New York Comic-Con goes deeper for third outing

The New York Comic-Con is about to kick off its third edition, and while I won't be there this year, the events and programming planned for this year's con move it one step closer to being the No. 2 show in the land after Comic-Con Intl.: San Diego. (Disclaimer: The NYCC is run by Reed Exhibitions, a sister company of Variety parent Reed Business Information.)

The programming this year has a much stronger Hollywood flavor than the previous two years — a function both of the show now having enough of a track record in pulling in attendees for studios to promote their wares to and moving from February to spring dates that are ideally positioned in advance of the summer movie season. (The double good news is that those who are attending won't have to face the freezing river wind walking over to the Jacob Javitz Center.)

Among the goodies: Fox will have a panel on the just-named "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" movie; Disney has panels on Pixar's "Wall*E" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"; Universal will be playing up "Wanted," "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" and, in collaboration with Marvel, "The Incredible Hulk"; WB has "The Dark Knight" and "Speed Racer"; Lucasfilm will talk about "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "Star Wars: Clone Wars"; Lionsgate is bringing in Frank Miller and Eva Mendes for a panel on "Will Eisner's The Spirit"; and a pair of New Line panels spotlight "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D." On the TV side of things, Sci Fi will again have a big presence promoting "Battlestar Galactica" and "Doctor Who"; Nick and ABC also will be on hand.

If you're a fan of older comics, this is a great convention for meeting some of the the folks who started this crazy business. Joe Simon, co-creator with Jack Kirby of Captain America and recently profiled in The New York Times, will be on hand, as will Golden Age artists Irwin Hasen and Leonard Starr. It will be almost impossible to miss Stan Lee, who will be accepting a "Legend" award, appearing at a VIP reception sponsored by Virgin Comics and Pow! Entertainment tonight at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square, and promoting his collaboration with Hiroyuki Takei on the manga "Ultimo" for Viz. There also will be a screening Saturday of the documentary "Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist," followed by an Eisner tribute panel. Mark Evanier will host a  panel about the late-great Jack Kirby, tied in to his recent biography of the master artist.

The show also is marking the announcement of business deals, with TOKYOPOP having three right out of the gate: A multiplatform development deal with Spacedog Entertainment, whose manga "eV" has already come out from TOKYOPOP; a deal with game-maker Blizzard Entertainment to produce three years of manga based on such popular titles as Warcraft and Starcraft; and the company's deal with mobile partner GoComics has been made exclusive.

Meanwhile, Devil's Due is bringing in "Heroes" actor Milo Ventimiglia and producer Russ Cundiff to sign autographs and announce a new comicbook project. Autograph signing schedules also are full; the best resource for those lists is, as always, Heidi McDonald at The Beat.

NYCC adds Stan Lee honor, more guests to show

The third New York Comic-Con is rolling out its list of special guests in the rampup to the third annual show April 18-20.

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee will be honored with the first ever New York Comics Legend Award at a special VIP party April 17 at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public starting Friday at the NYCC's website.

Newly announced guests of honor include current Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone; sci-fi author and Ultimate Iron Man writer Orson Scott Card; and writer and animator Mo Willems, who will headline Kids Day activities on Sunday. Looks like comics artist turned filmmaker Frank Miller and writer Neil Gaiman also will be on hand.

Also appearing will be Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer, creators of the Adult Swim series "The Venture Bros."

"Ten-Cent Plague's" Hadju at L.A. Library tonight

We're trying to catch up on posting about WWLA and the comics-sphere while working on a major freelance project, but this can't wait.

Tonight at 7 o'clock at the central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, author David Hajdu will discuss his book "The Ten-Cent Plague" The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America" with writer Ben Schwartz. The book (reviewed by Hajdu's former outlet, EW, here) talks about the comics censorship movement of the late 1940s and early 1950s, epitomized by Fredric Wertham's book "Seduction of the Innocent," the Senate testimony of E.C. Comics chief Bill Gaines and the formation of the Comics Code Authority. The lecture is free, but reservations are recommended. Visit this page for more information.

More 'Y' party footage on MySpace

Another clip from "Y: The Last Party" is ready, courtesy of MySpace Comic Books.

Y The Last Party - Q&A with Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra

Add to My Profile | More Videos

The Season of Shows

With WonderCon having inaugurated the convention season with a by-all-accounts successful show, a number of big events will heat things up in the coming weeks.

First up is MegaCon in Orlando, Fla., set for March 7-9. This looks like a great show, with a deep pool of comics and Hollywood talent set to show. The programming looks equally good, including such diverse ideas as a belly dancing  seminar and the con's fourth annual indie film festival.

Wizard World Los Angeles returns to the South Hall at the L.A. Convention Center March 14-16. Wizard looks like it's bulking up its film programming for this year's shows, with a Lucasfilm presentation on "Star Wars: Clone Wars" and "Indiana Jones" sure to draw a packed house. Some big names will be on hand for a two-part "ultimate screenwriters panel," headed up current "Amazing Spider-Man" comics scripters Bob Gale (writer of “Back to the Future”) and Marc Guggenheim (“Law and Order,” “CSI: Miami,” “Eli Stone”) and featuring Zak Penn ("X-Men: The Last Stand," “The Incredible Hulk”), Mark Verheiden (“Teen Titans”) and John Cox (“Sgt. Rock”). There also will be a "Heroes" panel with Jeph Loeb and an "Incredible Hulk" TV retrospective with Lou Ferrigno, in addition to the usual comics panels from Marvel, DC and Top Cow.

Back on the East Coast, New York Comic-Con has chosen YouTube videomaker Michael Agrusso, creator of the Marvel vs. DC parodies of the Mac vs. PC TV ads, to create three promo videos for its third annual show on April 18-20. The first, featuring a plastic Doctor Doom trying to talk his way into a discount ticket, can be watched below or at this page here.

Lastly, there's the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, set for April 26-27 at UCLA, which will feature a new graphic novel area called "The Comix Strip." The Times is holding a design contest for a logo for the strip. Head over to this site and you can check out the 10 finalists and vote for your favorite. The winner will be announced at Wizard World L.A.

Oscars light on comics content

The sole comics-based pic nominated for an Oscar, “Persepolis,” was to no one's surprise passed over in the animated feature category for the heavy favorite, “Ratatouille.” Hard to be too upset by this, as both are excellent if completely different films.

