Apparently Apple has banned Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ creator-owned (and one of the best on the shelves these days) Saga, due to gay sex scenes. Over at Fiona Staples’ blog, Vaughan expressed his dismay for the situation and offers alternatives for getting your comic.

Annoying press release thing: APPLE vs. SAGA #12

As has hopefully been clear from the first page of our first issue, SAGA is a series for the proverbial “mature reader.” Unfortunately, because of two postage stamp-sized images of gay sex, Apple is banning tomorrow’s SAGA #12 from being sold through any iOS apps. This is a drag, especially because our book has featured what I would consider much more graphic imagery in the past, but there you go. Fiona and I could always edit the images in question, but everything we put into the book is there to advance our story, not (just) to shock or titillate, so we’re not changing shit.

Apologies to everyone who reads our series on iPads or iPhones, but here are your alternatives for Wednesday:

1) Head over to you friendly neighborhood comics shop and pick up a physical copy of our issue that you can have and hold forever.

2) While you’re at it, don’t forget to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which helps protect retailers who are brave enough to carry work that some in their communities might consider offensive. You can find signed copies of Saga at the CBLDF site right now.

3) Download the issue directly through sites like https://comics.imagecomics.com or on your non-Apple smartphone or tablet.

4) If all else fails, you might be able to find SAGA #12 in Apple’s iBookstore, which apparently sometimes allows more adult material to be sold than through its apps. Crazy, right?

Anyway, special thanks to Eric Stephenson and everyone at Image for supporting our decision, and for always being so supportive of creators. Sorry again to readers for the inconvenience, but I hope everyone will be able to find an issue that Fiona and I are particularly proud of. And after you do, please check out PanelSyndicate.com, the new digital comics site I own with artist Marcos Martin, which remains 100% uncensored by corporate overlords.

Your pal,
Brian

The main problem here is that having already read Saga #12, I can tell you the scenes that are so controversial are so minuscule in comparison to last issue’s full-on sex scene featuring our heroes Alana and Marko (with Alana using Marko’s horns for extra support and leverage. Creative, huh?). So why on earth is Apple banning this issue displaying two scenes (by my count) of gay sex, especially when they aren’t even part of the narrative and are just in passing?

I can’t always make it to a comic shop during the week, so I personally use Android products and love the way my comics look on them. I don’t know of any past events that have led comixology or the Google Play Store or anything like that censoring material. In his statement, options 1 and 2 are pretty solid, but while you’re shopping through Apple sometime, please be sure to point out the massive violence and “straight” sex that gets a pass.

Props to Vaughan and Staples for holding their ground and making Saga it is what it is.

Last weekend at Emerald City Comic Con, it was announced that current Batgirl scribe  Gail Simone would be taking over Red Sonja, with her run having an all-female line up as cover artists. Rockstar artist Fiona Staples recently showed off her cover and by Crom is it cool looking. Staples has recently shot to superstar status with her and writer Brian K. Vaughan’s hit Saga and while that takes up most of her time, it’s good to see some work like this from her.

“Nick Barrucci from Dynamite got in touch with me, telling me that Gail had had the idea to have all-female cover artists on the book.” Staples told Blog@, who was excited about the project, especially since she has little experience with the character. “I’m not an expert on the Red Sonja mythos or anything, but I’ve loved the character for a long time based on the old comics and a couple of Roy Thomas paperbacks that I read.” She continued with saying “I just love classic, meaty, violent sword-and-sorcery stories, and a gorgeous woman who does all the stuff Conan does appeals to my sensibilities.”

The other cover artists include fan favorites like Nicola Scott and Stephanie Buscema with Dynamite Entertainment CEO Nick Barrucci promising more female cover artists will be announced in the coming months. When asked about her approach to cover, Staples said it’s all about the character. “I had an outline of Gail’s story to go by, so I tried to hint at some of the plot elements without really giving anything away- just a slight taste of doom and gloom. I also wanted to depict Sonja as a serious-looking warrior. I know the old chainmail bikini has become almost an emblem of sexism in comics, but I don’t think it’s problematic in and of itself.”

