We3 #1

Creators: Grant Morrison, writer; Frank Quitely, artist

DC/Vertigo Comics, 32 pages, color, $2.95, suggested for mature readers

So? Morrison and Quitely reteam for the first time since “New X-Men” for a quirky sci-fi twist on Disney’s “Incredible Journey” featuring a dog, cat and rabbit trained to fight in cybernetic armor for the military who escape and find themselves homeless. Morrison’s best work balances the knack for the weird he demonstrated in the old “Doom Patrol” and “The Filth” with the more mainstream sensibilities he brought to “JLA.” While “New X-Men” tilted the staid superheroes into the weird, this book tells its weird story in a straighforward way and relies on the strangeness of the concept for its kick. Quitely is as good as ever, doing a great job especially with the long, silent introductory scene and a six-page sequence of tiny panels that represent security cameras monitoring a large scientific complex. Grade: A-

X-Force #1

Creators: Rob Liefeld (plot, art) and Fabian Nicieza (script)

So?X-Force returns to its roots, courtesy of original series creators Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza. The first issue sees original team-members Cable, Shatterstar, and Domino reunited to do battle together. It feels like the early 90s all over again, and not in a good way. Storytelling is done primarily in splash pages, and the script is embarrasingly melodramatic. The excitement level Rob always brings to projects is certainly present in this first issue. There is definitely energy in his artwork. However his lack of drawing discipline and unabashed tendency to swipe panels remain.

Grade: C-

Batman: War Games, Act One

Chapters: Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1, Detective Comics #797, Legends of the Dark Knight #182, Nightwing #96, Batman: Gotham Knights #56, Robin #129, Batgirl #55, Catwoman #34 and Batman #631

Creators: Written by Devin Grayson, Andersen Gabrych, A.J. Lieberman, Bill Willingham, Dylan Horrocks and Ed Brubaker; pencils by Ramon Bachs, Pete Woods, Brad Walker, Mike Lilly, Al Barrionuevo, Guiseppe Camuncoli, Sean Phillips, Paul Gulacy and Kinsun; inked by Paul Fernandez, Rodney Ramos, Nathan Massengill, Troy Nixey, Andy Owens, Francis Portella, Loenzo Ruggiero, Sean Phillips, Jimmy Palmiotti and Aaron Sowd.

DC Comics, color, 12 cents-$2.95 each

So? One of the things monthly superhero comics could do really well is this sort of “megaevent,” in which a storyline plays out over a few dozen comics published over a few short months. The problem is that it’s very hard to pull off well with so many writers, artists, characters and commercial limitations involved. Kicking off with a promo comic in Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1 (and yes, it really does cost only 12 cents), War Games finds Gotham City’s ganglords gathered to a mysterious meeting that goes wrong and blossoms into a citywide gang war. Most of Act One features Batman and his ever-growing cast of Gotham City collaborators try to maintain order, save lives and get along with each other and culminates in a shootout at the high school attended by former Robin Tim Drake that’s a great action piece and sets up act two quite well. Getting there is a bit of a problem as there’s several issues of mostly action scenes in which the plot moves along slowly. Also, with so many characters besides Batman having their own solo books, Batman becomes just one member of a team. Yeah, Batman’s the leader, but with so many other characters needing their moment in the spotlight he's much less interesting than when he’s the lone soldier fighting a one-man war on crime. For all the commercial limitations it has to deal with, this is as well-written and well-drawn megaseries that has some nice moments, but it's a lot of work to get them. Megaseries are a great idea, but until one is published that takes full advantage of the quick publishing schedule to tell a compelling, fast-moving and large-scale story with no padding, fans will rightfully have to be more than a little skeptical about the hype surrounding huge comics events. Grade: C+

Maybe Spidey could play on Broadway. A live-action "Spider-Man" children's stage show in Mexico City has proven so popular that it will tour Latin America. A producer said the Spanish-language show will swing through Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Argentina, Brazil and Peru and it could hit the U.S. next year.

With news of a 10-disc Matrix Collection DVD set due this fall, The Matrix will return to the comisc page in November with a second trade paperback volume of The Matrix Comics, from the Wachowski Brothers' new Burlyman Press. All of the material in the 160-page volume will be new and in color.

Recent issues of DC Comics have shipped polybagged with a promo CD-Rom for the upcoming Par picture "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow." The move has some retailers annoyed, as they didn't know in advance about the CD and were stuck with larger-than-expected shipping bills for the heavier comics. DC has offered a credit and will make allowances on such ventures in the future.

