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Review: ‘The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics’ edited by Paul Gravett

  • Uncategorized
  • October 22, 2008

The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics
Edited by Paul Gravett
Running Press, August 2008, $17.95

Every genre or medium has a great schism – the thing that practitioners and fans argue about when they can’t think of anything more substantive. For “speculative fiction,” it’s the battle between science fiction and fantasy. For “crime fiction,” the battling parties are cozies and hardboiled novels. [[[Manga]]] is divided shonen against shojo, and romances are contemporary or historical (with select ninja bands fighting for particular historical periods or contemporary subgenres, like the Regency or the prairie romance).

For comics, the essential question is: writing or art?

Oh, sure, we’re all supposedly grown up now; we don’t fight over that anymore. We can have both! we say, whether we’re indy geeks or Marvel zombies. But during those late nights at convention bars, and on obscure message boards, the knives come out, and we rumble.

At times like that, I always come down on the writing side. That’s my tribe; I came to comics from the SF/Fantasy world, and even now I read more pages of words without pictures than with. And the editor of [[[The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics]]], Paul Gravett…well, I suspect him of running with the art crowd.

Maybe I’m wrong – it could just be the material that gives that impression. But [[[Best Crime Comics]]] has a total of five of its stories (out of twenty-four) credited to an unknown writer, a suspicious number. And Gravett’s story introductions always list the artist first.

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Webcomics You Should Have Read: Minus

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

minus1-3309779One of the most endearing features of Calvin and Hobbes was Calvin’s overactive imagination, which created amazing scenarios of space battles, time travel, and talking tigers. What if it wasn’t all in his imagination, though?

Ryan Armand gives us a brief look at childlike innocence and imagination brought to life in the world of Minus.

Minus is a little girl who apparently can do anything she can imagine — she flies, creates worlds, travels in time, talks to spirits and grants wishes. And though this leads to the occasional retribution against bullies or mean adults, unlike Calvin, she also shares her gifts with her friends. Minus will offer someone a flying unicorn as easily as another little girl might offer a lick of her ice-cream cone.

Armand’s site also includes a serial comic called Socks and a collection of older stand-alone comics. He doesn’t have a storefront, though archived newsposts note that he used to do prints of Minus comics; he might be willing to start up again if requested.

Notable moments:

Drama: There’s always some drama when you’re tugging at heartstrings, but Minus’ world is not a world of adult problems and relationships; it’s a child’s world, where everyone eventually gets a happy ending, even if they’re occasionally bittersweet.

Humor: While many of the comics earn a chuckle, the focus is more on evoking a sense of childlike wonder. And it succeeds.

Continuity: Low to Moderate. Some strip string together in sequence, but knowledge of previous ones isn’t terribly necessary to enjoy later strips.

Art: Each minus strip is painted with watercolors on a 15×20" piece of Illustration board. The style implies an enterprising painter more than a traditional comic artist.

Archive: About 130 strips. Two years of weekly Sunday newspaper-sized comics, though many are several "strips" long.

Updates: "It’ll be updating every Thursday until I suddenly stop!" Armand stopped updating the strip in March 2008 and started updating Socks in monthly chunks.

Risk/Reward: Some comics are ongoing, telling complicated stories, the ongoing events in characters’ lives, or just a joke every day. Some comics say what they want to say and end. Minus ends on an up-note, keeping tone to the very end. It’s worth your time.
 

Review: ‘Fringe’ Episode #106

Note: Click here for the last mystery!

Autopsy Report: “[[[The Cure]]]”
From Fox: “After weeks of being reported missing, a woman with a rare disease resurfaces in suburban Massachusetts and inexplicably causes excruciating pain and subsequent death to those she encounters. As the gruesome scene is investigated, dangerous levels of radiation are detected, and unusual circumstances surrounding the case point to illegal human drug trials and possibly something even more sinister. Meanwhile, Walter obsesses about cotton candy, Peter strikes a bargain with Nina Sharp and a startling piece of Olivia’s past is revealed.”

