January 30, 2004
Classics Revisited
Friday news roundup: From today's Daily Variety, Marvel is suing Sony Pictures, alleging the company used "Hollywood accounting" to deprive the publisher of royalties due on the two "Men in Black" films. "Men in Black" first appeared as a comic and ended up under the aegis of Malibu Comics, which Marvel purchased in the mid-1990s. Marvel filed a previous lawsuit against the studio alleging Sony tried to dissociate Marvel from the character in the minds of retailers.
Also this past week in Daily Variety, IDT Entertainment has bought a 5 percent stake in Archie Comics and Senator Intl. signed to handle worldwide distribution rights to China-based animation studio GDC's production of "Thru the Moebuis Strip," based on the work of French comics superstar Jean "Moebius" Giraud.
Hot indie comicbook Super Hero Happy Hour, published by GeekPunk, will be dropping the Super from its title starting with issue #5 to avoid a legal conflict with Marvel and DC, who co-own the the trademark "Super Heroes" and variations thereof.
Dark Horse comics announced the return of Billy Tucci's series, Shi, with a four-issue series starting in April. The series, popular throughout the 1990s, is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Lots of old favorites are finally coming back into print, starting with Howard Chaykin's 1980s standout American Flagg!, Checker Publishing brings the original 1960s Star Trek comics to bookshelves, and Cyberosia will bring English writer Jamie Delano's 20/20 Visions, originally published by DC/Vertigo and featuring art by the likes of Frank Quitely, back to print in a black-and-white edition.
Jan 30, 2004 at 03:02 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 29, 2004
History Lesson
Wonder Woman #200
Creators: Stories by Greg Rucka, Drew Johnson and Ray Snyder; Robert Rodi and Rick Burchett; Nunzio DeFillipis, Christina Weir and Ty Templeton, Rucka and Linda Medley; with pinups and contributions by Eric Shanower, Eduardo Risso, Stuart Immonen, Walter Simonson, Brian Stelfreeze and Steve Rude; cover by J.G. Jones
DC Comics, 68 pages, $3.95
So? This issue, celebrating the series hitting #200 (this is the second long-running series for the Amazon Princess), has a little bit of everything. Greg Rucka and Drew Johnson lead off with the conclusion of their first storyline on the book, one in which Wonder Woman is the Themysciran ambassador to the U.N. and uses her power and ideas politically. A book she's written about her vision of the world makes her and her staff a target for what can only be described as a superpowered protest that turns dangerous. What really makes this particular issue fun is the backup stories: Robert Rodi and Rick Burchett do a pretty accurate imitation of a 1940s style Wonder Woman story; while Defilipis, Weir and Templeton have fun sending Wonder Woman to the moon to rescue Steve Trevor from the Amazons who live there (of course!) only to find he doesn't really mind their company. Lastly, Rucka and Linda Medley let Wonder Girl (from DC's hit Teen Titans sereis) tell a bedtime story of the ancient myth of Perseus (remember "Clash of the Titans"?) that's good enough to make us want to see more. Wrapping up the celebration are fake "news" pages about Wonder Woman's political impact and pinups from some great artists. Over the years, this book has run hot or cold with fans but this was a truly fun read that satisfies die-hard fans and should bring some new readers back for more. Grade: B+
Jan 29, 2004 at 05:55 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (1)
Cream and Sugar
Common Grounds #1
Creators: Troy Hickman, writer; Dan Jurgens & Al Vey, Michael Avon Oeming, art; Rodolfo Migliari and J. Scott Campbell, covers.
32 pages, color, $2.99
So? Hickman is the most recent writer to mine the mundane lives of superheroes. In this anthology series, he writes about a coffee shop where heroes and villains put their differences aside and enjoy a cup of joe and a doughnut. While the first story is standard modern-age superhero stuff, the second story’s hilarious men's room encounter between Mental Midget and Man-Witch steals the show with great art by Oeming and sharp, Tarantino-esque dialogue. A fun concept in short bits, this series needs to either be consistently innovative or smart enough to know when the joke's over to survive in the long run. Grade: B
Jan 29, 2004 at 12:52 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (1)
January 26, 2004
Sophomore Slump
Spider Man/Wolverine
Creators: Brett Matthews (W) and Vatche Mavlian (A)
So?: The duo that wowed fans a year ago with the "Spider-Man & Daredevil" one-shot returns to give fans "Spider-Man & Wolverine." Neither exceeds the bar he set for himself in their previous outing.