Heritage Comics held an auction at Wizard World Chicago that raised more than $24,000 for artist Dave Cockrum. Cockrum, who's best known for drawing Legion of Superheroes and X-Men, suffered a near fatal brush with diabetes and pneumonia last year that left him significant medical bills. The auction featured 101 pieces of original art from the likes of Jim Lee and Walt Simonson.

Artist Greg Horn's gatefold poster of the USA Olympic men's basketball team appears in various Time Warner magazines such as Time, Sports Illustrated and ESPN. Horn's painted covers have appeared on numerous Marvel titles such as Elektra and Emma Frost.

The Technopreists, Book One: Initiation

Creators: Alexandro Jodorowsky, writer; Zoran Janjetov, artist; Fred Beltran, color

Humanoids/DC Comics, 160 pages, color, $14.95, suggested for mature readers

So? The first wave of books in the new Humanoids-DC Comics alliance is here and it will definitely be a surprise for anyone who’s never checked out this material. This is a complex story about a virgin princess who is raped by pirates and gives birth to three children, one favored above all, one she tolerates and a third she torments. She seeks revenge on the pirates and builds a fortune to carry it out. Her middle child, Albino, wants to be a Technopriest and use his imagination to create videogames that will transform the galaxy. He sets out to accomplish this near-impossible goal with the talent of a prodigy. Unlike manga, which is all about kineticism and speed, Euro comics are lush and dense and this is no exception. Jodorowsky, whose body of work is legendary in international comics, packs "Technopriests" full of strange and unusual ideas and an almost-overwhelmingly bleak point of view that emphasizes the cruel and sometimes random nature of life. Aside from Albino and his intelligent rodent companion, Tinigrifi, the characters evoke varying degrees of sympathy and scorn, with most of them having little to no control over the circumstances which dominate their lives. That makes this a far cry from the simple morality of most superhero tales or the cinematic thrills of American indie comics or publishers like Vertigo. The drawback is the content is at times so violent and the outlook so bleak that it’s hardly the hopeful sort of story most American comics offer. Janjetov’s artwork is, without question, gorgeous. Not only is every panel packed with a detail world that is alternately grotesque, lovely and corrupt, his storytelling and composition never falter. This world feels complete in and of itself and becomes more engrossing as the story progresses. The package itself is worthwhile, and that’s the major benefit of the DC-Humanoids relationship. Humanoids previously published in the European format of thin, oversize hardcovers that were too expensive for many American tastes and hard to fit on the bookshelf. Using a more standard trade-paperback size and thickness should make it easier for anyone interested in the material to try it and the reproduction quality of the art and color remains high. Grade: A-

Ex Machina #3

Creators: Brian K. Vaughn, writer; Tony Harris, penciller; Tom Feister, inker

Wildstorm, 32 pages, color, $2.95

So? The combination of the red-hot writer of “Y: The Last Man” and the original artist of “Starman” promises a great read and it definitely delivers. In this mix of superheroes and politics, Mitchell Hundred gives up being superhero The Great Machine to become the politically independent mayor of New York City. Hundred retains his ability to communicate with machines and faces a lot of the strange and difficult problems that occur at all levels of politics. But there is definitely more going on here, with aspects of Hundred’s superhero past slowly bubbling up into his new political life. Harris’ art has moved impressively from the thick lines he used in the art deco setting of Opal City to a finer line that’s more detailed and extremely well suited to the story. “Y” has shown that Vaughn has an excellent knack for combining entertaining action with thoughtful and fascinating premises and “Ex Machina” should cement this reputation. This is a little harder to get into than “Y,” but it’s so far worth it. Grade: A-

Crossings #2

Creators: Kayce Quevedo, story and pencils; Allen Freeman, inks

KCQ Comics, 24 pages, black and white, $3

So? “Crossings” has the ingredients of a traditional fantasy tale. Alex Alvarez discovers upon his father’s death that his mother — who died when he was very young — was from another world and that a special root was keeping him alive. Meanwhile, in that other world, a village leader sends his daughter to find the mystery man who helped them defeat a great evil in the past. Obviously, these worlds will start colliding in the next issue. Though a bit predictable, this is a very polished book with solid scripting and clear, attractive art by Quevedo. If this book can hit the stands at a steady rate it stands a good chance of building up a good-size indie-comicbook fan following. Grade: B+

Post-Wizard World, it's been kind of a quiet week.

Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's Platinum Studios signed a deal this week with First Family Television to adapt comics properties to the small screen. Among them are "Meet the Haunteds," about a white family that moves into a house haunted by a family of black ghosts and "Spaced."

Another DVD project looking into the comicbook industry is due this fall with Hero Video Production's "Terry Moore: Paradise Found." Docu looks at Moore and his creation, long-running indie fave "Strangers in Paradise."

Sony will release the DVD of "Spider-Man 2" on Nov. 30, a move that raised some eyebrows as it's a month later than the release of the first film on DVD back in 2002. How this will affect sales during the holiday season is up for debate.

The July sales rankings are out from Diamond. DC took the top three spots with Superman/Batman #11, Superman #207 and Identity Crisis #2. Marvel has 13 of the top 20 selling titles and had the largest slice of unit sales and dollar sales for the month with 34% and 41% respectively compared to DC's 32% and 35%.

Spaghetti Western

Creator: Scott Morse

Oni Press, 136 pages, sepia-and-white, $11.95

So? Morse, creator of "Soulwind" and "The Barefoot Serpent" pulls out all the stops to make "Spaghetti Western" different from any other comicbook you're likely to grab off the shelf. The book is printed sideways in sepia ink with each page a full illustration, like a storyboard. The tale of two Old West bank robbers trying to pull a heist — and how they got there — looks like a faded old movie and has more than a few twists and turns of its own. The result is a like finding a great lost short film on paper. Grade: A

Closer

Creators: Anthony Johnston, writer; Mike Norton with Leanne Buckley, artists

Oni Press, 144 pages, black and white, $14.95

So? An old-fashioned whodunit with overtones of the supernatural, "Closer" is a decent horror movie more than a traditional horror comic. The survivors of Project Hermes thought the experiment a total failure and tried to forget it. But one survivor, Prof. Graham Butcher, reunites his colleagues to show he's continued the horrifying experiment and exact revenge. Johnston makes good use of horror cliches, drawing the cast to a secluded and creepy locale and cutting them off from help while terror runs through the house and personal conflicts come to the fore. While this runs through its formula competently, "Closer" doesn't have enough thrills or scares to lift it above average. The most fun comes from sexy young goth chick Serena, the daughter of one of the original scientists, who's now dead. Norton and Buckley use halftone effects to good use in this book, making it stand out as something that's neither superhero style nor manga. Grade: B-

Western Tales of Terror #1

Creators: Dan Taylor, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Jay Busbee, Benito Cereno, Steve Niles and Porter McDonald, writers; Chuck BB, Scott A. Keating, Jared Bivens, Nate Bellegarde and Nick Stakal.

Hoarse and Buggy Productions, 40 pages, black-and-white, $3.50

So? This isn’t the first attempt at mixing the Western and horror genres in comics, though it is one of the best in a long time. The half-dozen stories that kick off this bimonthly anthology are all well-drawn and well-written. That this could attract a top comicbook writer like Steve Niles is impressive; that the stories are all good enough to truly belong in the same book is even more so. The standouts include Fialkov and Keating’s tale of a man stuck in quicksand who tries to betray his rescuer and Niles and Stakal’s tale of revenge through resurrec-tion. This is a book that, if it can keep up the quality and stay on schedule, could become a must-read indie title. Grade: A-

Fred the Clown #5

Creator: Roger Langridge

Hotel Fred Press, 32 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? This combination of ornate artwork, slapstick comedy and self-deprecating humor seems like a comicbook version of a classic silent movie — with clowns. Fred is a hapless fellow, with no nose and single tooth, who’s adventures seem inspired by both Mad magazine and the artwork of Chris Ware. Far from a more-cheerful “Jimmy Corrigan,” the excellent artwork is delightful in a quiet way that’s often hard to come by in the era of blockbuster sequel and computer-coloring. Though lacking in contemporary sex appeal and gutbusting laughs, “Fred” is dependably funny. Grade: B+

Marvel has tapped Lions Gate exec Eric Rollman to oversee the DVD animation titles the comicbook publisher and the studio pacted to produce recently. "Avengers" is first up for Rollman, with an expected release date of 2006.

They first met years ago in the pages of Dark Horse Comics and now "Aliens vs. Predator" is tops at the box office with an opening frame take of $38 million.

