The Wall Street Journal had an interesting story up about the swarm of producers and agents on game and toy lines — mentioning, for example, that Hancock’s Will Smith was producing a movie on the game Risk — but one particular sentence really stood out:

J.J. Abrams, who created the TV show “Lost” and directed this summer’s “Star Trek” film, is in discussions to produce a movie about Japanese toy line Micronauts, which Hasbro just acquired.

Micronauts, originally a Japanese toy line, has had its fair share of comics, with Marvel producing 59 issues of related comics, Image producing 11, and Devil’s Due completing three. In their original comics incarnation, they even teamed up with Nightcrawler and the Fantastic Four!

Power of — Smallville! Shape of — awesome hair!

Operation Save Clark Kent has more images of the Wonder Twins’ debut on Smallville, for the upcoming episode “Idol.”

Be warned — there’s also a picture of Clark and Lois in a church that, for some strange reason, made me feel they were reenacting a performance of the Laramie Project rather than a Superman-related show.

[via io9]

Find out more about Global Freezing here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or at ComicsByEgg.com.

Nexus Archives vol. 9
Written by Mike Baron
Illustrated by Steve Rude, Paul Smith, Neil “Spyder” Hansen and Adam Hughes
Published by Dark Horse

The greatest superhero comic of all time hits one of its most controversial eras in this volume, which collects issues 53-57 and issues 2-4 of the concurrently published Next Nexus miniseries. Among Nexus fandom, the first fifty issues are nearly universally beloved, and rightly so. Baron and Rude create a universe far more complex and nuanced than that of any other superhero comic, stuffed to the gills with immigration concerns, energy shortfalls, religious zealotry (and they were writing these stories twenty-five years ago!), massively complex moral quandaries, enticingly realized alien culture, political parody as good as any you’ll find in the papers, and yes, awesome and bombastic action sequences.

Nexus Archives vol. 9 deals with war and assassination. It shows presidential politics and the struggles of humanitarian missions. Angry little girls are confronted by dedicated younger ladies, and sci-fi military antics abound during the chaotic assassination attempt on Sundra Peale. Capitalism runs out of control. It’s a superhero comic, with plenty of balls and a brain, and it’s a rare breed that manages to have both.

Despite alternating issues of the standard Nexus comic and the Next Nexus spin-off (ironically, classic Nexus artist Steve Rude is the illustrator on the secondary title, not the main series), the story flows quite smoothly in this Archive. Credit to Mike Baron, who deftly juggles the war on Ylum, as well as Ylum’s presidential election, the blindly vengeance-driven quest of the replacement Nexuses, and ex-Nexus Horatio Hellpop’s establishing of a medical clinic for the impoverished of Flatlandia.

Operating as an ensemble piece more than ever before, Nexus moves quickly between scenes, giving readers snippets of conversations and high points of action. Baron’s clearly a believer in starting the scene as late as possible and ending it as early as possible, because there’s not a wasted panel here. While Next Nexus focuses on Horatio’s clinic and the immature, desperate rage of the Loomis sisters, Baron still offers peeks into the political climate of Ylum. When Nexus deals with Zeiffer Meird’s assault on Ylum and Sundra Peale, mentions of Horatio’s quest are frequent. Baron juggles all the balls extremely effectively. Nexus is a title whose consequences are always on the minds of its characters.

His writing of Lonnie Loomis, the objector to the Loomis sisters’ vendetta, is some of his most convincing. The conflict and denouement between Sundra Peale and the Merk (a fitting irony to the assassination attempt on Sundra herself) is both surprising and effective, and the pages devoted to Tyrone and Dave continue to round out the picture of Ylum society. Horatio’s story is quieter, slower, and more difficult, but such is the condition of missionary medical work, and Baron deserves credit for giving time to the emotional cost of the work on our hero.

