The Mix : What are people talking about today?

Moonstone and Dynamite Both Publishing ‘The Phantom’

the-phantom-6078668While last weekend’s Wizard World Chicago convention didn’t feature much in the way of news, there were a few announcements that had people talking. Among them was Saturday’s announcement by Dynamite Entertainment that the publisher had acquired the rights to Lee Falk’s The Phantom comic strips. The announcement created quite a buzz, as publisher Moonstone Books was under the impression that they still had the license to The Phantom.

Well, according to ICv2, both parties are correct, as neither publisher owns the exclusive rights to the character, and both plan to publish Phantom stories down the road… which should be interesting.

When Dynamite Comics announced that it was publishing a Phantom comic book at Wizard World Chicago, a Moonstone representative contacted by ICv2 was unaware of the changes in the Phantom publishing program. But after the show, Moonstone contacted King Features and discovered that neither Moonstone or Dynamite had an exclusive license, so Moonstone could continue with its publishing program.

 

Webcomic News Roundup: Google Gets A Talking-To, Zero Punctuation Rages

It’s a light one this week, as many of us on this side of the pond are enjoying a day off and trying to stay as far away from a computer as possible.

Attentive Twitter-stalkers already know that Diesel Sweeties‘ Rich Stevens and Octopus Pie‘s Meredith Gran spent some time in San Francisco last month as guest speakers at Google HQ, but now <a href=”

video of their speech has been posted on YouTube for everyone to enjoy — not just the lucky cogs in the Great Google Machine.

The video is posted below, and once you get past the somewhat timid introduction, it’s a really enjoyable presentation that features some great behind-the-scenes elements of both webcomics.

 


 

On a semi-related note, Gary Tyrrell of Fleen is still waiting for any questions about Rich Stevens’ decision to opt out of his Diesel Sweeties print syndication deal. (more…)

Manga Friday: Honey and Clover

Manga Friday tackles the thorny question of book-to-movie adaptations head-on this week, by comparing and contrasting the first two volumes of the Honey and Clover manga with the movie of the same name – which was adapted from the manga story.

Honey and Clover, Vol. 1
By Chica Umino
Viz/Shojo Beat, March 2008, $8.99

Honey and Clover, I am told, is one of the most popular shojo manga series in Japan in recent years, selling (in aggregate) over ten million copies so far. It focuses on a group of students at a Tokyo art school – in particular, on their love lives.

Now, no series about simple love-lives will last very long, and Honey and Clover ended its run in Japan a couple of years ago with more than sixty chapters, so you things are going to get complicated. But I’ll start out slow.

Our central character is Takamoto, a sophomore in a painting program who lives in an apartment building near campus – it doesn’t seem to officially a dorm, but it’s rented essentially only to male students. Two of his neighbors are also close friends – Mayama, a studious senior on his way to be an architect; and Morita, a seventh-year sculpture student given to long absences and odd behavior.

They’re all somewhat connected to Professor Hanamoto, and, in the first story in the first volume, the boys need a new student – Hagumi, a young, very small woman living with Hanamoto (who is an unofficial uncle to her) and who has immense talents. Both Takamoto and Morita fall in love with her at first sight, but Morita also torments her by calling her “koropokkur” (after a fairy-like spirit) and making all sorts of photographs and other objects of her koropokkur-ness. (more…)

Comic Book Heroine Returns in Tap Opera

If you’ve been enjoying Andrew Pepoy’s The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, published here at ComicMix, you’ll want to check out another of his comic book-related projects: A superhero tap dance opera.

While that phrase might seem like a Googlenope, the recently debuted The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen is a sequel to The Hourglass in the Stop-Time Chronicles. The show is put on by the Chicago Tap Theatre, and is running at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago. (Show dates at the link.)

From an article at the My Dance Place blog:

Kendra Jorstad, who played the role of the Hourglass last year, has suited up again for a production that promises success even greater than that of the original show.

While speaking with DanceHere right before the show’s opening, [artistic director Mark] Yonally said that this year’s budget for Hourglass sets and costumes was more than twice what it was last year. And, they devoted twice the amount of time on developing the new story. "The good news," Yonally said of the increases, "is you see all of that on the stage."

The Hourglass set, alone, is stunning. Designed with comic book artist and Hourglass co-creator Andrew Pepoy, the set pulls audiences into the super-heroine’s world, where the good–in the form of a young woman wearing canary-yellow go-go boots–can subdue all wrongdoers. With the new set, costumes, story, and his company of dancers, Yonally thinks that The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen is CTT’s "best story show by far."

Happy Fourth of July

0703_allamerican4-4995991Happy Independence Day, comicdom!

Here’s hoping everyone out there is well stocked with food to grill, beers (preferably Yuengling, from "America’s Oldest Brewery") to down and fireworks to potentially blow off your fingers. All that, a few Uncle Sam or Captain America comics, and you’re well stocked.

And make sure you wear that American flag lapel pin, lest you be mistaken for a terrorist. In a pinch, a Texas flag works too.

It’s a big day for me, but not for any comics reason. Or any patriotic reason either.

My wife and I first met while watching the big Fourth display during a break from our newspaper jobs. Fireworks.

Review: Will Smith in ‘Hancock’

With comic franchises pouring from Hollywood’s every orifice this year, something like [[[Hancock]]] would normally be considered a breath of fresh, creative air. This can be said for the film on paper, but it fails to deliver in the latter half of the film. That said, Hancock is still good fun in a theater, and delivers with all the things we wanted to see Superman Returns do time and time again, but never came through.

