Archive for October, 2008
Tony and I won’t be there but a lot of my cohorts in the Chemistry Set will. Join them at Jim Hanley’s for a signing of NO FORMULA: Stories from the Chemistry Set. Jim Dougan, Kevin Colden, Elizabeth Genco, Rami Efal, Michel Fiffe, and Vito Delsante will all be on hand. Don’t know how many folks reading this live in New York City but there you go.
Wednesday, OCTOBER 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
Jim Hanley’s Universe
West 33rd St., NYC (Opposite the Empire State Building)
(212) 268-7088
Eventually this is going to be hitting the comic shops. There’s been unfortunate delays in the release.
Blogger Fabius Maximus counsels the incoming president to be like Batman:
The new President should learn from the example of Batman, rather than following the example of the Best and the Brightest in Vietnam as has the Bush Jr. team. The Johnson Administration were slow and reactive, always seeking to keep their options open (the very opposite of boldness), as have Paulson and Bernanke (see herefor a discussion of this). Batman goes into a situation not with one plan, but with 12. A wide range of scenarios are considered and planned for. In the real world the actuals will be none of these, but the act of full-spectrum planning will better prepare them to react. Even more important, preparing for 12 scenarios forces openness to the possibility of extreme outcomes — a key to achieving a rapid OODA look in the face of unexpected events.
I am personally hoping we get the Hank Paulsen of Zur-En-Arrh.
First, I apologize for posting. I am struggling through some very trying times and I had asked Dara to remove my name from the list of blog contributors on the left. Dara, I don’t mean to be a weasel, I just really wanted to share this.
Jacob Covey at Fantagraphics writes a lengthy but fascinating post about his dislike of digital giclee prints. I have always disliked these as well, and been endlessly suspicious of the digital production of art and comics and zines, much preferring the laborious handmade affairs with all of their irregularities and imperfections. Covey, however, manages to articulate these things far better than I was ever able to, and this post is worthwhile reading.
An excerpt I found especially effective: Admittedly, I’m making a soapbox stand with this show by insisting on prints that have had the human hand involved somehow and by denouncing digital prints which are exactly what they sound like: Prints done on an inkjet printer. These prints are also called “giclée” by those who are understandably embarrassed by all the coldness that is connoted by the term “digital print.” Honestly, the only reason to call digital prints giclée is to distract from their origin and to imply repsectability. What is a screenprint? A print made through (traditionally silk) screens. What is a giclée? I have no idea. This great article on the etymology tells me it’s a French term that could mean the following: “a spurt of blood, a burst of machine-gun fire, a splashing with mud.” So the term is awesomely poetic but still only poetic propoganda.
And this: I think it’s crucial that the buyer is aware that the [giclee] print is a product that can be replicated at a moment’s notice (just send it to print on the computer) and reproduced infinitely, without variation. And while these prints can be promised as limited editions this is still essentially meaningless inasmuch as a person could scan and print a virtually identical giclée…and even as a theoretical practice I find it cheap and subversive to the model that artists rely upon in valuing reproduction editions.
None of this would be an issue if giclees weren’t almost ludicrously expensive. For example, I know Tom Williams frequently sells high quality digital color reproductions of his art at shows. But these (I think) are offset prints and Tom sells them for a reasonable $10 to $15, not the $200 to $300 that a giclee costs. Additionally, as far as I know, Tom isn’t billing these things as limited edition high quality prints. He’s simply giving people an opportunity to own some color Tom Williams art at a pretty reasonable price, and I can respect that.
Anyway, I have long benefited from the thoughts, experience, and collective wisdom of the might Panel collective, so I’d really like to hear what you think of this issue.
I know half of you are watching it tonight: The finale of Project Runway.
Who’s got who? Is Leanna a lock? What’s the point spread on Kenley? What’s the over/under on Blayne’s skin tone? Will Suede get one more chance to refer to Suedeself in the third person? I’d put a Lincoln on Korto to win if somebody gave me 3-2 odds.
If you want to spoil the Bryant Park collections, check out this blog, which seems to be aimed at people who are very happy. I didn’t look at them, but I did have a gander at the decoy collections from Joe, Suede and Jerell.
Jerell was kind of a disappointment, wasn’t he? He won the last challenge, but his final collection kind of shit the bed. My theory is that had too much time to work on his collection. He had time to over-noodle it.
I believe everyone’s entitled to one reality TV guilty pleasure, and up until recently mine was always America’s Next Top Model. I’m enjoying Project Runway a lot more. It’s nice seeing people who actually kind of know what they’re doing, and who are actually learning things. Plus, I enjoy seeing the creative process from a field outside of writing and drawing.
