QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 12-19-07
By John “Support the WGA!” Judy
Wishing you and yours a Super Saturnalia and a Fine Festivus!
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS VOL.3 GIANT-SIZED THING SC by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlevey. The final trade (for now!) of this great series collecting issues 7-9 for a well-deserved spot on your bookshelf. Funny, informative, and highly recommended.
ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #2 by Joss Whedon, Brian Lynch, and Franco Urru. Okay, Urru’s art isn’t terribly appealing to me but it’s great to see these characters again and the first issue laid the groundwork for an amazing “New Season” of adventures. Recommended for all Whedon addicts and fans of the “Angel” ensemble.
DETECTIVE COMICS # 839 by Paul Dini and Don Kramer. Wrapping up the whole Ras al Ghul resurrection thing. Honest.
EX MACHINA #33 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Mayor Hundred finally meets the Pope and learns how volatile a mix religion and politics can be! (Don’t tell Huckabee, Romney, and the kids. They’re fun to watch.) Always recommended.
GRENDEL: BEHOLD THE DEVIL #2 of 8 written and drawn by Matt Wagner. A bloody return for Wagner’s signature character, an amoral super-human crime-boss/novelist who pretty much can kill anyone who gets in his way. And he does! Thus, the mystery is: “Who is stalking the most dangerous man in the city?” Recommended.
HELLBLAZER: BLOODLINES SC by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Friends. Collecting a number of devilishly good tales from issues 49, 52-55, and 59-61 in which JC gives the First of the Fallen what fer! Among the best runs this series has ever had. Recommended.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #11 by Ed Brubaker , Matt Fraction, and David Aja. There are intrigues a-plenty as “Capital Cities of Heaven” keeps the action coming on every level. Very enjoyable, great art, no doubt to be one heck of a trade edition. Read it now anyway. Recommended.
INCREDIBLE HULK #112 by Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Khoi Pham. So while they’re figuring out how the new Red Hulk thing is gonna work we get to watch Hercules and the smart Asian kid dance with SHIELD. Has a nice Steranko tribute cover by Arthur Adams.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #16 by Dwayne McDuffie and Joe Benitez. Okay, ya remember that girl-Flash from the Tangent Universe of the nineties? Well, I do, not that I’m proud of it or anything. Anyway, she’s here and it looks like some of the other Tangent kids are along for the ride. Could be worse. Could be those “Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating…” characters. Thanks, Multi-verse!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #6 by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. Lots of wacky, Ultron-smashing action and the Sentry discovers an ominous new power. Plus, The “Bendis-Thought Balloon” romance continues!
MARVEL MASTERWORKS RAWHIDE KID, VOL. 2 HC by Stan Lee, jack Kirby, and quite a few other impressive folks. Collecting RAWHIDE # 26-35 from the days before the Kid was out of the closet! Fun for all ages!
NEW X-MEN #45 by Christopher Yost, Craig Kyle, and Humberto Ramos. Okay, I’ll be honest, I never read this book and have no idea if it’s great or typical X-fare. I mention it only because supposedly we can learn what happened in last week’s X-FACTOR here. And that, Virginia, is why everyone loves big cross-overs! Do as you see fit.
SHE-HULK #24 by Peter David and Shawn Moll. She-Hulk is living in a trailer park with a Skrull. So that’s one accounted for…
SPECIAL FORCES #2 of 6 written and drawn by Kyle Baker. The beautifully drawn second chapter in Baker’s dark satire of our military’s darker policy of recruiting the mentally and emotionally unfit for duty. If Baker had made this up it might be offensive. Sadly, the truth behind the fiction can only leave us grateful that some in the comics community are addressing it. Highly, highly recommended.
SUPERMAN #671 by Kurt Busiek and Peter Vale. Insect Queen is back! What? You want more? It’s Insect Queen!
WALKING DEAD VOL.3 HC by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. The deluxe edition collecting issues 25-36. NOT for kids. Kirkman continues some of the most interesting Universe creation that doesn’t involve super-heroes. Recommended for those who like their horror dark and thoughtful.
WOLVERINE FIREBREAK ONE-SHOT by Mike Carey and Scott Kolins with a back-up story by Macon Blair and Vasilis Lolos. Two done–in-one Wolvie shorts, both of which are a lot better than what’s being done in his two regular titles lately. Good reads.
