The Only Thing That Matters is Aurora, CO
Normally this would be a bunch of links to a variety of things, but today I just want to send my thoughts and condolences to the victims of the insane, horrific, tragic shooting in Colorado. We all need to do whatever we can to help the survivors of this incident, and to never forget or make light of this unthinkable massacre.
Showing posts with label Smatterday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smatterday. Show all posts
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Smatterday 07/14/2012
SDCC EDITION
This weekend is, obviously, San Diego Comic Con. And while I am not one of the bazillion attendees this year, there's no escaping the overwhelming outpouring of news and announcements coming out of the convention. So below are a small handful of things that interest me personally from SDCC '12 so far.
Undoubtedly Gorgeous New Sandman Material
Neil Gaiman announced that he would be returning to Sandman in 2013 (the series' 25th anniversary) to write a brand new story illustrated by J.H. Williams III. I saw a fair amount of naysaying online when the news broke, people calling it "Before Sandman" and whatnot, but as far as I'm concerned this is unequivocally good news. An amazing writer returns to an amazing character with an amazing artist. I'm celebrating.
David Marquez In Your Face
I've never been shy about my adoration of David Marquez's work on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, so any new project with him on art duties is bound to draw my attention. But a nutty sci-fi family adventure series done entirely in 3D by Marquez? That I will absolutely be buying. The Joyners in 3D is, so far, the title I'm most excited for that was announced at SDCC this year. And really, how could anything hope to top a gimmicky, beautiful, three-dimensional space romp?
The Eisners
Of course the Eisner Awards are always a major piece of comicbook news, and last night the winners were announced. Mark Waid and Jim Henson's Tale of Sand led with three wins apiece. I have not read Tale of Sand but it moved up my "to read list" considerably after last night. And Waid definitely deserves the win. He's a killer writer working on creator-owned and Big Two series in both digital and print. Also a big fan of the decision to give Francesco Francavilla Best Cover Artist. That dude is one of the strongest artistic talents currently working, and deserves to be acknowledged for it. Overall a satisfying year of Eisners.
Some Other Stuff I'll Likely Read
I am a huge Books of Magic fan and am already following Justice League Dark, so the announcement that Tim Hunter would be joining the series was something I definitely noticed. I don't know if I would describe myself as "excited" for it, but I'm curious to see how Jeff Lemire handles the character and how different Hunter's experience will be dealing with the JL Dark rather than the four cosmic powers from the original series. Constantine carries over, but the New 52 Constantine is a wildly different guy than the Vertigo one, so that barely counts.
Because I like Nathan Edmonson a lot and am also reading all of Marvel's current Ultimate titles, I expect I'll read Ultimate Comics Iron Man come October. The "Divided We Fall" crossover might turn me off before then, as events are wont to do, but barring that I think I'll make the four-issue commitment.
Lastly, I suspect I'll pick up Masks when it comes out. My experience with Chris Roberson is pretty limited (still haven't cracked open any iZombie but I read his Cinderella mini) but Alex Ross is a tremendous talent and, I don't know...a "pulp crossover event" just sounds like something I want to read. Dynamite has a great track record of late, and this is, in theory, meant to bring new readers to a bunch of its titles, so Masks will likely be an excellent series.
This weekend is, obviously, San Diego Comic Con. And while I am not one of the bazillion attendees this year, there's no escaping the overwhelming outpouring of news and announcements coming out of the convention. So below are a small handful of things that interest me personally from SDCC '12 so far.
Undoubtedly Gorgeous New Sandman Material
Neil Gaiman announced that he would be returning to Sandman in 2013 (the series' 25th anniversary) to write a brand new story illustrated by J.H. Williams III. I saw a fair amount of naysaying online when the news broke, people calling it "Before Sandman" and whatnot, but as far as I'm concerned this is unequivocally good news. An amazing writer returns to an amazing character with an amazing artist. I'm celebrating.
David Marquez In Your Face
I've never been shy about my adoration of David Marquez's work on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, so any new project with him on art duties is bound to draw my attention. But a nutty sci-fi family adventure series done entirely in 3D by Marquez? That I will absolutely be buying. The Joyners in 3D is, so far, the title I'm most excited for that was announced at SDCC this year. And really, how could anything hope to top a gimmicky, beautiful, three-dimensional space romp?
The Eisners
Of course the Eisner Awards are always a major piece of comicbook news, and last night the winners were announced. Mark Waid and Jim Henson's Tale of Sand led with three wins apiece. I have not read Tale of Sand but it moved up my "to read list" considerably after last night. And Waid definitely deserves the win. He's a killer writer working on creator-owned and Big Two series in both digital and print. Also a big fan of the decision to give Francesco Francavilla Best Cover Artist. That dude is one of the strongest artistic talents currently working, and deserves to be acknowledged for it. Overall a satisfying year of Eisners.
Some Other Stuff I'll Likely Read
I am a huge Books of Magic fan and am already following Justice League Dark, so the announcement that Tim Hunter would be joining the series was something I definitely noticed. I don't know if I would describe myself as "excited" for it, but I'm curious to see how Jeff Lemire handles the character and how different Hunter's experience will be dealing with the JL Dark rather than the four cosmic powers from the original series. Constantine carries over, but the New 52 Constantine is a wildly different guy than the Vertigo one, so that barely counts.
Because I like Nathan Edmonson a lot and am also reading all of Marvel's current Ultimate titles, I expect I'll read Ultimate Comics Iron Man come October. The "Divided We Fall" crossover might turn me off before then, as events are wont to do, but barring that I think I'll make the four-issue commitment.
Lastly, I suspect I'll pick up Masks when it comes out. My experience with Chris Roberson is pretty limited (still haven't cracked open any iZombie but I read his Cinderella mini) but Alex Ross is a tremendous talent and, I don't know...a "pulp crossover event" just sounds like something I want to read. Dynamite has a great track record of late, and this is, in theory, meant to bring new readers to a bunch of its titles, so Masks will likely be an excellent series.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Smatterday 07/07/2012
The Harvey Awards
So the 2012 Harvey Award nominees were announced this week. It's a pretty damn solid list, I'd say. I like my award nominee lists to acknowledge lots of worthy people, but only pick one per category who I'm truly rooting for, and the Harveys have mostly accomplished that this year. Pretty tough call between Bettie Breitweiser and Francesco Francavilla for Best Colorist, but otherwise I've got my personal choices set. I doubt if I've picked all winners (is this a world where something as small and understated as Rachel Rising can take "Best New Series"?) but my fingers are crossed nonetheless. My biggest takeaway from the list, though, is that I need to read Page by Paige. It got like five nods and I've never even heard of it, so that one's on me.
When they say "NOW!" the mean October
The biggest comic-related hullabaloo this week was the announcement of Marvel NOW! It's Marvel's revamp (not "reboot") of their line through the introduction of some new titles, as well as new #1 issues with new creative teams for several of their old titles. There's been, of course, a lot of chatter about the project, good, bad, and in between. Personally, I'm having a hard time landing on a firm reaction, which I think has a lot to do with the way in which Marvel has chosen to roll this revamp out. They've announced only a handful of the titles so far, and they're going to be releasing only one or two new #1's each week for five months, October-February. So without knowing what's ahead or what the whole of the Marvel line is going to look like come February, it's difficult for me to settle on a single opinion. Mostly what I feel is apprehensive. I'm nervous that it'll bring in no new readers while simultaneously alienating old ones. I'm afraid the five-month plan will be detrimental, because if the series that start in October don't generate the buzz Marvel wants, by the time February rolls around no one will even be paying attention anymore. And I'm mostly afraid that this isn't really going to change anything. We'll get artist, writer, and cast shake-ups for a while, and then it'll settle and we'll move into the next ridiculous line-wide blockbuster event involving 90% of the characters in the Marvel U, effectively undoing whatever was established in the revamp. I hope I'm wrong on all counts, but I suspect I won't be, and in March 2013 we'll all be looking back at Marvel NOW! as a weak, half-hearted failure of a response to the New 52. Which was only a marginal success to begin with.
