Michael Siegel, the son of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and his first wife Bella, has ended his media silence and spoken to "Men of Tomorrow" author Gerard Jones about his relationship with his father for the first time. Jones told Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mike Sangiacomo that Siegel makes a compelling case against a long-standing story that that Siegel and his collaborator Joe Shuster based Lois Lane on the woman who became Siegel's second wife as they didn't meet until after World War II. Jones used some of the material Siegel provided to update the paperback edition "Men of Tomorrow," the Eisner-nominated history of the early days of the comicbook business.

DIDIO UPPED: DC Comics has promoted Dan Didio to senior VP-executive editor. Didio oversees the DC Universe line and has overseen Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis and the All-Star line of comics. He will continue to report to prexy-publisher Paul Levitz.

ON THE WALLS: Marvel Comics editor in chief Joe Quesada has contributed some of the company's top characters to the caricature-adorned walls at New York's famous The Palm restaurant. The mural will be unveiled tomorrow afternoon, Nov. 1, at the restaurant, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

ADDENDUM: One addition to Friday's post about novelists writing comics for Marvel: David Morrell, author of the novel that became the first Rambo movie, is slated to write a Captain America project for the publisher.

Peng

Creator: Corey Lewis

Oni Press, 72 pages, black and white, $5.95

So? Like Rey's "Sharknife," "Peng is all about the energy. Describing this well is nearly impossible. The story is nominally about the advanced kickball championships, in a world where this is so supreme a sporting event that spectators have to take a pill that slows their perception of time enough for them to follow the game. This sport is infinitely cool (the title comes from the sound those red rubber school balls make when kicked), with teams so far ahead of the curve as to be straight. This is ripped straight from the videogame/music/anime/manga subculture and this reads almost like a videogame on paper and gives many of the same kicks. There's little in the way of story or character -- aside from how damn cool everyone is -- and that leaves "Sharknife" as the more satisfying read. But there is definite charm in reading a single original comic that at 72 pages feels like a mini graphic novel and has so bizarre and fun a vibe as to be irresistible. Grade: B+

Giant Monster #1

Creators: Steve Niles, writer; Nat Jones, artist

Boom! Studios, 48 pages, color, $6.99

So? A pilot flying a solo space shuttle re-entry finds his ship breached by an alien lifeform that turns him into a monster. When the shuttle crashes into the ocean, the pilot begins to walk across the ocean and begins to grow into a giant monster. And it works pretty well, in the mold of "Godzilla," "Mothra" or "Gamera." Given the number of comics Niles writes, you have to wonder if he ever sleeps long enough for nightmares such as this to flash before his eyes. Jones' art is well-suited to the material, though there is a slightly rough look to it that seems to come from his pencils being darkened into a printable version via a computer instead of being inked in the traditional way. The color and production values are slick, making the rough edges on the art stand out a bit. On top of that, it's a bit pricey and that makes the book feel a bit light on story and thrills for so high a price. Fans of monster pics and Niles' writing will definitely be pleased — the rest of us may find it lacking in value. Grade: B-

Spawn #150

Creators: David Hine, Brian Holguin and Todd McFarlane, writers; Angel Medina, Philip Tan, Danny Miki, Victor Olazaba, Allen Martinez, Edgar Tadeo, artists

Image Comics, 48 pages, color, $4.95

So? There's something kind of comforting about Spawn. It's something of an old-fashioned comicbook, the type of thing where you can come back and read an issue after a long absence and still get what's going on and there being just enough changes to make you wonder what you've missed. This is intended as a jumping on and revival point for Spawn, which hits a milestone of 150 issues that almost no contemporaries can match. The story really is in media res, with all the gross but cool imagery that's always made Spawn cool. The art is unapologetic comicbook art: it's only intended to work as a comicbook and has some fine ink work and some striking images to go with the occasionally convoluted storytelling that's an equally essential ingredient in the old Image formula. The book is nicely inked and has a slick sheen. The overall effect is one of something that could be a lot of fun to dig into, even while at the same time not really evoking the passion needed to do just that. Grade: B-

First it was screenwriters, now it's novelists invading comics.