Doctor’s Notes
Last week’s [[[Fringe]]] was a remarkable letdown. Fresh off the heels of “The Arrival,” the season’s greatest episode, Fringe turned in “Power Hungry,” a colossally boring hour of television and certainly the worst installment in the series. This week, things get back on track in “The Cure,” offering excellent development in terms of plot and character.

In “The Cure,” a woman walks into a diner in suburban Massachusetts and has a radioactive freak out resulting in the very bloody deaths of herself and everyone around her. Olivia and her team investigate the incident, learning that the woman had a rare disease shared by another woman named Claire, and the disease was being combatted with an obscure radioactive treatment. Olivia discovers that they’d been kidnapped by Intrepus, Inc., a rival corporation to Massive Dynamic, where they were experimented on and essentially turned into human weapons of mass destruction. Olivia naturally saves the day, but sacrifices are made in the process that are sure to haunt the team in the future.

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Paterson Joseph Latest Suspect as 11th Doctor

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

Sci-Fi Wire is joining the growing chorus of place claiming that Steven Moffat, the incoming new producer for Doctor Who has cast the first black Doctor, actor Paterson Joseph, to replace David Tennant.

Of course, Tennant, the Tenth Doctor, is contracted through the 2010 season and may well sign for more seasons.  However, since he is not yet signed beyond a fifth full season, speculation has been running rampant as to whom Tennant could regenerate into.

Joseph as an option first surfaced a few weeks back in Rich Johnston’s Lying in the Gutters column.  He wrote,  “Previously playing Roderick in the Doctor Who episodes “Bad Wolf”/”Parting Of Ways,” Joseph is known for fine upstanding and terribly-well-spoken-dontcha-know roles as Johnson in Peep Show, the Marquis De Carabas in Neverwhere, Space Marshall Clarke in Hyperdrive, Lyndon in Green Wing…and more importantly Benjamin in Jekyll. Written and produced by upcoming Doctor” Who showrunner, Steven Moffat.”

Joseph initially told Sci Fi Wire, "I am on a list of God knows how many others, but flattered to be considered."

A follow up e-mail said, "The news on Who was news to me as of last Wednesday, when my agent said they’d had lots of journos asking if the rumors were true. That’s all I know, and I’m very pleased to even be thought of in this way. It’s a blast!"

On the other hand, TV Scoop reported a while back that James Nesbitt would replace Tennant while the London Telegraph wrote just months back that Russell Tovey, who played Midshipman Frame in the most recent Christmas special, was being eyed by producer Russell T. Davies as a potential replacement. He wrote in an e-mail, "He’s amazing. I think I’d make him the 11th Doctor."

Regardless, Tennant is working on the four Specials for 2009 and then will shoot the fifth season to air in 2010.  By then, he may have re-signed for a sixth season or someone else will be taking up residence in the TARDIS.  Isn’t this fun?
 

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All in Good Fun, by Elayne Riggs

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

jibjab-characters-blog-1-1727751“Palling around with terrorists!” the Republican VP candidate chirped of her running-mate’s opponent to a hungry mob armed with the modern-day equivalent of torches and pitchforks, which would be ignorant shouts of “Kill him!” and signs reading “Obama bin Lyin’”. (Oh, they excel at the disgusting comparative pun, do members of this base. Who could forget the knee-slapping “Hitlery”? Epithets like “McSame” and “Caribou Barbie” pale next to such jocularity.)

On the tried and true adage that Republicans scream loudest about stuff that they themselves are doing, I was tempted to inquire as to whether secessionists could be considered terrorists, but that’s a column for a different day. This week I want to further explore the themes I first articulated in my “birds of a feather” column.

