Southside Comic Reviews

The 411 on the 711

2005-03-03T13:27:00.000+02:00

BIG NEWS!!! -Marvel is reintroducing comics to the mainstream via 6,000 plus 7-11 convenience stores accross the USA. This has to be some of the biggest news retailer wise in the past ten plus years. Hopefully this will produce positive results for everyone over the next couple of years. Check the main story here.

Joe Quesada Speaks

2005-03-01T13:37:00.000+02:00

Joey Q has dropped some info on goings on at Marvel and the future for comics once again at his 'Cup 'O Joe' panel at Megacon this past weekend. Read what he has to say here.

What Are You Buying?

2005-02-28T19:27:00.000+02:00

What Are You Buying? - Thats the question posed by Richard Friend on the Gelatometti site and he's got some great picks. Go check out what your favourite creators favourites are by clicking here.

Whedon's Astonishing to Continue For Another Year

2005-02-28T19:21:00.000+02:00

In case you haven't heard [you'd have to be blind,deaf and dumb, but still...] Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's run on Astonishing X-Men will continue for another year after there first 12 issue run is complete. There is mention of a short hiatus between the two runs so lets hope it is 'short' as these breaks tend to be on the long side.

For the full story go here.

Stan Lee Returns with Alexa

2005-02-28T19:16:00.000+02:00

Stan Lee is returning to his legendary comicbook writing form by doing a comic for iBooks called Alexa.

“The series deals with a comic book company trying to get the story rights to the lives of two twenty-foot-tall superhero giants who suddenly appear from a rift between dimensions. Alexa works for the comic book
company and begins to wonder: are they really superheroes, or something far deadlier? Also, what is the mystic bond between her and the mysterious giants from another realm? It goes from there.”- Stan Lee on Alexa

The book is due out late February in the USA and features artwork by a number of great artists such as Dave Gibbons.

Hawkeye Back From The Dead

2005-02-10T13:40:00.000+02:00

Heh heh, this one made me laugh, Brian Bendis and Joe Quesada speak to Hawkeye from beyond the grave... check it.

Writers From Out Of Nowhere

2005-02-10T13:31:00.000+02:00

Steven Bates writes a quick article about outside writers getting into mainstream comics writing, an interesting article.

"Despite an overall drop in comic book sales in recent years, Marvel and DC have been steadily improving the quality of their storytelling over the past decade. This may, in part, be a case of learning from the past; writers and artists working today have the advantage of seeing everything that has gone before, both good and bad. Unlike the pioneers of our industry, who created from whole cloth an art form that combined the visual elements of cartooning and illustration with a diverse literary goulash-part short story, part screenplay, part serialized fiction-contemporary creators are building on the foundation of those forebears."

Check the full story here.

Sorry...I really am!

2005-02-10T13:09:00.000+02:00

Well in case you haven't noticed the blog [and site] are suffering for lack of updates. Life and work have been very crazy of note and after my 16 hour days updating has not been happening as it should. I will blog every few days and yes there are reviews for the past few months coming soon. Thanks for understanding.

Iain.

Nigerians Enter The Comics Sphere

2005-02-03T14:13:00.000+02:00

It actually pisses me off a bit that the Yanks laugh at Africa so much, because if they had 11 languages to get right I rate they might be a bit off with one or two words here and there to, but anyway heres the latest Nigerian scheme for you all to chuckle over. Check it here.

Camuncoli Gets Intimate

2005-02-03T13:51:00.000+02:00

The artist on Wildstorms 'The Intimates', Giuseppe Camuncoli, takes a moment to give his rundown on the hot new title from the 'Storm. Read the story here.

Stan VS. Jack

2005-02-01T13:59:00.000+02:00

The New York Times has picked up on the fact that Stan Lee is making oodles of boodle while the deceased Jack Kirby, who was a co-creator at the very least, is getting 'Jack All' out of the deal!

"It's amazing that he walks away with all the credit and all the money for some of the creation of these characters," said Robert Katz, a nephew of Jack Kirby, the illustrator who worked with Mr. Lee on the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, the X-Men and others. "The artists who did the lion's share of the creation have walked away with absolutely nothing." Mr. Kirby died in 1994.

"I only wish that Jack Kirby had Stan Lee's lawyer," Mr. Katz added.

Shonen Jump Takes Over The World

2005-02-01T13:47:00.000+02:00

"Shueisha's manga magazine Shonen Jump maintains annual sales of about 3.2 million copies within Japan. A Swedish version with sales of about 30,000 copies was launched in October 2004. A Norwegian version will launch in March of 2005. The German version of Shonen Jump known as "BANZAI" began in 2001 and maintains an annual circulation of 140,000. Viz began publishing the American version of Shonen Jump in 2002 and has an annual circulation of 350,000 copies."
Source: manganewsservice.com

Phil Hester Rocks

2005-02-01T13:25:00.000+02:00

I am a fan of artist Phil Hesters work on Green Arrow over the last couple of years. In case you haven't heard yet he has moved off Green Arrow and onto Nightwing and will start with Aprils #107 along with his inking buddy Ande Parks. Heres a sweet interview with him on his upcoming gig.

Jim Lee & Crew In Paris

2005-01-31T14:00:00.000+02:00

As we speak the legendary Jim Lee and friends are exploding onto the Paris comics scene, ok maybe not exploding but anyway. The merry crew have been posting some sweet 'Batman in Paris' pics and other fun adventures from France. Check out the coverage here.

Joe Mad On The Loose

2005-01-28T13:32:00.000+02:00

Joe Madueira the legend penciller of the 90's has been getting up to quite a lot of comics related work once again. This time it's covers mostly but it's still great stuff nonetheless, check out his latest work on Darkstalkers here.

Top Ten Manga In Japan This Week

2005-01-28T13:16:00.000+02:00

1. 'Fruit basket 16
2. Great Detective Conan 48
3. RAVE 31
4. Golden Gouache 19
5. BECK 21
6. SAMURAI DEEPER KYO 30
7. GetBackers-Recapture Ya- 28
8. KATSU! 15
9. Empty Of Duck 5
10. D-LIVE 9

Source: manganewsservice.com

Catwoman Heads To The Wrong Award Ceremony

2005-01-28T10:28:00.000+02:00

Sci-Fi Wire reports that Catwoman is heading up the charge for the 'Worst' film of the year awards.

Catwoman, the critically assailed superhero film starring Halle Berry, received a leading seven nominations for the Golden Raspberry awards, which identify the worst films of the year, the Golden Raspberry Foundation announced. Nominations for the costly box-office flop include worst picture, worst actress for Berry and worst supporting actor and actress for co-stars Lambert Wilson and Sharon Stone.

Other science fiction, fantasy and supernatural nominees include the family film Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, which was nominated for worst picture, Vin Diesel, who received a worst actor nod for The Chronicles of Riddick, and Arnold Schwarzenegger for worst supporting actor for his cameo role in Around the World in 80 Days. Genre films also dominated the worst remake or sequel category, which included Alien vs. Predator, Anacondas: Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Around the World in 80 Days, Exorcist 4: The Beginning and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

The winners of the 25th annual Golden Raspberry awards will be announced Feb. 26, one day before the Academy Awards ceremony

DC Events For 2005

2005-01-28T09:38:00.000+02:00

2004 was most definately the year for big 'Event' driven comics such as Identity Crises and Avengers Dissasembled. Recently Dan Didio of DC Comics has begun to start weaving the web of teasers for the next big 3 events for 2005 from DC.

"March sees DC Countdown #1, which promises to follow up on the events from Identity Crisis, and maybe even, if the cover is any indication, add another to the body count. Then, in April, things get rolling in a big way, with the launch of two miniseries spinning out from Countdown, The OMAC Project and Day of Vengeance, with two more miniseries promised for May"

I don't really see the need for these things and just wish more good books like Human Target would stop getting cancelled and that the big publishers would start spreading the focus even more away from the Superhero genre. If they want to focus on Superheros at least make them good comics and not just shock factor soap operas with dead people on the covers.

Click here to read about DC's Event plans for 2005.

Fantastic Four Trailer Is Up

2005-01-26T14:02:00.000+02:00

Yeah I know it's old news but still it is news. Check out the Fantastic Four movie trailer here.