Steve Rude and Paul Smith handle three issues of material each, so you know the comics look great. Rude’s the visual architect of the Nexus universe, and Next Nexus gives him plenty of chances to shine. Multiple missions for Stacy and Michana Loomis as they establish their tenure as the new Nexus, each building their legitimacy as a threat to Horatio – the man who killed their father. Rude’s work is a little too slick to handle the sickly masses of Flatlandia, but he exhibits his usual élan when drawing the lush palace of Ursula X.X. Imada on Procyon or the brutal executions perpetrated by the Loomis sisters.

Paul Smith’s work doesn’t match Rude’s design work, but Smith, even then, was a precise cartoonist, setting scenes with clarity and keeping the drama high on each page. Spyder’s clumsy pages show some talent, but it’s very raw here, offering a passable if uninspiring penultimate chapter to the book. Adam Hughes, like Smith, an artist who went on to much higher profile work but showed talent from the very beginning, handles the finale, and his illustrative prowess is obvious from the get-go. He doesn’t provide the backgrounds and trappings of Smith or Rude, not yet, but the character work is very strong and clearly a sign of better work to come from Hughes.

This volume also introduces one of my favorite Nexus characters: Stanislaus Korivisky, the man who replaces Horatio as Nexus (after the Loomises prove untenable). Stanislaus is only glimpsed here, but his respect for Horatio and the responsibility of his position is well handled, setting up some of Baron’s most compelling character work ever over the next two or three volumes of the Nexus Archives.

Nine volumes into the series, the quality remains very high. Steve Rude’s art is going to be sorely missed in the coming volumes, but Baron’s scripts remain politically and socially relevant, dynamically paced, gilded with exciting action but woven with dozen of threads of human existence. No exception to the rule established by previous editions, Nexus Archives vol. 9 is a true must-have comic for fans of intelligent sci-fi and/or superhero adventure.

Earlier this week MTV’s Splash Page brought “exclusive” news that novelist S.E. Hinton will be joining the throngs of popular prose writers moving into the hot new medium of comics. Hinton will be working with Bluewater Productions, the company that published some comics based on Ray Harryhausen creations and concepts, but is probably best known for those weird “Female Force” biography comics that seem to generate plenty of mainstream media coverage every time an issue is announced.

Splash Page and Bluewater’s home page both have some covers and details, so head on over there for to take a look (My immediate reaction, you ask? Yuck). It sounds like the relationship will begin with Bluewater adapting some of Hinton’s pre-existing works, before writing “an entirely new title created specifically for Bluewater” in 2010.

I understand why comics publishers are so eager to accept the contributions of proven prose authors, what with their name recognition and their large audience of non-comics readers who would theoretically at least follow them into comic shops, but part of me still thinks there should be some kind of hazing ritual involved. Like Salman Rushdie will be allowed to write an original graphic novel, but first he has to write and draw his own minicomic to be published at a photocopier in a Kinkos, or Stephen King can develop a Vertigo ongoing, but only after a couple issues of Brave and the Bold.

I think I know the perfect title for Hinton’s hazing.

Are you ready to see Red light up and Walk Hard?

Well, the Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog has announced that John C. Reilly (of Walk Hard fame), along with Weeds star Mary-Louise Parker, are joining the cast of Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner’s Red.

Parker will play the romantic interest to retired agent-on-the-run Bruce Willis, while Reilly will play a paranoid retired CIA agent.

Warner Home Video has announced that it will be releasing an anthology of short traditional and CG anime films for Halo Legends.

Similar to the Animatrix or Batman: Gotham Knight, this eight-episode anthology will have work from Ghost in the Shell’s Production I.G., Cowboy Bebop’s Bones, and Dragonball Z’s Toei Animation.

The anthology will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on February 9, 2010.

If you like what you’ve read so far (c’mon, how can you not?) totally check out more super cute comics at:www.sosuperduper.com!

“It’s everything, Evey. The perfect entrance, the grand illusion. It’s everything. And I’m going to bring the house down.” ~ V

Just over twenty years ago, one of Alan Moore’s seminal works finally concluded, starting off in relative obscurity and — aided by the runaway success of Watchmen, completed three years earlier in 1986 — made Moore into a legend. It was subversive. It was brutal. It was a love letter to truth, justice, and the Anarchist way — it was violent and vicarious, volatile and visionary.

