Comic Foundry

Change Your RSS

2007-11-07T11:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry, kiddos, but this blog has gone the way of the dodo. We've moved the blog over to our home site at ComicFoundry.com. So click over, continue reading and update your RSS feeds.

Cya there

New ComicFoundry.com

2007-11-02T11:22:00.000-04:00

Hey all! Changes are a coming for this site. Namely that it will be defunct quite shortly as we've relaunched ComicFoundry.com. Say goodbye to the users and portfolios — as much I loved having them as part of the original site it's not really what Comic Foundry is about any more. So say hello to a streamlined site with our integrated blog, story archive and issue excerpts. You can also now buy issues of the magazine and subscriptions through the site!

So head on over to the new site, update your links and update your RSS feeds. See you there!

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T11:17:00.001-04:00

(From a story on DIY costumes in the October issue of Complex)

Advance Screenings of Battlestar Galactica: Razor

2007-10-26T13:18:00.001-04:00

You're all probably excited about seeing Battlestar Galactica: Razor, right? I can't wait to see a TV movie about the Pegasus crew that debuts on Nov. 24th. Really, I can't wait. That's why I was so glad that registration on this site just opened for advance screenings in select cities on Nov. 12th!

The lucky cities include:
• Boston
• Chicago
• Dallas/ Ft. Worth
• Los Angeles
• New York City
• Philadelphia
• San Francisco
• Seattle

Hurry and register before they're out of fraking seats.

Mark Millar on Superman Movie Sequel

2007-10-24T16:12:00.000-04:00

Mark Millar just posted that he got turned down for writing the Superman movie sequel because he was too associated with Marvel:

Well, sadly, I'm a Marvel guy and we were surprised to find out that WB couldn't hire me for a DC property. They were incredibly nice and superbly apologetic about it, but when they discussed the matter seriously DC explained just how associated I am with Marvel Comics at the moment and it's against company policy to hire the competition. It's absolutely nothing personal. I spoke to some friends at DC and they explained this has happened with a couple of big Marvel writers in the last couple of years and I absolutely respect that.

My question is: How is that different when super-DC guy Geoff Johns wrote and produced for the Blade TV series (a Marvel property)?

Frank Miller's 1776

2007-10-24T10:32:00.000-04:00

A great 300 parody, courtesy of Robot Chicken

Vertigo's I Am Legend Trailer Online

2007-10-23T11:57:00.000-04:00

The trailer to Vertigo's series of online comics that serve as a prequel to the December film I Am Legend is up and in HD.

The first online issue, by Steve Niles and Bill Sienkiewicz, is available here.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of flat art that's later animated, but I'm not going to poo poo any attempt of comics moving ahead with more progressive media ideas.

From the Paul Pope / Diesel Store Party in LA

2007-10-23T11:17:00.000-04:00

Paul Pope with Act-I-Vater Jeff Newelt

Click for the whole Flickr set (by MG Soulcraft)

Manga Cover Story in Wired Magazine

2007-10-19T09:55:00.000-04:00

Hey all, check out the new issue of Wired Magazine. The cover story is about the manga explosion. It talks about how big it is in Japan, fan fiction and there's even a 10-page comic written by Jason Thompson. Definitely worth checking out.

Buffy Sing-A-Long Shutdown

2007-10-15T12:44:00.000-04:00

The famed Buffy Sing-A-Long that has been going on in New York and L.A. (and recently Columbus and St. Louis) is dead.

"Sad news today: Buffy (and all other Fox TV shows) have been pulled from theatrical distribution. Criterion Pictures notified me last night that Fox has pulled the license for ALL their TV shows from theatrical exhibition. This is effective immediately, and of course includes Buffy and “Once More With Feeling”. This means that we have to cancel all upcoming bookings of the Buffy Musical production. "

In the ongoing performances they screened the Once More With Feeling episode of Buffy while fans sang a long to the music. Think Rocky Horror Picture Show, but with vampires.

Whedon supporters are trying to resurrect the performance (someone get them an urn of Osiris, stat!) through web petitions. You can sign it here.

Comic Foundry Goes Down Under

2007-10-14T22:16:00.001-04:00

Comic Foundry lands in Australia. Do you have a copy yet?

Alloy Thinks I Have a Cool Job

2007-10-14T22:09:00.000-04:00

I'm part of a feature on Alloy.com about people with cool careers. Check it out!

The Brill Building is Back

2007-10-12T10:19:00.000-04:00

CF contributor Ian Brill is back to the blogosphere after a lengthy hiatus. He's older, wiser, and now he's back. Check out his first post...

Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Trailer

2007-10-09T10:07:00.000-04:00

Feel that? It's a chill going down your spine.

I'm a bad blogger

2007-10-09T10:02:00.000-04:00

Sorry things have been so sporadic lately. I've been prepping for a story I'm writing for my day job and now I have to fly to L.A. to do the interview. I promise all kinds of posts and more after I return...

NEW Astroboy Poster!

2007-10-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

Via I Watch Stuff

WOLVERINE Movie Gets Re-Write

2007-10-01T18:45:00.000-04:00

Empire Magazine reports that Hitman screenwriter Skip Woods is re-writing a draft of David Benioff's Wolverine script.

The new kid on the block is Skip Woods, who's recently scripted Hitman. That apparently impressed studio execs at Fox so much that they've invited him aboard our favourite adamantium-boned berserker's solo run - and even though the film is all set to start in November in Australia, this will be more than just a tweak of the script.

Woods previously wrote Swordfish, which Hugh "Wolverine" Jackman of course starred in, but the scuttlebutt about Hitman suggests that he's come along as a writer since then. Otherwise, we'd be expecting to see bullet-time explosions, car chases and long scenes involving Logan topless and sunbathing - which, come to think of it, wouldn't be that bad.

Heath Ledger Out as the Joker...

2007-09-27T01:39:00.000-04:00

...and Katee Sackhoff's character from Bionic Woman is in.

Reaper Interview

2007-09-26T14:05:00.000-04:00

Besides providing a good review, Magnetic Media Fed has brought to my attention a very cool NPR interview with Ray Wise and Kevin Smith about the cool show Reaper (CW).