Critical Hit
There's an awesome new charity organization called Critical Care Comics whose mission is to deliver donated comicbooks to children who are in the hospital. I mean...it's one of the best ideas for old comicbooks I've ever heard. Last weekend they held a fundraiser for the project, and evidently it was a success. So perhaps the modern world isn't a dismal, hopeless place after all. Seriously, support the Critical Care Comics project in any way you can. They more than deserve it.
So the 2012 Harvey Award nominees were announced this week. It's a pretty damn solid list, I'd say. I like my award nominee lists to acknowledge lots of worthy people, but only pick one per category who I'm truly rooting for, and the Harveys have mostly accomplished that this year. Pretty tough call between Bettie Breitweiser and Francesco Francavilla for Best Colorist, but otherwise I've got my personal choices set. I doubt if I've picked all winners (is this a world where something as small and understated as Rachel Rising can take "Best New Series"?) but my fingers are crossed nonetheless. My biggest takeaway from the list, though, is that I need to read Page by Paige. It got like five nods and I've never even heard of it, so that one's on me.
When they say "NOW!" the mean October
The biggest comic-related hullabaloo this week was the announcement of Marvel NOW! It's Marvel's revamp (not "reboot") of their line through the introduction of some new titles, as well as new #1 issues with new creative teams for several of their old titles. There's been, of course, a lot of chatter about the project, good, bad, and in between. Personally, I'm having a hard time landing on a firm reaction, which I think has a lot to do with the way in which Marvel has chosen to roll this revamp out. They've announced only a handful of the titles so far, and they're going to be releasing only one or two new #1's each week for five months, October-February. So without knowing what's ahead or what the whole of the Marvel line is going to look like come February, it's difficult for me to settle on a single opinion. Mostly what I feel is apprehensive. I'm nervous that it'll bring in no new readers while simultaneously alienating old ones. I'm afraid the five-month plan will be detrimental, because if the series that start in October don't generate the buzz Marvel wants, by the time February rolls around no one will even be paying attention anymore. And I'm mostly afraid that this isn't really going to change anything. We'll get artist, writer, and cast shake-ups for a while, and then it'll settle and we'll move into the next ridiculous line-wide blockbuster event involving 90% of the characters in the Marvel U, effectively undoing whatever was established in the revamp. I hope I'm wrong on all counts, but I suspect I won't be, and in March 2013 we'll all be looking back at Marvel NOW! as a weak, half-hearted failure of a response to the New 52. Which was only a marginal success to begin with.
Critical Hit
There's an awesome new charity organization called Critical Care Comics whose mission is to deliver donated comicbooks to children who are in the hospital. I mean...it's one of the best ideas for old comicbooks I've ever heard. Last weekend they held a fundraiser for the project, and evidently it was a success. So perhaps the modern world isn't a dismal, hopeless place after all. Seriously, support the Critical Care Comics project in any way you can. They more than deserve it.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Smatterday 06/30/2012
Fatterday
Sadly, friends, I am at work today, sacrificing a portion of my weekend for a lil' overtime money, and as such won't have time to assemble my usual Saturday collection of comicbook news & links. Instead, here are 10 pictures of overweight superheroes:
Sadly, friends, I am at work today, sacrificing a portion of my weekend for a lil' overtime money, and as such won't have time to assemble my usual Saturday collection of comicbook news & links. Instead, here are 10 pictures of overweight superheroes:
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Smatterday 06/23/2012
Kid's Kickstarter Convention
This shit makes me so happy. Everett Watford, a 17-year-old comicbook fan who's worked in the industry in various capacities already, is kicking off his very own independent convention today called Vert Con. This project is essentially five years in the making, which, I mean...when I was twelve, I could barely stay on top of following the few monthly series I liked. This guy was planning a damn convention and already making the connections he needed to pull it off. So, truly impressive stuff, and while I'm bummed I couldn't make it to Chicago for the con's first year, I hope it kicks ass and everybody has a wonderful time, especially Watford.
Stan Lee Keeps Doing Stuff
Fresh off his POW! Entertainment settlement, Stan Lee is back in the news this week for "The Annihilator," a new Chinese superhero movie he's developing. While Lee and others involved in the project are intensely enthusiastic about its potential, there's already a fair amount of skepticism and downright naysaying going on. Stan's recent track record is certainly less than impressive, and I don't exactly think of him as an expert on Chinese culture, but who knows? I'm hesitant to dismiss this too early on, even though my gut says it'll most likely be a train wreck, because I think it'd be really cool if it worked out. The world of superheroes continues to struggle against (correct) impressions that it lacks diversity, so it might be beneficial if a legitimately good, high-profile, brand new Chinese hero came on the scene. Not holding my breath, just kind of quietly rooting for it.
Matt Groening Stops Doing Stuff
Creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, Matt Groening probably hasn't had any specific need to keep producing his 32-year-old comicstrip "Life in Hell" for ages. But he's been steadily doing so nevertheless all this time, until, last week, when he finally decided to end it. I'm not a regular reader of the series, which evidently had 1,669 installments over the years, but I've certainly seen numerous strips in my lifetime and have been a fan of Groening's work since well before I knew his name. Obviously it's sad to see such a hilarious, unusual piece of comic awesomeness come to a close, but Groening is a brilliant and talented guy, so whatever he feels is right for him probably is. Adios, "Life in Hell." You had a longer life, in Hell or otherwise, than any number of your colleagues.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Smatterday 06/16/2012
New 52 Still New, Still 52
So DC has announced another round of cancellations and replacement titles for September. Only four series total are getting the axe this time, including the already-announced Justice League International, and it's all tied into the fact that in September, all of DC's titles will come out with a "zero issue" that takes place before the events of their debuts. It's been interesting to watch the ongoing publishing strategies of the company since the universe-wide reboot last year, and even though I don't fully understand their devotion to the number 52, I actually quite enjoy the idea that any cancellation means a new series begins and vice versa. The practice of regularly bringing in new blood and sweeping up the ideas which aren't working is a good one, and in my mind right now it's the largest difference between Marvel and DC. The specific titles launching in September don't really thrill me, although I'm definitely going to read Sword of Sorcery #0 and see what an updated Amethyst is like. And I think it's too bad Resurrection Man is going away, but I'm sure the character will show up elsewhere. Conceptually, though, I support the whole mess. Well...I do not support numbering the issues with #0, since that's just one more example of the Big Two's incessant campaign to render issue numbers entirely meaningless.
Legal Battles End & Begin
Yesterday, the news came out that Stan Lee had settled one of the several lawsuits he was involved in, the one over control of POW! Entertainment. So that's one down for Stan the Man, who's been embroiled in various legal troubles for years.
Meanwhile, cartoonist Matthew Inman, creator of TheOatmeal.com, was recently threatened with a defamation lawsuit by Funnyjunk.com for his (correct) claims that they had posted his material without his permission or giving him credit. Inman's awesome, hilarious response to this threat was to raise a whole bunch of money for other, better causes and rub it in Funnyjunk's face. Also there's a drawing of Funnyjunk's owner's mom making love to a bear involved. It all seems pretty silly to me, and Inman obviously has the approach of highlighting that silliness, but sadly Funnyjunk's lawyer isn't so amused. So this may well not be the end of this bizarre story, though I'd honestly be surprised if there was much more anyone could do about the situation at this point.
