Monthly Archive: April 2011

MOONSTONE MONDAY-CHICKS IN CAPES AND THEIR CREATORS!!!

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  • April 11, 2011

CHICKS IN CAPES SPOTLIGHTS FEMALE HEROINES AND CREATORS!

AVAILABLE NOW!

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Lori Gentile
CiC Editor

Moonstone Entertainment, Inc takes Super Hero fiction to an all new level with CHICKS IN CAPES!  Chicks in Capes is a fun and provoking collection of ALL NEW prose short stories by a wide range of female authors: including NYT Bestselling authors Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguie, and Jennifer Fallon, along with comic book herstorian Trina Robbins, and a host of other popular fiction and comic book contributors.

Elaine Lee
Author, ‘Mischief’

All of the stories are about super heroines, many characters created exclusively for this collection, and featuring ALL NEW stories about established characters: Lady Action and Domino Lady. All contributors for the book are female, including the interior illustrator, the cover artists, and the editors!

Gillian Horvath
Author, ‘The Survivor:
Coming of Age’

What will you find within the pages of CHICKS IN CAPES? Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance, Science-fiction…!Authors include Trina Robbins; Nancy Holder; Gillian Horvath; Cathy Clamp; Barbara Randall Kesel; Elaine Lee; Kathe Catto; Valerie D’Orazio;K.G. McAbee; Jennifer Fallon; Debbie Viguie; and Elizabeth Massie

Debbie Viguie,
Author, ‘A Touch
of Glamour’

The wonderful art in CHICKS IN CAPES also came from talented female professionals.  Emily Stone provided interior illustrations as well as one of the two covers for the book.  Nicola Scott also produced a cover used for one edition of the collection. Lori Gentile and Karen O’Brien edited the anthology.

Nancy Holder,
Author of ‘Beneath the Cape:
A Domino Lady Story’

Strong female super-heroine characters from all walks of life are included in this stellar anthology: a parking valet, an archeologist, a bike messenger, a nurse, a holocaust survivor and many more.  Also new stories featuring Lady Action and Domino Lady are included in this fantastic collection!



Trina Robbins,
Author of ‘Inanna: Witchwoman’

 One of the strongest points of CHICKS IN CAPES is that its creators feel that its high time the world had more super heroine fiction written by women.  According to contributor Trina Robbins, “We need to see more creative concepts of superheroines, and we need to see them from a woman’s point of view. I’m not saying men can’t write good women, many men do…but I do believe that women tend to know what women like, because, being women, it’s what THEY like, no? But it’s revolutionary, by golly, to see not just a woman’s take on an already established superheroine, but to see a woman create her own superheroine.”

Jennifer Fallon,
Author, ‘Diary of a Superchick’


CHICKS IN CAPES spotlights not only female characters by female creators, but it casts a new light on the concept of super heroes in general.  According to contributor Jennifer Fallon, “I think it’s a timely reminder that superheroes are not just for boys. They come in all shapes and sizes. We should judge our superheroes by their deeds, not their gender. Just like real people.”

CHICKS IN CAPES from Moonstone Entertainment, Inc!  AVAILABLE NOW!


Moonstone Entertainment, Inc. publishes comics and illustrated fiction designed to “awaken your sense of adventure”, featuring classic and new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, and horror. For more than a decade, Moonstone Entertainment, Inc. has created fine and distinct comic books, Graphic Novels and prose…books that are meant to be read.  Awaken your sense of adventure at http://www.moonstonebooks.com/

Swipe File: Rep. Paul Ryan and Gary “Smiler” Callahan

  • News
  • April 11, 2011

paul-ryan-gary-callahan-smiler-2023439Swipe File is normally Rich Johnston’s beat, but since he’s not into American politics, he might not catch this one.

On the left is Gary Callahan, a.k.a. The Smiler, from Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s Transmetropolitan. On the right is U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chairman of the House Budget Committee and who we should note is not Paul Ryan, the comics artist for Fantastic Four, D.P. 7, Quasar, and The Phantom.

One of these individuals has good looks and a certain amount of charisma, but has no empathy for the lower classes of society. He has designs on the presidency, and will cut odious political deals to make that happen, all while being fawned over by right wing pundits and a segment of the voters who are convince that he will save us from “the Beast”.

