QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 12-24-08
By John “Krampus” Judy
(Wishing you and yours a Super Saturnalia and a Sizzlin’ Solstice!)
AMERICAN FLAGG DEFINITIVE COLLECTION, VOL. 1 TP written and drawn by Howard Chaykin. The first seven issues of the Eagle Award-winning sci-fi cop adventure series that put Chaykin on the map!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #11 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Guest-starring Invincible, who had better hope he can live up to his name.
BATMAN #683 by Grant Morrison and Lee Garbett. More musings and strung together vignettes from Morrison’s batcave opium dream.
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #3 written and drawn by Mike Kunkel. The continuing saga of Captain Marvel versus Black Adam, told in an all-ages appropriate style. Fun, out of continuity stuff!
DAREDEVIL #114 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. High-kickin’, ninja-killin’, blind as a bat, kung-fu action! Recommended!
HULK #9 by Jeph Loeb, Art Adams and Frank Cho. If you liked last issue you’ll like this one too!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #21 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. The Iron Fist of the future fights a kung-fu robot! Honest!
NEW AVENGERS #48 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. There have been a few changes in the line-up since Norman Osborn took over the show from Tony Stark. Hence the “New” in the title.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. The Magic Eightball of the comics biz!
PUNISHER WAR ZONE #3 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. Spare yourself the pain. Skip the movie and buy the comic. Recommended.
THOR #12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. Sure, Loki’s schemes are bound to put Asgard in a tizzy right quick, but what’s it all mean to Broxton, Oklahoma? Will the wavin’ wheat still smell sweet? The wheat-watch starts here!
TOP TEN SEASON TWO #3 of 4 by Zander Canon and Gene Ha. More quality time with the good peace officers of Neopolis. Amazingly good stuff even without Alan Moore. Recommended.
ULTIMATUM #2 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and David Finch. Glug, glug, glug, Magneto, glug, glug, glug…
UNKNOWN SOLDIER #3 by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli. The Doctor becomes The Soldier in this latest iteration of the classic DC war hero. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Cartoons can put you in jail in America and Australia
People were mocking an Australian judge for declaring that cartoons using the Simpsons children in sexual situations wasn't just bad taste or copyright violations, but rather "Fake Simpsons cartoon 'is porn'" The BBC article by Nick Bryant noted, "An appeal judge in Australia has ruled that an animation depicting well-known cartoon characters engaging in sexual acts is child pornography."
Well, here in America, judges in Richmond (90 miles from DC) just did the same thing - "Child porn cartoon conviction upheld in Va." by LARRY O'DELL, The Associated Press, Friday, December 19, 2008. O'Dell wrote, "Child pornography is illegal even if the pictures are drawn, a federal appeals panel said in affirming the nation's first conviction under a 2003 federal law against such cartoons. ... Judge Paul V. Niemeyer noted in the majority opinion that the statute under which Whorley was convicted, the PROTECT Act of 2003, clearly states that "it is not a required element of any offense under this section that the minor depicted actually exists.""
There's a similar case going on now in now in Iowa that the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is helping with.
I have a child, and have no interest in this type of thing, but one wonders why the First Amendment only applies once in a while. I don't recall any add-ons that say "except for photographs or artwork that we really don't like."
Well, here in America, judges in Richmond (90 miles from DC) just did the same thing - "Child porn cartoon conviction upheld in Va." by LARRY O'DELL, The Associated Press, Friday, December 19, 2008. O'Dell wrote, "Child pornography is illegal even if the pictures are drawn, a federal appeals panel said in affirming the nation's first conviction under a 2003 federal law against such cartoons. ... Judge Paul V. Niemeyer noted in the majority opinion that the statute under which Whorley was convicted, the PROTECT Act of 2003, clearly states that "it is not a required element of any offense under this section that the minor depicted actually exists.""
There's a similar case going on now in now in Iowa that the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is helping with.
I have a child, and have no interest in this type of thing, but one wonders why the First Amendment only applies once in a while. I don't recall any add-ons that say "except for photographs or artwork that we really don't like."
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Tale of Despereaux reviews
"The Mouse That Bored: 'Despereaux' Delivers Exquisite Technology -- Storytellers Simply Failed To Affix a Proper Tale," By John Anderson, The Washington Post
Friday, December 19, 2008; C01.
"Killer Soup, and a Mouse to the Rescue," By MANOHLA DARGIS, New York Times December 19, 2008.
Friday, December 19, 2008; C01.
"Killer Soup, and a Mouse to the Rescue," By MANOHLA DARGIS, New York Times December 19, 2008.
