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Dark Horse Presents #1You can’t beat the power of the hammer. There’s a new Thor trailer floating around that feels much more impressive than the earlier Fortress of Solitude one. I’m liking it more and more, even if the big battle in the desert town looks very movie set-ish.

Now let's read some stuff...

Chaykin: Here’s an interview with one of my favorite creators, Howard Chaykin, talking about his upcoming work at Dark Horse.

Chew: Marc-Oliver Frisch at Comics Beat tackles John Layman to the ground and asks him lots of questions about food, comics and work-for-hire.

Smart: I wanted to conduct an interview with Darryl Cunningham, but he’s so smart that it would only serve to point out how not-smart I am. Fortunately, Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter is a smarty and he landed an excellent interview with the creator of Psychiatric Tales.

Batman: The Pullbox talks to my old friend, the comics historian Peter Sanderson. Subject: The Batman TV series from 1966.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Chaykin, Layman, Cunningham & Batman


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Spider-Man Movie 1For months it’s been called the Untitled Spider-Man Reboot. That title, which I was secretly hoping would stay, has been tossed aside like dreams of a Green Hornet sequel.

As of this week, the new Spider-Man movie finally has an official title: The Amazing Spider-Man, the name of the original Spider-Man monthly comic book. But as with anything, there was a long list of possible, but rejected, titles.

Here, from the not-so-top-secret files of Marvel, are the top 10 rejected titles for the 2012 Spider-Man movie:

10. Iron Man 3

9. $pectacular $pider-Man

8. Not The Spider-Man Musical

7. Spider-Man 4-D

6. Amazing Fantasy #15

Click to continue reading Spider-Man Movie Gets A Title!


Grim Ghost #1Is there enough money to get Ricky Gervais to host the Eisner Awards this year? Please tell me there is. In the meantime, enjoy this link-based goodness:

Tracy: Here’s a nice profile of Mike Curtis and Joe Staton, the duo taking over the Dick Tracy strip on March 14. Bonus: the article features a 2-panel sequence from the Tracy strip by the new guys. I’m in! [Link: Daily Cartoonist]

Bonfire: Heidi at Comics Beat has the first part of a solid, smart interview with Ed Catto. You might know him as the Captain Action guy, but he’s also one of the guys behind the new comic-related advertising agency, Bonfire.

Tony: Mr. Tony Isabella has found a new comics writing home for himself over at the relaunched Atlas imprint. He’ll be co-writing the Grim Ghost, a series he worked on back during its original incarnation. Tony’s a good writer with an excellent sense of story & structure and he writes some snappy dialogue. I’m going to get this.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Dick Tracy, Grim Ghost, Wonder Woman & Bully


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Namor #5Comic book artist Mike Mayhew (who works for both DC and Marvel) has landed himself “a gig from a major comics publisher.” Since he uses photo-reference to help him achieve the photo-realistic look of his art, he’s looking for “many models to portray dramatic scenes in a mainstream comic book. All ages, races, and types will be considered.”

It’s an extended assignment and a paid gig and he’s looking to start shooting at his studio in Glendale, CA right now. The photos “are merely reference for my art and will not be reproduced.”

You can find samples of Mayhew’s work at his website.

Good luck, models!

[Artwork: Namor #5 cover by Mayhew, © Marvel Characters]


Chris Evans as Captain America

You know that when the shiny, new Spider-Man reboot reveals a first look at its costumed hero before you do, you're a little late to the party.

Finally, Marvel Entertainment released the first image of Chris Evans in complete red, white, and blue Captain America garb. While it's clearly an altered derivation from its comic book counterpart, I much prefer this modernized uniform with the obvious, borrowed pattern and design (was I the only one who couldn't contain giggles at the sight of Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern?).

What do you think of the 2011, real life Captain America?

Read More | E! Online

Spider-Man CameraMarvel Comics in New York hasn’t posted much in the way of job listings so far in 2011, but now they have a nice one.

Marvel.com is looking for a Video Editor.

You’ll be working with “other video editors and producers through all stages of the video production and post-production process to promote and expose Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios projects and much more.”

Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: Marvel Comics


New X-MenI love words and phrases and funny names. I love it when new ones pop up and I love it when they get shortened, abbreviated and all slanged up as technology alters the way we communicate.

I especially like the words, slang and proper names that show up in comic books.

Back in the 1970s, Marvel Comics' writers contributed lots of great character names, words and phrases to the MU.

Sometimes it was driven by censorship - the Comics Code Authority didn't allow mainstream comics to use the word "zombie," so Marvel invented "zuvembie." Or giving Luke Cage a Code-approved exclamation like "Sweet Christmas!"

Mostly it was driven by tremendously creative writers like Steve Gerber twisting and tweaking the language and coming up with names like F. A. Schist and Dr. Bong, and Steve Englehart creating Roxxon Oil, and Don McGregor, Archie Goodwin, Gerry Conway, and others piling on.

Click to continue reading My New X-Men Team For 2011


Disney AfternoonI don’t like NYR’s for the simple reason that I never keep them. Lose weight, eat healthier, start smoking just so I can fail at quitting.

But this year, well, this year, I’m sure to keep some of these resolutions. Won’t you join me?

10. I will read many more webcomics, bookmark them and recommend them.

9. I won’t buy a Marvel or DC comic at a price point greater than $2.99.

8. But yet I will buy all the hardcovers from The Library of American Comics.

7. Read even more independent comics. I think that’s where the real interesting stuff is and has always been.

6. I will download more comics to my iPad. I’ll pay for them, too.

5. Figure out which movie will make less money: Green Lantern or Thor.

Click to continue reading My New Year’s Resolutions For 2011


Superman ChristmasThe War on Christmas is nearly done for another year, and there’s just enough time left for the War on New Year’s. Let's see what you should be reading this week:

Joe: This is simply a great, honest and open interview with Joe Casey, comic book writer/creator and co-creator of Ben 10. Perfect holiday reading from interviewer Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter.

Thor: So there’s some controversy from an all-white group that’s upset that Marvel has cast an actor of color to play a Norse God in Thor. Ricky Sprague at Project Child Murdering Robot has a thought or two.

Polly: Animator Michael Sporn is happy that Dean Mullaney’s new book has arrived (as am I). Polly and Her Pals: the Complete Sunday Comics 1925-1927 comes from Dean’s The Library of American Comics via IDW.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Joe Casey, Thor, Dr. Spektor and Drew Friedman


 

Spider Graphic Novel"They jeered and shook on the bars, and they reached through the bars, trying to grab Marsha, like Zombies in George Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead."

That's Don McGregor, who wrote acclaimed comics for Marvel and spearheaded the creator-owned comics movement, writing about a European trip of his in the late 1970s.

I haven't seen or talked to Don in quite a while, and I doubt he would remember me. He was a friend of several different friends of mine and when I lived on the East Coast, we bumped into each other a lot over a two or three-year period.

He was a ball of energy – and one of the first guys to explain to me how the business of comics actually worked and why owning and controlling the rights to your own creations was essential.

Go ahead and write the Batman fill-in if you want, it is what it is. But if you're going to create Sabre or Detectives, Inc., you're going to want - and deserve - a better deal. I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist of several conversations.

Click to continue reading Don McGregor: Locked Up In Paris


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