Ferret Press/PANEL Weblog

Welcome to the weblog of the writers and artists of Ferret Press (a publisher of fine comix) and PANEL (a Columbus, Ohio comic creators collaborative.) Here you will find our musings on comics, art, the creative process, politics, the web, and life.

Please visit Ferret Press

Read Dara's free webcomic @ Komikwerks.com

LIFELIKE Graphic Novel Order the full-color, hardcover graphic novel from Amazon.com!

Read Dara and Tom's comic @ Brainbotjr.com and in Melt magazine.

Read Tony Goins' webcomic Downs.

Read Matt Kish & Steve Black's webcomic Spaceman.

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Ferret Press/PANEL Weblog

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Sunday, April 26, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/26/2009 09:10:00 AM :

Massive Brian Azzarello retrospective

I came across The Factual Opinion blog via The Beat, and this post in particular: Off The Shelf: Brian Azzarello And His Comics About Killing People.

Within this lengthy article, writer Tucker Stone takes on the daunting (and one may ask puzzling) task of reviewing every non-100 Bullets comic that Brian Azzarello has ever written. We're talking everything from his unknown Comico work to his short stories in Vertigo anthologies Gangland and Strange Adventures, to everything else (Cage, Banner, Loveless, Batman, Superman, etc.)

"In the late 70's, when something like Cage is exactly what Marvel should have been publishing, Corben and Azzarello would have been praised as visionaries for something like this. But when it hit a school that believed that anything that wasn't a safe pussy who said "Sweet Christmas" in Siegfried and Roy's cast-offs was somehow dishonoring made-up legacies, it got shuffled off and dismissed."

As if this massive undertaking wasn't enough, Stone even spices things further by providing interesting Azzarello quotes at the beginning of each review, such as this rather smart-assish one:

"Well, I think that most people out there I have these fond memories of [Deathblow] in my youth. You know, crawling up in the blankets as a child and reading the latest Deathblow book. --Brian Azzarello"

Enjoy.

Bonus for Craig: Stone also reviews a bunch of DC/Humanoids graphic novels, including Olumpus, by Geoff Johns and your fav artist Jackson Guice. It's a pretty brutal review, but does feature some nice snippets of Guice artwork.

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Saturday, April 25, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/25/2009 09:26:00 AM :

Weekend Versus

This weekend, please to be enjoying Airboy vs. The Airmaidens.

Also knows as every high school's boy's fantasy.

'Nuff Said...indeed.

Labels: weekend versus

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Posted by Tom on 4/25/2009 08:38:00 AM :

Beware Layer 13

Tara McPherson's tweaked her site with a new blog. She's created her own market where she can easily have a gallery show as well as a gig painting covers for Vertigo. I think that's what I admire most about her work. The whole crossover appeal. She's not a slave to one particular market. Best post so far is her documenting what it takes to create one of her art prints. Numerous layers including the everpresent phantom layer, that scares the other screens. I lost count but the piece contains 18 layers (screens).

* No RSS but I'm curious as to how her designer masked the images. Can't link to them or save them which is great. It's something I'd like to know to add to my site. Somewhat protects your images and bandwidth but nothing defeats the screen cap.

Labels: silk screening, tara mcpherson

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Posted by Sean McGurr on 4/24/2009 06:26:00 AM :

Foil Stamping & Die Cuts: The Horror of Comics Comes to Business Cards

Thanks boingboing.

Labels: random crap

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/23/2009 10:21:00 PM :

Bigger than Miller and Morrison

Amazon Sales Rank is a feature that shows how items in their catalog are selling. The lower the number, the higher the sales for that particular item. It's updated hourly.

At one point a few days ago, my Terminator Salvation movie prequel TPB was ranked #10,828. Not enough to get it into the top 100 graphic novels, but in the slightly more niche category of "Graphic Novels, Science Fiction" it made it to #26. Which means it was outselling these books:

Frank Miller's Ronin
Brian Wood's DMZ vol 1
Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan vol 1
Grant Morrison's Invisibles vol 1
Jeff Smith's RASL vol. 1

My point?

I'm bigger that Miller and Morrison, baby.*

*Dara Naraghi realizes he is not, indeed, "bigger" than Miller and Morrison. His book is selling well due to the strength of the Terminator franchise, in anticipation of the new movie release, while the specific books he singled out have been perennial best-sellers. This is all just a twisting of the statistics for the purposes of entertainment, as well as boosting his ego. But don't let that stop you from buying a copy.

Labels: IDW, Terminator Salvation

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Posted by Dara on 4/23/2009 09:42:00 PM :

Character Wednesday

Sorry folks, with all the last minute stuff we were trying to finish up before S.P.A.C.E., we had a couple of by weeks. So here are the entries from the last couple of Character Wednesdays. Hopefully we'll be back on track next week.