Bill Hader Loves the Gaiman

2007-09-25T15:31:00.001-04:00

The New York Times just ran a great profile of comedic actor Bill Hader (Superbad, SNL). In it, Hader confesses his love of Neil Gaiman and how he has good luck when there's a Gaiman book around.

In 2005 Mr. Hader was rereading “The Sandman,” the supernatural comic-book series by Neil Gaiman, when he learned he was being considered for a spot on “Saturday Night Live.” He decided the two events couldn’t simply be a coincidence.

“I got all superstitious about it,” he said on a recent stroll through the science fiction section of the Chelsea Barnes & Noble. “Like, when I have Neil Gaiman books around me, I just do better.”

At his “SNL” audition Mr. Hader performed with a copy of Mr. Gaiman’s novel “Neverwhere” in his back pocket. Sure enough, he got the job. And on a restless Friday night before his first appearance on the show that October, Mr. Hader reread the final issue of “The Sandman” to calm his nerves.

Click for the full story.

Star Trek X Friends

2007-09-24T10:58:00.001-04:00

Found on an awesome Star Trek post on the Sinful Caesar blog.

Mini Trend: Graphic 3D Text

2007-09-24T10:13:00.000-04:00

Do not be tempted by the promise of big boobs and geek references

2007-09-23T23:56:00.001-04:00

WARNING! The Big Bang Theory, a new television show that debuts tonight on CBS. Maybe you've seen the previews out there and have been lured in by the geeky guys wearing shirts of comic characters. Maybe you just saw the hot chick. Whatever caught your eye, avoid this program at all costs. It's terrible. Or as Canadians say, it's terrible, eh. The jokes are contrived and acting is way off. It's creating character shells based from the most stereotypical of stereotyped "nerd personas" that have ever been stereotyped. Thick glasses. Math equations abound. Klingon Boggle parties. Soooo forced. The thing that really kills me is that the show attempts to capitalize on the now-cool geek culture. Brace yourself, kids, because now that nerds are cool everyone is going to try and milk it for all its worth (Sure, the success of Heroes helped push it too). The Big Bang Theory is not the only show this season taking advantage of the popularity of geek culture. Other offenders:

Chuck (NBC), about an IT worker who tags along with a hot secret agent trying to protect the world with the data in his head.

Pushing Daisies (ABC), about a pie maker who can bring the dead back to life with a single touch (and kill them again).

Journeyman (NBC), about a newspaper reporter who begins to travel through time and change lives

Moonlight (CBS), about a vampire who defies all the bad stereotypes and works as an LA private investigator. (not starring David Boreanaz)

Reaper (CW), about a twentysomething guy who has to hunt down demons after his parents sold his soul to the devil.

Bionic Woman (NBC), about a hot chick who winds up having enhancement surgery (no, not thaaaaaaat type of enhancement)

I'm not saying all of these shows are bad. In fact, Reaper and Pushing Daises are both quality programs. But enjoy the popularity of nerd culture while it lasts. Trends are cyclical and shitty nerd tv (what's up, Big Bang Theory?) can only do harm.

U R MR GAY?

2007-09-20T10:37:00.001-04:00

Megaton News is reporting that on the box cover for the upcoming Wii game, Super Mario Galaxy, that some letters in the title have white sparkles on them. If you spell them out in order the sparkle-laden letters read: U R MR GAY. Coincidence?

I touched Barry Bonds balls

2007-09-18T10:25:00.000-04:00

Well more specifically, I touched Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run ball yesterday. My employer won the auction for it and if you haven't already heard, set up a website where you can vote on what to do with the ball. Ecko had a little employees-only viewing last nite for the ball, as well as an exclusive Anton Kandinsky gallery. In your face, Todd McFarlane!

Back in Action!

2007-09-18T10:15:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the blog delay. I was in Arlington, Va. for my friend Amber's wedding. Some of you early adopters might remember Amber as the original co-founder of this here website. Good for her, though, as she married a guy who likes comics. Well, DC Comics at least.

On the 4-hour bus ride to and from Virginia I was able to sink my teeth into the Jack Kirby Fourth World Omnibus. Can I tell you how much I love Mister Miracle's costume? Can I?

Tim Gets Called a Tool

2007-09-13T10:35:00.000-04:00

The nice guys over at Variant Edition, a long-running video podcast about comics, just reviewed the first issue of Comic Foundry Magazine. It's pretty funny and overall pretty positive. We're about 16 minutes in, but obviously it'd behoove you to watch the entire episode.

Let Them Eat Cake

2007-09-12T10:07:00.000-04:00

Apparently this Muppet cake was a blue-ribbon winner at the 2007 Kentucky State Fair.

Reminder - Tim on the Comic Book Club Tonight!

2007-09-11T14:40:00.000-04:00

No plans tonight? No problem.

I'm going to be at the Comic Book Club, where I will be a featured guest on the weekly live talk show about comics. Bonus: there's a pre-show interview with Pulp Secret while you wait.

The deets:
The Peoples Improv Theater
154 W. 29th st.
8 pm
$5 cover

David Hyde promoted at DC

2007-09-10T11:04:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DAVID HYDE NAMED VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLICITY, DC COMICS

(September 10, 2007 - New York, NY) —David Hyde has been promoted to Vice President of Publicity, DC Comics, it was announced today by Paul Levitz, DC Comics President & Publisher. Hyde will continue to report directly to John Cunningham, VP of Marketing.

Hyde, who joined DC Comics in November of 2003 as Director of Publicity, oversees the publicity campaigns for all graphic novels, trade paperbacks, and the 80-plus monthly ongoing periodical titles published by DC Comics, Vertigo, MINX, WildStorm, CMX, Zudacomics.com and MAD Magazine.

In his new position, Hyde will continue to represent DC in coordinating publicity opportunities for Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Licensed Publishing releases of DC comics-related properties.

Tim on the Comic Book Club - 9/11

2007-09-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

What are you doing on 9/11? Want to laugh and talk comics? If so, come on down to the Comic Book Club, where I will be a featured guest on the weekly live talk show about comics. If you realllllly can't wait, why dontcha peruse this pre-show interview avec moi.

The deets:
The Peoples Improv Theater
154 W. 29th st.
8 pm
$5 cover

Web Comics Showcase at MoCCA - 9/13

2007-09-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

This Thursday I expect you New Yorkers to be at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art for the opening of the new Art of Web Comics exhibit.

