Income Setback for Marvel

Marvel's Q2 revs were down 50 percent and net income down 11 percent over the same quarter last year, according to its earnings report. Comicbook publishing revenues were down 4 percent to $20.8 million, faring better than drastic drops in the toy and apparel licensing arenas, which fell 96 percent and 61 percent respectively. Film and game licensing revs were up 54 percent. Marvel says the declines are the result of there being more pre-release anticipation and sales for "Spider-Man 2" merchandise last year than there was for "Fantastic Four" this year. Company expects income to rise next quarter based on the success of the post-Q2 release of "FF" and only slightly adjusted its annual guidance.

MTV Films has optioned "Damn Nation," a vampire comic by Andrew Cosby published by Dark Horse. Cosby will pen the script and exec produce with Mike Richardson and Barry Levine of Dark Horse. MTV will produce through the Penn Station shingle with Michael Aguilar and Dean Georgaris. Paramount will distrib.

The official announcement of a new Wizard World show in Atlanta set the inaugural event's dates as as June 29-July 2, which puts it in direct conflict with the longrunning HeroesCon show set for June 30-July 2 in Charlotte, N.C. Response has seen a number of comics pros give their support to HeroesCon and organizer Shelton Drum, including such heavyweights as Warren Ellis, Mark Millar, Greg Rucka, J. Michael Straczynski, Travis Charest and Steve Niles. While the shows are far enough apart to not force many fans to choose between shows, publishers, writers and artists do have to make that choice and some pros and fans speculate Wizard is trying to push out HeroesCon, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. This is the latest battle in the growing conventions battle, as WizardWorld looks to expand its shows into more areas of the country, often conflicting with locally run comics shows, and the upcoming entry of Variety sister company Reed Exhibitions into the arena with the planned New York Comic-Con set for February.

"Athena Voltaire," which was nommed for an Eisner Award in the inaugural best digital comic category, will make the jump to print om December at Speakeasy Comics. Previews of the print series, to be called "Athena Voltaire: The Flight of the Falcon," can be found at www.graphicsmash.com.

Artist Klaus Janson, best known for finishing/inking Frank Miller on "Daredevil" and "Dark Knight Returns," has signed an exclusive contract with Marvel. Deal calls for him to write, pencil and ink projects still to be determined.

The trailer for "V for Vendetta" went live Friday at the film's official website.

You say you want a color revolution

Range Murata plans to do nothing less than revolutionize the Japanese manga industry. His plan is simple: Introduce color to the exclusively black and white medium. Behind him, he has an army of artists anxious to work in color and the support of his publisher WaniMagazine Inc. to make his vision a reality.

This month WaniMagazine releases Robot Vol. 3 – a full color, oversize manga anthology – to Japanese audiences who most recently got their color fix with Vol. 2 in April. U.S. audiences, on the other hand, are just getting their first taste through the Digital Manga Publishing translation of Robot, Vol. 1.

Humble and soft-spoken, Murata expressed the difficulties in bringing this project to market. The added costs in production and printing have prevented other publishers from exploring color manga. Fortunately for Murata, WaniMagazine bought into his pitch as a way to reinvigorate the industry and break the growing number of artists working in color illustration. With three books behind them, this gamble just may pay off. "In Japan, it seems to be going really well right now," he says.

By introducing “Robot” to an American audience, Murata and DMP hope to tap into a more accessible audience. "[The American audience] is used to this stuff," says Murata. "They are closer to it and will accept it with open arms." Color helped Otomo Katsushiro's classic manga “Akira” gain cult status when it was published by Marvel Comics in 1988. TOKYOPOP continues this trend today with its Cine-Manga titles. Only time will tell if “Robot” sells as well or better herein the U.S., but DMP already has plans to translate and publish Vol. 2 for release in Q2 of 2006.

Murata has since moved on to his next project, doing character design for the next “GONZO” anime. He anxiously awaits the debut of sunglasses and watches from GoFa — the Gallery of Fantastic Art, — in Japan that feature his signature sterling and brushed stainless steel design. These products will make their debut at the GSX show in September. Fans still have awhile to wait before seeing his motorcycle design from “rule” come to life. "It's in the works," Murata says. "We really haven't made the definitive motorcycle yet."

Murata someday hopes to turn his attention to production design for live-action film, having conquered the worlds of manga, anime, videogames, collectibles and fashion. "I'll be happy to work for anyone," jokes Murata.

— By Rick Hernandez

Sketchbook Roundup

One of the trends of comicon over the last decade has been the emergance of limited edition ashcan sketchbooks self-published by the artists themselves. Originally concieved as Kinkos-stlyle pamphlets consisting of xeroxed pages and a cover xeroxed onto colored paper, certain artists have been taking steps to raise the bar over the last couple of years. These generally scarce publications have become hot collectors items over the years, and some in this year’s batch have more than quadrupled in value almost instantly. Here’s a sampling of Comicon 2005's offerings:

AND YET ANOTHER ARTHUR ADAMS SAMPLER
48 pages squarebound (8 1/2 x 11)
Con price:$20 Week1 eBay high:$76
Notes: Much better reproduction quality than Adams’ past sketchooks in which line quality frequently looked jagged (as though printed from a low-resolution jpg) however it still feels like a manual photocopied from Kinkos when compared with the Schultz or Cho books of similar size and price.
Grade: B

J. SCOTT CAMPBELL’S TIME EXPOSURE SKETCHBOOK
32 page pamphlet (5 1/2 x 8 1/2)
Con price:$20 Week1 eBay high:$102.50
Notes: Full color throughout. Far and away the best designed of the sampled books, it features a filmstrip motif used as a background to integrate the various Cambell artwork into what feels like a very unified package.
Grade: A

FRANK CHO: SKETCHES & SCRIBBLES Vol. 2
80 pages squarebound (8 1/2 x 11)
Con price:$20 Week1 eBay high:$100
Notes: Great printing and binding job and selection of prelims, pencil drawings, and finished illustrations. 2003’s similar Vol. 1 was the first to really raise the bar for production quality in con sketchbooks.
Grade: A

HOW TO DRAW BOOBS: YET MORE CRAP FROM ADAM HUGHES
24 page pamphlet (5 ½ x 8 1/2)
Con price:$10 Week1 eBay high:$46
Notes: Sketchbook from Adam Hughes in the traditional ashcan style.
Grade: C+

JASON PEARSON HACK & SLASH
24 page pamphlet (5 1/2 x 8 1/2)
Con price:$20 Week1 eBay high:$26
Notes: Color centerfold doesnt save this one from feeling drastically overpriced.
Grade: C-

ERIC POWELL: DRAWINGS, SKETCHES & SUCH
48 pages squarebound (5 1/2 x 8 1/2)
Con price:$10 Week1 eBay high:$28
Notes: Double the average pamphlet page count combined with a nice binding and printing job make this one the clear-cut winner among the $10 books at the show.
Grade: B+