The other, of course, is a character out of the comic books.

For further comparison, consider this page from Transmetropolitan #41, and remember that this came out over 10 years ago. Sounds like something Ryan could have said last week, when he tried to shut down the U.S. federal government.

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MOONSTONE MONDAY-SAVAGE BEAUTY #2 COMING SOON!

  • News
  • April 11, 2011
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Moonstone Entertainment, Inc., Captain Action Enterprises, and Runemaster Studios, announce that SAVAGE BEAUTY #2 is on its way!

An updating of the Jungle Girl genre tale, SAVAGE BEAUTY uses two very strong female leads to not only introduce pulp like heroics into the jungles of today’s world, but also tackles real life issues.   The comic is a tool of vital partnership between its creators and agencies and organizations dedicated to making life better and even saving lives in Kenya, Africa, and other ravaged lands.  

SAVAGE BEAUTY #2
Ripped from today’s world news comes a reimagining of the classic jungle girl genre debuting a newhero for the modern age!

Anaya trails the PLA into the mountains of the DR Congo after they kidnap the wife of a Ugandan dignitary intent on selling her into slavery. Follow the trail of political upheaval down the streets of human trafficking as Lacy and Liv unleash their Savage Beauty!

Also, SAVAGE BEAUTY #2 takes another great look back at the golden age with jungle pulp covers.  SAVAGE BEAUTY’S charity partners this issue are Do Good Day and Resolve.

 Enjoy preview pages from SAVAGE BEAUTY #2, jungle action at its best from Moonstone!

And in case you’re wondering what people thought of SAVAGE BEAUTY #1, read on!

Eric J., www.thepullbox.com, summed up the origins and appeal of SAVAGE BEAUTY wonderfully-

I am a huge pulp fan, always have been…The adventure, thrill and danger of an altruistic hero risking life and limb to take down a dastardly villain was almost too much for my little 7-year heart to handle.  Well, what I know (as most of you do too) is that when creative teams try to “modernize” the genre something is lost in the translation and they fail more often than they succeed…Running counter to that sad norm, the folks over at Moonstone have been lighting the way for years and showing fans that pulp can still be done and done well.  Savage Beauty, as a title, just continues to add to their testimony.

In his review at www.playeraffinity.com, Dustin Cabeal points out what makes SAVAGE BEAUTY a modern and relevant title in his ‘Short Version’-

If you’re looking for a sexy jungle story about two women fighting the crimes of Africa then you’ll only be half right. This story is anything but goofy and uses the comic to look at a very realistic problem in the world, while presenting it in a very accessible way. Simply put this isn’t a kid’s comic, but it’s still really good.

Ray Tate with www.comicsbulletin.com sees SAVAGE BEAUTY as…

 a welcome addition to the jungle girls category of books. The writers and artists direct their talents to raise awareness about real world vermin while creating satisfying escapism in a twist on legacy heroism.

Christopher with www.jonja.net states-

Don’t let the cover fool you, this is more than just an excuse to draw pretty girls in fur bikinis. This new spin on the jungle heroine looks like it will be a serious and at times dark journey to, at least in the literary world, bring justice to the criminals that deserve it most.

SAVAGE BEAUTY #2-Swinging at You soon from MOONSTONE!

Moonstone Entertainment Inc. publishes comics and illustrated fiction designed to “awaken your sense of adventure”, featuring classic and new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, and horror. For more than a decade, Moonstone Entertainment Inc. has created fine and distinct comic books, Graphic Novels and prose…books that are meant to be read.  Awaken your sense of adventure at http://www.moonstonebooks.com/
Captain Action Enterprises, LLC is dedicated to creating new character experiences for both the collectible/nostalgia market and passionate fans of adventure toys and fiction through licensing, re-creations and creative innovations. Properties included Savage Beauty, Captain Action, the Zeroids and Lady Action. More information is available at www.CaptainActionNow.com.

FRINGE Moves Ahead – And Sideways!

Pass the antibiotics – we’re back after a week fighting the Cold From Hell. There’s plenty of good news to go around as Fox gives FRINGE another season to play in the alternate reality and we celebrate with creators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman plus Kristin Bell is headed to Showtime!

 

 

Are you glad to see another season of FRINGE?   Drop us a comment below!

