Weekend Reading: Disney, Star Wars, James Bond and MAD

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews,

Whoa.

To everyone in the Eastern US affected by Frankenstorm Sandy, my heart goes out to you. Stay safe and I hope normalcy returns as soon as possible. (And don’t forget to vote!)

Show business knew how to take away the game ball from Sandy coverage with the announcement that George Lucas was selling Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion (with a ‘b’). That’s just mind-boggling.

And with that news came the news that new Star Wars films will be forthcoming with Lucas not involved in their production. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Lucas announced his charitable intentions with the $4 billion. What a week. Marvel and DC will have to stage a double-secret-reboot just to get a little press.

Let’s see what else is going on:

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Disney, Star Wars, James Bond and MAD

Weekend Reading: Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Harlan Ellison & Argo

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

I am shocked - shocked, I tell you - to discover that the movie Argo (about how Jack Kirby’s designs for a screenplay based on a Roger Zelazny novel helped rescue hostages in Iran for the CIA) is playing fast and loose with history.

Michael Sporn has a long post with some nice artwork by Playboy cartoonist Rowland B. Wilson and some rare artwork by Alex Toth.

Down The Tubes interviews Paul Scoones, author of the new Doctor Who book: The Comic Strip Companion: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who in Comics: 1964 — 1979.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Harlan Ellison & Argo

Simonson & Simonson

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics,

Nope, that’s not the title of a great lost 1980s private eye TV series.

It’s part of a new thing that my pal Danny Fingeroth has organized with the Society of Illustrators called Comics Out Loud.

Here’s the skinny straight from Danny: “Top comic book creators - one from each discipline of the medium - demonstrating and discussing their work processes as attendees circulate around the room and watch the process of ‘sequential art’ (as the great Will Eisner dubbed it) being made.”

So what does that really mean? It means you get to watch (and interact) as Louise Simonson writes, Walt Simonson pencils, Bob Wiacek inks, Chris Sotomayor colors and John Workman letters, each working on a current assignment.

Click to continue reading Simonson & Simonson

Read More | Comics Out Loud

Weekend Reading: Dr. Who, Dinosaurs, Rob Hanes and Thor

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Interviews, Movies, Reviews, Television, Image Comics, Independent,

I was saddened by the recent death of Elisabeth Sladen who played Sarah Jane in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Of all the reminiscences online, the one I thought the most touching was by her co-star, Tom Baker.

Dinosaurs: Topless Robot looks at the “10 Most Badass Dinosaurs In Comics.” Something I created made the list, so naturally, I’m linking to it! Thanks to author Jesse Thompson for the shout out.

Royalty: Evan Lewis at Davy Crockett’s Almanack likes Prince Valiant Vol. 2: 1939-1940 from Fantgraphics. “Amazing as the artwork in Volume 1 was, it just keeps getting better.”

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Dr. Who, Dinosaurs, Rob Hanes and Thor

Weekend Reading: Dick Tracy, Grim Ghost, Wonder Woman & Bully

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Television, DC Comics, IDW Publishing, Marvel Comics,

Is 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

Forgotten Comics: Iron-Wolf by Howard Chaykin

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

The DC comics of the early 1970s were still fairly stodgy, but newcomers like Howard Chaykin, Mike Kaluta, Bernie Wrightson, Walter Simonson and others were starting to shake things up. I’ve made no secret of my love of Howard Chaykin’s work. He’s a creator who continues to challenge the form, push it, break barriers and twist it around while still having interesting things to say. If for some crazy reason, he took over Bazooka Joe, I’d start buying gum by the case.

In 1972, DC published a comic called Weird Worlds that was a Tarzan tie-in title featuring John Carter of Mars and Pellucidar adaptations. By issue #8, they dropped all the Burroughs-related stuff and went with an original, non-DCU character, Iron-Wolf, created by Chaykin. He plotted it, penciled it and inked it, and Denny O’Neil did the script. The beautiful lettering - seriously, it’s awesome - was by Walter Simonson.

The story is action-packed and a good set-up for a series: Lord Iron-Wolf refuses to turn over his planet’s resources to “allies” of the Empress of Empire Galaktika out of fear it will leave his planet open to attack.

Click to continue reading Forgotten Comics: Iron-Wolf by Howard Chaykin

Weekend Reading: Jack Kirby, Wally Wood, and James Cameron’s Avatar!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

It’s back again, internets – the Weekend Read is here with a quick browse as the digital landscape turns up a few fun things to occupy your time when you could be out with your friends or drunk - texting your exes.

JACK KIRBY I: In honor of Jack Kirby’s 92nd birthday, Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter has a breathtaking array of Kirby images on display. Words can’t even do it justice, so Tom doesn’t try. It’s just fantastic pictures and reminds us all how great Kirby really was.

JACK KIRBY II: If you do want some words to go with the pictures, Mark Evanier has quite a few of the nicer ones.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Jack Kirby, Wally Wood, and James Cameron’s Avatar!

SNEAK PREVIEW: HOWARD CHAYKIN’S AMERICAN FLAGG!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews,

It’s back! The second volume collecting Howard Chaykin’s opus, American Flagg!, is going to be in stores this Wednesday, and you really shouldn’t miss it. For my money, Flagg! is the middle son of the three great 1980s comics; the other two being The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. American Flagg! debuted first and its satirical, sexual, sarcastic and cynical view of the future would certainly impact a decade’s worth – and more - of books that followed. (For a couple of years, 1981-1983, Miller was part of Chaykin and Walter Simonson’s Manhattan studio, Upstart Associates).

In this fascinating interview at Pink Raygun, Howard describes Flagg! as “an expression of how I felt in the 1980s. It reflected my feelings about the Reagan administration and about where the country was heading. A lot of people talk about what I got right in terms of predicting what the future would be like, but that’s irrelevant in the long run. It really was a screed about popular culture and my relationship with popular culture.”

Flagg! is the story of Reuben Flagg, a former actor who joins the Plexus Rangers when his TV career evaporates. He finds himself in a world of corruption, sex, satire, science-fiction, political intrigue, more sex, and a talking cat named Raul. The story is just as engaging and enjoyable (and dead-on timely) 25 years on.

Howard is a true multi-talent. He can write and/or draw his own projects (Flagg!, Power & Glory, Barnum), immerse himself within something as arcane and irrational as Marvel and DC continuity (like say Captain America, or Guy Gardner), or take an existing character like The Shadow and re-imagine him for a modern audience.

The official title of the Flagg! Collection debuting this week from Image Comics is HOWARD CHAYKIN’S AMERICAN FLAGG! Definitive Collection VOL. 2 Trade Paperback. This mouthful of a 256-page full color masterpiece collects issues #8-14 of the original series. Each page is beautifully designed, and incorporates the exquisite hand-lettering of Ken Bruzenak’s word balloons and sound effects.

This is comic books at its very best, and should be required reading for all. Highly recommended. (In the interests of full disclosure, I was once Howard’s editor, and I hold both him and his work in high regard.)
(Artwork: Cover to Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! Definitive Collection Vol. 2 Trade Paperback; ©Howard Chaykin)