Mavlian ("the guy that draws Spidey's toes under his socks") looks rushed on many pages; some of them even look painfully incomplete. Matthews strains for a witty one-liner for what seems like every panel in the book, resorting not once but twice to Spider-Man "clone" jokes. Basic premise for the four issue miniseries is fine, but both the art and the script seem stretched about two issues too far.
Grade: Disappointing, but regardless, it's by two talented pros who are, at times, on their game. C+
Luckily for fans new to Mavlian's work, their last story is also included in the book. (Spidey/Daredevil: A-)
Jan 26, 2004 at 07:29 PM by Jeff Siedlik in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (2)
January 23, 2004
News Roundup
Bags and Boards is pleased to inaugurate its weekly Friday roundup of news and views from the comics biz.
Daily Variety reported Tuesday that David Maisel, most recently head of corporate strategy and business development at Endeavor, was named prexy and chief operating officer of Marvel Studios this week. He will work with Avi Arad to to bring more comics properties to the big and small screens.
In further news at Marvel, Newsarama says the comics publisher is canceling X-Treme X-Men, a showcase for longtime scribe Chris Claremont, and replacing it with a revival of another X-Men spinoff, Excalibur. Claremont, already slated to write Uncanny X-Men with artist Alan Davis, is rumored to be writing Excalibu. too. Marvel also is moving three of its titles over to its darker Marvel Knights line aimed at older readers. The affected titles are Wolverine, X-Statix and Hulk.
DC Comics hired L.A.-area reporter and writer Jonathan Vankin as an editor for its Vertigo line. Vankin has written several comics for the publisher, including Vertigo Pop!: Tokyo. The publisher also signed artist Arthur Adams to a three-year exclusive deal.
Dark Horse announced plans to publish the manga Samurai Executioner, the pre-Lone Wolf and Cub series by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima starting in June. A trade paperback conversation between comics greats Will Eisner and Frank Miller, to be called Eisner/Miller, is set for April.
The huge Angouleme Comics Festival is on right now in France and has announced its Prix d'Angouleme. Among the winners were writer Neil Gaiman, who won best story for his Sandman: Endless Nights graphic novel.
George Woodbridge, a longtime artist for Mad magazine, died Tuesday at 73.
And lastly, convention season appears to be heating up in L.A. After the Media City Convention was held earlier this month as the same day as the long-running L.A. Comic-Book Sci-Fi Show at the Shrine, the latter has announced its next show will be a two-day affair at the Pasadena Convention Center Feb. 7 and 8. A month after that, Wizard World Los Angeles debuts in Long Beach, and rooms at the most popular hotels for ultra-hot annual Comic-Con Intl. in San Diego became hard to find only a few days after the online registration system went live.
Jan 23, 2004 at 06:38 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 22, 2004
Laugh, Me Hearties!
Scurvy Dogs #1-3
Creators: Andrew Boyd and Ryan Yount
32 pages, B & W, $2.95
So? Johnny Depp's turn as Jack Sparrow turns out to be only the second-most funny fictional pirate tale of 2003, thanks to the hilarious antics of Scurvy Dogs. Boyd and Yount (whose motto is "pirates are the new monkeys") take a batch of stereotypical pirates and sets them down in contemporary times, where searching for doubloons sometimes means working at the local fried fish shack, and a boatload of Tang is a treasure worth fighting for. The laughs are rapid fire and the stories -- like great animated short films -- don't overstay their welcome. The only thing the three issues released so far lack are covers that convey the comedy inside. Fix that, and this should fly off the shelves. Grade: A
Jan 22, 2004 at 06:15 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (4)
January 21, 2004
'Bang Bang' Book Look
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang #1
Publisher: CrossGen
Creators: Writer - Tony Bedard; Penciler - Mike Perkins; Colorist - Laura Villari; Inker - Andrew Hennessy
Price: $2.95
So? Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is about as close to James Bond as you can get without it actually being James Bond. The difference here is that agent Charles Basildon of Her Majesty's Secret Service has a seeming disrespect for life that borders on Punisher-like, though he gets the job done.
Story revolves around "rogue" special agent Sir Charles Basildon and his penchant for losing partners. Fatal losses. The powers that be at MI6 pair him with a female agent, whom he promptly beds before she knows who he is. The int'l espionage begins, introducing new villan Bale, a cloning freak who has Hitler and Stalin among his cloned lackeys.
