DC Direct should really make a Ragman costume. That would be perfect to wear while lounging around the house in the winter. In the meantime, the only Ragman-related product DC has available for purchase this week is Ragman: Suit of Souls #1, a seemingly random, $4 one-shot by writer Christos N. Gage and artists Stephen Segovia.

Batman Beyond #5: Dustin Nguyen did a really nice Unknown Soldier cover for this issue, didn’t he?

What’s that you say? Hush? In Batman Beyond? No way.

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Catwoman #1: Coupled with Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Commissioner Gordon #1, that will make a grand total of six books featuring appearances by the resurrected Bruce Wayne that have been released before the conclusion of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. I wonder how many there will end up being before the sixth an final issue of the miniseries about Bruce Wayne’s return actually ships? The Catwoman book is by Derek Fridolfs and Peter Nguyen and the Commissioner Gordon one is by Adam Beechen and Szymon Kudranski.

Cardcaptor Sakura Omnibus Vol. 1: This CLAMP manga about an adorable grade school girl, her pretty outfits and her cute stuffed-animal looking guardian spirit trying to recapture lost magical cards isn’t for everyone, but if this is up your alley, this looks like a pretty good format to read it in —a $20, 575-page trade paperback.

Carnage #1: Carnage is back! Surely this means something about cyclical popularity, nineties nostalgia or the state of the direct market, but I’m not sure what—probably not anything good! Zeb Wells is writing this five-issue series, Clayton Crain is drawing it, and Marvel is charging $4 for each issue. There are four different covers for this title, and Carnage himself is only on two of ‘em. Preview here.

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Written and created by Brian Andersen, art, colors and letters by the talented Celina Hernandez. For more So Super Duper go to:www.sosuperduper.com!

Last year, Newsarama sent me on assignment to various locations (and universes) to talk to some of your favorite heroes about the Halloween costumes based on their images. At times, it was enlightening. At times, it was sad (poor Spidey). And, at times, it was dangerous (that Hulk; he’s a hugger). This year, we’re doing it again, and we’re kicking things off with a visit to the 616. Our trip begins at the home of Tony Stark.

Jarvis: Welcome, sir. Master Tony asked me to meet you; I’m his butler, Edwin Jarvis.

NRAMA: Nice to meet you.

Jarvis: Before we begin, I’d like you to note one thing, please, sir.

NRAMA: Sure.

Jarvis: I’m not a bloody computer. I don’t care if Paul Bettany voices me. I don’t care if I get to ride inside Ms. Potts’ knickers in your comics books. I am quite human, sir.

NRAMA: Uh, so noted.

Jarvis: Good, then. Please follow me. You should have an interesting time today. Master Tony is quite, what’s the word?

NRAMA: Eccentric.

Jarvis: Plastered.

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According to the Heat Vision blog of The Hollywood Reporter, Disney acquired today the distribution rights for “Avengers” and “Iron Man 3″. After the acquisition, Disney and Marvel prompty announced a date of May 3, 2013 for the thrid installment in the Iron Man series. The report indicates that original distributor Paramount will receive $115 million in exchange for the pair of films, regardless of performance. You can read all of the details here.

Our Take: This is nothing but win for all involved. Paramount makes bank on two big movies without doing a thing. The two films will make and merchandise more than enough to make Disney happy (serious, they stand to crush over $100 million on DVDs alone). It’s an added little boost to the debut of the Avengers animated series on DisneyXD this week. Paramount still gets to put out “Cap” and “Thor”, not to mention actually devoting more time to the other franchises that it has already rebuilt (Star Trek) or are revamping (Mission: Impossible, Jack Ryan, etc.). This is a GREAT move.

The only possible downside is that if Cap and Thor are hits, Disney may want to pony up again. In that case, I’d bet that Paramount makes them pay more dearly. My other question in all of this would be: If Hulk is in Avengers, and Hulk is also bound for TV, is the intention of Disney to pay up for Mark Ruffalo in order to make him TV’s Bruce Banner?

You remember what happened last year . . .

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/15/what-would-steve-rogers-think/

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/16/blogween-what-hulk-think/

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/17/blogween-what-would-watchmen-think/

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/27/blogween-what-would-the-jla-think/

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/29/blogween-what-would-spider-man-think/

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/10/30/blogween-finale-what-would-batman-think/

You have been warned.

