March 31, 2004
Hellboy: Hoax or hero?
Hellboy is real!?
Picketers were at Wizard World Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago with signs and shirts saying 'Hellboy is real.' They were dismissed as wackies.
But today, stopping by my local comic book store, there was a UPS-looking truck outside with the expression 'Expose the B.P.R.D.' on it. Curious. The young lady in the back, Anna De Lima, was one of two dedicated individuals who have driven the country (that's right, the country!) spreading the word about the reality of Hellboy.
De Lima and Mike Zager have driven from New York to Philadelphia to Detroit to Atlanta to Chicago to Las Vegas, and finally to Los Angeles (maybe not in that order), with numerous stops in-between, for the expressed purpose of exposing the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defenses' cover-up of the existence of Hellboy. They show clips of Hellboy in action from the back of the truck, give out posters, and give out a DVD of an episode of "Investigative Journal" -- a show exploring the existence of the B.P.R.D. and Hellboy. (There's also a trailer)
"The B.P.R.D. is hiding Hellboy and keeping him secret. We have artifacts that were given to us by Conway Ricker (grandson of Norman Ricker, an alleged employee of the B.P.R.D.) and the van. We also have a book that's in a foreign language, necklaces and a medallion," said Zager.
Neither De Lima or Zager has ever seen Hellboy in person, but they know he's real. So why would the B.P.R.D. have all of this secrecy if there have been many sightings?
"I don't know. Nobody really knows for sure. There's been sightings for years, and recently there've been more and more. People know he's good. The name Hellboy is a whole misconception," says Zager. "That's why we want the B.P.R.D. to let people know. Why keep it hidden?"
Why, indeed. This is definitely one of the more ingenious promotions put together for a (ahem) movie, and reaches straight to the core fans that made Hellboy popular in the first place.
For more information, try logging in to this informative site.
Mar 31, 2004 at 03:35 PM by Jevon Phillips in Events | Permalink | Comments (48)
March 29, 2004
Killing me loudly
Cable & Deadpool #1
Creators: Fabian Nicieza, Mark Brooks & Shane Law
Marvel, 32 pages, $2.99
Deadpool is consistently one of the most unique and funny characters in comics. And Cable is one of the most stoic. So when you put the Rob Liefeld-created characters together it usually spells mayhem and fun
The first three pages of the book illustrate why I'm an unabashed fan of Wade Wilson aka Deadpool aka the Merc with the Mouth. Mundane activities like watching television show after television show while commenting on the sexiest woman alive (Bea Arthur!), waiting for someone to call him to kill someone else, etc. are done with a humor not found in most books. For any witty writer, he should be both a challenge and a joy.
Cable, on the other hand, has gone through many incarnations. From soldier to mentor to savior, it's always hard to get a read from the hero, especially once the threat of Apocalypse (his whole existence was to stop this guy) was supposedly ended forever.
The book spotlights these characters each doing what they do: Deadpool ranting and fighting, Cable helping out his fellow (mutant) man. Their inevitable meeting was summed up by their final exchange:
Deadpool: So, is this going to be, like, a testosterone thing?
Cable: Probably, yes ... it is ...
The cover looks conspicuously like Rob Liefeld art, but the interiors by Mark Brooks & Shane Law of Udon look slick and computery. Or maybe it's just the coloring? Regardless, Fabian Nicieza's story will be the driving force here. You don't get enough of it in one issue, though, to foretell future success. Grade: B
Mar 29, 2004 at 06:00 PM by Jevon Phillips in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 26, 2004
No, We're Not Dead
Let’s start off with a quick apology for failing to update the blog every day this week. We had a little hangover from last weekend’s Wizard World Los Angeles and a lot of other deadlines to meet. Now, onward:
It looks like L.A. finally has a big comic con of its own. The final attendance for the inaugural Wizard World L.A. was 19,500. Considering they were expecting 7,500, that’s an amazing success. Wizard head honcho Gareb Shamus called this week and says the warm reception the con received makes it feel like it’s been around for ages. Next year’s show, set for March 18-20, will have triple the floor space and will probably attract even more people. Expect this show to be around for a long time.
A quick hello and thank you to a few of the many people the Bags and Boards team chatted with at the show, including Ford Gilmore, DC editorial chief Dan Didio, the Hurricane Comics crew, writer Joe Casey, artist Josh Middleton, Howard Chaykin, Mike Wellman, and Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
Word of this blog seems to be growing. The proof can be found on the cover of Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan's Demo #5, where an excerpt from our review of the first issue is bannered across the top of the cover. Ait/PlanetLar's Larry Young is doing his part to spread the word about us; feel free to let your comics-reading Hollywood pals know we’re here.