MARK SCHULTZ: VARIOUS DRAWINGS
48 pages squarebound (8 1/2 x 11)
Con price:$20 Week1 eBay high:no auctions completed
Notes: Prelims and pencils published alongside finished works complete with brief notes from the artist on each make this one a great insight into Schultz’s process. Excellent printing and binding along with a foldout centerfold make this book more an art book you’d find at Borders than a con sketchbook.
Grade: A

Stories for Boys

All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder #1

Creators: Frank Miller, writer; Jim Lee and Scott Williams, artists

DC Comics, 32 pages, color, $2.99

So? All the hoopla of Comic-Con and I only managed to read this one comicbook while I was there. This is the much-hyped debut of DC's All-Star line and the return of Miller and Lee to Batman in a story that basically starts everything over with a new origin for Dick Grayson, soon to become Robin. The book looks fantastic (no surprise with Lee, Williams and colorist Alex Sinclair)  with really solid coloring and production values, and reads quickly and easily. It's hardly a deep, satisfying read, but it does do a good job of being entertaining in a cool enough way that anyone who liked "Batman Begins" will have no troubles jumping right in. Some parents of younger kids may prefer that Lee draw Vicki Vale a little less ... hot ... but most boys will be glad to keep that a secret. The book succeeds admirably at being accessible and entertaining, even as it lacks the hard-core edge that longtime fans would prefer to see from these creators. This kind of material could easily develop into a huge, mainstream hit for DC even if fanboys prefer to keep it dark. Grade: B+

Death in the Family

Jim Aparo, a longtime comics artist best known for his work DC's "The Brave and the Bold" and various Batman projects, died Tuesday at age 72 from complications related to a recent illness.

Marvel has extended its contract with editor in chief Joe Quesada, adding the position of chief creative officer, publishing to his portfolio. The length of the contract extension, announced in a press release Tuesday, was not stated.

The Deal with Neil

One of the biggest comics-related announcements to come out of Comic-Con was Neil Gaiman writing a manga for TOKYOPOP that would expand upon “MirrorMask,” the upcoming Jim Henson Co. movie written by Gaiman and directed by his frequent comics collaborator Dave McKean.

Gaiman is best-known for his long relationship with DC Comics, which published Gaiman’s seminal series “The Sandman” and several of his graphic novels, including collaborations with McKean such as “Mr. Punch.” While he’s done work for other comics houses, most notably the recent “1602” for Marvel, Gaiman also has become a popular novelist with “American Gods” and is current on a tour of Asia and Australia promoting his new novel, “Anansi Boys.” That this unexpected return to comics form comes at TOKYOPOP and in manga turned the heads of those paying attention to the comics biz.

Gaiman says there are many reasons why the manga project appealed to him, starting with learning TOKYOPOP was working on a deal to publish prequels for popular Henson Co. fantasy pics “Labyrinth” and “Dark Crystal” and having a lot of background material that would make for a good story. “I thought, well, ‘MirrorMask,’ was made by us for Henson, with a brief of can we do something like ‘Labyrinth’ or ‘Dark Crystal,’” Gaiman says. “There’s an awful lot of backstory, some of which gets delivered in the movie in rather large, hasty lumps. And I thought telling that story would be really fun and it would be nice if I did it rather than somebody deciding to do it in 20 years time.”

The manga format also solved some problems Gaiman thought would crop up if he and McKean had done a graphic novel version of the film that was more like their previous work. “Dave doesn’t have time to do a graphic novel and if you hired someone to do a graphic novel trying to make it look the movie, which would would make it look like they’re trying to rip Dave off, visually it would be really weird because you’d get somebody imitating Dave McKean,” he says. “In addition to which, people would assume wrongly that the graphic novel came first and the film was an adaptation of that, and we wanted the film to be the thing that the attention was on.” 

The conventions of manga, however, eliminate those expectations and put the focus where Gaiman says it belongs. “We can emulate content — obviously there will be fish flying through the air and people with strange masks and so on and so forth — but you’re not going to try to make it look like Dave McKean, and it would be perceived accurately as what it is, which is part of a line of really cool Henson prequels.”

Gaiman says he’s fascinated by the audience for manga and the fact that it’s large, young and female. “What I love most about manga is they’re giving girls stories they want to read and they’re reading comics,” he says. “And also it’s the audience for ‘MirrorMask,’ which I think is more interesting and more important.

Gaiman will be collaborating on the series with another writer, providing plots and then getting as involved as he can beyond that. The other writer has been chosen, Gaiman says, but until the ink dries on the deal he can’t reveal who she is.

As for whether McKean will ever contribute to the series, as he did with covers for “Sandman,” is unknown at this point. “It’s a weird kind of balancing act because there’s a level on which you really really want this to be manga, and to look and taste and feel and smell like honest to goodness manga,” Gaiman says. “And I don’t want it looking, feeling, tasting and smelling like something else. I think it’s important that it really is manga.”

Wrap it Up

Turns out more happened at Comic-Con than drinking, walking, standing in line and drinking some more. Some of the news highlights:

* Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada hinted that one of the big gun writers he's long pursued will soon be doing work at the House of Ideas. His only hint was the word: "King." Most speculation runs toward a guy named Stephen ... Marvel also announced it would bring back Moon Knight early next year in a series to be written by novelist Charlie Huston, best known for the Hank Thompson trilogy and the vampire novel "Already Dead."

* Over at DC, "Oz" creator Tom Fontana will be penning a Batman graphic novel and Mark Waid signed an exclusive contract with the publisher.

* Vidiator Technology signed a deal to deliver Top Cow comics content to mobile phones and other wireless devices. The company already has a deal with Stan Lee and Pow! Entertainment.

* Dark Horse annouced a 2006 lineup that includes "The Kickback," a graphic novel from "V for Vendetta" artist David Lloyd, two original "Scarface" prose novels based on the Al Pacino film, and a classic book reissue of "The Gremlins," by "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" author Roald Dahl. A comics series of "The Gremlins" will follow.

* Will Eisner's "The Spirit" will return in original stories at DC, starting with a "Batman/Spirit" crossover by Jeph Loeb (scripter of "The Spirit" movie) and drawn by Darwyn Cooke. A regular "Spirit" series will follow, written and drawn by Cooke. Other new DC titles include revivals of "Jonah Hex" and "Warlord"; "Batman: Year 100," by Paul Pope;

* Vertigo projects include a slew of upcoming ongoing series, including "Fables" spinoff "Jack of Fables," Western series "Loveless," by Brian Azzarello and Marcelo Frusin; "DMZ" by Brian Wood; "Testament" by novelist Douglas Rushkoff; "American Virgin," by Steven T. Seagle and Becky Cloonan; "The Exterminators" by Simon Oliver and Tony Moore. Graphic novels include "The Fountain," by Darren Aronofsky and Kent Williams; "The Quitter" by Harvey Pekar; "Fables: 1,001 Nights of Snowfall" by Bill Willingham with art by Charles Vess, Mark Wheatley, John Bolton, Mark Buckingham and James Jean; "Pride of Baghdad" by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon; "Can't Get No" by Rick Veitch; and "Sloth" by Gilbert Hernandez.