This exhibit incorporates original artwork, prints of finished art, and digital displays. Featured in the exhibit will be the immensely popular Penny Arcade, PhD, Sluggy Freelance, User Friendly, Diesel Sweeties, Mom’s Cancer, Finder, Supernatural Law, Questionable Content, Something Positive, Scary Go Round, Achewood, Narbonic, Goats, and “My Obsession with Chess” by Scott McCloud, among many others.

The exhibit also includes a new installment of MoCCA’s New York Artist Showcase, focusing on the NYC members of the webcomics collective ACT-I-VATE.

James Jean Art Book

2007-09-10T10:28:00.000-04:00

While at the fabulous Rocketship party this past weekend I was flipping through James Jean's fantastic new art book. The book itself is a work of art with fold-out pages and great printing. I was in even more awe when I turned the page and saw he included an illustration I assigned him for Complex Magazine. Very, very cool. I have a print of the same illustration in my apartment, and actually the anthology C'est Bon Kultur is using it as their cover right now.

Pulp Secret Interview

2007-09-07T12:51:00.000-04:00

So this is weird. Usually I'm out interviewing artists and writers — but now the tables are turned. Not literally. There's an interview with me up at Pulp Secret. Click it!

It's a preview for Tuesday, Sept. 11 when I'll be a guest on the Comic Book Club, a live talk show in NYC at the People's Improv Theater.

Iron your capes, unplug the Bat Signal and set your decoder rings on awesome: the Comic Book Club is in session! The Comic Book Club is a weekly comic book talk show featuring the best comedians in New York talking shop with industry professionals from all corners of the comic book world. Hosted by Justin Tyler, Pete LePage, and Alex Zalben. Plus every show we give away a 25$ gift card to midtown comics!

The People's Improv Theater is at 154 W. 29th st. Show starts at 8 pm. Only $5 cover.

Comics Events in NYC

2007-09-05T10:28:00.000-04:00

9/8 BRIAN WOOD, MF GRIMM AND RON WIMBERLY AT ROCKETSHIP
Saturday, September 8th, at 8 pm, BRIAN WOOD will be signing the highly anticipated DMZ volume III, and musician/writer PERCY CAREY (aka M.F. GRIMM) will be signing his debut graphic memoir SENTENCES, along with artist RON WIMBERLY!

DMZ kicks ass, obviously, and if you haven't picked up Sentences, you should. While you're at it go listen to Grimm's last album, American Hunger. It's three discs of great lyrics and ill beats.

Other Media

2007-09-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

Music: Kanye's new Graduation album is better than 50's Curtis album. However, M.I.A.'s Kala is better than both.

Video Games: Metroid 3 Prime: Corruption is THE Wii game to get this summer. Possibly the best Wii game thus far.

Movies: Balls of Fury. I'm a ping pong fanatic, so it had me at Balls.

Wired Magazine + Buffy

2007-09-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Obviously I'm a magazine guy. I work in the industry both professionally and in a self-publishing sense (not to say the two are mutually exclusive). One of my favorite mags is Wired, which I mention here frequently.

I was flipping through the most recent issue (again) and noticed an illustration that was very Sean McCabe-like on a Daft Punk story. But no, the credit was not Sean McCabe. Not at all. The credit belonged to a one Cordy Chase. Hmm. I'm pretty familiar with most of the editorial illustrators out there and Cordy Chase was not a name I recognized. So a quick google search of "Cordy Chase" and "illustrator" turned up zero results outside the Wired story. But if you just search "Cordy Chase" you get a ton of sites — Buffy fan sites, that is. Cordy Chase, as in Cordelia Chase — the lovely Charisma Carpenter.

What does that mean? I would wager a bet that someone on staff at Wired did the illustration but went with a pseudonym. Cleva. And that same person happens to be a big Buffy fan. Or I could be way off and there could be an illustrator out there named Cordy Chase who I've never heard of and doesn't have a website.

Rejoice, Buffy fans. Someone at Wired has your back.

Fun Friday

2007-08-31T11:00:00.000-04:00

Big Trouble in Little China trailer

Party Was a Success!

2007-08-30T10:12:00.000-04:00

(Photo swiped from Calvin Reid and Publisher's Weekly)

Thanks for all of you that came out. And if you didn't, you missed a helluva time. It was definitely one for the record books. All of our 50 gift bags were gone within the first hour and people just kept on coming in.

We had guests from DC Comics, Men's Health magazine, In Style magazine, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Complex magazine, Midtown Comics, CondeNast, XXL magazine, iStyle magazine, Wizard magazine, Publisher's Weekly, DNR news, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and tons of other cool places.

We had writers, artists, editors, readers, bloggers — I'm not going to try and call out specific people because 1) there's too many and 2) I'll definitely forget someone. Needless to say, the part was a definite hit and I appreciate everyone coming out.

And of course - a big, big round of applause for Laura Hudson, who organized the soiree and bought me a quesadilla. Thanks!

Comic Foundry Launch Party Tonight!

2007-08-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

If you live in New York City, you are lucky for many reasons. Today, one of them is that you will be able to attend the COMIC FOUNDRY LAUNCH PARTY, celebrating the inaugural issue of the new comics magazine that hit shelves last week.

WHERE?
The Irish Rogue
356 W 44th St.

WHEN?
Wednesday, August 29th
6 PM - whenever

BONUS: We'll be giving out a limited number of gift bags to the first however many people get there, containing a free issue of Comic Foundry, a comic book pulled directly from my or Laura Hudson's personal collection, and potentially other... mysteries.

Wednesday also happens to be ladies night at The Irish Rogue, which means 2 for 1 Cosmos for the fairer sex. We aim for female friendliness! Bring your women, your men, your lovers, your friends, and your thirst for liquid courage--we're having a party, and you're invited!

VIDEO: CF on Pulp Secret

2007-08-28T12:14:00.001-04:00

Those crazy kids at Pulp Secret talk about the magazine, along with a bunch of comics. Hilarity and snark ensue...

