Ultimo and the Good Guys

I read Ultimo, Vol. 2

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has a new version of its iPhone app and an app for Palm webOS smartphones).

Elephantmen War Toys One-Shot Due in October

THE PERFECT SOLDIER

Marian Churchland returns to ELEPHANTMEN for War Toys one-shot

Russ Manning Award finalist Marian Churchland is returning to ELEPHANTMEN this October with the one-shot ELEPHANTMEN, WAR TOYS: AGATHE. Image Comics will release the book, written and drawn by Churchland with inks by Moritat, on October 20, 2010.

"I'm thrilled to have the chance to revisit one of ELEPHANTMEN's strongest characters, Yvette," says Churchland. "She's fierce, and she's formidable. Best of all, try as you might, she never relinquishes her inherent mystery."

In ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS ONE SHOT, French resistance fighter Yvette has survived the stunning conclusion of ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS, VOL. 1. As Yvette recovers from her injuries in a small village in Norway, the family that nurses her starts to wonder whether or not they have made the right decision...

ELEPHANTMEN, WAR TOYS: AGATHE, a 32-page full-color one-shot for $3.50, will be available October 20, 2010. Also available are ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 1: WOUNDED ANIMALS, ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 2: FATAL DISEASES, and ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 3: DANGEROUS LIAISONS, which collect the ongoing series.

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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline 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.

Bluewater Comics Brings Justin Bieber to "Fame"

JUSTIN BIEBER COMIC BOOK FROM BLUEWATER TAKES ON THE PHENOMENON

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber has it all: A booming musical career, a dedicated fan base, a smile that makes young girls swoon and an innocence that makes parents smile.

Now Bieber is set to become a comic book hero when Bluewater Productions taps his life story for its popular Fame series of biographical comics.

Fame: Justin Bieber is a traditional biography comic book and will hit comic book shops and online retailers in October. This 32-page issue will retail for $3.99.

Writer Tara Broeckel Ooten said that while researching the comic she became convinced that Bieber has what it takes to craft a long musical career.

“I'm reminded of the stories my mom tells about when she was young and Beatelmania invaded the United States. For me it was New Kids on the Block,” Broeckel Ooten said. “Now today's teens and tweens go wild for Justin, and rightly so. He is a talented young musician. He has such an enormous global fan base. That and his talent will probably give him some real staying power in the industry.”

Claudio Avella is the artist on the book, and Broeckel Ooten said that he perfectly captured the feel of her story.

“He is an extraordinary talent,” Broeckel Ooten said of Avella. “His work has a real energy and life to it, a positive energy that works well for this book.”

Bieber certainly has a story worth telling. He's a self-made star who used technology and social networking to promote himself and his music. He also happens to make music that's undeniably infectious.

“I listened to Bieber's music for the first time while working on this project, and I have to admit, it can really stick with you,” Broeckel Ooten said. “I would hear it played somewhere, usually in Target, and I'd start singing along. I respect the musicianship that Bieber brings to his projects.”

Bieber is far from the first celebrity to appear in Bluewater's Fame series. He joins Lady Gaga and Twilight star Robert Pattinson, both of whose Fame issues sold out of their first runs, along with Tyler Lautner and soccer star David Beckham. Two new issues of Fame come out this month featuring Kristen Stewart and Taylor Swift.

Darren G. Davis, founder and president of Bluewater Productions, says that the biographical comics continually bring new readers to sequential storytelling. “This is a great medium for kids as well as adults. I had a hard time reading as a kid and comic books really improved my reading skills. One of the goals is trying to get kids away from the video games and reading more”

“With the Fame series, and our other biographical titles, we have succeeded in exposing comic books to readers who otherwise wouldn't pick up, say, an issue of Spider-Man,” Davis said. “I'm certain that our Justin Bieber comic will do the same; he certainly has a devoted group of fans whom I'm sure will be thrilled to see their favorite performer immortalized in comic form.”

In addition to its Fame series, Bluewater publishes Female Force, which looks at successful women, and Political Power, which traces the history of the world's most powerful politicians. Bluewater also publishes science-fiction, superhero, young adult and horror comics.

You can check out exclusive pages of the Fame: Justin Bieber comic book at RADARONLINE.COM by clicking here: http://bit.ly/8ZHVUn

To pre-order the comic book contact your local comic book store by going to www.comicshoplocator.com .

For more information about the company, visit http://www.bluewaterprod.com/.

About Bluewater Productions
Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis” ”Bluewater publishes comic books in partnership with entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” et al) and celebrated actor Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Additionally, Bluewater publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry's top artists and writers.

Green Lantern Movie Costume Controversy in a Box

For filming, Reynolds' actual costume that he wears on set is full of sensors, much like the suits that athletes wear when lending their on-field moves to video games. After the scenes are shot, the sensors allow for the costume to be added via post-production technology. The reveal of Reynolds' computer-created costume has garnered reactions that range from praise to saying the thing makes Reynolds look a little "silly."

Thus, begins the controversy over Ryan Reynold's Green Lantern costume for the much anticipated Summer 2011 superhero movie.  You can read the rest of the article at Yahoo.

Is this Firestorm pantaloons... firestorm all over again?