The best comicbook mention of the night goes to supporting actress winner Tilda Swinton, who brought up the nippled Batsuit worn by her “Michael Clayton” co-star George Clooney in the camp-tastic “Batman & Robin.”

First look: 'Y' party footage at MySpace Comic Books

If you missed the "Y: The Last Party" benefit event for the CBLDF at Meltdown a couple weeks back, you can check out a short video clip produced by co-sponsor MySpace Comic Books.

Seen in the clip are 'Y: The Last Man" creators Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, DC writer Geoff Johns, Boom! Studios editor in chief Mark Waid, and parts of the keynote address by Joss Whedon. If you for some reason can't see the video below, you can check it out at MySpace here.

Y: THE LAST PARTY -- Joss Whedon Speech

The event was a big hit, raising more than $11,000 for the CBLDF and was a joint production of MySpace Comic Books and Meltdown, and was sponsored by DC/Vertigo, Dark Horse, Image Comics, Top Cow and Monster Energy.

'Y: The Last Party' report

Fans and pros alike showed their admiration for Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s just-concluded Vertigo series “Y: The Last Man” at a fundraiser benefit Friday evening for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. The event raised more than $11,000 for the fund, which defends the First Amendment rights of the comicbook industry.

That the end of “Y,” which concluded its acclaimed five-year run with issue #60 last week amid a flurry of press and positive reviews, could prompt such an event at all was in itself the topic of much discussion. “This is a weird thing, because we’re not really used to doing these sort of events,” said series editor Will Dennis. “Suddenly comics are like the hot chick in the room and we don’t know what to do with ourselves.”

On hand to celebrate was Vaughan, who also works as the story editor on the TV’s “Lost,” along with his wife, playwright Ruth McKee; penciler Guerra, who flew down for the event from Vancouver; colorist Lee Loughridge; “Lost” exec producer Damon Lindelof; Boom! Studios' Ross Richie, Mark Waid and Chip Mosher; Grant Morrison; Geoff Johns; Top Cow’s Matt Hawkins; Percy Carey (aka MF Grimm), writer of the graphic novel “Sentences”; Eric Lieb of Fox Atomic Comics. The event was a joint production of MySpace Comic Books and Meltdown, and was sponsored by Vertigo, Dark Horse, Image Comics, Top Cow and Monster Energy.

Joss Whedon, creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly,” praised the series in a humorous keynote talk. “These two people are telling a story that is, as I later found out, concise; it’s compact; it’s one thing; it’s not endless; it’s not, ‘Well, maybe if he just forgets about Mary Jane we can keep telling this.’ It’s more like a novel than it is like a franchise, for which I’m eternally grateful.”

Overseeing the event was MySpace’s Sam Humphries and CBLDF’s Charles Brownstein. The VIP reception featured a chance to look at artwork inspired by Y that will be auctioned off starting next week on eBay to benefit the CBLDF and — in honor of the comicbook’s simian co-star, Ampersand — a live monkey in a cowboy hat.

Humphries said ticket sales for the event raised $8,000, to be augmented by the art auction. He also says the CBLDF will be among the first to try out a new technology from MySpace Impact — the company’s charitable arm — that will allow it to raise money directly off its MySpace profile.

That total was augmented by the auction of a page of original art from issue 36, donated by Guerra, that quickly soared in price on bids from Mark Waid, DC VP of publicity David Hyde and finally sold to Hawkins for $2,000.

Vaughan and Guerra then took questions from the audience, with Vaughan giving crowd-pleasingly funny and self-deprecating responses. “As you know, I’m a writer who likes to have bare boobies, severed heads and I like to use the word ‘douche’ over and over again. So it’s really sophisticated fare for mature readers,” Vaughan said.

When asked if their work on the series ever made them cry, Guerra said it was especially tough to illustrate the final issue. “The scene with Ampersand in the woods, I cried all night,” said Guerra, who is next drawing a “Doctor Who” comic for IDW. “I went through Kleenex like crazy!”

They also discussed the impact of 9/11 on the series. Guerra was set to start drawing the first issue on that day, while Vaughan, who lived in New York at the time, says it made the book funnier because humor was his natural reaction and defense against the tragedy.

A final auction was held for a truly unique item: a straightjacket emblazoned with the Y logo. Vaughan says they were custom made for the people who worked on the book, with only one extra for the auction. The item was sold to Fox Atomic’s Lieb for $1,200.

“I hate the fact that we need a Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, but we do so that terrible books like 'Y: The Last Man' can be read,” Vaughan said. “So thanks to everyone who came out to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund — you’re definitely not douches.”

'Persepolis' carries comic pic torch at Oscars

This morning's Oscars noms were a bit of a downer when it came to comics-based pics. Only "Persepolis," nominated in the best animated feature category, made the list of final cuts.

So what are "Persepolis'" odds? It looks pretty grim with "Ratatouille" the runaway favorite, but as we saw last year when "Happy Feet" beat odds-on favorite "Cars," you never know. This could be the year that the old-fashioned, 2-D animation style used for 'Persepolis" charms the Academy into picking it over the massively successful and extremely well reviewed Pixar entry. But I wouldn't bet on it.

"300" seemed most likely to garner a few noms, having made the short lists in both makeup and visual effects. "Spidey 3" was a no-show, even in the sound editing and mixing categories that it always seems so well suited for. (We knew it had no shot at VFX, not making the short list and all.)

As for the rest, I'm surprised to see "Juno," do so well — I think Ellen Page for best actress and Diablo Cody for original screenplay were expected, but the film also got directing and best picture noms.

In all, this wasn't perhaps the best year for comics pics. While "300" was an all-around hit and "Persepolis" a critical darling, there was a definite backlash against "Spider-Man 3" and even though audiences may have enjoyed "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," "Ghost Rider" or "30 Days of Night," none of them is really Oscar material.

In the end, comics fans may want to get behind "Juno" and its trio of Marvel movie alumni. Just think of it as movie in which Kitty Pryde, whose father turns out to be J. Jonah Jameson, gives up her baby to Elektra, and all of a sudden you're talking mega Marvel crossover material.