She went on to say “I think if you can show that the character has other attributes- strength, craziness, determination, humor- and don’t write and draw them solely as a sex object, then what they’re wearing becomes completely incidental.”

Staples has given us fantastic imagery and strong female characters in Saga and is a rightful fit with Red Sonja. Her cover here demonstrates that the famed bikini look seems secondary to her scowling and determined visage.

In addition to the cover for the issue, coming out in July, Staples also released a new art book which can be purchased here.

If there is one thing out of the many that can be said about Jack Kirby, it could be that he was ahead of his time.

Earlier today, Buzzfeed showed off the lost Kirby art that was going to be “used” for the fake movie “Argo”, and is it intense and obviously Kirby. The heavy inks and broad lines that are distinctive to the Kirby style, but the intricacies of just everything is astounding. You can tell some of his comic work snuck in with the Celestials and Galactus lookalikes.

With this found art, it just shows  that even thirty-something years later, Kirby is still upping the game for artists and creators today.

Via a BOOM! press release….

This coming Sunday, Philadelphia’s most famous comic shop, Locust Moon Comics will be hosting the Locust Moon Comics Festival at the Rotunda in West Philadelphia. The focus of the festival will be independent writers, artists, and creators of the area and celebrating creator-owned books.

“[The festival is] important to us because we think there’s something really special happening in the Philadelphia comics scene, and we want to create a place where all these diffuse talents can come together with their compatriots from this city and all over the world,” said Locust Moon owner, Josh O’Neill.

He spoke to Newsarama along with partner Chris Stevens about the festival and what it means to them and the creators. “We want people to walk into the festival and see that there’s a small-scale revolution happening here, that comics is a medium that can be explored in infinite directions and the horizons are always expanding, and there’s something really special happening in this city that doesn’t get nearly enough attention,” O’Neil says. “We want our festival to be a lot more than a comic convention — we want it to be a true CELEBRATION of comic books and comic creators. We want the joy we all share to be palpable and present for anybody who wants to wander in.”

“It’s going to be a real celebration of comics and the medium, with a healthy mix of local creators and folks coming in to town like Jim Rugg, Brandon Graham, and Farel Dalrymple,” added Stevens. “We’ve got festival exclusive prints from Jim and Farel and Mark Robinson, and guys like J.G. Jones will be there doing their thing.”

This event is the most recent of O’Neil and Steven’s many efforts to unify, accelerate, and publicize the up and coming Philadelphia comic scene. “There’s a really rambunctious spirit to the Philly creative communities,” O’Neill says. “It’s not about getting noticed by some publisher or label or gallery, it’s not about becoming the Next Big Thing, it’s about making your work and pushing it out there into the world.”

Released this past Wednesday, Shinku Volume 1 is a nice alternative if the other vampires that have taken over pop culture for the past few years aren’t your thing. “If you want vampires that sparkle, look elsewhere. It’s bloody, it’s sexy, and rated M for Mature,” says Marz. Needless to say, the creative team had a little fun with the ad above “celebrating” the Twilight finale also coming out this week.

[via Press Release and hat tip to Newarama Contributor, Amanda McDonald]

REBEL-NYC, New York City October 12th, 2012Excitement continues to build as ROCK COMIC CON rolls out what promises to be the major party event of convention week during the New York Comic Con. This year, ROCK COMIC CON is partnering with the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND to create the ultimate Nerd Rock music party experience.ROCK COMIC CON is a perfect place for Heroes, Zombies, Jedi Knights and Fans of all kinds to get their “Nerd” Rock on and help support freedom of speech through the Comic Book Legal DefenseFund. ROCK COMIC CON is the ultimate place to mingle and will rock your face off with a flurry of nerd rockbands. It will also feature LIVE Art by Marvel, DC and Indie artists, prizes, costumes, giveaways and Special Guests.’

Nerd Rock’: [nurd 'rok] a  genre of music that tends not to take itself too seriously, often referencing “geek” pop culture, comic books and video gameswith signifcant doses of irony and humor.

