Saracuda is getting her own comic book, following in the footsteps of John McCain, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. But sadly, after getting flak for using an awkward cover pose for their Hillary comic, Bluewater has gone for a medium body shot, missing the chance to showcase the only major party nominee with legitimately great gams. PR follows:
Following the announcement of a new comic book featuring Senator Hillary Clinton, Bluewater Productions is following up the effort with a biographical title based on the life of current Republican vice-presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin.
Palin’s life story from PTA president to the Alaska governorship to her surprise nomination as John McCain’s running mate is scheduled to be the second story in the recently announced “Female Force” comic. A final chapter is yet to be written.
“Regardless of your opinion, Governor Palin is a phenomenon. Her historic nomination has helped shape the national debate of arguably the most important presidential election in over 75 years,” said Bluewater president Darren Davis. “No matter what happens in this election, people will still be talking about Sarah Palin, she is indeed a female force!”
Scheduled for a February 2009 release, a month after Inauguration Day, there will be two prepared endings readied for print. One, if Palin and Senator John McCain are successful in capturing the White House and another if their bid fails. The 32- page book promises to be an evenhanded perspective of Palin’s life and accomplishmentsWriter Neal Bailey, who also penned “Female Force: Hillary Clinton,” adds, “Given her recent prominence and the way her actions make us examine where we stand on the issues, she is perfect for this series. Its important to get and stay informed of the world around us that the people who contribute to it, and comics remain one of the most accessible mediums in that regard.”
Female Force is a continuing series designed to examine influential women who are making and shaping modern history.
“We are already looking at several candidates for our third biography. I think you will be surprised who we are leaning towards,” Davis said.
The “Female Force: Sarah Palin” cover was done by Patricio Carbajal who will be penciling a new upcoming Bluewater series “Quartermain,” based on the adventures of H. Rider Haggards’s classic hero Alan Quartermain.
This seems a bit late. If McCain doesn’t win, will anybody care about this in February? I guess the size of the print run may depend on what happens on November 4.
Finally,…a funny comic.
What a mis-fire.
The phrase, “Her historic nomination has helped shape the national debate of arguably the most important presidential election in over 75 years,” is laughable.
HELPED???!!!
Puh-leeeez!
I hope it does well!
They maybe Darren Davis will start paying some of the money he owes to all the artists he’s cheated for over a decade.
Darren Davis: the next crook to join the list of people finally revealed to the world for what they are.
Just wait and see. Once one person spills the beans, a ton of artists will finally come out of the woodwork about this guy.
The news has been spilled before about him not paying in his past incarnations. Of course he ‘learned his lessons’ from the past when he launched Blue Water and people forgot. Not sure if he ever paid anyone from the past what was owed. Haven’t heard of any of that in the latest company but most of the artists are hired on backend deals which of course in indy comics means they make nothing – I’m sure there’s exceptions to the deals.
Oh, on this post, totally agree with Rich. Way too late to be putting a Sarah Palin comic out; especially if McCain/Palin lose. Should have done it at the same time as the Hillary one.
Regarding the historic nomination, I take it they plan on doing a Geraldine Ferraro bio-comic as well?
I hope there’s a variant cover that winks at you while playing a recorded folksy message.
I hope there’s a variant cover that winks at you while playing a recorded folksy message.
What timing can’t wait for this one! I have always had a great relationship with Blue Water and have always been paid for my work. That is more than I can say about Platinum, they still owe me $$$
What timing can’t wait for this one! I have always had a great relationship with Blue Water and have always been paid for my work. That is more than I can say about Platinum, they still owe me $$$
Now where’s Oni Press with the Tina Fey comic?
//Oo/\
“Way too late to be putting a Sarah Palin comic out; especially if McCain/Palin lose. Should have done it at the same time as the Hillary one.”
Well, their Hillary Clinton comic doesn’t hit stores until January when either McCain or Obama but not Clinton will be inaugurated, so it’s not like they’ve got incredibly good timing on that comic either.
I’d also posted this observation over on Johanna’s blog, but I’ll repeat it here. It looks like there are too many stripes on the flag behind Palin in this cover. Even in the extreme close up, it looks like there are at least nine stripes below the blue star field in the flag behind Palin; in reality, the U.S. flag only has six stripes below the blue section.