CBLDF's 'Y' finale fete an instant sell-out

On Feb. 8, MySpace Comic Books and Hollywood comics shop Meltdown will celebrate the finale of the acclaimed Vertigo series "Y: The Last Man" with a special event called "Y: The Last Party," featuring series writer Brian K. Vaughan, artist Pia Guerra and special guest Joss Whedon. Proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and is sponsored by Vertigo, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics and Top Cow.

Just hours after announcing the program, the 70 VIP tickets, priced at $100 each, sold out. The VIP tickets include access to a pre-event reception and a limited print of Guerra's artwork signed by both Guerra and Vaughan.

For fans who missed out, 70 "standing room only" tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the event for $25 each and includes access to a keynote speech by "Buffy" creator Whedon and a Q&A panel with Vaughan and Guerra. The org also plans to make video clips of the event available on its MySpace page after the event.

Charles Brownstein, exec director of the CBLDF, was overwhelmed by the response. "This event represents a groundswell of support for the work the Fund does, and it makes a big difference," he wrote by email Thursday afternoon. "We are humbled to see how quickly fans responded to the VIP tickets, and by the level of industry teamwork that went into making this happen. MySpace Comic Books & Meltdown are going the extra distance to make this a very special night for comics.  We also owe a debt of gratitude to event sponsors Vertigo, Dark Horse, Image, and Top Cow.  I think it's especially cool to see that even though this is a Vertigo book, other publishers are coming forward to support this party as a way to honor Brian & Pia's accomplishment and support the CBLDF.  It makes this party much more of a cultural event that embodies the sense of community that the Fund tries to foster, and that MySpace Comic Books works to manifest."

Brownstein says supporters of the org can expect to see more events like this in the future. "It's very important to us that the CBLDF contributes to the cultural life of comics, and hosting events like this are a great way to do that. In 2008, we hope to be able to team up with a wide variety of creators and companies to create unique events that reach our supporters all over the country. There are already a number of exciting things in the pipeline for the Spring, so stay tuned!"

The main project the party will help fund for the CBLDF, which defends the First Amendment rights of the comics industry, remains the case of Georgia comic shop owner Gordon Lee. "The case has been ongoing for three years, and has yet to be completed, because prosecutors have committed several errors that keeps setting it back. Most recently, they caused a mistrial by injecting inadmissible statements into their opening arguments. A day in court for our legal team costs several thousand dollars. This event, and the tremendous support of the comics community that it represents, ensures that we are able to keep up the fight.  A full summary of the case to date can be found here."

Brownstein says an event like "Y: The Last Party," which celebrates the completion of a popular series, demonstrates the importance of the fund's mission. "The world would be a poorer place if we couldn't read "The Salon," which we're defending a part of in Georgia, or "Y: The Last Man," because the law prohibited the sale of that sort of material.  When you consider that books and art we now revere as classics were banned as immoral or obscene less than 100 years ago, and look at the fights the Fund has waged over our 20 year existence, it's not so hard to imagine that the comics we love may not exist if it weren't for the people and organizations defending the First Amendment.  Celebrating great works in comics is affirmation of the need to keep watch on our Freedom of Speech and to vigorously fight for it."

The full press release on the sell out is in the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Y: THE LAST PARTY VIP TICKETS ARE AN INSTANT SELL-OUT!

EVENT TO FEATURE Y: THE LAST MAN CO-CREATORS
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN AND PIA GUERRA
AND SPECIAL GUEST JOSS WHEDON
(THE CREATOR OF BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER)

LOS ANGELES - January 17, 2008 –  Mere hours after announcing MySpace Comic Books and Meltdown Comics’ Y: The Last Party, a celebration of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's newly completed comic book epic Y: The Last Man, all VIP Tickets for the event have sold out.  Standing room door tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis on February 8 at Meltdown in Los Angeles, where Joss Whedon will appear in person to toast Y: The Last Man co-creators Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. All proceeds from this once-in-a-lifetime event will benefit the First Amendment work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF).

“We're thrilled by the enormous response to this party, and committed to making sure that fans aren’t left out in the cold” says CBDLF Executive Director Charles Brownstein.  “We will still have standing room door tickets available for the main event on the day of the party, and will also be piping in live audio from the event into the main Meltdown store for those who come but aren't able to get a door ticket.  After the Q&A, Brian & Pia will be on hand at the store to mingle with the fans who make the trip as well.  We’re committed to making this a special night for the comics community, and are going to do everything we can to make sure that everyone gets a chance to participate.”

For those who are unable to make it to Los Angeles for the party, The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s MySpace Profile (www.myspace.com/cbldf) will also offer video excerpts from the party for fans world wide subsequent to the event.

"The response to this party has been overwhelming," Brownstein adds.  "We're enormously grateful to all of the Y: The Last Man fans who are supporting the CBLDF at the party.  This is going to be a very special night for comics."

Y THE LAST MAN, will conclude on January 30, 2008 with issue sixty. The series and its co-creators, writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Pia Guerra, have received widespread acclaim, in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Salon and Entertainment Weekly and on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." To celebrate the end of the series, MySpace Comic Books (http://www.myspace.com/comicbooks), the comics community of the world's most popular social network, and Meltdown Comics, the renowned Los Angeles-based comic book shop, have joined forces to host Y: THE LAST PARTY as a benefit for the First Amendment work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund..

Whedon, the famed creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, will kick off the festivities in Meltdown's Hollywood gallery space with a keynote speech in appreciation of the series. Following the speech will be a live Q&A with guests of honor Vaughan & Guerra. There will also be a VIP Reception prior to the event, with Whedon, Vaughan & Guerra, that will include the unveiling of a never-before-seen print by Pia Guerra. 

Y: THE LAST PARTY is made possible by the generous support of sponsors from across the comic book industry: Y: The Last Man publisher Vertigo Comics (http://www.myspace.com/vertigocomics); Dark Horse Comics (http://www.myspace.com/darkhorsecomics); Image Comics (http://www.myspace.com/imagecomics); and Top Cow Productions (http://www.myspace.com/topcow).

Capacity for this event is strictly limited to 140 people. VIP reserved seating tickets are sold out.  70 general admission "standing room only" tickets for the event will be $25, and are available on a first-come, first served basis on the day of the event.

More information and updates on Y: The Last Party can be found on the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's MySpace profile (http://www.myspace.com/cbldf).