The storyline by critically acclaimed (scroll down) Tony Bedard will draw spylovers and Bond fanatics of all kinds. And Mike Perkins' pencils are just as good as anything CrossGen is producing (though Greg Land's Sojourn is pretty spectacular).
Despite all of the changes that CrossGen is undergoing, and the persistent rumors of their imminent demise, this book is a strong entry into the intrigue/spy category that adds a bit rougher edge to the Bond mystique.
Grade: B+
Jan 21, 2004 at 03:03 PM by Jevon Phillips in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (1)
January 20, 2004
Most 'Wanted'
Wanted
Creators: Mark Millar and J.G. Jones
32 pages, $2.95
So? Millar is best known as the writer of top Marvel books, like The Ultimates, Ultimate X-Men and teen sudser Trouble. But now he's focusing on more creator-owned work that allows him to take the dark edginess of his previous work and cut loose. The first such project is Wanted, a three-issue series about a wimpy 20-something who finds out his father was a supervillain and has left him not just a fortune, but a slot on the supervillain coalition that's been running things since 1986. Dark, sexy and violent, Wanted is also smart, cinematic and entertaining. Illustrated by J.G. Jones, the book has a great look complimented by the sharp coloring from Paul Mounts. Grade: B+
Jan 20, 2004 at 04:45 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 19, 2004
Stan's 'Phantom'
In Variety's special report on the National Assn. of Television Program Executives, Janet Stillson gives a quick update on the state of Stan Lee's TV project that he's producing in conjunction with DIC Entertainment.
Says DIC chairman-CEO Andy Heyward, "We decided we should create a world of superheroes distinguished not just by their powers, but by their humanity."
The first project to come out will be "The Phantom 5."
Jan 19, 2004 at 06:04 PM by Jevon Phillips in Television | Permalink | Comments (0)
DC seeks kid-generated hero
DC Comics, Cartoon Network and Kids WB! have partnered with Hostess (you know their cupcakes) to offer kids the opportunity to create their own super hero.
This January and February, kids can go online to www.createyourownsuperhero.com to electronically create their own Super Hero and enter the "Create Your Own Super Hero Sweepstakes" for the chance to appear with their Super Hero in a comic strip created by DC Comics.
As part of the grand prize, the prizewinner plus one parent/family member or friend will win a trip to New York City for a tour of DC Comics. The consumer does not have to create a Super Hero to enter the sweepstakes.
Jan 19, 2004 at 05:19 PM by Jevon Phillips in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 15, 2004
Comics for moi? Oui
Paul Levitz, President and Publisher of DC Comics, and Fabrice Giger, founder of the Humanoids Group (owner of Les Humanoïdes Associés and Humanoids Publishing), announced that will be joining together to publish 36 books annually.
The venture marks the first time that these European graphic novels have been available in the American marketplace. Humanoids, Inc. publishes English translations of French books and commissions new books from American creators. The American arm of the co., which includes comics creators Travis Charest, Kurt Busiek and John Cassaday, will now be published under the Humanoids brand name by DC. The company made news last year by publishing a one-shot of Spike TV's Stripperella animated show starring Pamela Anderson Lee, and they also sell the motion picture and tv rights of graphic novels along with French animated shows.
The first Humanoids titles will appear in July, and should include artists such as Moebius, Bilal and Jodorowsky.
Humanoids titles will receive the same marketing, distribution and promotion as DC and Vertigo titles.
Creator of the magazine Métal Hurlant, Les Humanoïdes Associés was founded in 1975 by Moebius, Dionnet and Druillet. The company specializes in graphic novels and boasts hundreds of fantasy, horror and sci-fi titles.
Jan 15, 2004 at 06:50 PM by Jevon Phillips in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 13, 2004
Resumés Ready
How to ... Break-In to the Comic Book Business
Creators: Bill Love - Writer; Mitch Boyd, Brett Barkley, Bobby - illustrators
Blue Line Pro
32 pages (issue #3), $5.95
Blue Line Pro's series of How to ... Break-In to the Comic Book Business books is certainly a good read for anyone wishing to enter the hallowed halls of comicdom -- even if it is just a starter position.
Done in comic book format, the guides follow three creators as they make their way from novice-level industyites to professional autograph-givers. With topics covering interviewing, query letters, comicon etiquette, self-publishing and much more, the series is more entertaining and just as helpful as any other get-a-job books.
