2 Odd Mentions

Today Tom linked to this story in a student newspaper about library grants.

The MU Libraries Web site stated, “The collections are diverse and include a substantial Rare Book Collection with material dating to the eighth century and a Comic Art Collection focused on underground comics and reprints of classic comic strips.”

What's absolutely bizarre is that I used to work at the newspaper quoted. I was, in order, a reporter, designer, design editor, then managing editor. Whew.

Another fun fact about the University of Missouri? Mort Walker is an alumnus of the school and there's a Beetle Bailey statue on campus.

Cover to the 52 Novelization

Did you know DC was doing a novelization of 52? I didn't. Anyway, JG Jones's cover to to said novelization is up on the Fanfare Web site.

WIRED picks The Worst Superhero Names

Wired Magazine picks the worst superher names

Captain Boomerang
"Boomerang" is a silly word, and no military title can offset that. He could be Admiral Boomerang and he'd still just be a guy who throws curvy sticks at the Flash. I don't know what makes a man choose to commit crimes with boomerangs, much less to imagine that a boomerang is going to be an effective weapon against someone who can run at the speed of light, but I imagine it involves low self-esteem and a whittling knife.

Tim Reads More Magazines, pt 2

So, I'm sitting here reading the latest issue of Swindle and they have a no longer timely interview with Alan Moore about Lost Girls.

There's also a photo (that I'll try to scan) that was taken by Jose Villarrubia.

An excerpt:
Swindle: After Lost Girls, what is your next big thing, or can you say?
Moore: Oh yeah, in terms of comics work, the only thing that I will be continuing with will be The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. That's not to say that there won't be more of the other things down the line, but at the moment me and Kevin are going to be continuing with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with one massive publication that is still to come out from ABC and then future volumes will be coming out probably froma combination of Top Shelf in America and Knockabout Comics over in the UK. Now, that's pretty much it for comics.

Logo-a-go-go!

In the new issue of STEP MAGAZINE, there's a nice little profile of Terry Marks. Who is Terry Marks? Great question.

He's the prinicipal creative designer at TMarks Design, a frequent contributor to HOW Magazine, and his clients include Adobe, Microsoft...and DC Comics.

Here is some of Terry's, which you've probably seen, if you didn't know it was his..
(all rights to Terry, duh)










Check out his site for more info and pieces.

Say "Hello" to the Newest Edition of the Foundry Family

My baby Macbook Pro.

Andrea Grant's Minx on DC Comics' Minx

Earlier today I briefly spoke with Andrea Grant, of Andrea Grant's Minx, about DC Comics' new imprint for teenage girls, Minx. Confused? Don't be.

Were you aware DC would be going back to the Minx name?
DC and I worked out a co-existence agreement which I am not permitted legally to discuss. So yes, I expected they might come out with something called Minx, which is why my book is distinguished as a separate property called 'Andrea Grant's MINX'.

What do you think about the whole matter?
I just keep moving forward. I am excited to be launching a new Web site for my Minx comic project this week, which will also show older versions of my story from years ago. It is strange that one early version of Minx looks a lot like DC's new character. However, I have always joked that all blondes look the same. Seriously, I think my fan base is very different from DC's target.


Fans of Grant can be happy because her next full-length 40-page full color book, issue #1 of the 'Coma Sleepers Hear It All' story is at the printers. She'll be promoting the book through her Web site at www.copiousamounts.com and at the NY Comic Con in February. She also has an 8-page short story coming out in the January 2007 CAG anthology.

DC Wants Teenage Girls

In today's New York Times there's an article reporting DC Comics is creating Minx, an imprint of graphic novels aimed at teenage girls.

The books will launch in May 2007 and will start with six titles for the year. Some of the mentioned creators are Cecil Castellucci, a young adult novelist, and illustrator Jim Rugg.

Johanna Draper Carlson serves as the third-party authority and chimes in on her own story here.

Now, some of you might remember way back when that DC was taking legal action against indie writer Andrea Grant over the use of the word "Minx" as a book title. You might also remember that the case was resolved. Now it's a lot easier to understand WHY DC was trying to protect the name Minx so badly. You have to wonder how that played into the agreement between the two.

More updates later...

What Superheroes Are Thankful For

I-Mockery sums up a hilarious look at what different superheroes are thankful for this year. PS, Wartpath's is my favorite.

