Percy Gloom
Written & Illustrated by Cathy Malkasian
Published by Fantagraphics

Malkasian’s new book, the excellent Temperance, recently shipped to stores, but I’m a little behind and also just read her first: Percy Gloom.  Percy Glooms tells of the titular character’s journey to a new town and a new job, but more importantly, deals with dreams and practicalities, and with life against death.  Making hard choices lies at Percy Gloom’s heart.

Percy himself, a bashful, short fellow, dreams of writing cautionary copy – explaining to everyone all the many possible dangers of – well, anything.  Hair brushes, for example, may damage your hearing if jammed into an ear canal. His meeting with a young woman named Tammy, who obsesses over the ephemeral quality of life, the brief passage of moments after which our loved ones are no more a part of our life, pushes Percy outside his own comfort zone.  The inevitable risks and outcomes of life unfurl over the remaining pages, as Percy learns what life is for.

Witty and subtle, Malkasian’s script refuses to bludgeon readers with its theme.  Instead, she allows Percy to encounter a variety of characters, each one poking and prodding him toward the limits of his social comforts. The slow and deliberate pacing reveals changes in Percy’s thinking or clues into the people he encounters in each panel.  It’s almost manga-like in the way Malkasian uses silent panels of landscapes, cities and other physical objects to establish the tone of the Percy’s world.

Malkasian’s illustrations, soft and organic, detailed and nuanced, give the narrative the air of a parable.  The entire look of the book is built on clean curves and delicately shaded textures, and the fanciful designs of Percy’s world enhance the sense of a Percy Gloom being a classic parable.

Percy Gloom is a moving, engaging, enlightening book.  It’s exactly the sort of comic readers should be demanding – thoughtful and intelligent, a beautifully drawn narrative that unfolds its layers over the course of multiple readings.  Cathy Malkasian’s produced two winning graphic novels, and she’s clearly a talent that deserves a far wider readership.

Andrew Garfield.

[via Sony's official press release]

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Today’s confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office.

On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the first time we saw him in the upcoming film The Social Network, to his glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.”

Producer Avi Arad added, “I’m incredibly excited about Andrew Garfield. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future.”

Producer Laura Ziskin said, “We are thrilled to have Andrew Garfield for this new incarnation of Spider-Man under Marc Webb’s direction. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men. In the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen.”

The selection of Garfield was revealed at a press event in Cancun, Mexico for international journalists attending a media tour promoting upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international praise.

Garfield most recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming film The Social Network. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot love story I’m Here, which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go, due for release later this year.

Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford’s Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films’ “Red Riding Trilogy – 1974″ directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley’s “Boy A,” for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.

Garfield’s career began in theatre and in 2006 his performances in “Beautiful Thing” (Sound Space/Kit Productions), “The Overwhelming,” and “Burn / Chatroom / Citizenship” (Royal National Theatre) won him the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard awards and the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle Theatre Awards. Other notable theatre credits include “Romeo and Juliet” (Manchester Royal Exchange) and “Kes” (Manchester Royal Exchange), for which he received the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the Manchester Evening News Awards 2004.

So after months of speculation and rumors, I’m glad this is over. You might remember we reported that Garfield was one of the selections that Marc Webb had in mind.

Good luck to Garfield. You have big shoes to fill. So, rama readers, what do you think of the new Spider-Man?

Just yesterday, bloggers the world over were ready to crown 17-year-old Journey to the Center of the Earth actor Josh Hutcherson as the new Spider-Man, for Sony’s 2012-scheduled, Marc Webb-directed franchise reboot film.

Well, now some doubt is being cast over that news, courtesy of film rumor site CHUD.com. They’re saying Hutcherson has “not yet” been offered the role of Peter Parker, but it may still happen. CHUD goes on to throw a curveball, though, stating that rumors exist that Hutcherson might in fact be under consideration for the role of fellow Marvel Comics superhero Cyclops in next summer’s X-Men: First Class, making the teen nearly as hot of a free agent as LeBron James himself.

With all the unconfirmed reports swirling around, best bet may to be keep waiting for an official studio announcement on this one.

There are very few people in my mind that actually get the Wonder Woman character and all that she represents. One of those people is modern day legend Adam Hughes, who has done a slew of Wonder Woman covers, including a variant of #600 which is featured above. Over at Hughes’ deviantart page, you can really see where he drew inspiration, and you can see the astonishing level of detail. Hughes spoke briefly with blog@ about the thought process of doing a piece of art.