MySpace Comic Books (http://myspace.com/comicbooks) is a community dedicated to the best in comics, manga, and graphic novels. Launched in March 2007, MySpace Comic Books provides the online community with the latest comic book news and interviews and spotlights the most exciting projects, creators and events in the industry. With more than 154,000 friends, and growing, MySpace continues to see significant interest from its members in the comic book arena.

About the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. They have defended dozens of Free Expression cases in courts across the United States, and led important education initiatives promoting comics literacy and free expression.  For additional information, donations, and other inquiries call 800-99-CBLDF or visit http://www.myspace.com/cbldf .

About Meltdown Comics
Meltdown Comics (http://www.myspace.com/meltdowncomics) is the largest comic book shop on the West Coast, located in the heart of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. Meltdown opened in 1993 and has since become one the most respected comic book stores in the world.  With a sophisticated approach to merchandise and operations – and a reputation for hosting successful events in their Melt Gallery – Meltdown is a must-see pop culture destination in Los Angeles.

About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web domain in terms of page views*, MySpace is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their lives, both online and off. MySpace's international network includes 21 localized community sites in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, Australia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Denmark, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Japan, Brazil and  New Zealand. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS - News, NWS.A )

'Under the Influence: A Tribute to Stan Lee' art show

Adjacent Melrose Avenue businesses Golden Apple Comics and Gallery 1988 have teamed up to present an art exhibition titled “Under the Influence: A Tribute to Stan Lee.” The exhibit features the work of 100 underground and emerging artists who were invited to interpret Lee’s famous comicbook creations. The exhibit will run from Jan. 8 to Feb. 1. Lee is set to attend an opening reception on Tuesday, Jan. 8, from 7 to 11 p.m. Also part of the exhibit is a “Be a Superhero” fundraiser to benefit The Hero Initiative, in which comics pros will draw attendees at the reception and donate the proceeds to the charity org.

(Speaking of The Hero Initiative, Top Cow prexy and COO Matt Hawkins has pledged to donate $500 of his own money to the org for every book the publisher ships late in 2008. For each month in which the publisher is on time, Hawkins will give $1,000 and the org is guaranteed a minimum donation of $12,000 for the year.)

'Terminator' cast at Golden Apple, LA Shrine show

Golden Apple will host tomorrow (Jan. 5) the stars of the new Fox series “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Three of the actors due to appear have other comicbook-genre roots, making this an extra-tempting fanboy freakout. Set to appear are Lena Headey, who played Queen Gorgo in “300”; Summer Glau, formerly of “Firefly”/”Serenity”; Thomas Dekker, who had a role on “Heroes”; and  Richard T. Jones of "Girlfriends" fame. The event will include a screening of the pilot episode, Q&As and giveaways.

The "Terminator" promotional tour also will continue with appearances by Glau and Dekker on Jan. 13 at the Los Angeles Sci-Fi and Comic Book Convention at the Shrine Expo Center. That show also will feature, from the upcoming film “In the Name of the King,” director Uwe Boll and actors Leelee Sobieski, Claire Forlani and Kristanna Loken. Comics guests include Brian Lynch, writer of IDW’s “Angel: After the Fall,” which continues Joss Whedon’s TV skein in comics form; and Drew Johnson, new artist on DC’s Supergirl series.

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" is set for a two-night premiere Jan. 13 and 14.

More Events: super*Market, 'Heroes,' CBLDF, Bug auctions

The super*Market minicon is back after a few years off, moving from UCLA to Meltdown Comics on Sunset Boulevard tomorrow, Dec. 15, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Slated to appear are Jordan Crane, Martin Cendreda, Johnny Ryan, Steven Weissman and Batton Lash and Jackie Estrada of “Supernatural Law” fame, among others. You can check out further details at these fine sites.

The Jules Verne Adventures Film Festival is going on this weekend, with a special appearances by the cast and creators of “Heroes” and a tribute to Stan Lee set for Saturday night at the Los Angeles Theater. Appearing from the show — currently on hiatus pending the settlement of the WGA strike — will be creator Tim Krink, co-exec producer Jeph Loeb and cast members Jack Coleman, Dana Davis, Dania Ramirez, Masi Oka, Greg Grunberg, Cristine Rose, Adrian Pasdar, Milo Ventimiglia, Sendhil Ramamurthy and special guest Malcolm McDowell. The event is set for 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased here.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is hosting a party for members (old, new and yet-to-join) on Wednesday, Dec. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Golden Apple Comics on Melrose. Comics pros in attendance will include Brian K. Vaughan, Percy “MF Grimm” Carey, Rob Schrab, Gerry Duggan, Marc Andreyko, Christos Gage and Larry Marder. Festivities will include a charity auction, food and drinks, and discounts and gift bags for org members.

On the topic of worthy causes, the Comic Bug shop in Manhattan Beach is auctioning on eBay 10 classic Silver Age Marvel comics signed by Stan Lee and certified by the CGC, with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the Hero Initiative. There’s still a few days left in the auction to get your mitts on such key books as Amazing Spider-Man #4 in 6.5 grade, an Iron Man #1 in 7.5 or an X-Men #1 in 3.0. The list of titles can be found here.

TONIGHT: Boom! Studios' Holiday Party

Boom! Studios is hosting an open Holiday Party tonight at 7 p.m. at Meltdown in Hollywood. Best part, for those who may swing by the shop at 7522 Sunset Blvd., is FREE BEER. Here's the flier:

Comics doc screens at Bug's reopening

The film "Independents: A Documentary Guide for the Creative Spirit" will screen Sunday at 5 p.m. at The Comic Bug shop in Manhattan Beach.

The film features interviews with  indie comics creators such as Batton Lash, Tony Millionaire, Craig Thompson, Linda Medley, Shannon Wheeler, Carla Speed McNeill, Eric Powell, Jim Woodring, Wendy Pini, Scott McCloud, Jessica Abel, Gary Groth, and Dan Vado, as well as Comic Bug manager and comics writer Mike Wellman. Lash, Pini and Wellman will be signing at the celebration, which begins at 4 p.m., one hour before the screening.

