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SDCC: Dark Horse News

  • Uncategorized
  • July 31, 2008

martha-8759059Dark Horse was nice enough to compile a full list of the publisher’s announcements out of San Diego (including a new Martha Washington — at right — book).

That’s very appreciated, as the lunacy of Comic-Con made it impossible last week to keep up with everything every publisher was doing — though our ComicMix team did their best to bring you as much news as possible.

Any publishers who want to send over similar news dispatches can hit us up through the usual channels.

After the jump is Dark Horse’s complete news breakdown, listed by day.

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Review: ‘Shmobots’ by Adam Rifkin and Les Toil

shmobots_tpb_7-5396725Shmobots is a pretty stupid book on its face. And it’s pretty stupid inside too.

Government negligence leads to a city full of worthless robots (termed [[[Shmobots]]]), and three of the laziest ones hang out with a guy and do pretty much nothing with their lives.

The humore here — from writer Adam Rifkin — is all pretty obvious, heavy on robot cliches and slacker jokes we’ve heard before. Yet the book has an undeniable charm, no doubt because its creators acknowledge those faults and even celebrate them.

Sure, the lead robot character is a carbon copy of Bender from Futurama, but he’s used (at least this is my guess) to make fun of the stupid humor genre even while revelling in it.

There is a more involved plot than I let on: the robots and human friend are constantly looking for money, while unknowingly they’re being stalked by the Shmobot Killer. The plot advances at a marijuana-soaked pace.

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‘Harry Potter’ 6 Trailer Online

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is out in theaters in November, and the first trailer is now online. Watch it below.

Also, I just saw the documentary Jesus Camp last night. Did you know that Harry Potter is a warlock and he’s evil? Talk about subtle. I didn’t pick that up from the books at all.

 

 

Margaret Cho Writes a Comic

  • News
  • July 31, 2008

last-hero-standing-cover-7934636For anyone in that weird cross section of humanity that enjoys Margaret Cho and superhero comics, this next item of news is sure to bring nirvana to your soul.

Cho is doing a comic book called Last Hero Standing, a riff on the Last Comic Standing reality TV show, I guess.

Here’s the info:

Cho has joined up with Märchen Dreamfaktory’s Creative Director, Tony Mark, to create a graphic novel. With a working title of Last Hero Standing, the comic will follow the exploits of super heroine Misty, an aspiring comic and the only super hero to survive an all-out attack from the super villains.

"Margaret’s fans will definitely recognize her edgy humor," says Mark. "I think the premise gives her a lot of room to express herself in her own voice, but also the freedom to have fun in a way she never has before."

Utilizing the in-house talents of Art Director Gary Laib and artist Chris Ewald, Märchen Dreamfaktory plans to have the graphic novel on shelves by early 2009.

Video of the ‘Watchmen’ Owl Ship

  • News
  • July 31, 2008

watchmenewcover-3691354In case you’re one of the 18 people on planet Earth who didn’t go to San Diego last weekend for Comic-Con, you’ll be interested in this video from TV Guide, which gives a pretty extensive tour of the inside of the replica Owl Ship from the upcoming Watchmen movie.

Quick…what’s lime green, weighs 9,000 pounds and came all the way from Canada? If you said the Watchmen’s Night Owl ship, then give yourself a pat on the back. TVGuide.com was lucky enough to score an up-close look from the driver’s seat of the actual ship used in next summer’s movie based on the DC Comic. The ship is used by the group of ragtag superheroes who come out of retirement to investigate the slaying of one of their own. It doesn’t really get much cooler than that.

Indeed.

Interview: Ryan North on “Dinosaur Comics”

  • News
  • July 31, 2008

Canadian webcomic creator Ryan North’s Dinosaur Comics is another one of those projects that defies the norm in the comics world and succeeds despite all of the very good reasons why it shouldn’t. I mean, come on, folks: A series in which the art never changes, and readers just get day after day of a pair of dinosaurs chatting about heady subject matter in mid-stomp? Back in the day, no one would’ve predicted a comic like that would be around five days, let alone five years.

But that’s exactly what it’s done — Dinosaur Comics has not only survived, but thrived, in its five-year existence. It’s done so well, in fact, that North has been able to develop a complex history for his small cast of characters while also having his creation named among the Web’s best comics in one award after another over the last few years. Not content to simply make comics on the ‘Net, North has also lent his considerable programming skills to Project Wonderful, a robust online ad-serving system that allows users to bid on placement of their ads on participating websites. Much like Dinosaur Comics, Project Wonderful is a new approach to a long-established system that has left countless others slapping their foreheads and wondering why they didn’t think of something similar.

I had the opportunity to chat with North recently about Dinosaur Comics, Project Wonderful and a variety of other topics, including his recent experiments with online photo-sharing site Flickr and the multitude of other projects he manages to juggle on a regular basis. 