Most of the action the past few days was in the Midwest, where Wizard World: Chicago had an announced attendance of 54,500 for the three-day show.

The story from the show that has everyone talking came from writer Brian Michael Bendis when he discussed his proposal to do a Batman/Daredevil crossover. Bendis said he got Marvel on board with it and had support from DC editors, but that DC president and publisher Paul Levitz said no because he didn't want to work with Marvel while Joe Quesada was still editor in chief there. DC VP Bob Wayne was in the panel and protested Bendis' characterization of the decision and the panel got a little circus like as they discussed the matter. In the end, everyone calmed down and Bendis has apologized for bringing up the topic, which he only did in hopes that fan support could get Levitz to change his mind. Comic Book Resources cites a an interview Quesada did with the New York Observer as an reason for Levitz's decision in which Quesada was quoted as saying:

"What the fuck is DC anyway?" Mr. Quesada said, stoking the fires. "They'd be better off calling it AOL Comics. At least people know what AOL is. I mean, they have Batman and Superman, and they don't know what to do with them. That's like being a porn star with the biggest dick and you can't get it up. What the fuck?"

Wayne reiterated to Newsarama that DC wants a change in management at Marvel before it will consider publishing another crossover, while Quesada told the site this was not a good excuse to not publish a book that fans would love and would be successful.

The rest of the news from Chicago was more in line with the norm of a big con. There were lots of announcements, including a new Wildstorm series by "Danger Girl" partners Andy Hartnett and J. Scott Campbell. Marvel gave a sneak peak at its plans for "Avengers," including some news on a new series called "Young Avengers." It also announced exclusive contracts with artists Steve McNiven, Adi Granov, Oliviel Copiel, Trevor Hairsine, Jimmy Cheung, and David Finch, as well as a "What If?" fifth-week event and the return of Jean Grey in a new "Phoenix" series. On the DC side, David Goyer talked about "Batman Begins" and brought exclusive footage to show the con, rectifying many fans complaints about the lack of such footage at last month's Comic-Con Intl. Also, DC teased the return of Hal Jordan as Green Lantern and a new series for Jack Kirby's "The Demon," by John Byrne and Will Pfeiffer.

And the Wizard Fan Awards were presented, with Bendis taking best writer and Jim Lee winning top penciller.

First Lady #1

Creators: Patrick Neighly, writer; Stephen R. Buell, artist

Mad Yak Press, 24 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? Assuming you buy the premise of the U.S. Constitution being changed to allow the president to be chosen by quantum supercomputers and that those computers would pick a teenage girl for the job, this is an entertaining idea. Buell’s art is definitely distinctive and the cover for the book is excellent. There’s some conspiracy plots going on here and there is definitely a sense that some sparks are going to fly in more ways than one. Grade: B

Rummble Strips #4

Creator: Joanne Ellen Mutch

Another Dream Studios, 24 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? A slightly odd book, in which a woman searches for her friend and roommate, who happens to be a robotic alien with a dark past. The writing is more compelling than the artwork and the book has a definite story to tell. The art and scripting are extremely uneven, with some engaging passages and a few painfully amateurish ones. Mutch’s strength is in the emotional connection between her characters; the action sequences and rendering of fantastic elements need some work. Grade: C.

Video #1

Creator: Stephen R. Buell

Lost in the Dark Press, 24 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? The return of Jesus has been a popular topic in comics, and "Video" is the latest to tackle it. Unlike Mark Millar’s “Chosen,” which focused on a boy who realizes he is Jesus, this is about the impact Jesus’ return has on 25-year-old L.A. resident Keisha Bell. Buell’s art is a good match for a story in which the world falls apart awaiting the rapture. Bell is a typical modern heroine (i.e., cynical, hip and hot) but how she’s going to manage the next 48 hours is a compelling question. Grade: B-

Berserker: The Wild Hunt #1

Creators: Jens H. Altman, writer; Harris O’Malley, artist

Studio Underhill, 32 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? This story about a down-and-out man who takes a role in a mythological battle has some promising mythological resonance, though the writing and the art are a bit clunky. At times interesting, the final product fails to generate enough raw excitement to overcome the "talented amateur" nature of the writing and art. Simple things, like better balloon placement and a lighter touch on the inking would help this rise above. Grade: C.