This is the Headline of the Day:

"Bendis likes Cho's Butts. Whether he can lie or not is uncertain "

Another Spider-Man 3 Poster

Images of Chris Ware's Variant Covers

Heidi already mentioned Chris Ware will be doing variant covers for the New Yorker, but here's what they'll look like...

MoCCA Art Fest News Brief

According to Derrick Kennelty-Cohen, exhibitor coordinator of the MoCCA Art Fest, MoCCA plans on adding at least 60 additional tables to compensate for how quickly space is selling out this year. How are they fitting 60 extra tables in the current space at the Puck Building? The additional tables will not be on the main floor of the Art Fest, but instead upstairs.

Despite the additional space, the show is almost sold out, which doesn't typically happen until February or March.

I usually like my ribs barbequed

From HEROES, as if you didn't know

Pretty James Jean illustration in Wired

Just like he was in the last issue of Complex, James Jean is listed as a contributor in the new issue of Wired.

Why? For the lovely full-page illustration he did posted above for the feature, Murder on Myspace."

Only a handful of comic artists are doing editorial illustrations, but Jean is by far the most popular of the magazine crowd. Well, maybe tied with Tomer Hanuka, who was actually once neighbors with Jean back at SVA.

Gene Yang: Loser at the Book Awards, Winner in Our Hearts

Gene Yang's American Born Chinese lost M.T. Anderson’s book, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party.

Yang's book was the first comic/gn ever to be nominated for the prestigious award.

The full list of the winners is available here.

IN VIDEO GAMES...

A line started YESTERDAY outside the Best Buy near me to purchase the PS3. It drops Friday.

To do in NYC this weekend

To do this weekend in NYC:

There's a shit-ton of comics-related events going on this weekend.

Fri-Sat-Sun
The headliner is the Big Apple Con, which boasts such highlights as: Adam West, Val Kilmer, the entire cast of the Warriors and Aaron Douglas from BSG. Oh, and comics persons too: Both John Romitas, Bernie Wrightson, Travis Charest and a bunch more. I'm sure there will also be at least 2 former pro wrestlers and 5 female adult entertainers*.

I wasn't going to go, but after typing all this I might reconsider. $15, though.

* and by "entertainers" I mean porn stars**

** and by "porn stars" I mean people dressed in next-to-nothing, which 1) makes it very awkward to walk past them at the show 2) makes it even more awkward because there's a crowd gawking

Sat
My personal recommendation is the Saturday Morning Cartoons exhibit at MoCCA, which opens on...Saturday.

I have to admit that I'm biased here because seven cels I own are going to be in the show. From which shows? Well, you'll have to wait for the video report, won't you?


Sat
Gabrielle Bell's release party at Rocketship. Let me just say something. I love Rocketship. Alex and Mary are tops and incredibly nice to boot.

(sidenote: I moved jobs in July and so my previous LCS, Midtown Comics, was no longer convenient. Now I'm forced to go to Cosmic Comics, which is painful. I know, I know - Midtown is huge and they don't *need* my support like Cosmic does. But I don't care. For most of the times I've gone, the people that work at Cosmic were assholes).

Which brings me back to my point. Alex and Mary are not assholes. You should go to the Gabrielle Bell show, even if I'm not. (sorry).

Take a Bite Out of Crime

In case you haven't seen it yet...

American Illustration Party

As a senior member in the art department of a national magazine, I of course attended the annual American Illustration/American Photography party last night. It was quite an event and I ran into a ton of great illustrators, photographers and designers — really the cream of the crop. Among them were a bunch of comics people and I had interesting conversations with:

• James Jean...who left sunny California to visit NY and is now working on some longterm projects...
• Kagan McLeod...who apparently is developing rap star
• Ben Trinh...who has a release party for his new book coming up in a few weeks
• June Kim...whose new book "12 Days" was just released from TokyoPop
• Koren Shadmi...who recently graduated from SVA and recently collaborated on a new graphic novel, "The Critical Citadel"

Random Thought on Criminal?

Why hasn't someone remixed images from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' seedy crime noir book Criminal to the music of sultry songstress Fiona Apple's Criminal? You KNOW it'd be hilarious.

Lost Girls cleared through Canadian Customs, Disputed CF Covers Still Undecided

If you're one of the many people in Canada waiting to buy Lost Girls, you're in luck. The book cleared customs.