Our Man Thompson's Obama-nation
The New Yorker is selling prints of the drawing of Obama as FDR that Richard did for them a few week ago.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Kal designs new board game
The subject line "Kal designs new board game" sucked me right into the email:
If your financial indicators are looking down, there is one way to pick your spirits up. Play "Credit Crunch", the new board game launched in this week's Christmas double edition of The Economist. The game (designed and created by Kal ) is also available to all online. Go to
www.Economist.com/boardgame
to download the board, currency, playing cards, rules, and player icons.
Let me know if you play the game and how it works out. We can tweak the rules with feedback from readers.
Oh, man, I just love this stuff. I'll be assembling one of these babies. There's a hard copy in the December 20th issue, as well as a Tintin article.
A not-quite-ready for Bollywood Superman
This is a fun little story about a quirky small budget Superman movie being made in India, although I'm sure that the Time-Warner lawyers have already descended on them as a result of this article - "Spinning Quirky Yarns: Film Industry in Small Indian Textile Town Makes Low-Budget Parodies Of Bollywood Smash Hits With a Lot of Heart, Local Flavor and Ingenuity," By Rama Lakshmi, Washington Post Foreign Service, Thursday, December 18, 2008; A19.
A couple of Baltimore comics events this weekend
Tom Chalkley, whose work I've seen in the Baltimore City Paper and who spoke at SPX/ICAF years ago has a caricature poster on Baltimore history out now. He'll be signing it this weekend - "Local artist Tom Chalkley will be signing copies of his Ultimate Cartoon Map of Baltimore this Friday at the Women’s Industrial Exchange from noon to 1:30 p.m. and this Sunday at the Red Canoe Bookstore/Café from 1-3 p.m."
Meanwhile the Post reports, "Super Art Fight, which will kick off its third edition Saturday night at Baltimore's Ottobar, pits indie comics artists against one another in head-to-head drawing battles." $10. Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday. 2549 N. Howard St., Baltimore. 410-662-0069 or http://www.superartfight.com.
Meanwhile the Post reports, "Super Art Fight, which will kick off its third edition Saturday night at Baltimore's Ottobar, pits indie comics artists against one another in head-to-head drawing battles." $10. Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday. 2549 N. Howard St., Baltimore. 410-662-0069 or http://www.superartfight.com.
Zadzooks holiday gift ideas
"ZADZOOKS: Superhero gift ideas in comics, figures and video games; At play in comics, film worlds," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times Thursday, December 18, 2008.
Meanwhile Greg recommends Secret Invasion #8 (eh) and a Spirit collection (yes!) in "Bennett's Best for the week of November 30," By Greg Bennett, Zadzooks Blog December 14 2008.
Meanwhile Greg recommends Secret Invasion #8 (eh) and a Spirit collection (yes!) in "Bennett's Best for the week of November 30," By Greg Bennett, Zadzooks Blog December 14 2008.
Spirit movie advertisements showing up in comic stores
Some of the advertising material for the Spirit movie that was distributed to comic book shops. That's a temporary lipstick tattoo, a set of 4 trading cards of the women in the movie and the box they're in, and a glow-in-the-dark sneaker print sticker. Big Planet Comics Bethesda has a pile of movie posters that they're giving away. I've also seen a keychain with recordings from the movie on it.
Variety didn't like the movie very much (tip from Mr. Media Bob Andelman).
Darrin Bell of Candorville interviewed at Comic Riffs
Yesterday and today - "The Interview: 'Candorville' Cartoonist Darrin Bell" By Michael Cavna | December 17, 2008; "The Interview: 'Candorville' Cartoonist Darrin Bell (Pt. 2)," By Michael Cavna | December 18, 2008.
Bell's been riffing on Congressional hearings for comic book characters all week. It's been fun. As Tom Inge says (and in fact wrote a book about), "Anything can happen in a comic strip."
Bell's been riffing on Congressional hearings for comic book characters all week. It's been fun. As Tom Inge says (and in fact wrote a book about), "Anything can happen in a comic strip."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
OT: Kirk Anderson's new book of political cartoons
Political cartoonist Kirk Anderson wrote in (and note that Washington Post connection!) so I'll give him some electrons too (and coincidentally, here's an editorial he wrote that I just ran across):
My new book, Banana Republic: Adventures in Amnesia, is a collection of the weekly, quarter-page cartoons of the same name that ran in the Minneapolis Star Tribune for years, a sort of serialized graphic novel in a mainstream family newspaper. The fictional banana republic of Amnesia parodies America's War on Terror. More information is below and at the website. I have been a political cartoonist for 20 years, including eight as the staff editorial cartoonist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. My work has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Onion, Newsweek, and hundreds of other trusted publications around the world.