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #20 by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. To all the kids out there who worry that having no discernable talent whatsoever may be an impediment to writing comics professionally, Daniel Way provides hope.
www.johnjudy.net
Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Tom Toles' favorite Washington space
Actually I really agree with him on this, although I have a lot of favorite spaces. It's the bonsai collection at the Botanic Gardens - see "Conversation Pieces" by Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, December 14, 2007; Page WE25. The Daumier pieces he mentions are actually sculptures in the National Gallery of Art's West building in the ground floor sculpture area.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
South African fine art animator William Kentridge
Kentridge is speaking at the Kennedy Center tonight, right now. So you're missing that. But you can read this article about him in today's Express - Glenn Dixon's "African Elegies: William Kentridge's animated films move into the concert hall," Express (December 13 2007).
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
OT: Interesting comic book contest
I got an email today from a Simon & Schuster marketer, asking me to mention her new project here. While I'd like to think I'm not for sale (cheaply), the novelty of the idea appealed to me. Accordingly, here's Leah Wasielewski on the contest:
I’m a marketing manager at Simon & Schuster, and I’m working on an exciting new blockbuster novel by N Y Times bestselling author, Matthew Reilly. Titled The 6 Sacred Stones, this is the sequel to 7 Deadly Wonders. Reilly is redefining the thriller for the 21st century with novels that rival video games and Hollywood blockbusters for pulse-racing, non-stop action.
We have a fantastic contest I’d love to share with you. It’s called our "Create a Comic Book for 6 Sacred Stones Contest"—in it, consumers are invited to create comic books based on chapter 1 of the book (we have a free excerpt online). In order to be eligible to enter, entrants must create a comic book that is no longer than 20 pages.
One Grand Prize will be awarded: Winning comic submission will be included in the mass market edition of 6 Sacred Stones to be published in January 2009.
Here is the full set of rules: http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?tab=1&feature_id=6256
Perhaps some of our DC-area creators will enter - it's probably a good bit of publicity for the winner. I haven't heard of anything like this before, and I think it's showing the growing popularity of comics. I'd be glad to hear from anyone about that they think.
I’m a marketing manager at Simon & Schuster, and I’m working on an exciting new blockbuster novel by N Y Times bestselling author, Matthew Reilly. Titled The 6 Sacred Stones, this is the sequel to 7 Deadly Wonders. Reilly is redefining the thriller for the 21st century with novels that rival video games and Hollywood blockbusters for pulse-racing, non-stop action.
We have a fantastic contest I’d love to share with you. It’s called our "Create a Comic Book for 6 Sacred Stones Contest"—in it, consumers are invited to create comic books based on chapter 1 of the book (we have a free excerpt online). In order to be eligible to enter, entrants must create a comic book that is no longer than 20 pages.
One Grand Prize will be awarded: Winning comic submission will be included in the mass market edition of 6 Sacred Stones to be published in January 2009.
Here is the full set of rules: http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?tab=1&feature_id=6256
Perhaps some of our DC-area creators will enter - it's probably a good bit of publicity for the winner. I haven't heard of anything like this before, and I think it's showing the growing popularity of comics. I'd be glad to hear from anyone about that they think.
Zippy a tounge-in-cheek Crumb homage?
Today's Zippy was about the joy of tape-dispensing machines - the same subject that Robert and Aline Crumb did a comic on in the New Yorker's putative cartoon issue a few weeks ago. My guess is it was a tip of the Zip to the Crumbs.
American U Prof Wenthe's graphic novel class
Michael got a press release yesterday. I'd take his course if I could.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/536090/
Source: American University
Released: Mon 10-Dec-2007, 12:50 ET
Graphic Novels Reach Academia
Newswise — Graphic novels, comic books’ grown up counterpart, have gained popular appeal in the last five years thanks to blockbuster Hollywood movies based on graphic novels like 300, Sin City, Ghost Rider and V for Vendetta. Now they have a place in academia. American University literature professor Michael Wenthe has brought the medium to the Department of Literature with a course titled, "The Graphic Novel."