Screening is part of a weekend-long celebration at the Bug, which is reopening in a new location after its previous spot was damaged in a fire. For a full schedule of the shop's plans, check their site here. The new Comic Bug is located at 807 1/2 Manhattan Beach Blvd (three miles from the Rosecrans exit off the 405) in Manhattan Beach.

Mistrial in case of Ga. comics shop owner

The long-pending trial of Rome, Ga., comic shop owner Gordon Lee got under way Monday, but came to a quick end when the judge declared a mistrial after a prosecutor violated instructions by mentioning Lee's legal history during opening arguments.

Lee is charged with distributing materials harmful to minors after he gave away a copy of Alternative Comics #2 to a minor on Halloween 2004. The comic, a Free Comic Book Day sampler, included an excerpt from the graphic novel "The Salon" that featured a scene with a nude Pablo Picasso.

The District Attorney's office says it will refile the charges next year.

Lee is being defended by the  Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a charitable org that has so far spent more than $80,000 on the case since taking it in 2005.

Events: NYCC showrunner; Shrine show Nov. 4; PW panel in NYC

* New York Comic Con has appointed senior staff member Lance Fensterman to the position of show manager.  In his new position, Fensterman will work closely with Greg Topalian, who launched and has been running NYCC since its inception and has been promoted to senior VP.

The show also announced that legendary artist Neal Adams and "Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola will be guests of honor at the next convention, set for April 18-20 at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan.

* The Los Angeles Comic-Book and Science Fiction Convention returns to the Shrine Expo Center this Sunday. Set to appear are Colin and Greg Strause, directors of “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem”; cartoon voice actor Marvin Kaplan; comics artist and animator Eric Canete; Disney and Playboy cartoonist Dean Yeagle; and “Stargate SG-1” actor Corin Nemec.

* “Comics & Graphic Novels: Harnessing the Power of Visual Literature” will be the topic of the next Think Future discussion series presented by Publishers Weekly and sponsored by the New York Comic-Con, Random House and Getty Images. The panel is scheduled for Nov. 14 from 9-10:30 a.m. at Random House in New York City, with a breakfast preceding the event. Scheduled to appear are
 John Cunningham, VP of marketing, DC Comics; 
Dan Frank, editorial director, Pantheon Books;
 Rich Johnson, co-publishing director, Yen Press; and 
Bill Schanes, VP of purchasing, Diamond Comic Distributors. It will be moderated by PW Comics Week co-editors Calvin Reid and Heidi MacDonald. Tickets cost $45 and can be ordered here.

NRO covers L.A. library panel on comics' future

New Rage Order has video coverage (in six parts) of a panel titled "The Future of Graphic Literature," held Sept. 29 at the public library in downtown Los Angeles. It featured a Boom! Studios-heavy lineup, including Mark Waid, Ross Richie, Chip Mosher, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Kazu Kibuishi, Chip Mosher, Christos Gage and Tony Fleecs. The reportort says only about 20 people attended (which isn't all that bad considering that part of downtown on a Saturday is usually pretty sparsely populated anyway), but now can reach a wider audience thanks to the magic of the interweb. 

Ignatz Award winners announced

The winners of the indie-centric 2007 Ignatz Awards were announced Saturday at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Md. It was a good night for Canadian publisher Drawn & Quarterly, which took home four awards. Here's the full list:

• Outstanding Artist
      Jaime Hernandez, Love & Rockets (Fantagraphics Books)
• Outstanding Anthology or Collection
                              Curses by Kevin Huizenga (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Outstanding Graphic Novel
                              Don't Go Where I Can't Follow by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Outstanding Story
  "Felix" by Gabrielle Bell, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Vol. 4 (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Promising New Talent
      Tom Neely, The Blot (I Will Destroy You)
• Outstanding Series
                              Mourning Star by Kazimir Strzepek (Bodega Distribution)
• Outstanding Comic
                              Optic Nerve #11 by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Outstanding Mini-Comic
                          P.S. Comics #3 by Minty Lewis
• Outstanding Online Comic
                          Achewood by Chris Onstad
• Outstanding Debut Award
                              Papercutter #6 edited by Alec Longstreth (Tugboat Press)

Hero Initiative initiates book, auction fund-raisers

The Hero Initiative continues to come up with innovative and interesting fund-raising ideas to support its very worthy cause of providing financial assistance to comics creators in their old age.

Up first is "The 3-Minute Sketchbook," which features the sketches collected by fan Michael Finn from top artists, all done within the titular time frame. The book is due out Oct. 31. The org also is running a contest at Texas-based Lone Star Comics, which has the book on sale now, in which anyone who buys a copy of the book is entered into a raffle for lunch with artist Darick Robertson of "Transmetropolitan," "Wolverine" and "The Boys" fame, during the upcoming Wizard World Texas convention.

The org also will benefit from four special events with legendary Spider-Man artist John Romita Sr. being sold by AuctionCase on eBay starting Oct. 18. The events, all of which take place in New York City, are:

• Tuesday, Nov. 27: Win a tour of Marvel Comics with John Romita Sr., and lunch with the Marvel legend!
• Wednesday, Nov. 28: Lunch with John Romita Sr. and current Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada.
• Thursday, Nov. 29: Lunch with John Romita Sr. at the famed Tavern on the Green restaurant in Central Park.
• Friday, Nov. 30: Meet John Romita Sr. at the Jim Hanley's Universe comic store, where you'll be presented with a "Romita Library" of vintage comics and current hardcovers by John, followed by lunch.

Harvey Awards winners; Ignatz Awards noms

The Harvey Awards, named for Mad pioneer Harvey Kurtzman, were presented Sept. 8 at the Baltimore Comic-Con. DC came out and dominated the winners list, which follows in the jump, though the choice of Marvel's Civil War #1 as best single issue has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Meanwhile, the nominees for the Ignatz Awards were announced.  These awards are focused on the small press. Fans looking for a guide to such material could do far worse than to go shopping for the nominees. The winners will be announced at SPX Oct 12-13 in North Bethesda, Md. Full list of noms in the jump.