Batman Is A Punk Rocker

2005-01-26T13:28:00.000+02:00

Wow who woulda thunk that my favourite punk rock band woulda got to join up with Batman. Well it seems that Green Days hit song 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams' will be included in the new Batman Begins movie as the theme song.

"Today on television I saw Billie Joe Armstrong (Lead Singer and Lead Guitarist of Green Day) being interviewed and when asked what the band had coming up he said their song Boulevard Of Broken Dreams is going to be the theme song to Batman Begins, and they are going to record two new songs for the soundtrack."

- Curtosy of Superherohype.com

Supreme Powers That Be

2005-01-26T13:22:00.000+02:00

FINALLY!!!!!! - I swear that the Supreme Power HC has been resolicited like 10 times already, my wait is finally over. For all you art junkies and mature readers nuts go grab this one in April when it finally hits shelves...wahooo!!!!

SUPREME POWER VOL. 1 HC
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Pencils & Cover by GARY FRANK

This deluxe hardcover collects SUPREME POWER VOL. 1: CONTACT and SUPREME POWER VOL. 2: POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES, plus a hefty helping of DVD-style extras. In CONTACT, Babylon 5 creator and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN writer J. Michael Straczynski presents a new vision of a world about to give birth to its first generation of super heroes! Follow the origins of these new heroes and anti-heroes - from their birth through adulthood - and examine how their lives and abilities change and shape the world around them. In POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES, the god-like Hyperion discovers his whole life has actually been an elaborate government-made lie, and his reaction could mean the end of the Earth! Do the world's other super-powered beings have any chance at stopping Hyperion if the truth sends him over the edge?

Collects SUPREME POWER #1-13 - plus character designs, alternate cover treatments, the historic first appearance of the original Squadron Supreme in AVENGERS #85-86, and more!
352 PGS./Parental Advisory …$29.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1369-X

Marvel TPB Rant

2005-01-26T13:01:00.000+02:00

I always thought I was alone in a world on non-existant back issues of Marvel Trade Paperbacks... but it turns out I was wrong. Some other irate folk have been posting hate mail about the fact that Marvel never seems to have it's most essential back-volumes of it's TPB's around for anyone to read. I mean they direct all their comics towards TPB collection, but once they are done they are not available for reorder after the first printing until months and months if not years later, cmon Marvel get yer socks on.

Ilan Strasser of Fat Moose Comics in Whippany, New Jersey is feeling the pain from Marvel's out-of-stocks on trade paperbacks:

2004 ended up being a down year for Fat Moose Comics and Games. Unfortunately, we experienced just under a 10% drop in gross revenues. It is safe to say that there are several factors which contributed to this decline. But at our store, one factor stands out among the rest -- the continuous unavailability of Marvel TPB's over the course of the last year. Even the best selling TPB's have been unavailable from time to time -- just this past week I could not reorder Volume 1 of the Ultimate X-Men.

It is extremely difficult to sell TPB's from a sequentially numbered series to new readers when the earlier volumes are not available. It is unconscionable on Marvel's part to allow this situation to go on for months on end, especially when one considers that their whole editorial framework revolves around the production of monthly story arcs which are constructed specifically to be reprinted in the TPB format. I have tried unsuccessfully for months to get Vol. 1-3 of the Mark Waid Fantastic Four's and Vol. 1 & 2 of the Captain America series. These are just two of many examples I could cite.

If Marvel doesn't want to make reorders of monthly books available, fine. But Marvel has a responsibility to keep their entire tpb line in print all the time. Why? Because many, many retailers have invested significant amounts of dollars and shelf space to promote these manufactured storylines. If Marvel responds by saying that at any given time, a varying 80% of the line is available, that is not good enough, especially when some titles are unavailable for long periods of time. 100% availability 100% of the time -- nothing less is acceptable. It's a matter of corporate responsibility.

Full article available here.

Desolation Jones

2005-01-18T14:07:00.000+02:00

Warren Ellis and JH Williams are joining forces to bring us Ellis' first long-form series in ages. An intricate and interisting storyline featuring an ex MI6 agent now living in LA sounds like more Ellis goodness. Go here for more info on the upcoming series due on shelves in April 2005.

Human Target Shot Down

2005-01-18T13:47:00.000+02:00

It seems that great 'underground' comics are just getting shut down as the mainstream fails to pick up on the 'borderline' comics that don't fit into the superhero norm. This time Human Target feels the brunt of the blow as it heads for it's grave. It's a pity as it's a great great book and I highly recommend it to everyone. Do yourself a favour and go pick up the two trade paperbacks that are available,you won't be sorry. Peter Milligan the writer of HT talks all about the demise of the book here.

Best Selling Comics For December 2004

2005-01-18T13:42:00.000+02:00

The results are in for Decembers numbers on comicbook sales and heres the top 10:

240,724 - New Avengers #1
146,271 - Ultimates 2 #1
139,572 - Identity Crisis #7
134,103 - Astonishing X-Men #7
119,926 - Superman / Batman #15
115,657 - Superman / Batman #16
106,523 - Green Lantern: Rebirth #3
100,244 - Superman #212
89,952 - Uncanny X-Men #453
88,960 - Ultimate Spider-Man #70

For more info surf here.

Elektra Sucks At The Box Office

2005-01-18T13:37:00.000+02:00

Yep, well I saw this coming even if you didn't...Elektra is not doing well so far, the movie has in fact done worse then it's big [well in terms of sucky comic movies] rival being last years Catwoman in its first weekend at $12.5 million compared to Catwomans opening of $16.5 mill. See the full report here.

Yet Another Crisis

2005-01-12T13:06:00.000+02:00

Identity Crisis is going back to print...all 7 issues of it. So if you are one of the 2 people on the planet who hasn't got it yet it looks like you're in luck. With the Hardcover only due in September and the trade even further beyond that it looks like this is the only way to get the hit series until then. Personally I am a bit sick of all the crap surrounding this over-hyped monstrousity but I guess I just don't get my kicks out of third-tier characters getting raped like you guys do? ahahaha...smile, it's only a comic man!

Arrrrrrrr Them Pirates Be Setting Sail Again

2005-01-12T10:35:00.000+02:00

Everyones favourite topic is back in the internet 'press' machine again. Newsarama has a very cool article on Comic Piracy, go read it here.

"According to some, one of the most pre-imminent threats to the comic industry today is internet-aided piracy. The problem of illegally copying comics has been around before the days of the internet, but with the advent and acceleration of such technologies it has become easier than ever to download the latest issues of your favorite comics and bypass stores – and commerce - all together. For some, every day is “Free Comic Book Day”. While the problem has yet to fully flourish and reach a critical mass as it has (or claimed to have) in music and film, the trading of scanned comics online has proliferated and shows no signs of stopping."

2005 - By Warren Ellis

2005-01-10T13:48:00.000+02:00

Warren Ellis takes a look at 2005 and gives his ideas on the mainstream vs. the independants and the future of comics this year.

"So 2005's going to be an interesting year. Or possibly a nightmarishly dull one. Nothing in between. The commercial end of the medium, the top twenty end, is already set in stone. We know what DC and Marvel are going to do, we can take educated guesses at which will sell what, and that's that. No surprises. It's already done. DC set their schedules many, many months in advance, and Marvel slightly fewer, and you can assume with some safety that their slate is all set until at least June. (The indies tend to be a touch more flexible, but you're still looking at, say, five months of a set schedule.) These are all books that could have commenced production as early as 2003. (Three or four of my DC projects in 2005 certainly did.) DC and Marvel, each acting like the other is the only game in town, will lumber onwards in their usual cycle. Their top books will cannibalise their own midlists, and so it will go. Off in their own little world. I'm not denying that it can be fun to watch that sort of thing for a little while."

"IDENTITY ARSERAPE FUNNIES, no matter its faults, created genuine excitement among the conservative comics audience with its comics-historical revisionism and skilful histrionics. AVENGERS/NEW AVENGERS galvanised a section of the same audience into proclaiming that Hawkeye was Jesus or something. In the commercial Marvel/DC axis, triggering conversation is often just a matter of cleverly manipulating the characters that that longtime hardcore audience grew up with. In the rest of the medium, your actual groundbreaking electric work needs to be produced."