Announcing The Rob Granito ‘Put Up Or Shut Up’ Fund

  • Uncategorized
  • April 11, 2011
Rob Granito at FSC 2008

Image by Supercon Conventions via Flickr

Last week, an email was sent around to various comic news sites saying that we could interview Rob Granito, the self-styled “bad boy of comics” for the princely sum of $250/hour so that we could get his side of the story. Rob, as you’ve probably heard by now, was going around to various conventions and selling artwork that he plagiarized from everybody from Andy Kubert to Bill Watterson, and claimed working with numerous people in the industry, many of whom are deceased, including the recently departed Dwayne McDuffie.

Now normally, someone who’s been accused of plagiarism and theft would be happy to talk to news outlets for free in the hopes of getting his side of the story out there so that he would stop being reviled and might actually get back into a comic convention or two, but not Mr. Granito.

But if that’s the way he wants it, fine. $250 it is.

Here are our terms, Rob:

We will pay your $250/hour rate for a video interview on Skype. At the beginning of that hour, we will provide you with the name of a comic character and a celebrity, and we will ask you to draw the character with that person’s head performing a simple action on camera. It could be Superman with Barack Obama’s head throwing a ball, or Wonder Woman with Jane Lynch’s head skipping rope, or Patrick Dempsey as Dr. Strange.

Any professional comic artist can create a sketch like this in a half hour, but we’ll give you the full hour. Of course, you can take longer than an hour, though we will only pay you for the first hour and we will ask you to keep the camera rolling, as we will be placing the video online so anyone can see your artistic process. We’ll also ask for a picture of the final art if your webcam resolution isn’t good enough to show the quality of your work.

And obviously, if we find evidence that you swiped the work, you won’t see a dime.

As to the rest of the comics community, we’d like to ask you to contribute to the fund to show your support. All funds raised above and beyond the cost of the “interview” (or all of it should Rob decline our offer) will be donated to the Hero Initiative, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping comic book veterans by providing a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. We’ll include your name as contributors to the fund both here on ComicMix and at the end of the video. While waiting for Kickstarter to kick in, here’s the PayPal donation button:





We’ll be updating contributions from time to time. We hope that you’ll contribute. Heck, we also hope that Rob contributes his fee and his drawing to Hero Initiative, though we aren’t expecting him to do so.

So, Rob, the ball’s in your court. Feel free to reply in comments.

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NEW COLUMN-DIAGNOSIS: PULP!

  • News
  • April 10, 2011
DIAGNOSIS: PULP by Tommy Hancock
FIRST, AN EXPLANATION-
If you’ve written or read Pulp for a while, then you’ve been asked the question…Just What is Pulp??  Although there is no definitive answer and likely never will be, the purpose of this column is to look at stories, books, movies, audio shows, etc., and to determine, in this columnist’s opinion if works covered qualify as pulp. If they do, why and of course if they don’t why not?  Now, I am the same individual who put forth a few months ago why the movie THE WIZARD OF OZ could be considered Pulp.  Some of you agreed, some of you were neutral, and some of you still think I should be strung up for such an opinion.   Well, we’ll see if I can please all of you at some point.  Yeah, right.
In order to do this column, though, I had to find or devise a definition, a set of parameters to follow that I could apply to whatever I was looking at and determine its level of Pulpiness.  A newly formed group designed in part to do just that, PULP DEFINED, has come up with a definition that I think fits Pulp well and will be the one I use for this column.  By this definition, Pulp is-
fast-paced, plot-orientated storytelling of a linear nature with clearly defined, larger than life protagonists and antagonists and creative descriptions and clever use of turns of phrase, words, and other aspects of writing that add to the intensity and pacing of the story.

Now, there will be some more specific points I bring out that will flesh out this definition, but overall this is the standard by which DIAGNOSIS: PULP will be looking at various tales of derring do…or don’t…and diagnosing them as Pulp…or something else…. Stay tuned!

