Ultraverse Returns!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Interviews, Movies, Marvel Comics,

Who knew that a corner of the internets would be talking about Malibu Comics' Ultraverse this week?

A recent podcast interview with Steve Englehart opened up the Ultraverse files with his belief about why Marvel won't publish Ultraverse titles or use the characters these days. Bleeding Cool linked to the podcast and a gathering of commenters soon followed.

BC followed up the original post with a subsequent one involving comments made by Marvel’s Tom Brevoort about BC’s original post.

Not to be outdone, Heidi at Comics Beat uncovered the news that Malibu Comics co-founder Scott Rosenberg's non-publishing IP holding company, Platinum Studios was having tremendous problems. That opened up a discussion of the origins of Men In Black, now that the new movie in the franchise is out.

So enjoy your blast from comics' past!

[Artwork: Prime #1]

Happy Birthday, Stan Lee!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics,

It’s Stan Lee’s birthday this week. He turns 89 and he seems busier now than he was at 49 1/2.

My only Stan Lee story is from the one time that I met him. It was social. It was political. It was dinner.

That’s right. This wasn’t some convention fly-by “how are you?” We actually had dinner together. Though he would certainly not remember it as I was but one of many dining companions that evening.

Back in 1994, Marvel Comics had just purchased Malibu Comics out from under a stunned DC Comics and a quick “executive back-slapping” dinner was organized at Chinois in Santa Monica.

Chinois is one of those places that you don’t really go to unless you’re on a really terrific date or someone else is picking up the tab. In this case, someone else was picking up the tab.

All the Marvel higher-ups of the day, like Terry Stewart, were there and so was the Malibu gang – Scott Rosenberg, Dave Olbrich, me and Chris Ulm. As we were ushered to our table, I found myself standing next to a very jovial Stan.

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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.

Click to continue reading Comic Con International 2011: My Con Report

Weekend Reading: Vertical, Fantastic Four, Cowboys & Aliens and Lost

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Independent, Marvel Comics, Viz Media,

Happy holiday weekend for those of us in the US who love a long weekend, some grilled meat and a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon. And since there’s no football game, you can spend that extra time surfing the internet. Here are some links to fill the game-less void:

Vertical: Given the significant changes at manga publishers Viz (massive layoffs) and CMX (DC shuttered the division), it’s interesting to read about someone with a little different take on events. Rod Lott at Bookgasm has a chat with Ed Chavez at Vertical (publishers of Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack, among other things). “While I will always say there is plenty of grade-A material to license from Japan available, access to those properties has become quite limited over the last three to four years. I find it curious that this lack of competition has occurred during the recent decline of the U.S. manga market.”

Steve Perry: The death of the Thundercats and Timespirits writer is just about the saddest way for a comic book creator to go. Johnny Bacardi exchanged correspondence with him recently, but I don’t want to spoil his story, except to say that it’s one you’ll want to read.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Vertical, Fantastic Four, Cowboys & Aliens and Lost

Weekend Reading: Plastic Man, iPads, Clowns, Jack Kirby & Top Cat

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Is everyone ready to read Bluewater’s J.D. Salinger comic book on the iPad? Now that’s a game-changer I can believe in! Let’s see what I’ve got on my desktop this week:

Apple’s iPad: Apparently Apple changed the game with some kind of game changer that’s supposed to be the Jesus of print that’ll save newspapers from their own stupidity and ineptitude and also change the way we read comics and make a BLT just the way I like it and find me a room at Comic Con International. Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter coalesces his thoughts on the matter. Me? I’m waiting for the iPad with wings.

Plastic Man: There are other places that are dropping it, but my favorite is over at John Kricfalusi’s blog. He’s imbedded the 10-minute Plastic Man pilot that was created by Tom Kenny (the voice of Spongebob) and Stephen DeStefano (simply one of the great modern cartoonists, and co-creator/artist of the much-beloved ‘Mazing Man). Says John: “It’s a real cartoon and you can tell the creators like the audience. It sure stands out from most of what’s out there.” Go check it out.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Plastic Man, iPads, Clowns, Jack Kirby & Top Cat

COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL: Joe Kubert and Sergio Aragones

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Platinum Editions was a joint venture between Ervin Rustemagic’s Strip Art Features (S.A.F.) and Malibu Comics. The idea was that since Ervin’s client roster of fantastically-talented big name artists was already creating graphic albums for distribution in multiple European countries, why not publish a US edition as well. Why not, indeed.

Malibu agreed to pay for a black plate change during the press run and produce a version of each book with English dialogue (and lettering), and distribute the books under a new imprint. Ervin originally wanted to call the imprint “Exit” because he had a theory that the sheer number of “Exit” signs on the freeways, interstates and highways across the U.S. amounted to a ton of free advertising. But Platinum Editions won the name game.

Once printed in Europe, the books would then ship to the US. It gave Malibu – in 1991 – access to some creators it normally would not have gotten to work with, including Joe Kubert (who would later illustrate Rustemagic’s Fax From Sarajevo) and Sergio Aragones. Kubert’s book was Abraham Stone, and Sergio did two books, Buzz & Bell: Space Cadets and Smokehouse Five.

Click to continue reading COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL: Joe Kubert and Sergio Aragones