“This definitely is a time when comics in general, and graphic novels as a species of them, have found a lot more general acceptance,” said Wenthe, who also creates comics along with graduate school friend Isaac Cates. “It would not have been nearly as easy to teach such a course 10 years ago, in part because there’s been an explosion of really good material in the last 10 years, but also because the wider public discourse about comics has gotten a lot more nuanced.”
An expert in medieval literature, Wenthe introduces students to the literary characters in graphic novels that find their roots in medieval literature and even the works of Shakespeare. The class has 13 required books including Jimmy Corrigan—the Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware, a 380-page exploration of the bleak life of a middle-aged man and his family’s 100-year history of withdrawal and loneliness. Also required are Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir Fun Home, Joe Sacco and Christopher Hitchens’ journalistic Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, Lynda Barry’s award-winning 100 Demons, and the complex City of Glass, written in part by Paul Karasik, who visited the class.
No longer relegated to the ever-ridiculed comic book store, graphic novels delve deeper into the human experience, rarely feature a superhero and are now popping up with regularity in libraries and book stores. Many graphic novels have even garnered major literary prizes, including the American Book Award. Wenthe is not the only academic teaching the virtues of comic books. Wake Forest University Sociologist Saylor Breckenridge has researched the subject, studying the relationship between comic books and popular culture.
Wenthe was trained in medieval literature at Duke, Harvard, Oxford, and Yale. His primary research interest – aside from graphic novels – involves international literature of King Arthur, and his current book project has the working title Arthurian Outsiders: The Dynamic of Difference in the Matter of Britain.
American University (www.american.edu) is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the U.S. and nearly 150 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/536090/
Source: American University
Released: Mon 10-Dec-2007, 12:50 ET
Graphic Novels Reach Academia
Newswise — Graphic novels, comic books’ grown up counterpart, have gained popular appeal in the last five years thanks to blockbuster Hollywood movies based on graphic novels like 300, Sin City, Ghost Rider and V for Vendetta. Now they have a place in academia. American University literature professor Michael Wenthe has brought the medium to the Department of Literature with a course titled, "The Graphic Novel."
“This definitely is a time when comics in general, and graphic novels as a species of them, have found a lot more general acceptance,” said Wenthe, who also creates comics along with graduate school friend Isaac Cates. “It would not have been nearly as easy to teach such a course 10 years ago, in part because there’s been an explosion of really good material in the last 10 years, but also because the wider public discourse about comics has gotten a lot more nuanced.”
An expert in medieval literature, Wenthe introduces students to the literary characters in graphic novels that find their roots in medieval literature and even the works of Shakespeare. The class has 13 required books including Jimmy Corrigan—the Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware, a 380-page exploration of the bleak life of a middle-aged man and his family’s 100-year history of withdrawal and loneliness. Also required are Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir Fun Home, Joe Sacco and Christopher Hitchens’ journalistic Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, Lynda Barry’s award-winning 100 Demons, and the complex City of Glass, written in part by Paul Karasik, who visited the class.
No longer relegated to the ever-ridiculed comic book store, graphic novels delve deeper into the human experience, rarely feature a superhero and are now popping up with regularity in libraries and book stores. Many graphic novels have even garnered major literary prizes, including the American Book Award. Wenthe is not the only academic teaching the virtues of comic books. Wake Forest University Sociologist Saylor Breckenridge has researched the subject, studying the relationship between comic books and popular culture.
Wenthe was trained in medieval literature at Duke, Harvard, Oxford, and Yale. His primary research interest – aside from graphic novels – involves international literature of King Arthur, and his current book project has the working title Arthurian Outsiders: The Dynamic of Difference in the Matter of Britain.
American University (www.american.edu) is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the U.S. and nearly 150 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
OT: John Lent interview
My friend John Lent was interviewed about the International Journal of Comic Art earlier this year by Steve Black, a librarian at the College of St. Rose. Black's transcribed the interview and put it online.
Nate Beeler featured in Cagle newsletter
As we mentioned, Nate Beeler of the Examiner is now syndicated by Cagle. Today was the second time he was the featured cartoonist in Cagle's email newsletter.
