Tag: comics

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Podcasts

The ComicMix podcast is in the air!

The first ComicMix podcast is now available for your listening pleasure!

A three-times weekly feature here at ComicMix, broadcaster Mike Raub has produced our initial 12 minute program featuring news, features and interviews. A new podcast will be available every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday — today’s podcast includes a look at new comics that are available at your friendly neighborhood comics shop, and this will be a feature of every Tuesday program. Thursday’s programs will feature reviews and Saturday’s will include full-length interviews.

Also featured in today’s podcast are salient mutterings from Peter David, The Beatles, and ComicMix’s editor-in-chief, and a nostalgic look at comics and popular culture that people were enjoying this week, back in 1963 and 1971.  All this plus updates on Indiana Jones and The Flash.

We encourage you all to participate in our fun and games. Contact us with any questions or comments and when we’ve got our ComicMix message boards up and running, join Mike and the ComicMix crew in our online dialog!

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News

Mainstream news covers comics

Our weekly check on what mainstream news sources are saying about comics:

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News

From Star Wars websites to comics

According to ComingSoon.net, Paul Ens (former director of StarWars.com and Lucas Online) and Scott Chitwood (co-founder of TheForce.net and SuperHeroHype.com contributor), announced today the launch of Red 5 Comics, a new comics publishing company set to introduce its first titles this fall. They aim to "produce cinematic-style stories that appeal to the same avid movie and comic fans who already frequent their websites.

The Red 5 line-up will be a combination of creator-owned and internally developed titles Individual comic issues will be sold in both traditional print form at comic shops and in downloadable electronic formats online." The press release is up at their site, and they’ve also put out a call for artists and other creative positions. May the Force be… nah, too easy.

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News

Dennis O’Neil: I’m not the man I used to be

Dennis O'NeilI’m not the man I used to be. But comics aren’t what they once were, either.

Allow me to elaborate, on both myself and comics.

First, me. A looming godlike Presence — you can call him “Mr. Editor” — would like me to introduce myself. Well. I’ve gone past many of my Catholic boyhood shibboleths, but I’m still stuck with the one that insists that no Gentleman speaks favorably of himself — we’re supposed to be like medieval knights, only without all the skewering and clanking. Still, when a Looming godlike Presence commands… Okay, quick and dirty, I’ll tell you what I was.

Starting in 1965, when I took a job as Stan Lee’s assistant, I was in the comic book business. As a writer, I did hundreds of comics scripts, some of which got noticed. Also, I was an editor for 23 years, most recently of the Batman franchise, and, even more recently, a teacher of comic book writing, a job I still happily do. I’ve also written novels, non-fiction books, a few teleplays, a lot of short pieces, including stories, reviews and introductions. And columns — I’ve done those, too. And I’ve shot off my mouth in public quite a bit. That’s what I was. What I am, as these words are typed, is a semi-retired slug.

We cool, Mr. Presence?

Continue reading “Dennis O’Neil: I’m not the man I used to be”
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News

Elayne’s views on NYCC panels

Here is the full list of NYCC panels — seven pages printed out, which I needed to do in order to actually see the panel times because they didn’t show up against the black background on screen unless I first selected all the text. (This appears to have been fixed.)

To tell you the truth, I found more of interest on Friday than on the weekend days. Friday’s where they seem to be sticking all the "women and comics" panels. But why are they putting "Capturing Female Readers" opposite "Comics Bloggers" (Friday at 2:30 PM)? What are female comics bloggers supposed to do about that, huh? Considering that, I’d warrant, most new female comics fans are coming to the hobby via blogging, it’s just a weird counterprogramming move. "Mothers and Daughters: Female Graphic Novelists and the Family" (Friday at 6:30 PM) also sounds interesting, and it’s opposite Vertigo, which is not family friendly, and Stan Lee, who is not female, so that’s perhaps a good move.