"I think possibly it's measured in how something grabs at you, how it makes you feel, what it does to your brain, what it says to you. For some people, yeah, that's going to be all about what's in Green Lantern's underpants or whatever, and that's okay. Personally, I look for the Rock And Roll and the Manic Pop Thrill elsewhere. My point, if I have one at all, is that this year the majors are focussed on each other, and on making millions off the handful of old characters we already know. There are no surprises to be had out of "mainstream" DC and Marvel in the coming year. Which means it's down to the rest of the medium to provide them.

Take a look around you, this year. Reward those who bring you the rock and the roll with the buzz, the discussion and attention and tubthumping and hysterical screamy noises -- you're on the fucking internet, son, it's what it's for -- and make it a good year. Which will make next year even better."

For the full article go here.

Downloading Comics - The Survey

2005-01-10T13:33:00.000+02:00

Ever wondered what all the debate was about? Want to know how many people are involved? Want to know what people are downloading? Check out this great little survey which gives some interesting stats as to the increase of digital pirating of comics. Go here for the survey.

Kevin Spacey Is Lex Luthor

2005-01-10T13:23:00.000+02:00

Yip it seems the boys organising the latest Superman film have managed to get some real talent on board, this is a definate good sign so heres wishing them all the best. "Lois Lane will be played by "Blue Crush" actress Kate Bosworth and the film's primary antagonist, Lex Luthor, will be played by Bosworth's "Under The Sea" co-star, Kevin Spacey."

Stardust Kid This May

2005-01-07T11:32:00.000+02:00

Don't miss this one, the latest project by the guys that brought us the amazing Abadazad are bringing out an all-ages fantasy comic in 5 parts this May. Produced by Desparado publishing and published by Image Comics look for it on a shelf near you.
Read the newsflash here.

The New Supergirl

2005-01-07T11:24:00.000+02:00

Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill will be taking on a new SUpergirl series this July. CBR has a great interview with Loeb for his plans on the series.

"Ultimately, Loeb's goal with "Supergirl" is to establish Kara as the one, true Supergirl in the DC Universe. "She's Superman's cousin -- that's a huge legacy to live up to. How can she deal with that? And like 'Superman/Batman,' it will be huge in scope. This label that folks have put on me as 'the Jerry Brukheimer of Comics' I find as a huge compliment. You know, when they were called Spielberg movies ('Jaws,' 'Close Encounters,' 'Jurassic Park') 'popcorn movies' were fun. Somehow the snooties decided that popcorn was all popped out. But, when you look at how many times 'Superman/Batman' has been the #1 book, and always in the top five, we may be onto something that we can't really explain other than it's not so bad to have fun for your $2.99!"

To read the full interview go here.

Wrong About Japan: A Father's Journey with his Son

2005-01-07T10:46:00.000+02:00

A Colorado Newspaper has a fun review about a book which looks like a classic fun read for anime and manga fans of all ages. "Novelist Peter Carey is already well known as a two-time winner of the Booker Prize. In this nonfiction book, he enters the world of Japanese comics, courtesy of his 12-year-old son Charley.

A devotee of the tough-guy/little boy film Kikujuro, Charley announces he intends to live in Tokyo when he's older. Intrigued, Carey joins Charley on his trips to comic book stores where English is a second language. Realizing that he has all the ingredients for an extended field trip and a father-son outing, Carey proposes that Charley come along to research comics in their native country, Japan."
Read the whole review here.

Jim Lee Interview On Batman & Robin

2005-01-07T09:52:00.000+02:00

Newsarama has got a bit fat man-sized helping of a Jim Lee interview to start your day off just right. Check it out here as Jim discusses working with Frank Miller and concepts for this soon to be hit series.

Tokyopops Planet Blood

2005-01-06T13:22:00.000+02:00

While browsing some sites this morning I found what could be a little beauty of a book coming in January from Tokyopop. Sc-Fi manga fans be warned this looks addictive and possibly another winner from the 20000,0000 books to be released by Tokyopop this year.

"After the 5th World War comes to an end, 46% of humans have been wiped off the face of the earth. Because of contamination, the survivors of this war colonize the moon and Mars with plans to move back to Earth after they purify the planet.

Planet Blood begins when humans return to Earth in an attempt to find the best piece of land to colonize... but will it unleash an all-out space war?"

"Volume 1 Synopsis: In the year Universal Century 0091, Sinan is a mecha pilot for the Mars colony in its war with the Moon colony over re-patriation rights over the newly restored Earth.

An explosion catches him off guard and Sinan wakes up to find that he has been mysteriously transported to an entirely different world called Horai, with a civilization similar to that of Earth's middle ages. There, Sinan ends up rescuing a girl named Mayi from a group of thugs lead by a burly thug named Pantera.

A grateful Mayi introduces Sinan to Noodles, a leader of a rebel group that is trying to restore him to the throne of Pratria ... "

To find out more go here.

Mark Millar Discusses All-Star Batman & Robin And DC Vs. Marvel In 2005

2005-01-06T11:42:00.000+02:00

Mark Millar [Ultimates] has been chatting up a storm about his predictions for the success of the newly announced All-Star Batman & Robin and also has some opinions on the Marvel/DC battle for 2005.

"Nothing else DC has coming out next year worries me at all. Bendis, Finch, Hitch and I should be able to swat away all the other pretenders, but Miller/ Lee is the most fucking terrifying combo a freelancer can imagine and the top spot disappearing is a foregone conclusion.

I love both guys personally and professionally, but this is a juggernaut. Ultimates 2 and New Avengers are officially bumped into second and third place. This is Elvis teaming up with The Beatles."

"DC proved last year that they're good at spiking a small number of books into the top ten and they jumped from ONE book to THREE books last year. However, they actually LOST market share because too much attention was taken away from all the other books. Marvel ended the year KILLING them on market share.

What'll happen this year is they'll have FOUR books in the top ten (All-Star Bats and Supes, Jeph's Superman and Batman and Geoff's Crisis 2). The regular Batman and Superman books will tumble even lower because they'll get no promotion and nothing else outside of Pacheco's GL and maybe one other book is even seeing the top thirty. I'm a DC guy. I LOVE those characters, but the main audience is just so wedded to the Marvel characters that DD, FF, X-Men, Spidey, et al, is always going to sell more than the DC line-up. It's just mathematics. Even when the Marvel stuff is shit it sells more and right now it's pretty good.

What Marvel need is a few more spike books for the top ten. Right now they have Ultimates 2, New Avengers and Astonishing. Wolverine is selling out and getting heavily promoted and there's one or two others on the horizon, but Frank and Jim will be a hard act for anyone to beat."

For the full post on Mark Millars messageboard surf to this spot.

Jim Lee Comments On All-Star Batman & Robin

2005-01-05T13:54:00.000+02:00

Jim Lee has his official take on the latest big All-Star announcement on his blog. Heres a an excerpt from Jim on his new role with longtime favourite writer Frank Miller:

"To say this is my ultimate, dream project would be an incredible understatement. Back when I was in college from 1982 to 1986, I grew bored and disenchanted with comics, barely perusing my subscriptions when I went home for various holiday breaks. Frank Miller changed all that in 1986 when the Dark Knight Returns blew my mind and lit up my retinas.

I haven't been the same since.

My passion for creating comics comes from this one book and I've embarrassed Frank countless times by repeating this exact same story to him. Being fortunate enough to have as passionate fans, I know how it feels to be told similar tales so I hold back and try and act normal around him now so I don't freak him out. But he is fucking Frank Miller, man."

For the entire blog entry go here.

Frank Miller And Jim Lee on All-Stars Batman & Robin

2005-01-05T13:49:00.000+02:00

The Pulse just reported the follwing big scoop. Its the second announcement on DC Comics big 'Ultimate' line of books, Frank Miller to write Batman & Robin and Jim Lee to draw. Start saving those pennies people this is gonna be off the heezy for sheezy.
"The mystery and guessing game is over! Frank Miller, a man who many think defined the Dark Knight Detective with his work on both The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One will be writing the upcoming Batman and Robin for the DC All-Stars line, according to the New York Times.

The New York Times reported:

Mr. Miller has been announced as the writer of "All-Star Batman and Robin," which will be published by DC Comics in July as part of a new group of titles in which top artists and writers will create stories not bound by decades of continuity. (In this case, Batman's partner is Dick Grayson, the first and best-known Robin, not Tim Drake, the third boy in the role.)All-Star Batman and Robin will be drawn by Jim Lee."