Feb 15: Swann Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon
Applications for the Swann Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon are due Feb. 15, 2008. The Swann Foundation makes an annual award of up to $15,000 to support scholarly graduate research in caricature and cartoon. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited M.A. or Ph.D program in a university in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Access guidelines and application at:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html
Contact Martha Kennedy with questions at 202/707-9115 or email swann@loc.gov
Martha H. Kennedy
Assistant Curator, Popular and Applied Graphic Art
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html
Contact Martha Kennedy with questions at 202/707-9115 or email swann@loc.gov
Martha H. Kennedy
Assistant Curator, Popular and Applied Graphic Art
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
Monday, December 10, 2007
Christmas decorating with Richard's Poor Almanack
Saturday's Post had another fun 'do-it-yourself' panel by Richard Thompson. So I cut out the Christmas Curmudgeons and decorated my computer at work.
(click on picture for larger version and for extra credit, find Michael Kahn lurking in the background)
The panel didn't come with a manger or anything so I had to make my own tree. Richard discussed the genesis of the panel on his blog - read the comments.
I think he should sponsor a contest for the best decorating scheme.
(click on picture for larger version and for extra credit, find Michael Kahn lurking in the background)The panel didn't come with a manger or anything so I had to make my own tree. Richard discussed the genesis of the panel on his blog - read the comments.
I think he should sponsor a contest for the best decorating scheme.
Marvel might have an image problem
Every once in a while, a Washington Times comes to hand and I read the comics and editorial cartoons. Here's one by Combs of Tribune Media Services that struck me today.
Perhaps most people wouldn't notice it, but as you can see the skull on the kid's shirt is clearly the Punisher's emblem.
The average non-comics reader would probably have heard of the two failed movies, the second with John Travolta, but the Punisher's been around since the early 1970s. He's from the time when Dirty Harry was in the theaters and The Destoyer and The Executioner were in men's novels.
I have no idea if this is drawn from life and some mass murderer really wore a Punisher t-shirt, or if the artist just liked the image, or what, but it seems like Marvel might end up with some image problems if cartoons like this one continue.
Perhaps most people wouldn't notice it, but as you can see the skull on the kid's shirt is clearly the Punisher's emblem.
The average non-comics reader would probably have heard of the two failed movies, the second with John Travolta, but the Punisher's been around since the early 1970s. He's from the time when Dirty Harry was in the theaters and The Destoyer and The Executioner were in men's novels.
I have no idea if this is drawn from life and some mass murderer really wore a Punisher t-shirt, or if the artist just liked the image, or what, but it seems like Marvel might end up with some image problems if cartoons like this one continue.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Mike Dirda goes "Snap Ploobadoof" for Don Martin
See his review, "The cartoonist who made Mad magazine truly mad for more than 30 years" By Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World Sunday, December 9, 2007; Page BW11.
(Actually that's the sound of Wonder Woman's bra opening)
(Actually that's the sound of Wonder Woman's bra opening)
Smithsonian curator wrote comics
See "A Local Life: Silvio A. Bedini: Collector and Scholar Pried Loose History's Secret Gems," By Patricia Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, December 9, 2007; Page C07. Anyone know any more about these?
NoVA's Luna Brothers interview and Zadzooks
See Luna "Brothers Hone Storytelling Acumen on Sword," by Matthew McLean, December 4, 2007
and today's Zadzook's column is "Paranormal forays in 'Bleach,' 'X-Files' DVDs," By Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times December 8, 2007.
and today's Zadzook's column is "Paranormal forays in 'Bleach,' 'X-Files' DVDs," By Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times December 8, 2007.
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 12-12-07
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 12-12-07
By John Judy
ART OF P. CRAIG RUSSELL HC by Himself. A sweet hardcover exploring Russell’s career from the beginning through today, including the artist’s personal favorites. Makes a great gift! For yourself!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #4 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard Tough week for the reluctant murderer/hero with fur. Recommended.
BAT LASH #1 of 6 by Peter Brandvold, Sergio Aragones, and John Severin. A fresh look at a classic DC Western hero by A-List creators. Gorgeous art by Severin. Recommended even if you’re not into Westerns.
BLACK ADAM THE DARK AGE #5 of 8 by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke. This gore-soaked epic continues as we see how far an obsessed super-man can go and still consider himself a hero. Not for kids.