Zoe #1

Creators: Patrick Neighly, writer; Donny Hadiwidjaja, artist

Mad Yak Press, 24 pages, black-and-white, $2.95

So? An orphan goes to live in a lighthouse with a distant uncle and finds some oddities in the basement and makes some unusual friends. The story is well told and the manga-influenced art is detailed and fun, but the direction is still unclear by the last page. Is this a horror book? A kiddie book? A fantasy? Those questions make picking up the second issue just a little bit harder. Grade: C+

Boy Vampire Vol. 1: The Resurrection

Creators: Carlos Trillo, writer; Eduardo Risso, artist.

SAF Comics, 132 pages, $9.95

So? Not exactly a vampire story in the traditional sense, "Boy Vampire" follows two immortal characters — a nameless 10-year old former prince and Ahmasi, the oft-naked vengeful female antagonist of the series — whose wounds heal each time the sun rises. It's like a mature readers take on the classic Mad magazine strip "Spy vs. Spy," with two unkillable characters exchanging various acts of brutality upon one another through the ages, only to each be reborn to fight again with the dawn.

The moody settings, dynamic compositions and expressive characters that mark Eduardo Risso as a master storyteller can be easily seen in these early pages, even while he was developing as an artist. Though not quite as refined as his "100 Bullets" work, fans of Risso will not be disappointed.

Despite a sometimes awkward translation, the fun storyline combined with Risso's innovative layouts make this one a better read than the majority of 'polished' comics it shares the stands with. And at $9.95 for the oversized 132-page book, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better value.

Grade: B

"X-Men" director Bryan Singer's move to Warner Bros. is complete. Singer signed a first-look deal at the studio, for which he will helm the long-gestating "Superman" feature and a remake of "Logan's Run," after Fox terminated his deal with them. What this means for "X-Men 3" is now unclear, though Singer says he would like to still be involved in a producing capacity.

Stephen Sommers and his producing partner have landed the rights to bring back to the screen "Flash Gordon." Sommers is best known as the writer and director of "The Mummy," "The Mummy Returns" and "Van Helsing." He is reportedly considering scripting the film, based on the comic strip creation of Alex Raymond, though is not certain if he also will direct. "Flash" has been absent from the silver screen since the 1980 version that to many fans is so bad it's good.

And The Beat has an excellent report on the possiblity that the hiers of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster may find some success in regaining copyright over the Superboy character from DC Comics. It's complicated, so interested parties should be sure to read the fine details.

Writer Brian Azzarello, of 100 Bullets and Superman fame, has extended his exclusive contract with DC Comics through 2007.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which offers legal help to comics shop owners, elected a new board while at Comic-Con Intl. Chris Staros, publisher of Top Shelf, replaces the retiring Denis Kitchen as president. Milton Griepp of ICV2.com is the new treasurer.

The Tomb

Creators: Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis, writers; Christopher Mitten, artist

Oni Press, 144 pages, $14.95

So? As you might gather from the title and cover, this is a bit of archeological adventure along the lines of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. While the book's star is a woman, named Jessica Parrish, she's definitely got more Jones than Croft in her. The plot is a clever bit that has a stolen artifact from King Tut's tomb being buried with its new owner, turning the house he lived in and his servants into one huge trap for Parrish and her colleagues, foremost of whom is reporter Max Kelleher. The idea is fun though it does get entangled in some clunky structure that keeps the story from moving along as quickly as it might. Mitten's art is good, though a bit sketchy at times, as though it's running smaller than he intended and many of the lines look more like dots. Parrish is an interesting character, and Weir and DeFillipis obviously want to use her again and she could become a popular character, even though her frequent use of profanity seems a bit out of place in the story and limits the audience to older teens. Grade: B-

Love Fights, Vol. 1

Creator: Andi Watson

Oni Press, 168 pages, $14.95

So? While the romantic comedy is a staple of literature and cinema, it's rarely been tried in American comics. Andi Watson's "Love Fights" melds superheroes and romance the same way "Powers" mixes police drama and superheroes, with completely different but equally satisfying results. The story is about a normal guy name Jack who draws comcis for a living and lives in a city where superheroes are a common sight. He meets and falls in love with Nora, who works at a tabloid magazine that focuses on superheroes. The romance plot is worthy of a Hugh Grant movie and Watson makes it all go down very sweetly with very simple, effective and pretty art. Grade: A-

