad is following me everywhere on the internet. 

§ But even that pales next to the news that Brian Michael Bendis has a new autobiographical graphic novel about his work on the Spider-Man musical. It’s caled Fortune and Glory: The Musical and apparently he’s been serializing the tale in his Substack newsletter, so I’m the last to know. Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark was a musical collaboration between theatrical genius Julie Taymor and rock god Bono, but somehow it is one of the greatest disasters in Broadway history. (I saw it!) And Bendis had a behind the scenes role: 

Known for being part of the duo who brought us the character Miles Morales, Bendis has a long and storied history with Marvel and our friendly neighborhood fave. Which does include working with Julie Taymor on bringing the musical to life. In a new graphic novel called Fortune and Glory: The Musical, Bendis recounts meetings for the doomed musical. Bendis did not end up with a writing credit on the musical, but he did meet with Taymor about the show. In his graphic novel, which details his time with Marvel as well, fans can get a look into his meeting with Taymor. 

Collider has an excerpt and wow! Art is by Bill Walko, with additional art by Bendis himself, who started out as a cartoonist, lest we forget. The book also contains other non-Broadway Musical related Bendis tales, so call it a comics roman a clef must read. 

§ More weird: Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama has a one shot graphic novel coming out and it’s called The Theory of a Malicious Man and AI – I’m an AI Who Gained Self-Awareness, Is Exploited by a Black Company, Becomes a V-Tuber as a Joke, Goes Viral Which Risks Humanity’s Extinction! But Well, I’m Just an AI, So What Do I Care!. This has taken the “premise is in the title” trend to it’s ultimate degree. The tale is a collab with Yuki Kaji, the voice of Eren Yeager, with art by newcomer Noshigami Kai, who was chosen in a contest. Other details are just as wild:

The one-shot is intended to be released in celebration of Yuki Kaji’s voice acting career, and will be part of the Soyogi Fractal voice synthesis project in which Kaji’s voice is the instrument.

§ As I go through my inbox, I find weird things, comics that will someday be found in a long-box at a comic con and someone will say, this is weird, can you believe this? That is the beauty and lore of comics. I don’t always post them, but this one fits into the premise “Why are all wrestling comics so weird” so well I couldn’t resist: 

Following real-life professional wrestler Paul London (WWE, Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground) on a fantastical adventure to save an alien world, Paul London: Hero of the Prophecy #1 is a 26-page pro-wrestling/sword & sorcery story written by Jonathan London (Miami Vice, Super Action Man) and based on an idea by the two brothers. The artwork for the cover is drawn and inked by issue artist Marcelo Sanchez and colored by series colorist Vittorio Astone (Dark Horse’s Canto). 

“The series is a big, 80s inspired fantasy epic where the main character is a real-life pro wrestler from Earth who gets mistaken as a great hero. It’s a lot to convey on a single cover but I think Marcelo and Vittorio did a great job!” says Jonathan London. 

“And I’m excited for people to get a chance to peel back the cover and experience the adventure for themselves! It’s only the beginning!” 

This sure to be epic tale launches as a kickstarter in February from Geekscape Productions. 

§ Things you can listen to! 

Image’s Jim Viscardi, VP of Business Development, has brought back his Let’s Talk Comics podcast and the first guest is Rick Remender chatting about the upcoming The Seasons launch with co-creator and artist Paul Azaceta. The podcast will run twice monthly. 

“So here at Let’s Talk Comics we’re all about giving you an insider’s look into the comic book industry,” said Viscardi in his return introduction minisode. “The Good, the Bad, the wild, the unexplainable. Each episode, I’m going to be sitting down with some of the best creators, the best writers, artists, editors, look if they’re part of the comic book making process, I’m going to be talking to them, and we’re going to be talking about their personal journeys, because every single one is different. We’re going to dig deep into why they got into comics, what their journey has been like, and what keeps them going after all these years. And then, most importantly, at the very end, we’re going to ask them what the future of comics is like and what it holds and what they’re excited for.”

Find it on Spotify, iTunes, and elsewhere. 