'X3' UPDATE: There was no panel from Fox or Marvel about "X-Men 3," but screenwriter Zak Penn did appear on the adapting comics to the screen panel and gave a few tidbits about the production. Penn says that reports that the father of the Angel, who will be played by Ben Foster in the pic, will not be the villain of the piece and that most of what he's read online about the pic is wrong. He said that while he and writer Simon Kinberg originally were to write competing scripts - an approach used on "X2" - they had many similar ideas and began to work together. He says that the two of them have been able to work relatively quickly on the script, but that reports of Matthew Vaughn's "six-day script" are false. The tight schedule for the pic is the result of the need to reassemble a cast with so many popular actors, all of whom are very busy on different projects. He also says that while Dark Phoenix will be part of the script, it will vary from the comics version as the filmmakers feel that it would be a mistake to force elements such as the Shi'ar Empire, Princess Lilandra and the final moon battle in the comics story into the realistic tone of the movie.

'SHOOTOUT' SHOOTS: Variety editor Peter Bart took his AMC show "Sunday Morning Shootout" to Comic-Con, filming an episode at the show that includes interviews with Charlize Theron, Bryan Singer and Joss Whedon. The episode is set to air Aug. 7.

Remember, remember. . .

V for Vendetta panel at Comic-Con 2005

Thousands of people clamored for seats at the Comic-Con 2006 Warner Bros. panel, which featured sneak peeks of V for Vendetta, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Corpse Bride and The Fountain.

While the audience included its fair amount of Hot Topic-clad Tim Burton fans and adults wearing Hogwarts house colors, V for Vendetta, a film based on the 1980s graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd,  was the main attraction for many. Panel guests included the lovely, hairless Natalie Portman, Lloyd and producer Joel Silver.

V is the first post-Matrix pic from the Wachowski brothers, and anticipation is high for the adaptation.

"Working from a graphic novel gives you source material that is incredibly rich ... you want to be as strong as the illustrations," said Portman. "The Wachowskis are amazing. Brilliant, focused, down to Earth. ... They have a completely unique mind and are uncompromising in their vision."

The panel was met with, well, an interesting Q&A. The lineup attracted every Natalie Portman fan in a 10-mile radius of San Diego. Audience comments related to "Star Wars" trivia, "Garden State" quotes, long monologues on the use of the Kabbalah to overcome personal problems (don't ask), and the poor guy who mistook Portman for Marguerite Moreau (''When you started your career back when you were an actress in 'The Mighty Ducks' ... ''). But within all the fanboy worship, there were some good questions. Like, where was Alan Moore?

Moore has publicly disassociated himself with the WB pic, and as a result, has cut remaining ties with DC Comics. ""I read V in 1988, about the same time I read The Watchmen. I acquired both at the same time. I think Alan is a genius at anything he touches," said Silver. "He's been very clear with us about not being included on the finished film."

The movie's themes of terrorism were also called into question by audience members, especially in  the wake of the London bombings. "It's important to make films about terrorists," said Lloyd. "It's like the old saying, 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.' Once we understand that, we can defeat it."

Near the end, Portman shared her thoughts on her first visit to Comic-Con. "It's great to be here in a room filled with people so passionate about the material. It's inspired me to read more graphic novels."

Then came the trailer, which appears to remain true to the comic. The clip starts with the interrogation of Evey Hammond (Portman) in front of a faceless agent, who offers her a choice of either unmasking the political terrorist V (Hugo Weaving) or death by torture. A lovely, bald Portman looks directly into the audience and chooses death. What follows are quick, MTV-style edits between Hammond, the general anarchy caused by V, and a haggard-looking Stephen Rea as Lewis Pothrero. The trailer mostly features knife fights with the main character and the torture of Hammond, who we watch get kidnapped, shaved, and interrogated by government agents (think Midnight Express, not Angels in Chains). So far, the pic looks promising, but then again, so did The Matrix Revolutions. 

Random Con Stuff

Fans jockey for position to take photos at the Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" panel, which featured cast members such as Grace Park, Jamie Bamber, James Callis and Mary McDonnell as well as exec producers Ron Moore and David Eick.

Gabrielle Union, Stewart Townsend and Frank Spotnitz answer questions after ABC's preview of "NightStalker," a new series based on the 1970s classic.

Author Scott Weller leads a chat between fx pioneer Ray Harryhausen, author Ray Bradbury and film archivist and historian Forrest J. Ackerman on their long friendship and involvement in the sci-fi and fantasy genre.

Joss Whedon, creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and writer-director of "Serenity," presents at the Will Eisner Comic Book Industry Awards on Friday night.

Superman Rocks the House

As expected, Warner Bros.’ “Superman Returns” panel on Saturday was packed and extremely well received. Director Bryan Singer, just off the plane from Australia where shooting on the pic is ongoing, held the giant stage in Hall H on his own, answering questions in ways that made fans very happy. When asked why he made the trip, Singer said: “This is Comic-Con and this is Superman. If it had been anything less, I wouldn’t have done it.” Among the tidbits Singer revealed:

• When asked by a fan which character was the true identity and which was the disguise, Singer said the Clark Kent persona was the disguise.
• The visual inspirations for the film come from the classic Fleischer cartoons of the 1940s, the 1978 Richard Donner film and the comics work of painter Alex Ross. The pic was shot in digital with a Genesis camera and will evoke a 1940s feel akin to seeing “Rebecca” if it was made in color.
• The pic is a definite follow up to Donner’s pic, and Singer said some aspects of “Superman II” will have a vague acknowledgement. The later films will be ignored.
• Singer said the costume was designed with keeping the essential elements of its colors, etc., in mind, and was modified to suit actor Brandon Routh after he had been cast in the part.
• The script tells a love story about these characters, though it happens at a different point in the story than previous incarnations.
• Images of Marlon Brando will be used for a short scene involving Superman’s father Jor-el.
• Lex Luthor, as played by Kevin Spacey, will be a combination of the slightly humorous approach of Gene Hackman and the more serious Lex played by Michael Rosenbaum on the TV series “Smallville.” Spacey did go bald to play Luthor.
• The music will be by John Ottman, but it will incorporate the John Williams theme from the Donner pic.

Singer then showed a short reel from the pic. Scenes definitely evoked the Donner pics with the scenes from the Kent family farm that even recreated the scene where young Clark discovers the remains of his spaceship in the barn. Superman returns from an absence to find that Lois Lane has married Perry White’s son and they have a daughter together. Brandon Routh does appear in the costume and was seen taking off in flight and later, in a scene reminiscent of one of Alex Ross’ work, looks down on planet Earth for a moment of reflection and then zips down.

The clip drew a standing ovation from the crowd and was immediately shown for a second time. Attendees later were able to pick up a Superman logo pin at the DC Comics booth.

