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Comic Book Jobs: CBS Interactive

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials,

CBSCBS Interactive is not the normal place one would go for a comic book job, but they have one, even if it has only a slight comic book connection.

They're looking for an intern for their Communications team in their San Francisco office for summer 2013 (why wait 'til the last minute).

The position has all the usual requirements and responsbilities one might associate with being an intern, so there aren't any surprises at the listing.

Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: CBS Interactive


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Reed Gunther: Cowboys, Monsters & Bears, Oh My!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, Image Comics,

Reed Gunther #2One of the great things I love about going to Comic Con International in San Diego is taking a stroll through the small press section, Artist’s Alley and the Image set-up. I never know what I’ll find, but I always find something interesting that nearly makes the whole convention worthwhile.

In 2011, it was Ian Churchill’s Marineman.

This year, it was Reed Gunther by Shane and Chris Houghton.

I’ve forgotten which one of the creators I met at the Image Comics booth (got to start writing these things down), but he hand-sold me a copy of Reed Gunther #2, one of the older issues.

This is a terrific comic book. The story is touted for all ages, and it truly is. I can easily see this being enjoyed by a 9-year-old and a 39-year-old - it’s just great fun with terrific storytelling chops on display by both writer and artist.

Click to continue reading Reed Gunther: Cowboys, Monsters & Bears, Oh My!


Joe Kubert, RIP

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

Abraham StoneIt’s hard to believe that Joe Kubert passed away. His work was such a large part of my comic book experience and his war comics are so ingrained on my psyche that it feels like the passing of a great man of literature.

From Sgt. Rock, to Enemy Ace, to Tarzan and dozens more, his work never disappointed. His covers were dynamic, fluid, and never looked like anyone else’s. I could spot Kubert art a mile away. I loved his covers on Son Of Tomahawk, and I really liked a tryout series of his called Firehair, about a red-headed boy raised by native Americans.

And as much as I loved his war comics, it was his Tarzan that was a revelation to me. I’d read the Gold Key stuff which I found stiff and unexciting, but when I picked up the first issue Kubert did for DC, I was amazed at how he got me to like a character I was never really interested in.

Years later, I was fortunate enough to be involved in the publication of one of Joe’s graphic albums, Abraham Stone, at Malibu Comics. Here’s how that came about.

Click to continue reading Joe Kubert, RIP


My LCS…RIP

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Comic Book StoreSo... my local comic book store closed down after 25 years in business. It’s the same old story - they can’t make a go of it any more following a boom period in the 1990s.

I found out about it, oddly enough, on Free Comic Book Day this year, and was part of a conversation where the owner was discussing the reasons why his store was closing. One of his comments was that he had seen a decrease in comic book-related traffic in his shop over the years and that he had not seen new, younger readers coming in for comics.

The store had between 50 and 70 regular subscribers in a community comprised of three towns, totalling around 50,000 people. It’s a mostly rural area that’s been hit hard economically over the years - there are almost no aspirational jobs for anyone in their 20s, and the population demos have less than 6% of the population between the ages of 20-25.

Click to continue reading My LCS…RIP


Weekend Reading: Olympics, Dark Knight, Ellis and Watchmen

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, DC Comics, Independent,

Dark Knight RisesI know we're all very busy watching this running, jumping, swimming thing from London, but fortunately there's still time to see the gold, silver and bronze of the internets.

Warren Ellis’ tweets on the Olympics opening ceremony can’t be beat.

Award-winning novelist John Scalzi (Redshirts) blogs about his first experience at Comic Con International.

Now that Valiant’s back, you know who else is returning? A new incarnation of First Comics.

Bleeding Cool reports on a “lost” Alan Moore project seeing the light of day through Avatar.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Olympics, Dark Knight, Ellis and Watchmen


Comic Con International: 2012

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, Reviews, DC Comics,

San DiegoComic Con International has come and gone already. Naturally, my Comic Con experience is quite a bit different from most people. I’ve been going for quite a while, have a lot of friends and acquaintances that I see there, and have an established routine of places to be at certain times.

I got there too late on Wednesday for what some reported was a raucous Preview Night, so my convention didn’t start until Thursday morning.

Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter has a rundown of convention memories from around the internet. (And congratulations to Tom for his Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Journalism. It’s well-deserved.

Click to continue reading Comic Con International: 2012


Weekend Reading: Spider-Man, Cyberforce, and Norm Breyfogle

Spider-Man MovieThis is the week where the comics industry slows down for a couple of days as everyone saves their big news for Comic Con International in San Diego. That gets going on Wednesday evening - Preview Night - and you can expect the announcements to start flying faster than anyone can cut and paste a press release, and everyone's abuzz with their favorite version of the four Spider-Man movies.

For now, though, the internets still have some things to read:

A weather-battered Beau Smith looks at Spider-Man.

Longbox Graveyard also has a look at Spider-Man, of the Steve Ditko era.

Hero Complex reports the return of Marc Silvestri’s Cyberforce, with the words “Kickstarter” and “free” as part of the launch equation.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Spider-Man, Cyberforce, and Norm Breyfogle


Comic Con International: Ultraverse & Malibu Comics

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials,

Prime #1Okay, so this is happening.

My good friend Paul O’Connor who used to write for Malibu Comics back in the day and is now one of the founder partners of the app company Appy Entertainment (and creator of the Longbox Graveyard blog), dropped me an email a couple of months ago. He wanted to host a Malibu Comics panel at this year’s Comic Con in San Diego.

2012, it turns out, marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Malibu Comics; the company opened its doors in January 1987 and released its first three books in July of that year: Libby Ellis #1, Stealth Force #1 and Dark Wolf #1.

2012 also marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Ultraverse, Editor-In-Chief Chris Ulm's big idea to launch a writer-based super-hero universe. He started to implement his UV vision in the summer of 1992. The convention season that year was spent rounding up the seven creators who would become the Ultraverse Founders - Len Strazewski, James Hudnall, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, Mike Barr, Gerard Jones and James Robinson - which culminated in the first Ultraverse Founders Conference in Scottsdale, AZ.

Click to continue reading Comic Con International: Ultraverse & Malibu Comics


Comic Book Jobs: Comic Con International Edition

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials,

BumblebeeIn the world of comic books, there are writers, artists, colorists, letterers and editors. But don’t be discouraged if you lack those skills - there’s always work for anyone with a good personality and a hard body hard enough to fit into a tight-fitting costume, especially during convention season.

Comic Con International in San Diego is the biggest U.S. convention and this year it’s being held from July 11-15th. Already the ads are popping up on Craigslist for models, cosplayers, costume performers, booth babes and my favorite: “Brand Ambassador.”

Let’s check out some of them:

Reality star and KISS frontman Gene Simmons wants male and female cosplayers for the con to appear as Dominatrix and Zipper.

GMR Marketing is having a gaming promotion at the con and they need 2 brand ambassadors with gaming experience.

Here’s a company looking for models for the con: $70/hour.

Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: Comic Con International Edition


Comic Book Jobs: Comic Con International

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials,

Star Wars PhotoAttack Marketing is looking for some outgoing folks to work as promotional talent at Comic Con International in San Diego this year, July 11-15.

They want “friendly and personable brand ambassadors, costume characters, and street team members.”

The weather is always great, the crowds can be a lot of fun and you’ll definitely have stories to tell as you massage your aching feet.

The temp jobs pays between $16-$30 per hour - I’m guessing the costumed performers get the higher dollar.

Good luck, job seekers!

[Artwork: Comic Con International photo by and © Tom Mason]

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