Seriously, Too Many Deaths This Year
So, this week, two great men died, adding to the ever-increasing list of incredible artists we've lost this year. Although not really a comicbook creator, Ray Bradbury's death is a huge blow to creativity and fiction in general, so I wanted to take a moment to pay my respects to him on this site. Others have already said more about him than I ever could, but his influence on science fiction and, truthfully, on the world at large cannot be denied and should never be forgotten. Most writers struggle their entire careers to put something together as powerful, timeless, and intelligent as Fahrenheit 451, but for Bradbury that book is just the largest of many such triumphs.
Robert L. Washington, III, co-creator of Static, one of the best, coolest, most important comicbook characters of the past twenty years, also died this week. There has been an outpouring of sadness and respect for this talented creator, who had seen some incredibly hard times even while alive. I especially want to mention the really great donation program set up by Hero Initiative to raise money for a proper burial. Static was the most popular character of an excellent, admirable comicbook company, Milestone, and being a part of his creation is no small accomplishment. Washington and Bradbury both deserve our reverence, and even in the wake of their deaths, their work's lasting impact and importance is clear.
So DC has announced another round of cancellations and replacement titles for September. Only four series total are getting the axe this time, including the already-announced Justice League International, and it's all tied into the fact that in September, all of DC's titles will come out with a "zero issue" that takes place before the events of their debuts. It's been interesting to watch the ongoing publishing strategies of the company since the universe-wide reboot last year, and even though I don't fully understand their devotion to the number 52, I actually quite enjoy the idea that any cancellation means a new series begins and vice versa. The practice of regularly bringing in new blood and sweeping up the ideas which aren't working is a good one, and in my mind right now it's the largest difference between Marvel and DC. The specific titles launching in September don't really thrill me, although I'm definitely going to read Sword of Sorcery #0 and see what an updated Amethyst is like. And I think it's too bad Resurrection Man is going away, but I'm sure the character will show up elsewhere. Conceptually, though, I support the whole mess. Well...I do not support numbering the issues with #0, since that's just one more example of the Big Two's incessant campaign to render issue numbers entirely meaningless.
Legal Battles End & Begin
Yesterday, the news came out that Stan Lee had settled one of the several lawsuits he was involved in, the one over control of POW! Entertainment. So that's one down for Stan the Man, who's been embroiled in various legal troubles for years.
Meanwhile, cartoonist Matthew Inman, creator of TheOatmeal.com, was recently threatened with a defamation lawsuit by Funnyjunk.com for his (correct) claims that they had posted his material without his permission or giving him credit. Inman's awesome, hilarious response to this threat was to raise a whole bunch of money for other, better causes and rub it in Funnyjunk's face. Also there's a drawing of Funnyjunk's owner's mom making love to a bear involved. It all seems pretty silly to me, and Inman obviously has the approach of highlighting that silliness, but sadly Funnyjunk's lawyer isn't so amused. So this may well not be the end of this bizarre story, though I'd honestly be surprised if there was much more anyone could do about the situation at this point.
Seriously, Too Many Deaths This Year
So, this week, two great men died, adding to the ever-increasing list of incredible artists we've lost this year. Although not really a comicbook creator, Ray Bradbury's death is a huge blow to creativity and fiction in general, so I wanted to take a moment to pay my respects to him on this site. Others have already said more about him than I ever could, but his influence on science fiction and, truthfully, on the world at large cannot be denied and should never be forgotten. Most writers struggle their entire careers to put something together as powerful, timeless, and intelligent as Fahrenheit 451, but for Bradbury that book is just the largest of many such triumphs.
Robert L. Washington, III, co-creator of Static, one of the best, coolest, most important comicbook characters of the past twenty years, also died this week. There has been an outpouring of sadness and respect for this talented creator, who had seen some incredibly hard times even while alive. I especially want to mention the really great donation program set up by Hero Initiative to raise money for a proper burial. Static was the most popular character of an excellent, admirable comicbook company, Milestone, and being a part of his creation is no small accomplishment. Washington and Bradbury both deserve our reverence, and even in the wake of their deaths, their work's lasting impact and importance is clear.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Smatterday 06/09/2012
...And Oh So Tired of Being Sick
Happy Saturday! Unfortunately (for me) I've been wrestling for the past few days with what I thought was a cold but has recently taken a flulike turn. It has been an unpleasant morning, to say the least. As such, I haven't been online as much as usual this week so I'm sort of out of the loop and therefore underprepared to put together a Smatterday today. Instead, enjoy these panels I managed to find of sick superheroes:
Happy Saturday! Unfortunately (for me) I've been wrestling for the past few days with what I thought was a cold but has recently taken a flulike turn. It has been an unpleasant morning, to say the least. As such, I haven't been online as much as usual this week so I'm sort of out of the loop and therefore underprepared to put together a Smatterday today. Instead, enjoy these panels I managed to find of sick superheroes:
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Smatterday 06/02/2012
Alan Scott is Gay: Not a Big Surprise or Deal
DC has finally revealed who their new "iconic" homosexual character is: Earth 2's Alan Scott. Well, to be fair, Earth 1's Alan Scott might be gay, too, if he even exists, but he's not the one everybody is talking about. Personally, I'm just glad the news is out so the speculation can end. Of course, now is when the hate starts to pour in from people who oppose the change or gay heros in general, but I prefer that to the pointless secrecy. James Robinson will be writing the character for the foreseeable future, and he has a superb track record writing full, realistic gay characters Starman without making a big display of it or any similar political nonsense. So I'm more pleased by the news than anything. But mostly I wish it weren't news.
Before Watchmen: Not a Cool or Good Idea
Boooooooo! Wednesday sees the release of the first "Before Watchmen" series, which means after months of people arguing about whether or not it was a good idea, we can now begin the months of people arguing about whether or not they're good comics. Which, to me, is an irrelevant conversation, or anyway one that's totally disconnected from the question of if this project should exist at all. Even if these titles are somehow better than the original Watchmen (fat chance...obese, even) there is a more fundamental ethical issue underlying their very creation which has nothing to do with quality. I'm basically going to do my best to just pretend it isn't even real. Join me, won't you?
Valiant Comics: Not Exactly New or Old
This is old news by now, but last month kicked off the "Summer of Valiant," Valiant Comics' glorious return to publishing new comicbook material. Years after being sold to a company that then went bakrupt, Valiant now has new, passionate owners who have brought in a bunch of equally-passionate and talented creators, editors, etc. to relaunch updated versions of their classic titles. I did not, myself, jump on the train with X-O Manowar in May, but on Wednesday Harbinger #1 comes out, and I could not be more excited for that, if for no other reason than because I've missed Joshua Dysart since Unknown Soldier was canceled. Besides, any new comicbook company, even an old one, deserves at least one honest try, and based on what I've seen and heard so far, the Summer of Valiant is not going to disappoint.
Midtown Comics: I have no subtitle I just think this is kind of awesome
As a final bit of positivity, Manhattan comicbook shop Midtown Comics has opened a "mini-boutique" in the world's most incredible toy store, FAO Schwarz. Seems like a move designed to bring in younger readers, right? And I'm all for that. Plus it's nice to see comics being sold from such a massive and popular location. Best of luck, Midtown!