Tim kills the radio star

2007-08-27T15:52:00.000-04:00

PR time! For those of you gracing the Boston area tomorrow morning, I will be on 101.7 WFNX. It should run some time between 6 and 10, but possibly around 730 or 830 to be more specific. I'll be chatting with the Sandbox gang to talk about Comic Foundry and the rest of the industry.

Tune in!

Brill Building Back

2007-08-27T12:33:00.000-04:00

Ian Brill returns to the Brill Building to give a director's commentary on his short story from the first issue of Comic Foundry:

A quick summation: "Whatevers" is about a young man getting serious about comics and his life at the same time. He starts of being a guy who reads whatever is big at the time to finding a book that really means something to him, namely the collection of "A Game of You" storyline in Sandman. Parallel to his taste in comics growing the dude, Jack, gets serious about his creative endeavors with a friend of his Dennis.

Schmagina on the Brain

2007-08-21T18:30:00.000-04:00

Christopher Butcher just revealed an amazing poster James Jean did for The Beguiling's 20th anniversary. James is a fantastic artist and the print looks phenomenal. I'm probably stating the obvious here...but doesn't it remind you of something...? Here's a hint: it rhymes with "schmagina." Giant schamgina.

The print is for sale online.

Comic Foundry Q+A

2007-08-21T01:16:00.000-04:00

These sure are some confusing times. With the change in the release date and other mysteries abound, allow me to clarify some things.

When does the issue come out? Sept. 5th, right?
Wrong. Sorry, chap. The good news is that there's no need to wait. You can get your grubby hands on an issue tomorrow, Aug. 22nd.

So tell me more about his "magazine" of yours. Why isn't it in color?
I'd love for it to be in color. I think it works well in black and white, but color would add a layer of depth and information that can't be conveyed in black and white. We're already working on ways to go color for the next issue.

Next issue?
Ah, yes. We're going quarterly in 2008.

You keep saying it's in between Wizard and The Comics Journal. Kinda like Maxim, right?
Well, it is between Wizard and TCJ content-wise. CF covers both mainstream and indie projects, but I definitely wouldn't call it like Maxim. Maxim deals in lowest common denominator thinking and has no real interest in building a female audience. I'd say we're more of a mix between Wired and Entertainment Weekly. You know, but with comics.

I guess that makes sense...so are the print stories like what your online issue have been like?
Hmm. Not really. The website was originally concepted to be an educational and teaching site. As such, a lot of the stories had an educational spin to them. The site slowly moved from that but I still don't think it's exactly like the print edition. That's part of my reasoning for the magazine — because I couldn't execute my ideas online the way I could in print. So, while I'm proud of the work we did online, I don't think it's completely representative of the new print magazine.

What else do you have on the horizon?
Well, we're relaunching our website soon, but we're also having a LAUNCH PARTY next Wednesday, Aug. 29th. It's at Irish Rogue at 356 W. 44th st. - Upstairs. It'll be from 6 till whenever.

That sounds fun...
Of course it'll be fun! We'll have gift bags. Gift bags! What party can be lame if they have gift bags?

C'mon, level with me. You really did cry in that video blog you did, right?
No!!!!!!!!!

Billy Dee Willams + Kristen Bell

2007-08-20T18:52:00.000-04:00

Over at the MTV Movie Blog, Fanboys star Dan Fogler retells when Billy Dee Williams and Kristen Bell met on the set of Fanboys.

Obviously, his response would be the same as my own.

Mind...Blown

2007-08-20T00:34:00.000-04:00

Kristen Bell is going to be on Heroes!

For an exclusive interview with Bell, pickup the first issue of Comic Foundry Magazine — out in stores Aug. 22nd.

Comic Foundry In Stores This Week!

2007-08-18T10:57:00.000-04:00

So yesterday I found out from Diamond that instead of the Sept. 5th on-sale date that was solicited, Comic Foundry Magazine will actually be in stores next week on Aug. 22nd. Color me surprised and excited. Though it caught me off-guard, I'm terribly excited about seeing the first issue on stands, as you should be.

Get ready because here we come!

Comics In Magazines

2007-08-16T10:42:00.000-04:00

Anyone see the new GQ? There's nice write-up on Matt Fraction and Casanova in there.

What about Wired? Anyone see that? There's a very lengthy piece on the guys behind Penny Arcade.

Batman Toy Recall

2007-08-14T12:15:00.000-04:00

Mega toy manufacturer Mattel has issued a massive recall — their second in a month. This one is for 9 million toys sold in the US because of lead paint and potential magnet choking concerns. There are 63 toys being recalled in total — including 4 Batman toys.

Marvel and Dabel Bros Split

2007-08-14T10:19:00.000-04:00

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and Dabel Brothers Productions, LLC announced today that they are mutually ending their publishing relationship. In 2006, Marvel and Dabel Brothers signed an agreement for Marvel to market, print and distribute several limited and ongoing series, in addition to some other dynamic new properties. Founded in 2001, the Dabel Brothers have specialized in creating comic books and graphic novels based on the works of best-selling authors’ series such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter; George R. R. Martin’s Hedge Knight; and Orson Scott Card’s Tales Of Alvin Maker and others.

24/7 Volume 2 Party!

2007-08-14T10:08:00.000-04:00

To kick off the release of the second volume of the robot anthology 24/7, Ivan Brandon and his gang (that means you) is meeting up for drinks tomorrow, Wed. the 15th at the Village Pourhouse, 64 3rd Ave and 11th st. While there will be some drink specials, it's BYOR (Bring Your Own Robot). Unfortunately I have to miss the shindig (mandatory booze cruise), I have no doubt the place will be popping.

Back from Dallas

2007-08-13T10:52:00.000-04:00

I was in Dallas the past few days busy shooting handguns and riding mechanical bulls (though not at the same time). While I didn't get to visit any of the cool stores they have down there, I did go to some old tourist general store that sold bullshit cowboy stuff. But in the back they had this spinner rack of comics, including the first issue of Machine Teen, a limited series from Marvel that came out in 2005. Odd.

CF Shout Out on Fantagraphics

2007-08-09T13:57:00.000-04:00

At SDCC we ran into Eric Reynolds, the ever-chill PR guru for Fantagraphics and gave him an issue of the new mag. This week he was kind enough to write up something on Flog the Blog:

"Definitely one of the most unique new mags about comics in awhile."

Click for the rest.

