“Welcome to Hoxford” Preview

News / Previews
August 2, 2008

Newsarama recently posted a first-issue preview of Welcome to Hoxford, the latest series by writer/artist Ben Templesmith. He’s one of the best there is these days when it comes to crafting scary stories that not only tell a tale, but make you feel it, too. Feel free to check out a few issues of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse if you’re a doubter.

Here’s how IDW describes the series:

PREVIEW INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES — IDW has provided Newsarama with an exclusive preview of this month’s Welcome to Hoxford #1 – Ben Templesmith (writer & artist & covers) – Acclaimed writer/artist Ben Templesmith (Wormwood Gentleman Corpse) creates his newest horrific comic book right here! In the debut issue of Welcome to Hoxford, Raymond Delgado isn’t welcome at all. Rather, he’s the newest inmate at the Hoxford Correctional Facility and Mental Institution. He has no hope of release, parole, rehabilitation, or decent conversation. On a good day, he’ll tell you he’s Zeus and only bite your arm off. Literally. On a bad day, you won’t have time to scream to the prison guard for help. But Dr Jessica Ainley, his doctor for five years, wants to help Ray and can’t understand why the newly privatized, corporately run prison, won’t give her access to her patients. And why are people always transferred into Hoxford, but no records show anyone ever transferring back out…? Full Color · 32 pages · $3.99 * AUGUST 2008

As the solicit text indicates, the series is fairly graphic (and so are the preview pages) — so consider yourself warned.

SDCC: The (Maybe) Imminent Demise of Monthly Comics

News
August 2, 2008

I know, I know. More news from San Diego? A full week later?

Apologies all around, but this is too interesting to pass up. Newsarama has a recap of a panel where a few industry folks discuss the potential demise of comics in their monthly, floppy form.

Douglas Wolk and Joe Keatinge are the headliners, and everyone has a different opinion with plenty of insight to back up their thoughts. Things went toward the chicken and egg argument, as illustrated by this quote from retailer Carr D’Angelo:

Wolk asked D’Angelo about difference between the return on investment between monthly comics and graphic novel.

“We call them our perennials,” he said, about graphic novels that always seem to sell. “If we can find a new product we can turn endlessly, it’s like what Scrooge McDuck wants, a machine that turns lead into gold.” He named Persepolis and Blankets as examples, saying his investment was virtually guaranteed when he ordered them – unlike with monthly comics.

“I can never have too many Y the Last Man trades,” D’Angelo said. “It’s an endless supply of business. But I couldn’t do that if there weren’t 60 issues in the first place, building up goodwill, and building up an audience, and building up reviews.”

ComicMix Radio: Steven Moffat On Taking Command Of Doctor Who

Podcasts
August 2, 2008

Even for an established and award winning television writer like Steven Moffat, taking command of a 45 year old universe is a little daunting. In the first part of our exclusive ComicMix interviews with the top BBC talents, he tells us his outlook for the future, plus:

Dave Gibbons shares his reaction to seeing The Watchmen come to life
The creator of Scream turns to comics
What is was like to camp out under the full moon last night waiting for Breaking Dawn

No spoilers here – really just Press the Button!

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via or RSS!

Comics Heal Poland-Israel Relations

News
August 2, 2008

There’s a neat story in the Jerusalem Post about a comic book exhibit that’s aimed at easing the sometimes strained relationship between Israeli and Polish citizens.

Lingering anger from the Holocaust apparently has left something of a schism between the two peoples, and comic books are seen as one way of healing those old wounds.

If you didn’t know, 2008-2009 is Israel-Poland year. One of the many events taking place in this framework is the launching of Polisra, the first Israeli-Polish comic book – to be featured at an exhibition at Holon’s Israeli Cartoon Museum and at the Tel Aviv comic books festival. The Polish Mickiewicz Institute, which initiated the book, hopes it will be a channel in creating dialogue on topics considered taboo in the two nations’ histories. …

[Publisher Amital] Sandy views Polisra as an opportunity to deal with history and the stereotypes connected to it. One story in the book, for instance, portrays a Polish woman who buys a picture of a Jew counting money for her new house. According to Polish tradition, such a picture brings prosperity to a new home. When no such prosperity arrives, the woman complains of the picture’s failure to the salesman. The next frame depicts the salesman in his villa, surrounded by such pictures, exclaiming that, "It works for me!"

"Humor is a great method to examine our values. It takes a situation, flips it upside down, and gives the viewer a whole new perspective on it," Sandy says.

New “Watchmen” Posters Echo Originals

News
August 2, 2008

The Watchmen posters that debuted at Comic-Con are now online, and dang– they’re just like the promo posters from the original miniseries.

Don’t believe me? Compare and contrast:

Larger versions of these images, as well as the rest of the promo posters, are posted after the jump.

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SDCC: Little Earthquakes, by Martha Thomases

News
August 2, 2008

It’s nearly a week since Comic-Con ended, but still it haunts my dreams. I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, then the fifth largest city in Ohio (behind Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Akron), yet there were more people in the San Diego convention center.

I think all of them walked by our booth.

If they were any other place, I wouldn’t know about it, because I left the booth only to go to the bathroom and to the Black Panel (for different reasons, as I hope is obvious). The bathroom at the center back of the exhibit hall was usually not crowded and always clean, which is more than I can say for any of the other ladies’ rooms.