Continue reading “Elayne’s views on NYCC panels”
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News

Nick mag’s annual collection hits stands

Dave Roman reports that the annual Nickelodon Magazine "Best of Comics" issue his newsstands this week. The 52-page issue collects various comics from Nickelodon’s The Comic Book, including "Viking Crush" by Dan Abdo and "Idiom-tastic Animal Detectives", by Travis Nichols, both mentioned on the list of "100 Distinguished Comics" in Houghton Mifflin’s Best American Comics 2006.

According to Dave, "Continuing the tradition of last year’s Best of Nick Mag comics, this latest collection will impress readers with an incredible variety of talent. You’ll discover work by groundbreaking comics creators such as Jordan Crane, Justin Green, Jason Lutes, James Kochalka, Michael Kupperman, Brian Ralph, Souther Salazar, Jason Shiga, Craig Thompson, Sara Varon, and many more. This special issue also spotlights several cartoonists and offers behind the scenes articles that are fun for the casual reader and a great resource for young artists."

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News

Wikiality meets the Buffy-verse

For those who can’t tell the players without a scorecard, Joss Whedon fans have put together a comprehensive guide to the upcoming Buffy Season 8 comic series, including links to interviews with Whedon, announced series writers, and major plot points. Check back early and often.

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News

Sight Unseen nominated for Rondo

Bo Hampton’s graphic novel Sight Unseen from Image is currently in the running for a Rondo Award in the best horror comic/graphic novel category. The writer of Sight Unseen is Robert Tinnell, who is writing EZ Street for ComicMix; Hampton and Tinnell are also co-creating Demons of Sherwood for ComicMix.

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News

Ormes Forms?

Cheryl Lynn is seeking like-minded individuals to help establish the Ormes Society, named for Zelda "Jackie" Ormes, the first nationally syndicated black woman cartoonist. 

Cheryl "was ecstatic to receive a few e-mails about my initial search for black female comic creators from people who wanted to add names to my list. Unfortunately, I hit a bit of a brick wall when I attempted to discover recent information on some of the names given… Black women are out there creating, but unlike our peers, we have the tendency to create in a vacuum. And while other creators use message boards and activist organizations to wisely network and receive emotional support, we post our thoughts and creations on individual websites and then wonder why various activist organizations don’t reflect our viewpoints or interests…

The Ormes Society would be a bit of a stepping stone or gateway. It’d be a place where black female comic creators and fans could (1) find each other (2) share our creations (3) talk about topics that are important to us and (4) gain the courage needed to bring those thoughts and creations to the larger comic reading/creating audience. It would also be a place for editors, fans and fellow creators to find us and share their thoughts about our work and about topics that pertain to black women in comics (both in the pages and behind the scenes)." 

As ever, Cheryl welcomes email feedback regarding this newly-formed organization.  She’s also posted her initial list of black comics creators.

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News

Webslinger

Books about comic books and comic book characters have grown in volume over the past few years. While some, such as Bob Handelman’s biography of Will Eisner, have received mainstream notice, many others fly under the radar.

Texas-based publisher BenBella Books has begun including comic book characters in their SmartPop series of essay collections. They dipped into the world of four-color heroes last year with collections pondering the X-Men and Superman.

Just out, in plenty of time for May 3’s release of Spider-Man 3, is their latest volume Webslinger: Unauthorized Essays on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Essayists include comic professionals, science fiction authors and other pop culture mavens. Guest editing is television writer and former DC and Marvel Comics editor Gerry Conway, who wrote a long, celebrated run of Amazing Spider-Man and provides some personal insights into the character in his introduction. The other writers are Darren Hudson Hick, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Robert B. Taylor, Lou Anders, Richard Hanley, Matthew Pustz, Michael A. Burstein, Joseph McCabe, Keith DeCandido, Robert Greenberger, Brett Chandler Patterson, J.R. Fettinger, Adam-Troy Castro, Paul Lytle, David Hopkins, Robert Burke Richardson, and Michael Marano.

SmartPop will also devote volumes to Wonder Woman and Batman, although neither are scheduled.