Anyway … put your predictions in the comments.
October’s Monster Mash rolls on with:
Tomb Of Dracula #18
Sometime in the early 1970’s, someone woke up and realized that the reality of living in a world under the threat of a cold war and arms race was a bit more terrifying than the fanciful creatures populating the old Universal monster movies and decided to relax the restrictions of the comics code a bit. Roy Thomas had just taken over the editorial reins from Stan and was launching “Marvel Phase 2”, a huge wave of new titles and characters into which he was suddenly able to incorporate a bunch of non-superhero, horror themed books with darker, weirder plots and extended storylines that would appeal to a far broader audience than the superhero fare. A whole range of characters who were technically villains got their own titles that had classic runs lasting for years once Marvel was able to roll out the vampires, werewolves, and, er, “Zuvembies.”
The most prominent of which was Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula. Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan became the House of Ideas’ answer to Wein & Wrightson, dropping their title character’s gothic horror themes into the modern sensibilities of the late twentieth century. The result was about a gazillion issues (including magazine spin-offs and specials) devoted to a super-powered mass murderer who was always one step ahead of the plucky band of vigilantes on his tail.
As a crossover between the two series, the story in this issue focuses more on Jack Russell, the young man living under the Werewolf’s curse. He and his psychic girlfriend Topaz have come to Transylvania to research his family tree in hopes of learning more about the lycanthropic curse that has plagued his family for generations. Shortly after their arrival, the European equivalent of the “dumb hillbilly” makes a less-than-subtle play for Topaz– by bringing a knife along with him when he crashes their room at the local inn. Regrettably, he stumbles in after the moon is risen and is greeted by Jack in his hairy guard dog persona.
About Gene Colan: his painterly style captures a hell of a lot of energy; I’d compare his work to Carmine Infantino’s, though the actual line work is galaxies apart. Add to that the somber mood he drapes over the page with his use of shadow (abetted here by the great Tom Palmer on inks) and he stands as a horror artist equal to Wrightson. In addition, I’d place him second only to John Buscema for drawing women. The contemporary artists who devote so much page space to cranking out soft porn featuring anatomically twisted fetishist freaks could learn volumes just from the legs below the line of that coat in the panel below.
Moving on, before I start to sound like Jeff from “Coupling”…Another page from the collection of fellow PANELista, Tom Williams. And remember, if you have this comic, please refrain from guessing. For everyone else, guess away:
(click image to enlarge)
(previous weeks: 9/12/2005, 9/19/2005, 9/26/2005, 10/3/2005, 10/10/2005, 10/17/2005, 10/24/2005, 10/31/2005, 11/1/2005, 11/2/2005, 11/3/2005, 11/4/2005, 11/5/2005, 11/6/2005, 11/7/2005, 11/14/2005, 11/21/2005, 11/28/2005, 12/5/2005, 12/12/2005, 12/19/2005, 12/26/2005, 1/2/2006, 1/9/2006, 1/16/2006, 1/23/2006, 1/30/2006, 2/06/2006, 2/13/2006, 2/20/2006, 2/27/2006, 3/6/2006, 3/13/2006, 3/20/2006, 3/27/2006, 4/3/2006, 4/4/2006, 4/5/2006, 4/6/2006, 4/7/2006, 4/8/2006, 4/9/2006, 4/10/2006, 4/17/2006, 4/23/2006, 5/1/2006, 5/8/2006, 5/15/2006, 5/22/2006, 5/29/2006, 6/5/2006, 6/12/2006, 6/19/2006, 6/26/2006, 7/3/2006, 7/10/2006, 7/17/2006, 7/24/2006, 7/31/2006, 8/7/2006, 8/13/2006, 8/21/2006, 8/28/2006, 9/4/2006, 9/11/2006, 9/18/2006, 9/25/2006, 10/2/2006, 10/9/2006, 10/16/2006, 10/23/2006, 10/30/2006, 11/6/2006, 11/13/2006, 11/20/2006, 11/27/2006, 12/4/2006, 12/11/2006, 12/18/2006, 12/25/2006, 1/1/2007, 1/8/2007, 1/15/2007, 1/22/2007, 1/29/2007, 2/5/2007, 2/12/2007, 2/19/2007, 2/26/2007, 3/5/2007, 3/12/2007, 3/19/2007, 3/26/2007, 4/2/2007, 4/5/2007, 4/9/2007, 4/16/2007, 4/23/2007, 4/30/2007, 5/7/2007, 5/14/2007, 5/21/2007, 5/28/2007, 6/4/2007, 6/11/2007, 6/18/2007, 6/25/2007, 7/2/2007, 7/9/2007, 7/16/2007, 7/23/2007, 7/30/2007, 8/6/2007, 8/13/2007, 8/20/2007, 8/27/2007, 9/3/2007, 9/10/2007, 9/17/2007, 9/24/2007, 10/1/2007, 10/8/2007, 10/15/2007, 10/22/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/5/2007, 11/12/2007, 11/19/2007, 11/26/2007, 12/3/2007, 12/10/2007, 12/17/2007, 12/24/2007, 12/31/2007, 1/7/2008, 1/14/2008, 1/21/2008, 1/28/2008, 2/4/2008, 2/11/2008, 2/18/2008, 2/25/2008, 3/3/2008, 3/10/2008, 3/17/2008, 3/24/2008, 3/31/2008, 4/7/2008, 4/14/2008, 4/21/2008, 4/28/2008, 5/8/2008, 5/12/2008, 5/19/2008, 5/27/2008, 6/2/2008, 6/9/2008, 6/16/2008, 6/23/2008, 6/30/2008, 7/7/2008, 7/14/2008, 7/22/2008, 8/4/2008, 8/11/2008, 8/18/2008, 8/25/2008, 9/8/2008, 9/22/2008, 9/29/2008, 10/6/2008)