Comic book movies are not comic books.  Movies are a different medium from comic books, and the people involved in making movies have different ideas about the hows, whys, and whats of superheroes than comic book creators do.  Do I really have to say that?  All these comic book fan(atic)s need to get over themselves.  They don't call the shots in Hollywood; they barely do in the comic book industry.  Or is it that they just love to complain.

Megan Kelso in Seattle on July 20th

MEGAN KELSO CELEBRATES NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL AT THE THIRD PLACE BOOKS ON JULY 20

Suffering from Comicon separation anxiety? Fantagraphics Books and Seattle's Third Place Books are proud to present an evening with acclaimed graphic novelist Megan Kelso on Tuesday, July 20, talking about and signing her new graphic novel, ARTICHOKE TALES, which the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW recently hailed as "surprising and wonderful,” and about which STRANGER Books Editor Paul Constant declared, “[it] feels like a series of expansions. The characters and their world grow to envelop the reader in a singular, charming way.”

Kelso will be making a rare appearance in her hometown of Seattle, WA, giving a multimedia talk called "Big and Small": How do you construct a story that includes the big wide world, history, culture, sweeping events like war and political change, but that also includes personal, intimate character-driven things like friendship, family relationships, love, sex, babies and dying? How do you meld the two together into a believable whole? How do you humanize important historical players, kings, queens and presidents, and also show how the personal lives of ordinary people are affected by grand events that take place outside their doors? These are the essential questions that Kelso asked herself throughout the creation ofArtichoke Tales, and she answers them through examples of her own work, as well as other artists who are engaged with similar issues, from Joe Sacco to Lynda Barry.

This lively talk will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience and book signing.

Listing information:
WHO: Megan Kelso
WHAT: Multimedia talk and book signing
WHERE: Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115
WHEN: Tuesday, June 20, 7PM

ARTICHOKE TALES is the long-awaited graphic novel from Megan Kelso, a six-years-in-the-making family saga spanning three generations and an entire continent. This coming-of-age story is about a young girl named Brigitte whose family is caught between the two warring sides of a civil war, taking place in a world that echoes our own, but whose people have artichoke leaves instead of hair. Influenced in equal parts by Little House on the Prairie, The Thorn Birds, Dharma Bums, and Cold Mountain, Kelso weaves a moving story about family amidst war. Kelso’s visual storytelling, uniquely combining delicate linework with rhythmic, musical page compositions, creates a dramatic tension between intimate, ruminative character studies and the unflinching depiction of the consequences of war and carnage, lending cohesion and resonance to a generational epic. This is Kelso’s first new work in four years; the widespread critical reception of her previous work, THE SQUIRREL MOTHER, makes Artichoke Tales one of the most eagerly anticipated graphic novels of 2010.

Liberty Comics 2010 Set for October 2010

GIVE ME FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Image Comics to release LIBERTY COMICS 2010 in October, benefiting the CBLDF

What do Frank Miller, Jeff Smith, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and Image Comics have in common? They all support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which protects your right to make, sell and read the comics you love. Image Comics is showing its continued support for the CBLDF with the publication of LIBERTY COMICS 2010 this October.

The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance and education in furtherance of these goals.

LIBERTY COMICS is the annual ensemble of comic book greats, all of whom have donated their time and energy to support the CBLDF. With two issues published to date, LIBERTY COMICS has raised over $50,000 for the Fund.

LIBERTY COMICS 2010 will feature some of the best in the industry, including a new The Boys story by GARTH ENNIS & ROB STEEN, the first new Megaton Man adventure by DON SIMPSON in over a decade, an all-new Milk & Cheese story by EVAN DORKIN, a preview of The Contrarian by SCOTT MORSE, a new Conan tale by DARICK ROBERTSON, Boilerplate by ANINA BENNETT & PAUL GUINAN and "Why We Fight!" by LIBERTY COMICS editor LARRY MARDER.

LIBERTY COMICS will also feature all-new short stories and illustrations by GEOFF JOHNS & SCOTT KOLINS, FRANK MILLER, GABRIEL BÁ & FÁBIO MOON, PAUL POPE, JEFF SMITH, TERRY MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS, BRIAN AZZARELLO & JILL THOMPSON, ROB LIEFELD, COLLEEN DORAN and SKOTTIE YOUNG as well as all new covers by JIM LEE and DARICK ROBERTSON. Design for the entire package is contributed, as always, by Richard Starkings and John Roshell from Comicraft.

"The comics community would be at a great loss without the CBLDF around to protect our First Amendment rights," says Marder. "LIBERTY COMICS is such a great way both creators and comics fans can show their support. Creators break into their busy schedules, donating their time and creativity. Fans can express their appreciation by purchasing LIBERTY COMICS from the CBLDF or from their favorite comics shop. I think this year's LIBERTY COMICS will be the most diverse and cool issue yet!"

Adds Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson, "We've always been enthusiastic in our support for the CBLDF, but it's both an honor and a pleasure to be involved with the many fine creators donating their talents to LIBERTY COMICS. Larry's put together an outstanding book this year!"

LIBERTY COMICS 2010, a 48-page full-color comic book from Image Comics, will be available October 6, 2010. All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!


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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline 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.

Black Lagoon Ends the Dance

I read Black Lagoon, Vol. 9

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which now has a version two of its iPhone app).