ROCK COMIC CON features an array of national acts; hard rocking and musically adept nerd bands including Schaffer, the Dark Lord, a New York City-based rapper and comedian with material best suited for brainy and/or drug-addled audiences. With manic energy and a verbose vocabulary, STD skewers such topics as religious zombies, sci-fi sex fantasies, grammar snobbery and obsessive cat enthusiasts. STD has released three full-length albums and toured the country with mc chris, MCFrontalot and MC Lars.  He is also a co-producer and co-host for the nerdy, themed production, EpicWin Burlesque. He has three releases (2004′s “Meet My Maker,” 2007′s “Mark of the Beast” and 2009′s “Manslaughterer”) and the music video for his single “The Rappist” has garnered a half million views on YouTube.

H2Awesome! is a hilarious NYC band that is a cross between Weezer, the Bloodhound Gang and Iggy Pop…but MUCH nerdier. Comic Geek Speak called them “pure punk rock goodness”. H2Awesome! is fronted by NYC brothers, Charlie and Jeff LaGreca who cut their comedy teeth working and training with such notables as Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Adam McKay, Rob Riggle and many others and have written or been seen on Comedy Central, Conan O’Brien, American MovieClassics, Nickelodeon & the Food Network.  Their repertoire includes catchy and well-crafted tunes referencing geek culture, including an anthem for Walking Dead fans entitled “Carl, Stay In the House!”, and Frodo? Fredo?, a song about two confused potheads watching The Godfather and the Lord Of The Rings at the same time. The Doubleclicks are a self-proclaimed “nerd-folk” duo, based in Portland, Oregon. The band is made of the Webber sisters: Berkeley College of Music graduate and cellist Aubrey, and songwriter and ukulele player Angela. In 2011, the band started a “song a week” project, in which they posted new songs on their YouTube channel every week for a year – ranging in topics from superpowers to grammar. Their music video for their “Dungeons and Dragons” song created by Brooklyn-based artist Brad Jonas, boosted the Doubleclicks into position as a songwriting voice of the geek andgamer community. The band has toured to gaming and comic conventions and has shared the stage with Wil Wheaton, Amanda Palmer, and Paul and Storm. Though the tracks on The Doubleclicks’ first studio album “Chainmail and Cello” come from “a geeky place,” reviewers note that the Doubleclicks’ music has a broad appeal that can reach beyond the walls of the local game store.

Special guests include singer/songwriter Molly Lewis and Illusionist Nelson Lugo of Epic Win Burlesque.  Lewis, whose original songs and covers, accompanied by her masterful ukulele playing, have earned her over 4.4 million views on YouTube and won her the “Ukulele Video of the Year” award from UkuleleHunt.com.  Her first album, “I Made You A CD, But I Eated It,” was released by DFTBA Records. Illusionist Nelson Lugo first started performing magic when he was nine and a half years old.  Fed on a steady diet of comic books, video games and Benny Hill – Nelson’s performance style combines classic magic with a refreshingly geeky contemporary twist. He dreams of one day creating a magic act that somehow combines his love of Batman, Dr. Who, Star Trek, and pie. He is the founder and executive producer of EPIC WIN Burlesque and the co-host of the EPIC PIE cast.

ROCK COMIC CON will also feature MARVEL, DC and independent artists who will be creating live art throughout the night. This art will then be used to raise money to help support the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, a program that protects artists.

Ticket sales for ROCK COMIC CON, the NYC Nerd Rock Music Festival are now underway. Don’t miss this fantastic, rocking, fun, colorful and outrageous event taking place at the Rebel-NYC,251 30th street, New York City, NY 10001 (Betw 7th & 8th Aves)  on Friday, Oct 12th.

Doors open at7pm.TICKETS:$12 Advance, $15 Door.Advance tickets are available at www.RockComicCon.com

Via Press Release.

The 2012 NJ SUPERHERO WEEKEND AND WONDER WOMAN DAY to benefit SAFE in Hunterdon will be hosted by Comic Fusion on October 6-7 in the historic business district of Flemington, NJ. Comic Fusion will auction superhero sketches to raise money and awareness for this domestic violence charity.

Since 2007, Comic Fusion has raised close to $40,000 for SAFE in Hunterdon. This has been made possible by tremendous volunteers and companies such as Dark Horse Comics, Del Rey/Random House, Universal Studios, Diamond Select & Diamond Toys, Tonner Dolls, and many talented comic book creators.

