NOTE: The Phelps thing is included here because I wrote this before I had a chance to look and see everyone was already writing about it, and I don’t care to change it.

There are not one, but two issues of The Gold Exchange currently fermenting on my computer (I’ve written interview questions, but not the stories to go with them, for Dan Jurgens on Time Masters #1 and J.M. DeMatteis on Booster Gold #34), and a quick once-over of my contributor page reveals that really, other than Best Shots, I haven’t done just about anything for Newsarama lately that didn’t have to do with Booster or Savage Dragon. So it’s time for a quick linkblog, where I’ll touch on a number of issues that I’ve had waiting in my e-mail for a while. (more…)

By Amanda McDonald

Check out Newsarama’s own Brian Andersen on Saturday at SDCC. Author of So Super Duper and Friend of Dorothy, Brian Andersen’s work has a distinct voice and a great message intertwined into the super-hero genre. Brian will be armed with the newest issue of So Super Duper and previous issues will be available as well.

Catch Brian Andersen at the Prism Comics booth (booth numbers 2049, 2146, 2148) on Saturday, July 24th for portfolio reviews at 11 am and signings from 1 to 2 pm.

If you’re (like me) sadly not at SDCC but interested in Andersen’s work, check out his web site at SoSuperDuper.com and more from Prism Comics at their site, as well.

Batwoman: Elegy
Written by Greg Rucka
Illustrated by J.H. Williams III
Colored by Dave Stewart
Lettered by Todd Klein
Published by DC

This is a difficult book to write about.  On one hand, Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III are responsible for its creation, so you know it’s going to deliver on some level.  Each is a seriously talented creator, after all. Yet there’s another level that leaves me scratching my head.

Okay, you may remember that a few years back, DC Comics received a fair bit of press surrounding the introduction of their new Batwoman, who was proudly trumpeted as a “lipstick lesbian.”  Then, almost in spite of the character’s profile, she faded into the background and didn’t cause much of a ripple for a few years.  Last year, under the careful eye of Rucka and Williams, Batwoman finally got her chance at a starring turn, taking the lead feature in Detective Comics.  Batwoman: Elegy collects the Rucka/Williams collaboration under one cover.

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It’s a weird week in comics news, in that there’s essentially only one story (Comic-Con), but it’s one story made up of a billion little stories. I tried to keep this installment relatively Comic-Con news free, but keep your eyes on the main page for Newsarama’s complete Comic-Con coverage. Here’s what I could find…

I guess Wilson’s media cycle hasn’t quite expired yet: NPR’s Neal Conan (and callers) interviewed the hell out of Daniel Clowes earlier this week, and you can rea a transcript here.

Rare crumbs: R. Crumb’s website has a new feature, “Crumb On Crumb,”  that will serve as a repository for rare Crumbinalia, like this transcript of an interview with Alex Wood, Crumb on LSD and his move to San Francisco and this piece by brother Maxon Crumb on the Crumb boys’ fascination with Treasure Island.

Er, I think there’s an “f” in ‘Mahfood,’ LA Times: They’ve got it right in the body of this piece on one of his new projects, “Sex Pot Punk Dunk: Comics rockstar Jim Mahood’s new superhero ‘Marijunaman’” though.

I don’t know, but I bet he’s been in a movie with someone who’s been in a movie who’s been in one: Zach Oat asks “Why Hasn’t Kevin Bacon Been In A Superhero Movie Before Now?,” and suggests some roles he would rather have seen Kevin Bacon play than the guys who got the roles. Fun to think about, sure, even if some of Oat’s suggestions are insane. For example, Kevin Bacon as Mr. Freeze in Batman and Robin instead of Arnold Schwarzenegger? That’s crazy talk.

“He didn’t seem, like, real old…He was kind of like a hipster”: Cleveland cartoonist and Harvey Pekar collaborator Tara Seibel shares her memories of the late comics writer with the New York Times.