BANANA REPUBLIC
- Adventures in Amnesia -
the small backward Third World nation with hearts of silver and mines of gold
www.MolotovComix.com
BANANA REPUBLIC follows the mischievous death squads and hilarious junta hijinks of Amnesia, a zany Third World dictatorship that is the polar opposite of America! In Amnesia, Generalissimo Wally engages in roughhousing practices we would consider unconstitutional in our own country, such as torture, warrentless surveillance, and imprisonment without charge! Why, even secret prisons are not unheard of! Unlike the advanced American system, the Amnesian regime only serves the wealthy elite, not the peasant classes; in fact, politicians openly take money from wealthy businessmen with direct financial stakes in pending legislation! From the Amnesians' overflowing prisons to their state propaganda, from their crippling foreign debt to their questionable elections, from their privately contracted paramilitaries to their millions without basic health care, you'll be chuckling, "Thank God WE don't live in a banana republic!"
"Kirk Anderson is an outrageously bold and talented cartoonist. [Banana Republic] entertained me hugely... a hilarious education in recent history." – Howard Zinn, historian and author of A People's History of the United States
My new book, Banana Republic: Adventures in Amnesia, is a collection of the weekly, quarter-page cartoons of the same name that ran in the Minneapolis Star Tribune for years, a sort of serialized graphic novel in a mainstream family newspaper. The fictional banana republic of Amnesia parodies America's War on Terror. More information is below and at the website. I have been a political cartoonist for 20 years, including eight as the staff editorial cartoonist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. My work has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Onion, Newsweek, and hundreds of other trusted publications around the world.
BANANA REPUBLIC
- Adventures in Amnesia -
the small backward Third World nation with hearts of silver and mines of gold
www.MolotovComix.com
BANANA REPUBLIC follows the mischievous death squads and hilarious junta hijinks of Amnesia, a zany Third World dictatorship that is the polar opposite of America! In Amnesia, Generalissimo Wally engages in roughhousing practices we would consider unconstitutional in our own country, such as torture, warrentless surveillance, and imprisonment without charge! Why, even secret prisons are not unheard of! Unlike the advanced American system, the Amnesian regime only serves the wealthy elite, not the peasant classes; in fact, politicians openly take money from wealthy businessmen with direct financial stakes in pending legislation! From the Amnesians' overflowing prisons to their state propaganda, from their crippling foreign debt to their questionable elections, from their privately contracted paramilitaries to their millions without basic health care, you'll be chuckling, "Thank God WE don't live in a banana republic!"
"Kirk Anderson is an outrageously bold and talented cartoonist. [Banana Republic] entertained me hugely... a hilarious education in recent history." – Howard Zinn, historian and author of A People's History of the United States
OT: Mark Doeffinger cartoon blog
This one came over the transom a few days ago. I don't know Mark, nor where he's based, but with the market for a lot of cartoonists imploding, I figured there's no reason not to use a few electrons to try to help:
I just started a website which is also a blog of my cartoons. I update my cartoons 5 to 6 days per week. The address of my website is: thelitestuffcartoons.com
The cartoons are, I hope, witty and clever. If you like my cartoons, I would appreciate it if you would tell your readers about my website. I have been drawing cartoons for many years.
Many thanks.
Mark Doeffinger
I just started a website which is also a blog of my cartoons. I update my cartoons 5 to 6 days per week. The address of my website is: thelitestuffcartoons.com
The cartoons are, I hope, witty and clever. If you like my cartoons, I would appreciate it if you would tell your readers about my website. I have been drawing cartoons for many years.
Many thanks.
Mark Doeffinger
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The It's a Small World Department
My correspondence buddy Wim Lockefeer (we trade comics ephemera and stamps) has put up his best of the year list and on it is Chris Grine's Chickenhare: Fire in the Hole. Our Man Thompson sat next to Chris at HeroesCon this year so we talked to him quite a bit. I wholeheartedly agree with Wim's endorsement - I bought both of his books for my daughter.
That darn Oliphant... and the Post too!
Bygod, the Post isn't coordinating its editorial page, its syndicated editorial cartoons and its news reporting! For details, see "Forty miles (and some fuel): Oliphant and Washington Post ignorantly smear GM and plug-in hybrids," by Joseph Romm (Guest Contributor), Grist 15 Dec 2008. Cartoons aren't meant to be funny apparently, but should be educational and truthful without exaggeration. We should call them something else maybe. Any suggestions?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Shrek the Musical reviews
This just seems like a bad idea to me, but then again I didn't like the movies.
