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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

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.

(more…)

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.

9716_180x270-1950612Book 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.

(more…)

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 <a href=”

Harassment, <a href=”

Lifting and <a href=”

Protection, too

Universal Studios Options “2 Guns”

  • News
  • August 1, 2008

twoguns_uni_press-00-8589552Boom! 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.

 

(more…)

Stephenie Meyer Twilight Signing in NYC

  • News
  • August 1, 2008

On 44th Street in New York City today, right down the street from where Daniel Radcliffe is shedding Harry Potter’s robes (literally) in Equus, Stephenie Meyer is preparing to take over the mantle with her Twilight series, speaking and signing tonight at the Nokia Theater to a sold-out crowd of 2100 screaming fans that are already waiting on line as I type this, all in preparation for the midnight launch of book four in the series, Breaking Dawn.

I was on the subway this morning, and I saw a group of young women wearing "Team Cullen" shirts, and asked what they were doing for the launch of the book, and they told me about the event tonight. Of course, it was long sold out– four minutes to sell them all, according to the ticket guy there– and people were alreadly lining up in the early afternoon, in 90 degree heat and wearing all sorts of homemade fan apparel, to get the best seats. It reminded me of the lines for the fourth Harry Potter book, before the first movie came out, before it really got big.

More photos after the jump. (more…)

Thoughts on IDW, Comic-Con and Publishers’ Presence at Conventions

  • News
  • August 1, 2008

Yesterday I linked to Tom Spurgeon’s interview with Ted Adams, president of IDW Publishing, about Adams’ recent announcement that this year’s show might be IDW’s last. Today, Spurgeon posted some thoughts from various figures in and around the comics industry about IDW’s decision, what it says about Comic-Con International and the convention scene, and how it all ties together with the changing face of the comics scene.

At Spurgeon’s request, I offered up my own reaction to the interview (you can find it down at the end of the post), and was joined by noted representatives of the publishing industry and comics media.

Here are some of the thoughts contributed by Fantagraphics’ Eric Reynolds on the issue:

I feel very strongly myself that sometimes the amount of effort and money expended on cons like Comicon and BEA is fairly absurd and might be simply better spent elsewhere. But no one wants to blink, including us. If everyone in publishing agreed to take a year off of a Comicon or BEA and simply not hold it, would the industry suffer? I doubt it. So I admire Ted’s take on it.

We don’t have any plans to not attend, and it really is an amazing show in most respects, but when you really sit down and add up all of the expenses of time and money at the end of the show, it’s absurd. We spend so much money to potentially make a very little bit of money when it’s all said and done.

Head over to The Comics Reporter for more on the IDW/Comic-Con debate.

Webcomic News Roundup: Comic-Con, Remembered

  • News
  • August 1, 2008

Comic-Con International might be over, but the ‘Net was full of San Diego-related reports this week from webcomic creators. I’ll do my best to round-up some of those reports before getting into some of the news with no connection whatsoever to Comic-Con.

By far the most buzz-heavy event of the week in webcomics circles was the night out that began as an innocent webcomic creators’ meet-up but later evolved into a drunken cabaret with Star Trek actors Jonathan Frakes and Avery Brooks. As Rich Stevens of Diesel Sweeties put it: "Screw the Holodeck. My reality is way more fantastic."

Here’s one of the videos from the event making the rounds — if nothing else, it’s proof that such a surreal moment actually occurred:

 


 

 

On that note (pun totally intended), Scott Kurtz of PvP has a great recap of the events that transpired to make such an event possible, while also providing some video of his own from the night. Goats creator Jon Rosenberg also has a nice assessment of why Star Trek, a great bartender and eagle poop made this year’s Comic-Con International such a magical experience. Oh, and Brad Guigar of Evil Inc. joined the chorus with his own recap of "The Night" (as it is now being called). (more…)

Billy Crudup Talks ‘Watchmen’

  • Uncategorized
  • August 1, 2008

The Geek Files has a short interview with actor Billy Crudup, in which he talks about playing Dr. Manhattan in the upcoming Watchmen film.

Most of that screen time is in the digitally animated form Manhattan takes after a lab accident leaves him a super-powered god figure. Here are a couple good bits:

"And he was being asked to be a dutiful man at the same time by his government, so he was trying to attend to both of those while trying to carry on a relationship, and I think ultimately he discovered, through his own journey, that he was no longer as interested in people as he was in the … universe. … So I think my experience of doing it was the experience of asking that question each and every day."

Fans got a glimpse of Dr Manhattan in footage screened at Comic-Con. To play him, Crudup wore a motion-capture suit covered in lights, with dots on his face as a reference for computer generated effects to be added in post-production.

"It was a burden for about the first day, until I saw what these guys [his fellow actors] were in, and then they also had to go work out and watch what they were eating, blah di blah, blah, blah," Crudup said. "I was as happy as a clam. Basically came in and put on my pyjamas, stood on my apple box and tried to figure out Dr Manhattan."

Peter David on Ted Stevens’ Hulk Necktie

  • News
  • August 1, 2008

This is pretty funny stuff. Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who’s being investigated for lots of financial improprieties, was photographed by Doug Mills of the New York Times wearing a Hulk tie (see at right).

Over at his blog, former Hulk writer Peter David has this to say:

The embattled senator has been depicted wearing a Hulk necktie based on the cover of Hulk #401, written by yours truly. Apparently it’s his favorite tie when he’s in trouble. I’m starting to get an inkling of how Rowena felt upon learning that her art was a favorite of Saddam Hussein. In the words of Groucho, it’s a club that you really would rather not be a part of since it would have you as a member.

The comments are pretty funny, including this gem:

He likes the theme because he’s often quoted saying, "Don’t make me Ted Stevens. You wouldn’t like me when I’m Ted Stevens."

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