Among the announcements that came out of Wizard World was word from Marvel that it’s bringing X-Force back as a six-issue series to be written by the series’ original creative team of Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. It also revealed plans for an event series called Identity Disc, a title that’s very close to DC’s current Identity Crisis event. The publisher also announced it is delaying the second series of The Ultimates to ensure that it ships on schedule this time around. It also is ending Peter David’s Captain Marvel series with issue #25 and hinted that David may write a project with the Hulk, a character he wrote for more than 10 years. Brian Michael Bendis will be taking over Avengers, promising to destroy the team once and for all before relaunching it as two separate books. And lastly in Marvel news, the publisher has signed a deal with magazine distributor Source Interlink to represent its comics in the bookstore market.
ShoWest was abuzz with news on the movie front. Spider-Man 2 will be released two days earlier than originally planned, on June 30. Sony also confirmed plans to lens a second web-slinger sequel, skedding the release of Spider-Man 3 for May 4, 2007. Attendees got their first look at the Marvel/Lions Gate film The Punisher. An "already planned" Punisher 2, Black Widow and Iron Fist projects were also given mention. Variety also profiled Marvel producer Avi Arad, who received an award at the Las Vegas exhibitor show.
In other movie news: Preview screenings of Hellboy, which will be on screens everywhere next Friday trying to score a big pre-summer hit, are continuing this weekend. Also, f/x and production company The Orphanage has signed on to produce an adaptation of Bill Sienkiewicz's graphic novel, Stray Toasters.
Site ICV2 reports last weekend’s box office champ, Dawn of the Dead, will be coming to comic book form next month in a 56-page, magazine size color comic from MIG.biz.
Tokyopop is apparently in talks to do manga based on "Star Trek," also according to ICV2. The long-running sci-fi series has a long and kind of mixed history in comics, but with no "Trek" comics currently being produced, this could be a good move for the franchise.
Trouble continues for CrossGen comics, which has put out some pretty good books lately but has had cashflow problems that have left some of its freelancers unpaid. One of the freelancers, artist Andy Smith, has now filed a lawsuit against the company. A full recap of the situation is on Broken Frontiers.
DC’s popular Superman storyline, "Godfall," by Joe Kelly, Michael Turner and Talent Caldwell, continues to be hot. Action Comics #813, Adventures of Superman #626 and Superman #203 are all sold out. Look for quick reprints as the buzz on Superman grows with Brian Azzarello and Jim Lee, among others, preparing to take over the various books in the line.
And with the success of Wizard World, it’s no surprise that more big cons would be trying to open for business. The most recent is collectibles retailer Dynamic Forces, which is planning a Fanfest modeled more on events popular with country music and Nascar fans, for April 24 in Runnemede, N.J.
Lastly, thanks to Travis Smith, editor of Variety.com, who is moving on to greener pastures. This blog wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. Thanks, Travis.
Mar 26, 2004 at 03:17 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 25, 2004
Coup for you
Coup D'Etat - The Authority
Just some thoughts on the recent storyline/miniseries "Coup D'Etat," starring an angry Authority; which was an event to behold. The superteam was once voted the most likely to succeed by Wizard when they had their superteam brawl, besting the likes of the X-Men, the Avengers, and even the Justice League. Apparently the book's writers have taken that into account in crafting the current happenings in which the team, upset at the bad politics perpetrated by the U.S. government that could've resulted in intergalactic war, takes it upon themselves to take control of the United States!!!
This seems too lofty a goal, and one that should be opposed by any number of other superteams in the Wildstorm universe. Of course, none of them would be able to take them down, but surely their combined might? Wildcats, Gen13, Planetary, and/or Global Frequency? maybe not.
There've been more than a few stories about characters who take over a city or the planet, but it's usually a futuristic thing that is always opposed and somehow overcome (current X-Men and Thor plotlines illustrate this). That doesn't seem the case here.
For those not accustomed to or unfamiliar with The Authority, this is perfect intro into the team and the role they play in Wildstorm. They take no *&^%!, and usually beat anyone to a pulp that disagrees. The Coup series was basically an intro, ending with the Authority still in control as other Wildstorm books prep their launch or relaunch.
For the take-no-prisoners, hardcore hero fans, the repercussions that could occur becuase of this book are definitely a welcome thing in comics. The events in Coup D'Etat bring up the need for a bit of balance in the Wildstorm universe, and maybe some of these disbanded teams can do a little something to restore it.
Grade: B+
Mar 25, 2004 at 08:38 PM by Jevon Phillips in Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 22, 2004
A strong spell
The inaugural Wizard World Los Angeles has now come and gone — and it left a strong first impression.