"The Belching Green Ogre Has a Song in His Heart," By BEN BRANTLEY, New York Times December 15, 2008
"Here Comes 'Shrek.' Hold Your Nose," By Peter Marks, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, December 15, 2008; C01
and here's Bloomberg News just to be different: "Lovable Shrek, Fiona Animate Broadway’s New Cartoon," Review by John Simon.
"The Belching Green Ogre Has a Song in His Heart," By BEN BRANTLEY, New York Times December 15, 2008
"Here Comes 'Shrek.' Hold Your Nose," By Peter Marks, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, December 15, 2008; C01
and here's Bloomberg News just to be different: "Lovable Shrek, Fiona Animate Broadway’s New Cartoon," Review by John Simon.
Best Wishes to Greg McElhatton
ComicsDC sends our Best Wishes to Greg McElhatton, who had some surgery today. I usually only run into Greg once a year at SPX which he's worked on. It's amazing how spread out the DC comics community can be.
QUICK REVIEWS OF COMICS DUE 12-17-08
QUICK REVIEWS OF COMICS DUE 12-17-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #581 by Dan Slott and Mike McKone. So how did Harry Osborn come back to life anyway?
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #19 by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli. Okay, so the Skrull invasion ended a week or so ago but some of these titles are still catching up with the Big Fights and such. Watch Dan Slott make it work. It’s eerie.
BEANWORLD HOLIDAY SPECIAL ONE-SHOT written a drawn by Larry Marder. Dark Horse Comics gives us the first new BEANWORLD in over a decade. Reads a bit like LITTLE NEMO. Looks a bit like nothing else. Not saying you should alter your consciousness before reading but neither am I saying you shouldn’t.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #20 by Jeph Loeb, Georges Jeanty and Eric Wright. A Buffy comic inspired by the Buffy animated series that never was. And yes, you can detect a distinct SCOOBY-DOO influence.
DARK REIGN: NEW NATION #1 by Lotsa People. Basically giving you the lay of the new Marvel Universe, post-Skrull, in the Age of Osborn.
DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2008 by Various Creators. Your yearly anthology of all-ages fun. Makes a great stocking stuffer!
EX MACHINA #40 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. A stand-alone story of Mayor Hundred’s search for a biographer who can do graphic novels. Such a cool series. Recommended.
GHOST RIDER #30 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. League of Extraordinary Ghost Riders? Ghost Rider League of America? The X-Ghost Riders? There’s more than one is what I’m getting at here…
HELLBLAZER #250 by Lots of Amazing Talent. Featuring five tales of John Constantine and the holidays. Your must-have Vertigo book of the month!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #20 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. The Wasp is dead. We’re almost certain of it. Set your resurrection clocks… NOW!
PUNISHER MAX #65 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Punisher versus Jigsaw in old Mexico. The fur will fly. Not for kids.
PUNISHER WAR ZONE #2 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Tony Harris. Ma Gnucci is challenging Jigsaw for the title of “Punisher Foe Who Remains Alive Beyond All Reasonable Expectation.” It’s Ennis so expect depravity on a Roman scale. Recommended.
SPIDER-MAN: NOIR #1 of 4 by David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky. Based on the excellence of X-MEN: NOIR I’m already calling this the coolest alternate universe in years! Iconic Marvel characters done up thirties gangland style. “Wid great power dere comes watchya call yer great responsibility, see?” Recommended!
SUPERGIRL #36 by Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. SG’s dad, Zor-El, just got kryptonite-lasered through the heart. Hope he’s okay.
THUNDERBOLTS #127 by Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre. The old order changeth. The hard way. Will Songbird survive Bullseye’s undivided attention? Gotta look!
WALKING DEAD #56 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Kirkman/Adlard trees bear strange fruit. Brrr… Not for kids. Recommended.
X-MEN LEGACY #219 by Mike Carey and Phil Briones. Professor X versus Juggernaut. This could be a real short issue….
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #581 by Dan Slott and Mike McKone. So how did Harry Osborn come back to life anyway?
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #19 by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli. Okay, so the Skrull invasion ended a week or so ago but some of these titles are still catching up with the Big Fights and such. Watch Dan Slott make it work. It’s eerie.