“Not everyone reads comics, although most people know the major superheroes, but the majority of people play video games”: That’s Jim Lee, talking to the Washington Post for an article about video games as a new-ish career path  for superheroes. Stan Lee and Rick Remender are also quoted.

I vote Green Arrow, just ’cause I want to see him in a prosthetic mustache and beard: “Which superhero should Ryan Reynolds play next?”

The story of Tuesday’s game between the DC Bullets and Vanity Fair must unquestionably be the pitching of Larry Ganem.  Larry retired the first seventeen VF hitters in a row, and in the end, retired Vanity Fair in order in six of seven innings.  Mixing speeds and locations, Larry kept the opposition off balance all night, generating a series of routine groundballs and popups, many of which Larry fielded himself – a real indication of how effectively he pitched.

The Bullet hitters didn’t have one of their better games, but with Larry working his mojo from the mound, they didn’t have to.  They scored plenty to come away with an 8-3 win.

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Much has been made over the Westboro Baptist Church’s plans to picket outside of Comic-Con today. Sure enough, there was about four or five of them out there, but the real show were the couple dozen counter-protesters. The Bender with the “kill all humans” sign was a particular highlight.

The first “official” day of Comic-Con International: San Diego is starting as we type, but before diving into that chasm of comic book announcements and movie hype, let’s take a look back at all there was to be seen Wednesday night at preview night — like Odin’s massive throne at the Marvel booth.

More pics after the jump!

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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!

Earlier in the week DC Comics released one of their occasional teaser images consisting of a big, huge picture full of visual clues and metaphors hinting at future storylines and developments.  If, by some chance, you haven’t seen it already, we’ve got it on the main site, along with a link to a gigantic version.

What does the image portend for the DCU’s “Brightest Day” direction? Let’s guess after the jump. I warn you though, I am terrible at these…

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[Via Press Release]

Radical Publishing is proud to announce that director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead) has signed on to produce and direct the film adaptation of EARP: SAINTS FOR SINNERS, based on Radical Publishing’s miniseries created by Matt Cirulnick and David Manpearl and written by Matt Cirulnick and M. Zachary Sherman. EARP: SAINTS FOR SINNERS will be produced by Mandeville Films partners David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman for DreamWorks with Matt Cirulnick attached to write the screenplay. Radical’s President and Publisher, Barry Levine, and Raimi’s partner at Star Road Entertainment, Josh Donen, will also produce with Radical Studios’ Executive Vice President Jesse Berger, Cirulnick and Manpearl signed on as Executive Producers.

In a world where the American economy has all but collapsed to the levels of the Great Depression, infamous bandits roam the country and the law is as corrupt as the criminals its sworn to stop. Yet one lawman remains a steadfast moral compass for the people: WYATT EARP. Earp has collared more most-wanted men than anyone in history – but after a violent assignment claims the life of his brother, Wyatt sets out to forge a simple life in the only boomtown left: Las Vegas. With gorgeous women and free-flowing money on endless tap, Sin City attracts more people than a modern gold rush. Though Earp no longer wears a U.S. Marshall’s badge, his past is about to catch up to him. With nearly everything to lose, Earp will have to beat the odds stacked against him in order to bring old-fashioned justice to Sin City.

“This is amazing news going into San Diego Comic-Con,” states Levine. “Both Cirulnick and Manpearl have created an exciting setting of Las Vegas in the near future to reinvent the Wyatt Earp legend that will excite fans around the world.”
EARP: SAINTS FOR SINNERS #0 is currently available to purchase for the premiere price of $1.00. A deluxe-sized issue #1 will go on sale in late 2010.

Keep checking www.radicalpublishing.com for updates.

[Via Press Release]

Shipping this September for the Halloween season will be Zombie Terrors , a 152-page anthology of stories based on the undead. It features writers and artist from all over the world.