Marvel has announced that Stephen King will produce an original comic book series based on the author's "Dark Tower" novels, with the first issue to be published in April and a hardcover collection of the first six issues planned for holidays 2006. The book will supplement and expand on the seven Dark Tower novels, with artist Jae Lee providing the visuals.

King has written more than 40 novels and is one of the most popular writers of all-time. This is the first time King has contributed original stories for an ongoing comic book project. Those with long memories will recall King contributed a few pages of script to the X-Men: Heroes for Hope famine benefit comicbook in the mid 1980s.

The King annoucement comes on the heels of Marvel announcing New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey will write a six-issue miniseries starring Storm of the X-Men, with the first issue set to appear in February and art by David Yardin. The series will tell the epic romance story between Storm and the Black Panther, set in Africa. Dickey's novels include Liar's Game, Between Lovers, Thieves' Paradise, The Other Woman, Naughty or Nice, Drive Me Crazy, and Genevieve and "Storm" is his first venture into comics.

King and Dickey are the two most visible signs of the novelists in comics trend, which also includes Brad Meltzer, writer of last year's hit DC book Identity Crisis, and Walter Mosley, who's contributing to Marvel's upcoming Maximum Fantastic Four art book.

Wraithborn #1-2

Creators: Marcia Chen, writer; Joe Benitez, artist

Wildstorm, 32 pages, color, $2.99

So? Joe Benitez ("Weapon Zero," "Darkness," "Magdalena: Blood Lines") and Marcia Chen ("Magdalena: Bloodlines," "Ascension") have done it again. Their new title, "Wraithborn," seamlessly blends the supernatural with the modern to create a dark, dangerous realm that coexists with our world. With the ancient power of the Wraithborn, Melanie — a kick-ass female lead — chases down the demons, ghosts and ghouls that plot to regain control of the human world. Of course, normal mortals are none the wiser of this dark war, even though the apocalypse looms around the corner should she fail. Issue #1 jumps right into the action with Melanie as the Wraithborn coolly dispatching a horde of demons and the unsuspecting girl who summoned them. Although we meet a cold-blooded killer in these first few pages, the story quickly takes us to simpler times where Melanie is just an awkward teen trying to fit in and keep her family together. While visiting her mom’s grave, everything changes. Melanie unexpectedly inherits a Wraithborn relic from a dying warrior and stumbles her way into the study of the occult. Issue # 2 introduces us to the demon Brijit, who hopes to obtain the Wraithborn relic, and Kiara, the hired gun sent after Melanie to take it by force. The issue ends with an untested Melanie standing face-to-face with three demon-hounds following her trail.

Benitez brings back his signature style from "Weapon Zero" and "Magdalena" to keep longtime fans and new readers more than happy with the pencils. The demons have a slick techno-organic look (think H.R. Giger) but come outfitted in gothic armor and accouterments. The action is big and framed nicely in over-sized panels. Studio F does a great job making the scenes pop with their lighting and glow effects. Chen creates a complex, vulnerable character in Melanie with plenty of emotional baggage and skeletons in her bedroom closet to reveal some juicy back story in the next four issues on the mini-series. Plus, we get to see how a meek, misunderstood girl turns into a woman-warrior. Grade: A-

Spawn creator Todd McFarlane will be a guest of honor at the New York Comic-Con, Feb. 24-26 in New York City. McFarlane also will attend a preview night reception Feb. 24 at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art for a retrospective exhibit featuring artwork and items from the McFarlane Companies archives such as toy prototypes and animation cels. The exhibit opens to the public the next day and runs through May 1. McFarlane joins Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada as a guest of honor at the inaugural show, which is managed by Reed Exhibitions, a sister company to Variety parent Reed Business Information. Variety is a sponsor of the show.