This year Comic Fusion welcomes to the store guest artists Jamal Igle (MOLLY DANGER, SUPERGIRL, KISS), Jim Calafiore (BATGIRL, TITANS), Chris Flick (CAPES & BABES), Tom Schloendorn (TALES FROM THE STARLAND BALLROOM), Ken Haeser (THE LIVING CORPSE), Erica Hesse (THE KEY, GIRLS DRAWING GIRLS) and Bill Ellis (ALL NEW ISSUES).

Weather permitting, John Brown will bring his custom Gotham Supercars to SUPERHERO WEEKEND for photo opportunities. Comic Fusion will also host the STAR WARS costuming group, the 501st Legion along with Wonder Woman and many other costumed superheroes who will gladly pose for pictures.

The art sketches are auctioned with bids taken via email and in person at Comic Fusion. There are also raffles and door prizes. Other local businesses will be showing their support with special discounts and donations collected during October 6-7 including Cocco’s Cafe and Sage boutique. Barkley’s Pet Boutique is hosting dog costume contests on Saturday, October 6th.

“SuperHero Weekend is a celebration of the characters we grew up with and to remember the lessons comics teach us so that we can make our communities better and safer,” explained Stacy Korn, co-owner of Comic Fusion. “We’re excited this year to welcome other businesses in the community to this wonderful event! Each year the event evolves. This year is bigger than ever, with tons of events to participate in! This year our message of hope shines even brighter!”

“The fantasy of being a superhero provides children with the opportunity to more easily express their everyday fears,” said Elizabeth Amber Love, event planner. “People of all ages need to be reminded that being a victim was not their fault. Domestic abuse tends to be met with shameful feelings and people don’t seek help the way one would if they had a medical disease. This fundraiser gets people talking about advocacy and awareness through the great support system of the comic book industry.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the comic industry brings awareness about issues of domestic abuse through annual fundraisers like NJ SUPERHERO WEEKEND AND WONDER WOMAN DAY. Domestic Violence Awareness Month grew from the original 1981 Day of Unity conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Comic Fusion is an independently owned retail shop of comics, gaming and collectibles located in the heart of the historic business district of Flemington, New Jersey. They have organized an annual event to raise money and awareness for SAFE in Hunterdon since 2007.

SAFE in Hunterdon is a valuable community resource that provides transitional housing, 24-hour counseling, crisis intervention, legal advocacy and a children’s art therapy program for those affected by domestic abuse.

The Man of Steel panel had all sorts of reveals, including a minute and a half teaser that will debut before The Dark Knight Rises next week, along with teaser poster was also revealed and later released on the internet soon after.

Where as Superman Returns took a minimalist approach and just unveiled the symbol on its first poster, we get a half glimpse of the Man of Steel and a closer look on the material on his costume. The dark pallet still does nothing for me, but from what I’ve read of the teaser itself, this take will be something VERY different from anything we’ve seen before, but still familiar.

Does the poster whet your appetite, readers?

Man of Steel is scheduled for released on June 14th, 2013.

and what he does is accidentally get caught in Spring Break fever.

Presented as a love letter for Logan, by Jason Latour (Daredevil: Black and White, Loose Ends, and of course, Wolverine) and art by Robbi Rodriguez (Uncanny X-Force, Polly and the Pirates 2, and the upcoming Collider). What starts as a misadventure for Logan as he comes across an old dive he frequents for Bike Week mistakenly during Spring Break, ends with some pretty funny and violent moments. It’s almost like something that would have appeared in Marvel’s Strange Tales.

Completely unauthorized, but absolutely insane, check out the rest of Sping Break Wolverine, but be warned that last page will catch you off guard.

Snikt.

Cleopatra in Spaaaace creator/artist, Mike Maihack always manages to do a pin-up here and there during his time between other commissions and his highly-acclaimed webcomic. Today on his site and DeviantArt, he featured main protagonists Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games, in a mild celebration for the movie being released tomorrow.

“Just finished reading the books and wasn’t going to be able to sleep at night until I got some fan art out of my system,” he told Blog@. “Seeing the film this weekend and can’t wait! There’s no way it’ll compare to the book, especially the brutality of it (both physically and emotionally), but everything I’ve seen so far looks like they are making the best effort possible. Super psyched.”