Top Shelf Productions is pleased to announce that the Canada Border Services Agency (Canada Customs) has formally cleared Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie's LOST GIRLS for importation into Canada.

In a thoughtful letter from the agency, dated 27 October 2006, the CBSA stated that the "depictions and descriptions are integral to the development of an intricate, imaginative, and artfully rendered storyline," and that "the portrayal of sex is necessary to a wider artistic and literary purpose." They concluded with "Its importation into Canada is therefore allowed."

We're very grateful to the Canada Border Services Agency for their enlightened decision regarding Lost Girls, as well as to our Canadian attorney Darrel H. Pearson (of Gottlieb & Pearson) for helping us prepare the documents necessary to request a formal review of the work.

What this means is that the book will now be available to all Canadian retailers and fans as soon as the new printing arrives at our distributor (Diamond Book Distributors) in mid-December. This new printing will likely sell out in a single day, so please be sure to put your orders into the Diamond system as soon as you can, to make sure you get the copies you need.

DC to Reconfigure Transmet trades, fuck up my book shelf

In a move hinted at by LITG, DC announced today it'll be reconfiguring some of the Transmetropolitan trades.
Four key titles in Vertigo's TRANSMETROPOLITAN collected edition series will be reconfigured in spring 2007, putting more classic, cutting-edge stories by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson in each of two newly created volumes.

TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 1: BACK ON THE STREETS and TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 2: LUST FOR LIFE will be combined into a single, new TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 1: BACK ON THE STREETS TP, featuring issues #1-12 of the series. In its new configuration, the series will be comprised of a total of nine volumes.

At the same time, TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 10: ONE MORE TIME and TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 0: TALES OF HUMAN WASTE will be combined into the single, new TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 9: ONE MORE TIME TP, featuring TRANSMETROPOLITAN #55-60 and the Specials TRANSMETROPOLITAN: I HATE IT HERE and TRANSMETROPOLITAN: FILTH OF THE CITY. This title also will include the two TRANSMETROPOLITAN stories from the VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE Specials, which were previously available in TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 3: YEAR OF THE BASTARD and TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 4: THE NEW SCUM.

The covers of the new titles will be redesigned to prominently feature the creators' names. DC will renumber the intermediate volumes of TRANSMETROPOLITAN TPs as they go out of stock and are sent back to press.

If you read one thing on CF this week...

If you read one thing on CF this week...
Read Chris Tamarri's interview with Jamie Rich!

Seriously. It's a fantastic interview. Already a fan of Rich? Perfect piece to complement. Don't know who he is? Perfect time to get to know a creator you should already know.

Read it. Then weep. (the weeping is tears of joy).

cheers

Hulk Smash!

The next Hulk film is slated to hit theatres on June 27th, 2008. Unlike the first film, this movie will be produced directly under the Marvel Studios. While no actor is yet confirmed to star, Louis Leterrier (Unleashed) will be directing. Stan Lee is also reportedly booked for his three-second cameo.

[source]

Stephen King's The Dark Tower

According to Stevie King, his delayed Dark Tower series from Marvel will hit stores on Feb. 7, 2007:

The latest news from Marvel is that the first issue of The Dark Tower comics will be on-sale on February 7, 2007.

The Dark Tower Sketchbook, featuring character designs, penciled pages, commentary, and a primer on the world of the Dark Tower, will be available free at your local Marvel retailer on December 13, 2006.

NBC's HEROES

Here's a pretty photo I stumbled across for the TV show HEROES. What's interesting is that Kitty Pride wannabe DL Hawkins (Niki's fugitive husband) is in the promo shot. That's a first, isn't it? Maybe it's a shot of all the people with abilities? So.... that would mean Simone and super-genius Micah have abilities as well...?

What's in a name?

Fun with the White Pages discovered this:

There are 27 Bruce Waynes living in the US.
26 Clark Kents.
131 Peter Parkers.
4 Reed Richards.
1 Charles Xavier.

VIDEO: Transforming Halloween Costume

Dare I say...More than meets the eye?

New Comics Day, New Comic Foundry Day

If you're around Memphis, forge the urge to pick up your week-late issue of Seven Soldiers. Instead, head on over to the Comic Foundry homepage for our latest offering.

But wait, there's more!
We'll be adding more hard-hitting content to the issue throughout the month, so be sure to stay tuned.