“Well, when doing a cover like WONDER WOMAN #600, the first thing that goes through my mind is ‘How do I make it feel like the original that I’m paying tribute to?’,” Hughes stated.  ”I need to figure out what to update, and what to keep the same. That’s unique to an assignment like this. After that, the thoughts that usually accompany a Wonder Woman cover will flit through the transom of my mind, and they usually involve issues of balance. A balance between femininity and strength, between beauty and sexuality, things like that. I need her to be beautiful but not trashy; I need her to be strong & powerful-looking, without being masculine.”

Hughes is also well-known for his sense of humor and continued. “And she needs to have fabulous hair. I don’t know why, but I feel Wonder Woman’s most interesting super-power is her ability to have amazing Pantene Pro-V hair without doing an ounce of primping. Can you picture her in front of a mirror, messing with her hair? I sure can’t.”

Included in Wonder Woman #600, which hit stands yesterday, are a series of pin-ups, and of course another one of Hughes’ piece was featured.

Again, a glorious piece that shows strength and beauty. “The appeal of the character is about how she influences people in her world, ” said Hughes. I think something like this speaks volumes on that notion.

On Monday, a limited amount of badges for the previously completely sold-out Comic-Con International — returned by poor, unfortunate souls who bought them but ended up unable to attend — went on sale to the public. Clearly, they were not destined to last long, and guess what? They’re all gone!

With the convention only three weeks away, it seems unlikely that more returned memberships will become available, so those still looking to get in might be out of luck, at least through conventional means. For those that all set to go, see you in San Diego.

Rather radically (but no doubt temporarily) changing Wonder Woman’s costume is perhaps the best thing DC Comics has done for the character this century.

At least it is if the goal was to get people talking about Wonder Woman again, because people are certainly talking about Wonder Woman again. In fact, pretty much anyone who talks about comics and superheroes ever at any point has talked specifically about Wonder Woman over the course of the last few days.

It may simply be a matter of being closer to Wondy’s wardrobe change than other newsworthy events in the recent past, but I certainly don’t remember this much attention paid the character during other outside-the-comics-media-newsworthy events in her recent history, like big, famous “real” book author Jodi Picoult writing an arc, or the famously female Gail Simone becoming the regular writer (I remember a bunch of “Hey, a woman writing Wonder Woman!” article around that time) or any Wonder Woman movie shenanigans.

Sure, not all of the reactions have been positive (just scroll down a bit for discussion of one of the more negative reactions from someone outside of comics), but over the course of the last few days, Wonder Woman has been on everyone’s lips…or at least finger tips.

So congratulations to DC on that at least. Publicity-wise, I don’t know how you can chalk this up as anything other than a win.

When the announcement first hit and reactions started rolling in, I had told myself that I’d do a round up of various reactions to the redesign on Blog@ on Thursday, providing a one-stop shopping link post for interested parties and offering some of my own thoughts. But reaction to the costume has been so overwhelming that I am well beyond whelmed—I honestly could not keep up with people talking about Wonder Woman, and my “job” is to sit in front of my computer and keep up with people talking about superhero trivia like costume changes and new directions. That’s how much people are talking about Wonder Woman these days!

As I was trying to keep up with all the commentary, I noticed that a lot of what I originally thought had been said elsewhere, so I’ll keep this short and simple.

After the jump, some quick thoughts on Wonder Woman’s new duds and directions, in handy numbered format!

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Well it’s not really canon, but yesterday on his twitter, Chris Samnee took a suggestion for an entry on his sketch blog. The final decision was something unique to say the least.

“So Aquaman found this at the bottom of the ocean…”

“Apparently someone didn’t need it any more.”

Of course this is all in good humor in response to Wonder Woman’s new costume that’s been getting wide spread attention, but I think if DC went this route, it’d gain just as much, if not more.

By Julie Opipari

This week I am going to talk about one of my favorite manga series – Skip Beat! Author Yoshiki Nakamura has come up with a great premise, and though there are a few times when the series doesn’t feel like it moves along swiftly enough, the comedy and the characters far outweigh the occasional pacing issues.

In Skip Beat!, protagonist Kyoko starts out as a doormat for Sho, the boy she has loved since childhood. Sho is on the fast track to superstardom, and as his star climbs ever higher, Kyoko’s admiration of him rises as well. She has even developed an irrational dislike of Ren, Sho’s rival in show biz. Everyone knows that Sho is far more handsome and talented than that poseur Ren.

When Kyoko discovers how Sho really feels about her, her life is torn apart. He only asked her to come to Tokyo with him to wait on him hand and foot, and to pay the bills so he could concentrate on becoming the latest and greatest celebrity in town. Kyoko is a quiet, mousy girl, who doesn’t care about her appearance because cosmetics and trendy clothing will only eat away at her and Sho’s meager finances. She is already working from dawn until dusk to ensure that Sho has the best of everything, so she has nobly sacrificed her dreams for him. They are soul mates, aren’t they, and after Sho is the biggest idol in Japan, he can start taking care of her.