Comics As A Learning Tool

2005-01-05T13:37:00.000+02:00

The state of Maryland in the USA has sanctioned the use of comicbooks as learning tools. Comics are being incorporated into reading and art classes.

Read the full story here.

Comicsone Change Name To DrMaster

2005-01-05T13:24:00.000+02:00

Comicsone, the manga publisher of such awesome books as Iron Wok Jan, has been having crazy 75% off sales on their site [www.comicsone.com] for the last few months and the signs have been up that they might be going under or that change was on the horizon. Well it seems that the move has been made as they change name and seem to be starting somewhat anew. When I have more information I'll try and clarify what really happened, heres the press coverage for now.

"With offices in Fremont, California; Taipei, Taiwan; and Tokyo, Japan, DrMaster is dedicated to bringing translated Asian comic book and graphic novel titles from Japan and Hong Kong to American audiences, including such works as Onegai Teacher, Goku: Midnight Eye, Kazan, Sarai, and many others. DrMaster publishes its titles in the traditional, proven Asian format - trade paperback collections of several hundred pages in length..

"ComicsOne was one of our best clients and we are elated to welcome its newest incarnation into the fold," said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing Bill Schanes. "This latest agreement will help us continue making sure these brilliant books from Asia reach the widest American audience possible."

"We here at DrMaster Publications are delighted to work with Diamond Book Distributors - the foremost distributor of comic books and graphic novels here in the United States," said Shawn Sanders the Marketing Director for DrMaster Publications. "We have an exciting line-up for 2005. We plan to bring some Asia's best and brightest to the States and we happy to know Diamond is at the helm of distribution."

Dreamwave Productions Shuts Down

2005-01-05T13:12:00.000+02:00

Yep yet another relative giant of comics is shutting it's doors. A real shame for the game as the guys at Dreamwave had been doing a solid job of producing high quality comics over the years.

"Dreamwave Productions announced today that after eight years in the comics industry, four of which they were self-published, they will be ceasing operations.

Established in 1996 by brothers Pat and Roger Lee, Dreamwave infused a stagnant comic book market with art and design that effortlessly combined the then dominant “American” art style with the newly emerging Japanese “Manga” art style. Since then, the company had grown to become one of the comic book industry’s premiere publishers, producing a variety of original titles.

In 2002, Dreamwave firmly established itself in the comic industry as a force to be reckoned with when it launched an all-new Transformers comic’s line. The return of the 80’s icons shattered industry sales records, skyrocketing the book to the number one sales slot for an impressive six months. The Toronto-based company’s other successful licenses included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Duel Masters from Japan, as well as properties like Devil May Cry and Mega Man from video game giant Capcom Entertainment.

President of Dreamwave Productions, Pat Lee stated “there are a number of reasons for my decision to close Dreamwave”, citing that “the shrinking comic book market combined with a weak U.S. dollar and unsustainable monetary commitments has finally proven to be too financially taxing.”

As the only Canadian independent comics publisher, Dreamwave Productions has struggled in recent years to maintain its status within a relentlessly shrinking comic book market. Unfortunately, consistently diminishing sales totals over the last several years have taken their toll on the small publisher and made it impossible to continue.

The specific details for closure have not yet been released but Lee assures both fans and clients alike that “although this is the end of Dreamwave as a comics publisher, I will still be penciling a number of new exciting projects in conjunction with other studios in the upcoming years.”

Will Eisner Dies At 87

2005-01-05T11:58:00.000+02:00

Will Eisner died Monday evening of complications after going through quadruble bypass surgery. As the author/artist/writer of such classic comics as The Spirit this legend of comics will be sadly missed by all.

Newsarama has posted a report here.

Top Selling Graphic Novels In Bookstores For 2004

2005-01-04T10:08:00.000+02:00

ICv2 reports on the top selling graphic novels/manga in bookstores for 2004. Looks like 9-11 is still drawing in a vast social interest and that manga is here to stay.

"The final Bookscan reports for 2004 are in, and the year-to-date sales numbers provide some interesting information about the bestselling graphic novels in bookstores last year. Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 1, from Viz, was the top-selling graphic novel in bookstores last year (based on pieces), and the other volumes in the series all sold well too.The #2 piece book was Tokyopop's Fruits Basket Vol. 1. Because of the difference in cover price (Tokyopop prices its manga volumes at $9.95, Viz prices its Shonen Jump titles at $7.95), Fruits Basket actually topped Rurouni Kenshin in dollars.

The top dollar book was Art Spiegelman's 9-11 reflection, In the Shadow of No Towers, which sold almost as many copies as Rurouni Kenshin, but at a $19.95 cover price.The #2 dollar book on the list (although not a graphic novel) was the Complete Peanuts, Vol. 1, from Fantagraphics."

Mike McKone Exclusive to Marvel and on Fantastic Four

2005-01-03T14:29:00.000+02:00

Yep another 'big' signing for Marvel Comics... ok this time it is a good thing. Bummer for fans of Teen Titans [McKones latest hit book] but good news for those saddened by the parting of Wieringo on Fantastic Four as McKone will undoubtably bring some hot artwork to the title when he joins up with J.M.S. on the title later this year.
Marvel Comics is honored to announce that fan-favorite penciller Mike McKone has accepted a two year exclusive contract!

“I’m moving back to the House of Ideas and it feels great!” says McKone, excited by the prospects of the move. “Thanks to Mike Marts, Joe Q, and Dan Buckley, the opportunity to contribute a little more to the Marvel Universe came along and I’m grabbing it with both hands!”

McKone’s past year’s work on DC’s Teen Titans has garnered him many accolades with fans and creators alike, but he’s no stranger to the Marvel heroes, though, having contributed to EXILES, THOR, SPIDERMAN 2099, PUNISHER, and HULK.

“Mike’s art has truly made us sit up and take notice,” comments Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. “He’s got a fantastic flair for action and we couldn’t be more thrilled that he agreed to come back to the Marvel Bullpen.” Publisher Dan Buckley concurs. “I can’t believe we’re this lucky, to have Mike join us again and to have him drawing our characters. I’ll be looking forward to seeing all of his new Marvel work.”

The artist’s “fantastic flair” for costumed superheroics will serve him more than well for his first new Marvel assignment. “I’m going to draw my favorite comic book in the whole wide world,” beamed McKone. “I’m going to be drawing the Fantastic Four!”

Mark Millars 2005 Plans

2004-12-23T10:54:00.000+02:00

Mark Millar [Ultimates] sends his Christmas message to his fans on his messageboard and has the following to say about his plans for next year:

"The plan for 05? Well, you know some of it already. Wanted issue six isn't out until the first or second week of January, The Unfunnies 3 and 4 are still sitting in a drawer and waiting for the result of a legal negotiation and the Chosen trade is waiting on me to get off my arse and finish the extras. However, a few tidbits of good news include the fourth, missing Millarworld title finally getting released (it's a brand new idea you haven't heard about yet), a big bio book coming up for a company I've never worked for before and a very spiffy-looking Wanted hardcover being released in the Spring.

In terms of my mainstream Marvel work, my big Spidey Magnum Opus draws to a close in March, Wolverine; Agent of SHIELD runs until September and Ultimates 2 draws to a close around December 05. I've got another big project in the works (tho not what you think) that starts in early Summer, but my involvement with the superheroes finishes around August or thereabouts when my contract ceases and then I take my big six month break.

I won't even be doing emails for these six months. It genuinely will be that much of a break and all the while I'm sunning myself, learning how to drive, etc, I'll be plotting my return for Millarworld 2 and the five projects you'll see launched in the middle of 06. Where I go after this is still a big secret, but far enough away that nobody needs to think about it for a while."

Go here for the full yuletide message from Mr.Millar.

J. Michael Straczynski Takes Over Fantastic Four

2004-12-23T09:59:00.000+02:00

I might have missed this announcement so here goes. J.M.S seems to be taking over the writing chores on Fantastic Four after Waid & Wierengo step down with a push towards a cohesion between comic and movie as the film looks to be released in the summer of 2005.
"The World's Greatest Comics Magazine is about to be shaken up in a major way. Recently it was announced that writer Mark Waid and artist Mike Wieringo were stepping down from the "Fantastic Four" after a long and successful run, but there was no mention of who the new creative team would be. Finally, it can be revealed - writer J. Michael Straczynski ("Amazing Spider-Man," "Supreme Power") steps in to the writer's chair on "Fantastic Four" with June's issue #527. CBR News caught up with with Straczynski to learn what his plans are for Marvel's first family.

