Friday, January 30, 2004
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Posted by
Tony
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1/30/2004 11:51:00 AM
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Dealing With Editors
I just turned in a short (four grafs) item on new lower interest rates at the Ohio First-Time Homebuyer�s Program. My editor ripped it to pieces. Use "as low as" rather than "starting at." Use "can qualify" rather than "may qualify." Add "for qualified buyers" to the lede.
Thing is, all I did to write this thing was I copied a similar item from this fall. All I did was change the numbers. This same editor OK'ed the same language three months ago.
--Tony (permalink)
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Thursday, January 29, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/29/2004 03:00:00 PM
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Finally, some comics-related news...
Ok, I know you've probably had enough of the political commentary today. So here's a good ol' comics link (well, sort of...dang) for ya:
The Onion a.v. club reviews Alan Moore's novel, Voice Of The Fire.
"Part mythic cycle, part fictional history of Moore's hometown, part collection of fireside ghost stories, Voice Of The Fire is as clever and well-crafted as Moore's other genre experiments, and by taking his dialogue out of word-balloons and panel arrangements, it gives his limitless literary ambition room to stretch out into new and fascinating forms."
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/29/2004 11:13:00 AM
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Even more non-comics related fun...
(Don't ask me why I'm in such a foul political mood today...maybe it's the alignment of the planets...maybe it's because day-by-day I become more bitter and disgusted with the excrement running this country...)
Anywho...
Remember back on 12/15/03 when I posted a link to the ridiculous $40 Elite Force Aviator: George W. Bush - U.S. President and Naval Aviator - 12" Action Figure doll? Well, bless their hearts, some Internet folks got some good use out of that piece of crap. Behold:
www.BushYoga.com
The minimalist home page says it all: "Here, you will find the leader of the free world posed in a variety of ancient positions".
This position is called "Halasana", aka "Plow". I'd like to offer an alternative headline: "Proud of the amazing snow job perpetuated on the American public throughout his presidency, Dubbya finds it slightly more difficult to give himself a celebratory blow job."
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/29/2004 08:30:00 AM
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More non-comics related fun...
 ...with those wacky conservatives. Hey kids, you can now get your very own Ann Coulter Talking Action Figure. That's right, "Conservative lawyer Ann Coulter is a blond haired beauty with the brains and backbone to send the staunchest Liberal running for the hills." So what phrases does the doll say? How about:
"Swing voters are more appropriately known as the 'idiot voters' because they have no set of philosophical principles. By the age of fourteen, you're either a Conservative or a Liberal if you have an IQ above a toaster." ('cause, you know, if you don't blindly fall into a neat category on the extreme ends of the spectrum, you're an 'idiot')
"Even Islamic terrorists don't hate America like Liberals do. They don't have the energy. If they had that much energy, they'd have indoor plumbing by now." (no comment)
Ah yes, those compassionate conservatives. And check out this little bit of marketing hype:
"Ann says she loves this replica of her. 'I think it's terrific!' Ann says, 'This action figure can talk, wear different outfits and hairstyles.' But that's not all. Ann adds, 'It also kills terrorist leaders and converts their followers to Christianity.'
Isn't that precious. These are the important "family values" we need to teach our daughters? That it's important to wear different outfits ("single piece black dress, black high heels and gold earrings"), look like a supermodel, regardless of your profession ("Ann�s striking green eyes, long blond hair and determined look"), make sure your skirt is 2 inches below your crotch, and oh yeah, preach ignorance, arrogance, and intolerance.
And people think Britney Spears is a bad role model!
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/29/2004 07:37:00 AM
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Non-comics related...
From a short essay entitled "Europeans Are Not Cowards. It's That We Know War", by writer Fletcher Crossman, who is from England:
"Let's be clear: Europeans don't run away from war. Even the most fleeting look at our history will tell you that we love war, we want war, we will find almost any excuse for a war. In 1914 young men from all across Europe jauntily marched off to start yet another one, with flags waving and patriotic songs playing. Young men from my country marched in the knowledge that they represented the greatest nation on Earth, an economic powerhouse, a country blessed by God. Any of this sounding familiar?"