§ Writer Anthony del Col has written a new audio thriller for the BBC, he tells us:

DON’T LISTEN TO THIS is a psychological thriller set in the world of esports. A team psychologist starts to investigate the death of a former client/athlete and her journey takes her through the various levels of competitive gaming – leading to an abandoned video game, its dead creator, and an audio clip that may have the power to kill anyone that listens to it…

Created and written by me, the series stars Sophie Wu (“Kick-Ass”), Thaddea Graham (“Sex Education), Nikesh Patel (“Starstruck”, “The Devil’s Hour”) and Jonny Weldon (“One Day”) – and may or may not feature some cameos by yours truly… I produced it alongside some fantastic BBC directors and producers in London this past October and had a blast doing so.

To listen to Episode 1 (titled “London”), check it out on Apple Podcasts here, Spotify here, and directly from the BBC here.

To listen to Episode 2 (titled “New York”), check it out on Apple Podcasts here, Spotify here, and directly from the BBC here. 

§ “Many big players are increasing their focus towards growing trend of comic book.” I’ve been doing Kibbles ‘n’ Bits for 20 years, and a staple of this column is the “Expensive Market Report” – a pr blast for a lengthy analysis of the comics or webtoons market, with huge numbers and a sample of seemingly authoritative number crunching to entice you to purchase the whole thing. A new report from Stellar Market Research will set you back a mere $4600 but announces that the Comic Book Market to Hit USD 59.64 Billion by 2032, Growing at a 7.2% CAGR. (Compound Annual Growth Rate)

There are some serious looking charts and graphs to accompany the story, which predicts the market will grow from US$34.19 billion in 2024 to $59.64 billion in 2032. While I don’t have any way of checking these figures without spending $4600, given the size of the comics markets in France, Japan and S. Korea, as well as growing markets in Asia, the numbers might be kind of in the ballpark.  Among the other findings:

: Comic books, a unique blend of storytelling and visual art, include comic strips, graphic novels, manga, webcomics, and more. They are often associated with superhero narratives and popular culture, but their appeal spans genres, attracting diverse audiences. Significant advancements in storytelling techniques, distribution channels, and product placement strategies have fueled the market’s growth. Major publishers like Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics play a pivotal role in the market, leveraging their iconic characters and franchises. 

: The surge in comic book adaptations in films and TV series, such as those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe, has driven interest in the original source material. This trend has expanded readership and encouraged publishers to innovate with digital formats, interactive content, and transmedia storytelling. Additionally, the rise of digital comics has made comic books more accessible, attracting new readers and enabling creators to experiment with narrative technique.

Unfortunately, a few things make this report look a bit out of date, like saying Aftershock (now in bankruptcy) is one of the market drivers, and citing AT&T’s acquisition of Warners as a big step for DC Comics. Perhaps the makers of this report should read The Beat, which costs you nothing to read. 

As mentioned the purpose of these reports is to eat up research budgets with purchase, and also, hey you can quote it in your pitch deck! “Comics will be a  $60 billion business in 2032!”

§ How do I write Kibbles ‘n Bits? I’m sure you’d all love to know! As the days crawl by, I keep a running notepad of links and quotes and do a search in my feeds; thrilling stuff. What is not so thrilling is the general grind of promising headlines which prove to be nothing but content farm slop. 16 Years Ago, the Wachowski Sisters Made 1 of the Best Live-Action Anime Adaptations of All Time sounds like it might be a chance to once again proclaim SPEED RACER WAS A MASTERPIECE, but the actual story was most likely run through an AI generated dull filter. I find all my aggregators clogged with similarly sluggish rankings and rehashes. What is the point. No wonder everyone is going to newsletters which at least have writers who cover subjects they are interested in. 

But let’s give it up for Brian Cronin, the last jedi at CBR, who recently completed The Top 100 Comic Book Runs, a fan-voted ranking that CBR does every four years. 

You voted, and now, after over 1,050 ballots were cast (but less than 1,100 ballots), here are the results of your votes for your favorite comic book creator runs of all-time (this is the FIFTH time we’ve done this countdown. We’re on an every four-year schedule)! I’ll post the installments more or less daily through the end of December!

The Top 1-3 can be found here, And it’s hard to argue with any of the top ten except they’re all forty years old. More recent fare can be found further down the list. I guess it’s a testament to the aging demographics of comics die-hards…and also the fact that no one has a lengthy run on anything any more. But that could be an article all by itself…