COMICMIX: Before we even get started, what were you up to when you sat down to answer these questions, Ryan?

RYAN NORTH: I’m disgusting, man. Sunday morning, I haven’t showered yet and I’m covered in stink lines. I’m wearing the clothes I wore yesterday. I’ve just eaten a burger with bacon built into it, and I have crumbs on my chest. I am the sexiest man, Rick. Tell your readers. (more…)

Our Own Private Gotham, by John Ostrander

  • News
  • July 31, 2008

The newest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, is doing a nice bit of smackdown with all kinds of records, as well it should. It’s taking in money hand over fist. There are even whispers that it could wind up outgrossing Titanic, although I don’t think that will happen myself. The film will probably be up for several Oscars next year including, among others, Best Picture and possibly Best Actor for the late Heath Ledger’s incendiary portrayal of the Joker.

I’ve seen it, I loved it, I was stunned by it like everyone else. Best Batman movie ever. Possibly the best superhero movie ever. What really interests me, however, are the reports on the demographics of just who is going to see this film. It’s not just we comic geeks. It’s not just young males looking for adrenaline and excitement and explosions (although the film also has plenty of those). It’s everybody. Young and old, male and female, all colors, all races. That makes me ask a different question.

What is our reaction to this movie telling us about ourselves?

There’s a zeitgeist going on. You see this every once in a while – a film or a book or some music taps into the national psyche and expresses something that we, as a people, are feeling. I think the response to The Dark Knight shows it’s happening again.

Yes, the pre-opening buzz for the film was really positive. Heath Ledger’s death added a morbid curiosity. It had a terrific PR push. Anticipation was high. The response, however, is phenomenal. It’s doing better than the studio even hoped. So, again, I ask what is going on here?

Exploring this is going to involve talking freely about the film. If you haven’t seen the movie, go see it first. Experience it for yourself. This column will still be here when you’re done. In other words, Spoilers Ahead! (more…)

“Resident Evil” and “Devil May Cry” Comics Coming

  • News
  • July 30, 2008

7beb793509a0a5d3feea1110-_aa280_-l-4151943Having previously announced Bionic Commando and Lost Planet comics coming from Devil’s Due, Capcom is bringing even more of their hit games to comic books. In a joint press release with DC Comics, they announced that the WildStorm imprint will publish comics based on Resident Evil and Devil May Cry. Details, like who’s writing and drawing it, or when it will be announced at a later date.

Devil May Cry follows demon fighter Dante in a gothic anime influenced world with over-the-top weapons. It’s been previously released as best-selling manga from Tokyopop, but this will be the first time content has been created by American comic artists.

Jim Lee must really like playing Resident Evil. Back in the pre-DC Comics era, WildStorm published a pretty successful comic/fan magazine based on the horror survival game. If you’re living a sheltered life, Resident Evil tells the story of pseudo-law enforcement officers battling the amoral Umbrella Corporation and their continual involvement in zombie plagues.

On a side note, have you seen the trailer for the Capcom-produced CGI movie Resident Evil: Degeneration that was shown at San Diego Comic-Con? You’ll never travel through an airport the same way again. (Video posted after the jump.)
 

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Review: ‘Burma Chronicles’ by Guy Delisle

  • Uncategorized
  • July 30, 2008

burma1-3090101With all of the past year’s insanity in Burma — mainly monk uprisings and government oppressions — you’d think Guy Delisle’s nonfiction comic Burma Chronicles would be especially topical. But you’d be wrong.

As is Delisle’s style, he passes up on the chance to take an expansive view of the country where he lived for six months (he’s written previously about stints in Pyongyang and Shenzhen).

Instead, the book is almost self-centered in how it simply recounts Delisle’s experience as the husband to a Doctors Without Borders. He depicts himself as the ultimate average Joe, a dude content to live life as it comes.

Most of the cartoons are of little moments, like Delisle venting about the sporadic electricity (and sporadic air conditioning), or his hunt for ink to finish a book.

That isn’t to say he doesn’t experience Burmese culture or interact with the locals. He does, but the majority of what he includes in the book are little innocuous windows into the country.

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GrimJack: The Manx Cat – Complete and Free!

  • News
  • July 30, 2008

Cynosure is famous as the city at the crossroads of all the dimensions. In this all-new, full-length graphic novel by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman, John Gaunt not only spans universes but the very fabric of time itself. As he is compelled to track down the mysterious Manx Cat, he learns the dirty secrets about his city’s origins and the tragic price to be paid for the stuff that dreams are made of. All this and the secret origin of Bob the watchlizard and his place at the fabled Munden’s Bar!

Read the entire graphic novel GrimJack: The Manx Cat, from the very beginning right here at ComicMix for FREE!

Credits: John Ostrander (Writer), Timothy Truman (Artist), John Workman (Letterer), Lovern Kindzierski (Colorist), Mike Gold (Editor).

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