One Bad Day

Creator: Steve Rolston

Oni Press, 116 pages, $9.95

So? Yeah, this came out last year, but it's still really good. Rolston, whose past projects have included "Queen & Country," "Mek" and "Pounded," writes as well as draws this story of a young woman who tries to help her friend and gets a lot more trouble than she bargained for. The simple art, printed in dark green ink, is easy on the eyes and very clear in its storytelling. Rolston keeps the pace moving very quickly and never falls in love with his own words. The story is a pretty simple chase that's fun enough for what it is and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Grade: B+

Superheroes have become such an integral part of the entertainment scene, it’s hard to imagine comics, movies, TV and videogames without them.
Why superheroes have become so important to people in such a relatively short time is the question Danny Fingeroth tackles in his book “Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society,” published by Continuum and featuring an introduction by Stan Lee. Fingeroth, a veteran Marvel Comics editor and writer who oversaw the company’s “Spider-Man” group of titles and consulted on the character’s first feature film, knows the topic inside and out.
Fingeroth’s book dissects the genre, and explains the high number of heroes who grow up orphans, the comfort provided by clubs or extended families of heroes, the catharsis of superhero violence and the importance of the secret identity even in a society that lusts for fame and celebrity.
“I think there’s a need for someone who’s in the public eye to not be in the public eye all the time,” he says. “The masks have a liberating effect. You could say Peter Parker is more Peter Parker when he wears the mask.”
But while the first modern superheroes — starting with "Superman" 64 years ago — were almost exclusively the domain of comicbooks, more of today’s characters are coming to life in other media.
“The characters that came from comicbooks came from an era when comicbooks were the TV of their time,” says Fingeroth. “If you look at ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ if you look at ‘Harry Potter,’ these are all characters that have many of the attributes of superheroes.”
Helping this transition is that Hollywood has found that taking comicbooks and superheroes seriously makes for better movies and TV shows.
“I think a lot of the directors, producers and actors in these movies are people who grew up reading this stuff and have an understanding and respect for the material,” he says. “In previous incarnations — even in the high budget and high profile ones — there was this uneasiness about the source material, and the people who were doing them felt they had to put in humor and mock the material.”
And while few new comicbook superheroes have grabbed the public’s attention the past few decades the way “Spider-Man” or “Batman” did in their day, there is still plenty of potential in the medium, he says. While sales of traditional, commercial superhero comics have suffered, the sheer number of personal visions in comicbooks and the explosion of manga show the low-tech power of words and pictures on paper.
“People will always yearn for and have a need for superheroic action-adventure,” he says. “Whether they get that from comics, movies, TV or the Internet — that’s the only question that’s hard to answer.”
Fingeroth’s passion for comics extends to the classroom. He teaches comics writing and moderates discussions with comics creators at New York University and edits Write Now!, a magazine about writing comics, animation and sci-fi, published by TwoMorrows.
Though it's not in fashion with many of today’s writers, Fingeroth is an advocate of Marvel-style scripting, in which the artist works from a plot and the writer adds dialogue after the page is pencilled. “When the Marvel style works at its best, it’s like when jazz musicians improvise,” he says. “You may have started with a simple melody and, suddenly, after John Coltrane got through with it, it would not be recognizable as the same song.”
The current issue of Write Now!, #8, features a “cross-over” with TwoMorrow’s Draw! magazine, in which Fingeroth and colleague Mike Manley create a comics character from scratch. A DVD version, “How to Draw Comics from Script to Print,” is coming soon.
Fingeroth can be reached via email at Danfinger@aol.com.

The attendance figure for Comic-Con is in, and the show had 87,000 attendees this year, up from about 75,000 the year before. The show's publicity chief David Glanzer discusses it at CBR. And if you missed Michael Chabon's keynote address at the Eisner Awards, it's been posted on the Comic-Con site.

Julian McMahon of "Nip/Tuck" fame has signed on to play Doctor Doom in the "Fantastic Four" feature. This makes two actors who have shows on FX starring in the film. And there's more than a little irony in someone who plays a plastic surgeon being picked to play the narcissistic Doom, who hides his scarred face behind an iron mask.

And this week's Variety once again shone a big spotlight on comics, with a lead story by editor in chief Peter Bart on Hollywood's invasion of Comic-Con, a sidebar on marketing to the geek crowd, a column by TV critic Brian Lowry on the D-list celebs who sell autographs at cons, and a story on Dark Horse Comics' "The Hire" series, based on the BMW short films.