Platinum Studios chief Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and producer Gale Anne Hurd have teamed up to produce a feature based on Top Cow comicbook "The Magdalena." Screenplay will be by Kevin Taft, who co-wrote the upcoming pic "Alone" with Josh Olson, who adapted "A History of Violence" from comic to screen. Pic is second venture for Rosenberg and Hurd, producer of such pics as "Terminator," "Hulk" and "Aeon Flux," after "Atlantis Rising." Marc Silvestri will exec produce and Matt Hawkins will co-produce for Top Cow.

'LAW' ONLINE: Forgot to mention that Batton Lash's Supernatural Law comicbook has hit the web. Lash will produce new color webcomics on Mondays and Thursdays. The webcomics will be separate from the print version of the comic, which will continue as before.

ON THE ROAD: Steven T. Seagle, writer of such comics as "It's a Bird," "Sandman Mystery Theater," "Uncanny X-Men" and the upcoming Vertigo series "American Virgin," is taking his play "N*gger Wetb*ack Ch*nk" on a yearlong national tour. Seagle and Liesel Reinhart wrote and directed the comedy, and Seagle is offering to sign comics for fans who check out the show. "Just find me afterwards, you can ask for me at our merchandise stand, show me your ticket stub for that night’s performance, and I’ll sign whatever you want to bring," he says. The play has November dates set in Kirkland, Wash.; Olympia, Wash.; Collegeville, Minn.;  Elgin, Ill.; and Glen Ellyn, Ill. The show's site has more details and will post more dates as they are set.

Today's Daily Variety had an interesting tip in a story about The Weinstein Co.'s TV plans, which include a skein based on "Sin City." The Weinstein Co. is the new home of Harvey and Bob Weinstein of Miramax and Dimension fame. The TV skein would pick up after the events of the "Sin City" sequel, which is still slated to come out next year.

STAKED OUT: Marvel ran a double-page ad today's Daily Variety, celebrating $321 million in worldwide b.o. for "Fantastic Four" and staking out July 4, 2007, as the release date for the sequel.

HELLISH HOMECOMING: Todd McFarlane is contributing a cover to Spawn #150, which is the big jumping-on anniversary issue for the long-running series. You can see McFarlane work on the art for the cover here.

BACK STORY: Entertainment Weekly digs into the story behind the comicbook classic Watchmen in its latest issue. It seems as though the book is getting at least as much press now as it did when it first came out 20 years ago. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times on Sunday looked at the long-standing tension between the comics world and the art world, and how that relationship may be changing in advance of two comics exhibitions coming to L.A.-area museums next month.

AWARDS SPLIT: The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art announced it will no longer administer the Harvey Awards, which came to the museum in 2003.

TV EVENT: "Painkiller Jane," a pilot movie based on the Event Comics title, will air on the Sci Fi Channel on Dec. 10 at 9 p.m. Event was the company founded by current Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada and prominent writer and inker Jimmy Palmiotti in the 1990s.

Loveless #1

Creators: Brian Azzarello, writer; Marcello Frusin, writer

DC/Vertigo, 40 pages, color, $2.99

So? Vertigo goes out West, with this new ongoing series that hits stores this week. Azzarello tells the tale of Wes Cutter, a Civil War vet who fought for the South and returns after serving a sting in prison to find his friends turned on him and his land stolen. He's got a few surprises up his sleeve when it comes to getting back what he wants, with the final few pages of the issue serving up a cool surprise ending that shows this could turn to be more of a love story in the vein of Garth Ennis' and Steve Dillon's excellent Preacher series. Many will see the influence of "Deadwood" in this comic, with the coarse language, violence and sex, even though tough-as-nails Westerns are nothing new for comics or DC. Comparisons to Azzarello's other Vertigo book, 100 Bullets, also are inevitable. But Loveless feels different and Frusin, despite some similarites to Bullets artist Eduardo Risso, is no clone and he evokes the roughness of a country both wild and scarred by war. There are sequences where it's hard to tell characters apart (at least in the black-and-white preview edition) and the action may not be spectacular enough to appeal to superhero fans. But there is something cool happening here and it's going to be interesting to see if Azzarello can make Westerns as cool as he did crime comics. Grade: B+

