Comic Con International: Bone by Jeff Smith

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, Independent,

When Bone by Jeff Smith first came out as an independent comic book, I completely ignored it.

I didn't deliberately ignore it, it's just that my LCS didn't carry it and I didn't even know it existed for the first year of its printed life.

However, at the San Diego Comic Con International in 1992, I ran into my friend Wayne Markley who worked for the distributor Capital City. He asked me what I thought of Bone. When I proclaimed my ignorance, he dragged me over to Jeff Smith's table, introduced me to the creator and then shoved the issues-to-date in my hands and told Jeff I'd take them all, ring me up.

Wayne's judgment in these matters was always solid so I did as I was told. I bought them, read them while at the con (no easy task), loved them and duly thanked Wayne when next I saw him. And when next I saw him, a couple of days later, he invited me to join him for dinner on Capital City's dime.

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Comic Con International 2011: My Con Report

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Collecting, Conventions, Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics, Image Comics,

So I'm back from the latest Comic Con extravaganza in San Diego. Unlike other folks that gather up news and special announcements, I gather up a few odds and ends.

Here's my Comic Con report for 2011 (Spoiler Alert: names will be dropped):

Planet of the Apes – When Boom!'s marketing director Chip Mosher asks, I answer! I was on the Boom! Planet of the Apes panel as a guest and had a great time with the engaged crowd. Editor Ian Brill, writer Daryl Gregory and myself talked about the movies, the comics, the creators and time travel. Life is rarely that good.

Aaron Lopresti – Dinner with the artist on the upcoming Justice League International series from DC. We spent it art-spotting with licensed merchandise. Pal Dave Olbrich bought along a 1970s-era Master of Kung Fu drinking glass and it was decided that it was a Gil Kane figure with a face reworked by Romita, Sr.

Marineman – I had a great chat with Ian Churchill, creator of Marineman, the Image Comics title that's also an Eisner-winner. I plopped down $15 for the collected 6 issues. I'm halfway through and it's money well-spent.

Portfolio Review – Dropped in on Space Goat's Dave Olbrich (him again) as he flipped through portfolios offering advance and gentle criticism. Lots of talented folks this year.

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Weekend Reading: Vince Colletta, Gene Roddenberry, Tezuka and Zombies!

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

Welcome to the Labor Day edition of Weekend Reading, with a few extra links to help you cope with the extended weekend. Let’s get it started; I’ve got to make the rounds of quite a few barbecues.

Comic Books For Kids: You know who everyone should thank for the influx of great graphic novels for kids? Jeff Smith, creator of Bone. Robin Brenner at Early Word explains, and also points out that while a number of librarians are nuts about graphic novels from NY’s publishing icons, they are somewhat ignorant of the kid-friendly graphic novels actually produced by traditional comic book publishers.

Vince Colletta: I don’t think there’s an inker around who polarizes people as much as the late Mr. C. Scoop reviews The Thin Black Line, a new biography of the inker who “saved the bacon of many an editor.”

Gene Roddenberry: Frederik Pohl remembers his time with the “great bird of the galaxy.”

Superman: Randy Johnson, the writer not the retired baseball pitcher and mustache-worshipper, reviews Jeff Mariotte’s 2007 DC Universe novel Trail of Time. “The real fun for me were the chapters labeled May, 1872. They detailed the gradual coming together of four DC western characters, Jonah Hex, Bat Lash, El Diablo, and the Scalphunter, along with an able assist from Johnny Thunder.” Needless to say, he liked the book, and who among us wouldn’t? I’ve already ordered my copy.

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