BOOSTER GOLD #5 by Geoff Johns and Dan Jurgens. The time-travel series that doesn’t suck asks “Can Booster go back and prevent the Joker from shooting Batgirl?” So far this has been a great bunch of comics. Give it a look. Recommended.
BOYS #13 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. When super-heroes explode, who ya gonna call? Always highly recommended. NEVER for kids.
BPRD: KILLING GROUND #5 of 5 by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and Guy Davis. Wrapping things up on this latest Mignola Monster Mystery.
CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD: THE LAST ENEMY GN by Garth Ennis and Rob Steen. Aussie Pope Jacko dispatches his killer eunuch to whack Danny the anti-Christ. How are you possibly not gonna look? NOT for kids, highly recommended.
COUNTDOWN & STUFF by Everyone Who Was Available. #20 plus ARENA, plus RAY PALMER/RED SON, plus THE ATOM. DC sez “Gimme all yer money, punk!”
CRIMINAL VOL. 2: LAWLESS SC by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. If you’re a noir addict this is the week for you as we welcome this second collection of hard-hitting underworld tales from Brubaker/Phillips, as well as the criminally under-read SCALPED #12. (See below.) Highly recommended.
DC NEW FRONTIER ACTION FIGURES SERIES 2 including BATMAN, DR. FATE, MARTIAN MANHUNTER, and THE FLASH. Based on the Darwyn Cooke designs. Nice!
ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS #1 of 3 by Richard Starkings and Moritat. Africa and China are at war, fighting in Europe. Because what goes around comes around. It’s even better when it comes around with huge, genetically-mutated animal soldiers. Gotta look!
FANTASTIC FOUR #552 by Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier. Big fights with Doc Doom, droids, and maybe a Skrull…? They’re out there you know.
GREEN LANTERN #25 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Ethan Van Sciver. A double-sized issue wrapping up the Sinestro Corps War in style!
HATE ANNUAL #7 written and drawn by Peter Bagge. The latest on Buddy Bradley, plus the first re-printing of Bagge’s “Bat-Boy” strips from the late Weekly World News. There may be more but Fantagraphics’ website sucks almost as much as Avatar’s so I really don’t know.
MODERN MASTERS VOL. 14: FRANK CHO by Eric Nolen-Weathington. A book about a humble guy from Maryland who loves to draw monkeys, dinosaurs, and Lynda Carter. Read it and learn more!
NEW AVENGERS #37 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The Hood gets spanked. That didn’t take long. Skrulls?
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #14 Matt Fraction and Cory Walker. Kraven the Hunter’s kid can punch out the Rhino. If it happens in comics it must be true.
SALVATION RUN #2 of 7 by Bill Willingham and Sean Chen. Imagine the world’s worst super-villains all in one place. Now imagine it’s not the Republican National Convention. Fun stuff from the writer of “Fables.”
SCALPED #12 by Jason Aaron and John Paul Leon. The best comic you’re not reading concludes its first story-arc. So read it already! Highly recommended. Not for kids.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VOL. 3 SC by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, Carmine Infantino, and Others. Collecting the original series #37-60. Classic Silver-Age Fun! Great for all ages! Recommended!
STREETS OF GLORY #3 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. Colonel Dunn takes a posse of mercenaries on a hunt for Red Crow, the Apache terrorist/evil-doer who doesn’t appreciate all the freedom the white man wants to bring him. Not for kids. Recommended.
ULTIMATE IRON MAN II #1 by Orson Scott Card and Pasqual Ferry. Orson Scott Card comics trivia: If three people read this book that’ll be three times more than are reading “Red Prophet.” (Not counting the editor.)
ULTIMATES 2 HC by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. It’s got the whole second year, plus extra stuff. Basically crack in comics form. Lots of violence, some adult situations, not for younger kids.
WALKING DEAD #45 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Who’s gonna die this issue? Flip a coin. Highly recommended, NEVER for kids.
WELCOME TO TRANQUILITY VOL.1 SC by Gail Simon and Neil Googe. Collecting the first six issues of this clever and under-appreciated series about a town where super-heroes go to retire. Or at least try to… Recommended, especially if you like strong female leads.
WOLVERINE #60 by Marc Guggenheim and Howard Chaykin. The art’s kind of pretty.
