Comic Book Artists Become Filmmakers

At the Hollywood Reporter, the Heat Vision blog offers this excellent piece about comic book artists working on Hollywood productions.  The article mentions that Kaare Andrews is currently wrapping up one film and prepping another, this one produced by Gale Anne Hurd.

I Reads You Review: REMEMBER

Creator: Benjamin
Publishing Information: TOKYOPOP, Full-Color, paperback, 144 pages, $14.99 (US), $18.99 CAN
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4278-1566-8 (ISBN-13)

TOKYOPOP, known for publishing manga and related books, also publishes English language editions of full-color graphic novels. These titles originate, thus far, from French publishing house and are created by an international roster of writers, artists, and cartoonists. A recent release is Remember, which was originally published by Xiao Pan, a French publisher and distributor of full-color manhua (Chinese comic books).

Remember is the work of Benjamin Zhang Bin, better known as Benjamin. In addition to manhua, he also produces poster art for films and video games. Last year, TOKYOPOP also published an edition of his manhua graphic novel, Orange.

Remember has as it themes memory and recollection. Remember is not a graphic novel so much as it is a collection of two similarly themed novellas or short stories. The first one, “No One Can Fly. No One Can Remember,” focuses on an outcast, wannabe comic book artist who inadvertently attracts the attention of a female comic book artist named Yu Xin (which apparently means “rain heart”). The narrator, who may be named Benjamin, wants to be a comic book artist, but doesn’t want to conform to the expectations of the publishing industry nor to Yu’s expectations of him as boyfriend.

The second story, “That Year, That Summer,” is set in a dorm at an art school. The narrator’s primary goal is to soak in the experiences and freedoms school and dorm life will afford him. However, he finds himself placing his new life in juxtaposition with the struggles of a tormented student with whom he feels some level of sympathy.

While Benjamin is certainly capable of composing an engaging linear narrative, which these two stories are, his aim is emotional and psychological storytelling. He has a deft touch at painting and uses his painted comics as a vehicle to tell stories robust with strong emotions. The iridescent, watercolor-like painting in “No One Can Fly” reflects the narrator’s need to reconcile two things: what Yu Xin’s appearance meant to his life and his memory of events of their relationship.

Benjamin tells the other story in art that could be described as mixing impressionist and realist oil painting with Dave McKean graphic style. This visual approach also reflects the inconsistency of memory, but in this story, the narrator is not trying to reconcile memory. Rather, this method of painting is meant to convey the chaos of the narrator’s first year in school. Both stories exemplify Benjamin’s ability to put across in pictures emotions. Readers that only like excitement or good feelings from their comic books may not like Remember, but readers who like engaging pathos will enjoy Remember.

Buy Remember

DMP Announces "All You Need is Love Volume 1"

Press release from Digital Manga Publishing:

All You Need Is Love Volume 1 (Yaoi novel)

Title: All You Need Is Love Volume 1 (Yaoi novel)
ISBN: 1569706107
ISBN13: 9781569706107
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Imprint Name: Juné
Price USD: $8.95
Writer: Jinko Fuyuno
Artist: Noboru Takatsuki
Release Date: January 27, 2010
Size: 5 “ x 7.5”
Format: Trade paperback
Page Count: 250
Series Volumes: 1 of 2
Series Frequency: 3-6 months
Recommended Age: Mature 18+
Genre: Yaoi, Romance

Summary
Junya Sawa is an ordinary man—a modestly successful bank employee in Tokyo. But that isn't the life he wanted for himself. In the eight years since he graduated from high school, he's been unable to forget the man who could have changed his life—Uzuki Kobayakawa, the heir to a yakuza dynasty in Tokyo. Now, brought together by chance once again, he's forced to face the choices he made in his youth that tore them apart and to decide whether their differences will keep them apart forever.

Other works by creative Teams
All You Need is Love (DMP: 9781569706114)
Eat or Be Eaten (DMP: 9781569706176) [END]

Chris Pine as Captain America?