The Black Panel was packed. I arrived ten minutes early, which usually allows me my choice of seats, but this time, I was forced to navigate among strangers. Even though this event doesn’t get the hype of the movie panels, or the television shows, or even the video games, it’s really, really fun. There is music and dancing (not by me, you’ll be happy to know, but by people who know how to dance), and lots and lots of laughs. Also, people who have been seriously moved by comics get up and, in the guise of asking questions, testify to the power of graphic story telling.

I also got to leave the booth when my friend, Tiger, who is seven years old and was staying with us so she could read Mars, decided she wanted to find her father, who had a meeting at the Dark Horse booth. This was only about two aisles away, but it took us more than 15 minutes to get there. Not only did we have to stop and look at anything that might potentially be a toy display, buy we had serious problems avoiding backpacks. Now, I understand the appeal of the backpack – you can carry a bunch of stuff, and still have your hands free, and yet, you are not wearing a purse, thereby asserting your manly manliness. And my problem is not with backpacks, per se, but with backpacks that are stuffed so full that you, the wearer, are no longer aware of the dimensions. A backpack that is more than six inches deep is a deadly weapon, especially to those humans who are not yet tall enough to avoid getting whacked in the head by the bottom corner of your stuff. (more…)

Review: This Week in ‘Trinity’ – Part 9

Reviews
August 2, 2008

This ridiculous villain thing has officially gone too far.

First, we have the “evil trinity” of Despero, Morgaine Le Fey and Enigma. Then there’s been Howlers galore and a trio of baddies headlined by the Eraser or White Out or whatever his name is.

And now? Swashbuckler!

He shows up amid the chaos of the bombed mall and lays a kiss on Diana’s gubmint pal (also stealing her ID), and then later fails to steal Nightwing’s mask. Both while offering B-movie banter.

He’s apparently another villain in league with Le Fey, who along with her cronies is amassing more goodies that “define the essence” of key people. It goes back to the continued theme in this series of objects being instilled with a mysterious energy force of the earth.

Elsewhere, Bruce fights off attacking Howlers with Clark’s help. They apprehend a few without being branded like Diana, but we don’t know what happens with that yet.

As Clark is inner-monologuing about Bruce forgetting an earlier encounter with the Howlers, Diana comes over the shortwave to let them know the Crime Syndicate was responsible for mass kidnappings.

Two things here: The Crime Syndicate? And, wait a second, when did these kidnappings happen? Off-panel, I guess.

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The Weekly Haul: Comics Reviews for July 30

News
August 1, 2008

A pretty slow week in comics, as everyone’s still gasping for breath post Comic-Con (including me, even though I stayed at home this year). Not even a dozen books worth reading this week, and I somehow missed the JSA annual. Still, some interesting stuff, with a strong DC showing.

Book of the Week: Blue Beetle #29 — This was a really strong debut issue from Matthew Sturges, which makes it all the more unfortunate that the finished cover (not the same as the image at right) lists the writer as "Rogers," meaning the departed writer, I imagine.

There’s also a bizarre bit of text added that says: "No trespassing: Violators will be Prosecuted." Except the last word is crossed out and "Persecuted" is written over it. Meaningless fluff that distracts from an attractive bit of art.

Like I said, though, the issue is good stuff aside from a few minor awkwardnesses as Sturges warms up to the series. Jaime keeps on adventuring, though he’s falling into a big mess involving Intergang and smugglers.

Sturges uses that to create a nice dynamic, as Jaime is forced to take a side in the immigration debate. This is a really good jumping-on point, if you’ve been thinking of giving the series a try.

Runners Up:

Green Lantern #33 — Geoff Johns keeps working his magic, digging through the unexplored patches of DC lore for this tale of Hal and Sinestro’s first teamup. It’s a very Obi and Anakin scenario, except if Obi was the one who turned evil.

Johns uses subtlety in examining the reasons Sinestro went mad with power, and the prophecy of the Blackest Night finally is starting to be revealed.

Thor #10 — Not a lot to say here, just another issue that somehow makes believable the idea of Valhalla appearing over the U.S. Reality and myth mingle, and the seduction of Balder deepens. Great stuff.

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Random Video: Batman and Joker PSA

News
August 1, 2008

Sure, Batman and Joker spend a lot of time planning their counterpart’s demise, but when they put their heads together, they can do great things. Take, for instance, the following public service announcement posted on YouTube:

If the two chums from Gotham have you wanting more, be sure to check out the PSAs regarding Sexual Harassment, Heavy Lifting and UV Protection, too

Universal Studios Options “2 Guns”

News
August 1, 2008

twoguns_uni_press-00-8589552 Boom! Studios announced today that Universal Studios and Wanted producer Marc Platt have optioned the Steven Grant graphic novel 2 Guns for big-screen adaptation. Boom! co-founders Andrew Cosby and Ross Richie are attached to produce via their Boom Entertainment banner.

2 GUNS was created and written by Steven Grant, a veteran comic book scribe well known for developing Marvel Comics’ THE PUNISHER into a franchise character. Story follows two thieves targeting a mob bank – unknown to either, they’re both undercover agents. They pull off their heist, only to find out they’ve stolen cash from a CIA black bag operation, not the mob, and are now in over their heads. Project is targeted to be a throwback to classic 80s buddy movies in the vein of LETHAL WEAPON and 48 HOURS, but with a modern spin. Grant is well known to comic book fans for his online Comic Book Resources column Permanent Damage as well as his work on the Dark Horse Comics character "X" and the Marvel series X-MAN.

Boom! is currently posting pages from 2 Guns on their website as part of the publisher’s free webcomic initiative.

The full press release is posted after the jump.

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