Which is a snarky nitpick, I realize. But Bluewater started it when they initially got the flag wrong in the first version of their Hillary Clinton cover, so I don’t feel too too bad for pointing this mistake out now.
There are the correct amount of stripes on the flag – the flag is a bit ruffled on the high rez image. As for the timing of this book, we really want to tell stories about women that are making a difference in the world. As for future women, we have a long list of people we want to do, and maybe Ferraro is on that list. Not everyone is going to like the people we choose for these, but they will be fair and unbiased. These are tools for people to learn from. Comics are an underused tool that need to be more in the forefront. I had problems reading as a kid and comics really helped me out. These comics are aimed at libraries and schools as well as comic fans. Bottom line – is we need to get kids reading again.
When I made my initial comment the artwork for the cover did not display and therefore I couldn’t make any remarks about it. Patricio Carbajal’s rendition of the candidate is really nice. I must admit that I couldn’t tell you how many stripes there are on the flag without looking at one,…but, I am looking forward to Carabajal’s work on the Quatermain book based on this cover.
There are at least 10 stripes below the star field. Doesn’t anybody at Bluewater know anything?
There is a long tradition of comics featuring pigs, even some with lipstick.
“There are the correct amount of stripes on the flag – the flag is a bit ruffled on the high rez image.”
Darren, I’m not even American – and even I can see there’s too many bloody stripes under the stars. The flag should be ending by her chin. Or, if you’re keeping with the ‘the stripes are right’ – then the blue CANTON should be ending by her chin.
The flag of the USA consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states and the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union. Your picture shows the thirteen stripes, true – but not in the right places.
SIX STRIPES UNDER, SEVEN BESIDE. It’s not really brain surgery, you know. It’s not like you’ve never seen the bloody flag.
This is a very nice PR gambit, and I applaud you for getting onto the IDW gravy train but lets be honest here, you’re not doing this because you think it’ll ‘help kids read’ – you’re doing it because you’ve seen a niche in the market and you believe it’ll help you make money.
And if I’m wrong, then all power to you. Go forth and use this and books like this to teach the kids.
But first? a small suggestion? If you’re using this to teach children and shape their minds? REDRAW THE BLOODY FLAG CORRECTLY….
whoaw…
“Bottom line – is we need to get kids reading again. ”
Of course kids are just chomping at the bit to read Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin comics.
I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.
I dont think most people will notice the flag thing. Remember this is the country where when someone speaks of gun laws everyone starts screaming about that one amendment where it says we can bear arms.
That flag is absolutely hilarious.
Yes, indeed, there are only 13 stripes showing on the flag, so we can’t say that there are more than there should be. But in any American flag I’ve ever seen, there are more than a white one and a really thick red one next to the blue star field, and there are far fewer than 11 underneath it.
Why does Sarah look like a ghoul with plastic surgery in that cover?
The flag is WRONG. To get it wrong once is stupid; to get it wrong twice is beyond insulting. To pretend that it isn’t wrong is fairly amazing.
This is why the German flag has only three stripes; much easier for the cash-grabbing comics enterprises to keep track of.
I may have inspired this one. In a discussion of the first one on a retailer board, I commented that the real money in IDW-coattailing wasn’t in Clinton, but in a Palin comic. And presto, here it is.
I think February’s way too late for it to sell at all well, though.
But hey — if I’ve gotten Neal Bailey more work, it’s the least I can do in return for his unrelentingly-negative reviews!
kdb
I think it’s great that they got the Crypt Keeper to host the book. What a coup!
(Seriously — I don’t have a lot of love for Palin, but I wouldn’t wish that portrait on ANYBODY.)
I haven’t seen such a poorly drawn flag since that one Tim Sale did for the “Captain America: White” promo image with Bucky holding a flag with randomly placed stars scattered all over the damn place.
And I’m totally buying ten of these and getting them CGCed. We’ll see who’s laughing when I sell all ten at top dollar prices in this market and buy a new car and some left over for a Boar’s Head sub at Publix.