Email vs. snail mail, sample follow-up letters, the firm handshake, professional attire -- all the common-sense tips that job-seekers should study up on are here and easy-to-follow. For those of us that don't have an friend in the biz and aren't named Lee (uncle Stan or cousin Jim), the books also include helpful specifics like who accepts unsolicited materials, specifications on art boards, and where one can obtain helpful comic book resources. A disclaimer says that the book tries not to be insulting or condescending, and that something commonplace to you and me could be a revelation to others. So, anyone who buys the book looking for a secret "in" may not get it, but everything's helpful when you're unemployed.
Grade: Depends on individual need & usage, but helpful enough for a B.
Jan 13, 2004 at 06:39 PM by Jevon Phillips in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 12, 2004
Fantastic, Ultimately
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1
Creators: writers - Mark Millar & Brian Michael Bendis; artist - Adam Kubert
Marvel
32 PGS, $2.25
The Ultimate line of comics from Marvel has reinvented many of the company's favorite titles, from X-Men and Avengers to Spider-Man and Daredevil, and now has turned its eye towards another original with the new Ultimate Fantastic Four.
Going back to the beginning, literally, the first panels of the series display the birth of Reed Richards, following him as his genius becomes more and more apparent. Issue establishes lil' Mr. Fantastic's relationship with teenage friend and protector Ben Grimm and ends with him meeting Sue and Johnny Storm, rounding out the quad.
Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar will no doubt create a new variation of FF history, but like the WB's Smallville, much of what's traversed will be heretofore untrodden territory. The journey in getting to where we think they are going to go, and the twists leading them away from it, ought to be interesting and keep older readers around while luring new ones.
With this new book and production on the upcoming movie furiously going forward, 2004 may be the year of the Fantastic Four.
Grade: B+
Jan 12, 2004 at 01:34 PM by Jevon Phillips in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 07, 2004
Robot Fight Time
Giant Robot Warriors
Creators: Stuart Moore and Ryan Kelly
AiT/PlanetLar
120 pages, $12.95
So? With a title like “Giant Robot Warriors,” you’d think the pages of this original graphic novel would be full of big battles and perhaps a Godzilla-style monster or two. But, surprisingly, this is a comedy that pokes more than a little fun at the media, the military, the government and the president. This is all done with tongue so firmly planted in cheek that it is funny and sharp and sort of endearing. Moore, a former DC/Vertigo and Marvel editor, postulates that Giant Robot Warriors, or GRWs, have been a standard part of nations’ military palate for decades and there’s even hints of a GRW arms race that’s as over and burnt out as the Cold War itself. The nation’s top GRW designer is Rufus Hirohito, and he’s the sort of smart-alecky guy who hates his fat boss and drops his duties to hit on the hot CIA agent. Kelly’s art is realistic and does a great job of capturing both the humorous subtext and the weird tech of the eventual GRW showdown. The result is a real hoot: A strange but kind of charming military-industrial-complex romance — with giant robots. Grade: A-
Jan 7, 2004 at 08:30 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 06, 2004
Spooky Fun
Outlook: Grim
Creator: Leslie “Black Olive” Reppeteaux
24 pages, $2.95 each
So? Spooky and creepy are the operative words for this fun venture for those who are just a little bit afraid of the dark. The comic weaves in and out of making fun and sort of taking seriously things that make teenage girls jump, like ouija boards and things that go bump in the night. What makes it fun is the hip art and the random but appealing sense of humor, which is not too different from classic Tim Burton. A fun book for teen girls (as long as their parents don’t mind a teensy bad word every now and then) who will probably giggle as much as shriek. Grade: B.
Jan 6, 2004 at 05:00 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 05, 2004
Homemade Heroes Online
Seeing as how we listed Batman: Dead End as one of our runner-up choices in the Best translation of a comicbook to another medium category of our inaugural awards, it seemed only right to talk up the Comic Book Showcase offered by IFilm.
Sandy Collora's Dark Knight saga proved that comic-book based fan-made films can be done well, without using up little Susie's college fund or being overtly cheesy. There aren't many here yet, but take a look at some of the shorts, mostly CGI, ranging from an Aliens vs. Predator mini (not related to the upcoming movie) to a Silver Surfer homage. There's even an original Batman (the TV show starring Adam West) trailer. Hopefully, more filmmakers can create comic-book based works to be displayed here.
And you can't mention fan-made films without plugging Star Wars' fan films and subsequent awards or the Indiana Jones site, both of which have been collecting and displaying fan-made films for a while.
Jan 5, 2004 at 04:14 PM by Jevon Phillips in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (2)
