#Comic Books
Eight Months Into DC’s ‘NEW 52’, It Isn’t Sales “Game Changer”
Justice is served! Not the Justice League, mind you. Instead DC’s New 52 isn’t rewriting any sort of financial paradigms. This is a good thing, since you know, it really wasn’t that spectacular. Unless you like chitin armor, in which case it was the second coming of God. Or third or fourth coming, depending on your deities of choice.
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‘EARTH 2’ WRITER James Robinson: Alan Scott Won’t Be The Only Gay Character In Earth 2. I’d Hope Not.
Alan Scott is the prominent character that DC is introducing into New 52 continuity as gay. The original Green Lantern! Neat? It all sort of feels like a cop out to me, plastering this announcement everywhere and then finding out its a dude 70% of pop culture doesn’t know. Writer of Earth 2 James Robinson was discussing all of this with The Advocate when he revealed the obvious (?), that Alan Scott won’t be the only gay character.
Mauro Perucchetti Sculpts Batman and Superman Like Famous Work Of Michelangelo. Awesome.
All sorts of twisting ideas into one sexy knot of pop culture riffage. Comic books as modern myth meet creation myth meet Michelangelo courtesy of Mauro Perucchetti.
‘COWBOY NINJA VIKING’ writer A.J. Lieberman dropping “Medical-Grade Revenge” in ‘HARVEST’
I loved the shit out of A.J. Lieberman’s Cowboy Ninja Viking. In fact, I wasn’t even aware it was cancelled for a good amount of time, and when I found out I was so incensed I was forced to eat my trades of the comic and harvest its soul. Speaking of Harvest, it is also the title of Lieberman’s next work at Image. Oh shit segue, son!
DC’s “Prominent Gay Character” Is Going To Be Alan Scott. Well There’s That.
DC’s “prominent character” that is going to be reintroduced into the New 52 as gay turns out to be Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern.
Neil Gaiman and David Mack Collaborate On Dude’s Tattoo To Benefit The CBLDF
Paul Pope is providing (yet another) variant cover for Before Watchmen and donating it to the HERO Initiative. Here’s a way cooler way to benefit a comic book-related foundation.
[Interview] Mark Andrew Smith – Kickstart His Heart!
There is no shortage of taxons for comics creators. There’re the Marvel guys and the DC guys, the independent bros and the artsy-gals. Some artists are known for illustrating superheroes and some writers are summoned to script crime noir. When we think of members of the comic book community, chances’re pretty good that we pigeonhole `em.
But I think I’ve come across a breed entirely unique unto itself.
As a writer, this being has brought fan-beloved and critically-acclaimed series into existence. In the editorial department, this same comics-creature has made contributions that have earned him both an Eisner Award and a Harvey Award. Upon further inspection, it appears that this individual is now rummaging through the Creator-Owned Forest, using Kickstarter to put comics directly into readers’ hands.
What are we to call this amazing creature? Here’s a name – Mark Andrew Smith.
Mark Andrew Smith is the writer behind such works as The Amazing Joy Buzzards, Gladstone’s School for World Conquerors and The New Brighton Archaeological Society. Moreover, he is one of the editors that helped elevate Popgun to the award-winning status it knows today. So after learning about Mr. Smith’s plans to distribute Sullivan’s Sluggers (a collaboration with the mighty James Stokoe) via Kickstarter, I sought an interview and was obliged!
Hit the hyperspace jump to check out Mark Andrew Smith’s thoughts on finding inspiration, the daily life of a comic book writer, and what conditions would have to be met for him to drink with Hemingway!
Monday Morning Commute: spacetime fabric softener
Let me tell you a story that my superiors at the Time Guild wouldn’t want you to know.
A couple of days ago, I decided that I wanted to travel to the year 195,000 BCE. Since it was the weekend, I had to use my personal time-machine, which I actually prefer to the stodgy contraption they allot me at the office. However, without the Guild’s temporal disinhibitor-ray, it was up to me to craft a suitable concoction. So after filling my gut with three liters of Pepsi Max, taking a shot of bourbon, and huffing paint thinner for the better part of an hour, I stumbled into my broom closet and passed out.
There you have it – my secret recipe for spacetime fabric softener.
Anyways, when I came to I was in the dense jungles of prehistory. Looking skyward, I saw a pterodactyl soaring majestically. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I looked to the ocean just in time to catch a glance of a megalodon snapping a leviathan in half before submerging once again. And on the path before me, two cavemen bros riding their steeds, a saber-toothed tiger and a mastodon, respectively.
The caveman on the saber-toothed tiger was the first to see me, and he quickly pointed me out to his buddy. “Daniel, check it out! It’s another one of those dudes from Beyond the Wheel.” He waved to me invitingly, “C’mon over, man!”
I was nervous, but I obliged.
The other caveman hopped off his mastodon and shook my hand. “Hey there! My name’s Daniel and this is my friend Hollis. Who might you be, Beyonder?”
“Pleasure to meet you, Daniel and Hollis. My name is Rendar Frankenstein and I’m from the year 2012. Well, actually, I’m originally from 1986 but I’ve caught up to 2012, and I guess that’s when I’m not shifting all over. I’ve been to a lot of points in the 20th century, and hell, I’ve even gone back Plato’s cave and the Garden of Eden and beyond that. You guys ever see 2001?”
Blank stares.
I laughed. “My bad! Anyways, what’re ya’ll up to?”
With a pat on my back, Hollis clued me in. “We’re actually about to meet back up with the tribe and raid a T-Rex nest. With those things on your feet,” he pointed to my hi-tops, “you could really help us out. You want in?”
Long story short – dinosaurs were murdered, the caveman tribe was victorious, and I got to start off today by having a prehistoric omelet.
Just don’t tell my superiors at the Time Guild. I need this job, and they’re lookin’ for a reason to can me.
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Welcome to the Monday Morning Commute! I’m going to list off the various ways I’ll be salvaging my (dwindling) sanity during the workweek. It’s then your duty to hit up the comments section and share your own recipe for mental-refuge. C’mon, ain’t this the whole point of an Internet community?
Let’s stab this dino in the heart with a fuckin’ bone-shard dagger!
Mark Waid: I’m Fine With You Pirating My Comics, Pirate People!
I’m paraphrasing, obviously. However the guts of the sentiment remains the same. Mark Waid is fine with people pirating his comic books — even the ones that cost money.