Eisner Winners

The winners of the Will Eisner Comic Book Industry Awards, handed out last night at Comic-Con, are:

Best Short Story: “Unfamiliar,” by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, in The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft (Dark Horse)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot): Eightball #23 by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics)

Best Serialized Story: Fables #19-27: “March of the Wooden Soldiers,” by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (DC/Vertigo)

Best Continuing Series: The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Limited Series: DC: The New Frontier, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best New Series: Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris and Tom Feister (DC/Wildstorm)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience: Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (DC)

Best Humor Publication: The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Anthology: Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist (Dark Horse)

Best Graphic Album—New: The Originals, by Dave Gibbons (DC/Vertigo)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Bone One Volume Edition (Cartoon Books)

Best Archival Collection/Project: The Complete Peanuts (Fantagraphics)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material: Buddha, vols. 3 and 4 by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)

Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man (DC), Ex Machina (WildStorm), Runaways, Mystique (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist: Paul Chadwick, Concrete: The Human Dilemma (Dark Horse)

Best Writer/Artist—Humor: Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); Kyle Baker, Cartoonist

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Tie: John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel), Planetary (WildStorm), I Am Legion; Frank Quitely, We3

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Teddy Kristiansen, It’s a Bird (DC/Vertigo)

Best Coloring: Dave Stewart, Daredevil, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Six, Captain America (Marvel); Conan, BPRD, Hellboy

Best Lettering: Todd Klein, Promethea, Tom Strong, Tom Strong’s Terrific Tales (ABC); Wonder Woman (DC); Fables, Books of Magick: Life During Wartime, WE3 (Vertigo); Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse)

Best Cover Artist: James Jean, Fables, Green Arrow, Batgirl (DC)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: Sean McKeever, writer of The Waiting Place, Mary Jane, Inhumans, Sentinel

Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist (Top Shelf)

Best Comics-Related Book: Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book, by Gerard Jones (Basic Books)

Best Publication Design: The Complete Peanuts, designed by Seth (Fantagraphics)

Hall of Fame

JUDGES’ CHOICES: Lou Fine; Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

INDUCTEES: Gene Colan, Johnny Craig, Nick Cardy, Hugo Pratt

The other awards handed out include:

The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Night Flight Comics, Salt Lake City; Mimi Cruz, owner

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Defender of Freedom Award: Denis Kitchen

The Bill Finger Excellence in Comics Writing Award: Jerry Siegel and Arnold Drake

The Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award: Chris Baily, creator of “Major Damage,” published by Skydog

The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: George Perez

ManGaiman

Neil Gaiman will plot a manga series for TOKYOPOP based on "MirrorMask," the movie he wrote for collaborator Dave McKean to direct. The "MirrorMask" manga is part of a deal struck between TOKYOPOP and The Jim Henson Co. that also will see publication of manga based on Henson pics "Labyrinth" and "The Dark Crystal." This is the first manga series for Gaiman, who's best known for writing "The Sandman" for DC Comics and fantasy novels such as "American Gods" and the upcoming "Anansi Boys."

Fans of the original "Battlestar Galactica" will get one wish fulfilled in the second season of the new version of the series, which has its season premiere tonight. That wish, revealed by series exec producer Ron Moore in a Comic-Con panel, is the return of the Battlestar Pegasus around episode 10. Moore also says there will be a Commander Cain, played on the original series by Lloyd Bridges, but no Sheba.

Photos!

Some pics from around the con.

   

Booth for upcoming action pic "Aeon Flux."

DreamWorks booth.

Lego Chewbacca!

DC Comics prexy Paul Levitz and VP marketing Bob Wayne.

"Usagi Yojimbo" creator Stan Sakai signs at the Dark Horse Comics booth.

Fans dressed as "X-Men" Storm and Jean Grey.

View from the Floor

Comic-Con Day One is in the books. The floor is largely the same as it was last year, but the real joy of coming back to San Diego is the ability to catch up with friends such as Larry Young and Mimi Rosenheim of AiT-PlanetLar, Steven T. Seagle, Eisner Awards administrator Jackie Estrada and Batton Lash; DC Comics rep David Hyde, and just hanging out and meeting new people such as Eric “The Goon” Powell.

Upstairs, the panel for Philip K. Dick’s “A Scanner Darkly” offered an interesting preview of the pic, which director Richard Linklater shot with actors and then animated, in much the same way as “Waking Life.” There also was an android Philip K. Dick that looked really cool and gave alternately long and short non-sequiter answers that, given the reality-bending nature of Dick’s work, was hilariously appropriate.

Yesterday’s blogging panel had a good turnout and was well received. The diversity of the blogs represented made for a good mix, with Mark Evanier and Peter David representing blogs that are specific to them and their interests and the rest of us doing comics blogs with different, mostly newsy and review points of view. The hour ran by quickly and thanks to everyone who turned out and asked questions.

And Thursday was party night. Caught up with Jeff Smith and Eisner Awards judge Gib Bickel at the Scholastic party, and then headed off to a bash for Stan Lee and the launch of his new wireless venture with Vidiator. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund offered a preview of the upcoming pic “MirrorMask,” from comics collaborators turned filmmakers Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. (More on “MirrorMask” and Gaiman soon … check back later today.) Finally, the crowds were thick at the Hyatt bar with comics pros hanging out and catching up until they kicked us out. Among the crowd were the DC contingent of exec editor Dan Didio, writers Geoff Johns, Jeph Loeb and Allan Heinberg; artist Rob Liefeld, Ford Lytle Gilmore of Illuminati Entertainment. And congrats to Heidi MacDonald for winning the Friends of Lulu’s Woman of Distinction Award.

Friday’s already shaping up to be busy as well. I’ve already weighed in on Mike Mignola for an upcoming DVD release and I’m writing this in the audience of the Adapting Comics to the Screen panel, headed by Creative Screenwriting’s Jeff Goldsmith and featuring writers Josh Olson, Brian K. Vaughn, Stan Lee, Zak Penn and Marvel producer Kevin Feige. The Eisner Awards are tonight and the Hollywood previews are getting started, with Warner Bros. Sony, Disney and Lucasfilm dominating the huge Hall H.

Comic-Con Day One

Comic-Con Day One is in the books. The floor is largely the same as it was last year, but the real joy of coming back to San Diego is the ability to catch up with friends such as Larry Young and Mimi Rosenheim of AiT-PlanetLar, Steven T. Seagle, Eisner Awards administrator Jackie Estrada and Batton Lash; DC Comics rep David Hyde, and just hanging out and meeting new people such as Eric “The Goon” Powell.

Upstairs, the panel for Philip K. Dick’s “A Scanner Darkly” offered an interesting preview of the pic, which director Richard Linklater shot with actors and then animated, in much the same way as “Waking Life.” There also was an android Philip K. Dick that looked really cool and gave alternately long and short non-sequiter answers that, given the reality-bending nature of Dick’s work, was hilariously appropriate.

Yesterday’s blogging panel had a good turnout and was well received. The diversity of the blogs represented made for a good mix, with Mark Evanier and Peter David representing blogs that are specific to them and their interests and the rest of us doing comics blogs with different, mostly newsy and review points of view. The hour ran by quickly and thanks to everyone who turned out and asked questions.

