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Batman: Gotham City 14 Miles
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Interviews, Television, DC Comics,
Mark Waid says it best in the blurb he wrote for the book I most want this Christmas. Says the man from Boom! Studios: “I now have a new book for my ‘Five I’d Take to a Desert Island’ list. Gotham City 14 Miles is the perfect companion to my favorite pop-culture phenomenon of all time!”
In case you need an explanation, 14 miles is the distance from the Batcave underneath “stately Wayne Manor” to Gotham City in the 1960s Batman TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Gotham City 14 Miles is the title of a forthcoming book of essays about that TV classic, edited by my pal Jim Beard.
Inside, Beard’s bunch offers up a thoughtful reevaluation of the 44-year-old show, one of the first big comic book successes on the small screen. The series had an impact not just on pop culture, but on the DC Comics Batman as well. According to Beard, “essays examine Batmania, camp, the role of women, the show’s participation in ‘60s counter-culture, its many celebrated actors, its lasting cultural effects, and other critical subjects.”
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Weekend Reading: DC Comics And Warner Bros.
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Image Comics, Marvel Comics,
So did you hear the big news? Marvel’s moving to a new office building in Manhattan!
Not to be outdone, Warner Bros. decided to shake things up with a large scale corporate shift. This interview with Diane Nelson from Comic Book Resources actually sheds very little light on the nuts and bolts of it.
And the lack of real answers has caused Tom Spurgeon to raise some questions he’d like to see answered about the situation forward-going.
Naturally, and because I sometimes can’t keep my mouth shut, I have my own take on the matter.
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: DC Comics And Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Comics & Stories
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
Well, at least Batman will still be published out of New York!
I’m no pundit and I’m certainly no reporter or journalist, and I’m not even a DC insider, although I should point out that before Paul Levitz bought Wildstorm, he tried to buy the company I co-founded, Malibu Comics.
I was saddened, though not surprised that Warner Bros. was splitting DC Entertainment into two divisions and keeping all their old school business in Manhattan. My sympathies go out to all DC employees who are getting let go and to all freelancers who are getting their books cut out from under them. This is not an easy time, and it’s not going to get easier.
I think lost in all the discussion and rundown of DC’s recent shift is that the biggest piece of the puzzle has yet to be explained or admitted to. Warner Bros. which folded DC Comics into a new company called DC Entertainment just a year ago, now took DC Comics out of that company and moved DC Entertainment – along with all of the money-making portions of the company – to the West Coast.
DC Comics, the comic book division, is now its own stand-alone entity. An island of old-school publishing left without its support network. This has been hailed as a victory for the comic book people.
It isn’t. It’s a wake up call.
Click to continue reading Warner Bros. Comics & Stories
2010 Hugo Awards: Phil Foglio, Doctor Who, Shaun Tan!
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television, DC Comics, Independent,
Congratulations to all the Hugo Award winners for 2010 (just announced at this year’s Aussiecon 4 in Melbourne, Australia).
The complete list of winners is at the Hugo site, but let’s pick and choose and look only at what really matters to us: the comics. That’s right, a couple of winners with comic book connections have walked off with their own statue, named after sci-fi pioneer and legendary cheapskate Hugo Gernsback.
In the category of Best Graphic Story the winner was Girl Genius, Volume 9: Agatha Heterodyne and the Heirs of the Storm. It’s written by Kaja and Phil Foglio, illustrated by Phil and published by Airship Entertainment. (Volume 8 won last year which should tell you that if you’re not reading GG, you really should.)
Doctor Who, because all comic book fans love the Doctor, picked up the Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form for “The Waters of Mars,” written by Russell T. Davies & Phil Ford.
The Hugo for Best Professional Artist went to Shaun Tan (and anyone who’s read his books like The Arrival or Tales From Outer Suburbia knows why).
Click to continue reading 2010 Hugo Awards: Phil Foglio, Doctor Who, Shaun Tan!
Stephen DeStefano: Lucky In Love
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Independent,
Comic book fans might know Stephen DeStefano best from ‘Mazing Man for DC Comics, or Hellboy, Jr. for Dark Horse. Animation fans might know his name from The Venture Bros. and Ren And Stimpy.
His new graphic novel, Lucky In Love, co-created with writer George Chieffet, has just been published by Fantagraphics Books.
That means it’s time to celebrate. Black/White: A Retrospective Of Cartoonist Stephen DeStefano runs from September 16-18 at the mdh Gallery in New York City (233 W. 19th Street). DeStefano and Chieffet will appear on the 16th, starting at 7pm to sign copies of the book and DeStefano will show off (and sell) some original artwork. Wine, I’m led to believe, will be there as well.
And it won’t be just a display of DeStefano’s work from Lucky In Love. There will be stuff from the animated shows and comic books he’s worked on as well as the Popeye licensing stuff he does. It’s a cartoon fan’s dream come true, and did I mention the wine?
So be cartoon-hip and go to a gallery showing of cartoons! This is the kind of event I love to attend, but I’m on the opposite coast.
[Artwork: Cover to Lucky In Love, © Stephen DeStefano and George Chieffet
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Happy Birthday, Jack Kirby!