Transformers Sneaker Pack

2007-08-09T10:23:00.000-04:00

Today Nike's Transformer sneaker pack goes on sale. Nike is releasing three different shoes inspired by the Transformers (no, the shoes themselves don't turn into anything). It's an Air Trainer III, an Air Max 90 Boot and the Air Trainer Huarache.

It's already been announced that the Trainer III is based of Optimus Prime and it's speculated that the Huarache is Galvatron and the boot is Starscream. If you want them — and you should — get in line now before it's too late.

More at Freshness

Douglas Wolk! Reading Comics! Rocketship!

2007-08-03T13:27:00.001-04:00

Douglas Wolk has a book signing/discussion tonight at Rocketship. Be there or be squre.

Gabriel Macht is The Spirit

2007-08-03T13:05:00.000-04:00

Macht was most recently in The Good Shepherd, and is in another comics-to-film adaptation, Whiteout (along side Kate Beckinsale). Frank Miller is writing and directing the big screen version of Will Eisner's book, with an October '09 release date.

What's interesting is that this story came out the Thursday after Comic-Con. Why? This could've been one of the big announcements of the show. Either they weren't able to get the deal in time or they were holding until after so they could be the first big post-con news. Then again, I'm just spitballing here. Source

R. Kikuo Johnson in NY Times

2007-08-03T10:06:00.000-04:00

The Night Fisher creator and Russ Manning award winner has a full-page comic in the Op-Ed section of today's NY Times. You can also check it out in slideshow form online.

Why Kevin Smith Is Still Cool

2007-08-02T16:44:00.001-04:00

From SDCC 2007

PopPicture at Comic-Con

2007-08-01T15:34:00.001-04:00

Me at Comic-Con, as photographed by PopCandy's Whitney Matheson

Dead Spider-Man

2007-08-01T10:39:00.001-04:00

Source

LA Times Reporter Assaulted at Comic-Con

2007-07-31T15:37:00.000-04:00

I was walking alone to my hotel after late Saturday night interviews with Neal Adams and Darwyn Cook. I was also talking on my cell to Spencer Weiner, the photographer for The Times shooting Comic-Con. Spencer heard everything that happened next.

I (literally) bumped into a young guy walking with three friends in the Gaslamp Quarter. They were tattooed and wearing the street uniform of baggy pants, white T-shirts and shaved heads. The guy started mad-dogging me, rasping threats. I told him I was just walking by, no offense meant. He got in my face, and I told him it would be stupid for us to make something out of nothing.

"You calling me stupid?" "No, I'm not." Then I stopped talking, because my mouth was bleeding. One of his buddies, standing off to my side, cold-cocked me, and the ring on his fist took a chunk out of my face. I never saw it coming. I was at the emergency room until dawn.

Full Story.

Pictures from Comic-Con

2007-07-31T14:43:00.001-04:00

Our humble table.

Best badge I saw.

Comic-Con 2007, A-Z

2007-07-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

I got home about 7 this morning, checked email for an hour, slept for half an hour and then went to work. The con was loads of fun. So much so that I'll will definitively say it's the most fun I've had at Comic-Con ever (out of 3).

Unfortunately, I was trapped working behind the Comic Foundry Magazine table for 95 % of the time. But still, I loved being able to tell people about the magazine, and loved it even more when they gave me money at the end. CF star Laura Hudson graciously split her time between Virgin Comics and CF and helped man the table with me.

But, without further ado, Comic Foundry's A-Z experience of Comic-Con 2007:

A — "Are You a Virgin?"
This is what a potential customer thought I asked her. In reality, I asked, "Are you Persian"? The answer to both was No.

B — Bloggers
I love getting to see all the people I know online. This time I finally met Whitney Matheson, Tom Bondurant and JK Parkin (and wife) and caught up with Tom McLean (and wife), Grame McMillan (and wife), Ian Brill (not married), Tom Spurgeon (who didn't stop by the table!) and
Heidi MacDonald (who also didn't stop by the table!)

C — Comic Creators
There were a bunch of cool comics creators that picked up copies of the magazine, including: Ed Brubaker, Eddie Campbell, Mike Choi, Matt Fraction, James Jean, Derek Kirk Kim and some guy named David Lloyd?

D — Dan Didio
He accidentally hip-checked Laura. T'was hilarious. Laura thought less so.

E — Ellis, Warren
I met him at this Avatar event some night. But I was really sad he didn't try to destroy me with his cane or nibble on my soul. Don't believe the hype. Ol' Warren is a big teddy bear.

F — Five (5)
This comic by Gabriel Ba, Becky Cloonan, Fabio Moon, Vasilis Lolos and Rafael Grampa was the only thing I bought at the show.

G — Good Food
I had dinner with Robert Venditti (Surrogates), Andy Runton (Owly), Kristian Donaldson (Supermarket), Randy Lander (Formerly of the Fourth Rail, now Comic Pants), and PJ, whose last name I can't remember for the life of me. Grilled mahi tacos are delicious.

H — Hill, Jonah
I was lucky enough to chat with Jonah Hill. We featured him in Comic Foundry Magazine and he was just as hilarious in person.

I — "I Don't Get the Joke In the Title"
That was the best attendee response to the magazine.
The second-best was: "If I could read I would quit my job."

J — Joss Whedon
I told him his shoe was untied. He declined to tie it though, because he didn't feel like bending over. I insisted since the bathroom we were about to enter was very...wet. He eventually wised up and tied it up. There's a joke to be made about me making Joss Whedon bend over, but I'm not going to make it.

K — Kiel Phegley, Wizard writer
I don't know what we were talking about, but I do know it was hilarious.

L — LOST Panel
I didn't see it (or any other panel, for that matter), but I heard all about it. So much, in fact, I was able to describe bit by bit to other people. Ding!

M — Men's Room at the Sci-Fi/EW Party
I met more celebs in there than I did the actual party AND the urinal was in the shape of a mouth, Rolling Stones-style. For reals.

N — Networking
I met a bunch of cool people at the show. The ones I can remember off the top of my sleep-deprived head: Nisha Gopalan, James Sime, Jacq (what's your last name?) from DarkHorse (who LOVED our old Lost Girls issue cover we did last year), Stuart Moore, Gotham Chopra...This list will be updated later.