And Thursday was party night. Caught up with Jeff Smith and Eisner Awards judge Gib Bickel at the Scholastic party, and then headed off to a bash for Stan Lee and the launch of his new wireless venture with Vidiator. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund offered a preview of the upcoming pic “MirrorMask,” from comics collaborators turned filmmakers Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. (More on “MirrorMask” and Gaiman soon … check back later today.) Finally, the crowds were thick at the Hyatt bar with comics pros hanging out and catching up until they kicked us out. Among the crowd were the DC contingent of exec editor Dan Didio, writers Geoff Johns, Jeph Loeb and Allan Heinberg; artist Rob Liefeld, Ford Lytle Gilmore of Illuminati Entertainment. And congrats to Heidi MacDonald for winning the Friends of Lulu’s Woman of Distinction Award.

Friday’s already shaping up to be busy as well. I’ve already weighed in on Mike Mignola for an upcoming DVD release and I’m writing this in the audience of the Adapting Comics to the Screen panel, headed by Creative Screenwriting’s Jeff Goldsmith and featuring writers Josh Olson, Brian K. Vaughn, Stan Lee, Zak Penn and Marvel producer Kevin Feige. The Eisner Awards are tonight and the Hollywood previews are getting started, with Warner Bros. Sony, Disney and Lucasfilm dominating the huge Hall H.

Ready, set, go!

Comic-Con officially gets underway in less than an hour from now. Preview night was fun but surprisingly crowded compared to last year. It seems a lot more people figured out that buying the four-day membership got you in to an extra day of the show. If not, then the crowds will truly be frightening come Saturday.

For those of you who missed it, the Comic-Con special that appeared in yesterday's Daily Variety can be found online at www.variety.com/comiccon.

Comic-Con Day 4 Preview

Finish up and go home.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Universal: “Doom.” The top-selling game is a movie, and the cast and producers are eager to tell you all about it. Hall H

Noon-1 p.m. “Threshold.” Paramount’s new suspense sci-fi series coming to CBS this fall gets the sneak peek treatment. Room 20

Noon-1 p.m. Comic-Con Int’l Independent Film Festival Awards. The festival was a juried event for the first time this year and the prizes are handed out here by judges Mark Altman of CFQ magazine and Scott Zakarin of Creative Light Entertainment. Room 26AB

12:30-1:30 p.m. Science Fiction on TV: A Deja View. A look at variations of plot and theme in sci-fi on TV. Room 4

12:30-1:30 p.m. Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” The beloved children’s book comes to the big screen as one of the fall’s most anticipated movies. Hall H

1-2:30 p.m. Cartoon Network Studios Fifth Anniversary. A look at the new shows coming out of the studio, including “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” The Life and Times of Juniper Lee” and “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.” Room 6CDEF

1-2:30 p.m. “The 4400.” A new episode of Par’s hit sci-fi series airing on USA Network will air, followed by a panel with cast members and producers. Room 20

1:30-2:30 p.m. “The Sequential Art”: A Documentary About Comics. Indie comics artists join director Espen Jorgensen for a preview of the doc. Room 3

2-3:15 p.m. Kids’ Day Special Movie Premiere: “Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitz!” Catch a special screening of the Disney sequel. Room 5AB

Comic-Con Day 3 Preview

If Saturday doesn’t tire you out, you’re superhuman and definitely belong at Comic-Con.

10 a.m.-noon ABC Presents: “Lost,” “Invasion,” and “Nightstalker.” Last year, “Lost” made a huge impact and this year it’s back with tidbits about the season one DVD set and season two. “Invasion” and the new version of “Night Stalker” also are on the docket. Room 20

10:30-11:30 a.m. Warner Bros. Presents: “Superman Returns.” If there’s a blockbuster event at this year’s show, this is it. Expect a packed house as director Bryan Singer of “X-Men” fame flies in from Australia just to present a first look at next year’s DC Comics blockbuster. Hall H

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Alley Oop Documentary.  Writer Max Allan Collins presents the premiere of the docu “Caveman: V.T. Hamlin and Alley Oop,” about the creator of the longrunning comicstrip. Room 8

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Paramount: “Aeon Flux” and “War of the Worlds.” Oscar winner Charlize Theron will be on hand to talk about “Aeon Flux,” based on the classic MTV toon created by Peter Chung. There also will be a look at the visual effects of “War of the World.” Hall H

12:30-2 p.m. ASIFA Presents: State of the Animation Industry. Top animators do exactly what the title says., Moderated by Larry Loc. Room 3

1-2 p.m. Hurricane Comics: Get Racy with Ben Burtt and “Chassis!”  Burtt and the Hurrican team will talk for the first time about the live-action “Chassis!” pic, based on the comic. Burtt, of course, is a four-time Oscar winner for his work as a sound designer on the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” pics. Room 5AB

2:15-3:15 p.m. Universal Presents “Serenity” and “Slither.” This is officially the panel that will not die, as Joss Whedon and the cast of “Serenity” have hammed it up at Comic-Con last year, as well as at various Wizard World shows and Wonder Con. The movie finally comes out Sept. 30. Cast members and director James Gunn will present a peek at “Slither.” Hall H

2:30-3:30 p.m. Rob Zombie: “The Devil’s Rejects.” Lions Gate has been putting a big promotional push into this pic, and here’s a chance to finally get a look at it. Room 6CDEF

3-4:30 p.m. Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, and Forrest J. Ackerman. A trio of the greats in sci-fi, visual effets and film history will assemble for a lively recollection of the genre’s past glories. Room 20

3:30-5 p.m. Warner Bros. Animation: Teen Titans Live! Voice actors from the hit Cartoon Network series will be on hand for a live perf that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the process. Room 6CDEF

3:30-4:30 p.m. The Art of Voice Acting. Toon voice fans will have a hard choice to make between the Titans panel and this one, which features top voice talent talking about the art of voicing animation, anime and vidgames. James Alburger moderates.  Room 8

3:30-5 p.m. Sony Presents “Underworld: Evolution,” “Ghost Rider” and “The Fog.” The studio rolls out the talent. Kate Beckinsale highlights a presentation on “Underworld: Evolution,” the next chapter in the vampire-werewolf war. Director Mark Steven Johnson, actress Eve Mendes and producer Avi Arad will talk about next summer’s Marvel adaptation, “Ghost Rider.” And cast member Maggie Grace of “Lost” will help present “The Fog,” a remake of the John Carpenter horror pic. Hall H

5:15-6:15 p.m. Universal Presents “King Kong.”  The big ape is back. Hall H

6-7 p.m. Pitching an Animated Series. Industry vets demystify the process and give wannabe toon writers the inside scoop on getting their ideas on the air. Room 6B

6:30-7 p.m. New Line Cinema Presents Tenacious D. Comedians/musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who are turning their act into the movie “Tenacious D in ‘The Pick of Destiny’” play live. Hall H

7-10 p.m. CBLDF Benefit Auction. Not film related, but a worthy cause nonetheless. The Fund is auctioning off rare items from the likes of Dave Sim, Terry Moore, Jim Lee, Alan Moore and Garth Ennis to help defend comics retailer Gordon Lee’s First Amendment rights Room 8

8-10 p.m. “The Mindscape of Alan Moore.” Shadowsnake Films screens its documentary about the acclaimed comics writer. Room   6B

8:30-11:30 p.m. 31^st Annual Comic-Con Masquerade.  The annual, on-stage costume competition returns, hosted by Phil Foglio. Tickets will be given out starting at 4:30 and doors open at 7:45. The real event is in Room 20, but if you don’t make it in, the event is broadcast live on a big screen in Room 6A.