Black Mane

Creator: Michael V. LaRiccia

One Time Press, 96 pages, black and white, $10

So? When cartoonists do stories about themselves, readers often are subjected to tales of tedium and boredom. Not so with LaRiccia's "Black Mane." Less a cohesive narrative than a string of incidents in which Boston art student LaRiccia deals with gender, race and violence in real life. At the core of most of them is the question of how and when to act in the face of ugliness. Is it OK to get involved in arguments that could turn violent? Is it OK to hurt someone who's actions are hurting someone else? The art has a cool urban cartooning vibe that's in places messy and energetic and restrained and well-crafted in others. Thankfully, LaRiccia's style is his own and the art can't be easily described as being superhero-like or manga-esque. LaRiccia won a grant from the Xeric Foundation to put out this book, which hits shelves in December and is a thoughtful and memorable read. Grade: A-

The King

Creator: Rich Koslowski

Top Shelf Productions, 262 pages, black and white with blue tones, $19.95

So? Elvis is back from the dead, entertaining boatloads of fans who flock to Las Vegas to see the King rock again, just for them. Or is he? This is essentially an old-fashioned mystery with a one-time tabloid reporter getting the chance at the story of his career — if only he can figure out what's actually going on. Koslowski does a great job of defining realistic characters through his writing and expressive artwork. He also keeps the reader and the characters guessing with a mystery that, when it finally unfolds, is intelligent and satisfying. There's a lot of colorful people and events in this book, and they really pop out through the excellent art, which is black and white with blue color tones from Adam Wallenta. This is a substantive and astonishing fun read, regardless of whether you like Elvis or believe he really died all those years ago. Grade: A

Armageddon & Son

Creators: John Layman, writer; Dave Dumeer, artist

Oni Press, 96 pages, black and white, $9.95

So? The spy genre seems to be in one of those ruts where it's so hard to take its conventions seriously that parody proliferates. Layman and Dumeer obviously have a lot of fun with this tale of a worldbeater whose minions steal his plan for world domination, forcing him to team up with his slacker son to stop them. There's some cool stuff and a few chuckles to be had here, but it's difficult to be too enthusiastic about it when the likes of Austin Powers have so thoroughlly skewered spy fiction (and flamed out itself). Dumeer's art is nice, though the cheap production values leave a bit to be desired. All in all, a decent diversion but nothing that demands to be read. Grade: C

Doomed #1

Creators: Chris Ryall and F. Paul Wilson, writers; Ashley Wood, Ted McKeever, Eduardo Barretto and Kristian Donaldson, artists.

IDW, 72 pages, black and white, $6.99

So? It's been a while since we've seen much of the black-and-white horror mags pioneered way back when by old Warren mags such as Creepy, Eerie and the original Vampirella. Wrapped under a pair of really cool covers (the one pictured is by Jeremy Geddes), Doomed features a quartet of comics stories, with Ryall adapting tales from renowned horror writers Richard Matheson, David J. Schow and Robert Bloch and Wilson adapting his own story. There's also an article on Schow to round things out. Horror in comics has always been more about the cool and clever twist than bone-chilling scares, and these stories are no different. Ryall and Barretto's "Blood Rape of the Lust Ghouls" is the most successfully creepy, though each story has at least one moment of cool and a varying degree of success. The art in this book is really terrific to look at, and the big, inky images printed on rough paper is a real reminder of the way comics used to feel and even smell so great. A fun first issue, Doomed faces some serious challenges, as recent attempts to do anthologies have been plagued by inconsistent storytelling and shipping, and in attracting enough big name talent consistently to draw in readers. This debut may not be earth-shattering, but it is funky, cool and creepy. Grade: A-