DC has finally revealed who their new "iconic" homosexual character is: Earth 2's Alan Scott. Well, to be fair, Earth 1's Alan Scott might be gay, too, if he even exists, but he's not the one everybody is talking about. Personally, I'm just glad the news is out so the speculation can end. Of course, now is when the hate starts to pour in from people who oppose the change or gay heros in general, but I prefer that to the pointless secrecy. James Robinson will be writing the character for the foreseeable future, and he has a superb track record writing full, realistic gay characters Starman without making a big display of it or any similar political nonsense. So I'm more pleased by the news than anything. But mostly I wish it weren't news.
Before Watchmen: Not a Cool or Good Idea
Boooooooo! Wednesday sees the release of the first "Before Watchmen" series, which means after months of people arguing about whether or not it was a good idea, we can now begin the months of people arguing about whether or not they're good comics. Which, to me, is an irrelevant conversation, or anyway one that's totally disconnected from the question of if this project should exist at all. Even if these titles are somehow better than the original Watchmen (fat chance...obese, even) there is a more fundamental ethical issue underlying their very creation which has nothing to do with quality. I'm basically going to do my best to just pretend it isn't even real. Join me, won't you?
Valiant Comics: Not Exactly New or Old
This is old news by now, but last month kicked off the "Summer of Valiant," Valiant Comics' glorious return to publishing new comicbook material. Years after being sold to a company that then went bakrupt, Valiant now has new, passionate owners who have brought in a bunch of equally-passionate and talented creators, editors, etc. to relaunch updated versions of their classic titles. I did not, myself, jump on the train with X-O Manowar in May, but on Wednesday Harbinger #1 comes out, and I could not be more excited for that, if for no other reason than because I've missed Joshua Dysart since Unknown Soldier was canceled. Besides, any new comicbook company, even an old one, deserves at least one honest try, and based on what I've seen and heard so far, the Summer of Valiant is not going to disappoint.
Midtown Comics: I have no subtitle I just think this is kind of awesome
As a final bit of positivity, Manhattan comicbook shop Midtown Comics has opened a "mini-boutique" in the world's most incredible toy store, FAO Schwarz. Seems like a move designed to bring in younger readers, right? And I'm all for that. Plus it's nice to see comics being sold from such a massive and popular location. Best of luck, Midtown!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Smatterday 05/26/2012
WhatsAMatterday: Making a Spectacle of Gay Heroes
So, usually what I do for these Smatterday things is a bunch of links leading to different bits of news from the comicbook world, along with my own brief thoughts on them. This week I'm trying something new, the first of what I plan on making a semi-regular feature called "WhatsAMatterday" where I focus on a single topic which has been bothering me (still with numerous links), and talk/rant more completely about what I dislike about it. Today, I'm annoyed over both Marvel and DC's recent handling of their homosexual characters.
Of course, the Internet has been exploding with people discussing this topic, and as some have pointed out, participating in further online ranting over it is, in many ways, adding to the problem. So know that I am aware of the self-defeatism inherent in this column, and I'm choosing to write it anyway. I hate myself just a wee bit for it, but I'll live.
Earlier this week, Marvel announced on The View that one of their superheroes, Northstar, would be proposing to and then marrying his boyfriend Kyle in Astonishing X-Men. DC, meanwhile, said that one of their "iconic" male characters, who had been straight pre-New 52, would soon be revealed to be gay in the new universe. In both cases, the companies got a ton of attention and coverage, both positive and negative, from sources big and small. Just hours after the words were spoken, the whole freaking world new about it, and we were all making up our minds about whether or not it was a good idea before any of us had even read any of the actual comicbook material involved.
And therein lies the heart of my problem with all the media hullabaloo generated (intentionally) by these announcements. Before the characters themselves get a chance to propose or come out of the closet---or however the DC character's sexuality is revealed within whatever series he'll be in---those of us in the real world all already know about it, and so our reactions to it as readers are unavoidably influenced by external factors. And I just HATE that. I hate being unable to enjoy a comicbook story or, truthfully, any work of art, without the outside world effecting my experience.
I understand that may sound a little ridiculous in this day and age. We're all so connected and information spreads so quickly that it seems impossible to entirely avoid spoilers or other people's opinions, especially as a comicbook fan. Because of course there are endless teasers, previews, interviews, advance reviews, etc. coming out every day for any number of titles. But the difference between the everyday industry hype and the media storm surrounding these recent gay superheroes seems pretty clear to me. It's not about hooking us with a cool story, or idea, or even character. It's about promoting the simple fact that homosexuals exist in these universes.
And why is this even news? You know what other major life events superheroes go through ALL THE TIME? They die and are reborn. They completely change their personalities, sometimes donning brand new outfits and/or monikers. They create alternate realities with their minds and trap everyone in the world there without their knowledge. So why is a change in marital status or even sexual preference such an enormous attention-getter? Of course, I know the reason why. It's because Marvel and DC want some credit for advancing the cause of gay rights. But guess what, idiots? You're the last ones on that bandwagon.
Movies, TV, theater, music, even non-superhero comicbooks have all been telling stories with and about gay characters for a long, long while now. Having the first gay superhero wedding take place in 2012 is not something to be proud of, and neither is egging on a bunch of speculation about who is or isn't gay in your universe. The Big Two need to stop patting themselves on the back for finally, and still only occasionally, recognizing the diversity of our world, and start apologizing for how long it took them to do so.
And ideally, they'd do it in a way that doesn't spoil any more stories.
So, usually what I do for these Smatterday things is a bunch of links leading to different bits of news from the comicbook world, along with my own brief thoughts on them. This week I'm trying something new, the first of what I plan on making a semi-regular feature called "WhatsAMatterday" where I focus on a single topic which has been bothering me (still with numerous links), and talk/rant more completely about what I dislike about it. Today, I'm annoyed over both Marvel and DC's recent handling of their homosexual characters.
Of course, the Internet has been exploding with people discussing this topic, and as some have pointed out, participating in further online ranting over it is, in many ways, adding to the problem. So know that I am aware of the self-defeatism inherent in this column, and I'm choosing to write it anyway. I hate myself just a wee bit for it, but I'll live.
Earlier this week, Marvel announced on The View that one of their superheroes, Northstar, would be proposing to and then marrying his boyfriend Kyle in Astonishing X-Men. DC, meanwhile, said that one of their "iconic" male characters, who had been straight pre-New 52, would soon be revealed to be gay in the new universe. In both cases, the companies got a ton of attention and coverage, both positive and negative, from sources big and small. Just hours after the words were spoken, the whole freaking world new about it, and we were all making up our minds about whether or not it was a good idea before any of us had even read any of the actual comicbook material involved.
And therein lies the heart of my problem with all the media hullabaloo generated (intentionally) by these announcements. Before the characters themselves get a chance to propose or come out of the closet---or however the DC character's sexuality is revealed within whatever series he'll be in---those of us in the real world all already know about it, and so our reactions to it as readers are unavoidably influenced by external factors. And I just HATE that. I hate being unable to enjoy a comicbook story or, truthfully, any work of art, without the outside world effecting my experience.
I understand that may sound a little ridiculous in this day and age. We're all so connected and information spreads so quickly that it seems impossible to entirely avoid spoilers or other people's opinions, especially as a comicbook fan. Because of course there are endless teasers, previews, interviews, advance reviews, etc. coming out every day for any number of titles. But the difference between the everyday industry hype and the media storm surrounding these recent gay superheroes seems pretty clear to me. It's not about hooking us with a cool story, or idea, or even character. It's about promoting the simple fact that homosexuals exist in these universes.