MODOK:

Tony Goins

Molly Durst (MODOK/Red Sonja mashup)

Brent Bowman

The Incredible Hulk:

Molly Durst

Brent Bowman

Labels: Character Wednesday

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Posted by Tom on 4/23/2009 06:18:00 PM :

Necromancer

Great demos by Rick Berry I happened to come by while browsing the Tor site. This is one of three that he did at Comicon last year. Makes me want to try out some oil bars. Last time I painted with oils, using a rag left some interesting blends.

The gallery is worth checking out too. Stuff up by Brom, Eric Fortune, Jon Foster, and Farel Darymple,.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/22/2009 10:16:00 PM :

It Came From An Old Comic Book

Just say no to drugs, kids.

Labels: ICFAOCB

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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/21/2009 09:16:00 PM :

Thank you, PANEL

Back in 2003, the PANEL group was set up at a local comic book convention. Back in those days, the artists used to start a jam piece, with each contributing a panel to the page. In this particular case, Steve Black kicked off the page by drawing a likeness of me, and all the other artists followed suit. Believe me, this was an unsolicited commission.

Alas, the page went unfinished, with 3 empty panels left at the bottom. Even more unfortunate, the page was lost under the many piles of paperwork, posters, artwork, and assorted other junk in my messy, messy computer room.

Well, this past weekend, while digging for something to take to S.P.A.C.E., I unearthed that fabled jam piece. Naturally I took it to the show, and my fellow PANEListas were kind enough to lend their talents to finish the page. Here is the finished piece, 6 years in the making:

Artwork by:

Top row, L to R - Steve Black, Andy Bennett, Tim McClurg
Middle row, L to R - Tom Williams, Tim Fischer, Tony Goins
Bottom row, L to R - Matt Kish, Craig Bogart, Brent Bowman

From the bottom of my heart, my thanks go to the past and present members of PANEL for this amazingly cool, ego-inflating, funky piece of artwork. I'm going to frame this page and display it proudly above my computer desk.

You guys are the best.

Labels: art, panel

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Posted by Dara on 4/21/2009 09:04:00 PM :

PANEL in the Underground

Columbus Underground just posted a mini-feature on collectives in the C-Bus, and PANEL gets a mention.

"PANEL is a writers and artists collective that started in 2002. Member Dara Naraghi tells us a bit about their purpose: “Our goal was to get like-minded comic book creators together as a sort of writers/artists group, offering support, critiques, and motivation to each other."

This is as good a time as any to travel down memory lane to 6 years ago, when we started this blog, and the very first entry posted by the inimitable Tony Goins, wherein he codified the PANELfesto:

"What is Panel?

Panel is about realizing it doesn't matter if you have a fully realized universe all plotted out in your head. Nothing matters until you put ink to paper.

Panel rolls into the show 12 deep, knocks over other creators' tables, and lights its cigar off old copies of Youngblood #0 it picked up in the 10-cent bin.

Panel is a self-governing collective of aspiring comix creators in Central Ohio. Panel has no bylaws and no dues. It meets every second Tuesday.

Panel is about sucking it up when your fellow members say your shiny new script reads like the lost episode of the A-Team. Panel knows pain makes you better.

Panel began as a flier at the Laughing Ogre comic shop, and now has about a dozen members. Some members are professional creators, some aren't. That's OK.

Panel loves you and wants what's best for you. Join Panel."

Labels: Columbus, panel

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/20/2009 08:53:00 PM :

Monday Morning "Guess the Artist"

No guessing if you have this particular comic, ok?

(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, 10/13/2008, 10/20/2008, 10/27/2008, 11/3/2008, 11/10/2008, 11/17/2008, 11/24/2008, 12/1/2008, 12/8/2008, 12/15/2008, 12/22/2008, 12/29/2008, 1/5/2009, 1/12/2009, 1/19/2009, 1/26/2009, 2/2/2009, 2/9/2009, 2/16/2009, 2/23/2009, 3/2/2009, 3/9/2009, 3/16/2009, 3/23/2009, 3/30/2009, 4/6/2009, 4/13/2009)

Labels: guess the artist

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Posted by Tom on 4/20/2009 06:46:00 AM :

I've got pictures...

This digital camera business rules. Uploaded my pics to my flickr account last night. It's like you were at S.P.A.C.E.... sort of. I don't want to give the impression that the show was a complete ghost town. The pics were shot during downtime at the table.