Harvey Awards 2007 winners

    Best Letterer: Stan Sakai
    Best Colorist: Lark Pien
    Best Syndicated Strip: Keith Knight, The K Chronicles
    Best Online Comic: Nicholas Gurewiich, Perry Bible Fellowship
    Best Inker: Danny Miki
    Best Foreign Reprint (tie): Abandon the Old in Tokyo (D&Q)
    Moomin (D&Q)
    Best New Series: The Spirit (DC)
    Best Graphic Album (Previously Published): Absolute New Frontier (DC)
    Special Award for Humor in Comics: Bryan Lee O’Malley
    Best New Talent: Brian Fies
    Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation: Art Out of Time. Dan Nadel
    Best Anthology: Flight Vol 3 (Ballantine Books)
    Best Domestic Reprint: Complete Peanuts (Fantagraphics)
    Best Cover Artist: James Jean
    Special Award for Excellence in Presentation: Lost Girls (Top Shelf)
    Best Original Graphic Album: Pride Of Baghdad (DC)
    Best Continuing or Limited Series: Daredevil (Marvel)
    Best Writer: Ed Brubaker
    Best Artist: Frank Quietly
    Best Cartoonist: Jaime Hernandez
    Best Single Issue: Civil War #1 (Marvel)
    HERO Initiative Award: Joe Kubert

Ignatz Award 2007 Nominees

                   

Outstanding Artist
Vanessa Davis, Papercutter #4 (Tugboat Press), Kramers Ergot #6  (Buenaventura Press)
John Hankiewicz, Asthma (Sparkplug Comic Books)
Jaime Hernandez, Love  & Rockets (Fantagraphics Books)
Rutu Modan, Exit  Wounds (Drawn & Quarterly)
Ted Stearn, Fuzz &  Pluck in Splitsville #4 (Fantagraphics Books)

                                             

Outstanding Anthology  or Collection
                        Curses by Kevin  Huizenga (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        Drawn & Quarterly  Showcase Vol. 4 by Gabrielle Bell, Martin Cendrera, and Dan Zettwoch (Drawn  & Quarterly)
                        King-Cat Classix by John Porcellino (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        Misery Loves Comedy by Ivan Brunetti (Fantagraphics Books)
                        Moomin Book One by  Tove Jansson (Drawn & Quarterly)

                   

Outstanding Graphic  Novel
                        Aya by Marguerite Abouet  and Clement Oubrerie (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        Bookhunter by  Jason Shiga (Sparkplug Comic Books)
                        Don't Go Where I Can't  Follow by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        Exit Wounds by  Rutu Modan (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        House by Josh  Simmons (Fantagraphics Books)

                   

Outstanding Story
                        Delphine #1-2 by  Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books/Coconico Press)
                        Don't Go Where I Can't  Follow by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        The End #1 by  Anders Nilsen (Fantagraphics Books/Coconico Press)
  "Martha Gregory" by John Hankiewicz, Asthma (Sparkplug Comic Books)
  "Untitled" by Gabrielle Bell, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Vol. 4 (Drawn & Quarterly)

                   

Promising New Talent
                      Gabrielle Bell, Lucky, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Vol. 4  (Drawn & Quarterly)
                      Scott Campbell, Flight Vol. 4 (Ballantine Books), Hickee vol.  3 #3 (Alternative Comics)
                      Lilli Carre, You Ain't  No Dancer Vol. 2 (New Reliable Press)
                      Brandon Graham, King  City (TokyoPop)
                      Tom Neely, The Blot (I Will Destroy You)

                   

Outstanding Series
                        Atlas by Dylan  Horrocks (Drawn & Quarterly)
                        Delphine by  Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books/Coconico Press)
                        Dungeon by Lewis  Trondheim, Joann Sfar, and various (NBM)
                        Love & Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)
                        Mourning Star by  Kazimir Strzepek (Bodega Distribution)

                   

Outstanding Comic
                        Doctor Id by Adam  McGovern and Paolo Leandri (Indie Ink Studios)
                        Fuzz & Pluck in  Splitsville #4 by Ted Stearn (Fantagraphics Books)
                        Love & Rockets vol. 2 #18 by Los Bros Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)
                        Monster Parade #1  by Ben Catmull (Fantagraphics Books)
                        Optic Nerve #11 by  Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)

                  

Outstanding Mini-Comic
                      Burning Building Comix by Jeff Zwirek
                      The Monkey and the Crab by Shawn Cheng and Sara Edward-Corbett
                      Noose by Mark Burrier
                      P.S. Comics #3 by Minty Lewis
                      Seven More Days of Not Getting Eaten by Matt Wiegle

                   

Outstanding Online Comic
                      Achewood by Chris Onstad
                      Grace by Kris Dresen
                      Persimmon Cup by Nick Bertozzi
                      Thingpart by Joe Sayers
                      Wondermark by David Malki

                   

Ignatz 2007 Jury Panel
  Sara Edward-Corbett
  Paul Hornschemeier
  Steve MacIsaac
  Jesse Reklaw
  Zack Soto

Vega's 'Gunplay' wins Comic Book Challenge

Jorge Vega was the winner of Platinum Studio's Comic Book Challenge, the comics industry's version of "American Idol." The artist nabbed a publishing deal and multimedia pact for his brainchild, "Gunplay," the story of a man forced to kill at least once a day to keep a curse away. The finish product will get a big unveiling at a Wizard World confab in 2008.

"This is a dream come true for me!," Vega said. "You only see these things happen to people on TV, and I still can’t believe that 'Gunplay' was selected. Platinum Studios and AT&T have created a tremendous contest that allows aspiring comic creators such as me the opportunity to enter this field, and I’m honored and humbled that hundreds of thousands of people globally in the comic community selected my concept from all of the amazing entries."

"Gunplay" was chosen by comic fans who voted online. Full details of the contest and info on the runners up are available at the AT&T Blue Room. -- Erin Maxwell

Events: Hero sketches; McCloud tour wraps

A couple of Los Angeles-area comics events are set for this weekend:

* Charity group The Hero Initiative will launch its newest fund-raising project, “The 3-Minute Sketchbook,” with an event Friday, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m. at Secret Headquarters in Silver Lake. The 112-page book features sketches from more than 100 artists, including Neal Adams, Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola, Tim Sale, Walter Simonson and Berni Wrightson. Three of the original pieces will be auctioned off at the event, with the rest heading for the Baltimore Comic-Con. Several artists will be on hand to do in-person sketches.

* Scott McCloud, creator of “Understanding Comics,” “Reinventing Comics” and “Making Comics,” will bring his family’s 50-state tour to an end at Golden Apple's Melrose store on Saturday, Sept. 1, at 4 p.m.