DIAGNOSIS: PULP
PULP FICTION OR PULP LITERATURE?
Another question just as myriad and varied as ‘What is Pulp’ came crashing down on me in various ways this weekend. For those who don’t know, among the many hats I wear, I am the Editor in Chief and a partner in Pro Se Productions, a company who is focused on producing quality pulp fiction by various creators.  In pursuit of selling said fiction, Pro Se plans to spend some time at conventions, conferences, and other venues (including our very own PULP ARK).  Our first such event was the Arkansas Literary Festival, held this weekend (April 9-10 for vendors) in Little Rock.  This event, which brings in authors of all sorts from all over, boasted over 7,000 guests last year and expected 9,000 this year.  I didn’t see anywhere near that walk by our badly placed vendors’ table or anyone else’s.  But something I did discover, both from the scattered passers-by we had as well as fellow vendors is that many do not know that a majority of fiction they grew up reading or even read today could qualify as Pulp Fiction AND many of them don’t feel even today that Pulp Fiction should be considered literature. 

Now in all truthfulness, I knew that this mindset of people looking down on Pulp and considering it non literature or worse existed and has since Pulp began.  But discovering it face to face in several people all at once over two days was a bit staggering.   And got me to thinking of the question myself, which leads me to make this the topic, albeit briefly, of my first diagnosis…Pulp- literature or something else?
Instead of giving you in depth analysis and my opinion, I’m going to approach this diagnosis a tad differently.  First, a smattering of comments I heard this weekend.
“Pulp fiction?  You mean stuff that reads like that Travolta movie watches?  That’s mixed up crap!”
“Pulp achieves nothing for the reader except escapism.  There are no levels, there is no higher purpose for Pulp like there is in literary works.”
“Heroes are cool, but Pulp gives us unattainable ideals.  No one can be The Shadow or lives a life that’s as rapid fire as Pulp is.”
“Pulp?  You mean that stuff hack writers wrote so they could eat back in the Depression?  People still like that stuff?”
“Pulp aspires to nothing.  That’s why it can cross so many genres, because in the end, unlike real literature, Pulp aspires to nothing.” (This last comment was made by an author at the Festival who writes detective stories.)

OK, again, no deep philosophy and such on this one, but let me comment on each of these-
1.       Yeah, heard this one a lot.  Even had discussions about why the movie is a Pulp movie beyond its title.  This one won’t go away for awhile.
2.      We don’t read to escape??  I missed the memo.  Also, if Pulp doesn’t have layers, can anyone explain to me how Phillip Jose Farmer pulled enough out of Doc Savage and Tarzan to give birth to the Wold Newton Family (And that’s just one example)
3.      We live in a world where people really are putting on masks and tights and going to try to save their little bit of the world.   And maybe it’s not bullet riddled, but the last time I checked I’m living faster than Lamont Cranston could fly.
4.      Yes, people still like it, as is evidenced by all the new publishers coming out as well as conventions for such work!
5.      Pulp aspires to good storytelling, interesting characters, and fascinating, thought provoking plots.  Much like the blurb on the back of this person’s book read.  Yep, no aspiration here.
I also heard things about Pulp being overly descriptive, too purple prose-y, long on flower and short on substance, etc.
Now in response, I will throw in two different definition of literature-
          Literature is-
•The body of written works of a language, period, or culture.
•Imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value: “Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity” (Rebecca West). (American Heritage Dictionary)

LITERATURE-literature  (ˈlɪtərɪtʃə, ˈlɪtrɪ-)  — n   written material such as poetry, novels, essays, etc, esp works of imagination characterized by excellence of style and expression and by themes of general or enduring interest  (World English Dictionary)

Hmmm.  Written work of a certain period.  Imaginative and creative writing.  Artistic.  Works of imagination.  Style and expression.  Themes of general or enduring interest.
Wow.  Sounds like Pulp to me.

Rob Granito coming to New York Comic Con?

  • Uncategorized
  • April 9, 2011
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Well, this is one way to steal focus from this weekend’s MoCCA festival.