What’s wrong with her elbow? Does she have deformity issues we don’t yet now about? She’s also looking a bit wrinkly. It’s that harsh Alaskan sun right? Maybe it’s the harsh lighting from the beauty pageantry days? Right wingers have been sending out death threats for less! In the interests of education, we really need to know.
There is nothing historic about Palin. We’ve already had a VP female nom.
I hope the comic includes her message of support to that Alaskan secessionist orgainizaton her hubby was a member of.
I assume royalties are being paid to IDW Publishing for this comic, or at least for the design ripoffs.
“Why does Sarah look like a ghoul with plastic surgery in that cover?”
Because that’s what Sarah Palin looks like? If anything, the cover does her favors by downplaying the fake tan and neck wrinkles.
“Comic not available in Anti-American parts of America”
“Comic not available in Anti-American parts of America”
You mean it won’t be available in New York City? After all, she has declared that New York City is not “Real America”.
She is historic, but hopefully only as historic as Congresswoman Ferraro was.
The flag? It’s a background. Even Dave Gibbons got it wrong once.
I’d love to see more in this series, possibly even a graphic novel. How about Eleanor Roosevelt? Bela Abzug? The problem is getting enough interest. Probably best to make picture books instead.
And I would buy a variant winky cover! Signed by the artist, in lipstick!
“This is why the German flag has only three stripes; much easier for the cash-grabbing comics enterprises to keep track of. ”
Ah! So clearly the next installment of Bluewater’s Female Force series should feature Angela Merkel! ;-)
Ja! Angela Merkel und Margaret Thatcher! (But the Union Jack is even more difficult… they’d probably omit St. George’s Cross…)
“Ah! So clearly the next installment of Bluewater’s Female Force series should feature Angela Merkel!”
On second thought, my confidence is fickle. I offer myself as a German-flag consultant.
Interesting. Six weeks ago there would have been a lot of people defending Sarah Palin and talking about how “great” she is and get into violent arguments about her. Not any more. The bloom is off the rose.
To be fair, the incorrect US flag here may simply be an amusing reference to the fact that Palin wore an incorrect US flag as a lapel pin during her debate, opting to go for something shiny with seven stripes.
Of course, the flag here has the right number of stripes. It just has too dang few stars.
James Van Hise: Mark Engblom is on vacation.
Actually, the number of stars is correct if we’re only counting the states in Real America.
oh boy! remember when politics used to be an honorable profession?
reguardless of wich puppet gets new strings…
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to continue facing and fighting the beast through acknowledgment of the true realities occurring here and your refusal to be the pawns of the dark agencies. Each truth you accept shall make you strong. Each one you teach of the truths shall make you all stronger. In the end, it will be fine. If you do not choose to accept the mission then all I can say to you is…mea culpa, mea culpa, the die is cast.
“Her historic nomination…” my ass.
Incidentally, does the title of the line–“Female Force”–make anyone else want to drink themselves into unconsciousness? ‘Cause I’ll buy the first round.
ah-ha! I predicted this! Way back when that first post about the Bluewater comics came up! :D
I frequent DeviantArt which Bluewater and Darren Davis use as a platform to hire artists. There was a post on there by an artist named Sean Gordon Murphy about how Davis screwed him out of $5000. So I googled and did some research, and apparently there are a number of cases where this guy Davis used artists. He even addressed it in an interview. But when I hear stories like this, it makes me not want to buy any of Bluewater’s books, or work for them.
What do mean Darren doesn’t pay his artists?? He pays them in comic books and empty promises.
He cheated me hardcore, I used to work on the tenth muse and never got shit. I would sure like to know what book Sean Murphy did.
They just told another artist they are not paying for four books done and in the can. Looks like a lawsuite now though….
As much good as it does to argue on the internet….
I’ve been working with Bluewater for some time now and I’ve only had very good business dealing with them…. I think people hungry to get into the industry, to “break in” to comics make quick deals with publishers without reading the fine print. Or worse, asking for any contracts at all. And if you got a contract, agreed to it, and the book you work on sinks to the bottom, there isn’t money to be made in the first place. Having worked with Darren directly I can’t say he’s been anything less that above board with me.
i admire Sarah Palin because she had done a lot in the area of politics. she has also a good track record when she was still the governor of Alaska.
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