L.A. Con spotlights classic fan films

The Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention returns this Sunday to the Shrine Expo Center. Guests include writer Don Glut and artist Jesse Santos, who worked on the 1970s Gold Key comics The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor and Dagar the Invincible. Both also worked in animation and Glut wrote the novelization of “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980. The show features a Superhero Fan Film Festival starting at 11 a.m., including some by Glut made back in the 1960s that are likely some of the earliest fan films ever made.

Hollywood authors sign at Hi-De-Ho tomorrow.

From the PR:

From Ink to the Big Screen

Hi-De-Ho Comics in Santa Monica is celebrating an afternoon with its favorite Hollywood authors and creators! Come join us Saturday, July 14, from 12 noon– - 3:00 P.M. and meet:

Gina Misiroglu, author of the best-selling Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes (one of SCOOP's Top 10 picks for books about comics) and its follow-up title The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood

Michael Lent, author of Marvel’s new graphic novel Prey, and the highly acclaimed screenwriting tome Breakfast with Sharks, hailed as a no-nonsense guide to navigating the murky waters of the Hollywood screenwriting system

Lance Laspina, director of the special two-disc DVD Frazetta: Painting with Fire, an award-winning feature-length documentary on legendary fantasy and comic book artist Frank Frazetta, and cover artist for Prey.

Hi-De-Ho Comics is located at 525 Santa Monica Blvd. (at Fifth Street). For more information, call (310) 394-2820 or visit us on the web at www.hideho.net.

WWPA and Heroes Con: Two sides of the con coin

Two big East Coast shows were held over the past weekend: Wizard World Philadelphia and Heroes Con in Charlotte, N.C. Both shows seemed to be well-attended and people had a good time.

As you’d expect, WWPA was more superhero-centric, with Marvel and DC showing up in force to announce various upcoming projects and changes in their current lineup of comics. A lot of the Marvel and DC announcements were mirrored at Heroes Con, though WW seemed to be the bigger platform for this particular type of news.

The Marvel corner was spearheaded by editor in chief Joe Quesada and writer Brian Michael Bendis. Bendis announced he’s renewed his exclusive with Marvel and will be writing a series called Ultimate Origins. But most of the attention was on changes in the Spider-Man titles. First, Marvel announced that it would end Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Sensational Spider-Man and all other secondary, in-continuity titles. In their place, the flagship title, Amazing Spider-Man, will be published three times a month. Also, J. Michael Straczynski’s swan song Spidey story, “One More Day,” will be followed by “Brand New Day,” an image for which showed Spidey with a gun of some kind. Big changes are promised – with rumor focusing on some kind of major reboot that undoes Peter’s marriage to Mary Jane and de-ages the character to his teen years. Quesada has long said that he dislikes the marriage because it takes away the soap opera aspect that made Spider-Man so successful in the 1960s. He denied, however, that MJ was going to be killed off, as too many of Spidey’s supporting cast has met unfortunate ends.

DC’s charge was lead by sales VP Bob Wayne, who broke the news (with Dan Didio chiming in via cell phone from Charlotte) that the Flash was getting a relaunch. The current series, Flash: Fastest Man Alive, will end with issue #13 after getting a very poor reception both creatively and sales wise. Replacing it will be a special called All-Flash, after which the series will resume the numbering from the previous series and be written by fan-favorite Mark Waid. DC also will be adding two new Countdown-related books: Countdown to Adventure and Countdown to Mystery. The former will feature a lead series starring Adam Strange, Animal Man and Starfire continuing their partnership from 52 and a backup series starring Forerunner. The latter will feature Steve Gerber’s Doctor Fate series and a backup series starring Eclipso. A new team, Challengers of the Beyond, will appear in several series and is comprised of Donna Troy, Kyle Raynor and Jason Todd. They’ll appear in Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer.

“Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere was the honorary queen of this nerd prom, talking about the upcoming second season show and comparing her character to South Park’s Kenny for all the damage she suffers.

Fan and pro reaction on various blogs was positive, but not overwhelmingly so.

A bit further south, Heroes Con held its 26th annual show. By all accounts, this is a more diverse, comics-centric show. This show devotes a decent size chunk of its floor to Indie Island and there was more of a focus on cartoonists and webcomics. High-profile guests were actual comics creators, like Michael Golden, Paul Hornschemeier, Jerry Robinson, Peter David, Matt Fraction, Jeff Parker, Eric Powell and Jim Mahfood. Rosario Dawson provided a touch of movie glamour, talking about her comic (and soon-to-be feature film) "Occult Crimes Taskforce." There’s something charming about seeing a successful actress walk around the con like any other fan …

Not surprisingly, the show drew rave reviews from fans and pros, who all seemed to find the show enjoyable and relaxing.

These are both regional shows that are mostly going to draw in people from the surrounding areas, leaving the decisions about which show to attend a problem only for publishers, talent and exhibitors. It would be nice if these shows didn’t clash schedule-wise, though the intricacies of booking in-demand facilities can limit (often in a severe way) which dates a particular con can snag. Still, a little space in there would be nice; if one of these shows could move to May, you’d have a nice solid schedule between the New York Comic-Con (moving to April dates next year), WWPA and Heroes Con. Even then, East Coasters may feel a bit of fatigue from the schedule – and that’s the last thing anyone wants before tackling the monster bash in San Diego.

Shuster Award winners

The winners of the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards were handed out over the weekend at the Paradise Toronto Comicon. Shuster, of course, was the Canadian-born co-creator of Superman. Here's the winners:

Outstanding Artist: Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone for Batman/The Spirit #1
Outstanding Cartoonist: Darwyn Cooke for The Spirit #1
Outstanding Writer: Darwyn Cooke for Superman Confidential #1-2
Outstanding Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Outstanding Web Comics Creator: Dan Kim for April May & June, Kanami, and Penny Tribute
Outstanding International Creator: Brian K. Vaughan for Pride of Baghdad, Ex Machina, Runaways, Doctor Strange: The Oath and Y: The Last Man
Fan-Favourite Creator (English): Dan Kim for April May & June, Kanami, and Penny Tribute
Fan-Favourite Creator (French): Michel Rabagliati for Paul a la Peche
Harry Kremer Oustanding Retailer Award: Happy Harbor Comics & Toys, in Edmonton, Alta.