10-midnight Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. It’s gross, it’s animated, it’s hilarious. Room 6CDEF

Comic-Con Day 2 Preview

Friday is nominally “Star Wars” day, but most of the really cool stuff seems to be happening at the Adult Swim panels today.

10:30 a.m.-noon Art of Adapting Comics to the Screen. Our pal Jeff Goldsmith of Creative Screenwriting magazine talks about the process with people who’ve been there, including Stan Lee, comics scribe Brian K. Vaughn, Marvel producer Kevin Feige, “X2” writer Zak Penn and “A History of Violence” adapter Josh Olson. Room 6CDEF

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Warner Bros. Presents. The big studio presentations kick off with WB offering fans a sneak peek at “V for Vendetta,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” and “The Fountain.” Hall H.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tribute to Bill Liebowitz. As founder of Golden Apple Comics, most Hollywood comics fans have at one time or another bought something from Liebowitz, who set a high standard for comics retailing. Room 22

Noon-1 p.m. Stan Lee. The Man is back to talk about his upcoming project for POW! And IDT Entertainment. Room 6B

Noon-1 p.m. “House of the Dead 2.” A preview of the upcoming Lions Gate pic based on the hit videogame. Room 6CDEF

1-2 p.m. Pilot Screening: “Supernatural!” See the pilot episode to the upcoming WB TV series, set to air Tuesdays this fall. Room 6B

1:30-3 p.m. “Masters of Horror.” This 13-episode series examining the genre’s best directors is coming soon to Showtime and DVD. Room 20

2-3 p.m. “Veronica Mars.” Producers and cast members of the UPN series answer questions about the show and preview the upcoming second season. Room 6B

2-3:30 p.m. Annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel. Not really Hollywood related, but always worth attending whether you’re familiar with Kirby’s work or not. Room 8

2-2:45 p.m. Sony: “Zathura” and “The Legend of Zorro.” Preview of the studio’s upcoming pics. Hall H.

2:30-4 p.m. Spotlight on Ray Harryhausen (and all things King Kong). The master of stop-motion animation is back.. Room 6CDEF

3-4 p.m. SCI-FI: “Battlestar Galactica.” The hot Sci Fi Channel show’s second season starts the same day as this panel, which features producers and castmembers from the show. Room 20

3-4:30 p.m. Disney Coming Attractions: “Chicken Little,” “Sky High,” and Pixar’s “Toy Story” 10th Anniversary, “Cars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean 2.” Animation historian Jerry Beck leads a preview of what’s up at the Mouse House and Pixar. Hall H

4-5:30 p.m. Warner Bros. Animation: “The Batman” and “Justice League Unlimited” Superhero Action Panel. It’s pretty cool to watch Bruce Timm take the stage at Comic-Con because there’s probably nowhere else in  the world where he’d get such a warm reception. This panel takes a look at the toon versions of sister company DC Comics’ superheroes, including a new episode of JLU and a first look at the upcoming feature-length “The Batman vs. Dracula.” Room 6CDEF

4:30-5:30 p.m. “The Boondocks.” Aaron McGruder’s comicstrip finally gets animated, courtesy of Adult Swim. McGruder and cast members will be on hand for a Q&A. Room 6B

4:45-6:15 p.m. Lucasfilm Presents: “Star Wars” Spectacular. With luck, this will be less commercial than last year’s Lucasfilm presentation. There should be plenty of info on the “Episode III” DVD and upcoming vidgames — anything else will be a surprise. Hall H

5:30-7 p.m. The Jim Henson Co. 50th Anniversary: Retrospective and Sneak Peek at “MirrorMask”: Archival footage from the early days of the company will be a rare treat, and the sneak peek at “MirrorMask,” from Comic-Con favorites Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean will be cool, too.  Room 6B

5:30-7 p.m. Cartoon Network: Adult Swim. Friday almost seems more like Adult Swim day than Star Wars day. This is the “official” AS panel, with looks at returning faves and new shows coming soon. Room 6CDEF

8:30-10 p.m. An Evening with J.J. Sedelmaier. A retrospective of Sedelmaier’s work, which includes such classics as “The Ambiguously Gay Duo” from “Saturday Night Live” and “Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law.”  Toon expert Jerry Beck will host a Q&A with Sedelmaier. Room 6A

8:30-11 p.m. Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards. This is the Oscars of the comics biz. The winners in 26 categories will be announced, as well as the winners of a number of other comicbook awards including the Bill Finger Excellence in Comics Writing Award. Jackie Estrada is the emcee for the gala event, which will feature celebrity presenters and lots of slides. Did I mention I was a judge? As if you needed the extra incentive … Room 20

10-11 p.m. Jerry Beck’s Worst Cartoons Ever. Exactly what it sounds like: Beck culls the worst of the worst from TV toons of the 1950s and ’60s. Room 6A

11 p.m.-1 a.m. Screening: “Promedio Rojo.” A hilarious geekfest flick from Chile that’s so good, even Variety.com’s own Alex Romanelli raved over it. He said it better than I could have, so re-read his post and check this out. Room 6B

Comic-Con Day 1 Preview

Just in case you haven’t checked out the complete schedule of Comic-Con Intl. events, or are overwhelmed by so many panels and so little time, here’s the first of our day-by-day rundowns of the Thursday panels of interest to Bags and Boards readers:

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Comic Arts Conference Session #1: The Modern Moment: Comics and Cinema. An interesting look at the connections between early comics and early film. Room 7B

Noon-1:30 p.m. The Digital Bits: DVD Producers 2005. A look at DVD special edition production, including previews and a DVD player giveaway.Room 6CDEF

12:30-1:30 p.m. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 2005 Sneak Peek. A first look at the indie remakeof the popular gothic story. Room 3

12:30-1:30 p.m. El Muerto. Sneak peek at the feature film adaptation of the indie comic. Room 6A

1-2 p.m. Spawn Animated—Will feature a new teaser for the return of Todd McFarlane’s popular hero to animation. Room 6B

1-2 p.m. "Will Eisner: The Spirit of An Artistic Pioneer." There’s plenty of panels this year on Eisner and a number of documentaries on his life. It’s hard to tell which one will stand out, but fans of the artist will likely be up for trying them all. This 45-minute preview of the upcoming pic features lots of interviews from comics luminaries. Room 8

1:30-2:30 p.m. Philip K. Dick’s "A Scanner Darkly: The Movie." Not only is this going to preview Richard Linklater’s upcoming adaptation, it also will feature an android version of Dick himself. The result should be weird and fascinating, just like Dick‘s stories. Room 6CDEF

2:30-3:30 p.m."Will Eisner’s The Spirit: The Movie." Not a documentary, this is a look ahead to the big-screen adaptation of Eisner’s most famous character, which will be scripted by a man familiar to the show, Jeph Loeb. Room 6CDEF

3-4 p.m. Is It Dead, Jim? "Star Trek": 1966–2005, R. I. P. The size of the crowd for this one should provide something of an answer to this question. Room 6A

3-4 p.m. Spotlight on Lou Scheimer. Getting to see people like Scheimer, founder of longtime Saturday morning cartoon maker Filmation, is what Comic-Con is for. Perfect for animation geeks. Room 6B

4-5:30 p.m. Animation on a $hoestring Budget. Again, the title says it all. Room 1AB.