And why is this even news? You know what other major life events superheroes go through ALL THE TIME? They die and are reborn. They completely change their personalities, sometimes donning brand new outfits and/or monikers. They create alternate realities with their minds and trap everyone in the world there without their knowledge. So why is a change in marital status or even sexual preference such an enormous attention-getter? Of course, I know the reason why. It's because Marvel and DC want some credit for advancing the cause of gay rights. But guess what, idiots? You're the last ones on that bandwagon.
Movies, TV, theater, music, even non-superhero comicbooks have all been telling stories with and about gay characters for a long, long while now. Having the first gay superhero wedding take place in 2012 is not something to be proud of, and neither is egging on a bunch of speculation about who is or isn't gay in your universe. The Big Two need to stop patting themselves on the back for finally, and still only occasionally, recognizing the diversity of our world, and start apologizing for how long it took them to do so.
And ideally, they'd do it in a way that doesn't spoil any more stories.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Smatterday 05/19/2012
R.I.P. Ernie Chan
So soon after the death last week of Tony DeZuniga, another incredibly talented Fillipino comicbook artist was lost to us, Ernie Chan. Best known for his work on Conan and Batman, I admit I have almost no experience with Chan's work myself, but anytime anyone who made great comics dies, it is a tragedy. My thoughts go out to Chan and his loved ones.
R.I.P. Maurice Sendak
As if Chan and DeZuniga weren't enough, Maurice Sendak, legendary writer and artist of children's books like Where the Wild Things Are, also passed away. The response has been appropriately huge, which is somewhat comforting, to know that even as adults we still love the creators of our childhood. Personally, I would submit Where the Wild Things Are for consideration as the single greatest children's book of all time (it's only competition: Harold and the Purple Crayon). It certainly stuck with me the first time I read it (or it was read to me) and I have enjoyed it countless times at various ages since then.
Hopefully Sendak, Chan, and DeZuniga are all in the same place, cooking up some new dark and twisted children's comicbook together that we can all read whenever we get there.
Let's End Things on a Lighter Note
In the midst of all the sadness and death, another recent trend that has caught my attention is people paying inordinate amounts of money for comicbook material. First, there was the $850,000 purchase of Batman #1, and this week has seen both a $72K sale of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sketch ever done, as well as one of the highest prices ever paid for a single comicbook page ($155K) going to a random Kirby/Sinnott page from Fantastic Four #55. So it's a good time to be an insanely wealthy comicbook fan.
So soon after the death last week of Tony DeZuniga, another incredibly talented Fillipino comicbook artist was lost to us, Ernie Chan. Best known for his work on Conan and Batman, I admit I have almost no experience with Chan's work myself, but anytime anyone who made great comics dies, it is a tragedy. My thoughts go out to Chan and his loved ones.
R.I.P. Maurice Sendak
As if Chan and DeZuniga weren't enough, Maurice Sendak, legendary writer and artist of children's books like Where the Wild Things Are, also passed away. The response has been appropriately huge, which is somewhat comforting, to know that even as adults we still love the creators of our childhood. Personally, I would submit Where the Wild Things Are for consideration as the single greatest children's book of all time (it's only competition: Harold and the Purple Crayon). It certainly stuck with me the first time I read it (or it was read to me) and I have enjoyed it countless times at various ages since then.
Hopefully Sendak, Chan, and DeZuniga are all in the same place, cooking up some new dark and twisted children's comicbook together that we can all read whenever we get there.
Let's End Things on a Lighter Note
In the midst of all the sadness and death, another recent trend that has caught my attention is people paying inordinate amounts of money for comicbook material. First, there was the $850,000 purchase of Batman #1, and this week has seen both a $72K sale of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sketch ever done, as well as one of the highest prices ever paid for a single comicbook page ($155K) going to a random Kirby/Sinnott page from Fantastic Four #55. So it's a good time to be an insanely wealthy comicbook fan.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Smatterday 05/12/2012
R.I.P. Tony DeZuniga
Jonah Hex co-creator and all-around talented artist Tony DeZuniga died on Wednesday at age 79. He'd been in critical condition since last month, and had been fighting something of an uphill battle, but his death is no less tragic because of it. My thoughts go out to him and his family.
Classic Literature Goes Graphic
This month sees the release of the first volume of the Graphic Canon. It's a pretty cool project, taking a bunch of talented comic artists and having them create graphic versions of classic literature. Seems to be going chronologically, and is pulling all sorts of different pieces of the "canon" from all over the world. Ambitious, bizarre, and full of new comic art! Hooray for trying things!
Selling Like Hotcakes
Two bits of comicbook sales news/info that caught my eye this week. The first was this awesome, super-expensive sale of Batman #1. Way to raise the bar, rich anonymous comicbook collector! Secondly, mixed in with all the buzz and positive reviews generated by the Avengers movie, there's been some chatter about how this won't necessarily translate to increased comicbook sales. What people keep pointing out, though, is that the exception to this rule is The Walking Dead TV series. Which at first confused me, but the more I read/think about it, the more it makes total sense. Ongoing comicbooks and TV series are both serialized mediums, so fans of the show are used to getting a long, developing, linear story and bound to want more of it in between seasons. Whereas Avengers movie fans who aren't existing comicbook readers may not be as interested in investing an indefinite amount of time and money into following even one Avengers title. It's too bad ticket sales don't mean comicbook sales, but I get it.
Speaking Of...
I still haven't seen the Avengers movie myself, but I totally plan to within a week, and when the time comes I am definitely on board for the recent movement to match the price of my tickets with a donation to the Hero Initiative. With all the continuing, intelligent, awesome discussion going on about creator's rights these days, it seems important for each and every fan of the comicbook medium to do what we can, to keep the momentum going so that hopefully, someday, somebody won't get screwed by the Big Two. And for the love of God don't buy Before Watchmen. Any of it!
One Last Awesome Thing
And eight-year-old Batman saves the day. Yes. Yes everywhere.
Jonah Hex co-creator and all-around talented artist Tony DeZuniga died on Wednesday at age 79. He'd been in critical condition since last month, and had been fighting something of an uphill battle, but his death is no less tragic because of it. My thoughts go out to him and his family.
Classic Literature Goes Graphic
This month sees the release of the first volume of the Graphic Canon. It's a pretty cool project, taking a bunch of talented comic artists and having them create graphic versions of classic literature. Seems to be going chronologically, and is pulling all sorts of different pieces of the "canon" from all over the world. Ambitious, bizarre, and full of new comic art! Hooray for trying things!
Selling Like Hotcakes
Two bits of comicbook sales news/info that caught my eye this week. The first was this awesome, super-expensive sale of Batman #1. Way to raise the bar, rich anonymous comicbook collector! Secondly, mixed in with all the buzz and positive reviews generated by the Avengers movie, there's been some chatter about how this won't necessarily translate to increased comicbook sales. What people keep pointing out, though, is that the exception to this rule is The Walking Dead TV series. Which at first confused me, but the more I read/think about it, the more it makes total sense. Ongoing comicbooks and TV series are both serialized mediums, so fans of the show are used to getting a long, developing, linear story and bound to want more of it in between seasons. Whereas Avengers movie fans who aren't existing comicbook readers may not be as interested in investing an indefinite amount of time and money into following even one Avengers title. It's too bad ticket sales don't mean comicbook sales, but I get it.
Speaking Of...
I still haven't seen the Avengers movie myself, but I totally plan to within a week, and when the time comes I am definitely on board for the recent movement to match the price of my tickets with a donation to the Hero Initiative. With all the continuing, intelligent, awesome discussion going on about creator's rights these days, it seems important for each and every fan of the comicbook medium to do what we can, to keep the momentum going so that hopefully, someday, somebody won't get screwed by the Big Two. And for the love of God don't buy Before Watchmen. Any of it!
