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Online Comic Book Reader Gets a Redesign at ComicMix

new-reader-4177623Last Friday, with no fanfare, we released the first major upgrade to our ComicMix online comic book reader since we launched our free online comics last October. We have done small upgrades every month or two — like adding the ability to link straight to a specific page, remembering what zoom level you like and remembering that you always want two-page spreads. But this upgrade was significant.

First, we eliminated those little page number links at the top of the screen. We were only using about 30 pixels for that strip, but vertical space is already limited by all the toolbars and junk in your browsers, so why waste any more? Since computer screens are almost always wider than tall, we put the page navigation on the right — the same way that applications like Adobe Acrobat, Apple’s Preview app, Quark and Pagemaker do.

Do you need to click on those little page thumbnails to flip through our comics? Of course not.

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The Weekly Haul: Reviews for June 5, 2008

Quite a top-notch week in comics, all in all. We had another Secret Invasion entry and the debut of DC’s Trinity (I’ll be doing separate weekly reviews of that one), as well as strong outings from other series.

There seemed to be a viral outbreak of silliness, though, as a handful of comics pushed the goofy too far and suffered for it. Only a couple of outright stink bombs, which are helping me kick off a new section for these reviews: The Dregs. Now, the reviews…

Book of the Week: Secret Invasion #3 — First, let me say there continue to be some serious problems with Skrullapalooza ’08. The series is not even remotely self contained, so any casual fan is probably going to be quite lost, there are a few too many unclear moments (lost either in script or art), and the Skrull invasion force still looks like they were designed by Toys R’ Us.

That out of the way, this issue merits top billing for a few big reasons.

First, the story actually moves ahead after stagnating in the Savage Land. Second, there are some huh-yuge fights, and Leinil Yu takes a bellows and pumps them full of hot air. Third…

We need a big SPOILER WARNING for this. Third, we learn the biggest reveal in modern comics memory, that this colossal, inconsistent prick of Tony Stark who has embroiled the Marvel Universe isn’t really Tony Stark. Gasp. He’s a Skrull.

Runners Up:

Abe Sapien: The Drowning #5 — This series ends with a graceful if unsatisfying issue, filled with more sparsely worded craziness (giant flying eel?!?) and Abe continuing to wonder how he stacks up. "You aren’t Hellboy and you never will be," he tells himself. But, like Hellboy, he learns the crucial lesson that guns usually don’t stop supernatural forces.

The shining light of this series is artist Jason Alexander, who lends everything a perfect ephemeral, abstract air. The good news is he’s going to be doing more BPRD work.

Omega the Unknown #9 — Jonathan Lethem and Farel Dalrymple’s bizarre cerebral odyssey is nearly at an end, and this penultimate issue brings the Omega and robot forces to a head in a big way, with the world at stake. Still, things are never too heavy, and despite a dramatic death it ends up being the most rambunctious issue yet.

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Carly Monardo Needs Your Commissions

Artist Carly Monardo, who works as a colorist on the hit Cartoon Network series The Venture Bros. and is known around the webcomic scene for her work on posters and other art for popular series such as The Adventures of Dr. McNinja (coincidentally, the subject of this recent interview), recently put out a call for commissions and any freelance work fans can send her way.

From Monardo’s LJ site:

Man oh man…so I currently owe a shit ton of money in back taxes (damn you, 1099!!) for 2007. I set up a plan with the IRS, but interest is 6% compounded DAILY so I am, quite frankly, terrified.

I turn to you, internet, in the hopes that someone out there might have something for me…a freelance gig, a commission, an organ they want for cheap…seriously guys I’ll do it. I am making a pretty pathetic wage at my part-time job and I don’t start back on Venture Bros. again until the end of September. I’m super worried…this has set fire to my already wobbly financial house of cards.

 While it certainly isn’t news that an artist (no matter how talented) is having a rough time making ends meet, what is certainly worth pointing out is the support Monardo’s plea is receiving from around the InterWebs. Anders Loves Maria creator Rene Engström has even created a video plea that puts Sally Struthers to shame, while various other webcomic creators have echoed the sentiment on their own sites.

 

You can view Monardo’s website and commission info at: www.lasagnachildren.com/Carly/

 

(via Fleen)

Crossing the Line, by John Ostrander

I’ve been in this comics business for umpty-bum years now. Its not that I’m ashamed of the number; I just keep forgetting it. Ah, the joys of aging! It’s more than a quarter century since I started as a full-time writer; I know that. I’ve been a comic fan even longer. I’ve watched the occasional villain become… well, if not a hero, then something like one. Magneto, over in X-Men Land, for example. He’s gone from being the arch-enemy to our merry mutants to metamorphosing into an ally, to sometimes becoming their leader, and then back. Batman periodically gets darker until it’s hard to tell him apart from his foes.

Occasionally, this happens in real life.

Today, June 5, 2008, Ian Paisley steps down as First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Brief background, in case you don’t know: Northern Ireland is not a part of the Republic Of Ireland. It’s a constituent county of the United Kingdom and comprises the six counties that chose to remain a part of the U.K. when the Government of Ireland Act in 1920 created Home Rule in Ireland, formerly directly ruled by England. The Republic of Ireland, the South, with its capital of Dublin is (nominally, at least) largely Roman Catholic. Northern Ireland is largely Protestant but with a large Roman Catholic minority. In general, the Protestants regard themselves as English (they’re considered “Unionists”) while the Roman Catholics consider themselves Irish although, in fact, a citizen of Northern Ireland born before 2004 could claim citizenship in either or both the U.K. and Ireland. (more…)

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Review: Out of Picture, Vol. 2

picture21-3506137Out of Picture, Vol. 2
no editor credited
Villard Books, June 2008, $tk

No one will admit to editing [[[Out of Picture 2]]], though they seem to be proud of it – buried deep on the copyright page is the “produced by” credit I’ve pulled out for the bibliographic information above, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those were the editors. Ah, well – someone was in charge of this book, even if we’re not sure who that was.