Wizard Entertainment chief Gareb Shamus was extremely pleased with a turnout at the Long Beach Convention Center that greatly exceeded the company’s expectation of 7,500 attendees. Plans for next year’s show already include tripling the floor space to make room for the unexpected crush of fans and more exhibitors.
Among the most popular aspects of the con were the convention exclusives, such as the Star Wars Clone Trooper Pilot bust, which sold for $50 and was up over $200 on Ebay by weekend’s end. A similar exclusive, a figure of Marvel character Galactus for the Heroclix superhero game, also sold fast at $75 each and hitting as high as $400 on Ebay.
The most striking presence on the floor was the huge Artisan booth promoting its upcoming Marvel Comics picture “The Punisher.” A huge curtain with the character’s skull logo hung from the ceiling to the floor and the exhibit featured giveaways, TVs playing the trailer, videogame demos and props including the Punisher’s car.
A panel promoting “The Punisher” on Sunday featured stars Thomas Jane, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and Kevin Nash; director Jonathan Hensleigh; and producers Gale Anne Hurd and Avi Arad. A 10-minute clip from the film, to be released April 16, showed Jane and Nash throwing each other through walls and was greeted with enthusiastic applause by the audience.
Jane charmed fans with his dry humor, explaining he took the role because “since early childhood, I’ve been a glutton for extreme punishment.” Hensleigh talked about the influence of 1970s action films on the picture and was pleased that there was no pressure to cut the violence in the film to avoid the R rating the film received. Arad and actor James Franco later gave fans a taste of what to expect with a short clip from “Spider-Man 2.”
Comics got their due as well on the floor, with a healthy artist’s alley that featured both new and established artists selling original art and doing sketches. Comicbook heavyweights such as Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada and DC’s editorial VP Dan Didio teased fans with a look at future publishing fans. Pros including writer Mark Waid and artist Michael Turner gave tutorials to those who want to make their own comics and signed for fans all weekend.
Guest of honor Kevin Smith drew some of the biggest crowds for his Q & A and autograph sessions. And a panel for Sony/Revolution’s soon-to-be-released “Hellboy” saw director Guillermo del Toro, comics creator Mike Mignola and stars Ron Perlman and Selma Blair answer questions about the comics actioner. Del Toro said making the film was “not a decision, it’s a fucking compulsion,” and revealed plans for an animated series of Hellboy toons that would look like Mignola’s distinctive art. Mignola said del Toro’s passion for the character made it easy to turn his creation over to the director. “I never felt like I gave it away to a Hollywood studio,” he says.
Saturday night saw con guests and pros mingle in an afterparty at the Renaissance Hotel. Spotted in the crowd were Smallville consulting producer and comics pro Jeph Loeb, writer Brian Michael Bendis, Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri, writers Geoff Johns and Joe Casey, Platinum Studios’ Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and NYX artist Josh Middleton.
Though the crowds thinned a bit on Sunday, the excitement on the floor was still strong. The retailers, who were selling everything from 1940s comics to vintage toys, T-shirts and movie posters reported good business.
Mar 22, 2004 at 06:13 PM by Tom McLean in Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 19, 2004
Tributes, rebukes and deals
A quick look at what's going on:
DC Comics announced they would release 8 new stand-alone "DC Comics Presents" specials beginning this July to celebrate the life and contributions of influential editor Julius Schwartz. Some of the titles that are scheduled include DC Comics Presents: Batman (cover of Batman #183); DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space (Alex Ross on cover of Mystery in Space #82) DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern (Brian Bolland tackles cover of Green Lantern #31), and DC Comics Presents: Hawkman (José Luis García-López illustrates cover of Hawkman #6). The specials also hope to cover tales showcasing Superman, the Flash, the Atom, and the Justice League of America, with new stories featuring the work of Stan Lee, Paul Levitz, Jeph Loeb, Dave Gibbons, Mark Waid, Peter David, Harlan Ellison, Marv Wolfman and more!
Variety reported that producer Adrian Askarieh's Prime Universe Prods. signed a deal with comicbook company Devil's Due Publishing, the crew behind the relaunch of G.I. Joe through Image Comics in 2001, and the comic adaptations of "Micronauts" and "Voltron." DDP left Image to self-publish this January.
Also in Variety, director Robert Rodriguez has dropped the Directors Guild to co-direct "Sin City" with graphic novel creator Frank Miller. "I didn't want Frank to be treated as just a writer, because he is the only one who has actually been to 'Sin City,' " Rodriguez said. It's not the first time he's broken ties with the org, so never fear. The "Spy Kids" guy also plans to have Quentin Tarantino direct a sequence in the movie.