Crossman goes on to make this analogy:
"America is the brave young soldier, with shining eyes and a firm jaw, marching towards a battle that will make the world a better place. Europe is the bitter old veteran sitting on the sidewalk, his medals collecting dust somewhere, shaking his head knowingly as the young soldier marches by."
--Dara (permalink)
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Wednesday, January 28, 2004
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Posted by
Tony
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1/28/2004 05:44:00 PM
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For the Geek On Your List ...
Barbie as Arwen and Ken as Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings - Return of the King.
http://www.kbtoys.com/genProduct.html/PID/2525139/ctid/17/place/agsf
KB stores at City Center and Eastland are closing, the company said Wednesday -- get yours cheap!
--Tony (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/28/2004 01:50:00 PM
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How to Save Comics
 Simple. Make a superhero book based on "Miss Bondage World" Ashley Renee. I mean, after all, what are superheroes if not thinly-veiled fetish models?
"SCREAM QUEN will tel the tale of a young female professional wrestler who is down on her luck...One night after a dismal match in a po-dunk town, she is struck by a car and suddenly receives amazing new powers. Not content to simply use her poweres in the ring, SCREAM QUEEN takes her new found powers to the street to help clean up the ever groing crime and gang problems in the city."
Ok, so aside from the gratuitous picture to the left, the reason I posted this is because I find it eminently humorous to read press releases for projects like this. They come across so...formal and proper, when all they're promoting is good ol' T&A/porn. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just don't think you need to *ahem* dress it up in flowery language. Check out this excerpt:
"Not only is she a stunning young woman, she really is a completely wonderful young woman. I enjoyed creating this character around her and I hope that we havea long relationship with SCREAM QUEEN," says creator and Amazing Creations Ink publisher Robert Baker."
And nothing against the fair Ms. Renee, but Miss Bondage World? C'mon, that's just a small-town pageant. Let's sign up the winner of Miss Bondage Universe to a comic book deal!
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Tony
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1/28/2004 09:40:00 AM
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Panel and the Creative Class
Four data points, all interrelated:
* Nov. 2003: Gov. Bob Taft�s Third Frontier Bond issue defeated. The issue would provide $500 million for assistance to high-tech companies in the state. The Third Frontier project continues on, although in an abbreviated form.
* Summer 2003: My friend Erica pleads with her boyfriend to move to Ohio, from NYC, but he refuses. He feels he can�t be �creative� outside NYC.
* November 2002: Starbak Communications Inc., a Columbus-founded company that makes devices to send video over the Internet, moves to Boston to be closer to venture capitalists and talent.
* 2000: Tim Fischer founds Panel.
The line connecting all of these dots is �The Rise of the Creative Class,� a 2002 book written by Richard Florida, a Heinz Professor of Economic Development at Carnegie Mellon. He argues that the way high-tech jobs are created is by having a critical mass of creative people in one place at one time -- not just scientists, but creative people in general. That�s how third-tier cities like Austin, Texas, or Chapel Hill, N.C., have become tech hotbeds.
The way to get all of those people in the same place at the same time, Florida says, is by stocking your city with things these people like. That involves things like recreation amenities, hip urban neighborhoods, a thriving arts scene, a diverse commmunity, a major research institution, a music scene, etc. A good barometer for these things is gay friendliness -- Florida compiled a �gay index� to measure it.
Columbus ranks 33rd, out of maybe 300 or so. We come in 70th in �creative class,� 48th in �high tech,� 102nd in innovation and 24th in diversity. The C.O. seems to have the high-tech talent (MindLeaders comes to mind) and some money, thanks to the governor. But we�re lacking some special something that keeps our homegrown businesses at home, and not in Boston.
According to Erica�s boyfriend, what we�re lacking is a nationally known arts scene, and that�s where Panel comes in. Fellow Panelistas, we must keep creating these funnybooks, and keep encouraging others to do so. We must spark a critical mass of creative people, making our hometown someplace people want to be.
