Tuesday, August 24, 2010
August is the Month for Anniversaries
First, the Comic Book Bin turned 8 on August 8th. And today, August 24th, is the 7th anniversary of my first article posted there, which was a review of Powers #33. Don't forget the apps for the iPhone and Palm.
Social Media Powers Black Science Fiction and Fantasy
Black Web 2.0 has an interesting piece on Black science fiction and fantasy authors who use social media to reach readers. The authors mentioned:
1. Nalo Hopskinson
2. Nora K. (N.K.) Jemisin
3. Minister Faust
4. Charles Saunders
5. Nnedi Okorafor
1. Nalo Hopskinson
2. Nora K. (N.K.) Jemisin
3. Minister Faust
4. Charles Saunders
5. Nnedi Okorafor
Monday, August 23, 2010
Chew #13 Gets a Second Printing with New Cover
CHEW #13 sold out at distributor, follows the trend for other issues in incendiary "Just Desserts" story arc
You can't stop the Eisner Award winning series CHEW, written by John Layman and illustrated by Rob Guillory. The first two trades were instant bestsellers, and the individual issues of CHEW are just as hot! CHEW #13 has sold out at the distribution level, just like previous issues in the "Just Deserts" story arc, and Image Comics is taking the issue back to press with a special variant cover!
"I had a feeling #13 was going to go quick," Layman says. "Even when we were putting this together, the cover just jumped out at you, even more so than Rob's other excellent covers. Normally, I'm against slapping variant covers on reprints as exploitative and gratuitous, but we had an idea for a second homage cover that would really compliment the first, plus I think readers would think it was really cool. At least *I* think the idea was really cool, so we decided to do it."
CHEW #13 is part three of the "Just Desserts" story arc -- Unlucky Number Thirteen, in which we see the return of rogue cibopath Mason Savoy, a double agent is revealed, and a narrative dirty trick is played upon an unsuspecting readership!
CHEW #13 Second Printing (JUL108129), a 32 full-color comic book, will be in stores September 15, 2010. Don't miss CHEW #14 (JUN100454), available September 29, and CHEW #15 (JUL100395), a special issue introducing all-new characters and featuring a tri-fold poster cover, available November 10. Now available: CHEW VOL. 1 TP (SEP090288), collecting issues 1-5; CHEW VOL. 2: INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR TP (FEB100354), collecting issues 6-10; and CHEW: OMNIVORE EDITION HC (MAY100435), collecting issues 1-10 in an oversized hardcover.
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
Comici Updates on "Justice Direct"
Press release:
Comici update: The "First" Independent super hero to return? And quick name change for "Mickey the Z"
Justice Direct, first seen on the independent circuit of conventions and books from independents in the early to mid eighties, is getting a revamp. Plus Mickey gets another "Z"
PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 17, 2010 – Before leaving the independents in the mid eighties to work for the majors, and a career in commercial art and marketing, illustrator Vince Argondezzi contributed a great share of his talents to the independents, with artwork, and even the founding and co-founding of several imprints. Contributing to companies from Pacific to a company called Comico and everywhere in-between, Argondezzi was conceiving and drawing, with a successful track record that has given him a client list that stretches from the EPA to Time Warner, to Reed Elsivier.
Before leaving Comico completely due to creative and business differences in 1986 (as an artist doing Next Man with Roger Mc Kenzie; Argondezzi left several years earlier as the co-founder and an ostensible partner) he had given a hand in a variety of projects for the independents...Next Man, Comic Company A (now being rechristened Comici), as well as offerings for Pacific and Reggie Byers' (much missed) Victory Publications, among others. These projects have been near and dear to his heart, along with his latest, Mickey the Z.. At the very start of it all, and happy to say with a proven influence on many youngsters reading comics at the time (Argondezzi was a youngster himself), was the character coined "Justice Direct", from the first issue of the Comico early edition of Primer. Only ten pages long, Justice was done by the only working professional there at Comico at the time, Argondezzi, who was already storyboarding for ad agencies and getting work from DC Comics in their apprentice program. It told the story of Doug Direct, secret agent, who stumbled into a world of even higher high tech gadgetry and intrigue. It was simple for it's time, the first alternative independent super hero visually and continuity wise from the miasma of characters and concepts in that time period...but it got the attention of most readers as the only thing close to professionally produced material in the early Primers, and made a mark in the now famous "Presents" covers and posters, and basically, helped kick started the whole thing.
Fast forward twenty plus years. With several series under his belt, and tempered from years of medical and commercial illustration, Argondezzi is sizing up his first creation, and will be releasing brand new artwork for a possible revival. Argondezzi states: "Several Comico redos have been going on recently online, and while I'm wishing them well, they are nice, it looks like its not quite what I want.. The spirit of the company I came up with all those years ago was fun, spontaneity and excitement, and while I like the super mature stuff, and esoterica, and I can sort of keep up, I won't pretend that I'm a leader in that forte', or that I know everything. Only clowns pretend to know everything. I'm toying with possibly my own Comico redo...maybe that'll finally fill any void."
On a different note, a correction. Recently, several press releases were sent out, with some art and info on the above mentioned project "Mickey". In our haste, we did not do due diligence and check to see Mickey the Z was used properly. While the use of the name Zenith is involved in the story, we won't be using the name "Zenith" with this character. It was an oversight, and we're sorry if we confused anybody.