Straczynski's opening story arc is titled "Distant Music" and the writer says he's already turned in the first script last month with the next one due soon, so he's currently five months ahead of schedule and plans on staying with the title for a while. "I'll stay until Marvel decides I suck, or I decide I suck, and then I'm gone," Straczynski told CBR News. At this point, though, no announcement has been made regarding the artistic staff on the book."
For the full story go here.

Gail Simone Gets Action Comics

2004-12-23T09:29:00.000+02:00

Gail Simone [Birds Of Prey] will be writing Action Comics next year and John Byrne will be pencilling.
"So – with Adventures of Superman being handled by Greg Rucka and Karl Kerschl, Superman operating under the creative team of Mark Verheiden and Ed Benes, the question is officially begged: what’s, or rather, who’s coming up as the new creative team on Action Comics?

A writer who’s just as surprised as you to be reading her name here, a penciller who’s making a return to a series he hasn’t worked on regularly in 17 years, and an inker known for telling some of the most…colorful stories in the industry.

In other words: Gail (Birds of Prey) Simone, John Byrne, and Nelson DeCastro."

For the full story click here.

Merry Christmas!

2004-12-23T09:26:00.000+02:00

In case I forget to say this later, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all you folks and your loved ones. The blog might suffer over the next week or so as I take some leave and relax so I apologise in advance.
- Iain

Morrison Speaks All-Star Superman

2004-12-22T13:37:00.000+02:00

It has recentley been leaked that Grant Morrison [New X-Men, WE3] and Frank Quitley [New X-Men, WE3] will join up to take on Superman some time next year. Now it sounds like it'll be called All-Star Superman and will be 12 issues in length.

"Okay, it’s not quite an “Ultimate” line for DC Comics. Rather, the All-Star in a line of books pairing DC’s A-list creators with the icons of its universe for stories that aren’t so…beholden to continuity.

The long-rumored line kicks off in June with Jim Lee returning to Gotham City to tell a Batman and Robin story (with a writer TBA) in All-Star Batman & Robin, with the Robin in this tale being Dick Grayson; and later in 2005, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely will re-team for All-Star Superman.

The idea behind the All-Star line isn’t to spin the characters into a new timeline, a new universe, or a new continuity, rather, the creators are telling stories set in a contemporary period that both builds on the histories of the respective characters, while remaining fresh and as timeless as possible. These are books that DC hopes, will pull people in who maybe haven’t read a Batman or Superman story in a while – if ever. These versions and stories, while not “dumbed down” at all, will bring to the page what’s pure about the character – the iconic characteristics."

For more info and a killer interview with Morrison about his Super-Plans click here.

Jim Lee & Brian Azzarello Interview

2004-12-21T15:12:00.000+02:00

Jim Lee has some wicked cool interviews going down with all kinds of different fans on his blog.
"Starting this month and continuing every month til the end of our arc—For Tomorrow, writer Brian Azzarello and I will be conducting interviews with randomly chosen fans about the controversial arc and the story as it unfolds. To launch the first of these interviews, we selected two fans off the Superman message boards—one, Kilgore Trout who has been critical of the run so far and Moira who has enjoyed it." - Jim Lee
Check it out here.

Tokyopop's Street Fury

2004-12-21T14:04:00.000+02:00

Well since I've been spending most of my nights and early mornings playing Need For Speed Underground 2 lately it only makes sense that I point you towards something nice and shiny and on 4 wheels. Check out Tokyopops DVD series 'Street Fury' which has all the latest underground cars, mods and women you can take. Click here to see the latest Street Fury DVD from Tokyopop.

Top Comics And Trades Of November

2004-12-21T13:50:00.000+02:00

TOP FIVE SELLING COMICS FOR NOV 2004:

1.SUPERMAN BATMAN #13
2.ASTONISHING X-MEN #6
3.IDENTITY CRISIS #6 (Of 7)
4.SUPERMAN BATMAN #14
5.SUPERMAN #211

TOP FIVE SELLING TRADE PAPERBACKS FOR NOV 2004:

1.ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VOL 11 CARNAGE TP
2.Y LAST MAN VOL 4 SAFEWORD TP
3.SW VOL 2 CLONE WARS ADVENTURES TP
4.WALKING DEAD VOL 2 MILES BEHIND US TP
5.WALT DISNEYS MICKEYS TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS

[Sales Estimates for November Based on Diamond Indexes and Publisher Title Data]

Ultimates Vol.2 - # 2 Preview

2004-12-21T13:47:00.000+02:00

The kids at Newsarama have managed to wangle 5 preview pages of Ultimates Vol.2 #2 for all you people who simply can't wait for it to hit stores. Click here for the pages.

Gaming Is Good For You...NOT!

2004-12-21T13:27:00.000+02:00

Aheh heh, picked up this story on ICv2 earlier today:Trading card games can aid cognitive and social development, according to information released by Wizards of the Coast. The release quotes Dr. Helen Boehm, psychologist and author of Fearless Parenting for the New Millenium and The Official Guide to the Right Toys, who describes how the interactive, constructive play of trading card games can help build relationships and live-long strategic thinking skills.

"Trading card games can help children develop important organizational and reasoning strategies," Boehm said. "In addition to providing a fundamental approach to divergent thinking and socialization, these interactive trading card games encourage creative planning and problem-solving skills."

Boehm also points out the use of trading card games to teach good sportsmanship and fair play.
Of course they'll teach your kid to have a great knowledge of Demonology and how to wear a trenchcoat and be socially inept except when surrounded by other gamers or at a convention, but hey who's counting. Dumbass yanks, and I guess the fact that the people in line to profit the most from this kind of article ,TCG company Wizards Of The Coast, posted the comment isn't fishy now is it?

Web Cartoonists Choice Awards

2004-12-20T11:58:00.000+02:00

Yep it's that time of year again, awards, year in review articles and a host of fun stuff to surf. This time up it's the WCCA for web cartoons and comics. Winners this year include Penny Arcade,Homestar Runner [my personal favourite] and Mac Hall.

To see a full list of the winners go here.

Alias Publishing - Best Of The Lot

2004-12-20T11:31:00.000+02:00

After looking through the previews for the new Alias Enterprises books coming this April one title in particular caught my attention. Lullaby:Wisdom Seeker is a fantasy book with some awesome looking art which seems to be a mix of Abadazad and Fables. So anyway this is my pick of the new lot from Alias.
"LULLABY : WISDOM SEEKER is an all-ages romp through the fantasy worlds of children's fiction. This wonderful story focuses on the beloved characters of childhood yore... Join JIM HAWKINS, ALICE (From Wonderland), PINOCCHIO, LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, and the PIED PIPER as they join forces to stop a dark magic that has been warping this wonderful world into it's own image, and discover who is behind the unleashing of this darkness... You'll never guess who the bad guy turns out to be in this fun filled adventure!"
For preview pages go here.
For desktops and even more stunning Lullaby art go here.

Alias Enterprises Debuts In April

2004-12-20T11:22:00.000+02:00

By now you've probably heard of Mike S. Millers new publishing company, but if you haven't then read on for details. They are aiming to come out with 12 new titles in April 2005 ranging from the fantasy to crime genres. Some of the new releases will be available for just $0.75 cents on launch while most will retail for around $2.99 [US].

"Alias will publish comics created by a number of different independent studios including Dabel Brothers Productions, Runemaster Studios, Blue Water, and Community Comics, which accounts for the size and diversity of Alias' ambitious publishing program.

According to the Alias Enterprises Website the first issues of four titles in the April launch, Deal With the Devil, Killer Stunts, Elsinore, and Lethal Instinct will all be available for just seventy-five cents. Given the hurdles that face new publishers entering the comic book marketplace, rolling back prices to 1985 levels may provide some of the marketing muscle to attract attention in a difficult retail environment. If Alias Enterprises can keep the studios it has lined up happy, production of its ambitious schedule shouldn't be that big of a problem -- the real difficulty in comic book publishing is in attracting the financial resources necessary to sustain an ambitious publishing program long enough for the titles to gain the support of retailers and fans who are, in the wake of the failures of so many would-be comic publishing powerhouses, by now reluctant to invest their time and interest in the productions of new comic book publishers."