Brian Wood’s signing at the Laughing Ogre today from 3 till 7. Out of all the Ogre signings this year is the one I’ve been looking forward to the most. Aaron’s work I’m barely familiar with. Loved the Other Side. Don’t know who Daniel Way is. No slight on him personally but *I don’t read a lot of the mainstream cape books. Especially Marvel (save the Omega series this year).
I don’t really know what I’ll be walking into. Admittedly I’ve been looking for the Vertigo edition of Demo on the cheap. (I’m keen on the larger format) That mission was full of fail. Regardless, it will be cool to meet Wood, so no worries. I hope they keep the signing events happening.
*Lately I’ve been reading John Pham’s Sublife which seems to be yet another wanked out Ware pastiche. If you want to get a book by Fantagraphics, this is the apparent blueprint pitch these days, as almost half their output follows this outline. Create depressing, quirky, 40 year old losers who masturbates, pines for the good old days, and commits suicide off camera in carefully laid out diagram like fashion. Throw in a hint of pedophillia and you’ve got a winner. Slap a random ship date on it as long as you have it in time for SPX or Christmas. I fall for the slickly put together pakaging every time. Four color with spot metallic. They need to cut this crap out and translate more European comics by Gipi or Baru. Better yet a decent collection of translated Corto Maltese.
At least according to Forbes Magazine.
According to Forbes: “Among its weakest spots were an unemployment rate of 8.9% and poverty rate of 16.2%. Only 18% of the workforce has an associate’s degree or higher.”
It makes me sad. I joke about my hometown a lot (a lot), but I hate to see it go down the tubes like that.
But in other news, I recently found out that the guy who narrated the Knight Rider intro (Richard Baseheart) was from Zanesville.
Swamp Thing #8
Sigh.
I was all set to roll out a monster themed month for October, and even had my scans of Saga Of The Swamp Thing #1 ready to go. I figured everybody would be well acquainted with the Alan Moore and Wein/Wrightson models, but those plucky issues sandwiched between the iconic runs might deserve a little attention. I was going to go so far as to name that issue as a key moment in the reversal of DC’s fortunes, when the young upstart Marvel had paid the price of winning the battle by becoming the new status quo; when DC started putting out some great books (that title, along with a revived Firestorm and Teen Titans, for starters) while all but one Marvel book began the slide into mediocrity (c’mon, it’s Craig talking about 1982, you know which one I mean).
But then I found myself sitting behind the table at MidOhio with my face in my hands, shocked speechless when I heard someone say they didn’t know any books Berni Wrightson had worked on (I won’t point the finger at Tony– oops). Obviously I have to dip a little further back when I kicked off Monster Month here in the Way Back Machine, because sometimes those who forget the past– won’t ever see it again.
Alan Moore’s run with the character was absolutely friggin’ brilliant, and killed the character for any writer who might try to follow when he turned the shambling swamp monster into an all-powerful deity. Worse, he removed the character from his gothic horror roots and dropped it into a science fiction setting by the time his run on the series was through. No more gloomy castles, monsters lurking in darkened corridors, mad scientists conducting gruesome experiments… That’s the kind of horror story I’d like to see but doesn’t pop up very often anymore, and which Len Wein and Berni Wrightson perfected over the first ten issues of the original Swamp Thing series.