One Last Awesome Thing
And eight-year-old Batman saves the day. Yes. Yes everywhere.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Smatterday 05/05/2012
Happy Free Comic Book Day!
So today is Free Comic Book Day, which is always tons of fun. Every publisher on the planet puts something out for free, in the hopes of getting us all to buy more of their stuff throughout the year. Comicbook fans all over the country get to be the belle of the ball, with new suitors on all sides vying for our attention. I love it. Plus this year it's just one day after Star Wars Day, which is total gravy. Personally, I've got two different shops to hit up today, and I can't wait.
The Ghost of FCBD Past
The other thing that's so nice about FCBD, now, is it's been going on for years. To me, it feels like a legitimate holiday, partly because FCBD played a pretty big role in my own comicbook fandom. Though I've been reading comics off-and-on since I was just a wee lad, it was actually Blackest Night #0 that pulled me back into the world of serious, weekly collecting. Which, of course, is precisely what it wanted to do. I no longer follow the Green Lantern family of titles, but I did for a while there, and I've been an avid and consistent consumer of comicbooks ever since.
Stan, Stan the Lawsuit Man
So Stan Lee finds himself embroiled in a lawsuit over POW! Entertainment. The man is a lawsuit magnet, apparently, which is just a bummer. I mean, the guy's a living legend, and so many people owe him so much...can't we let him put out the few comicbooks he's still involved with in peace? I don't pretend to understand the details, so maybe Lee deserves all this, but I choose to believe he's a kind, aging genius whom the world has decided to take advantage of. I'm probably way off, but I don't care. You get 'em, Stan!
Avengers Review Round-Up
I haven't seen The Avengers yet, but everybody else has, so I've read a whole helluva lotta reviews of it. Won't you join me?
MTV
Vancouver Sun
CarlsbadPatch
New Yorker-This one feels particularly stupid. To me, anyhow.
CBC News
LA Times
Examiner
CNN
CinemaBlend
DeadSpin
Comic Book Movie
Tim Hanley
CBR
People
Rotten Tomatoes
So today is Free Comic Book Day, which is always tons of fun. Every publisher on the planet puts something out for free, in the hopes of getting us all to buy more of their stuff throughout the year. Comicbook fans all over the country get to be the belle of the ball, with new suitors on all sides vying for our attention. I love it. Plus this year it's just one day after Star Wars Day, which is total gravy. Personally, I've got two different shops to hit up today, and I can't wait.
The Ghost of FCBD Past
The other thing that's so nice about FCBD, now, is it's been going on for years. To me, it feels like a legitimate holiday, partly because FCBD played a pretty big role in my own comicbook fandom. Though I've been reading comics off-and-on since I was just a wee lad, it was actually Blackest Night #0 that pulled me back into the world of serious, weekly collecting. Which, of course, is precisely what it wanted to do. I no longer follow the Green Lantern family of titles, but I did for a while there, and I've been an avid and consistent consumer of comicbooks ever since.
Stan, Stan the Lawsuit Man
So Stan Lee finds himself embroiled in a lawsuit over POW! Entertainment. The man is a lawsuit magnet, apparently, which is just a bummer. I mean, the guy's a living legend, and so many people owe him so much...can't we let him put out the few comicbooks he's still involved with in peace? I don't pretend to understand the details, so maybe Lee deserves all this, but I choose to believe he's a kind, aging genius whom the world has decided to take advantage of. I'm probably way off, but I don't care. You get 'em, Stan!
Avengers Review Round-Up
I haven't seen The Avengers yet, but everybody else has, so I've read a whole helluva lotta reviews of it. Won't you join me?
MTV
Vancouver Sun
CarlsbadPatch
New Yorker-This one feels particularly stupid. To me, anyhow.
CBC News
LA Times
Examiner
CNN
CinemaBlend
DeadSpin
Comic Book Movie
Tim Hanley
CBR
People
Rotten Tomatoes
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Smatterday 04/28/2012
The Even Newer 52
So next week is the beginning of DC's "Second Wave" of titles for the New 52 (or whatever we're calling it now). Six new titles will be coming out, and while I am only really committing to Dial H, G.I. Combat (for the Unknown Solider stuff, primarily), and Earth 2, I imagine I'll check out the first issues of the other series as well, since it'll only be three more. Also because The Ravagers is spinning out of a crossover I plan to check out. Also because I still support, conceptually, the whole New 52 project and hope that this pattern of brining in new titles to replace those that are failing continues until DC has a full list of interesting, varied, successful comicbooks. A man can dream, can't he?
Not Comics
Is anyone else surprised by the continuing, ever-growing surge of superhero movies and TV series? When it all started to pick up steam several years ago with the first X-Men and Batman and Spider-Man films, I did not expect it to last this long or get this big. Some very popular, hotly-anticipated stuff is still coming out. Not something I'm especially happy or upset about, just genuinely surprised.
Spider-Man's Midlife Crisis
So as we all know Spider-Man turns 50 this year, and while the Internet is celebrating the milestone in a big way, Marvel's only official plans amount to another major arc from Dan Slott in Amazing Spider-Man, and the kind-of-interesting but also totally-tainting-the-whole-idea-behind-the-Ultimate-Universe mini-series Spider-Men. I'm excited for "Ends of the Earth" since Slot has been doing such a good job so far, and Spider-Men I could take or leave, but the real point is that one limited series and a big storyline seems somewhat small-time for one of the world's most popular superheroes. He does appear in almost all of Marvel's titles, I guess, so maybe they figure they celebrate his existence enough. Also Broadway and a second movie franchise. On second thought, they should consider scaling it back a little.
Good For You, Chris. Seriously.
Chris Roberson disassociated himself from DC this week, citing no personal problems with the people he worked with, but more sort of philosophical/ethical problems he had with the company's treatment of other creators. And they are good ones, and he backs them up. I love him for this, because so much of what you read in interviews and hear at conventions are creators toeing the party line about how great it is to work under the Big Two and how crossovers are fun to write for and all the other nonsense we basically understand to be untrue. There are plenty of people saying the opposite, too, but Roberson went ahead and quit his job over it, and in the name of creators other than himself, which is a pretty unique and applaudable thing to do. Good on you.
So next week is the beginning of DC's "Second Wave" of titles for the New 52 (or whatever we're calling it now). Six new titles will be coming out, and while I am only really committing to Dial H, G.I. Combat (for the Unknown Solider stuff, primarily), and Earth 2, I imagine I'll check out the first issues of the other series as well, since it'll only be three more. Also because The Ravagers is spinning out of a crossover I plan to check out. Also because I still support, conceptually, the whole New 52 project and hope that this pattern of brining in new titles to replace those that are failing continues until DC has a full list of interesting, varied, successful comicbooks. A man can dream, can't he?
Not Comics
Is anyone else surprised by the continuing, ever-growing surge of superhero movies and TV series? When it all started to pick up steam several years ago with the first X-Men and Batman and Spider-Man films, I did not expect it to last this long or get this big. Some very popular, hotly-anticipated stuff is still coming out. Not something I'm especially happy or upset about, just genuinely surprised.
Spider-Man's Midlife Crisis
So as we all know Spider-Man turns 50 this year, and while the Internet is celebrating the milestone in a big way, Marvel's only official plans amount to another major arc from Dan Slott in Amazing Spider-Man, and the kind-of-interesting but also totally-tainting-the-whole-idea-behind-the-Ultimate-Universe mini-series Spider-Men. I'm excited for "Ends of the Earth" since Slot has been doing such a good job so far, and Spider-Men I could take or leave, but the real point is that one limited series and a big storyline seems somewhat small-time for one of the world's most popular superheroes. He does appear in almost all of Marvel's titles, I guess, so maybe they figure they celebrate his existence enough. Also Broadway and a second movie franchise. On second thought, they should consider scaling it back a little.