Super F*ckers

Creator: James Kochalka

Top Shelf Productions, 32 pages, color, $7

So? Kochalka remembers one of the facts of teenage life that's easy to forget once you're past it: Kids can be jerks. And he applies that to superheroes with good effect. Super F*ckers is funny, but the cruelty is in no way hidden or covered up by the humor or the everyday-life quality of Kochalka's writing and art. Beautifully drawn and produced, this is a funny, sad and awkward little book that's nonetheless a little underwhelming. Grade: B-

Johnny Ryan's Comic Book Holocaust

Creator: Johnny Ryan

Buenaventura Press, 28 pages, black and white, limited edition of 300 copies, $10

So? If you like Ryan's work on Angry Youth Comix, then you know to expect extremely gross and very funny comics from him. And in this book, he takes aim at the indie comics scene, collecting a bunch of single-page parodies with titles such as "American Splendouche," "P. Fagge's Taint" and "Ghost Turd." The coarse humor is not for the faint-hearted and even those us who can't help but laugh at this stuff might want to avoid reading it all in one sitting. The book comes with a very cool letterpressed and embossed cover. And given that the book's a limited edition, grab one if you see it (I got mine at the swanky new Secret Headquarters store on Sunset) or head over to Ryan's web site and order one asap if you want a copy. Grade: B+

"X-Men" is coming back to TV in a new animated series that will focus on Wolverine and be produced by First Serve Toonz in India. Marvel and First Serve are set to produce 26 episodes set to debut in 2007, with Marvel handling domestic distribution and First Serve taking on the international and DVD duties. Series is the third toon outing for "X-Men," after the 1990s Fox Kids version and "X-Men Evolution." Meanwhile, the website for next spring's "X-Men 3" has gone live with a short web teaser that offers very little except for the long-confirmed news that Phoenix will be part of the plot.

LITERARY GREATNESS: "Watchmen" has been named one of the 100 greatest English-language novels published since 1923 by Time magazine. The 1985-86 graphic novel, by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, is the only graphic novel to make the list. It's also the most popular book on the list according to reader's votes, beating out the likes of "The Lord of the Rings," "1984" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." The series marks its 20th anniversary this year with DC having published just this month an oversize hardcover "Absolute Edition" of the series that features new coloring supervised by original colorist John Higgins.

MOSLEY MAXED OUT: Bestselling author Walter Mosley will contribute an extensive introduction and afterward to Marvel's upcoming coffee-table art book "Maximum Fantastic Four." A longtime FF fan, Mosley — best known for his Easy Rawlins novels — proposed the book to Marvel, which has made this its first in-house book project. The book will reproduce Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby panel by panel, with commentary from comics and Kirby expert Mark Evanier. The panels will be digitally mastered and presented in high resolution that Marvel says will let fans read the story in a whole new light. The 224-page book isset to hit stores Nov. 2 and sell for $49.99.

NO SALES SURPRISES: Sales estimates for September are out, with All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #2 topping the charts for DC with about 178,000 copies sold to the direct market. Marvel and DC predictably split the top ten with five spots each, with House of M and Infinite Crisis books doing well. Ghost Rider #1 had a strong debut at No. 8 with 92,500 copies, which bodes well for next summer's film version. This month, Dynamic's Red Sonja #2 broke up the Marvel-DC monotony on the chart by placing at No. 37 with about 55,000 copies. In all, there were seven non-Marvel/DC books in the top 100. Market share was again typical with Marvel having a slight edge in unit share (44% to 37%) and dollar share (39% to 36%).

STOCK UP: Top Shelf is having a giant fall sale, with many of their graphic novels prices as low as $1. Minimum total sale is $30 and the sale runs through Oct. 25.