Issue number eight of the series is a Lovecraftian bonanza of insular villages, pitchfork-and-torch bearing mobs, and creepy netherworld creatures. Our antihero protagonist tries to rescue an old man from being mauled by a bear and is rewarded by hearing his dying tale of the curse his progenitor’s dabbling with sorcery visited upon a nearby town. Taking the old man home for burial, he finds the villagers oddly welcoming despite his monstrous appearance, and suspiciously questions their collective behavior. When a child seems to go missing he takes the lead in the search for the boy– ironically spearheading the torch bearing mob– not realizing the entire scenario has been staged by the villagers who for years have been compelled to feed visitors to a demonic creature living in the mine tunnels beneath their feet.
How ‘bout that gorgeous artwork; so creepy, so atmospheric. Wein could have dropped all the adjectives from his script and the book would still bring the goosebumps. Damn, I miss the gothic horror. I wish DC would take advantage of part of Moore’s premise for the character and “retire” the Alec Holland Swamp Thing, precipitating the creation of a new monster who doesn’t know he has the power to move planets (hey, maybe he isn’t even an elemental?) and plunge him into these kinds of creepy, old-school monster horror stories. I can dream.I’m going to say it was a pretty low-key show. I know we had a lower turnout at Unmasked before the show, and it seemed a little quieter during the show. I hope that’s a one-time drop caused by the change in date. I do think early October is a better time for the show.
Trends? I saw fewer bootleg video booths, and maybe more dollar bins. I doubt I saw more than a half-dozen stormtroopers, and I’d say cosplayers were down in general. There were definitely more little kids … or maybe I was just more aware of them, sitting with Craig, Brent and Dara. I’d say the percentage of really overweight people held about steady.
Some folks were definitely missed. I’m talking about Kish, McClurg, Brewer and all the other Panelists; Horror Movie Ray, and the Big Bald Kid.
Anyway … on with the awards.
James Dobson Award in the Field of Family Values: Mid-Ohio Con, moving to a more family-friendly Oct. 4-5 from than the customary Thanksgiving Weekend, giving us more time to be with our families.
There Will Be A Witness Award: Allen Freeman, recording the proceedings for posterity as usual.
The Legend Begins Award: Tony Goins, debuting Downs with two books. I sold five issues of Downs to people I didn’t already know, which is encouraging.
Lights, Camera, Action Award: The folks at the Columbus Indie Club, which hosted the first Mid-Ohio Con festival of local indie films.
I’m Henry the Eighth I Am Award: The Batmobile photo booth, which played the Batman theme nonstop both days.
Why So Serious? Award: The dude dressed as the Heath Ledger Joker … in a nurse’s uniform. No word on whether he made his “pencil” disappear.
Uh Thanks You Shouldn’t Have: The dude who had me sign a copy of Downs No. 1 to his mother.
Quick Draw McGraw award: Brent Bowman, who had a great con by anyone’s standards just from cranking out caricatures.
Going The Distance award: The guy in the Doc Ock costume who went to the length of getting the bowl haircut for his, er, craft.
Going The Distance award, pt. 2: Chris Claremont, who signed away all day Saturday while his line never dwindled. I got to his table at 5:50 and he looked exhausted, but was good natured and stuck it out the whole time for the fans.
Heck Yeah It’s Geo-Force Award: Alan Davis, just for being there.
All In Color For A Dime award: Bell, Book & Comic. ‘Nuff said.
Griot Award: Craig Bogart, patiently explaining to me how comics worked back in ye olden tymes.Last Man Standing Award: Tom Williams, the last person in his row to pack up on Sunday.
Who Was That Masked Man? Award: The “Who Wants to be a Superhero” folks, who were dressed as their own original superheroes.
Blowing Off Steam Award: Jason Mewes, who entertained his line with a line of snappy patter.
Everybody Poops Award: goes to the guy next to me who proclaimed, to everyone in earshot, his phobia of crapping in public bathrooms, during one of many lulls at Mid Ohio Con.
Everybody Poops Award, pt. 2: The guy in the restroom who kept handing out paper towels to people. Um yea.
The Marvel Liquidation Sale Award: seems I ran across more than one booth that had half off graphic novels and trades. Only problem was it was almost all recent Marvel crap. The only saving grace were the $5 Essential Marvels. I have never seen so many $1 bins in all my life. Half off Silver Age?? If only I did better table, I would have ran amok through the $1 bins.
What is F!?k is with all the Furries? Award: There was a freaking booth selling ears and tails. They were swarming my area. Still better than two years ago where it seemed half the dealers were selling t-shirts.