It was V. V for Vendetta.

And as his masked terrorist hero proclaimed — “Remember, remember, the 5th of November” — we’re going to Dial V for History and look back on this groundbreaking work, and its effects on Moore and the comic book industry as a whole.

Rewind to 1981. Alan Moore has yet to strike paydirt with Watchmen, which would go on to be one of the most celebrated and well-known graphic novels of all time. Instead, take a look back to the creation of a black-and-white British anthology that would go on to make history: Warrior. With editor Dez Skinn, Warrior housed many of Moore’s great works, including the subversive superhero epic Marvelman.

But the very first issue of Warrior — headlined by Axel Pressbutton, the Psychotic Cyborg — had a cloaked man with a Guy Fawkes mask along its spine. “V for Vendetta.” It was a short first chapter, but it was effective: Evey, a munitions worker so desperate she’s decided to sell her body on the streets. Unfortunately, her first solicitation happens to be a Fingerman, one of the corrupt policemen in a totalitarian England. She is only rescued from rape and worse by the intervention of V, a masked terrorist whose dispatch of the men is as brutal as it is inventive.

(more…)

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

SUGGESTED FOR MATURE READERS

Welcome back, Blog@teers!

When I started WORLD OF HURT, I wrestled with the issue of how much fidelity I would have to the Blaxploitation films that inspired it.  In general, they were rather lurid and profane.  I wanted to stay true to my “creative muse,” but I also wanted my Mom to be comfortable reading it.  This may make me a terrible son, but in the end, the muse won out.  However, I did warn my mother beforehand that the language was somewhat salty.  (The first strip ran in April, but by July she had worked up the nerve to stop by the site.)

Nonetheless, I did work out a compromise with myself.  The only word that is off limits is the N-word.  I want to bury it forever, so even in the name of artistic license, I refused to give it validity or currency in my webcomic.

- JEP

DC Comics, via the Source, has announced that Milestone Comics will get their day in the sun next year with MILESTONE FOREVER, which will be written by company founder Dwayne McDuffie.

This series, which will bring together Static, Hardware, Icon, Shadow Cabinet, and Blood Syndicate together with original Milestone artists John Paul Leon, Mark Bright, Chris Cross and Denys Cowan, will be a bittersweet tale that “chronicles the literal end of a universe, and the birth of something new, with major consequences for the future of the DC Universe.”

“16 years ago this month, industry giant DC Comics and upstart Milestone Media entered into an unprecedented creative partnership, producing 14 interlocking, creator-owned titles including Hardware, Icon, and the multimedia hit that would best be known as Static Shock,” wrote McDuffie. ” The story Milestone chose to tell was an audacious one, larger than life on its surface, character and story-driven at its base, Humanist and multicultural at its heart. For over 250 issues, fans explored a superhero universe like no other.”

DC announced that they would be bringing Milestone into the DCU proper in 2008, where Icon, Hardware, and the Shadow Cabinet guest-starred with the Justice League. Since then, Static has — perhaps not surprisingly — gotten the most time in the mainstream DCU, having joined the Teen Titans.

20 years. More to come.

[Update: Ha. Great minds, etc. Nevertheless, return later for a look back at "V" by our own David Pepose.]

Sheldon L. Dorf’s drive and vision paved the way for the Comic-Con International in San Diego that we know today. As part of the tributes emerging for Shel Dorf is a Web site where his memory can be honored, celebrated and shared with everyone. The photo above of Jack Kirby and Shelf Dorf in 1969 is from the site. Also, is this excerpt from Mike Towry’s observations:

Would there have been a Comic-Con in San Diego without Shel? Probably, someday, sure. Would it have been the one we have today? Certainly not. Comic-Con got its spirit, its positive, non-profit, welcoming vision from Shel. The Con committees throughout the years have done a fantastic job in building the Con into what it is today, but, to paraphrase Isaac Newton, “If they have seen further than others, it is because they stood on the shoulders of a giant.”