Maihack a huge fan of the series, went to say that this wasn’t the first idea that came to mind. “Originally, I was going to draw something more directly out of Mockingjay [the third book of the series]–the book it seems I’m in the minority of really enjoying. But opted for something a bit more general from the first book instead. Plus it’s fun to place Katniss and Peeta’s differing personalities together. Which is just a long way of me saying I wanted to draw Peeta.”

I’ve been of Maihack’s works for years, especially his contributions over at Project: Rooftop. His style really pops and has a great sophisticated  simplicity to it that makes you want to see more from him. I love the details on this and Katniss just looks so damn fierce.

Check out more of Mike Maihack over at cowshell.com.

Color me a little disappointed here. The Daily Blam reports that during the Television Critics Association press tour, the Powers pilot that was greenlit may not be picked up after all for the 2012 television season. The show would feature Jason Patric as Detective Walker, Lucy Punch as Detective Pilgrim and Charles S. Dutton as the head of a homicide police precinct. The pilot also stars Carly Foulkes as Retro Girl, Bailey Madison as young orphan Calista, Titus Welliver as Triphammer, and Vinnie Jones as, you guessed it,  mobster Johnny Royale.

Everything seemed to be in place, so what exactly happened? “[It's a] fairly substantial rewrite,” FX president John Landgraf explained, adding that much of the pilot would have to be re-shot. “Right now we’re in the process of deciding whether to pull the trigger on that re-shoot.” After filming had completed late last year and the network screened the show, screenwriter Charles Eglee was brought back to perform rewrites on the script which would retool major aspects of the pilot that didn’t quite mesh well. The Hollywood Reporter described the project as “still in limbo.”

This really is a shame, especially with the success of The Walking Dead and Smallville‘s 10 year run, I think this program would be a great addition to any line-up FX might have planned. Maybe a lead in to the second season of American Horror Story?

Readers and Powers fans, what do you think about this situation?

Looks like the former house of Smallville is looking for another bullseye.

Deadline is reporting that the CW is finalizing a deal for a Green Arrow pilot, presently called Arrow. Written and executive produced by Green Lantern co-writers Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, and Fringe and Vampire Diaries writer, Andrew Kreisberg. This would take place outside comic canon and focus much on it’s own mythology, though I’m sure with nods and certain details from the Green Arrow comic origin.

Now take into consideration that there is still a Deadman pilot in the works and developing a series based on a DC property to succeed the departed Smallville is a priority for the CW this development season. No word yet if Justin Hartley will sling the bow and arrow again this round or if they are looking to start from beginning and start fresh.

So readers, what do you think of this matter? With NBC passing on Wonder Woman, and Smallville gone, is there room for the Emerald Archer on your tv screens?

Anne Hathaway, who, if you don’t know by now is portraying Selina Kyle/Catwoman in next summer’s The Dark Knight Rises, spoke to LA Times Hero Complex with some interesting things to say about how her portrayal will be different from other versions, but still true to the essence of who Catwoman is and how she is influenced by Gotham City.

“What’s come before doesn’t limit or even affect this new version. It doesn’t affect me because each Catwoman – and this is true in the comics as well – she is defined by the context of the Gotham City created around her. Catwoman is so influenced by Gotham and whoever is creating Gotham at the time… You have to live in whatever the reality of the world is and whatever Gotham is.” She continues with how Heath Ledger’s now legendary performance is on par with what she’s aiming for. “Gotham City is full of grace. You look at Heath’s performance as the Joker, there was a lot of madness there but there was also a grace and he had a code there. There’s a lot of belief and codes of behavior in Gotham and my character has one, too. A lot of the way she moves and interacts with people is informed by her worldview. Chris has given us all such complex, defined, sophisticated worldviews that it’s just a matter of doing your homework and getting underneath the character’s skin.”