WONDER WOMAN #15 by Gail Simone and Terry & Rachel Dodson. WW goes Old-School as she thumps Nazis like they oughta be thumped! Plus there’s dire doings on Paradise Island! Recommended!
X-FACTOR #26 by Peter David and Scot Eaton. Still hunting that mutant-killer Jesus-baby. Also, time travel happens. Big X-book cross-overs are the best. Always have been, going back decades especially at high altitudes in a tent full of smoke.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
ART OF P. CRAIG RUSSELL HC by Himself. A sweet hardcover exploring Russell’s career from the beginning through today, including the artist’s personal favorites. Makes a great gift! For yourself!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #4 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard Tough week for the reluctant murderer/hero with fur. Recommended.
BAT LASH #1 of 6 by Peter Brandvold, Sergio Aragones, and John Severin. A fresh look at a classic DC Western hero by A-List creators. Gorgeous art by Severin. Recommended even if you’re not into Westerns.
BLACK ADAM THE DARK AGE #5 of 8 by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke. This gore-soaked epic continues as we see how far an obsessed super-man can go and still consider himself a hero. Not for kids.
BOOSTER GOLD #5 by Geoff Johns and Dan Jurgens. The time-travel series that doesn’t suck asks “Can Booster go back and prevent the Joker from shooting Batgirl?” So far this has been a great bunch of comics. Give it a look. Recommended.
BOYS #13 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. When super-heroes explode, who ya gonna call? Always highly recommended. NEVER for kids.
BPRD: KILLING GROUND #5 of 5 by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, and Guy Davis. Wrapping things up on this latest Mignola Monster Mystery.
CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD: THE LAST ENEMY GN by Garth Ennis and Rob Steen. Aussie Pope Jacko dispatches his killer eunuch to whack Danny the anti-Christ. How are you possibly not gonna look? NOT for kids, highly recommended.
COUNTDOWN & STUFF by Everyone Who Was Available. #20 plus ARENA, plus RAY PALMER/RED SON, plus THE ATOM. DC sez “Gimme all yer money, punk!”
CRIMINAL VOL. 2: LAWLESS SC by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. If you’re a noir addict this is the week for you as we welcome this second collection of hard-hitting underworld tales from Brubaker/Phillips, as well as the criminally under-read SCALPED #12. (See below.) Highly recommended.
DC NEW FRONTIER ACTION FIGURES SERIES 2 including BATMAN, DR. FATE, MARTIAN MANHUNTER, and THE FLASH. Based on the Darwyn Cooke designs. Nice!
ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS #1 of 3 by Richard Starkings and Moritat. Africa and China are at war, fighting in Europe. Because what goes around comes around. It’s even better when it comes around with huge, genetically-mutated animal soldiers. Gotta look!
FANTASTIC FOUR #552 by Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier. Big fights with Doc Doom, droids, and maybe a Skrull…? They’re out there you know.
GREEN LANTERN #25 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Ethan Van Sciver. A double-sized issue wrapping up the Sinestro Corps War in style!
HATE ANNUAL #7 written and drawn by Peter Bagge. The latest on Buddy Bradley, plus the first re-printing of Bagge’s “Bat-Boy” strips from the late Weekly World News. There may be more but Fantagraphics’ website sucks almost as much as Avatar’s so I really don’t know.
MODERN MASTERS VOL. 14: FRANK CHO by Eric Nolen-Weathington. A book about a humble guy from Maryland who loves to draw monkeys, dinosaurs, and Lynda Carter. Read it and learn more!
NEW AVENGERS #37 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The Hood gets spanked. That didn’t take long. Skrulls?
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #14 Matt Fraction and Cory Walker. Kraven the Hunter’s kid can punch out the Rhino. If it happens in comics it must be true.
SALVATION RUN #2 of 7 by Bill Willingham and Sean Chen. Imagine the world’s worst super-villains all in one place. Now imagine it’s not the Republican National Convention. Fun stuff from the writer of “Fables.”
SCALPED #12 by Jason Aaron and John Paul Leon. The best comic you’re not reading concludes its first story-arc. So read it already! Highly recommended. Not for kids.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VOL. 3 SC by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, Carmine Infantino, and Others. Collecting the original series #37-60. Classic Silver-Age Fun! Great for all ages! Recommended!