Good For You, Chris. Seriously.
Chris Roberson disassociated himself from DC this week, citing no personal problems with the people he worked with, but more sort of philosophical/ethical problems he had with the company's treatment of other creators. And they are good ones, and he backs them up. I love him for this, because so much of what you read in interviews and hear at conventions are creators toeing the party line about how great it is to work under the Big Two and how crossovers are fun to write for and all the other nonsense we basically understand to be untrue. There are plenty of people saying the opposite, too, but Roberson went ahead and quit his job over it, and in the name of creators other than himself, which is a pretty unique and applaudable thing to do. Good on you.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Smatterday 04/21/2012
I Got Engaged
Hey so I got engaged to m'lady yesterday, which involved some semi-complicated planning and prepartion, and as such I have not had a lot of time the past couple days to mine material for this week's Smatterday. I did track down some comicbook-related engagement and wedding photos, just for fun.
Lobo Movie
One thing that did catch my eye this week was the report of a new writer/director for the Warner Bros. Lobo movie. I don't love the character, and like others, the director in question fails to excite me, but something about the project not dying completely after losing Guy Ritchie makes me smile. Lobo's a weird and probably risky choice for the big screen, and I support weird and/or risky choices when it comes to the comicbook world expanding and potentially to gaining new fans/appreciation/attention.
One Last Tiny Tidbit
Warren Ellis is a super cool and talented and interesting dude, and if you don't believe me, he's out there proving it himself to anyone who'll listen, with his new e-mail newsletter. Whether you're a fan of his work or not, bound to be some cool/insightful/original stuff in there.
Hey so I got engaged to m'lady yesterday, which involved some semi-complicated planning and prepartion, and as such I have not had a lot of time the past couple days to mine material for this week's Smatterday. I did track down some comicbook-related engagement and wedding photos, just for fun.
Lobo Movie
One thing that did catch my eye this week was the report of a new writer/director for the Warner Bros. Lobo movie. I don't love the character, and like others, the director in question fails to excite me, but something about the project not dying completely after losing Guy Ritchie makes me smile. Lobo's a weird and probably risky choice for the big screen, and I support weird and/or risky choices when it comes to the comicbook world expanding and potentially to gaining new fans/appreciation/attention.
One Last Tiny Tidbit
Warren Ellis is a super cool and talented and interesting dude, and if you don't believe me, he's out there proving it himself to anyone who'll listen, with his new e-mail newsletter. Whether you're a fan of his work or not, bound to be some cool/insightful/original stuff in there.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Smatterday 04/14/2012
As If We Didn't Have Enough Spider-Titles
So the cat is officially out of the bag on Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli's Spider-Men. It's going to be the current 616 Spider-Man (Peter Parker) meeting up with the new Ultimate Spider-Man (Miles Morales) in some sort universe-hopping adventure. As much as the Bendis-Pichelli team has been rocking it on Ultimate Spider-Man, I find myself not too excited by this series. I like that the Ultimate Universe is and always has been distinct from the 616 Marvel U, and because Ultimate Peter Parker is such a huge figures in Miles' world, and such a major factor in his origin story, I'd really rather have Miles never meet the man, even a version from another universe. Hopefully once the story actually comes out it will be handled in a way that's better than I am predicting, but either way, seems pretty dumb to mix these two universes that were, initially, all about existing apart from one another and telling different kinds of stories. Sure Marvel can change its mind (read: lie to its audience), but they better have a good reason for it.
Also, this is a good point.
FINALLY
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is going to be a movie after all this time! I was exactly the right age (i.e. still in high school) when the first Sin City movie came out to totally fall in love with it and all it's splash-color, hyper-stylized, comic-aping nonsense. I hadn't read the comics themselves at that time, and still have not read A Dame To Kill For, but you better believe I'm going to now!
There is some doubt as to whether or not this is going to really come to fruition, but I have faith. Because the part of me that wants this movie to exist is still young enough to have faith in other people.
The Digital Age
The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) is this weekend, and one of my biggest personal takeaways from the coverage of the event, and comicbook news coverage in general these days, is that there is now a MAJOR push toward digital comics taking place. Of course, really this has been several years in the making, but the level of attention now being paid to digital publishing feels unprecedented and a bit sudden. Marvel's got a brand new digital comics store, DC and Archaia both have new digital-first comics titles coming, and Mark Waid is starting an all-digital comics website, Thrillbent.com. And most exciting/interesting, although perhaps the least likely to make a splash, is Edgar Wright and Tommy Lee Edwards' The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator, an interactive online comic experiment of sorts. I am also just the right age to LOVE having a hard copy of a comicbook in my hand, and am therefore resistant to this trend, but I appreciate its inevitability and hope that, at the very least, people do new and worthwhile things with this change in the medium. If we have to go digital, let's explore the possibilities and capabilities offered to us by doing so. Am I right?
So the cat is officially out of the bag on Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli's Spider-Men. It's going to be the current 616 Spider-Man (Peter Parker) meeting up with the new Ultimate Spider-Man (Miles Morales) in some sort universe-hopping adventure. As much as the Bendis-Pichelli team has been rocking it on Ultimate Spider-Man, I find myself not too excited by this series. I like that the Ultimate Universe is and always has been distinct from the 616 Marvel U, and because Ultimate Peter Parker is such a huge figures in Miles' world, and such a major factor in his origin story, I'd really rather have Miles never meet the man, even a version from another universe. Hopefully once the story actually comes out it will be handled in a way that's better than I am predicting, but either way, seems pretty dumb to mix these two universes that were, initially, all about existing apart from one another and telling different kinds of stories. Sure Marvel can change its mind (read: lie to its audience), but they better have a good reason for it.
Also, this is a good point.
FINALLY
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is going to be a movie after all this time! I was exactly the right age (i.e. still in high school) when the first Sin City movie came out to totally fall in love with it and all it's splash-color, hyper-stylized, comic-aping nonsense. I hadn't read the comics themselves at that time, and still have not read A Dame To Kill For, but you better believe I'm going to now!
There is some doubt as to whether or not this is going to really come to fruition, but I have faith. Because the part of me that wants this movie to exist is still young enough to have faith in other people.
The Digital Age
The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) is this weekend, and one of my biggest personal takeaways from the coverage of the event, and comicbook news coverage in general these days, is that there is now a MAJOR push toward digital comics taking place. Of course, really this has been several years in the making, but the level of attention now being paid to digital publishing feels unprecedented and a bit sudden. Marvel's got a brand new digital comics store, DC and Archaia both have new digital-first comics titles coming, and Mark Waid is starting an all-digital comics website, Thrillbent.com. And most exciting/interesting, although perhaps the least likely to make a splash, is Edgar Wright and Tommy Lee Edwards' The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator, an interactive online comic experiment of sorts. I am also just the right age to LOVE having a hard copy of a comicbook in my hand, and am therefore resistant to this trend, but I appreciate its inevitability and hope that, at the very least, people do new and worthwhile things with this change in the medium. If we have to go digital, let's explore the possibilities and capabilities offered to us by doing so. Am I right?
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Smatterday 04/07/2012
ECCC 2012
As we all know, Emerald City Comic-Con was last week in Seattle, and even though I couldn't go, plenty of other awesome people did. And it seems like they got to see some pretty amazing stuff.
