The teaser trailer for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is live. The film opens in March 2007.

Thanks, Stanley.

Via Dark Horizons comes a Variety report that Daniel Clowes will adapt his Eisner-winning story “The Death-Ray” for Jack Black’s production company.

Black will produce the film and take a small role, the trade publication reports.

Clowes plans to update the story, which appeared in Eightball #23, changing the super-powered protagonist from a teen-ager to an older man.

“I like the idea of him as a cranky 48-year-old man,” the writer is quoted as saying. “Using his powers to throw kids off his lawn.”

The folks from Sequential Tart are blogging and, er, Flickr-ing from Comic-Con. Be warned, though: There’s a photo of a very disturbing, and very naked, Beast figurine. That’s the stuff of nightmares — like walking in on your grandfather getting out of the shower. Actually, that’s exactly what it looks like …

Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star has a nice Flickr gallery of Comic-Con photos, including this shot of the Sci Fi Channel’s booth? Park? Modern-art installation? Whatever it is, it’s pretty amazing. And because you’re dying to see it, here’s a shot of part of the Snakes on a Plane booth. Oh, and Richard Hatch.

Good art, and I mean the really good art, isn’t truly random (no matter what the artist and the observer may both consciously think). Everything in the panel, every line, every color, adds to the overall message received by the reader. You can even step back and find layers of commentary on the story as a whole in a single panel. Every week, I try touch on some of the tricks and intricacies found in a single, well-drawn piece of art.

One of my favorite stories to do this with, panel by panel, is John Stewart’s origin story in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87. Neal Adams art combined with Dennis O’Neil’s propensity for dealing with direct issues as opposed to vague parables in his plots to wonderful effect. When you saw the allegory, you knew you were on the right track, you knew it was a way of supporting the story because there was no mistaking the theme.

Through these stories, I developed a real affection for Hal Jordan as a learning, growing character. He started out with the, to put it bluntly, the racism and classism of the average middle class white man in the time period. For me, he was the entry into the story. You got to watch Hal as he discovered the harmful attitudes he’d grown up with and slowly changed them while keeping his core personality, his heroic personality, intact. He worried, a lot, at first, (though as the story went on he regained his feet and his arrogance) that everything he did or said was wrong. But time and tales showed that prejudicial attitudes were just like airplane grease on his hands. They weren’t really a part of him or indicative of him true nature. They were superficial marks he’d picked up through contact with others. They could be removed, but it was difficult work that takes a lot of time and attention.

One day I expressed this on my blog when talking about ways to handle social issues in stories, and was greeted with horrified comments to the effect of “But Green Lantern isn’t a racist!!” (because superheroes must be perfect and never learn, after all). So I dug up a panel that implied he was. In honor of some livejournal friends who are blogging against racism this week, I’m going to repost that analysis for you.

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From Comic-Con, the Man Of Action blog brings us … Steven T. Seagle’s virginity pledge/convention sketch, which is probably even funnier if you’ve been reading Vertigo’s American Virgin, by Seagle and Becky Cloonan.

Wired News has a pretty good, if general, Q&A with Scott McCloud about the current state of comics, the rise of manga, and the economics, and evolution, of webcomics:

Wired News: How are comics evolving in the 21st century?

Scott McCloud: Right now, the direction of the evolution is outward. There are three big changes going on: the influx of Japanese comics, which is resulting in a tremendous number of younger readers, especially younger females; graphic novels, which are expanding the literary ambitions of comics; and the webcomics explosion, which is the great wildcard in all this. There are a lot of mutations in that territory.

I’m about ready to identify a fourth (trend). There’s a new embryonic movement of all-ages, family-oriented comics from North America: books for tweeners and younger kids and mainstream fantasy books like Bone.

WN: A decade ago, comics were largely geared toward adults. Why did that change, and how is that transformation reflected today?

McCloud: It wasn’t that they were really geared toward adults. It was more that we lost the kids. The superhero fans were just getting older, and we woke up one day and realized the kids had all left. That’s why things likemanga are so encouraging: We’re starting to get the kids back.

Most of the interview, of course, is devoted to webcomics, but I think I’d like to read more of McCloud’s thoughts on the all-ages/YA market.

As promised, Tokyopop has dramatically overhauled its website, showcasing a mix of content, from the company’s titles to creator interviews to aspects of “manga culture.” More notable, perhaps, is the prominence given to the fan community, with the addition of blogs and features that allow members to upload illustrations, photos, audio and video.

Before any blame gets shifted to him for the lateness of The Ultimates V2, artist Bryan Hitch clears the air:

“People can stop blaming me before they start on this one. I haven’t got the script yet. If Ultimates 12 had been the last as planned we would have been done last week. That issue’s now 38 pages and 13 will be whatever the fuck it turns out to be. I’m working on some other stuff until Mark, now recovered, get’s his MCW stuff caught up and then does Ults 13 next month.”

But there is good news, which we won’t hear about in detail until later this year, to come from this delay:

“It’s all worked out well anyway. The delay Mark’s been forced into means he and I put off our MASSIVE SUPER HOT FOLLOW UP until next year but left me with just enough time to squeeze in an unplanned for gig that nobody’s gonna see coming. JoeyQ might let something slip at Chicago as there should be some nice pictures to go along with it then…

All of this means there should be some very exciting announcements between August and Christmas about the next two years stuff; I’m certainly very excited and an excited Hitchy is a productive Hitchy. Let speculation begin…”

Earlier this year, Marvel dropped the bomb that freaked out collectors everywhere that they struck a five year deal with Hasbro. Early reports from San Diego Comic Con seems to put many fears to rest.

The following figures have been previously announced or confirmed at Figures.com:

Marvel Legends: Wave 1
• Planet Hulk
• Banshee
• X-3 Movie Beast
• Hercules
• Ultimate Iron Man
• Emma Frost
• Build-A-Figure Annihilus

Marvel Legends: Wave 2
• Astonishing X-Men Cyclops
• Astonishing X-Men Danger
• Astonishing X-Men Wolverine
• Magneto with Xorn Mask
• Dark Phoenix Jean Grey
• First Appearance Storm
• Battle Armor Asgardian Thor
• Yellow Jacket
• Quicksilver
• Build-A-Figure Blob

Marvel Icons
• Astonishing X-Men Wolverine
• Thor
• X-3 Movie Juggernaut
• X-3 Movie Colossus
• Punisher
• Dr. Doom

Upcoming Toylines
• Spiderman Origins
• Ghost Rider Movie
• 12″ Ultimate Ghost Rider and Motorcycle

Photos galore from Hasbro can be found at Superhero Times.

In Beau Smith’s latest column, he tackles the subject of writers, characters, which writers write which characters and why those particular writers write those particular characters.

In my 20 years in the business I’ve seen many cases where a publisher/editor has purposely looked for a white guy to write or draw other white characters and never even considered Asian, Latino, black, or any other living being outside of the color white for the job.

On the other side I’ve also seen many cases where the same publisher/editors have a black, female or gay character and they only hire a black, female or gay creator to write or draw that book. I have creator friends of color, female gender and that are gay that have only been sought out exclusively when the character leans to their color, gender or sexual preference.

Behind the scenes they mention that even though they’re glad to have to opportunity and the work, they are still kinda insulted by it because they are only considered a “Minority”, “Female” or “Gay” creator. That ain’t right.

With the final episode of the excellent Justice League Unlimited cartoon behind us, I figured the JLU action figure line from Mattel would soon follow. So I was really happy to see Comic Book Resources run a story on Mattel’s action figure panel, which includes mention of new JLU figures in the works.

On the JLU front, the article mentions:

• New JLU figures such as Volcana, Nemesis, Shade, Parasite, Stargirl and Huntress, as well as new versions of old figures

• A Doomsday figure available in an exclusive 6-pack at Target stores
• New packaging for the JLU figures emphasizing the conflict with Darkseid
• New 10-inch figures of Hourman, Aquaman and Wonder Woman, with cloth capes for all
• The “Justice Lord” version of Hawkgirl will be a Target exclusive in the future, likely as part of a three-pack

There is also a “convention exclusive” Solomon Grundy figure, which I’m hoping one of my co-bloggers might be willing to pick up for me…

The article also talks about upcoming DC Superheroes figures and a line of Legion of Super Heroes figures based on the new cartoon.

On his blog, Agents of Atlas writer/second baseman Jeff Parker provides a rundown of the Marvel vs. DC charity softball game held today in San Diego:

All the players for DC had matching orange shirts with numbers, very efficient. We had a choice of a few Marvel brand shirts, most were black with either a Punisher skull or a Venom spider. I opted for one of the few Fantastic Four “4″ shirts, because I wanted to reflect the hot sun as much as possible. On the bus ride over ACTOR/Top Cow’s Jim McLaughlin broke down the rules for us and told us to “carb up” with several boxes of animal crackers. I don’t know that shortening bread is the best sports energy snack, but we ate them. When I played softball with the cartoonists in Chapel Hill years ago, I usually pitched, so I’m not a pro at playing the bases. Fortunately Mark McKenna (1st base) and John Romita Jr. (Shortstop) coached me a bit about how to play 2nd. I got off a good hit to a Jann Jones (who just got promoted at DC) pitch the first time up, but I still was caught out. Later some DC staffer I tagged out started running again for some reason, confusing everybody. My next time at bat I got on 2nd, and I forget who knocked me in. Mark Waid got on first by the skin of his teeth in the last inning and worked his way home.

We ended up winning something like 26 to 8 so we didn’t finish beyond six innings. Which everyone was fine with, because it just kept getting hotter out at Balboa Park. I got to talk a lot to PLANET HULK writer Greg Pak and a lot of people I didn’t know yet, so that was nice. Since I had absolutely nothing to sell all day, playing softball was really the best thing I could have done or I would have just hung around sulking about losing money. Everyone had a lot of fun. The best of part of the game was near the end when Esad Ribic got up to bat again. A big Croatian who really doesn’t know much about baseball or any similar sport, Esad cut an impressive pose, shirtless and smoking. Then he got off a pretty good hit which brought some of our guys in, but he himself was tagged out because he didn’t know he needed to run to first, he just kept watching where the ball went. That was pretty awesome.

The teams played to benefit ACTOR.

Saddened by his non-appearance – well, non-physical appearance – in San Diego, Mark Millar is being very vocal on his message board right now, including this update on what’s happened to his creator-owned Millarworld projects. There’s swearing, so it’s after the jump for those who have weak stomachs for language: (more…)

As Day One of Comic-Con heads into the home stretch, the biggest news comes in the form of twin announcements from Marvel: the official revelation of the long-rumored second Avengers title, and the naming of a new high-profile creative team for Wolverine.

The second Avengers title, called The Mighty Avengers, will be written by New Avengers scribe Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Frank Cho.

“They will have different stories and themes,” Bendis told Newsarama. “The stories will be told different ways and the characters will have completely different relationships. Plus both books — both teams — have a different agenda. A different goal.”

The new Wolverine team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Simone Bianchi will take over with January’s Issue 50, for at least six issues. Beyond that?

“As with everything I do, the story dictates the length,” Loeb told Newsarama. “This particular story is told in six parts — so we’ll actually be done at #55. As folks will see, it’s a self-contained tale, but it will raise an important question that easily lends itself to another six-parter. That’s going to be up to Simone. If he wants to play some more — I’m in!”

On Preview Night, Dark Horse announced the return of Ron Marz and Luke Ross’ Samurai: Heaven and Earth, and the release of Marz’s Pantheon City, plus Gear School and other titles for 2007. Earlier today, the publisher revealed plans for a five-issue Abe Sapien miniseries, written by Mike Mignola, and drawn by Jason Alexander. (Related: Adam Warren talks about Empowered, from Dark Horse, Marz talks Samurai: Heaven and Earth)

More Comic-Con coverage:

IDW to adapt Transformers: The Movie

DC Nation panel report

Marvel Civil War panel report

More on Fox Atomic Comics

Interview with First Second’s Mark Siegel

Updates from Aspen and Michael Turner

Top Cow talks new Tomb Raider comics

The Man Of Action collective — Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle — are blogging up a storm from Comic-Con, stalking Richard Starkings, marveling at House of Secrets fans, and surveying the convention floor.

“Jeezus Christ!” Joe Casey writes, “Every year, my mind seems to block out how much of a cattle drive the aisleways end up turning into. People packed way too close together, all moving in some general direction, but none of them at the same speed. How is it that young children don’t end up trampled to death???”

Go read their observations from the trenches.

While most people are hyping their appearances this week at the San Diego Comicon, Bomb Queen creator Jimmie Robinson blogs about not going:

The silence is where the majority experience SDCC. Most East Coasters never make it. They’ve heard about the insane crowds, the new Hollywood love affair, the parties & previews. I was in that circuit for 5 solid years during the late 1990s into the 2000s. I was self-publishing my comic, CyberZone. Barely covering 700+ on my Diamond Orders – but yet, paying thousands of dollars for a corner booth in the Independent Pavilion just to rub elbows with the right people. Plus, it was great tax write-off. I had a decent paying day-job at the time. Well, things have changed a lot since then.

But this year I’m not going. I did plan it, though. Marked my calendar. Turned in my Pro Registration. A friend even offered space on his hotel room floor. But deadlines hit, life hit, and my cats are still looking at me funny.

Oni’s “San Diego Virgin,” meanwhile, talks about preview night:

Well, just got back from “preview night” which was ridiculous enough. I don’t know how I am going to handle the “real deal”. People keep telling me “just wait until Saturday”. Already the place smells like an arcade filled with old popcorn machines. I didn’t get a good chance to take any pictures, as most of the day was spent setting up the super classy Oni booth (#1934). Apparently there was some huge ordeal about pros not getting their badges? Anyway that stressed out the rest of the crew whilst I tried to remain composed despite the fact that I was running on about two hours of sleep and exhaustion from travelling and doing semi-manual labor.

Related: CBR’s Preview night photo parade

No doubt you’ve seen the trailer and other images from the upcoming Ghost Rider movie, starring Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze, but if not, the Ghost Rider website is now live for all your Ghost Rider-related needs. Go check it out.

Sony, like the rest of Hollywood, the comics community and the known world, is in San Diego, where Nicholas Cage will be on hand to talk about the film:

Sony Pictures proudly presents a pair of Marvels: The classic Marvel comic Ghost Rider comes to the big screen with Academy Award®-winning Nicolas Cage playing Johnny Blaze. Appearing in person to answer your questions and show some previews will be the film’s stars Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes and director Mark Steven Johnson. Oh, and did we mention Spidey 3? Come find out why we don’t have to say anything else… besides Sam Raimi!

Related: More on Sony @ SDCC

Related, too: Ghost Rider production blog

I can’t help but read all of the San Diego coverage with a somewhat biased eye, as I’m going to be there tomorrow and already am nervous about whether or not I’ll make it to my panel on time. But according to Augie De Blieck, that may not be an issue if my flight and registering goes as smoothly as his did. Heidi MacDonald also reports that registrations are much less of a hassle this year, compared with last. Also agreeing, Matt Maxwell, who continues with a general lay of the land so far:

Weather – Balmy. Actually about as nice as you can expect. If you’re not dressed for business. Conditions inside the convention center were fair, but the more people the con gets, the colder the room gets, so I expect adverse conditions starting today.

Programming – Insane. I think I’m going to miss half the stuff I want to see due to scheduling conflicts and the like. Who knows when I’ll have time to hunt down vintage Micronauts on the show floor?

And you only think he’s joking about Micronauts… For an exhibitors’ eye view, I’m sure you’re already checking out James Lucas Jones’s comments on the Newsarama Mother Ship, right? That’s good. Others are also checking in on Warren Ellis’s The Engine forum, where the convention is judged to be madness (“It’s very cutthroat even though there are some polite individuals roaming around,” apparently), which also links to Kelly-Sue DeConnick’s Flickr Pool for the convention, which is sure to contain all manner of photography that you won’t see on more responsible sites like ours.

More importantly, Blog@’s very own Michael May is on the scene, making with the reporting and feet on the street thing.

All of those people there… with the ability… to see me embarrass myself on the Blogging panel…

…Okay, now I’m even more nervous.