Our prosperity and our way of life depend on us.
--Tony (permalink)
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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/27/2004 05:10:00 PM
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Madness In Gotham
Found out about this through a coworker. The site is Kuro5hin.org self-described as "a collaborative site about technology and culture, both separately and in their interactions." A January 27 post by member "Vaughan" is a well-written essay about the psychology of madness at the core of the Batman cast of characters. From the introduction: "As a genre with the concept of mental illness at its core, it is perhaps one of our most popular and enduring representations of madness."
What I enjoyed most about this is that the majority of the readers who commented on the essay seem to be non-comics readers, or only familiar with the Batman comics on the most general level (The Dark Knight Returns being the most commonly referenced knowledge), yet for the most part they all enjoyed the article.
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Sean McGurr
on
1/27/2004 12:06:00 PM
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Oscar Nominations
Despite the proliferation of movies based on comics this year, the Academy didn't reward the genre with many nominations. Not that I was expecting The Hulk or X-Men 2 to garner any Oscar nods, but I was disappointed that American Splendor only had one nomination: Best Screenplay (Adapted).
It would be nice to see voters recognize the originality in which Harvey Pekar's comic was brought to the screen, but with heavyweights like Seabiscuit and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (which voters may have actually read), I fear it doesn't have much of a chance. Surprisingly, Cold Mountain didn't make the cut for Adapted Screenplay.
--Sean McGurr (permalink)
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Monday, January 26, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/26/2004 02:22:00 PM
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Clash of the Pros
Couple of fun (in a train-wreck sort of way) message board "discussions"...
First, over at The Comics Journal website fans and pros discuss the news of Marvel postponing/calceling Peter Bagge's The Incorigable Hulk one-shot. Sock Monkey and Maakies creator Tony Millionaire chimes in with "DC is no better, they finally passed on the Batman and Robin book by me and Chip Kidd." James Kochalka mentions a superhero project that he moved to Top Shelf when DC took too long to make a decision on. But both creators come back to defend DC. And to make things more fun, creator Roger Langridge adds "About the sales of the Bizarro thing, I got a statement sent to me by DC which i think I wasn't supposed to see (because it had "NOT TO BE SENT TO ARTIST" on it in big letters) and...".
Then over at The Pulse, there's the start of a nice fight between PvP creator Scott Kurtz and convention circuit artist Franchesco about a prank Scott pulled on comics rumor monger Rich Johnston by leading him to believe that he (Scott) and Frank Cho were working on a Dazzler comic for Marvel. Franchesco seems to think Scott owes his fans an apology for misleading them into really thinking he's doing a Dazzler comic and then breaking their hearts by revealing it was just a prank to get Rich. Scott disagrees, saying it was never publicly announced he was doing the book, and that none of his fans are upset at all. The fight then spills over to the Image comics boards, where Franchesco also gets mad at FF artist Mike Wieringo, then apologizes, then becomes his best friend again after Wieringo also apologizes for some miscommunication. Which of course prompts the comment "You two get a room!" from another poster. My favorite quote: "I answered my critic with a criticism. Franchesco thinks I'm a jerk looking for attention at the cost of my readers and I think Franchesco is a pretentious jerk, who's art style is dirravative and who's name sounds like a pasta sauce. -- Scott Kurtz"
Man, that's entertainment!
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
bigbaldkid
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1/26/2004 02:05:00 PM
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http://www.bookeryfantasy.com/
they did a follow up to the store signing.
plus ,saw some good comic booths, at the flea markets.
future ferret customers
--bigbaldkid (permalink)
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Friday, January 23, 2004
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Posted by
Sean McGurr
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1/23/2004 08:19:00 AM
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Wednesday, January 21, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/21/2004 01:08:00 PM
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Posted by
Dara
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1/21/2004 12:36:00 PM
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Anthology Titles Open to Submissions
* Updated 1/23 with additional entries.
* Updated 5/26 with additional entries.