Phil Yeh, a long-time participant at Comic-Con International and founder of Cartoonists Across America and the World, has suggested for some time now that a street in San Diego should be named after Shel Dorf to honor the man and for all he’s done to make the San Diego Comic-Con the largest pop culture festival in North America , and one of the largest in the world.

When I contacted Phil Yeh, he said, “It would be great to see a street named for Shel and maybe a park with a mural that would be created by so many of the artists who had their lives changed because of Comic-Con. There is a park in Springfield, Massachusetts  with statues in tribute to Dr. Seuss and his characters. Perhaps San Diego should consider a park with statues celebrating comic characters and the man who brought so many talented creators together.”

The Simpsons: The Uncensored, Unauthorized History
Written by John Ortved
Published by Faber & Faber

Conducting dozens of interviews with writers, producers, cartoonists and executives whose lives have been connected to the development of the forever-running television series The Simpsons, John Ortved’s book attempts to untangle the web of the series creation and provide a glimpse at how it all came to be and who fathered the show’s, and the family’s, many startling and hilarious facets.

As might be expected, a network television show doesn’t truly have its origins in a phrase as simple as “created by Matt Groening.” Dozens of writers have passed through the show’s writers room, each drawing from different experiences, divergent senses of humor and completely individual expectations for the series itself.

Curiously, Ortved doesn’t speak to the three major players: Matt Groening, whose comic strip Life in Hell was noticed by producers on The Tracey Ullman Show, who in turn asked him to come up with a concept for interstitial cartoons to run between their skits; James Brooks, the movie and TV mogul, who produced and protected The Simpsons at Fox; and Sam Simon, the show’s lead writer during its formative years. Brooks’ company, Gracie Films, opted not to cooperate with the book’s creation, leaving Ortved to fill in his history from the outside in. Thus, readers are left with an interesting view into the world of the show’s three-headed initiators.

The effect creates a multi-faceted perspective that enables backers and detractors of each of the three to put forth their own experiences as to what occurred, as well as offering other theories as to how the show found its unique satirical voice and visual design. Readers can examine the evidence presented and look for something close to the “truth,” if such exists, in the cross-section of the testimony given.

Ortved is able to speak to many of the important figures, including the show’s original animation executive producer, Gabor Csupo; former writers and producers like Brent Forrester, Jay Kogen, and Josh Weinstein, among many others; one-time writer and current talk show host Conan O’Brien; former creative consultant Brad Bird; Matt Groening’s long-time friends and fellow cartoonists Lynda Barry, Art Spiegelman and Gary Panter; and FOX CEO Rupert Murdoch and other FOX execs like Barry Diller and Charlie Goldstein. Also, the administrator of fan sites like NoHomers.net are able to weigh in. So readers will definitely get a well rounded picture of how things occurred.

Probably the most distracting element of the book is when Ortved breaks from the “oral history” style and inserts his own thoughts. Often, he’s providing valuable and factual background that sets the stage from the interview segments, but sometimes, Ortved drifts into editorializing. His comments on others’ quotes are occasionally valuable, but often unnecessary. More disconcerting is his penchant for slagging off the show’s later years. It’s not that he’s wrong (not having watched the show in close to a dozen years, I can’t say myself), but it seems unnecessary and at times even petty when cast against his own fawning over the undeniably massive influence of the show on current pop culture and comedy.

That’s a fairly minor complaint, as most of the book conforms to the “oral history” format, using quotes and only context-providing paragraphs from the author to set the scene for each person’s story. All of those people providing their perspectives on the founding of The Simpsons builds a multifaceted history of a television revolution and institution. If anyone has any interest in codifying the building of one of the most important pieces of American pop culture, The Simpsons: The Uncensored, Unauthorized History is a very effective, very worthwhile read.

By Filip Sablik, Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc.