Blog@ween II. Coming soon to a Blog@ near you.

Did you know Xombi was one of the best comics of the nineties?: I didn’t, having never read it, but Charlie Jane Anders says it was. Maybe I oughta keep my eyes peeled when I look in back-issue bins.

I liked this headline, although surely someone must have used that gag before: “Red Is Graphic, Though Hardly Novel”

Is that even possible?: This MTV Splash Page article is headlined “Zack Snyder’s ‘Superman’ Will Not Be Based On Previous Films or Comic Books,” and while I imagine it won’t be too hard to avoid doing things that were done in the movies, it’s gotta be a challenge not to do something that was already done in the comics. I mean, there are a lot of Superman comics out there, and I’m pretty sure if you thought of the craziest, most unlikely plot for a Superman story, you’ll find it wad probably done in an eight-page story from the 1950s.  (Confidential to MTV Splash Page: to Mark Waid wrote Birthright, not Mark Millar).

This is weird: On Fantagraphics’ Flog blog, Kim Thompson reports some bad news about what was thoguht to be original Krazy Kat sketches by George Herriman.  An interesting story that never gets as much attention as the final product is, I think, how much difficult work goes in to assembling some of these old comics reprint projects.

Oh so that’s how Ra’s al Ghul found the Bat-Cave: He just used Google Maps. (Via Comics Alliance)

Evan Dorkin touches on Unus: The cartoonist sketches minor Marvel villain Unus The Untouchable, and talks about him at some length, even imagining his creation in a breif play about Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. (Via Comics Reporter)

Having done 20 out of the 21 covers for GI JOE: Origins, Tom Feister certainly has had one heck of a ride. This cover, GI JOE: Origins #21, gives off a more propaganda feel, like the previous #20 issue did. Though not in the usual WWII-style of posters, the cover of #21,  Feister was trying to convey classic American illustrators, especially J. C. Leyendecker

“The idea was, what would it look like if Leyendecker did a Cobra recruitment poster,” Feister told Blog@. “I did my take on Chinese propaganda for the last issue, but I wanted something here that would make Cobra seem appealing, seem almost American.”

With two more covers on the way until the series concludes, I have no doubt Feister will blow Joe fans away.

In the Marvel Universe, there exists a nation in Africa called Wakanda. Long ago, a meteor fell to Earth and landed there, creating “the Mound.” From this strange star-born ore, the Wakandans mined a metal that could absorb kinetic energy and sound waves. Called “vibranium,” this metal became a precious thing that would help Wakanda become one of the richest countries in the world, not to mention the most technologically advanced.

Outsiders and foreign nations would hear of Wakanda’s riches and its strange metal and wanted to take it by force. As a culture that embraced both technology and ancient mysticism, the royal family of Wakanda is led by one who assumes the mantle of the panther god they worship, becoming its agent on Earth known as the Black Panther. Years after his father T’Chaka was killed by the villain Ulysses Klaw, it was time for young T’Challa to become the new Black Panther. After a long period of training and enduring several trials, he was given the heart shaped herb that grows in Wakanda, a plant whose evolution was mutated by the presence of vibranium. By ingesting it, his senses were taken to superhuman levels and his physical prowess was taken to the peak level of human ability, putting him on par with champions such as Captain America.

For a few years now, the world had been host to an ever growing number of superhumans. To prove he would be able to protect his people from super-villains and the like, T’Challa broke the isolationist practice of his people by inviting the Fantastic Four to Wakanda and then faced them individually in combat, proving that he could defeat or fight any one of them to a standstill. After fighting alongside the same team of heroes on different occasions and then teaming-up with Captain America, T’Challa was considered a superhero by the world at large and was invited to join the Avengers (which he initially did so in order to learn if they could be a threat to his people). For years, T’Challa has acted as both a protector of the world and as warrior-king of Wakanda.