Guilt by association is nothing new. It goes back to the Salem witch hunts, probably even earlier. And it’s soooo not the issue here, at least in terms of accusing one’s opponent of hanging out with people you deem unsavory. No, the real danger is to the American citizenry (as usual), and it comes from all these people palling around with each other. (more…)

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Craig Won’t Visit Asgard; Seeks New Director

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

daniel-craig-bond-1321660With Quantum of Solace just weeks away now, the publicity machine has started cranking up with all sorts of interesting tidbits popping up.

First, there’s the confirmation from star Daniel Craig that he was approached by Marvel to see if he might be worthy of wielding Mjolnir, Thor’s magic uru hammer. As quoted over at IESB, the report said, “Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.”

Meantime, FirstShowing has quoted director Marc Foster as saying he will not return for the next installment of the series.

“They offered me the next one, but at this point the pressure is so intense — it’s a year of not having a life,” Foster told the site. “And I don’t know if I want to do that again. It’s literally not having a life, and I mean that, it’s not exaggerated. I feel like life is short, you have to find a balance.”

Sony has already started talking about Bond 23 as coming out in 2010 but first they have to see how well this does and how quickly a screenplay can be readied and an appropriate director located.  Any thoughts as to who should guide Craig in his next mission?
 

Ride With The Transformers!

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

Ever wanted to ride shotgun in the red cab of Optimus Prime’s big rig truck? Get in the cockpit of Starscream’s fighter jet? Now’s your chance, as Universal Studios has announced a Transformers attraction at its parks in Hollywood and Singapore. The attractions are scheduled to open in 2011, two years after the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

According to a press release, the Transformers ride will utilize "3D-HD media, mega special effects and stunning robotics with a ride system that will transform perceptions of theme park experiences. The rides are scheduled to make their debuts in early 2011, first at Universal Studios Singapore and then at Universal Studios Hollywood."

"Transformers will be a jewel in our collection of world-class rides based on great movies," says Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts. "We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Hasbro, DreamWorks, director Michael Bay and the film’s executive producer, Steven Spielberg, who has been responsible for so many of our signature rides and attractions."

"We are thrilled to be working with Universal Parks & Resorts and DreamWorks to create this Transofmers attraction because we believe it will deliver an ultimate one of a kind immersive Transformers experience for our fans around the world!" said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc.

Just be careful that the ride doesn’t transform with you inside of it. That would suck. (more…)

‘Haunted’ Film In Development

  • News
  • October 22, 2008

Hollywood’s favorite shock novelist Chuck Palahniuk is getting another movie adaptation in the form of Haunted. The book’s film rights are being optioned with the newly formed New School Media, headed by former ICM literary agent Brian Levy. Koen Mortier, whose directorial debut Ex-Drummer premiered at least year’s Toronto Film Festival, will direct the adaptation.

Variety describes Haunted as focusing on "a group of characters who answer an ad for a writers retreat and unwittingly end up competing in a Survivor-like scenario, where the host withholds heat, power and food. As the storytellers grow more desperate they ruthlessly plot to make themselves the hero of the reality show or film that they expect will be made from their plight."

It’s strange to see Haunted getting the film treatment before other popular Palahniuk properties, namely Survivor, Lullaby and Invisible Monsters. Those novels are more story focused, whereas Haunted is essentially an anthology piece with a loose plot weaving throughout each character’s short stories. The novel’s most notorious story is Guts, which depicts three grotesque masturbation related accidents. The story, which is incredibly vile and definitely not for kids, is available on Chuck Palahniuk’s official site. Proceed with extreme caution.

The Oregon-based author has seen two of his earlier novels hit the big screen. David Fincher directed the 1999 breakout hit Fight Club, starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in his famous turn as lunatic Tyler Durden. Most recently, Palahniuk’s Choke is heading to cinemas as directed by Clark Gregg. Sam Rockwell stars as Victor Mancini, a con artist who chokes in restaurants, prompting rich people to save his life and line his pockets with a dependable flow of income as a sign of gratitude. Choke was released on September 26, 2008 in the United States on a limited basis.