So it looks like I got folks talking with my last Blog post. That’s great – good conversation and debate is the highest compliment for a blogger, it means people are actually reading and feel compelled to respond in some way. Not only did Newsarama readers comment (44 comments!), but other bloggers responded in their own forums.

The only problem is that most of the commentators seemed to fixate on one statement in the blog post and missed my intended point. Admittedly, that may have been a failing on my part as a writer, so I thought it wise to try and clarify this week. Let’s see if I can get it right the second time around.

The actual point I was trying to make was – Witchblade, as our comic most often dismissed as “T&A” by online commentators, is not and has not been very “T&A” for years. Sara Pezzini, our title character, spends more of her time in more clothes than your average superhero-in-tights comic. I posted some Witchblade covers in comparisons with some recent Marvel and DC covers. In my mind, the Witchblade covers were largely narrative, focused on portraying our heroine as a strong female lead rather than a sex symbol. The other covers struck me as a bit more “T&A” in nature.

The statement that seemed to get the most attention was:

“Top Cow does intentionally place sexy artwork on our convention variant covers. We recognize there’s a part of our audience that digs them and we’d be bad business people for not giving our fanbase what they want. These covers are put out in a limited release and are primarily sold directly to fans at conventions.”

I posted one cover image as an example of a sexy convention cover, our Witchblade #128 San Diego cover, which while sexy strikes me as pretty classy. I’m not embarrassed to show this to my wife. Your mileage may vary.

Two intelligent ladies blogged in response to my blog, one was Laura Hudson at Comics Alliance and one was our own Christine Dinh, Marketing Assistant at Top Cow. Before you ask, no, I did not ask Christine to write on my behalf. They both make some interesting points and are well worth reading.

But back to my point, Witchblade is not a T&A comic.

(more…)

Dragons, dragons everywhere! The She-Dragon has returned–looking ten different kinds of creepy–and finds herself facing off against a revived Savage Dragon who may be suffering from acute amnesia–or may have Emperor Kurr’s memories restored to him. All the while, there are bad guys trying to use Dragon’s blood to turn some of their B- and C-listers into Dragon-baddie hybrids, and a dark, ominous dragon calling some of the other ones names. (more…)

Face front, gentle readers! And as always, if you have an event coming up — whether you be creator, publisher, retailer, or reader — email us at Newsaramaevents [AT] gmail [DOT] com.

And now, on with the show:

Portland, OR:

Join creators Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth for the release of their new comic series STUPMTOWN in the home of the comic’s namesake Portland, Oregon! Greg and Matt will be meeting fans and signing books at Cosmic Monkey Comics from 4-7pm on Wednesday 11/4.

Cosmic Monkey Comics
5335 NE Sandy Blvd

http://www.cosmicmonkeycomics.com

503-517-9050
Wednesday 11/4/2009
4pm – 7pm

New York City:

November 7, 4-7pm
Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School
A Tribute to “Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Joe Shuster
with the beautiful fetish model Darenzia and Nicholas posing
sponsored by Baby Tattoo Books, Boyd and Blair Vodka, and Squishables
Dr. Sketchy’s is a life drawing class turned cabaret extravaganza. Artists draw glamorous underground performers, compete in contests, and win booze and prizes. From its humble Brooklyn beginnings, it’s spread to 100 cities on five continents- including London, Rome, Tokyo, Paris, Sao Paulo and Melbourne.

On November 7th, Dr. Sketchy’s is teaming up with renowned comics scholar Craig Yoe, to celebrate his new book, “Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman Co-Creator Joe Shuster.” Stunning fetish models will reenact the hidden art of Superman’s creator, and Mr. Yoe will speak about his book and sign copies.