IDW Publishing is creating "24: One Shot," a 48-page, full color, squarebound graphic novella coming this July. The comic itself will keep to the TV show's unique time format, where two pages of printed story will equal one hour of time. The title is written by J.C. Vaughn and Mark L. Haynes of "Battlestar Galactica" fame with art by "CSI: Miami" artist Renato Guedes.
TeenHollywood.com is reporting that Jake Gyllenhaal might be taking the mantel of the Green Hornet. Director Kevin Smith is courting him for the role.
Only 106 days left until Free Comic Book Day!! You can sign up for free email updates on the site, just in case you need a reminder (July 3rd if you were still counting). It's piggybacking with the Spider-Man 2 release, so it should be big.
Everyone is heading out to Wizard World Los Angeles (or already there). The website lists exactly what's going on every day; so plan your panel stops.
We'll see you there.
Mar 19, 2004 at 07:00 PM by Jevon Phillips in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 18, 2004
World in Transition
New X-Men #154
Creators: Grant Morrison, Marc Silvestri and Joe Weems
Marvel, 32 pages, $2.25
So? This is the last issue of writer Grant Morrison's run, a bravura stint on Marvel's flagship title that gave fans their first whole new way of looking at the book in more than 10 years. Morrison and his collaborators -- artists Frank Quitely, Igor Kordey, Ethan Van Sciver, Phil Jimenez, Chris Bachalo and now 1980s X-Men favorite Silvestri -- did what so few do in mainstream superhero comics: Inject new ideas. Under Morrison -- a Scotsman who started out doing delightfully deranged things in books like Doom Patrol, Animal Man and The Invisibles -- the X-Men concept had a feeling it was realizing its potential and was relevant in a way that hasn't been as palpable since some of Chris Claremont's best work on the title in the 1970s and 1980s. This final chapter, which concludes a new look into the dystopian futures that have always awaited the X-Men, lacks the boldness of Morrison's earlier efforts with Quitely, but still has more interesting things going on than any half dozen other Marvel or DC comics. And while Morrison's strangeness will be missed, it's hard to feel too bad about the X-Men line with Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon coming on board to pen what will likely be a highly entertaining and fun run on the new series Astonishing X-Men.
Grade: B+
Mar 18, 2004 at 06:45 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 17, 2004
Red K kudos
The Comic Shop News, which is given out with pretty much every purchase at your local comics shop, polled its readers for dubious achievements in comics, good and bad. The unconventional awards took shots at events, titles and creators in the comic industry, but also praised unexpected twists and soon-to-become-classic creations. The CSN editors backed up their picks by using comments plucked from their hundreds of responses. You'll have to go pick it up to get a full list (come on, it's free!), but here's a few:
The "All in the Family?" Award -- John Constantine
"Yes, I understand that sleeping with her will create a god-like child that will eventually save humanity. But dude, that's your sister!" -- Cora Worden
The "Dead Like Me" Award -- Batman #616
"Everyone thought that Jason Todd was back and the identity of Hush had been revealed three issues before the end of the series. Nice switcheroo, Jeph and Jim!" -- Christine Corby
The "Price is Right" Award -- $9.95 manga trade paperbacks
"Lots of people have complained about American comics being priced too high at $2.25 and $2.99 per book, but readers seem to have no problem dropping ten bucks per book on manga trade paperbacks. I guess it's not really the price that matters, but the perceived value ... " -- Bobby Dalrymple
"The Shortsighted Viz-ion" Award -- Viz
"They cancelled all of their comics, most of them in mid-story, and forced us to buy trade paperbacks that included a lot of stories we had already bought part of. Booo." -- Samara Weera
The "Where the Girls Aren't" Award -- The Industry
"The industry as a whole in America are ignoring the 13-17, the pre-teen, and the 5-and-under comics audience, as well as females of all age groups. I'm sorry guys, but most of the female characters created for the American comic and video game market, like Lara Croft and the current Batgirl, are appealing primarily to guys; to me, they seem like they're basically guys with boobs..." -- Nina Twersky
And a reader, Steve Chung, was singled out for his numerous submissions to the awards. His good works spotlighted JSA #54, Marvel Universe: The End, "Word of Wonder -- The Life And Times of Otto Binder" by Bill Schelty, and many others.
Mar 17, 2004 at 06:59 PM by Jevon Phillips in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 16, 2004
The keyboard's stuck again ...
If you like hip hop music and comics, especially inspired by Jack Kirby-style art, then check out the "ALL CAPS" music video animated and directed by James Reitano for TFU Studios. The page also includes a quick interview with Reitano.
The video goes panel to panel in an animated comic book, even including fictional old school "Sea Chimps" ads, while the story is told through a collaborative rap by Stones Throw Records artists MF Doom & Madlib called Madvillany, which will be released in stores Mar. 23, 2004.