Comici update: The "First" Independent super hero to return? And quick name change for "Mickey the Z"
Justice Direct, first seen on the independent circuit of conventions and books from independents in the early to mid eighties, is getting a revamp. Plus Mickey gets another "Z"
PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 17, 2010 – Before leaving the independents in the mid eighties to work for the majors, and a career in commercial art and marketing, illustrator Vince Argondezzi contributed a great share of his talents to the independents, with artwork, and even the founding and co-founding of several imprints. Contributing to companies from Pacific to a company called Comico and everywhere in-between, Argondezzi was conceiving and drawing, with a successful track record that has given him a client list that stretches from the EPA to Time Warner, to Reed Elsivier.
Before leaving Comico completely due to creative and business differences in 1986 (as an artist doing Next Man with Roger Mc Kenzie; Argondezzi left several years earlier as the co-founder and an ostensible partner) he had given a hand in a variety of projects for the independents...Next Man, Comic Company A (now being rechristened Comici), as well as offerings for Pacific and Reggie Byers' (much missed) Victory Publications, among others. These projects have been near and dear to his heart, along with his latest, Mickey the Z.. At the very start of it all, and happy to say with a proven influence on many youngsters reading comics at the time (Argondezzi was a youngster himself), was the character coined "Justice Direct", from the first issue of the Comico early edition of Primer. Only ten pages long, Justice was done by the only working professional there at Comico at the time, Argondezzi, who was already storyboarding for ad agencies and getting work from DC Comics in their apprentice program. It told the story of Doug Direct, secret agent, who stumbled into a world of even higher high tech gadgetry and intrigue. It was simple for it's time, the first alternative independent super hero visually and continuity wise from the miasma of characters and concepts in that time period...but it got the attention of most readers as the only thing close to professionally produced material in the early Primers, and made a mark in the now famous "Presents" covers and posters, and basically, helped kick started the whole thing.
Fast forward twenty plus years. With several series under his belt, and tempered from years of medical and commercial illustration, Argondezzi is sizing up his first creation, and will be releasing brand new artwork for a possible revival. Argondezzi states: "Several Comico redos have been going on recently online, and while I'm wishing them well, they are nice, it looks like its not quite what I want.. The spirit of the company I came up with all those years ago was fun, spontaneity and excitement, and while I like the super mature stuff, and esoterica, and I can sort of keep up, I won't pretend that I'm a leader in that forte', or that I know everything. Only clowns pretend to know everything. I'm toying with possibly my own Comico redo...maybe that'll finally fill any void."
On a different note, a correction. Recently, several press releases were sent out, with some art and info on the above mentioned project "Mickey". In our haste, we did not do due diligence and check to see Mickey the Z was used properly. While the use of the name Zenith is involved in the story, we won't be using the name "Zenith" with this character. It was an oversight, and we're sorry if we confused anybody.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
PLB Comics at Baltimore Comic-Con
PLB Comics will debut their newest release, The Fall: Vengeance and Justice at this year's Baltimore Comic Con, table A76. A collection of short stories featuring PLB's break out character The Fall, Vengeance and Justice will feature writing and art work by such notable indie comic creators as Russell Walton, Jim McMunn, Nathan Thomas Milliner, Mathew and Josh Shockley and Brad Hudson. A special limited run blood soaked cover variant of the issue book will be available only to attendees of this year's Baltimore Comic Con.
The Fall Vengeance and Justice #1 is the newest title offered by PLB Comics. After the success of Mat Shockley’s Fall storyline from PLB COMICS PRESENTS #1, 2, and 3 PLB Comics felt that the demand for The Fall to have his very own book was too great to ignore.
With an impressive lineup of some of the finest Independent artists around, The Fall: Vengeance and Justice # 1 serves as a perfect jumping on point for new readers, and offers more gritty, hard-hitting Fall action for fans of the Fall story line from the “Presents” title.
PLB Comics Background:
PLB Comics is an independent group of artists and writers located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. PLB offers original concepts and fresh perspectives on the world of Sequential Art, while maintaining an appreciation for mainstream classics.
Founded in 1987, PLB Comics has been producing professional comic books and commissioned works utilizing the talented writers and artists found on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The PLB Comics team combines elements of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Adventure, Horror, Romance and Drama to create comic books that appeal to the broader audience while always keeping a flair for originality and innovation.
Bio:
Many years ago, brothers Josh and Mathew Shockley started creating their own comics. The two decided to focus their passion for comics toward the goal of producing comic books that met their discerning standards. PLB Comics was born, but it was about to grow from just the two brothers to a well-rounded and complementary creative team. After High School the two attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), and while there they met Karlton Hargrove, another fervent comic fan and top notch creator. The team now complete, PLB comics was ready to take off, and several issues later it shows no sign of slowing down. With over a 1,000 issues sold, and a fervent cult following, PLB Comics is quickly becoming a creative team to watch on the indie comics scene.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Kimi Ni Todoke Rival
I read Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 5
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phone apps and they're FREE).
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phone apps and they're FREE).
Laser Age Comics Presents "Yellow"
As ever, the book is challenging and controversial, and is set through the eyes of the main protagonist, as we follow them on a murderous rampage. Although the story, written by Jamie McMorrow, is dark and dangerous, there are some moments of startling tenderness and emotion. Meanwhile, the art by Garry McLaughlin renders the action in a full-colour style the pair have christened ‘muted pop’.
To promote the comic, McMorrow has crafted a 10-minute soundtrack called Theme from ‘Yellow’ which will be distributed free with the first 100 copies. Both comic and theme will be launched at a night in Glasgow in the first week in October, with a live band playing the soundtrack to a bewildered crowd. McMorrow and McLaughlin are already generating excitement for the launch after their successful event last year which saw DJs and video footage combine in a derelict hairdresser’s to set an uneasy mood, tempered by the excitement of the crowd.
Available now through online download, and from selected comic shops from October 2nd
For more information visit http://www.laseragecomics.com/
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