The plot follows an unruly asshole (not being vulgar, this term is important to the character) of a superhero who resides in downtown Los Angeles, attempts to keep people safe from the ever-rising crime rate, but ends up causing more damage than he prevents. This makes Hancock (Will Smith) the ultimate antihero, being hated by just about everybody in the world (or at least L.A.) He crosses paths with an up-and-coming Public Relations guru (Jason Bateman) who thinks Hancock can become the hero that the world needs, but with a little bit of help.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The text of this review posted after the jump contains descriptions of significant plot points, so consider this your official SPOILER ALERT. -RM]

(more…)

Is You Stupid? by Michael Davis

 

I have no real theme this week but I’d like to share some random thoughts. These are some of the things that make me ask…is you stupid? Not to be confused with “Are you stupid?” Is you stupid is a much better way to express my frustration. Just saying is you stupid sounds right in some situations. It lets the person you are talking to know they are stupid but… with a smile.

Not to long ago a good friend of mine called me and asked me to take a look at a project. It was not his project, he was shopping it around for a hotshot TV producer. I was told that this project would make a great comic book series and I was asked if I would get involved and present it to some publishers.

I have been lucky enough to close some major deals with major publishers and know some power brokers. This is outside of comic book publishers, which are no longer the only game in town for comics. As I write this I’m on a plane to New York City for a meeting with Harper Collins Publishers. I’ve been selling comic book universes to major publishers since 1996. The Action Files, a series I created, has been a Simon & Schuster universe since 1997. I’m proud to say that I saw the trend with comics and major publishers before it was a trend.

Anywho, my friend of almost twenty years tells me that he has a series that will be bigger than The Matrix. It was created by a big time producer and they want me involved. Truth be told I don’t really do a lot of pitching of other people’s projects anymore. It’s simply too much trouble. If I don’t create it, then I have little incentive to try and get it sold. As I said – too much trouble. My only exception these days is introducing young talented creators to people who may be able to help them. Help with advise for the most part because that is sorely lacking in our field.

So I’m pitched this series that will be “bigger than The Matrix!” and…

It sucked.

I mean really sucked as in very bad. So I ask you what do you do? Do I say, “Wow. That sucked?” Nah that would be insensitive and you know me. I’m Mr. Sensitivity. Or perhaps I say “My god, this is worst than that sitcom about slavery (a real show) that was on TV for half an episode before the network put down the crack pipe and realized what they put on the air.”

  (more…)

Xbox LIVE Adds DC Comics Network

As if Dark Knight, Wanted, Hulk, and Iron Man gamerpics weren’t enough, the Xbox LIVE online video game service has announced a plethora of DC Comics content for your Xbox 360.

The DC Comics Network will be a one-stop shopping location on the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace for superhero media to play on your Xbox 360 game system. To celebrate the launch, they’re offering stellar gamerpics of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and the DC Swirl. (Gamerpics are pictures attached to your Xbox online profile to represent you when playing other gamers.) Imagine evil gamers quaking in fear when they find they’re going to play against the Justice League. Cheaters are a superstitious and cowardly lot.

After p0wning bad guys, relax with all the superhero digital downloads you can buy for a reasonable price.

And coming July 8th, Batman: Gotham Knight, the Batman direct-to-DVD animated feature will also be available for download. (Click here for our ComicMix review of Batman: Gotham Knight.) An exclusive clip is available right now for the Xbox.

Haven’t bought an Xbox 360 yet? If you’re considering it, multiple leaks have all but confirmed that a price drop to $299.99 for the system (the one with the hard drive to download video content) will be coming in mid-July.

ComicMix Radio: Dealing A ‘Royal Flush’

Looking for some quick, fun beach reading that covers comics, movies, indie music, comedy, web radio and more? We take a look at Royal Flush Magazine, plus:

— Invincible scores a sell-out

— Flash gets a boost from a TV scribe

— More on those nifty Collection Drawers and a cool new product you will want, too!

Inside the mind of Gary Busey? Really? Press the button if you dare!

 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-4976740 or RSS!

Review: This Week in ‘Trinity’ #5

trinity5-4792955First things first: I actually, gasp, liked this issue.

For the first time ever, Kurt Busiek pulled the storylines together and gave a sense of the big things ahead. Not perfect, but much better than the past few.

What happened?

The fight against Konvikt finally reached an end, as Batman’s smarts helped the big three devise a clever knockout punch. Batman was the star of the issue, also nabbing one of Morgaine Le Fey’s underlings (which look like the rat creatures from Bone), after it had branded Wonder Woman with an omega symbol.

During a brief interrogation (ended by the rat creature self combusting), it says, "You are the trinity. But you are weakened. Breaking. Soon, you will fall." Buh, buh, BUM!

There’s a little character moment that shines, as Batman and Superman are reluctant to advise Diana to see a doctor, and she points out the inconsistencies of gender relations. It makes her character a little more interesting, which is something plenty of other writers have failed to do.

In the backup, a trio of lame villains (Whiteout!?!) try to kidnap Tarot, who has started to see the trinity in her cards (as justice, strength and the devil — guess which hero goes to which card).

They fail, not unpredictably, in large part thanks to the reappearance of Gangbuster. Which, I’ve got to say, is pretty awesome. At the end, we see Morgaine Le Fey’s creatures after Tarot.

Like I said, everything’s coming together nicely, and we have dire warnings galore. So, hope returns, although I’m still curious as to why Busiek feels the need to include only the lamest villains.

Van Jensen is a former crime reporter turned comic book journalist. Every Wednesday, he braves Atlanta traffic to visit Oxford Comics, where he reads a whole mess of books for his weekly reviews. Van’s blog can be found at graphicfiction.wordpress.com.

Publishers who would like their books to be reviewed at ComicMix should contact ComicMix through the usual channels or email Van Jensen directly at van (dot) jensen (at) comicmix (dot) com.

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