“We’re calling it Zombie Terrors, an Anthology of the Undead,” says Publisher/Creator Frank Forte, “it’s a collection of horrific and fantastic stories featuring everyone’s favorite brain eaters.”

Szymon Kudranski (SPAWN) brings us The Barber, a tale of the undead and the Mob. In Creature Converts, by Canadian storyboard and comic artist Craig Wilson, a cat lady’s feline friends develop a taste for the flesh. In Feast ( written by Royal McGraw (Batman:Battle for the Cowl, Commissioner Gordon), Illustrated by Adauto Silva ) a gangster’s taste for a delicacy becomes his end. In Hate by Doug Williams, a zombie must confront what he’s become. Billy George brings us The Undead Templars a tale of the blind dead. Allison written by Myself and illustrated by horror master Tim Vigil, colored by Joe Vigil, a lovesick man tries to ressurect his dead lover with horrifying results. Bond follows a lone survivor in a zombie holocaust (by Euro guys Bartosz Sztybor and Macie Wodz). Grmbghraaaaagh! (by Bartosz Sztybor and Pawel Wojiechowicz) is a tale of zombies trying to escape what they are. Dead of Night by Joie Simmons is a great B&W tale. David Paleo brings Rot Clowns, which is rendered in a great old school brush style. Bunker Buster (Illustrated by Steve Mannion) is a tale of Nazi Scientists trying to engineer zombie super-soldiers. Aaron Rintoul brings When we Disappear, a esoteric tale of zombie armageddon where we track two lovers trying to survive. Other tales by Robert S. Rhine (Girls and Corpses) , Nenad Gucunja, JC Wong, myself and others. Also includes a special preview of the upcoming voodoo/zombie series Undead Evil illustrated by Nenad Gucunja.

Over at Evan “Doc” Shaner’s blog, you’ll see he’s been drawing the Agents of ATLAS this past with the recent addition of Namora.

The cousin of the Atlantean King looks great with Shaner’s style. She appears strong, yet agile and the background is stellar as well. Interestingly enough, Shaner wasn’t really optimistic about drawing her. “I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to drawing Namora; by default she’s my least favorite agent (but I still like her) and I have always had trouble drawing scenes underwater in the past.”

You can check out the other Agents: Gorilla Man, the Human Robot, the Uranian, and Venus on his blog.

MTV, by way of EW, had set visit to my home city of Atlanta to check out the production of the AMC series “The Walking Dead”, and I have to say the scale of this thing is monstrous (pun intended).

Yes, director Frank Darabont and Kirkman admit while they are staying “pretty close” to the content, Darabont will be taking “interesting detours”, but I sort of figured that out when I saw tanks were involved.

Chris Hemsworth is looking ripped, chiseled, jacked and generally rather Thor-like in a promo shot appearing in USA Today today, as part of a Comic-Con preview article including quotes from Thor director Kenneth Branagh.

Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger will both be at center stage this Saturday at Comic-Con International: San Diego, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Marvel Studios panel in Hall H. Check out the concept art posters here.

J.H. Williams III is drawing and co-writing a new Batwoman comic in the coming months, and today, mere hours before Comic-Con International: San Diego opens up to the public for preview night, DC Comics has unveiled a new piece of art from the series on their official DC Universe blog, The Source. And it’s just as J.H. Williams III-licious as you’d expect.

Read Newsarama’s interview with JH Williams III talking about the series here.

Perhaps Noah Van Sciver should stop at Step Two: The cartoonist shares his six (or seven-ish) part plan for the future (Via Flog)

Is this the cover of Bluewater’s next Fame celebiography comic?: No, no it’s not. It is Bill Murray as drawn by Daniel Clowes though. (Via Flog again…maybe you guys should ignore me and just go read Flog, since I’m totally biting all their content this morning)

This makes me sad: Has DC Comics canceled Billy Batson and The Magic of Shazam (just when it was getting good , too!) and Batman: The Brave and The Bold (Now what am I going to do with my pitch for an 18-page story where Batman and Dr. 13 track down Batsquatch?!), because the kid-friendly Johnny DC line  is on the way out, and they’re getting out of the comics for kids business? I’m hoping it doesn’t; there’s a small industry trade show going down in California this week, and word of future plans might come out of it. I’m hoping they replace the monthly Batman: The Brave and the Bold with a monthly Batman: The Brave and the Bold 80-Page Giant. Fingers crossed!