O — Oh Shit
We found a typo in the first issue of Comic Foundry. That certainly put a damper on things. Pobody's Nerfect.

P — Party, The Sci-Fi/EW Party
I got to hob-nob with Battlestar Galactica, Eurkea and random other celebs.

Q — Quite Delicious = Missy Peregrym
I walked past her in the hotel. My heart skipped a beat.

R — Recognition
I got recognized twice. I also watched 47 people ask Laura: "Hey, are you Laura from that Myriad Issues blog?"

S — Saturday
Here's what I don't get. If Saturday was sold out, where were all the people? Friday was definitely our best day, sales-wise, and Saturday sucked. I heard the exact same sentiment from a lot of other vendors. Discuss.

T — Table Talk
The Best Pitch I heard in Small Press: "It's about a ninja and a sumo wrestler fighting over the last piece of cherry pie," Vinny (I forgot your last name but will look at your card later), artist on "It's Ninja Time!"

U — U Like Us! U Really Like Us!
We had several people who bought the magazine earlier at the con and came back to the table to tell us how much they liked it. Wow.

V — Vasilis Lolos
I was convinced we were wearing the exact same pair of Nike High-Top Dunks. Alas, they were slightly different.

W — Wolk, Douglas
I read his story in Blender on the plane to San Diego. We had dinner Friday (along with Laura and some Complex dudes). We discussed the possibility of a second edition of Reading Comics, and if/when, him re-writing the book so that Infinite Crisis is named the best comic book. Ever.

X — Xena, aka, Lucy Lawless
I saw her at the Sci-Fi party.

Y — Yuri Lowenthal
We featured the celebrated voice actor in the first issue of CF and we happened to cross paths many times at the show. The first was at a party where we were trying to explain the concept of Second Life to his agent.

Z — Zuda Comics
They had a fun happy hour I attended. I have to say, I love the gimmick they had of giving out blank postcards and having people sketch on them and mail them in. Clever kids. At the party they had some demos and what was most interesting was a new web-comic reader they had embedded in their site. Hmm...

First Image from Comic-Con!

2007-07-24T15:30:00.001-04:00

That's right, table N 11 in Small Press. Find us!
(photo by Laura Hudson)

New IRON MAN Pic in EW

2007-07-23T12:52:00.001-04:00

In EW's 2-page Comic-Con preview, they've got a new shot of Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man.

Rome Actor is the Next Punisher

2007-07-23T12:04:00.001-04:00

According to LationoReview, Rome actor Ray Stevenson is set to take over for Thomas Jane in Punisher 2. Stevenson plays badass Titus Pullo in the HBO series Rome and played Dragonet in 2004's King Arthur.

DC Comics to Publish World of Warcraft Series

2007-07-23T10:22:00.000-04:00

PR: Preview art from the series will debut at Comic-Con International, held in San Diego, CA from July 26-29. The World of Warcraft comic book will be published through DC's WildStorm imprint and debut this fall.

The ongoing monthly series will be written by industry veteran Walter Simonson (Thor, Orion) and feature art by Ludo Lullabi and inker Sandra Hope. The first six issues of the World of Warcraft comic series will each feature two covers, one by superstar comic book artist Jim Lee and a second by Blizzard Entertainment Senior Art Director Samwise Didier.

The first storyline of the new ongoing series begins when a human is found unconscious on the shores of Kalimdor, with no memory of who he is or how he arrived there. Enslaved by an orc shaman, the man must fight for survival against members of both the Alliance and the Horde. He strikes uneasy relationships with other races in his quest to find the secrets of his past.

Comic Foundry at Comic-Con

2007-07-20T13:29:00.001-04:00

Comic Foundry will have a table at next week's comic extravaganza, the San Diego Comic-Con. We're at table N 11 in the small press area. We'll have a couple hundred advance copies of the magazine for sale. These are super exclusive, so if you're going to the show, make sure come by and check us out!

SDCC06: At the Eisner Awards

2007-07-20T13:09:00.000-04:00

Comic Foundry covers the red carpet at the 2006 Eisner Awards

Rock and Roll Thor

2007-07-18T11:31:00.000-04:00

Found on Strange Ink

The Magazines Are In!

2007-07-17T12:18:00.000-04:00

I just got an advance shipment of the magazines! Wow! It's finally in my dirty little fingers. Exciting!

Laura Hudson is Crazy-Bananas

2007-07-13T11:17:00.000-04:00

(as the kids say).

Laura Hudson of Comic Foundry and Virgin Comics fame is reading and reviewing comics for 24 hours straight. I love comics, but 24 hours straight? Wow.

Her blog has all the deets.

I watched it so you don't have to

2007-07-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

Last night on the G4 Network, after their live E3 coverage, they had on a Comic-Con 2007 Preview show. I was very intrigued as to what type of previews they had that could fill an hour of television, so I checked it out. Lame. Lame. Lame. I love the G4 network, but the preview was not so much a preview. It was basically Blair Butler and Chris Gore at some smaller California comic convention saying how excited they were and how cool the event is and making liberal use of "nerd prom." If anything it was a highlight reel of last year's show. So, no need to contemplate suicide or anything if forget to Tivo it.

What it could've made it better? A red carpet look at the Eisner Awards, of course!

Battlestar Razor Trailer

2007-07-12T11:19:00.000-04:00

What up, Pegasus?

Reserve a copy of Comic Foundry

2007-07-10T16:53:00.000-04:00

One of our many, many marketing programs is to provide printable forms for you to fill out and take to your local shop. It's that easy. Just click here, print it out, fill it out, and voila! You can have yourself a reserved copy of Comic Foundry on September 5th. If you've supported Comic Foundry in the past we're incredibly appreciative, and hope you'll continue supporting us and order a copy.

DC + BAPE shoe collab

2007-07-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

Continuing their collaborations with DC Comics, BAPE, the uber-cool Japanese fashion house is releasing a new sneaker line. It features character-based shoes for DC icons Superman, Batman, the Flash and Wonder Woman.

Personally, I'm not a huge BAPE shoes guy and don't love the plastic feel. That, and they'll probably cost three bills (that's $300, son!).

(image stolen from HypeBeast)

Video: Comic Foundry

2007-07-09T02:12:00.000-04:00

Comic Foundry is Coming.