Interesting way of putting Ledger’s performance. Something I hadn’t ever really thought of since Joker practically got rid of any beliefs about criminals and their methods as he brought a more chaotic feel to the crimeworld. Hathaway also goes into her motivation of the way she’s going about the character as film siren Hedy Lamarr was a key influence on the Catwoman character. “I know this sounds odd, but her breathing is extraordinary,” Hathaway said. “She takes these long, deep, languid breaths and exhales slowly. There’s a shot of her in [the 1933 film] ‘Ecstasy’ exhaling a cigarette and I took probably five breaths during her one exhale. So I started working on my breathing a lot.”

Also over at the interview, there is a scene synopsis that is only hinted in the newest trailer that gives more details about Catwoman and Bane’s rapport and that DKR might draw more influence from the Batman arc “Knightfall” than I had certainly anticipated. Spoiler Alert now has been initiated.
(more…)

Following the events of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March of 2011, famed cosplayers across the world joined in to create the Cosplay for a Cause 2012 Cosplay Calendar. What started as a rare feat, has become a popular staple during conventions over this past year.

Allow me to give you the rundown: when displayed, will open to 11×22, so each image is displayed at 11×17. Better yet, they’ve made it easier for you to remove the photos in case you frame or pin up your favorite ones. Even better? 100% of the proceeds go to the Japanese Red Cross and help aid the relief effort.

They are just a few hundred short of a complete sell out from the few thousand they started with. So if you’re thinking about starting your New Year off right with these lovely and talented designers, you can buy it on their site where you can learn more about them and their cause.

Now this is something I can get behind. Joe Eisma, one half of the tag team that created critically-acclaimed Morning Glories, put this up over at his DeviantArt. It’s a nice little mash up of the Morning Glories gang with the Peanuts crew. ” Had this idea for awhile, but never got around to it until now,” Eisma stated on the post. “Would love to do more of these fun things with the Morning Glory Babies as time permits!”

Morning Glories is one of the most talked-about books on the market now. So if you’re looking for getting something for a person interested in getting into comics, but fear they might not be that into capes, I recommend this one.

Rumors, Facebook statuses and Twitter updates have been circulating from the comic community that Captain America co-creator Joe Simon and famed comic artist Eduardo Barreto have died.

We’re trying to confirm and Newsarama will update more as information is available.

update: Via ComicsBeat, Simon did pass away as with confirmation from Simon’s son’s Facebook. He was 98 and leave behind a legacy that is unlikely to be repeated. Also have confirmation that Barreto has passed away as well, sadly at only the age of 57.

The world of professional wrestling has a cast of characters not so different than comics. You have your heroes and villains, both fighting for domination, or a championship. Legendary comic artist Jill Thompson has been busy designing ring attire for WWE superstar, Daniel Bryan (aka former residential indie legend, Bryan Danielson). Blog@ talked to Thompson about the inspirations that went into the designs, as well discussed her love of the sport, and whether she’d ever step into the ring.

Blog@: Who approached who on designing Bryan’s ring gear?

Jill Thompson: Bryan approached me. I would have never thought to do it if he hadn’t contacted me. I ‘armchair design’ some gear during shows, you know…you see someone who could use some pizazz or some color….everyone ‘s got black trunks because they are a tough guy…which gets a bit boring for me as a viewer… However I’ve never sought out anyone to ask them if I could redesign their gear.

Blog@: Bryan has a history of pretty simplistic attire, Jill what was your artistic approach to his designs?

JT: He asked me to design something cool, but to continue to use his colors of maroon and white. He said “Make me look like a superhero.”  and, as far as superhero gear goes, I’m a fan of stuff that looks wearable. I like to make things that look fashionable and functional, based on real world clothing.  So, I took my cue from Bryan’s name, “The American Dragon”. I thought to myself, what’s an American Dragon? A mythic powerful beast? Yeah, but taken to another more symbolic level? It’s a Hot Rod. A Muscle Car. Something that has great power and is uniquely American that the rest of the world still looks at and goes, “Aww Yeah! That is awesome!”