4-5:30 p.m. Seducing Hollywood. The point of this panel is a bit hard to figure out from the description, but it features an interesting variety of showbiz types from “The OC” writer Allen Heinberg to Cartoon Network’s Tramm Wizgell and Shawn Walker of the Natural Talent Agency. Room 6A

4:30-5:30 p.m. A Conversation with David Cronenberg. Another legendary filmmaker arrives at the Con. Cronenberg will appear to promote “A History of Violence,” his upcoming film that was based on a graphic novel from the same DC Comics imprint that did "Road to Perdition." Screenwriter Josh Olson also appears and Cronenberg will sign autographs after the panel. Room 6CDEF

4:30-5:30 p.m. Comic Book Weblogs. I’ve already talked about this one, because I’m on the panel. If you want to find out about the glamorous world of blogging or just say hi, this is one place on Thursday I’m guaranteed to be, along with Heidi MacDonald, Tom Spurgeon, Peter David, Augie DeBlieck Jr. and moderator Mark Evanier. Room 8

5:30-7 p.m. Costume Design: Inside/Out with James Acheson and Deborah Landis. Acheson has three Oscars and Landis heads up the Costume Designers Guild, so if you’re interested in costuming, this is the place to be. Room 6A

5:30-7 p.m. "Constantine": From Comic to Film. The comics adaptation process is different for each pic, and there’s sure to be some gems to gleam from the promotion surrounding the upcoming DVD release. Room 6B

5:30-7 p.m. Cartoon Network's Adult Swim: A Panel About Pitching. Yes, wannabe cartoon writers can get tips on how to pitch their ideas to the hip, cool cartoon factory in Atlanta. Who needs agents when you can just go to Comic-Con? Room 6CDEF

7-10 p.m. Screening: “Will Eisner — Profession: Cartoonist.” This is the best chance to catch all three parts of the Brazilian TV docu on the famed cartoonist and his impact around the world. Room 8.

9-11 p.m. Screening: “The Perfect Crime” (El Crimen Perfecto). This Spanish-language pic will be introduced by Bruce Campbell. Room 6B

10-12:30 a.m. Screening: “Free Enterprise: The Special Edition.” A new edition of the fan-fave pic, complete with Q&A with the filmmakers. Room 6CDEF

Failing Average

The great thing about film festivals is that you can stumble over unheard of gems that otherwise get no exposure outside their home country. As Comic-Con continues to grow, opportunities to discover such films get added to the heady brew of comics, panel discussions, screenings and exhibitions.

Pre-empting Tom's Comic-Con tipsheet, I wanted to flag a couple of things. Pencil in "Promedio Rojo" for 11 p.m. Friday, room 6B. This film knocked my socks off at the L.A. Film Festival last month, and Comic-Con is the perfect setting for it: Its your classic coming of age story, told through the eyes of a comicbook geek stuck in high school where the girls ignore him, and his only friends are a chronic masturbator and a retard.

It's not politically correct but what do you expect from a balls out comedy? This is a film that sets out to entertain, and it even has a little heart. It's a Chilean "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." But don't take my word for it, director Eli Roth ("Cabin Fever") called it the best teen movie ever made, and Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News raved about it.

If you're lucky, the pic's director, Nicolas Lopez will be there to introduce the screening and the kid is hilarious, he's like a young Kevin Smith on speed. The influence of comicbooks is key on this film, and much of the plot revolves around the hero's aspirations to become a success in comic publishing.

Also on the radar is "Kamikaze Girls," a crazy hip Japanese pop cultural phenom. It screens at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Pacific Gaslamp All Stadium 15. Stop by their booth to see "genuine Gothic Lolitas"! Thanks to Kaiju Shakedown for the tip.

Five for the Road

Some suggested travel reading for those of you taking planes, trains and automobiles to San Diego for this week's Comic-Con.

Nil: A Land Beyond Belief

Creator: James Turner

Slave Labor Graphics, 240 pages, black and white, $12.95

So? Part Chris Ware, part Monty Python and all bizarre, Turner offers a unique graphic novel. Nil is the story of Proun Nul, who lives in the land of Nil, where no one believes in anything. Their lives are celebrations of misery as Nil wars against its cheery rival Optima. When Nul is accused of murder, he heads for the front lines in an attempt to gain amnesty in Optima. Turner’s art is simple and uniformly constructed to give the strange world of Nil a stark, mechanical and industrial feel. The mechanical lettering adds to the feeling. It’s the story, which is the sort of thing that would please the Tim Burton who made “Nightmare Before Christmas,” that elevates the look with its tale of nihilism and the dangers and pleasures of belief and pleasure. Nil is fascinating, dense and strangely fun. Grade: A-

Street Angel, Vol. 1: Princess of Poverty

Creators: Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca

Slave Labor Graphics, 208 pages, black and white, $14.95

So? Street Angel is hard to describe, but the most important thing to know is it’s one of those stories that could only be done in comicbook form. The story’s about Jesse Sanchez, a 12-year-old homeless, skateboarding, ninja-fighting girl. And it gets weirder from there, as Street Angel gets called in by the police commissioner for help and speaks to him only through a megaphone, and she infiltrates the evil Dr. Pangea’s headquarters by finding Ninja Roger’s lost key card. And that’s just the first of five issues in this collection of the miniseries. Rugg and Maruca create a comic with a style that perfectly suits the stories they’re telling and the result is a truly unique and amazing reading experience. Grade: A

Princess Ai, Vol. 2: Lumination

Creators: Misaho Kujiradou, Courtney Love, D.J. Milky

TOKYOPOP, 185 pages, black and white, $9.99

So? The story of the lost princess from the land of Ai who wanders through Tokyo continues at much the same pace as the first book. This time, Princess Ai’s talents as a singer lead her to a small degree of celebrity that is ultimately a prison. This is innocent fun, full of teenage angst, romance and gossamer popstar fantasies. Grade: B+

Zombie Tales

Creators: Andrew Crosby & Keith Giffen; Mike Nelson & Joe Abraham; John Rogers & Andy Kuhn; Johanna Stokes & J.K. Woodward; Mark Waid & Carlos Magno; Keith Giffen & Ron Lim