Recently, events led to T’Challa giving up his reign and the mantle of Black Panther to his sister Shuri. Then, after a vicious battle with the villain Dr. Doom, all refined vibranium on Earth was rendered inert, leaving T’Challa without many of his resources and weapons. Now forced to rely mostly on his own enhanced abilities and training, T’Challa the former king has come to New York, taking on the mantle of the Black Panther once again in order to protect the people of Hell’s Kitchen and prove that he too is a “man without fear.”

Got it? Good. Now let’s take a look at not only T’Challa’s wardrobe but at the others who have worn some version of the tribal uniform of the Black Panther.

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Lucas Siegel is more than Newsarama’s site editor and a noted vest enthusiast — he’s also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making him an ideal candidate to discuss the controversy behind the latest Medal of Honor video game, where users can play as the Taliban in the multiplayer mode.

Siegel was a guest on current affairs program GRITtv Tuesday, joining host Laura Flanders and video game journalist/incoming Uncanny X-Men co-writer Kieron Gillen to discuss Medal of Honor and another game causing a bit of a stir, Hey Baby. The video is here:

CNNMoney.com posted a neat video today, following around comics industry legend Stan Lee at last weekend’s New York Comic Con. In the clip, he talks about some of his current projects — he has something going on at about every major company right now — and his desire to go to a convention with no appointments, no signings and no panel appearances, just to walk around and talk to his fans. Check it out.

Does Gotham City have a Hollywood style sign that reads “(Expletive) You”?: Because if so, that’d be pretty cool. Well, there was a pretty big F word in the city at one point, as could be seen in a preview of Bruce Wayne: The Road Home—Batman & Robin #1, but, as Don MacPherson noted on his Eye On Comics, DC did away with the exploding expletive before the book made it to fan’s hands.

I believe this is what is referred to as a wide-ranging interview: “Neil Gaiman on Comics, Twilight, Twitter, Etiquette, Killing Batman, and Sharing Porn With His Son”

She really liked that Howl comic: “‘Howl: A Graphic Novel’ Wails Brilliantly Into the 21st Century”

Another cosplay at a comic convention story: But this one’s in the fashion section of The New York Times.

Try saying that to Picasso’s face: ‘Drew Friedman is better than Picasso’

I concur with the title’s assessment: “The Most Amazing Halloween Costume Ever” (Via Journalista)

The Sanctuary
Written & Illustrated by Nate Neal
Published by Fantagraphics

Nate Neal’s The Sanctuary (which he originally wanted to title with only a drawing of a buffalo, which would’ve made referring to it by title quite difficult) stands as one of the best comics of the year.  Ostensibly about an outcast caveman, Neal’s ultimately explaining the origins of comic book storytelling and, in the bigger picture, the importance of creativity and storytelling in general.

Using only an invented caveman language, Neal effectively offers readers a pantomime book.  Sure, you can take time and puzzle out the dialogue, but it’s still largely monosyllabic words and short phrases, to-the-point communiqués.  The point being, the language may intrigue some readers; for most, the book is eminently readable without glancing at a caption.  Neal’s cartooning carries the meaning so clearly that no words are really necessary (though the hand-drawn fonts often assist the reader in deciphering a character’s intent).

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According to an article Thursday on the Hollywood Reporter, The Hulk and Cloak & Dagger are the first two Marvel properties in the early stages of development under the publisher’s newly created Marvel TV division.

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Written and created by Brian Andersen, art, colors and letters by the talented Celina Hernandez. For more So Super Duper go to:www.sosuperduper.com!

It pays to monitor Diamond’s weekly “Product Changes” list — some big news often slips in there, like today’s announcement that Marvel Comics series Young Allies has been canceled with issue #6.

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Dustin Nguyen’s title to his homage to Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke, refers to a rare psychiatric syndrome of the same name. Meaning “a madness shared by two” pretty much sums up Batman and Joker’s relationship. On his DeviantArt account, Nguyen stated:  ”I love this book, and this panel ended the book for me so well. Originally, I didn’t want any color in this piece, like the original panel was b&w. but since it’s a stand alone, I thought it was okay, and also, thinking back to the joke the Joker tells at the end, I decided to go with some whimsical carnival tones. Desaturated to give it a place in time.”

The Killing Joke is one of those stories that you either love, or hate. Readers and critics have praised it as the ultimate Joker story, yet Alan Moore having gone on record as saying “I don’t think it’s a very good book. It’s not saying anything very interesting.”