Personally, I wasn't too excited about most of the news and announcements coming from ECCC this year, but there were a few nuggets of interest. Michael Oeming's got a new creator-owned series, Victories, coming out in the fall that promises to look badass even if the story sounds less cool than I think Oeming thinks it is. Who knows, though? Maybe it'll be an incredible story that I judged too quickly. Wouldn't be the first time.
Of course, this biggest news was that Scott Pilgirm is getting full-color hardcover editions. YAY!!!!! And there was much rejoicing.
Also, Revival sounds alright. If I remember, I'll give that a look when it comes out.
Avengers vs. X-Men vs. Shipping Schedules
Officially, Avengers vs. X-Men #1 came out on Wednesday (04/04), but for an unknown number of readers (myself included) it actually came out last Wednesday (03/28) because Marvel, employing their typical bizarre business sense, shipped them all a week early in order to be sure retailers would have them in time. However, apparently neither Diamond nor Marvel included any kid of special instructions to retailers explaining what the deal was, so numerous stores went ahead and sold the issue a week early.
I mean...duh, right? I get that Marvel maybe didn't trust Diamond completely (who does?) with getting so many of such an "important" issue out in time, but shouldn't they have made some kind of effort to be sure that retailers knew the situation? I know Marvel can't contact evey comicbook store in the country, but some kind of insert or special packaging or SOMETHING to have Diamond include with the orders seems like a no-brainer. Or else you get exactly what you got.
In general, the Internet seems to have been cool about respectfully waiting to review or discuss the issue until this week, so no real harm done. And I mean whatever, comic info leaks online all the time so this is nothing new. But it's a pretty silly blunder, and feels like it could have been so easily avoided.
Best New Awards Controversy
Also this week, the 2012 Eisner Nominees were announced, but due to a lack of "contenders that reached the level of quality they were looking for," there is no Best New Series category this year. And people are pretty pissed. I guess the defense of the decision was that in order to qualify, a title had to be an ongoing series and also have had at least two issues published in 2011, which I'm sure does, in fact, narrows things down. Not so much that it justifies cutting the award completely, I don't imagine, but I can see where they are coming from. I think the real issue is that the difference between Best New Series and Best Continuing Series seems to be pretty thin. Three of five nominees in the latter category were new in 2011, so...what the hell? Maybe put some more established titles in that category, Eisner folks, and let Best New Series stick around. Like we all want.
Watch But Don't Listen
Everybody (even me) already hates the Avengers Movie soundtrack just based on the listing. Except depressed middle-schoolers from the nineties.
As we all know, Emerald City Comic-Con was last week in Seattle, and even though I couldn't go, plenty of other awesome people did. And it seems like they got to see some pretty amazing stuff.
Personally, I wasn't too excited about most of the news and announcements coming from ECCC this year, but there were a few nuggets of interest. Michael Oeming's got a new creator-owned series, Victories, coming out in the fall that promises to look badass even if the story sounds less cool than I think Oeming thinks it is. Who knows, though? Maybe it'll be an incredible story that I judged too quickly. Wouldn't be the first time.
Of course, this biggest news was that Scott Pilgirm is getting full-color hardcover editions. YAY!!!!! And there was much rejoicing.
Also, Revival sounds alright. If I remember, I'll give that a look when it comes out.
Avengers vs. X-Men vs. Shipping Schedules
Officially, Avengers vs. X-Men #1 came out on Wednesday (04/04), but for an unknown number of readers (myself included) it actually came out last Wednesday (03/28) because Marvel, employing their typical bizarre business sense, shipped them all a week early in order to be sure retailers would have them in time. However, apparently neither Diamond nor Marvel included any kid of special instructions to retailers explaining what the deal was, so numerous stores went ahead and sold the issue a week early.
I mean...duh, right? I get that Marvel maybe didn't trust Diamond completely (who does?) with getting so many of such an "important" issue out in time, but shouldn't they have made some kind of effort to be sure that retailers knew the situation? I know Marvel can't contact evey comicbook store in the country, but some kind of insert or special packaging or SOMETHING to have Diamond include with the orders seems like a no-brainer. Or else you get exactly what you got.
In general, the Internet seems to have been cool about respectfully waiting to review or discuss the issue until this week, so no real harm done. And I mean whatever, comic info leaks online all the time so this is nothing new. But it's a pretty silly blunder, and feels like it could have been so easily avoided.
Best New Awards Controversy
Also this week, the 2012 Eisner Nominees were announced, but due to a lack of "contenders that reached the level of quality they were looking for," there is no Best New Series category this year. And people are pretty pissed. I guess the defense of the decision was that in order to qualify, a title had to be an ongoing series and also have had at least two issues published in 2011, which I'm sure does, in fact, narrows things down. Not so much that it justifies cutting the award completely, I don't imagine, but I can see where they are coming from. I think the real issue is that the difference between Best New Series and Best Continuing Series seems to be pretty thin. Three of five nominees in the latter category were new in 2011, so...what the hell? Maybe put some more established titles in that category, Eisner folks, and let Best New Series stick around. Like we all want.
Watch But Don't Listen
Everybody (even me) already hates the Avengers Movie soundtrack just based on the listing. Except depressed middle-schoolers from the nineties.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Smatterday 03/31/2012
The Azzarello Amazon Incident
Wow, Wonder Woman #7 certainly rocked the boat, didn't it? From Kelly Thompson's review and subsequent column, to the numerous other outcries and criticisms, people have been extremely vocal in their disapproval of Brian Azzarello's new take on the Amazons. For the most part, I agree with what has been said. The Amazons have never been so hateful and malicious as this issue paints them to be, and there is absolutely no discernible reason in terms of the story so far that this detail needed to be divulged. Discernible, however, is the operative word there, because until we see at least one if not two or three more issues of the series, it's hard to say what the final portrait of the New 52 Amazons will be. For now, though, a definite misstep for the otherwise exceptional title. #8 has a LOT riding on it.
Spurlock Does Comic-Con
Morgan Spurlock, of Super Size Me fame, has put together a Comic-Con documentary with some help from Stan Lee and Joss Whedon. And so far, the response seems to be fairly positive. I am not a fan of Spurlock as a man or a filmmaker, but supposedly he isn't on frame for even a second of Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope, so that certainly raises my interest level to some degree. Until more reviews of the complete film have come in, I'll hold off on viewing it, but from what I've read so far I admit it does seem like he's got the right attitude about the project. Here's hoping...
What Kind of Turtles Are They? Or...Are They Still Technically Turtles?
No doubt you've heard by now, but Michael Bay is producing, arguably, a remake the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I say arguably because, from what we've heard so far, the titular characters will be neither teenage nor mutant nor, in the most literal sense, turtles, because now what they are instead is aliens from another planet that sort of resemble giant anthropomorphized Earth turtles. So not really a remake so much as a retooling. Or, more accurately, a brand new idea (aliens with ninja skills come to Earth to be heros---awesome!) squished together with an old franchise. And even that isn't entirely true, since the title is now just going to be Ninja Turtles.
For me, the problem with this is that the whole charm of the turtles, the thing that set them apart from basically every other hero or superhero in comics, TV, or movies, is that rather than being men who were given turtle-like powers and characteristics, they were TURTLES FIRST, who then grew to take on human-like characteristics. But apparently that concept is lost on Mr. Bay and company. There has been some flacid support for the project, but mostly people are pissed off, and if those behind these decisions really don't understand why people are angry, then they shouldn't have been selected for this project in the first place.
Another Event Is Born...Kinda
Finally, below is a list of reviews I happened to read of Avengers vs. X-Men #0. Just in case you missed any of them, because it is, after all, the event of the year. Because every year has to have an event now. Because that's how we do things.
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