Dr. Sketchy’s takes place on

November 7, 4-7 pm
at the Slipper Room,
167 Orchard St (corner of Stanton).
New York City

Tickets are $10 in advance, or $12 a the door, and can be purchased at www.drsketchy.com or at the door. 21+

Seattle:

Al Columbia is widely regarded among his peers as one of the most accomplished and influential artists working in comics today. On the occasion of the publication of PIM & FRANCIE, his most ambitious work to date, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is hosting a rare public appearance by the cartoonist on Saturday, November 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

PIM & FRANCIE represents a breathtaking vision of contemporary American art.  Collecting over a decade’s worth of artifacts, excavations, comic strips, animation stills, storybook covers, and much more, this broken jigsaw puzzle of a book tells the story of title characters Pim and Francie, a pair of childlike imps whose irresponsible antics get them into horrific, fantastic trouble.

AL COLUMBIA: PIM & FRANCIE
Art exhibition and book signing
Saturday, November 7, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Exhibition continues through December 9, 2009
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) Seattle, WA
206.658.0110  www.fantagraphics.com
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

Indianapolis:

Indianapolis newest comic book store The Hero House is proud to announce Shawn Crystal (artist on Marvel Comics’ Deadpool series) will make a rare Midwest appearance to sign autographs, and meet with fans on November 6th and 7th.

He will be appearing as part of The Hero House grand opening celebration which will include a storewide sale on all back issues and Graphic novels. The Hero House specializes in Comic Books, Movies, Anime and related merchandise and is located in historic fountain square.

Have you heard the reviews about Archaia’s Days Missing yet? Have you not read the first full FREE issue yet? Still not convinced? Then check out Frazer Irving’s beautiful covers for the series.

According to Bleeding Cool, which has a larger version of these images, apparently all five covers lock together to create this cool image. What say you, Rama readers?

Red is the color of beauty, of blood, of death. It’s the mark of Queen Sonja, that She-Devil with a Sword who has moved her way up to a throne of her own. Dynamite Entertainment sat down with writer Joshua Ortega, to tease the new adventures of this warrior-born.

QUESTION: What led to the Red Sonja title transitioning to this new title, Queen Sonja?

JOSHUA ORTEGA: I think a number of factors, really. The main one being the chance to do something really different with the character, the chance to throw a twist on a classic, enduring character.

Dynamite has done a fantastic job with the current series, and has really brought the character of Sonja back to the prominence that she deserves. Now that the series is nearing 50 issues, it’s time to shake things up a bit, introduce some compelling new elements that’ll keep the readers guessing and take them to some brand new places in Hyrkania that they’ve never seen before.

QUESTION: In the previous series, the original Sonja portrayed in the Dynamite series died in #34 – and a reincarnation of the original Red Sonja took her place. Is she still in the lead here?

ORTEGA: I guess we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we? (laughs) All will be revealed in time, but you can be assured that this *is* Sonja in this story, this isn’t going to be a clone story of Sonja or “Who shot JR” or anything…you can read this and know you’re getting the real deal, an epic tale of the She-Devil with a Sword.

QUESTION: What is Red Sonja up against in this new series?

ORTEGA: She’s up against many things, but her main enemy will ultimately be the empire of Emora and its allies. We don’t want to reveal too much just yet about the specifics, but suffice it to say that she’ll be facing one of the greatest challenges of her life, and her actions will have ramifications far beyond her own personal sphere.

And of course, in classic Sonja fashion, she’ll be battling against the evil that men do, and defending those who can’t do it for themselves…while making a little bit of loot on the side, of course.

QUESTION: The solicits promise a new Sonja short story in addition to the comic – did you write that as well, and if so, can you tell us about it?

ORTEGA: Top secret so far, but I’m sure Dynamite will be releasing the details soon…all in all, it’s looking to be an awesome new launch for fans of Sonja, high fantasy, and kick-ass barbarian action!

That Batmobile of yours on its last gasp? Is your Spider-Mobile on the way to the trash heap?

Well, if you’re looking to get that eyesore off your lawn — and help some creators in need — the Hero Initiative has news for you. For anyone who wants to donate their clunker car to Cars 4 Causes, you can stipulate that your donation will go straight to the Hero Initiative.

Donating to Cars 4 Causes is tax-deductible, and in this case, will help the Hero Initiative assist creators in financial and medical need. Click here or here for more information.