Check out the official Alias website here.

Cowboy Beebop Illustrations:The Wind

2004-12-17T15:03:00.000+02:00

Yikes I must have missed this somewhere, but while perusing Previews online I found it! Looks like an awesome addition to any Beebop fans collection. "Finally, Cowboy Bebop fans' prayers have been answered with this collection of illustrations, mainly from the TV series and the anime movie, plus supplemental material in the form of sketches and design work from both (plus the various video/DVD releases). Over 275 pieces of art in all, as well as bilingual commentary on each piece in English and Japanese!"
For the page in Previews online go here.

Phoenix:Endsong Preview - First Interior Art By Greg Land Since Sojourn

2004-12-17T13:42:00.000+02:00

If Greg Lands work at Crossgen is anything to go by then Marvel Comics has scored bigtime with getting him on art duties for their upcoming Phoenix:Endsong books. Gorgeous realistic renderings can be seen in 4 preview pages here.

There Be Pirates In Them Thar Seas

2004-12-17T11:25:00.000+02:00

Ever wonder about comics piracy on the internet? Just how big is it? Why should I care? etc. etc. Well I found this snazzy article on the whole scene of scanners and pirates that might open your eyes as to it's future and ramifications for the industry at large. Check it out here.

Spongebob's Revenge

2004-12-17T10:30:00.000+02:00

As I sit here staring at my Spongebob Squarepants action figure sitting next to my computer I am filled with glee to see that the comics are selling well. Aha not really but it's a story...so here it is. "Tokyopop has announced that Scholastic Books has sold nearly a half million units of SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom's Most Wanted. Previously ICv2 had reported that Scholastic had moved 250,000 copies of the SpongeBob Cine-Manga,but the doubling of that already impressive number indicates the immense potential of the Scholastic Book Club, and the appeal of the Spongebob property to the school-age demographic."

Tokyo Tribes Anime Movie

2004-12-17T10:24:00.000+02:00

Yo this should be ill man. Check this one peeps looks like MTV has liscensed the ever hip Tokyo Tribes to an English release sometime in 2006. "Wizard Press's Anime Insider is reporting that MTV has licensed the anime movie based on Santa Inoue's hip-hop manga, Tokyo Tribes, for a U.S. release in 2006. The movie will be released in Japan (most likely in theaters) in 2006, but details about the U.S. release are not available at this time. Madhouse Studio is producing the anime movie, which is based on the hard-hitting manga series about warring Tokyo street gangs released in the U.S. by Tokyopop. The first volume of Tokyopop's Tokyo Tribes debuted last September. The second volume is scheduled for February and the third for April 2005."

Morrison/Quitely on Superman

2004-12-17T09:59:00.000+02:00

Rumours abound after solicitations were leaked in the past few days that Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely of New X-Men fame might be the next team to take on Superman. Some fans are keen but most of them are bytching like you won't believe, seems most 30 + year olds who still live in their mothers basements don't like the idea of a forward thinking writer and a somewhat 'ugly' artist taking on their boy in blue. Below are some ranting excerpts on Morrison and Superman and a link to the article. "If this is true I will drop my Superman books for a while until another writer comes in and cleans up whatever mess he makes. Seriously, I don't know who makes these decisions. I prey it is untrue."

"You want to do something new and different, that's fine, but if you're going to do it as part of characters that have had 40 year histories, you better assmiliate it smoothly into that history. Morrison didn't do that with New X-Men. He had a story to tell, but it wasn't an X-Men one."

"His strength is his...uniqueness. It does not fit on mainstream superhero books, in my opinion. At leaast what I have read of his didn't."
Read the full article and more ranting here.

SA NEWSFLASH: New Shipment At Readers Den

2004-12-15T15:25:00.000+02:00

Yip it's that time of month again. Get on down to the Atrium this weekend for all kinds of new goodness. For the full shipment list go here.

Free Online Comic : Hunter Killer #0

2004-12-15T13:07:00.000+02:00

Yep it only woulda cost you $0.25 cents in the shop, but why even bother when you can get it for free online! Yep Top Cow continues to throw there crap away for free and now it's available online as well, wahoo... if you were wondering how bad Silvestri's new book might be then go here

Humanoids 2005 Release Schedule

2004-12-14T14:27:00.000+02:00

European comics giants Humanoids have put up their 2005 release schedule on their website. For some cover art and info on everything being released from Jan to Dec 2005 go here.

DC Comics Solicitations For March 2005

2004-12-14T13:52:00.000+02:00

Yep that time of the month again. DC has announced it's plans for books shipping in March of next year. Highlights include a 240pg Batman Hardcover featuring the top 250 Batman Covers of all time and many more sweet DC collections.

Go here for the full list.

When Will They Ever Learn?

2004-12-14T13:47:00.000+02:00

Well rumours abound about superhero film franchise spin-offs such as Wolverine after the success of the X-Men movies, but when we people realise that it's hard enough selling the best that superhero comics have to offer let alone the small dogs. In the last few days it was announced that a Magento movie based on the villian from the X-Men comics is in the mix and being written as we speak. Frankly this bodes badly for comics based movies, why can't we be satisfied with a few great films instead of hordes of crappy smaller ones? Guess it's all about the money then...
"Variety is reporting that Twentieth Century Fox has tapped Sheldon Turner to write a film based on X-Men villain Magneto. Turner has a relatively short, and recent, resume: he rewrote Amityville Horror, wrote The Longest Yard, and wrote a sequel to Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The film will take place in a World War II milieu, in which Magneto is taken to a concentration camp and sees his family killed. Professor X will also be involved; he was among the troops that liberated the camps and got to know Magneto after the war.

Wolverine, the other X-Men movie spin-off is currently slated for 2007. No date has been set for Magneto."

Time Magazine Lists Upcoming Comic Highlights For 2005

2004-12-13T15:28:00.000+02:00

Time magazine Comix columnist Andrew Arnold lists some of the big new releases for 2005 with such highlights as:

FLIGHT II
By various artists
A follow-up to last year's wildly successful FLIGHT, this full color anthology of short stories brings together some of the comic and animation world's brightest young talents.

STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH
Miles Lane (w) Doug Wheatley (a)
The adaptation of the coming final installment of the Star Wars series arrives six weeks before the film! (April 2)

ULTIMATE IRON MAN #1 (of 6)
Written by Orson Scott Card; Pencils by Andy Kubert; Foil Cover by Bryan Hitch
If you thought The Ultimates told you everything you needed to know about Ultimate Iron Man, think again.

For the full list of Time Magazines comics of 2005 go here.

Identity Crisis Rant

2004-12-13T15:20:00.000+02:00

Bulent Yusuf of The Ninth Art has decided to enlighten us with some opinions on DC's Identity Crisis. Very funny and classic alternate viewpoint on one of the years 'big events'.
"The blockbusting mini-series IDENTITY CRISIS has received a mixed reaction from readers and retailers alike. There's no doubting the sales and publicity it has garnered for DC, but much of the publicity has questioned the validity of the story and the purpose it serves.

Myself, I would compare the experience of reading IDENTITY CRISIS to a nightmare where I'm seven years old and forced to watch Bambi's mum being shot by hunters. Repeatedly. There's something oddly disturbing about the cherubic artwork by Rags Morales and the way it portrays the nasty brutalisation of various characters that we've known and followed from an early age.

That's not to say that topics like murder, rape and brainwashing can never be discussed within the pages of a comic book, but there are better ways of handling them - and Brad Meltzer has given a master-class in how not to do it. Where he aimed for lofty artistic heights, he's plumbed the depths of vacant sensationalism. Where he earnestly sought accolades for thoughtful maturity, he's earned a first-class diploma in emotional pornography. All of which is a complicated way of saying that enthusiasm is no substitute for talent.

Beyond the controversy surrounding the violence, there's the matter of a promise that DC failed to keep. IDENTITY CRISIS was sold to us on the idea that it would break through to a wider audience, and like WATCHMEN nearly twenty years ago, it would prove to the world that comics weren't just for kids. Instead we got a story that was too claustrophobically self-referential to ever appeal to folks outside the circle of geekdom. Making comparisons to WATCHMEN are frankly embarrassing, and anyone who does so deserves a swift kick to the balls."