Mar 16, 2004 at 04:42 PM by Jevon Phillips in Music | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 15, 2004
Soundwaves
We read their work and sometimes see them at conventions or local haunts, but now we can hear comic book personalities courtesy of the online radio show Comic Zone.
The show is hosted by Vincent Zurzolo, one of the nation’s leading comic book aficionados who is also a partner/COO of Metropolis Collectibles. On Mondays from Noon to 1pm Pacific Time, he interviews, and has interviewed, many of comics' historical figures, current stars (upcoming: Todd McFarlane), and industryites.
The current episode discusses GPAnalysis for Comics, a site and business that allows comic traders to instantly determine current and past prices for specific books traded. Run by George Pantela, owner of GP Investment Collectables, out of Melbourne, Australia, the site also graphs the performance of those titles. A cool listen if you want to get a taste of what the state of the comics world is Down Under and learn more about the aforementioned site.
Last week's interviews posted (March 8, 2004) were with EC Comics' Jack Kamen, one of the company's most prolific horror artists, and Al Feldstein, who gained the most fame by co-creating (with William Gaines) a new line of horror, science fiction, and crime titles that eventually became the popular Tales From the Crypt comics.
The lineups and guests are not always the most scintillating, but they're definitely informative. And Zurzolo is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic host. With all of the deals being done now, film execs may do well to listen to interviews to find possibly forgotten gems.
The talkfest is hosted by World Talk Radio, Inc., which is, according to its website, "the largest internet talk station with more than forty-five regularly presented shows." The San Diego-based business hosts numerous online broadcasts that are easy to access.
Mar 15, 2004 at 02:30 PM by Jevon Phillips in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 12, 2004
Comics Crazy
Here's the news:
Marvel's "The Punisher," starring Tom Jane, John Travolta and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, will get its first screening March 23 at ShoWest in Las Vegas, the same day that Marvel Studios chief Avi Arad receives the first Robert Selig Showmanship Award for achievement in filmmaking.
Also at ShoWest will be Jennifer Garner, who says she is in training to shoot "Elektra" in May on her hiatus from "Alias." Arad says the movie is based on the classic Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz Elektra: Assassin comics from the 1980s.
Platinum Studios is developing Myatt Murphy's comic "Two Over Ten" into a feature.
The top selling comics for February from Diamond Comics distributors are:
1. New X-Men #153 (Marvel)
2. Ultimate Fantastic Four #3 (Marvel)
3. 1602 #7 (Marvel)
4. Superman/Batman #6 (DC)
5. Ultimate X-Men #42 (Marvel)
6. Ultimate Spider-Man #53 (Marvel)
7. Secret War #1 (Marvel)
8. Uncanny X-Men #439 (Marvel)
9. Uncanny X-Men #440
10. Batman #624 (DC)
DC Comics announced it has signed artists Jerry Ordway and Ethan Van Sciver to two-year exclusive deals. Writer/artist John Byrne announced on his message board that he will write and draw a new Doom Patrol series for the publisher starting in June.
Harvey Pekar of "American Splendor" fame has signed a deal to produce three original graphic novels for Ballantine Books.
And Tokyopop hired former Sony VP Mark Lebowitz as its new CFO.
Mar 12, 2004 at 04:42 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 11, 2004
The Cerebus Era Ends
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The personal nature of the series for Sim deepened in the latter years, with much of the comic turned over to lengthy essays, letters and Sim's discussions of his personal spiritual beliefs.
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Mar 11, 2004 at 12:33 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 10, 2004
Minireview Catchup
Here’s some books we like or had sent to us recently that we like but haven’t had room to review just yet:
Deep Sleeper #1 (Oni Press; by Phil Hester and Mike Huddleston). One of the most interesting first issues to come along in a while, this story of a writer who travels to a terrifyingly real place in his dreams is truly haunting, beautiful and captivating. Grade: A
Styx Taxi #1 (FWD Books; by Steven Goldman and Jeremy Arambulo). Goldman has a great concept and pulls it off well in this story of cabbies from the afterlife collecting dead souls and helping them come to terms with their mistakes so they can move on happy. The art is clear and compelling. Grade: B+
Attack of the Supermonsters #1 (Momo Taro Comics; by Ted Seko). This is like the old Marvel split books, with two stories for the price of one: The first is “Monster Monolith” about a man who takes on some powers from The Unnameables (who look a lot like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Werewolf) to save his girlfriend. That’s followed by “Fusion Man” in which a young man’s mind is transferred into a robot. Seko’s art mixes manga, Jack Kirby and Bill Sienkiewicz in a dark, sketchy style that’s quite beautiful. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see more of these simple, yet fun, stories. Grade: B
The Punisher #1-3 (MAX/Marvel; by Garth Ennis and Lewis Larosa). After an at-times comical series, Marvel moves Ennis and the Punisher to the Max line, which gives it greater latitude with language and violence. Ennis uses this to great effect, with his story of former ally Microchip setting up the Punisher for a fall giving the series a kind of “Sopranos” feel that is refreshing and fun to read. This should please readers turned on by the upcoming movie, though that “explicit content” label may make it less than suitable for younger fans. Grade: B
Mar 10, 2004 at 06:37 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 09, 2004
Wizard Comes to Town
Stars of stage and screen have long been at home in Hollywood, but now you can add a few comic book stars to the VIP list as the inaugural Wizard World Los Angeles showcases big names of both page and screen March 19-21 at the Long Beach Convention Center.