I just responded to an post on Digital Webbing about this, and figured I should post the list here as well. To my knowledge, these are the ones that accept submissions from anyone, though obviously some are harder to get into than others:
I'm sure I've missed a few books...maybe others can fill in the gaps?
--Dara (permalink)
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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/20/2004 03:23:00 PM
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Welcome to Another Episode of "Tim Fischer Aks"
This week, artist extraordinaire and man-about-town Tim Fishcer asks: "TWELVE PANELS PER PAGE?! Where the hell do you fit the artwork?" This is in regards to my earlier post about Keith Giffen's strict 12-panel page format used on the old Video Jack comic. The answer is like this:
I love that old crazy shit! Giffen is the man! For more samples, check this site.
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/20/2004 12:28:00 PM
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How to Get a 28-City Book Tour for a Graphic Novel
The answer: sneak it in.
In this Newsarama interview with best-selling novelist Brad Meltzer, the main topic is his latest novel, The Zero Game. Brad, who is a self-professed comic fanatic, talks a bit about sprinkling his novels with the names of comic book characters he likes. But the author of a 6-issue Green Arrow arc and the upcoming big DC Universe crossover series Identity Crisis also let slip another sneaky comics tie-in:
"To promote the novel, Warner Books is sending Meltzer on a 28-city book tour, starting today at the Barnes & Noble at 33 East 17th Street, Union Square, New York. 'Hearing that, DC made a list of all the places I'm doing book signings -- and then made sure those stores were stocked with copies of The Archer's Quest,' Meltzer said. 'Voila...a free 28-city book tour for my Green Arrow hardcover. Pretty sneaky, sis.' "
Kudos to DC for the proactive approach. And people wonder why the anemic comics industry seeks out writers from other fields. Gee, I don't know, maybe for some broader exposure like this? Certainly couldn't hurt.
--Dara (permalink)
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Monday, January 19, 2004
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Posted by
bigbaldkid
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1/19/2004 04:11:00 PM
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http://theimaginaryworld.com/gamet.html
this is part of a excellent site. this link puts you on an old 1970's catalog for playground equipment. talk about bringing back memories. not to mention how dangerous this is compared to todays equipment. can u say broken bones?
--bigbaldkid (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/19/2004 01:27:00 PM
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Read Video Jack for free!
 Hey, I just found out one of my favorite old Epic series from the 80's, Video Jack by Keith Giffen and Carey Bates, is available online for free at the KomikWerks website! Since I'm too lazy to type up a description, I'll just steal the synopsis they posted on their site: "Jack is a video nut. All he wants to do is watch movies and TV. But when it turns out his friend's uncle is into sorcery, and has cast a spell that puts both Jack and his friend Damon INTO the television, is TV really where Jack wants to spend literally ALL of his time? And what's going on with this serial killer on the loose...?"
The series only lasted 8 issues, but it really was quite fun and innovative. Plus, it's got that classic Giffen artwork with the bizarre angles, extreme close ups, and heavy use of black. And since every page in the book was done is a strict 12 panel grid, it's made it easy for them to split up each page into 3 strips for online viewing. Drop by and give it a read.
--Dara (permalink)
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Friday, January 16, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/16/2004 11:10:00 AM
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Thursday, January 15, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/15/2004 09:58:00 AM
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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
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Posted by
Tony
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1/14/2004 11:17:00 AM
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"... so freaking cool ..."
This from my friend Erica in Jersey City:
"I noticed that Panel is being sold at Atomic Books in Baltimore (I get their e-mail newsletter). That is so freaking cool."
--Tony (permalink)
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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/13/2004 12:31:00 PM
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Micropayments
TechNewsWorld has an article pondering The Death of Micropayments? It's rather brief, but has a few comments from micropayments champion Scott McCloud on the many companies that tried to get into the game, such as "It seemed like every one of them offered a different road to hell." But my favorite part of the article is this:
"To become profitable, a site would have to elicit large volumes of transactions, which is very difficult, even for established e-businesses. [Clay Shirky, a technology columnist and adjunct professor in NYU's graduate Interactive Telecommunications Program] pointed to the online porn industry, which has tried on several occasions to adopt a micropayment strategy akin to the 25-cent peep-show booths in the offline world. "They can't make it work online," Shirky said. "And those guys are the e-commerce geniuses, so if they can't do it, who can?"