Things don’t quite work out that way, and Sho unceremoniously dumps Kyoko. She isn’t glamorous enough for him, and she’ll only slow down his career. When Kyoko finally realizes that Sho is only using her, she snaps. Absolutely, completely, and frighteningly goes mental. Say goodbye to the nice, sweet Kyoko, because that weak, pathetic girl is gone forever. In her place is a crazed, demon-exuding nutcase who is going to have her revenge on the pompous Sho. How? Kyoko is going to become a bigger star than Sho. That will show him, right?!

I love Kyoko. Though she is doing everything for the wrong reason, she throws her heart and soul into the world of show biz. She gets a make-over, hits the trendy stores, and becomes someone else entirely. No longer the passive, doting admirer of Sho, she is now a raging beast determined to bring him to his knees. She will have her vengeance, or by God, she will die trying. Kyoko now has tunnel vision, and nothing will do but to become the Number One Idol in Japan.

Kyoko’s journey through the cut throat world of show biz is chronicled with humor, romance, and beautiful, expressive artwork. The character designs are long and lean, with lots of attention paid to fashions and hairstyles. Everyone is gorgeous, everyone has clothes to die for, and everyone has beautiful hair. Just so you don’t think I’m totally shallow, emotions crackle off the pages, enticing the reader to follow along for the 20 volumes that have been released in the US so far (and it is still ongoing!). There is a frantic energy that is addicting, and I look forward to each new volume with a giddy sense of glee.

If you are looking for a fun read with engaging characters and a lot of energy, give Skip Beat! a try. Kyoko is a unique heroine, one who is about one step from going over the edge completely. What is it that Khan said? Revenge is a dish best served cold? In Kyoko’s case, it’s a dish best served kicking and screaming, with little Kyoko demons shooting out of her body. Good luck, Sho, because you don’t stand a chance!

When Julie Opipari isn’t mucking around the barn, she can be found trying to make a dent in the massive pile of manga that keeps following her home from the bookstore.  Not wiling to admit she has a problem, she blissfully continues to anticipate the latest releases despite the cries of agony from her credit card.  She cheerfully blames her addiction on the stresses of college and post traumatic work disorder, and is grateful that her family grumbles only occasionally about the amount of time she spends buried in her books. In addition to reading Your Manga Minute every week, you can read more of Julie’s work on her blog, Manga Maniac Cafe.

[via Press Release]

Radical Publishing and Full Clip Productions are proud to announce that they have entered into an imprint deal. Under this agreement, Full Clip Productions, the company headed by actor Sam Worthington and his partners Michael Schwarz and John Schwarz, will develop intellectual property to be produced under the Radical banner. Worthington and John Schwarz will star in the film adaptations of select projects.

The first project in development under the imprint is Damaged, created by John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz, and written by Eisner Award winner David Lapham (Stray Bullets), the story centers on two brothers committed to justice in different ways – one inside the law, one violently beyond it. Now, with the end of their careers approaching, they must train their replacements, hoping to remake each in their image. But the vigilante code has changed and the brothers are left unprepared for the true lawlessness and corruption that is about to be unleashed. Fans can learn more about Damaged when they visit Radical’sSan Diego Comic-Con Booth #3735.

“We are thrilled to have Full Clip in the Radical family,” said Radical Studios President Barry Levine. “An imprint deal of this nature is unprecedented in the industry, and we couldn’t ask for better partners than Sam, Michael and John.”

“As a lifelong fan of comics, I’m so excited to have the chance to create material which I can then personally bring to life on screen,” Worthington said. “This is a great opportunity for my partners and I to work alongside a dynamic company like Radical.”

Radical Publishing, run by Levine and Jesse Berger, recently announced development of a feature adaptation of its soon-to-debut graphic novel, Legends: The Enchanted, with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment. Radical is also adapting The Last Days of American Crime with Worthington attached to star in and produce as well as Oblivion, which is being developed with Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski. Radical Publishing currently has 19 titles in circulation which are published in 7 countries, and a catalog containing more than 70 properties and 500 characters.

Worthington was hand-picked by filmmaker James Cameron to star as the lead in Avatar, which is now the highest grossing film of all time. The movie won the Golden Globe award for “Best Motion Picture-Drama” and was nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Motion Picture.” In 2009, Worthington teamed up with Christian Bale and director McG in Warner Brothers’ Terminator Salvation. Recently, Worthington wrappedThe Fields for producer Michael Mann and director Ami Canaan Mann, co-starring with Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He will next be seen in John Madden’s The Debt, where he stars opposite Helen Mirren. The film will premiere at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival and will be released later this year.