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
Happy Birthday to Jack Kirby, who was born 93 years ago and who I think is the greatest creator of comic books ever. I just love his stuff. If you want to know more about Jack the man, Mark Evanier has a bunch of great stuff about him that’s well worth your time.
If you want some visual proof of Kirby’s greatness, Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter has assembled a fantastic array.
If you want to read some of the classic monster stories that Kirby illustrated, the Monster Blog has a selection of 39 of them that have yet to be reprinted.
I met Kirby only once, at the San Diego Comic Con years ago, so I don’t have any personal anecdotes to share since all I did was shake his hand and burble something inconsequential. My pal Dave Olbrich, back when he was the publisher of Malibu Comics, was an occasional guest in the Kirby house - Malibu’s offices were in the same town as the Kirbys. I was too nervous to try to tag along. I love re-reading Kirby’s long run on Marvel Comics’ The Fantastic Four - it starts slow and builds to greatness. But I really like his stuff for DC Comics in the 1970s - his Fourth World books, especially Mister Miracle and, yes, Jimmy Olsen. Kirby’s the only creator who’s made that cub reporter interesting. I also love Kamandi and The Demon.
In the discussion and debate over Kirby’s many inkers, I go Joe Sinnott #1 and Mike Royer #2.
Happy Birthday, Jack!
[Artwork: The cover to Kamandi #1, by Jack Kirby, © DC Entertainment.]
Comic Book Jobs: Marvel, Viz, Tokyopop and Time Warner Interns
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, TokyoPop, Viz Media,
If you want to break into comics via by following the traditional corporate path instead of freelancing, you might try your luck at being an intern.
There’s usually no money involved, you can get some college credit and you’ll be doing important comic book work like getting coffee for the office or picking up someone’s dry cleaning.
But you’ll get to see how a comic book company works from inside its cubicles and that will either thrill you or horrify you. Companies often hire from their old intern pool when staff jobs become available so this is also a way in, should you do a good job, impress the heck out of the right people, and network like all those books tell you.
Viz Media, the San Franciso-based manga and anime company has a 2010 Fall Internship Program bursting with part-time opportunity in a number of departments: Animation Production, Design, Editorial, Information Technology, Licensing, Magazines, PR & Marketing, and Sales & Retail Development.
Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: Marvel, Viz, Tokyopop and Time Warner Interns
Weekend Reading: Scott Pilgrim, Captain Action, Dick Tracy and Mel Gibson
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, Movies,
Comic Con International is literally just around the corner and no one’s got time for long-winded intros. Let’s get right to it:
Scott Pilgrim: Adam Sternbergh writes about Michael Cera, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and ties it all in to his fancrush on Alpha Flight. Yes, you read that right. It all takes place in The Walrus, the Canadian magazine of, oh yeah, you read that right, too. Canada has a magazine.
Captain Action: He’s not a “doll,” he’s an “action figure,” and he’s back in action courtesy of Beau Smith and Eduardo Baretto in the upcoming Captain Action Winter Special from Moonstone. Beau talks about the issue with First Comics News.
Dick Tracy: The plainclothes detective’s self-titled comic strip may soon go the way of Little Orphan Annie, but at least there’s a website devoted to his work. And it’s packed with goodies for Tracy fans to enjoy, including some never-before-published material by Max Allan Collins and Joe Staton. Click fast because the site is referred to as a “limited time tribute website.”
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Scott Pilgrim, Captain Action, Dick Tracy and Mel Gibson
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster: Funnyman
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Independent,
After many years of struggle, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster hit the comic book jackpot with their creation Superman, only to see it slip away from their control and for DC Comics to keep not just the rights but almost all the money as well. One of the many dark chapters in the building of the comics industry – businesses profiting by taking away the rights of creators.
Frustrated by their attempts to negotiate with DC, and out of work when DC dumped them for complaining (and filing suit), they did what creators do: created another property where they were determined to get a better deal for themselves.
The project was Funnyman, a red-headed TV comedian who fought crime. Unfortunately, the self-titled comic book, for Vince Sullivan’s Magazine Enterprises, lasted just 6 issues in 1948 and a companion newspaper strip defined the term short-lived.
Click to continue reading Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster: Funnyman
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Grounded: Superman’s Walking Tour Diary
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,
Superman‘s been grounded. No he hasn’t been sent to his room without supper, but the Man of Steel is taking a walking tour of America. The year-long adventure, called “Grounded” began in Superman #700 but really picks up steam in #701. It’s written by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Eddy Barrows. Supes will be using his cross-country hike to try to reconnect with the people of this great nation.
Naturally, he’s keeping a diary and we got our hands on some excerpts. Up, up and away…on foot.
Day 6
Batman called to laugh at me. Said even Terra-Man used a horse. Ha-ha. Prick.
Status: Facebooking an embarrassing panel of Bruce and Dick getting massages in old comic book.
Lunch: A&W’s Uncle Burger. Stupid name for a pretty good burger.
Day 9
Met another guy who wants to talk about the “brown skins.” I said he had me confused with Green Lantern. I don’t see skin color. I have enough trouble with Kryptonite’s colors. And don’t get me started on the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Click to continue reading Grounded: Superman’s Walking Tour Diary
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