Gareb Shamus is the man behind Wizard, which began in 1991 as a slick, irreverent magazine about the culture of comics. The mag's readership exploded with the collector's boom and spawned a small publishing empire for Shamus that now includes Toyfare, InQuest Gamer and Anime Insider. Today, Wizard boasts a circulation of 200,000 -- a number only a handful of recent comics themselves have reached. In 1997, Wizard bought the Chicago Comicon, second-largest in the nation after San Diego, and turned into the first Wizard World. The shows have since added Philadelphia, Texas and now Los Angeles to its roster.
Shamus says he wanted a West Coast presence for the conventions, which are like a live version of the magazine. L.A. also is the perfect place to use Wizard's relationships with Hollywood that it has developed over the years of writing about comics movies to maximum effect and serve its large California consumer base.
"We're very consumer friendly," Shamus says of the shows. "We really make sure the things people want to see are at our shows." The L.A. show features a lineup that includes guest of honor Kevin Smith, director of "Jersey Girl" and writer of comics such as Daredevil and Green Arrow; as well as Marvel legend Stan Lee; and actor James Marsden, who plays Cyclops in the "X-Men" movies. Upcoming comic movies are getting lots of 
play with appearances by director Guillermo del Toro, stars Ron Perelman and Selma Blair, and comics creator Mike Mignola from "Hellboy"; and helmer Jonathan Hensleigh, actors Thomas Jane and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, and producers Avi Arad and Gale Anne Hurd showing up to talk about "The Punisher."
Top comics talent includes Spider-Man and X-Men artist John Romita Jr., writers Brian Michael Bendis, Kurt Busiek, Paul Dini, Geoff Johns, Steve Niles, Jeph Loeb, Mark Waid and Judd Winick, writer-artist Howard Chaykin and artists Michael Turner, Marc Silvestri, Kevin Eastman, Erik Larsen, Tim Sale, Alex Ross and Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
Shamus says the reaction to the show has been tremendous, with the 90,000 square feet of floor space selling out months in advance and strong advance sales on tickets. He says the Chicago show drew 48,000 last year, while Philly drew 22,000 and the inaugural Texas show 10,000. Much of the appeal is in being with other fans as much as the stars. "It's one thing to see a few people each week at the comic book store, but it's another to see thousands who are into it," he says.
Shamus says he doesn't see Wizard World as competing so much with the huge Comic-Con Intl.: San Diego. With Wizard World being held off-season for big comics shows and with its focus on accessibility to the hottest comics and movie stars in the genre, there is enough room for both shows, he says.
Details on tickets and schedules for Wizard World L.A. can be found at www.wizarduniverse.com
Mar 9, 2004 at 04:27 PM by Tom McLean in Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 08, 2004
Super Switch
Godfall, Parts 1-3
Action Comics #612, Adventures of Superman #625, Superman #202
Creators: Michael Turner and Joe Kelly, writers; Talent Caldwell, pencils; Jason Gorder, inks
DC Comics, 32 pages; $2.25 each
So? This is the hottest story in comics right now, though it’s a little difficult to tell why. The gist of it is that Superman is somehow reliving his life as though Krypton had never been destroyed and he’s a normal person with a beautiful wife. He rides motorcycles and gets into a few dangerous situations involving Krypton’s volatile politics, which is facing a popular revolt. The story, now half complete, takes a backseat to Caldwell’s art. He draws very much like Turner — the artist who gained fame on Fathom and runs Aspen Comics — and much of the appeal lies in his pouty, sexy, swimsuit-model women and cool motorcycles, all of which overwhelm the story. For DC, this is the warmup to the main event of Jim Lee taking over the art on Superman the way he did last year for Batman, a guaranteed way to make the book the industry’s top seller for the next 12 months. This won’t get the attention that Lee and writer Brian Azzarello (of the amazing 100 Bullets series) will, but it does build the buzz and get people ready for the big event. And given the relative lukewarm sales of Superman, that’s gotta be good news for DC. Grade: C+
Mar 8, 2004 at 06:35 PM by Tom McLean in Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 05, 2004
Screen Grabs
Around the comics world, where most of the big news this week came from good ol' Hollywood:
Jason Henderson's Image Comics series Sword of Dracula is the latest comic to be optioned for film and TV, by Daybreak and Prime Universe.