Boom! Studios, 48 pages, color, $6.99

So? If pirates are the new monkeys, then zombies are the new pirates. This collection of a half-dozen short zombie stories runs the full gamut of styles, though mostly plays the genre for fun. Standouts include screenwriter John Rogers and Andy Kuhn’s “Daddy Smells Different” and Keith Giffen and Ron Lim’s “Dead Meat.” Production values are nice, and the talent and topic combine to make this a decently entertaining diversion. Grade: B

Smoke and Guns

Creators: Kirsten Baldock, writer; Fabio Moon, artist
AiT-Planet-Lar, 104 pages, black and white, $12.95

So? With cigarettes, guns and girls, the only thing this hilarious romp is missing is the rock and roll. Baldock tells a story of Scarlett, a cigarette girls so tough she starts and finishes ganglike territory disputes the only way she knows how; with guns and explosions. Sly and sexy (thanks to terrific inky art from Brazil’s Fabio Moon), this is a quick read that elicits howls of over-the-top laughter. While not the deepest and most satisfying read ever, it’s cool enough that you’ll still want a smoke afterward even if it kills you. Grade: A

"Four": $56M

"Fantastic Four" had an unexpectedly strong showing at the domestic b.o. this weekend, pulling in $56 million and exceeding most expectations by a wide margin. That's the third biggest opening of the year behind "Star Wars" and "War of the Worlds," and — if the numbers hold up when final figures are announced today — will break the string of underperforming weekends for the film biz. That puts the pic, with its reported budget of just more than $100 million, on the profit track and talk has already turned to sequels. By comparison, the first "X-Men" movie grossed $54 million its first weekend nearly exactly five years ago. "FF" also is also ahead of the $45 million opening for "Daredevil" and not far behind the $62 million first frame for "Hulk."

Writer, editor and publisher Byron Preiss died July 9 in an automobile accident in Long Island, N.Y. He was 52. As prexy of Byron Preiss Visual Publications and Ibooks, Preiss was recognized as a pioneer in graphic novel and digital publishing. The New York Times obituary is here. Details on a memorial service set for tomorrow in New York can be found here.

Will "Four" Play?

"Fantastic Four" opens today at 3,602 engagements, and it's going to be a hold-your-breath kind of weekend for Marvel. The pic's premiere Wednesday night at Liberty Island was plagued by problems as rain delayed arrivals from Manhattan and pushed the start time of the screening back from 9 p.m. to 10:20. The projector went on the fritz 10 minutes into the pic and guests finally made it back to show at 11 and were offered the chance to catch a late-night screening at Battery Park. Reviews have been mixed but mostly negative, with a number of top critics trashing the film. Joe Leydon's review for Variety starts off:

Unpretentiousness counts for a lot in "Fantastic Four," a wildly uneven, sporadically slapdash action-adventure that amuses in fits and starts. Aimed at a younger crowd than most recent comicbook adaptations, pic lacks the type of serious subtext that lent real or imagined gravitas to the likes of "X-Men," "Batman Begins" and "Hulk." Parents should appreciate the kid-friendly superhero extravaganza, even as devoted readers of the revered Marvel Comic title howl in protest at the liberties taken. Fox release probably won't be a flameout in theatrical release, but won't clobber too many B.O. rivals, either.

Still, the weekend could turn out well for "FF." "War of the Worlds" has been out for nearly two weeks and horror pic "Dark Water" will appeal to a completely different audience. This also is the pic's one big chance to pull in a big haul before "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" hits screens next week.

HORROR TEAMUP: Lions Gate Films has signed a deal with comics scribe Steve Niles and actor Thomas Jane, who starred in "The Punisher," for feature rights to several of Niles' comics projects. First three pics will be "The Lurkers," "In the Blood" and "The Dark Country." Jane will star in all three pics and produce with Niles. The duo had previously teamed up for comicbook project "Bad Planet," and will continue to develop comics projects as well.

SPIDEY PRIZE: Sony Pictures is looking for the best-dressed Spider-Man comicbook villains at Comic-Con. The studio will be holding a costume contest called "Dressed to Kill," with the winner taking home an authentic Spidey costume boot used in the first movie. Entrants need to stop by the Sony booth at the show to get their picture taken. Photos of five candidates will go online once a week starting Sept. 12, with the top vote getters for five weeks advancing to the finals. The final winner will be chosen by the Spider-Man filmmakers and announced on Oct. 31 on the set of the next Spider-Man movie. 

KIRBY MUSEUM: The family of the late Jack Kirby has announced the formation of the Jack Kirby Research Center and Museum, which will celebrate the life and work of the co-creator of such comics greats as Captain America, Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The press release sent out this week on the subject is datelined Hoboken, N.J., but doesn't explictly say where the museum is going to be. Supporting the project is cartoonist Randolph Hoppe; John Morrow, editor of The Jack Kirby Collector magazine, and the Kirby family.  Expect more details on this project at the annual Jack Kirby tribure panel next Friday at Comic-Con.

GIRL POWER: Tokyopop will produce a manga story for CosmoGirl magazine called "The Adventures of CG" by Svetlana Chmakova. The story begins with the August issue of the mag, which reaches 6 million readers.

A CLASSIC RETURNS: Warner Bros. will release a DVD boxed set of the first season of the classic 1950s TV show, "The Adventures of Superman." The set will include all 26 first-season episodes starring George Reeves, as well as the theatrical pic "Superman and the Mole Man." Set is due to arrive Oct. 18.

'Four' Thoughts

"Fantastic Four" took a famously long and circuitous route to the bigscreen and gets there reasonably intact with decent but not spectacular results. The "FF" movie — screened for the L.A. media last night — is a lightweight but entertaining affair. It doesn't rise to the level of "Spider-Man 2" or "Batman Begins," but is still an enjoyable and often funny film that captures a lot of the joy of the comicbook and its relatively upbeat characters even though it doesn't fulfull its complete potential.

From a comics fan point of view, expectations will play a huge role in how the movie is received. Those expecting the film to be a transcendent and definitive experience will be disappointed; those who can accept the movie as a fun and light-hearted romp will be pleasantly surprised. The film's lighter tone and PG-rating should set the pic apart from such serious and dark comicbook and fantasy fare as "Sin City," "Star Wars: Episode III," "Batman Begins" and "War of the Worlds."  That could give the film an edge at the box office this weekend, it's one chance to score big before "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" hits July 15.

This is at heart a character pic and as in most FF comics the fun really comes from the ways in which this family of characters interact. One of the major differences between the FF and other Marvel heroes was the way the FF embraced their roles and lived openly and publicly rather than hiding their identities either for practical purposes (like Spider-Man) or safety (like the X-Men). Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm are, as in the comics, the most interesting characters and Chris Evans' wisecracking, x-treme sports-loving version of Johnny is really fun. The look of the Thing has been under heavy scrutiny because of the costume that actor Michael Chiklis wear