Out of Picture 2 is the second book from a group of animators and illustrators connected to Blue Sky Studios – the first Out of Picture was published by a French house, caused a stir at some conventions, and was reprinted by Villard in December. (And I reviewed it then.) Basically the same crew is back for this volume, though they don’t all work at Blue Sky anymore.

And I see, looking back at my review of Out of Picture 1, that it was a gorgeous book, but a bit lacking in the story department – somewhat obvious and clichéd. I’m sorry to say that Out of Picture 2 is the same kind of thing – amazing art, reproduced fantastically well on large pages of nice paper…but telling stories that aren’t all that special.

This time, we open with Jason Sadler’s wordless “[[[Sub Plotter]]],” a cute little story about the effects of sneezing on a gigantic war-map of an ocean. It seems to be set during WWII, and it’s quite visually inventive, using the space of the large pages very well and popping up with more insets than I would have thought possible. But the story told is a silly little vignette, and, even more so, it’s a vignette that would probably be better animated than in its current form.

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‘The Incredible Hulk’ Xbox 360 Game Achievements Detailed

While I try to stay videogame platform neutral here at ComicMix, I’ll admit that I’m very, very excited to see the Xbox 360 achievement list for the upcoming videogame based on Incredible Hulk film.

If you’re not familiar with the Xbox 360 "achievements" system, it’s a method for giving gamers recognition for completing certain tasks in games. The accomplishment is recorded by the Xbox LIVE online service for fellow gamers to see. Basically, it’s Facebook for videogames. Hardcore gamers furiously try to get them all.

The digital bragging rights have proven very popular and similar schemes have been launched for PCs via the Steam network, while Sony announced a "Trophy" system coming soon for the PlayStation 3. (more…)

Happy Birthday: Weather Wizard

Mark Mardon was a petty career criminal whose capture was, ironically, the best thing that ever happened to him.

On his way to prison, Mardon escaped and fled to the home of his brother Clyde. Clyde was a scientist and had just created a wand that could control weather in its immediate vicinity.

The brothers fought over the device and Mark killed Clyde using the wand itself. With the device, Mardon became the Weather Wizard, a member of Flash’s Rogues Gallery. In later years Mardon died, went to Hell, came back as a soulless demon, and then was restored to full life.

He also internalized the wand’s powers, and can now control weather without any devices.

EZ Street: Lone Justice Arrives — With a Vengeance!

Do you ever find yourself talking to a voice inside your head?  And, if so, what do you do next?

Danny and Scott seek an answer to that question in today’s brand-new episode of EZ Street  by Mark Wheatley and Robert Tinnell. So turn up the soundtrack and read on!

Credits: Mark Wheatley (Artist), Mark Wheatley (Colorist), Mark Wheatley (Letterer), Mark Wheatley (Writer), Mike Gold (Editor), Robert Tinnell (Writer)

More: EZ Street

 

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Behind the New Yorker’s Jack Kirby Cartoon Ripoff

You’ve likely heard a bit about a recent cartoon in the New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest (seen at right) that was a pretty direct ripoff of an old Jack Kirby cover. The New York Post, among others, called it plagiarism.

This doesn’t delve too much into that debate, but Patrick House, the man who won that caption contest, gives an explainer at Slate.com about the formula he used to win, and what it says about the New Yorker.

His winning caption, by the way, was: "O.K. I’m at the window. To the right? Your right or my right?"

He also touched on the differences between this cartoon and the Kirby original:

And what better archetype of urban ennui could there be than a man in a cardigan holding a drink, yapping on his cell phone while blissfully unaware of looming dangers? A very similar cartoon by Jack Kirby from 1962 — similar enough to lead the New York Post to shout plagiarism — has the person inside the window frightened and cowering, sans drink, glasses, or phone. But that was 50 years ago, and drudge and complacency have settled on the urban landscape sometime between now and then. You must look for these themes in your cartoon and pounce.

Review: ‘Starman Omnibus Vol. 1’ by James Robinson and Tony Harris

starman-8359527The true measure of James Robinson’s Starman is how, 14 years later, the series remains fresh and invigorating. The story of Jack Knight reluctantly taking his father’s mantle as Starman and protecting Opal City is endlessly inventive, an odd and challenging riff on the superhero.

Now is a perfect time to appreciate the series again, as DC is somewhat surprisingly collecting the entire [[[Starman]]] run into six omnibuses ($49.99 each). The first holds 17 issues, each filled with Robinson’s elaborately labyrinthine narration and plotting.

The first three issues are a perfect example of Robinson’s creative approach. In one night, Jack’s brother, who had assumed the Starman mantle, is killed amid a massive attack launched by an old Starman foe. While it’s a flurried and violent opening, Robinson stretches the story, mining each angle of the fight for richness.

Through that gradual unfolding of Jack taking up the cosmic rod, his character becomes immediately rich and deep. That, no doubt, helped the book to become such a lasting success.

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