This one is courtesy of some comics I got from fellow PANELista, Tom Williams. Guess away:
(click image to enlarge)
(previous weeks: 9/12/2005, 9/19/2005, 9/26/2005, 10/3/2005, 10/10/2005, 10/17/2005, 10/24/2005, 10/31/2005, 11/1/2005, 11/2/2005, 11/3/2005, 11/4/2005, 11/5/2005, 11/6/2005, 11/7/2005, 11/14/2005, 11/21/2005, 11/28/2005, 12/5/2005, 12/12/2005, 12/19/2005, 12/26/2005, 1/2/2006, 1/9/2006, 1/16/2006, 1/23/2006, 1/30/2006, 2/06/2006, 2/13/2006, 2/20/2006, 2/27/2006, 3/6/2006, 3/13/2006, 3/20/2006, 3/27/2006, 4/3/2006, 4/4/2006, 4/5/2006, 4/6/2006, 4/7/2006, 4/8/2006, 4/9/2006, 4/10/2006, 4/17/2006, 4/23/2006, 5/1/2006, 5/8/2006, 5/15/2006, 5/22/2006, 5/29/2006, 6/5/2006, 6/12/2006, 6/19/2006, 6/26/2006, 7/3/2006, 7/10/2006, 7/17/2006, 7/24/2006, 7/31/2006, 8/7/2006, 8/13/2006, 8/21/2006, 8/28/2006, 9/4/2006, 9/11/2006, 9/18/2006, 9/25/2006, 10/2/2006, 10/9/2006, 10/16/2006, 10/23/2006, 10/30/2006, 11/6/2006, 11/13/2006, 11/20/2006, 11/27/2006, 12/4/2006, 12/11/2006, 12/18/2006, 12/25/2006, 1/1/2007, 1/8/2007, 1/15/2007, 1/22/2007, 1/29/2007, 2/5/2007, 2/12/2007, 2/19/2007, 2/26/2007, 3/5/2007, 3/12/2007, 3/19/2007, 3/26/2007, 4/2/2007, 4/5/2007, 4/9/2007, 4/16/2007, 4/23/2007, 4/30/2007, 5/7/2007, 5/14/2007, 5/21/2007, 5/28/2007, 6/4/2007, 6/11/2007, 6/18/2007, 6/25/2007, 7/2/2007, 7/9/2007, 7/16/2007, 7/23/2007, 7/30/2007, 8/6/2007, 8/13/2007, 8/20/2007, 8/27/2007, 9/3/2007, 9/10/2007, 9/17/2007, 9/24/2007, 10/1/2007, 10/8/2007, 10/15/2007, 10/22/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/5/2007, 11/12/2007, 11/19/2007, 11/26/2007, 12/3/2007, 12/10/2007, 12/17/2007, 12/24/2007, 12/31/2007, 1/7/2008, 1/14/2008, 1/21/2008, 1/28/2008, 2/4/2008, 2/11/2008, 2/18/2008, 2/25/2008, 3/3/2008, 3/10/2008, 3/17/2008, 3/24/2008, 3/31/2008, 4/7/2008, 4/14/2008, 4/21/2008, 4/28/2008, 5/8/2008, 5/12/2008, 5/19/2008, 5/27/2008, 6/2/2008, 6/9/2008, 6/16/2008, 6/23/2008, 6/30/2008, 7/7/2008, 7/14/2008, 7/22/2008, 8/4/2008, 8/11/2008, 8/18/2008, 8/25/2008, 9/8/2008, 9/22/2008, 9/29/2008)
That’s right! The show begins today. New time. New spot within the convention center. Go to Mid Ohio Con for more information. Including a seating chart so you can find all of us. Andy, Dara and myself have our own spots. Craig, Tony G. and Brent are running a bearded creator booth. Andy will be real easy to spot as he’s seated next to Joe Kubert. I’m pretty thrilled that I get to finally meet Joe.
Thanks to everyone that came out for Unmasked. We debut Panel: 12 & Under.
Keep choppin’ that wood Craig. Damn, I’m a tub. Cardio. Somethin’. Geesh. Shooting game from an airplane doesn’t burn off the calories like it used to.
Come on out tonight for our pre-show party at Barley’s. (Check out the fancy new ‘street view’ to get a shot of the bar) Free music and comics, cash bar and our second annual Live Art Throwdown for charity! Things kick off at 8pm. Mingle with fans and pros alike. Not going to the con? Come on out anyway. We promise *we won’t bite. See you there.
* Well Kish might.
Allied Powers the webcomic is now up and running. Check out the Brent Bowman goodness at:
http://www.alliedpowerscomic.com/
Look for a page added each week (Brent and I will pick a specific day any minute now), and pick up the B & W version at MidOhio this weekend just to show us you love us.