You guys should probably just bookmark Bully’s blog: That way, if I forget to post something like, say, the next installment of his Thor-meanders-around-America-like-What’shissuperface, you won’t miss out on anything awesome.

“Unlike Catwoman, this bad-ass knows that the all-leather look is so yesterday, so she’s switched it up with some sleek cashmere pieces”: Is that true? Is the all-leather look so yesterday? Does Darwyn Cooke need to design another new Catwoman costume, out of cashmere?

“Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Finest Hour”: Is the National Post the first institution to use that fairly obvious but rather clever headline? If so, they’ve put it over a nice, thorough article on O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim, the final volume, the upcoming movie and the phenomena. Here’s another article, from the Winnipeg Free Press, and here’s one from USA Today.

I’m not sure I’d want to read any of as graphic novels: Paste suggests “Eight Literary Works That Deserve a Graphic-Novel Treatment.” The one I would have been most curios to see would have been The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, but all of Dark Horse’s Escapist comics have already answered the question of what Escapist stories from different eras might have looked like.

Blackest Night
Written by Geoff Johns
Penciled by Ivan Reis
Inked by Oclair Albert and Joe Prado
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Nick J. Napolitano
Published by DC Comics

I’ve always, ever since my first review at Newsarama, tried to approach books with the philosophy that my job is to explain the requisite back story, as well as the script and art’s strengths and weaknesses to potential readers, with special care given to the possibility of readers who may not be regular comics aficionados.  Granted, this is Newsarama, and most of us are fans, but I’ve heard from several non-readers who’ve enjoyed and benefited from my writing here.  Easy as that task is when talking about independent comics, it becomes incredibly difficult to discuss superhero comics. As there’s ultimately little I can do to sway the reading habits or enjoyment of committed superhero readers, I like to expose my brethren to titles that they’ve maybe not heard of or have overlooked.  But I think it’s also part of the job to allow a casual reader to know where he or she can comfortably dip their toe into the comic book waters. All of which is to say that Blackest Night is a strange book to approach from this perspective.  Blackest Night is by fans, for fans, and if you don’t believe me, just witness how nerdy creators can be in the “director’s commentary” section at the back of this hardcover. (Not a judgment; get me started on my favorites and I’m just as nerdy!)

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Scooted over to Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles last night for their Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour midnight release party — one of many such events toasting the sixth and final volume of Oni Press’s popular series and inspiration for the Edgar Wright-directed, Michael Cera-starred film coming out next month that you’re probably well aware of.

Look who else was there!

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Awesome.

These will be released at San Diego Comic-Con this year at the Marvel booth, and both are gorgeous in my eyes. Thor battling his evil brother Loki on what looks like to be some sort of mountain or bridge. Thor looking majestic as ever, with Loki looking sinister as ever.

You also have Captain America, with his iconic shield posed in the heat of battle.

So what say you, readers? Do these posters add to your excitement or what?

I’m sorely tempted to simply remind everyone  that the sixth and final volume of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s epic arcade logic romantic/action/slice-of-life comedy Scott Pilgrim ships this week and call it a column because, despite all the work from a lot of talented folks that comes out this week, Scott Pilgrim Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour is primed to suck the excitement out of everything else on the shelves this week.

But let’s soldier on anyway. Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour will be a $12, 250-page digest in which Scott faces off against the final end boss of his current romance. Based on the fact that O’Malley’s art work has gotten markedly better with each successive volume, this should be the best-looking one of them all.

So what else is out this week…? Let’s see here…

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