For the record, I believe that the idea of micropayments will eventually catch on. We're already seeing signs of it with the success of Apple's iTunes music program. It's a matter of having the right content (i.e. something people actually want), and the right delivery method (which the micropayment companies will refine, even if along the way many of them fall and never recover).
(Thanks to the lead from Journalista)
--Dara (permalink)
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Monday, January 12, 2004
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Posted by
Dara
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1/12/2004 10:48:00 PM
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Posted by
Dara
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1/12/2004 05:31:00 PM
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Art, Shmart
Ladies and gentlemen, let us pause and reflect on the true nature of art, courtesy of Darby Conley's syndicated comic strip Get Fuzzy...
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/12/2004 01:29:00 PM
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Dayton Indy Show 2004
The gang and I drove down to Fairborn, Ohio this past Saturday for an in-store signing at the Bookery Fantasy. Ferret Press artist and all-around fun guy Dan Barlow organized the event, with the help of awesome retailer Steven Bates. Present were Dan, myself, Steve black, Andy Bennett, Tony Goins, Dennis Murphy, and Chad Lambert. I'm sure the guys will post their own takes on the event, but I for one had a blast. Steve Bates did a fantastic job of not only promoting the signing with post cards, e-mails, and a mention in the paper, but he also played an excellent host, providing us with food and drink and a nice big signing area.
There was a steady flow of people (with obvious ebbs and peaks), but we always had interested fans at the table and the conversations were great. I was quite pleased with the sales that we made, and my hats off to Steven for purchasing copies of our books for his indy shelf. One of the highlights of the signing was when a young woman stopped by the table, saw a copy of Panel, and proceeded to tell us how much she enjoyed the book (which she had picked up a few months ago at Mid-Ohio-Con). That really made our day, especially coming from a fellow artist. Overall, I had a great time and would heartily recommend the Bookery to anyone in the area, as it is a great store with a massive selection of products, including a large wall of alternative and indy books.
PS. Here's a link to a small article in today's Dayton Daily News mentioning the event. The following picture is from the article, and is credited to Shiloh Crawford.
--Dara (permalink)
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Posted by
Tom
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1/12/2004 11:38:00 AM
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_The Wexner Center's at it again. If you haven't seen the mailers around Columbus the Wexner is having a month long exhibit called.. SPLAT BOOM POW: the influence of cartoons in contemporary art. Opening's on January 1st @ the Belmont building (located at 330 west spring st.). There's a panel discussion that day at 6pm with some of the artists from the exhibit. Granted this is more of the art world taking a poke at pop culture rather than taking comics as an artform itself. Something I've never liked about the pop-artists that came after Johns and Rauchenburg. Guston seemed to be the only one that took comic imagery seriously instead of poking fun at it.
_There are a few programs scheduled that tie in with the event. One of them that's of interest is Scott McCloud coming back. Scott will be giving a talk on comics and the internet on February 11th at 7pm. All events are free! I can sit back and have a laugh at the concept of making money from comics on the internet. Geesh! I think I only sold one book this year from the website and that buyer didn't use the paypal buttons. Does anybody know how much Modern Tales nets?
BALLS!!
--Tom (permalink)
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Thursday, January 08, 2004
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Posted by
Tony
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1/08/2004 04:37:00 PM
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Atten-hut!
We got a letter to the editor that starts, "Every male veteran can give a silent salute to Secretary of State Colin Powell b talking to their doctor about prostate cancer screenings."
I support the concept, but "silent salute" is a strange way to refer to having a finger stuck up your ass.
--Tony (permalink)
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Posted by
Dara
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1/08/2004 01:28:00 PM
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Posted by
Dara
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1/08/2004 01:19:00 PM
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The Humanoids Publishing website is running a