Obviously, a beauty night to be Darwyn Cooke or Dan Kim. It also makes me wish I'd had time to visit Happy Harbor on my recent trip to Edmonton.

More Awards, Part 3: The Bill Finger Award

The third annual Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing will be given to Gardner Fox and George Gladir. Full details from the press release:

Fox, Gladir to Receive Third Annual Bill Finger Award

Gardner Fox and George Gladir have been selected to receive the 2007 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The choice was made unanimously by a blue-ribbon committee chaired by writer and historian Mark Evanier.

The Bill Finger Award was instituted in 2005 under the supervision of comic book legend Jerry Robinson. The awards committee is charged each year with selecting two recipients, one living and one deceased.

"Each year, we ask ourselves who, among all the fine writers who’ve contributed to comics has a body of work out there deserving of greater recognition," Evanier notes. "Gladir and Fox not only have that but both men laid down important groundwork on which other writers could and did build . . . just like Bill Finger did.”

Gardner Fox received a law degree in 1935 but instead opted for comics, writing his first stories in 1938 for the pre-Batman Detective Comics. He was also the first writer after Bill Finger to contribute to Batman’s adventures and was responsible for several components of the character’s mythology. Perhaps more notably, he created or co-created a bevy of important characters in comics’ so-called “Golden Age,” including The Flash, Hawkman, The Sandman, Starman, and Doctor Fate, and he launched what some call the first-ever superhero team, The Justice Society of America. In the late fifties and sixties, he worked on the revivals of most of those features, including the Justice League of America, and also co-created new characters such as Adam Strange. In his amazing career, he wrote an estimated 4,000 comic book scripts and also found time to author more than 100 novels, many of them under other names. Fox passed away in 1986.

George Gladir has been a full-time comic book writer since 1959, when he got his first assignment from Archie Comics. At first he wrote mainly one-page gags for Archie’s Joke Book, but he quickly went on to write stories for the many Archie titles, including Archie’s Madhouse, the book in which he created “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” drawn by the legendary Dan DeCarlo. In the early 1960s, he simultaneously started writing for Cracked Magazine, MAD’s most successful competitor. He became Cracked’s head writer, and over the next 30 years wrote some 2,000 pages for the magazine, many of them illustrated by Hall of Famer John Severin. In addition to still writing for Archie, George recently co-created (with Stan Goldberg) Cindy and Her Obasan, a fantasy adventure about an American 10-year-old and her Japanese fairy godmother.

The Bill Finger Award remembers William Finger (1914-1974), who was the first and, some say, most important writer of Batman. Many have called him the "unsung hero" of the character and have hailed his work not only on that character but on dozens of others, primarily for DC Comics.

In addition to Evanier, this year's blue-ribbon selection committee included writer/historian Jim Amash, comics and animation writer Paul Dini, writer Tony Isabella, and writer/editor Marv Wolfman.

The 2007 awards are being underwritten by DC Comics (the major sponsor), along with supporting sponsors Comics Buyer’s Guide (CBG) and Heritage Auctions.

The Finger Award falls under the auspices of Comic-Con International: San Diego and is administered by Jackie Estrada. The awards will be presented during the Eisner Awards ceremony at this summer's Comic-Con on Friday, July 27.

TOKYOPOP at Book Expo

A few more things we missed from last week's BEA ...

Meg Cabot, author of "The Princess Diaries," has agreed to write a manga sequel to her book "Avalon High" through a collaboration between TOKYOPOP and Harper Collins. The manga will be published as three books, starting in July with "Avalon High: Coronation #1 — The Merlin Prophecy." "Banzai Girl" artist Jinky Coronado will draw the book.

TOKYOPOP also announced an agreement with educational publisher Kaplan for a line of vocabulary building manga volumes. There will be three volumes to start, each a complete graphic novel highlighting more than 300 words commonly used in the SAT college-entrance exam. The words will be indexed, defined and highlighted. The first three volumes will feature "Psy-Comm," "Warcraft" and "Van Von Hunter."

More Awards, Part 1: The Russ Manning Awards

The nominees for the 2007 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award have been announced.

* Steve Bryant, artist of “Athena Voltaire” (APE Entertainment)
* Joelle Jones, artist of “12 Reasons Why I Love Her” (Oni Press)
* Rolo Ledesma, artist of “Phoney Baloney” and “Toxic Teddies” (Terminal Press)
* David Petersen, writer/artist of “Mouse Guard” (Archaia Press)
* Buddy Setiawan, artist of “Roadkill Zoo” (Novaris Entertainment)

The award will be presented Friday, July 27 at the San Diego Convention Center as part of Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony.

Eagle Award Winners

The Eagle Awards were handed out over the weekend at the Bristol Comics Expo in England. Writer Warren Ellis and his Marvel series Nextwave did especially well, winning five awards. The list, borrowed from Rich Johnston at CBR, follows:

Favourite Comics Writer
Warren Ellis

Favourite Comics Writer/Artist
Mike Mignola

Favourite Comics Artist: Pencils
John Cassaday

Favourite Comics Artist: Inks
Paul Neary

Favourite Artist: Fully-Painted Artwork
Alex Ross

Favourite Colourist
Laura Martin

Favourite Letterer
Chris Eliopoulos

Favourite Editor
Matt Smith

Favourite Publisher
Marvel

Favourite Colour Comicbook - American
"All Star Superman"

Favourite Colour Comicbook - British
"2000 AD"

Favourite Black and White Comicbook - American
"The Walking Dead"

Favourite Black and White Comicbook - British
"Hero Killers"

Favourite New Comicbook
"Nextwave"

Favourite Manga
"Blade of the Immortal"

Favourite European Comics
"Asterix and the Vikings"

Favourite Comics Story published during 2006
"Nextwave"

Favourite Comics Cover published during 2006
"Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall"

Favourite Original Graphic Novel
"Pride of Baghdad"

Favourite Reprint Compilation
"Absolute Sandman" Volume 1

Favourite Comics Character
Batman

Favourite Comics Villain
Dirk Anger

Favourite Magazine About Comics
Wizard

Favourite Comics-Related Book
"Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comcis, Manga and Graphic Novels"

Favou