STREETS OF GLORY #3 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. Colonel Dunn takes a posse of mercenaries on a hunt for Red Crow, the Apache terrorist/evil-doer who doesn’t appreciate all the freedom the white man wants to bring him. Not for kids. Recommended.
ULTIMATE IRON MAN II #1 by Orson Scott Card and Pasqual Ferry. Orson Scott Card comics trivia: If three people read this book that’ll be three times more than are reading “Red Prophet.” (Not counting the editor.)
ULTIMATES 2 HC by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. It’s got the whole second year, plus extra stuff. Basically crack in comics form. Lots of violence, some adult situations, not for younger kids.
WALKING DEAD #45 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Who’s gonna die this issue? Flip a coin. Highly recommended, NEVER for kids.
WELCOME TO TRANQUILITY VOL.1 SC by Gail Simon and Neil Googe. Collecting the first six issues of this clever and under-appreciated series about a town where super-heroes go to retire. Or at least try to… Recommended, especially if you like strong female leads.
WOLVERINE #60 by Marc Guggenheim and Howard Chaykin. The art’s kind of pretty.
WONDER WOMAN #15 by Gail Simone and Terry & Rachel Dodson. WW goes Old-School as she thumps Nazis like they oughta be thumped! Plus there’s dire doings on Paradise Island! Recommended!
X-FACTOR #26 by Peter David and Scot Eaton. Still hunting that mutant-killer Jesus-baby. Also, time travel happens. Big X-book cross-overs are the best. Always have been, going back decades especially at high altitudes in a tent full of smoke.
www.johnjudy.net
Friday, December 07, 2007
Berryman award named for DC cartoonists goes to Breen
Clifford Berryman, the dean of Washington cartoonists, and his son and fellow cartoonist Jim, are largely forgotten, but there's still a national cartooning award named for them and it's just been award to Steve Breen. See "National award for U-T's Breen," By Michael Stetz, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER, December 6, 2007.
Bits from the DC papers
In the Onion, we have Rabin, Nathan. 2007. Score one more: Futurama is back, in disappointingly familar form. Onion (December 6).
online at http://www.avclub.com/content/dvds/futurama_benders_big_score
Dale Rawlings and I have letters on Rob Ullman's dismissal in Savages!
Washington City Paper (December 7, 2007): 11
and finally in the Express, there's a wire story on the resurrection of the stop-motion puppets from Rankin-Bass's animation Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, and their triumphant US tour.
online at http://www.avclub.com/content/dvds/futurama_benders_big_score
Dale Rawlings and I have letters on Rob Ullman's dismissal in Savages!
Washington City Paper (December 7, 2007): 11
and finally in the Express, there's a wire story on the resurrection of the stop-motion puppets from Rankin-Bass's animation Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, and their triumphant US tour.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
December 8: 'Princess of Manga' Rumiko Takahashi films
The DC Anime Club is showing a marathon of Takahashi films including Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2 and InuYasha (the manga of which I'm reading now). Martin Luther King Jr. Library on 9th and G Sts, NW, noon to 5 pm, free.
OT: Nick Thorkelson & Harvey Pekar in NYC
Nick (who did the cover to the Interplanetary J... below) wrote in to say:
CUNY is hosting a promotion Monday night for SDS: A Graphic History, which has a story by me in it, that I will be presenting. Harvey Pekar, who wrote most of the book, will be there too. Here's the link, if you know anybody that might be interested: http://www.gothamcenter.org/forums/current.shtml (and if you want to see the comic I wrote for this, it's online at Http://nickthorkelson.com/hazardfinal01.htm ).
CUNY is hosting a promotion Monday night for SDS: A Graphic History, which has a story by me in it, that I will be presenting. Harvey Pekar, who wrote most of the book, will be there too. Here's the link, if you know anybody that might be interested: http://www.gothamcenter.org/forums/current.shtml (and if you want to see the comic I wrote for this, it's online at Http://nickthorkelson.com/hazardfinal01.htm ).
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Wash Post cancels Tom the Dancing Bug UPDATED
Ruben Bolling just sent me this press release:
PRESS RELEASE
December 5, 2007
The Washington Post to cancel “Tom the Dancing Bug”
The Washington Post’s Weekend section has decided to drop Ruben Bolling’s weekly comic strip “Tom the Dancing Bug,” as of the end of the year. The Weekend section has a new editor, Tracy Grant, who said that it was canceled for space reasons, and that her staffers did not object.