Kelly Rowles reports this message from Rob’s wife Alison, who apparently represents “Rob Granito Art Services” and has tried to get people to pay for interviews with Rob. After telling them they won’t pay for any interviews, she got this reply:

I am sorry to hear that. I will give you a scoop though. That is is illegal to ban Rob Granito as a vendor at all conventions. And currently Rob Granito is working on material for a one-man show/panel in which he admits and apologizes for his past mistakes, while at the same time shedding new light on the politics within the comic book community, and lets you know the REAL story. Rob will also be telling jokes and doing humorous sketches on stage, so it will show a whole new side. We are looking towards premiering this at the New York Comic Con in October. The name of the show will possibly be “Controversey Creates Ca$h”. We believe there is a band wagon making it trendy to hate Rob Granito without knowing him, and the claims that he has stolen all his work has been blown out of proportion, thanks to people like Mark Waid, Ethan Van, Bleeding-Cool, and Jammar (sic) Igle. Again, giving us a chance to tell you the WHOLE story would benefit both your website and the comics convention community. Please reconsider. We are open to working out a payment plan if that works better for you.

Call it a hunch, but I bet the nice folks at NYCC are not going to have Rob on any panels, nor rent him a table, nor even let him in the door. Although they could raise a lot of money if they rented a dunk tank for him.

I’ll have to ask “Jammar” this weekend at MoCCA. See y’all there.

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ALL PULP PANEL-WHAT MAKES A PULP HERO?

  • News
  • April 8, 2011

PANEL QUESTION- Pulps, both classic and new, are chock full of heroes.  Larger than life action types who swing in, throw fists, sling bullets or magical blasts or some such, and then swing out having routed the villains, wooed the love interest de jour, and gone on to the next adventure.  But what are these heroic types made of?  What does a character have to have to be a Pulp Hero?   

Send your responses to allpulp@yahoo.com and they will be posted here!  THIS IS YOUR PANEL, TOO!

From Rob Davis-
Pulp heroes must have a strong, overriding sense of justice and/or right and wrong.

From Nancy Hansen-
A pulp hero is always inspiring. This is someone any of us could look up to in awe; a person who rises to the occasion, sacrificing whatever it takes to make sure justice is done. She or he may not be the strongest, smartest, or most skilled warrior in the group, but there is a feeling of competence, a dogged persistence, at least some self-discipline, and enough grit and determination to see a situation through. That is what it takes to keep these larger than life characters in there fighting when all hope is gone, energy is flagging, and the injuries are taking their toll—in essence to the last dying moment and ounce of strength. And because pulp heroes have made at least some kind of bonds with others in the tales, there is generally a supporting cast of characters with more specialized skills and interests who may wade to assist at a critical moment. Add a dash of good luck and a few shakes of quirky yet comfortably predictable behavior, stir well, and you have a rousing good story and the birth of a legend.

From Percival Constantine-
A pulp hero should be larger than life, a character who readers stand in awe of. A pulp hero needs to have style and flair with which he or she goes about their duties. A healthy dose of wit also doesn’t hurt.

From Martin Powell-
That’s best answered, I think, by a pulp hero.  Put in simplest terms, and in the words of Doc Savage himself:

“…Let me think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who need it, with no regard for anything but justice.”

Works for me.

2011 Eisner Award nominations announced

  • Uncategorized
  • April 8, 2011

46cca_20110407192013-9250421The 2011 Eisner Award nominations have just been announced.

Heading the 2011 nominees with five nominations is Return of the Dapper Men, a fantasy hardcover by writer Jim McCann and artist Janet Lee and published by Archaia, with nominations for Best Publication for Teens, Best Graphic Album–New, Best Writer, Best Artist, and Best Publication Design. Two comics series have four nominations: Morning Glories by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (published by Shadowline/Image) and Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (published by IDW). A variety of titles have received three nominations, including the manga Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys (VIZ Media), John Layman and Rob Guillory’s series Chew (Image), Daniel Clowes’s graphic novel Wilson (Drawn & Quarterly), and Mike Mignola’s Hellboy titles (Dark Horse).

The creator with the most nominations is Mignola with five (including cover artist), followed by Spencer and Hill, each with four. Several creators received three nominations: McCann & Lee, Rodriquez, Urasawa, and Clowes, plus writer Ian Boothy (for Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book and other Bongo titles) and cartoonist Jimmy Gownley (for Best Publication for Kids plus coloring and lettering on his Amelia Rules! series). 15 creators have two nominations each, a new record.

Ballots with this year’s nominees will be going out in mid-April to comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers. A downloadable .pdf of the ballot will also be available online, and a special website has been set up for online voting. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 22 at Comic-Con International.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

(more…)

Twitter Updates for 2011-04-08

  • News
  • April 8, 2011

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