So whether you praise or trash the story, you can’t help but admire the inspiration it’s given to a generation, which gives us amazing art which, in turn, inspires others.

Teen Titans and Green Arrow writer J.T. Krul is now exclusive with DC Comics, as announced today on The Source.

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In 2004, then twenty-year-old artist Jen Wang made a short, 13-page webcomic in which an eccentric young woman named Koko meets a more straight-laced young man named Jonathan at a bus stop and the pair have a conversation about some fairly deep issues (The story is up on Wang’s website, if you’d like to read it).

By 2010, Koko and Jon stretched, swelled and changed shape, their coversation spread out all over San Francisco and included many more participants and their 13-page bus-stop story together grew into a 300-page graphic novel, Wang’s first, entitled Koko Be Good.

Koko is still an eccentric young woman, and on who seems to be trying very hard to prove that she knows exactly who she is while she’s actually stil trying to figure that out. A chance encounter with Jon, a young man about to move to Peru to join his long-distance girlfriend Emily in her work, helping Peruvian orphans, gives Koko a new direction to throw herself in. She’s tried to be many things, but now she’s going to try to be good, whatever that means, exactly.

Set in San Francisco over the course of some very dramatic, transitional times for two people, Koko Be Good features accomplished, confident, fluid renderings of expressively designed characters, flowing from panel to panel and emoting through big saucer eyes, subtly-shifting mouths, dynamic posture changes and really,really well-drawn hands.

If the artist herself hasn’t yet discovered exactly what it means to be good, her artwork certainly demonstrates that she is good—in the comics-making sense, if not the orphan-saving sense. We took the opportunity of her book’s recent release to talk to Wang about the characters, the work and goodness.

Blog@Newsarama: Koko Be Good began as a short story that unfolds in a single scene. How did that version of the story grow into a graphic novel?

Jen Wang: 2004 was a year of changes for me and the short comic came to me really quickly as an reflection of that time. Even before finishing the comic I felt I had more to say. Koko felt like the perfect character to channel my feelings, and I knew when I had enough time to process everything, I wanted to return to the character and do a more fleshed out version. It felt like the perfect thing to work on after graduation.

Blog@: Reading the original story on your website after reading the graphic novel version, I was struck by how the two Kokos are so similar, but the Jons look very different from each other. How did the characters evolve from between the two stories?

JW: The original Jon wasn’t much of a character. He was a bit of cipher, and for the book I wanted him to have his own story. Koko’s a pretty unreliable narrator so I needed someone more grounded and realistic to contrast. Once I figured out what Jon needed to be it wasn’t too hard to come up with a different design. (more…)

Over at Entertainment Weekly, the Ausiello Files have uncovered a “super secret” project that sounds all too familiar:

“former Lost executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are developing a fairy-tale-themed drama series. Oh, and they’re getting a little help from—stop me if you’ve heard of this guy—Damon Freakin’ Lindelof!”

Because in December of 2008, it was mentioned that Vertigo’s Fables would be adapted for television at ABC (after an initial fly-by at NBC). Now, we haven’t heard much come from the project, until possibly now. The only question is, is this the proposed Fables adaption, or something in the same vein of the beloved comic series?

I’d like to think it is (perusing the message boards of the story, I’m not the only one). Especially with the notion that he will have a female lead. So is this Fables? Magic 8-ball says “all signs point to yes”. While Ausiello instantly calls for Sarah Michelle Gellar, I don’t simply see her as Snow White…Rose Red, on the other hand…

So, readers, who would you like to see in the cast of TV’s Fables? And do you think it could have a shot at massive popularity?

Here we go.

Deadline has confirmed that Tom Hardy, who recently worked with Christopher Nolan in this Summer’s Inception has been confirmed to be in the third, and final, Nolan Batman installment. Now, no word yet on what is role will be, so calm down with the Riddler claims. Nolan has the reputation of working with a tight circle of actors, so this casting should come to no surprise.

No word yet on the title of “Batman 3″, but I expect that to come sooner rather than later. Hardy definitely has a look to him, but him as a villain is just uncertain at this time.

The third Batman movie is slated for July 20, 2012.