Ghost In The Shell: Innocence Claims Award

2004-12-13T15:05:00.000+02:00

The hauntingly beautiful anime has claimed a bigtime Japanese Sci-Fi award as it gets closer to it's US DVD release date of Dec 28th this year. Get you pre-orders going with Amazon people this is a must have.
"Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell: Innocence has won the Nihon SF Taisho Award for 2004 for best science fiction film. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan, a group that was founded in 1963, presents the award, which was won by the live-action movie Gamera 2 in 1996."

To Many Shots To The Head for Tintin

2004-12-10T14:46:00.000+02:00

Seems like some scientists have started to look into the reasons for Tintin never growing up throughout his 40 odd year life as a comicbook character. "MONTREAL (AFP) - Intrepid comic book reporter Tintin, who began his adventures 75 years ago, looks like a young teen because of a growth hormone deficiency and the effects of too many blows to the head, according to a study."
Go here for the amusing full article.

How To Draw On A Door - Jim Lee Live

2004-12-10T13:56:00.000+02:00

For all you aspiring artists out there you better listen up. Recently Jim Lee [Batman: Hush, Superman] did a classic piece on the door of Jay & Bob's Secret Stash in LA. Now he takes you through the drawing step-by-step in a series of movie files downloadable from his blog. If you have any interest in comics art at all this is a must see. Warning: Each video weighs in around 20MB, but it's worth the download people, get on it.

Warren Ellis - Streaming Part 17

2004-12-10T13:19:00.000+02:00

Warren Ellis has a classic column going down at The Pulse and after a bit of a wait his new article has been posted. To have a look into one of the stranger but yet more brilliant minds of one of the most prolific comic writers out there go here.

Freedom Force - The Comic

2004-12-09T14:05:00.000+02:00

For all you superhero video gaming groupies there is a Freedom Force comic coming from Image comics in Jan 2005.

"An alien despot targets Earth for conquest, concocting a sinister scheme to empower the dregs of humanity with a transformative catalyst that they may sow chaos and fear. Overhearing the warlord's insidious plans, a noble alien rebel escapes with the catalyst, hoping to imbue worthy men and women with powers that might allow them to turn back the tide of invasion. Based on the best-selling computer game!"

Go here to check out a full colour 5-page preview of the first issue.

What Lies Beneath... Cartoon Skeletons

2004-12-09T13:51:00.000+02:00

Ever wonder what the insides of your favourite cartoon characters would look like?, well enough wondering already, head on over here to see them in all there skeletal glory. Yep skeletal systems of cartoon characters, whats next?

Pixar: Cars - Lastest Film Gets Release Date

2004-12-09T13:28:00.000+02:00

Yep they only just finished their last film and already have plans in store for their next hit, Cars. A press release earlier today talks about screening plans.
"Pixar has announced that Cars, its next movie after the highly successful release of The Incredibles this fall has been pushed back from November 2005 to June 2006. The company believes that a summer release is better both for the film, which then plays in the summer season, and the DVD, which streets during the holidays. Cars is the last film in Pixar's distribution deal with Disney; the delay will give the company more time to choose a new distributor (or to negotiate with an Eisner-less Disney)."
Whattaya waiting for go see the sneak peak trailer of Cars here.

Mark Millar Interview

2004-12-08T13:55:00.000+02:00

Since everyone is speaking about the relaunch of the Ultimates this month it only seems right to point you towards this interview with writer Mark Millar. He covers such topics as: Religion in comics, Ultimates 2, Millar and Hitch on Superman and much more.

Five Manly Questions With…Gail Simone

2004-12-08T13:20:00.000+02:00

Since Gail Simone is heading the news up today I decided to post some links to a funky interview with Beau Smith who is a classic hick columnist over at Silverbullet Comics. Go read this classic interview with Gail now.

Blade:Trinity

2004-12-08T13:18:00.000+02:00

Yep yep it's almost release time in the USA for another Marvel Comics film. This time round it's Blades third bite at box office success [loving that pun]. Anyway trailers are up and the fun flash site has all kinds of other goodies from fmv scenes to desktops for you Blade fans out there. The official Blade:Trinity site can be found here.

Ultimates Artwork Anyone?

2004-12-08T11:51:00.000+02:00

I know what you want for christmas...Bryan Hitchs original pages of stunning art from the new relaunch of the Ultimates. If you can't afford the $3,000 pricetag on some of these beauties then maybe you just wanna follow this link to check out the hot as hell pencil versions of the first issue of the new series, enjoy!

Gail Simone - 2 More Years With DC

2004-12-08T09:41:00.000+02:00

I have been following her Birds Of Prey Stuff lately and it's a great mix of humour and action/intrigue, good for Gail, 2 more years of the funny stuff for DC.

Gail Simone, writer of BIRDS OF PREY and an upcoming story arc in JLA: CLASSIFIED illustrated by José Luis García-López & Klaus Janson, has extended her exclusive agreement with DC Comics for two years.

"There are a ton of great reasons to work for DC: the characters, the management, footrubs from Greg Rucka, Dan DiDio's fabulous slumber parties, the editors, and the attention to quality and detail all spring to mind,” says Simone. “Seriously, I think DC's commitment to the readers is unequalled. They have management you can believe in, exceptional editors like Joan Hilty and Mike Carlin and Stephen Wacker, and a proven commitment to excellence.”

Seven Soldiers - Overview and Preview Pages

2004-12-07T14:45:00.000+02:00

It's getting ever closer to February next year and ever closer to Grant Morrisons seminal take on superheros, Seven Soldiers. Check out a preview of 4 pages and the official overview here.

Wieringo Blogs The Incredibles

2004-12-07T14:10:00.000+02:00

Yep Mike Wieringo [Fantastic Four] is back and blogging all about his thanksgiving and has a tasty sketch for Incredibles fans. Remember South Africa, the movie starts this Friday, you have been warned!

See Mikes blog here.

Graphitti Designs...Redesigns!

2004-12-07T13:39:00.000+02:00

The Graphitti Designs website has been redesigned, say that 3 times fast, and they have all kinds of great comics related merch available. Tons of View Askew stuff is available as well as previews of the new inaction figures from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and the chance to obtain yourself a sick as hell POWERS ZIPPO lighter, check it all out here.

Gelatometti & Jim Lee...Again!

2004-12-07T13:29:00.000+02:00

I don't know how much more i can stress the need for you to visit this site. Ale Garza goes through his artistic proccess, Jim Lee talks about his overseas travels and you can see more sketches and pics from the crews visit to Jay and SIlent Bobs Stash in L.A., plus a bunch of sick-ass sketches and other fun stuff to boot.
Ok enough from me about this weeks Gelatometti update, get over there already.

Batman Begins

2004-12-07T13:14:00.000+02:00

Yep this is what you've been waiting for, the first official poster for the June 17 2005 release of the latest Batman film, check the artwork here.

More on Kandora Publishing

2004-12-07T10:58:00.000+02:00

Well things are heating up around the company dubbed 'the new Crossgen' and a creator from the company has responded to some of the outcry about pricing issues etc. from retailers on the ICv2 site lately [as reported in posts on this blog earlier this week]. I have taken excerpts of his response below. There are also some new preview page samples on the Kandora website, so go and check them out and make up your own mind about them why don't you :}

"We've been garnering a lot of comparisons to CrossGen, and I get mixed feelings from that. I loved CrossGen books personally, and felt the company had great potential, so, in that sense, I'm honored to be picking the banner up off the field, as it were. However, I am also painfully aware of how CrossGen went down in flames, and have friends owed a lot of money as a result of CrossGen's mismanagement.Kandora does not plan on making the same mistakes that led to CrossGen's downfall.

That being said, I think sometimes we forget the positive once we get hit with the negative. CrossGen did have its successes, and everything I have read is that if they had not had such overhead to support their in-house system, and expanded too much too fast, they would have continued for a long time as a thriving publisher.We want this to succeed, not just for our company, but to show that genre books, non-super-hero books, whatever, HAVE a real chance in this market. All of us on our end are making some sacrifices to make this work, pitching in and trying to do something good for the market as well as hopefully launch a successful company that will pay off in the long run." - Writer C. Edward Sellner, the co-creator and writer of two upcoming titles from Kandora Publishing

For the full story go on over to ICv2 here.
For preview art and info on Kandora publishing go here.