Ruben Bolling is extremely disappointed: “I feel that the strip has a special relationship with the readers in DC. The Washington Post is one of my earliest clients, and when they took on the comic strip, no other daily newspaper was running it. They took a big chance on me, and I hope that it continues to pay off. I get tons of emails from Post readers, and at my last appearance at a DC bookstore, there was a line out the door.”
However, Bolling said that the decision to drop the strip is not irreversible. “Tracy Grant did say that the cancelation is not written in stone. If she comes to feel that it was a mistake, she would reinstate the comic.”
“Tom the Dancing Bug” is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate to about 50 newspapers, and also appears in Salon.com. See www.tomthedancingbug.com
---------
Boy, how much more can the Post do for (rather to) us this week? Sunday they announced a shrunken Sunday comics section with smaller strips and Wizard of Id dropped, and now this. It makes me reconsider being a subscriber, I must say.
Ms. Grant's contact information should be grantt@washpost.com. Again, the Post is attempting to shrink to be interesting, and it's not working - literally half the reason I bother looking at the Weekend section is Tom the Dancing Bug (the other half is the museum review page since they dropped the stamps column years ago. Actually I read Eve Zibart's restaurant reviews too - and I really stopped paying attention to Weekend a year ago when they dropped their independent movie reviews in favor of rehashed Style section ones).
I was talking about this last night - why do newspapers offer their readers less and less and then act surprised when they lose readers? Why not offer more? Say an annual compilation of Cul de Sac Sunday strips in a collectible booklet? Or a full-spread cartoon map of DC? Make the comics section into a collectible comic book (and not reprint 1960s Spider-Man stories like the Examiner and Marvel did)? Or make it bigger and pay a cartoonist to stretch his imagination? Put some manga in the comics - something only available in the Post? Do something that people would like to have and keep and buy the paper for?
PRESS RELEASE
December 5, 2007
The Washington Post to cancel “Tom the Dancing Bug”
The Washington Post’s Weekend section has decided to drop Ruben Bolling’s weekly comic strip “Tom the Dancing Bug,” as of the end of the year. The Weekend section has a new editor, Tracy Grant, who said that it was canceled for space reasons, and that her staffers did not object.
Ruben Bolling is extremely disappointed: “I feel that the strip has a special relationship with the readers in DC. The Washington Post is one of my earliest clients, and when they took on the comic strip, no other daily newspaper was running it. They took a big chance on me, and I hope that it continues to pay off. I get tons of emails from Post readers, and at my last appearance at a DC bookstore, there was a line out the door.”
However, Bolling said that the decision to drop the strip is not irreversible. “Tracy Grant did say that the cancelation is not written in stone. If she comes to feel that it was a mistake, she would reinstate the comic.”
“Tom the Dancing Bug” is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate to about 50 newspapers, and also appears in Salon.com. See www.tomthedancingbug.com
---------
Boy, how much more can the Post do for (rather to) us this week? Sunday they announced a shrunken Sunday comics section with smaller strips and Wizard of Id dropped, and now this. It makes me reconsider being a subscriber, I must say.
Ms. Grant's contact information should be grantt@washpost.com. Again, the Post is attempting to shrink to be interesting, and it's not working - literally half the reason I bother looking at the Weekend section is Tom the Dancing Bug (the other half is the museum review page since they dropped the stamps column years ago. Actually I read Eve Zibart's restaurant reviews too - and I really stopped paying attention to Weekend a year ago when they dropped their independent movie reviews in favor of rehashed Style section ones).
I was talking about this last night - why do newspapers offer their readers less and less and then act surprised when they lose readers? Why not offer more? Say an annual compilation of Cul de Sac Sunday strips in a collectible booklet? Or a full-spread cartoon map of DC? Make the comics section into a collectible comic book (and not reprint 1960s Spider-Man stories like the Examiner and Marvel did)? Or make it bigger and pay a cartoonist to stretch his imagination? Put some manga in the comics - something only available in the Post? Do something that people would like to have and keep and buy the paper for?
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