Death Note Movies

2007-07-09T02:04:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the Asian American Film Festival here in New York and I was lucky enough to snag tickets to both Death Note and the sequel, Death Note: The Last Name. Now, I'm a pretty huge Death Note fan, so I was incredibly anxious to see them. Shusuke Kaneko, the director, was there to introduce the first film, which was cool because he later had a Stan Lee esque cameo.

Overall, I liked them both, but probably the sequel better than the first — mostly because it's SO radically different than the original manga that I really had no idea what was going to happen next.

Paolo Rivera + Joe Quesada meet Conan O'Brien

2007-07-07T00:03:00.000-04:00

For those of you smart kiddies that picked up Mythos: Spider-Man, you would've seen that instead of a wrestling match for Spidey's origin story, Paul Jenkins and Paolo Rivera substituted in an appearance on Conan O'Brien. Paolo and the Marvel crew got to meet the comedian, who is obviously much taller than every at Marvel combined.

From Paolo Rivera's blog. (He has a blog?)

People I could give a big bear hug to right now:

2007-07-05T11:29:00.000-04:00

Chris Sims.

That is all.

Jay Stephens contributes to the Marvel Indy Anthology

2007-07-03T10:19:00.000-04:00

Beast vs. Morbius

Anyone?

2007-07-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or doesn't Marvel's new Anyone Can Be A Skrull Plotline feel very much like BSG? What? Elektra's a Cylon?

Comic Foundry is in Previews

2007-07-02T01:14:00.000-04:00

So I finally got my filthy hands on the July Previews and sure enough, we're in there. I didn't even have to pinch myself. The great news is that not only are we in there, we have a "Spotlight On" preview (Big props to Diamond's Tim Huckelbery for scoring us a that, by the way). So what's next? Now we have to make sure your local comic store orders a copy or 27.

One of our many, many marketing programs is to provide printable forms for you to fill out and take to your local shop. It's that easy. Just click here, print it out, fill it out, and voila! You can have yourself a reserved copy of Comic Foundry on September 5th.

My new favorite illustrator of the week

2007-06-29T15:20:00.001-04:00

Why did no one tell me Rafael Grampa was an amazing illustrator?

From the Phonetic Spelling Department at Newsarama

2007-06-29T15:14:00.000-04:00

Check Out Kevin Church's Awesome Photos

2007-06-26T14:53:00.001-04:00

Kevin Church is many things — a writer, blogger, shit-stirrer. He's also a kickass photographer. Check out his photo set from MoCCA. The pictures are great, and not just because I'm in there twice.

Check it!

NYC Event: Tokyopop Tuesday

2007-06-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

Copy/paste PR from Stuart Moore:

POST-MOCCA LAST MINUTE PRESS RELEASE:
Tokyopop Round Table @ Barnes & Noble

Just spreading the word: I'll be appearing at a round-table discussion &
signing at the Barnes & Noble in Park Slope, Brooklyn,  
New York, this Tuesday. Details:

Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Time: 6:30 PM
Place: Barnes & Noble Park Slope, 267 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

The participants:

Stuart Moore: signing EARTHLIGHT
June Kim: signing 12 DAYS
James L. Barry: signing WARRIORS: THE LOST WARRIOR
Melissa DeJesus: signing SOKORA REFUGEES
Becky Cloonan: signing EAST COAST RISING

MoCCA Raton

2007-06-25T02:23:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lame headline.

This year was a first for us because we were exhibiting. We were selling preview issues of Comic Foundry Magazine for 25 cents and I definitely had my pitch down to a science by the end of day 1. I was tempted to change my approach to: "Hey, I have two words for you about Comic Foundry: Fucking. Awesome." But I didn't do it.

This was also the first time MoCCA put exhibitors on the 7th floor. Everyone will be saying this, so brace yourself for show report repetition: The upstairs definitely had less traffic (insert jaw-drop here), but the trade-off was two things. 1) The people coming up were more committed and devoted and bought better than most. 2) The atmosphere was amazing — with the natural light and room to walk around, it was much more calming. And much less smelly.

Also, all the panels were moved to MoCCA's gallery space and not the Puck building, but I can't really comment if that was a pro/con since I wasn't able to attend any. Though, I heard Bechdel was standing room only and the Jeffrey Brown panel was high-larious.

Laura Hudson manned the table with me and we did exceptionally well and moved a lot of books. Traffic was slow but steady and we got a lot of word out about the magazine. Everyone asked if the whole Diamond situation worked out, and it was great to get that recognition. And for the people who hadn't heard of us, I gave them the pitch and 9 times out of 10 I got a: "That sounds great! We need something like that!" The other 1 out of 10 was: "Wait, didn't you cry in that video?"

Random convention note:
Anyone else notice this? It's so odd in the men's room during shows, because you can ALWAYS hear someone reading a comic they just bought in one of the stalls. I mean, I'm sure it's good...but really?

Attendance:
I spoke with MoCCA Maven Matt Murray about it, and he was guesstimating around 4,500-6,000 (including exhibitors), which is slightly up from last year. This weekend was a tough draw for three reasons: 1) The Mermaid Parade, 2) The Gay Pride Parade, 3) The Big Apple Con. Okay, so really two since nobody goes to the Big Apple Cons anymore. Plus it was goooooooooooorgeous out. So, hats off to MoCCA and especially Derrick Kennelty-Cohen for running the show.

People Highlights:
–Meeting MF Grimm. The guy is super-cool and I love his tracks. He's got a book dropping from Vertigo in September and I wish I knew about it before because I would've put it in our first issue. Wait? You're not super-cool and don't know who he is? Check it.
–Meeting Douglas Wolk. He's very nice.
–Talking with Kiel Phigley. As Laura put it, Kiel's my Wizard equivalent of, "But wait, I have a black friend!" He's a very funny cat.
–The bloggers. Kevin Church. Neil Alien. Ed Cunard. Heidi. All quality people. Apparently I missed Chris Mautner and Jog the Blog, so I'll have to spite them.
–The catering people.