BEANWORLD HOLIDAY SPECIAL ONE-SHOT written a drawn by Larry Marder. Dark Horse Comics gives us the first new BEANWORLD in over a decade. Reads a bit like LITTLE NEMO. Looks a bit like nothing else. Not saying you should alter your consciousness before reading but neither am I saying you shouldn’t.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #20 by Jeph Loeb, Georges Jeanty and Eric Wright. A Buffy comic inspired by the Buffy animated series that never was. And yes, you can detect a distinct SCOOBY-DOO influence.
DARK REIGN: NEW NATION #1 by Lotsa People. Basically giving you the lay of the new Marvel Universe, post-Skrull, in the Age of Osborn.
DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2008 by Various Creators. Your yearly anthology of all-ages fun. Makes a great stocking stuffer!
EX MACHINA #40 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. A stand-alone story of Mayor Hundred’s search for a biographer who can do graphic novels. Such a cool series. Recommended.
GHOST RIDER #30 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. League of Extraordinary Ghost Riders? Ghost Rider League of America? The X-Ghost Riders? There’s more than one is what I’m getting at here…
HELLBLAZER #250 by Lots of Amazing Talent. Featuring five tales of John Constantine and the holidays. Your must-have Vertigo book of the month!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #20 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. The Wasp is dead. We’re almost certain of it. Set your resurrection clocks… NOW!
PUNISHER MAX #65 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Punisher versus Jigsaw in old Mexico. The fur will fly. Not for kids.
PUNISHER WAR ZONE #2 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Tony Harris. Ma Gnucci is challenging Jigsaw for the title of “Punisher Foe Who Remains Alive Beyond All Reasonable Expectation.” It’s Ennis so expect depravity on a Roman scale. Recommended.
SPIDER-MAN: NOIR #1 of 4 by David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky. Based on the excellence of X-MEN: NOIR I’m already calling this the coolest alternate universe in years! Iconic Marvel characters done up thirties gangland style. “Wid great power dere comes watchya call yer great responsibility, see?” Recommended!
SUPERGIRL #36 by Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. SG’s dad, Zor-El, just got kryptonite-lasered through the heart. Hope he’s okay.
THUNDERBOLTS #127 by Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre. The old order changeth. The hard way. Will Songbird survive Bullseye’s undivided attention? Gotta look!
WALKING DEAD #56 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Kirkman/Adlard trees bear strange fruit. Brrr… Not for kids. Recommended.
X-MEN LEGACY #219 by Mike Carey and Phil Briones. Professor X versus Juggernaut. This could be a real short issue….
www.johnjudy.net
Noon Today: Washington Post Chat with Blind Comic Artist
Andre Campbell and David Rowell
Comic Artist; Washington Post Magazine Articles Editor
Monday, December 15, 2008; 12:00 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/12/11/DI2008121102592.html
Andre Campbell's vision is severely limited, which hasn't stopped him from pursuing his dream of making it as a comic book artist. But will he ever see success?
Andre Campbell, president of Heritage Comics HSQ, and Washington Post Magazine articles editor David Rowell will be online Monday, December 15 at 12 noon ET to discuss Rowell's cover story, "Comic Book Hero."
Comic Artist; Washington Post Magazine Articles Editor
Monday, December 15, 2008; 12:00 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/12/11/DI2008121102592.html
Andre Campbell's vision is severely limited, which hasn't stopped him from pursuing his dream of making it as a comic book artist. But will he ever see success?
Andre Campbell, president of Heritage Comics HSQ, and Washington Post Magazine articles editor David Rowell will be online Monday, December 15 at 12 noon ET to discuss Rowell's cover story, "Comic Book Hero."
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Boys of Steel author pics
Marc Tyler Nobleman was in town yesterday to sign his children's biography of Siegel and Shuster, Boys of Steel. This was just a signing with no remarks, but I did ask how he got Ross MacDonald as the artist. It was the publisher's idea. Worked out well, I think. He's hoping to do a book on Batman writer/artist Bill Finger too.
Aftertime Comics store
Since 1985, Aftertime Comics has been in Old Town Alexandria on the end of King Street closer to the subway. It's a small store as you can tell from the photos, but they've always crammed a good assortment of comics and books into it. When I stopped in yesterday, I found some obscure stuff:
You Are Maggie Thatcher by Hunt Emerson and Pat Mills
Fandom: Confidential by Ron Frantz
Don Rosa Collection II: The Adventures of Captain Kentucky (Swedish edition!) by Don Rosa
This isn't stuff you could find in most comics stores, including my store, Big Planet. Joel Pollack, founder of the BP chain wrote in to say, "Aftertime is an amazing use of space. Great store, and you can quote me on that."
The address is 1304 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703-548-5030.
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