Martian Factory

2004-12-07T10:27:00.000+02:00

Theres a new design collective/production company on the block and they are designing a Bloodrayne 2 collectable statue just for you, you desperate fanboy... anyway check out the press release below and the link at the bottom for more info on these new kids on the block, nice site by the way.
"Martian Factory is a unique design collective of top industry artists working together in providing customers with full service development,from concept to finished product, making ideas come to life! The company offers sculpting, prototyping, publishing, illustration, web design, print graphics, product development, sequential art and story boarding."

"Toronto Canada, November 28, 2004 -Martian Factory announces the first collectable statue based on Majesco Games’ Triple ‘A’ video game title Bloodrayne2’. The 12-inch scale statue sculpted by artist Claudio Setti (www.claudiosetti.com) will depict Rayne, the game’s title character, in her original leather outfit and killer attitude!"
The official [pretty looking] Martian Factory website is here.
The official [but ugly ass] Bloodrayne 2 statue site is here.

I Couldn't Agree More...

2004-12-06T13:29:00.000+02:00

Well by now most of you who read anything comics related on the web will know that a new publisher has announced it's intentions to somewhat fill the 'fantasy genre' gap left after Crossgens demise, their name is Kandora Publishing, and they are after your wallets. I found the following piece on ICv2 written by a retailer in New Jersey about the whole incident, interisting to see he is fighting for the customers cause, I like it, damn I mean $3.50 for an unseen/unheard of comic, please get real, this is bad enough in the USA but is a killer for overseas fans. These guys just seem to be shooting themselves in the head even before they begin. Ok, rant over, read on for a laugh.
"I haven't written in a while, but the announcement of a new publisher has me thinking about why new comics publishers set themselves up for failure, often before releasing their first title. Kandora Publishing has announced that its first book, Barbarrosa and the Lost Corsairs, will retail for $3.50. I will not be ordering this book -- quality is not an issue.

The lost and lamented books of CrossGen were terrific for the most part and didn't sell well overall, even with hyperactive publisher marketing and in-store retailer support. CrossGen made a multitude of mistakes. Among them were (1) the publication of too many titles, especially after an initial promise that the company would not over-expand, (2) the break up and diversification of what was promised to be a cohesive universe, and (3) most importantly, a cover price for new books of $2.95 in an already glutted marketplace.

It did not help CrossGen that they were trying to compete against Marvel and DC. Perhaps CrossGen lasted as long as they did, all their other mistakes aside, because the Big Two only started seriously bloating their title output about a year ago, a time by which CrossGen already had enough other problems that the company's demise was beginning to come into focus.

Kandora Publishing is now attempting to enter the comics market at a time when Marvel and DC are constantly introducing new series (if not new characters) in an effort to maintain their stranglehold on market share. Yesterday was new comics day (December 1st). On Wednesday, I had 10 people give back the 25 cent issue of Hunter Killer. A new book with both a popular writer and a popular artist on board, yet 10 people didn't want to try the book even for one measly quarter. What chance does a publisher have when it offers four new books at a price of $3.50 each?

The economic realities of the times, coupled with self-serving publisher policy, a mixture of customer apathy and frugality, and retailer concerns about the dichotomy between increasing cover prices and decreasing customer bases will make it impossible for anyone new to survive."
- Ilan Strasser of Fat Moose Comics and Games in Whippany, New Jersey,USA

Jim Lee Crashes The Secret Stash

2004-12-05T09:03:00.000+02:00

The fanboy in me just went buckwild! Check out the link below to see Jim Lee and his crew hanging with Jay and Silent Bob [Jason Mewes & Kevin Smith] at their store in L.A. Complete with pics of Jim and the Wildstorm teams signing as well as one of the sickest pieces of Lee art ever done!

Click here for more.

DeMatteis & Ploog - Stardust Kid

2004-12-05T08:54:00.000+02:00

Finally some good news in the comics news today. The creators of Abadazad, whom I've been avidly following in this blog, have decided to create an entirely new series while they wait for the licensing drama to unfold over their original property. So all fans of the delightful style seen in their biggest work to date, the aforementioned Abadazad, will want to give this one a look.

"Writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Ploog, the team that gave you Abadazad, reunite once again for Stardust Kid, a five-issue mini-series tentatively slated for release from Desperado Publishing/Image Comics in May 2005. Each issue will be at least 22 story pages with a $3.50 price tag.

“It was inspired by my son, who was a wide-eyed little squirt back then (he’s twenty-four now!). I actually sold the series to DC. I thought the time was ripe for a smart, kid-friendly fantasy, the comic book equivalent of Narnia or Peter Pan and then bought it back when I realized that the market, which was skewing older and older, wouldn’t support an all-ages project like Stardust Kid. I’ve been toying with the story, on and off, ever since… playing with it in screenplay form, book form but something was always missing. That something turned out to be Mike Ploog." - J.M. DeMatteis

Read more and see preview sketches here.

Michael Lark Joins Marvel Exclusives

2004-12-03T13:28:00.000+02:00

Michael Lark [Gotham Central] has joined the Marvel Team for the next couple of years. He's looking foward to teaming up with old pal Ed Brubaker on Captain America and much more.
"The news that Lark would be moving to Marvel was announced earlier this fall at the WizardWorld Dallas convention, something that signified the artist would be leaving Gotham Central at DC. While he has a full plat at Marvel already – from the press release: ““In addition to the Daredevil What if?!, I’m really excited to be contributing art to the new ongoing Captain America series with my longtime collaborator Ed Brubaker. And in 2005 Ed and I will be doing a mini-series focusing on the background of one of Marvel’s most notorious villains. After that, as I said, we’ve got some long-term projects in mind, but we’ll save that surprise for later…”"
Read what he has to say here.

Chicks Dig Anime

2004-12-03T13:22:00.000+02:00

Well here's the proof a lot of you desperate guys have been waiting for... yep more chicks are watching more cartoons and anime this year over in the USA. "Cartoon Network has released ratings information for the November period, and there was good news for pop culture retailers in the numbers. In the influential Adult Swim block, the adult audience of 18-34 year-olds grew 24% vs. a year ago. Within that group of viewers, the female audience grew 88%. These numbers imply a growing over-all market and a growing female market for the products associated with the shows on Adult Swim. The block continued to be the #1 programming on basic cable for adults 18-24."
See the full details here.

Drawing The Incredibles

2004-12-03T13:18:00.000+02:00

Ricardo Curtis is both a storyboard artist for the movie and the featured artist on the comicbook version of the new Pixar film The Incredibles. See what he has to say about the film and the comic here in his interview with Dark Horse

The Losers - Andy Diggle

2004-12-03T09:45:00.000+02:00

If you haven't heard of Andy Diggle or his great book The Losers being published by DC/Vertigo you need to go take a look. The second Losers trade paperback was released earlier this month and is now available in South Africa as of this week. Get to know Diggle more intimately in a classic Ninth Art question and answer interview here.

Ed Brubaker & Batman: The Man Who Laughs

2004-12-02T20:04:00.000+02:00

I mentioned this a few weeks back as a book to watch out for. Looks like somes other agree. As an absolute Brubaker fan and someone who is deeply in love with his work on Sleeper and Catwoman I recommend reading this interview to find out about his latest Batman plans. To find out even more about Ed Brubaker and his upcoming Batman book visit his recently updated site here.

Aspen Ent Website

2004-12-02T16:53:00.000+02:00

Nicely designed comics websites are a rarity these days. Go on down to Michael Turners new company website, Aspen Entertainment, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Nice art, nice flow and sweet little fonts make this puppy sleek and nice to surf around when bored on a cold winters day on the web. Complete with previews and news about upcoming releases the site is packed with detail for Turner fans.

Click here to see the Aspen website.

SA NEWSFLASH: New shipment in at Readersden

2004-12-02T15:24:00.000+02:00

The goods have arrived! For all Cape Town fans it's time to head to the ol comicshop this weekend. Awesome sales on selected Marvel Hardcovers for the whole of December.

Check it all here.