‘Knight Rider’ Continues Riding

  • Uncategorized
  • October 21, 2008

hoff-knight-rider-6564093Despite poor ratings and widely disparaging reviews, NBC’s Knight Rider reboot has gained a full season pickup. Nine additional episodes have been ordered by NBC, reports Entertainment Weekly, paving the way for a full season of the ’80s inspired series.

Knight Rider originally existed in the ’80s as a David Hasselhoff television series focusing on a nearly murdered police detective who turns into a high tech crime fighting vigilante. In the original series, William Daniels voiced a talking automobile named KITT, standing for Knight Industries Two Thousand. Daniels is most popularly known as Mr. Feeney on Boy Meets World.

In February 2008, a Knight Rider television movie was released to serve as a backdoor pilot for a relaunch of the series. The reboot focuses on Mike Traceur, the son of David Hasselhoff’s character from the original. Val Kilmer provides the voice for KITT, even though Will Arnett was initially cast as the loudmouthed vehicle. The Arrested Development star ultimately pulled out due to a conflicting interest with General Motors.

Is anyone watching the new Knight Rider? Is it any good? Does it deserve the full season pickup, or should it be offered up to that old junkyard in the sky? You tell us.

The CW, meantime, has ordered two more scripts for its drama Privileged which is good news for the show which is hampered by the limp 90210 reamke as a lead in.

Interview: Todd McFarlane on the State of Comics

  • News
  • October 21, 2008

Yesterday, the first part of my interview with Spawn creator Todd McFarlane focused on issue 185 of the long-running comic and the changes in store for readers as he returns to active creative duty with Whilce Portacio and Brian Holguin.

Since part one ran, it has been announced that the shipping date has slipped a week and the issue, complete with previously unannounced variant covers, will now be in stores on October 29.

In the second part of our discussion, we chatted about approaching the big 200 mark, the comics landscape overall today and what it might look like in the future, as well as a few Spawn-related surprises.

ComicMix: With issue 200 on the horizon and the “end of Spawn” being teased, will Spawn continue past issue 200?

Todd McFarlane: Yeah, [Issue] 200 we’re already planning for. We’ve thrown enough ripples out already and that people will sort of go ‘whoa’ and have to pay attention to keep pace with it. And 200 will allow us to get to one of the big notes and it’s all sort of a Pandora’s Box; you close one door and another one opens. We’ll have a nice compelling story for 200.

CMix: The comic landscape has changed and continues to change in a lot of ways with all kinds of different formats on the shelves and walking into bookstores now with full sections devoted to trades and original graphic novels, as well as the rise of webcomics and digital formats on the Internet. What are your thoughts in general on these trends and new directions in comics as a medium?

TM: The medium of comic books, which is a combination of words and pictures, I don’t think that medium is ever going to go away. I believe what will evolve over our lifetimes and it’s been a slow evolution, is the delivery mechanism. Is it possible that some day everybody who reads a comic book will turn on a computer? I guess, but it’ll still be words and pictures, it just happens to be in digital form. The basic form of what a comic is will never die. The delivery mechanism, to me, is less important. If people want them in trade paperback, in book form, on their computers, on the back of cereal boxes, I mean, whatever, but it’d still be a comic book. So I’ll let the consumer tell us where they want to get their fix on this medium and then we’ll hopefully not be too far behind the curve and we can give it to them.

CMix: Do you see the monthly pamphlet format headed for extinction at some point as some people have suggested?

TM: It’s possible as long as someone can offset it with another business model that gets it to the consumer. Again, as long as you give people an option as to where they can get it. Change for change’s sake doesn’t make much sense. At some point, there might be an economic tipping point where you look at sales and see you’re selling 51% or more doing something a new way rather than the old way so you start putting all of your resources behind the new way like the transition from VHS to DVD at Blockbuster where [DVD] was 5% and then 10% and then it took over. If we’re going to go in that direction, I sort of see it being the same as other business models where it’ll simply be a slow transition. (more…)

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