Jimmy Gownley’s delightful Amelia Rules! has been picked up by a division of Simon & Schuster for repackaging for the bookstore market.  Gownley began sel-fpublishing the comic in 2001 thoruhg his Renaissance Press imprint and features the advenuteres of Amelia Louise McBride and her fourth grade buddies.  Since its inception, the series has tackled real world issues through the prism of youth and has received priase.

The series has been nominated for three Eisner Awards,  two Harvey Awards, and a short list finalist for the Howard E. Day Prize. in 2002. In 2007 Amelia Rules Volume 3: Superheroes won the Cybil Award for Best graphic novel for readers twelve and under.

Ginee Seo Books, an imprint of Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will reprint the first four Amelia Rules! trade collections beginning with Amelia Rules!: The Whole World’s Crazy to be published in Spring 2009 and the last reprint Amelia Rules!: When the Past is a Present scheduled for release in Spring 2010. The fifth volume, Amelia Rules!: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular will be the first original publication with the hardcover and paperback scheduled to come out simultaneously in Fall 2010.

“Jimmy is a true creative genius, and Amelia Rules! has that rare combination of mass appeal and literary substance that every publisher dreams about. We are thrilled for Jimmy to be joining the S&S list, as we work to expand our list with some of the top comic and graphic novel talent publishing today, and we look forward to making his name and his characters known to even wider audience beyond his already substantial following,” said Ginee Seo, VP, Editorial Director of Ginee Seo Books.

Jimmy Gownley added in a release, “It was important for me to find the perfect home for Amelia Rules! and I strongly believe Simon & Schuster and Ginee Seo books are a great match. I am more excited than ever about Amelia and kids graphic novels in general”

In today’s Action Comics #870, Jonathan Kent dies. Again.  While this is his first death since 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, it’s a significant alteration to Superman’s status quo. ComicMix asked historian John Wells to take a look back at the character’s role in Superman’s life.  Graphics were selected and are courtesy of our pal Mark Waid.

A bitterly fought election had come to a close but the victor had little time to enjoy himself.  Instead, still in a rage over a blackmail attempt targeting his family, Jonathan Kent clutched his chest and collapsed, dying in the arms of his wife and son.  Speaking of this pivotal event in Smallville’s 100th episode (January 26, 2006), executive producer Al Gough told TV Guide that this was “part of the Superman mythology that was always going to have to be told.”   But did it really correspond with the comics?

In the beginning, Ma and Pa Kent didn’t exist at all.   As far as Action Comics #1 (June 1938) was concerned, the infant Superman was simply discovered by a passing motorist and dropped off at an orphanage.  And, even with a considerably longer account, the 1939 Superman comic strip stuck to that particular detail.  Ultimately, it was 1939’s two-page origin at the front of Superman #1 that set down many of the details that fans would consider sacrosanct.    Here, the Kents were actually shown discovering the super-baby’s rocket and asking a relieved orphanage to adopt him.  And, as the vignette concluded, Clark Kent was seen standing at his foster-parents’ graves, inspired to honor their memory by becoming Superman.

The subsequent Superman radio show sidestepped the issue of Clark Kent’s formative years altogether.  In this one, the passing motorist didn’t find a baby.  Inside this rocket, he found a full-grown Superman ready to take on the world.  Yikes! (more…)

Something is going on in comic books. Have you noticed? It’s been happening for a few years now. For some reason, certain comics are not making sense with the rest of the established universe and history. For some reason, things that don’t make sense have been running rampant throughout the fictional realities of DC and Marvel.

Have you noticed it? Sure you have. I’m not the only one, right?

Have you checked out DC Decisions #2? It’s very interesting. Guy Gardner is on Earth rather than Oa. And Power Girl is around instead of still trapped on the new Earth-2. Does this story take place before the current JSA storyline? Or afterward? It would be nice to be told in a brief footnote.

Then there’s the recent Hawkman Special where Carter Hall was told that his memories of being the Ancient Egyptian Prince Khufu were a lie and it basically was said that Khufu couldn’t have existed. Okay, um, wait a second. Black Adam and the wizard Shazam were both there and lived alongside Khufu. And the JSA actually went on a time travel mission a couple of years ago and worked with Khufu against a younger Vandal Savage. How can all of that be explained by false memories? Has the entire JSA been infected with identical delusions? (more…)

Trevor von Eeden returns to comics tomorrow with a series that is especially meaningful to our American culture.  It’s the story of boxer Jack Johnson, whom von Eeden describes as “the first psychologically free black man in American History.” This is the first major biography of Johnson created by an African-American artist.

The Original Johnson is the story about the man behind the face, a boxer who defeated white men in the ring and took their women after the show, who openly triumphed in white society. He was self-educated, well-read and fluent in three languages. And yet, as von Eeden says, “unlike today’s uncouth gangsta-rapper-thug black ‘stars,’ Jack Johnson had taste, style and class.  He conquered racist America because he saw everything from the point of view of his own private joke.  I want to explain that joke to our audience.”

Mike Gold, editor-in-chief of ComicMix, said, “I’ve known Trevor for more than three decades, and this is the best I’ve ever seen him do. This 240 page graphic novel is the work of a man reaching his creative peak.”

The timing could not be better as Congress last month passed a resolution, recommending President Bush grant a pardon for Johnson’s 1913 conviction, recognizing the racist overtones, and in order to exonerate Johnson and recognize his contribution to boxing. A similar Senate bill was sponsored by John McCain.

Johnson (1878-1946) was the first black heavyweight champion in the boxing world, reigning from 1908-1915 and participated in the first "Fight of the Century", defeating James J. Jeffries, the former champ, in 1910. The 1913 conviction was regarding his bi-racial marriage which was said to be a violation of the Mann Act.

After retiring from the ring, he opened a Harlem night spot in 1920 that became to be famously known a few years later as The Cotton Club. Johnson also holds a patent for modifications he made to a wrench.

Von Eeden remains the youngest artist employed by DC Comics, joining the company in 1977 and debuting on Black Lightning.  He continued to work for the company for years and may be best remember for his work on Thriller, co-created with Robert Loren Fleming.  He has also done extensive work for Continuity Associates and commercial efforts.

The Original Johnson will run every Wednesday on ComicMix.