Book Highlights:
–SuperSpy by Matt Kindt. I can't tell you how excited I am to read this book.
–Michael by Fred Chao – an illustrated look at how Michael Jackson aged
–Sundays Anthology – I'm glad I bought one when I did, because those kids sold out
Honestly, I got a shitload of stuff but haven't looked at a single thing. Updates when I do.

People I did not expect to see:
—DC had a booth (technically Vertigo and Minx)
—Wizard had a booth.

People I expected to see but didn't:
—Bill Sienkiewicz. He was supposed to sketch and do an art jam with Arthur Suydam, but the dude did not show. SUPPOSEDLY everyone that was standing in line is going to get a free book from Sienkiewicz. Supposedly.
–Kevin Huizenga. By the by, I learned it's pronounced "High-Zenga." Learn it. Remember it.

Party Highlights:
I went to the Top Shelf party but didn't go inside. Everyone was spilling out into the street and because it was much cooler in terms of temperature and people, I chilled outside. It was the only official party I went to — hopefully other people can fill in the blanks. The one thing I didn't understand about the Top Shelf party was RIGHT next door there was this other party, the Sexy Mofo White Party, and all these B and T girls were wearing all white. Scantily clad, really, but what little clothes they did have were all white. It got the nerds in a tizzy.

Next Stop:
We'll have a table in San Diego so look for us. We'll have the exclusive advance copies of the book. Score!

Check out Comic Foundry at MoCCA!

2007-06-22T12:23:00.000-04:00

Instead of using that quarter to call someone who cares, why don't you get a preview issue of Comic Foundry this weekend at the MoCCA Art Fest? You get 16 pages of Comic Foundry goodness, including an exclusive page you won't find in the real issue. Check us out upstairs at the show. Swing by and say hi!

Has this ever happened to you?

2007-06-21T15:17:00.001-04:00

Has this ever happened to you?

You're at home on the couch with a lady friend. The night is young and the lights are low. You've got some smooth tunes playing. Everything is going your way. You lock eyes and then there's that awkward pause...and you realize your itunes shuffled away from your mood music to the soundtrack to the "Once More With Feeling" episode of Buffy. Sigh.

I usually don't do this

2007-06-21T10:26:00.000-04:00

I'm usually not one for posting hype stuff I'm sent, but I have a certain soft spot for extruded typography. That's why I look forward to checking out the Sundays Anthology at MoCCA this weekend.

Comic Foundry: Done

2007-06-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a crazy month, but we finally put the first issue of Comic Foundry Magazine to bed. It's been sent off to the printers and we're on to the next one. We had to send out the magazine so early so we can have exclusive issues in San Diego (look for our booth). We'll also have some special self-printed preview issues at MoCCA this weekend. We'll be upstairs this year, so swing by, say hi, and pick up a preview.

Paul Pope Illustrations

2007-06-20T12:06:00.001-04:00

It's very uncommon to see Paul Pope to do an editorial illo for a magazine. Even more uncommon is it to see him do TWO in the same month. This morning I picked up the latest issues of GQ and Wired to find full-page Pope illos in both.

Being a mag guy and a comic guy, I'm always fascinated with who magazines are assigning work to, especially when it's a comics person. I'm not sure why they both went to Pope, though. It's unfortunate for the magazines they both have him because neither really has those exclusive bragging rights about scoring a cool illustrator. But it IS good for the readers, though, since you get two doses of Pope goodness.

Last Death Note this week

2007-06-19T13:29:00.000-04:00

My absolute favorite manga ends this week. Death Note. It was really the first manga I ever got into, and the only one I have on my pull list. Even though I'm still relatively new to manga, I'm nuts for this book. I'm more excited about new volumes of Death Note than I am any other book — in the Japanese or American market. And after the last one what will I have to look forward to? Oh, Comic Foundry, perhaps?

Exit Wounds

2007-06-15T10:39:00.000-04:00

I just got Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan (Drawn and Quarterly) and I'm seriously bummed. Why? Because I'm really looking forward to it, and have been looking forward to it for a while, but I can't even think about picking up a book until I finish this first issue of CF. I encourage other people, like you, to read it in the meantime.

Holy Costume Update, Batman!

2007-06-15T10:38:00.001-04:00

I'm a resounding "eh" on this preview in the new EW. The new suit feels way too reminiscent of Joel Schumacher to me.

Sorry no posting

2007-06-13T15:36:00.000-04:00

Things have been ca-ca-ca-crazy around here. Photoshoots, caffeine injections, edits, writing — it's all very fun and incredibly exciting.

I'm a few weeks behind on comics and what's out, but here are some books I've recently read (and enjoyed):
Vampire Loves, Joann Sfar (First Second)
Punisher War Journal Vol. 1, Fraction and Olivetti (Marvel)
Death Note Vol. 11, Ohba and Obata (TokyoPop)

Niko Henrichon illo in Complex Magazine

2007-06-08T13:34:00.001-04:00

The new issue of Complex Magazine is out! If you haven't seen it, it's got Rihanna and Seth Rogen on the covers. I've mentioned it before, but I'm the Deputy Art Director at the magazine, so this post is obviously a bit biased. And by a bit I mean completely.

BUT, there is some great stuff in here, including the Complex Comic Package. The concept was, our readers were into comics 10 years ago in the heyday before the crash, but grew out of them for whatever reason. But comics kick all kinds of ass now, and it's the best time to get back in. So the package is a primer on what you missed, what's going on now and what to buy.

My favorite part of it all is an AMAZING opener illustration we got Niko Henrichon to do (pictured above). Working with illustrators is one of the best parts about my job, and this time did not disappoint. The idea was to show the popular heroes of yesteryear contrasted with who the cool heroes are now (from Powers, Ex Machina and Daredevil). Niko knocked it clear out of the park.

Laura Hudson did the picks and wrote the majority of text, with me and an editor chiming in and helping guide it through. It was originally supposed to be a few pages longer, but shuffling the page count is a fact of life in the mag world, and hopefully we can get that content in the book later.

And PS - my editor was talking to Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) at the photo shoot about comics and the only thing I remember him mentioning specifically was that he loved Superman Red Son.

MTV Movie Awards

2007-06-08T12:09:00.000-04:00

Anyone see this? I didn't. But I'm reading some quotes about it in EW and this one caught my eye:
"They got the name 300 by measuring how gay it was on a scale from 1 to 10" -Sarah Silverman