The Geek Files has caught a rumor that Chris Pine, the Captain Kirk of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek, is the latest to be linked to the lead in Marvel Studios' upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America.  Other names linked to the part include Jensen Ackles of Supernatural, Chuck's Ryan McPartlin and One Tree Hill's Chad Michael Murray.

This blog entry also has some choice quotes from comic book creator/legend, Gene Colan.

One Piece We'll be Here

I read One Piece, Vol. 31

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

Christopher Nolan: I don't think of it as a comic book movie...

In light of the recent news that Christopher Nolan, director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, will be involved in the Warner Bros.' reboot of the Superman film franchise, MTV dug up on old interview they conducted with the acclaimed director.

Highlights:

“I think of it as a film that just exists in the cinematic realm," said Nolan, "I don't think of it as a comic book movie or just a comic book movie — and that's something that in the whole process — where from the screenwriting point of view or the production point of view and with all departments and everything we would never let people off the hook with the notion 'it's a comic book movie.'"



"We just tried to make a movie that stands as a movie," he added. "The fact that it happens to be based on a long history of this comic book character I think is irrelevant — I think it's on us to make a great movie and not rely on the fact that it's a comic book movie or excuse certain things because it's a comic book movie. We didn't want to do either; we just wanted to make as great of a movie that we possibly could.”

I completely agree.  Comic book movies should be movies first and filmmakers need not enslave themselves to the source material.  But they should expect big hate if the final product is awful (Catwoman).

First Issue of The Last Days of American Crime Gets a Second Printing

Press release from Radical Publishing:

THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1 SECOND PRINTING TO HIT SHELVES ALONGSIDE #2


Retailers and fans who missed The Last Days of American Crime #1 the first time around now have a second chance to pick up the newest critically acclaimed title from Rick Remender (Punisher, Fear Agent). Radical Publishing is pleased and proud to announce that the second printing of Remender’s newest sold-out crime masterpiece, featuring series artist Greg Tocchini (Marvel 1602: New World), will be hitting shelves again alongside the highly anticipated second issue.

The Last Days of American Crime takes place in the not-too-distant future, where the U.S. government plans in secret to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts as a final response to terrorism and crime. To keep this from the public, the government creates a distraction, installing a new currency system using digital charge cards. Graham Bricke, a career criminal never quite able to hit the big score, intends to steal one of the charging stations, skip the country and live off unlimited funds for the rest of his life. But the media has leaked news of the anti-crime signal one week before it was to go live... and now Graham and his team have just a few days to turn the heist of the century into the last crime in American history.

Critics and fans have raved over The Last Days of American Crime #1:

"From cover art to opening pages, Last Days hits readers with an unflinching dose of pulp noir seediness and doesn't let up." – John Geddes, USAToday.com

“…because there are no new stories, writers must perform a magic act in order to make the reader believe he is reading something new. Well, someone get Rick Remender a top hat and a wand because he accomplishes it in the down and dirty Last Days of American Crime. By infusing a classic noir heist with the tension of modern American politics, Remender gives us a great opening to a comic series – perhaps even on the level of Criminal or 100 Bullets.” – Andy Bentley, IGN Comics

“The Last Days of American Crime” #1 is a good first issue that sets up the world and the crime at hand well. If you enjoy “Criminal” and other crimes books, you’ll probably get a kick out of this.” – Chad Nevitt, Comic Book Resources

“Remender paces this first act with just enough information, bravado, and grizzled noir to keep a hungry reader satisfied.” – Noel Bartocci, Broken Frontier

“This is crime fiction at its best. Remender totally immerses you in their world, and it's a hell of a ride.” – Sebastian Piccione, Project Fanboy

Don’t miss your chance to join the heist of the century! Check out The Last Days of American Crime #1 second printing (Diamond Code: DEC098036) alongside The Last Days of American Crime #2 with covers by Alex Maleev (Diamond Code: DEC090978) and Greg Tocchini (Diamond Code: DEC090979). To find a comic store near you go to www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comic-book. [END]