Universal confirmed buying the rights to Mark Millar's Wanted. Millar will exec produce and Marc Platt will produce. U denied rumors that Eminem was attached or was in talks to star in the film.
Marvel had several announcements, including a rosy 4th quarter earnings report and a three-for-two stock split. The company is looking ahead to big movie releases this year of "The Punisher," "Spider-Man 2," "Blade: Trinity," "Man-Thing" and announced work has already begun on "Spider-Man 3" for 2007.
Gary Oldman is the most recent addition to "Batman Begins." He'll play Lt. James Gordon.
Comic books and Hollywood mix even further: "X-Men" director Bryan Singer, who signed on to write 12 issues of Ultimate X-Men for Marvel, is going to direct a remake of "Logan's Run" for WB. Meanwhile, "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon, who's writing 12 issues of Astonishing X-Men, got the greenlight for "Serenity," a big-screen version of his short-lived but much-loved series "Firefly" that he will write and direct.
And convention season heats up in the L.A. area, with the next L.A. Comic Book and Sci-Fi Convention on March 14 featuring "The Lord of the Rings" star (and rumored "Fantastic Four" director) Sean Astin, as well as "Kill Bill, Vol. 2" stars David Carradine and Michael Jai White (who played the lead in the "Spawn" movie a few years back). Right on the heels of that show is the first Wizard World: Los Angeles, coming to the Long Beach Convention Center March 19-21. The show will feature as guest of honor director Kevin Smith, Marvel legend Stan Lee, "X-Men" star James Marsden, "Punisher" star Tom Jane, X-Men and Spider-Man artist John Romita Jr., and a hefty lineup of top comics creators. Bags and Boards will have more info on Wizard World next week.
Mar 5, 2004 at 03:19 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 04, 2004
A Tale Beyond Time: Part II
Here's the second half of our interview with Beyond Time Comics' John E. Hervey II (director of finance and operations, and book's writer) and Priscilla A. Tjio (director of sales and marketing) as they ready the launch of their comic book Black Tiger: Legacy of Fury. Unlike the 'stumbled-into-it' or 'stroke-of-luck' stories that are popular, John and Priscilla wanted to create a comic book, and did. It took work and perseverance, as anything worth doing does, but they launch next week.
HOW DID/DO YOU HANDLE DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING CONCERNS?
Priscilla A. Tjio (PT): Distribution is being done through Diamond Comics Distributors. They are the main distributor in this industry. We put a full page ad in their monthly Previews catalog which retailers will order from. Of course, there are literally thousands of products in that book, so we know we need to do more to get the word out. As far as marketing, we have been using the internet as a tool, posting on various bulletin boards and sending e-mails to associates asking to spread the word. We will also be present at various comic cons including the San Diego Comic Con in July. Of course, interviews such as this will help. ... They did ask to see the first issue in its entirety. After they saw it, it did not take long before we started the process for release.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF GETTING THE COMIC BOOK CREATED?
PT: Getting the right team of artists together. We were looking for artists who are not only talented, but had the discipline to meet the necessary deadlines. Once we got the team together, we felt comfortable to move our project further.
John E. Hervey II (JH): We had given one artist a script from which they were to pencil a particular page for our review. The story was a contemporary one, set in today’s Los Angeles. When we received the page, the artist took the liberty of taking the contemporary story and setting it in a future with flying cars and hovering stop lights. I appreciate artistic expression, but that was overboard.
WHAT WAS SOMETHING YOU ENCOUNTERED THAT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED?
PT: The positive response we have been receiving from many people and the willingness of individuals to help us in this development stage. This has really kept us positive and motivated in making sure our products are high quality.
WAS THERE ANY POINT THAT YOU WANTED TO GIVE UP THE WHOLE THING? WHY?
JH: There definitely have been times when things were not moving the way we would have liked, but there was never a point at which either of us felt like giving up. Ultimately, we’re pursuing our dream, and we’ve known from the beginning that it would not be an easy road.
Mar 4, 2004 at 08:46 PM by Jevon Phillips in Interview | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 02, 2004
Comics and . . . Oscar?
We almost had something there.
Comic books are definitely becoming more mainstream, or at least the exploitation of them by the mass media. Movies, TV shows, even stage plays are using the source material. Yeah, that's profound. But independent film has especially been able to put comics before the masses in a way many may have not thought possible: in Oscar's light.
In the recent past it was "Ghost World," which starred Thora Birch and this year's IT girl Scarlett Johansson, that garnered the talk. This year it was "American Splendor," which was not only nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, but also thought to be an early contender for best actor with Paul Giamanti. Not to be left out were the visual effects prowess of Ang Lee's "Hulk" and Bryan Singer's "X2," both of which made it to the finals (or the bakeoff for those in the know) but were denied the big dance. Even future comics candidate Ken Watanabe (Batman's Ra's Al Ghul) was a stone's throw away from the win according to many pundits.
This just means that the six degrees of separation between comics and Oscar are closer than ever. Sean Penn, who won for "Mystic River," was in "Carlito's Way" with John Leguizamo who was in "Spawn," which as you know was a comic book. Charlize Theron, best actress for "Monster," was in "Devil's Advocate" with Keanu Reeves who is now starring in "Constantine," which is also a comic book. "Mystic River's" best supporting actor Tim Robbins was in "Howard the Duck" (wow, sorry about that) which was, of course, a comic book. And who can forget "Cold Mountain" best supporting actress winner Renee Zellweger's role in "Nurse Betty," which also starred Morgan Freeman, who's been cast in the upcoming "Batman" movie. Of course, Zellweger was also in "Me, Myself, & Irene" with Jim Carrey who was in "The Mask" and was the Riddler in "Batman." And I don't even need to mention Peter Jackson, who directed "The Frighteners," which starred Michael J. Fox, who starred in "Bright Lights, Big City" with Kiefer Sutherland, who was of course in 1998's "Dark City," which was, obviously, a comic book.
So, we're closing in on Oscar. Slowly.
Mar 2, 2004 at 05:00 PM by Jevon Phillips in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 01, 2004
Hollywood Dreams and Deals
A day late due to vacations and Oscar fatigue, here's the news wrap up:
Daily Variety broke the news that Lions Gate and Marvel struck a deal to develop film versions of "Iron Fist" and "Black Widow." The deal also includes a sequel to April's "The Punisher" flick. Lions Gate acquired "The Punisher" property when it bought Artisan, which had an overall development deal with Marvel.
Director-producer Robert Rodriguez told Daily Variety he'd already shot opening scenes to an adaptation of Frank Miller's crime graphic novel "Sin City." Miller, who owns the property and publishes it through Dark Horse, was won over by Rodriguez's agreement to make Miller co-director and the fact that he would shoot sample scenes to prove the film would retain the visual flair of its stark comic art origins. Dimension Films chief Bob Weinstein gave Rodriguez the go-ahead to start shooting the film this month in Austin, Texas.
And WB announced last week that the title of the next Batman film is "Batman Begins," not "Batman: Intimidation Game." The pic starts shooting this month in Iceland with Christian Bale starring as Batman.
Via Newsarama is a report from The Times Online that writer Mark Millar is very close to a deal worth six figures plus a share of profits with Universal to turn his Top Cow comic Wanted into a film with Eminem attached to star. Millar would exec produce the film.
ICv2 reports Del Rey has changed its mind about altering the artwork in its April manga release Negima, Vol. 1, to make it more kid-friendly. Instead, the book will ship shrink-wrapped with a label stating the book contains explicit content and is for ages 16 and up only.
Writer Neil Gaiman reported Feb. 24 on his blog that the appeal of his lawsuit decision over publisher Todd McFarlane was denied, meaning Gaiman retains co-copyright of several characters he created for the Spawn comic book. What this means for their ongoing dispute over who owns the rights to publish the popular Miracleman series of comics remains to be seen, though Gaiman did say in the blog he suspects McFarlane owns no real rights and that the popular 1980s series may return soon.
Anyone interested in the numbers side of the comics biz should take a look at Paul O'Brien's analysis of the most recent sales results from DC and Marvel over at The Pulse. Also at the Pulse is Heidi MacDonald's two-part interview (Part 1, Part 2) with DC Comics prexy and publisher Paul Levitz that talks about the biz of comics and how DC fits into Hollywood.
And the following books were hot enough to sell out at the publisher with most scheduled for reprinting, so if you want 'em, better grab them while you can: Dark Horse's Conan #1 and Chosen #1; Marvel's Secret War #1, DC's Aquaman #15, Action Comics #812 (second printing), Adventures of Superman #625 (second printing) and Superman #202.
Mar 1, 2004 at 05:00 PM by Tom McLean in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0)
