Author: Glenn Hauman

Slave Labor Graphics’ comic The Ghouly Boys is coming to the big screen, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Ghouly Boys comic book series was created, written and illustrated by Christopher (he goes by just the one name) and was originally published by SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics) in 2004. Lindsay Doran (Nanny McPhee) is producing the movie via her Three Strange Angels production company.

Here’s hoping this is the first of many pieces of good news for SLG, which could use some of late.

The most romantic comic currently running, Love And Capes, has a special offer– to get drawn into the cover of the upcoming wedding issue. Take it away, Thom:

You might not have been invited to Lois and Clark’s wedding. You probably couldn’t attend Peter and MJ’s wedding (and, if you did, you don’t remember it.). But you can be in attendance for the comic book wedding of the 21st century! The Crusader and Abby are getting married in Love and Capes #12, coming out in December 2009, and you could be there.

Tickets to this wedding are limited and seating is first come, first served. Cost is just $40 per couple or $25 per single. No "crashers" permitted. To be part of this special event, RSVP by sending a photo of yourself, along with your payment, and you will be drawn into the wedding scene cover of Love and Capes #12 and mentioned by name at the end of the book.

To commemorate this special event, and to show our appreciation for the fans of Love and Capes, artist Thom Zahler will be creating a special limited edition 11 x 17 print of the wedding cover. All "attendees" will be sent a signed and numbered print to commorate their attendance at this "super" celebration. Interested attendees can also look for Thom Zahler at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 27-Mar.1 or the Free Comic Book Day event May 2nd at Rogues Gallery Comics in Austin, Texas , where he’ll have his camera ready to snap your photo on site.

If response warrants, an alternate version of the cover illustration (featuring Mark in his tuxedo, rather than his Crusader uniform) will be created to handle the overflow crowd.

Please RSVP by May 25, 2009.

Straight from 1977 and Veidt Industries, it’s the Minutemen video game! Fight as Nite Owl or Silk Spectre against the machinations of Moloch the Mystic! Click through and play, only a virtual quarter!

Yes, Batman and Jonah Hex. Take a look…

We’ve obtained preview footage of this week’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode, airing tonight 6 February 20th on Cartoon Network at 8:00 PM.

This week’s episode "Return of the Fearsome Fangs!" takes Batman back to his origins with Master Wong Fei and the Wudang Temple. Fox, Vulture and Shark join the evil Shadow Clan in an attack on the Temple and kill Master Wong Fei in a battle of flying arrows and martial arts. When the Terrible Trio steals the Wudang Totem and transform into unstoppable mystical creatures,  it’s up to Batman and Bronze Tiger to save us all! Take a look…

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Well, not quite. But consider:

He was a young hot-shot, insanely popular with the kids. But he was tired of buckling under for the suits who controlled his career and had nearly scuttled it in the past, he wanted more artistic freedom for his own recordings. So he founded Reprise Records, and on this day in 1961, released the first album, Ring-a-Ding-Ding!

One of the label’s founding principles under Sinatra’s leadership was that each artist would have full creative freedom, and at some point complete ownership of their work; including publishing rights. As a result, a lot of other talented creators came on board with Frank, including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Redd Foxx, Bing Crosby, and Rosemary Clooney. Later on, Reprise would also sign a lot of new talent including The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.

And Frank? He became "The Chairman of the Board" and went on to the most successful times of his career.

Nowadays, Reprise is owned by Warner Bros. Records, which isn’t entirely unlike what DC did with Wildstorm. And for one more comics tie-in, the label is now the home to My Chemical Romance, fronted by Gerard Way, former DC intern and current writer of The Umbrella Academy for Dark Horse, and they’re now releasing the soundtrack for Watchmen. Here’s the picture disc.

As Dean Martin was fond of saying, "It’s Frank’s world; we’re just lucky to be living in it."

So when you hear people talk about creators rights in the industry, just remember who was there first. Who did what he had to do, and saw it through without exemption. He said the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows he took the blows… and did it his way.