I didn't buy much, except a mini from Nate Powell, a gorgeous 2 color/silkscreen book from Paping and Pat Lewis' The Claws Come Out.

Labels: cons, conventions, s.p.a.c.e.

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Posted by Dara on 4/19/2009 11:02:00 PM :

Wednesday Comics: pretty, but pricey

Well, the details are out about DC's cool new weekly limited series, Wednesday Comics:

WEDNESDAY COMICS is unique in modern comics history: Reinventing the classic weekly newspaper comics section, it is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a sprawling 28” x 20” tabloid-sized reading experience bursting with mind-blowing color, action and excitement, with each feature on its own 14” x 20” page.

Spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER and SOLO, each page of WEDNESDAY COMICS spotlights the continuing adventures of DC heroes, including:

• BATMAN, WEDNESDAY COMICS’ weekly cover feature, by the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso
• ADAM STRANGE, by writer/artist Paul Pope (BATMAN: YEAR 100)
• METAMORPHO, written by New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman with art by Eisner Award-winner Michael Allred (Madman)
• THE DEMON AND CATWOMAN, written by Walter Simonson (Thor, MANHUNTER) with art by famed DC cover artist Brian Stelfreeze
• DEADMAN, written by Dave Bullock and Vinton Heuck, art by Dave Bullock
• KAMANDI, written by Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) with art by Ryan Sook (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL)
• SUPERMAN, written by John Arcudi (The Mask) with art by Lee Bermejo (JOKER)
• WONDER WOMAN, written and illustrated by Ben Caldwell (Dare Detectives)
• GREEN LANTERN, written by Kurt Busiek (TRINITY, ASTRO CITY) with art by Joe Quiñones (TEEN TITANS GO!)
• TEEN TITANS, written by Eddie Berganza with art by Sean Galloway
• SUPERGIRL, written by Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) with art by Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL)
• HAWKMAN, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN, Special Forces)
• SGT. ROCK, written by Adam Kubert (SUPERMAN: LAST SON), ilustrated by legendary comics artist Joe Kubert
• THE FLASH, written by Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE, THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE) and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl
• METAL MEN, written by Dan DiDio with art by Ian Churchill (SUPERGIRL)

It all sounds awesome, except for the price: $4 a pop. Still, that's quite a lineup, and a funky format. I'll definitely be picking it up.

PS. I have to mention the big WTF moment, though: Neil Gaiman on Metamorpho? I'd love to hear the story of why he chose that character...

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Posted by Craig on 4/19/2009 10:45:00 PM :

Add To Cart, pt. 2

Tried describing this to everyone while shoting the breeze at SPACE, but words failed me.

www.crystalheadvodka.com

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Posted by Dara on 4/19/2009 05:43:00 PM :

Weekend Versus

This weekend's crossover comic book: Vampirella vs. Hemorrhage.

Also considered as the title for the book, but ultimately dismissed: Boobs McGee vs. Widow's Peak Man.

Alas, sales of this crossover were not good enough to warrant publication of these other planned Vampirella crossovers:

Vampirella vs. Hematoma
Vampirella vs. Laceration
Vampirella vs. Contusion
Vampirella vs. Aneurysm
Vampirella vs. Arteriovenous Malformation

Also considered, but ultimately rejected, was Vampirella vs. Haemophilia. Editorial consensus (and rightly so) was that it would be a pretty one-sided fight.

Labels: weekend versus

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Friday, April 17, 2009

Posted by Tom on 4/17/2009 09:27:00 AM :

Huh...

Caught this off the CU site, Melissa Vogley Wood does a blog called Studio Snapshot. Where she snaps pics and spotlights different creative types around town, friends and what not. Sometimes it's good to embrace the local scene. You could spend forever profiling output from CCAD, OSU and the music scene.

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Posted by Tom on 4/16/2009 07:16:00 PM :

meanwhile... back in the firetrap

Hey! There is a part two to the Gem City Coverage... and Molly's in it. In a flippin' sweet tiara.

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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Posted by Tom on 4/14/2009 05:35:00 PM :

Panel on tv?

Here's the first (?) webisode from the Gem City show. Maybe there's another one?? I don't know. I had to dig for it on their website. Mercifully they haven't gotten around to showing my interview which was... ummmm brief. I think I was waking up by then. In this clip they talk to Dara and Craig.

They'll be tabling at S.P.A.C.E. this year. It suddenly clicked that they were from my hometown of Kenton, Ohio. I'll quiz them if they've ever been to Jumbo.

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Posted by Dara on 4/14/2009 04:21:00 PM :

League of Extraordinary Batmen

Ever wanted to know what the Batmobile would look like, if it was designed by Kevin O'Neill? Wonder no more: