The appeal of classic hero stories is that they present us with a world we want to live in. A place where things work out in the end, people are basically good-natured, and nearly anything is possible if you adhere to a strong moral code and never give up. Human narratives encompass a wide variety of tones and types, and classic hero stories adhere to a sense of justice that is rarely fulfilled in our daily lives. They allow us to pretend for a short period of time that there’s a place where life is fair and just.

So much of modern entertainment tends towards false realism, tension, paranoia and cynicism that an optimistic story is unexpected. It comes off as nostalgic and a little naive. But it’s like a refreshing breath of fresh air. That’s why certain series are lauded endlessly. Not for skill or originality, but because the creators manage to capture the appeal of classic hero stories and present us with a world that despite all of the weirdness doesn’t seem like that bad a place to live.

And it’s not the plot that does this. (more…)

And is apparently buried in Portland.

(Thanks, Dennis!)

Following on from Tom Brevoort’s recent focus group blogging, now the Spider-Office is asking for your advice on what they should be doing:

Who do you want to see?

Which comic book artist would YOU, the reader, love to see take on the Peter Parker? You’ve got a message board – start your talkin’!

(see, doesn’t it feel good to use a message board to do something besides call for our heads?)

Some good suggestions so far: Paul Pope, Niko Henrichson, Becky Cloonan…

In his latest column over at ComicMix, Michael Davis says presidential hopeful Barack Obama may be in San Diego this summer for the con:

Before I give my endorsement (which will surely decide the nominee as I carry so much weight) let me share a bit about each candidate. There is a real chance that Barack Obama will come to Comic Con International this summer. His campaign contacted me last year about setting that up and it still may happen.

Why me? Let’s just say that’s how I roll.

I like Obama but did not know if I was ready to vote for him. I was very impressed that his campaign thinks that Comic Con is a smart place to reach young people. That move earned him serious points in my book.

San Diego’s got just about everything else already, so why not politics? Although you have to wonder what kind of nightmare it would be for the secret service, trying to protect him at a place with so many costumed folks walking around.

Update: SDCC tells the mothership they haven’t heard from Obama

At StarWars.com, Pablo Hidalgo compares the 1977-1983 Marvel Comics adaptations of the first three Star Wars movies with the manga versions later published by Media Works.

I appreciate that Marvel was hobbled by space limitations, and the creators only had access to the films’ scripts, photo stills and production art. But, woof, I’d forgotten how lifeless those adaptations were.

(Via Dirk Deppey, I think)

Marc-Antoine Mathieu is one of those constantly under-represented European artists that those few who are aware of talk constantly about but yet whose work comes across the Atlantic in piecemeal and haphazard fashion, if at all. To date, only one other book by Mathieu has been translated into English that I’m aware of: Dead Memory, which Dark Horse released in hardback edition in 2003.

I’m not going to provide an in-depth analysis of what makes Mathieu so awesome and why you should read him. That would require a separate and lengthy essay unto itself. For that I would instead recommend tracking down a copy of issue #196 of The Comics Journal which contains Bart Beaty’s essay “The Compelling Experimentation of Marc-Antoine Mathieu” (It’s the one with Dave McKean on the cover. You can also find out about the artist here and here).

Anyway, Dead Memory, though it deals with several of Mathieu’s recurring themes (Kafkaesque bureaucracy, labyrinthian structures), doesn’t provide a good introduction to Mathieu, perhaps to due to the an awkward translation. Much better is the new book The Museum Vaults, from NBM (previews here and here). (more…)

Oh, you crafty, crafty Warner Bros. marketers. Writing for Road & Track magazine, Sam Matini “road tests” the Mach 5 from the upcoming Speed Racer:

As soon as the Mach 5 leaves the line, you lose consciousness for a split second. Everything goes white, as the sudden onslaught of intense g-forces overwhelms the senses. You’ll come to with your eyes open wide as you find yourself already halfway down the drag strip (this may explain why Speed’s eyes were always so big and round). You hit 60 mph in just over a half-second. The quarter-mile mark comes and goes in 2.7 sec. at 197.1 mph. Compared to a top-fuel dragster, the Mach 5 is faster off the line — thanks to absolute grip — although the dragster closes the gap a bit once it gets going.

Matini even checks out the two circular saw blades that jut out from under the hood, activated by pressing the “C” button on the steering wheel.

(Via Anime News Network)

Although the Man of Steel doesn’t officially turn 70 for another few months — Action Comics #1 sported a June 1938 cover date, but hit newsstands in April — modern tradition points to Feb. 29 as Superman’s birthday.

At the Superman Homepage, Barry Freiman traces the Leap Day tradition to 1988 and the big 50th-anniversary story in Time magazine, and then back even further, to a 1976 DC Comics calendar.

Of course, there are still other supposed birth dates: June 10, June 18, May 3 … What’s a Kryptonian to do?

In any case, happy birthday, Superman — at least until the next one comes in a few months.

Related: Bully’s birthday tribute for the man who has everything

Blogger Dick Hyacinth, who’s far more patient and determined than I, has compiled a list of the top 100 reviewed comics of 2007 by applying an arcane formula to countless best-of lists. What he came up with is pretty varied, and definitely interesting:

1. Exit Wounds
2. Shortcomings
3. All-Star Superman
4. I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets
5. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
6. Criminal
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8
8. Alias the Cat
9. Perry Bible Fellowship: The Trial of Colonel Sweeto
10. Powr Mastrs
11. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus
12. Chance in Hell
Superspy
14. The Arrival
15. The Blot
16. Immortal Iron Fist
17. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier
18. The Professor’s Daughter
19. Shooting War
20. Essex County series

Follow the link for the full list, which includes commentary by Hyacinth.

Shuffleboil chats with “cartoonist scientist” Jay Hosler:

SB: The power of comics as a means of communicating ideas about science and evolution to a general audience is surprising.

JH: Part of my impetus is that I just wanted to do a Darwin book. Can you have a hero in science? He’s my hero. You couple that with the idea that there are these nation wide declines in science literacy and this ongoing evolution/creation debate. It just really underscores the need for scientists to explain to the public why science is exciting, why evolution is exciting. And then I talk about how I try to use comics to do that, specifically about placing science within context of a story.

You can check out a preview of Optical Allusions here.

After a five-issue absence, Jo Chen returns in July as cover artist for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On her blog, Chen provides a sneak peek at the cover of Issue 16.

Remember that really cool Alphabets of Desire print that Alan Moore and Todd Klein released back in December? Klein says they’ve done a second printing, which goes on sale next week:

The second printing of “Alphabets of Desire” will go on sale at 1 PM Eastern Time, Thursday March 6th. This second printing of 500 differs from the first printing in two ways, as shown above: Alan has signed them in either blue or black ballpoint, instead of the red ballpoint used on the first printing. And in the small type along the right edge I’ve added the words “2nd printing Jan. 2008″. They are otherwise identical to the first printing. The first printing sold out in less than three days. I have no idea how quickly this one will sell, but be forewarned. At this time I’m limiting sales to a maximum of three copies per person/order, to give as many people as possible a chance to buy them. If copies are still available after March 24th, you can reorder.

Before Steve Gerber passed away, The Hero Initiative was working with him on a project called FOOG, Too — a sequel of sorts to the Friends Of Ol’ Gerber campaign launched many years ago when he was fighting with Marvel for the rights to Howard the Duck.

Jim McLauchlin explains the concept on the Hero Initiative blog:

We were gonna create several Gerber-centric products under the FOOG, TOO! banner that would help fund Hero (and thereby, also help Steve out financially in his convalescence). The first outta the gate was scheduled to be this super-cool Frank Cho Howard-and-Beverly print seen here. Working with our pals at Marvel, we got some new Frank Cho/Jason Keith art, and got these suckers printed up. Frank and Steve were slated to sign ’em, and ¡voila! Instant fundraiser product.

The print will be available at the Orlando MegaCon March 7-9 and throughout the rest of the con season. They will also be available via the Hero Initiative online store at AtomicComics.com.

EDIT, 2/29: Changed out the image; clicking on it will give you a better look.

On his LiveJournal, Joey Weiser talks about the availability of his latest project, Tales of Unusual Circumstance:

Tales of Unusual Circumstance is here! Tales collects comics work from my output over the past 4 years that has appeared in anthologies, mini-comics, and more! PLUS, as mentioned above, it features 48 pages of never-before-seen material! And, by that I mean new comics!!

I’d like to warn those of you interested that Tales of Unusual Circumstance will not be in most stores! “So, how does one procure this fine product,” you ask? Well, I will have copies in hand at FLUKE, MoCCA, and SPX this year. However, if you won’t be attending one of these shows, or just can’t wait, there is hope! The book is available for sale online from AuthorHouse.com!

The direct link for buying it from the Author House site is right here.

Empire magazine confirms Gerard Butler (300) will voice the animated Tales of the Black Freighter short that will be included on the Watchmen DVD.

Tales of the Black Freighter is a comic book within Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen universe. In it, a castaway struggles to return home to warn his family of the arrival of The Black Freighter, a phantom pirate ship that carries the souls of the damned.

Usually I’d wait a little closer to an event before posting something about it, but after seeing this flyer, I couldn’t wait. Isotope always has cool event flyers (and events) but this one by USA Today artist Keith Carter really takes the cake.

As you can see from the flyer, Isotope is hosting a meet-up with Pop Candy’s Whitney Matheson and artist Tim Sale on March 22. More details here.

The Bendis Board discovers the dangers of crossbook continuity:

Next week’s Uncanny X-Men has a huge spoiler in it. I read the advanced copy at my store and holy [expletive deleted for the sensitive ones]. I would avoid it if you don’t want the end of Whedon and Cassaday’s arc ruined.

That spoiler, and discussion of what’s going on, under the jump. (more…)

Two days after Justice League: The New Frontier was released on DVD, it’s seeming that the direct-to-DVD Judas Contract animated movie may be in trouble, if this poster on DC’s boards is to be believed:

Warner Bros. Animation is having second thoughts about producing the TEEN TITANS: JUDAS CONTRACT animated DTV movie. I’ve just today exchanged emails with Marv Wolfman on the subject.

I wrote:

Hi Mr. Wolfman,

The site Business Wire posted the official press release for Batman: Gotham Knight yesterday. I see that one of the extras is a sneak peak at the Wonder Woman animated DTV. I assume that this must mean that the Wonder Woman DTV has been bumped ahead of Teen Titans: The Judas Contract.

Do you have any insight as to why this was done? I can easily understand Batman: Gotham Knight getting pushed ahead of Teen Titans; it had to be finished in time to be released before The Dark Knight. I just don’t understand why the Teen Titans DTV didn’t go into production after Gotham Knight was completed; although, I did wonder if something was up when casting announcements of Keri Russell for Wonder Woman and Nathan Fillion for Col. Steve Trevor were released. Any light that you can shed upon this development would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if you would not like to be quoted.

Mr. Wolfman’s reply:

Titans is on hold as WB isn’t sure enough people know what the Titans is. If enough people write into the WB animation perhaps they will realize there’s a large audience for it.
-M

We need to write to Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Premiere to let them know that a sizable audience has been waiting for this movie. Remember to be polite and to the point. 

Contact information of those to tell that you know who the Teen Titans are, as well as examples of letters sent, at the link. 



So, news from WonderCon is that there will be no Batwoman series, but Batwoman will be “integral” to DC in 2008.

Well, okay then. We’ll see how that pans out.

I do like the idea of Batwoman. Originally, Kathy Kane was a Batman fan who happened to be a rich circus star, and who therefore (according to 1950s superhero-comics logic) had the means and the ability to fight crime. Introduced in 1956 to help show that Batman = Not Gay, she soon acquired a sidekick, Bat-Girl, so that Robin’s hetero hormones could be stoked as well.

(more…)