And Bryan has a classic American guy look. Like a Paul Newman. He’d look just fine sitting behind the wheel of a ’67 mustang or something. White t-shirt and jeans kinda timeless American style. I wanted to mix all of those elements up with a little bit of Evel Knieval thrown in for good measure. The first gear I designed for him was the boxer style hoodie jacket with the white stripes and flames. Just like the hood of a Mustang. The Dragon logo is an homage to the Mustang grill ornament and the lettering style is based on the Ford Mustang logo. I added hot rod style flames into it because I love how those things look and I thought it added another subtle Dragon-y element to it. I also design with the idea that these jackets (not the trunks or kick pads) could be worn outside the ring. I want Bryan to look at it as something he  could wear as civilian clothing.

Yeah, I know it’s got his name on it…but it has to. I’ve also sent him a few tshirt designs based on his gear. I want fans to see his gear and think, “Damn, I want a jacket like that!” That first jacket, in my notes, I was suggesting a soft fabric, like a really light hoodie material, lined with a jersey knit t shirt type fabric with no cuffs on the sleeve. But the gear maker chose another material. Leather or something. Which looked cool as well…it’s odd. You picture something in your head, but you don’t really know if the type of fabric you see in your head exists. Or if the gear maker has access to a a huge variety of fabric. Not everyone lives in the Garment District of NYC. How do designers get textiles made? Thats what I need! Access to a textile factory! And all of the subsequent gear I’ve designed since then, I’ve based on that first concept as well, just tweaked it in different ways. I’m trying to keep his closet full of a wide variety of outfits!

Blog@: For those that might not know, you’re actually a really big wrestling fan. How long have you watched wrestling programs?

JT: I remember watching  boxing and wrestling once with my Grandpa. It was on a Sunday and it was on a black and white TV. I didn’t know the difference between boxing and wrestling because of the ring, y’know. But I remember sitting on his lap and him being so animated the chair tipped over with both of us in it. Then he took out his false teeth and laughed and scared me silly! And the funny thing is- that could have been three separate instances, but I remember them all as one now. The next time I watched in earnest was when Hulk Hogan was blown up all over the world in the ’80′s. And then I didn’t really watch again until one Saturday morning when Brian [Azzarello] found it on my TV and we watched together. So that was mid 1990′s. I remember the debut of Mankind very well. All of those promos leading up to his debut, with him in the cellar, and there were rats and stuff and he was rocking back and forth…and then pretty much every Monday night more or less since the mid 90′s.

And, before you ask– No. I was NOT into the NWO. Sorry, everyone. I hated them. They stood around and did nothing as far as I was concerned. I liked the Guerreros and Rey Mysterio and other guys in WCW. In fact, my heat with them was so real I made Brian turn the channel when they came on. And I think that’s right about when  Steve Austin ‘broke’ into Brian Pillman’s house and Pillman had a gun out to defend himself. The soap opera lover in me was kinda hooked on that but at the same time I would get pissed at all of those type of  gimmicks on one level saying…”Oh, that guy’s got a gun and we hear a shot and then we just cut back to the ring announcer? Oh, Please, that’s so fake! How can they even show that!?”  But I got lost in the story quickly and forgot my cynical ways.

Blog@: Using the current WWE Superstar roster, whose gear would you love to design? What about anybody else from the indie scene? Colt Cobana, maybe?

JT: I’m happy designing Bryan’s gear for as long as he wants me to. It’s a good mix. I don’t  have ideas for random guys on the roster. It just happened that comics and wrestling mixed together in the right way for us. I work well off of a mutual admiration type of relationship. He knew my work and was a fan of it and was a fan right back.  He had an established gimmick that he was going to keep. He knew what he liked and gave me some direction. It’s important that the character be there for me to create something. And I’m really lucky that he’s liked most everything I’ve designed for him. Its really thrilling to see my drawings come to life. This latest set of gear has really gotten some nice compliments.

There are some guys who have asked me to design something, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to come up with anything! I’m also not a great logo designer, so when someone wants their name all fancied up, I might do better to send them to a logo designer or graphic designer. Just so they will get the best job. I mean I can do a little of that, but, it’s not something I think about all the time and I have no idea how to do stuff on the computer in photoshop and the like and that seems very computer necessary. I did design a couple of ring robes for Christopher Daniels. He was looking for something when he was in ROH. Something that would compliment his existing gear. I like what I designed for him, but I think his character in TNA has gone in a different direction. I’ll get to something for Colt one day. We’ve talked about it. A singlet of some sort. He’s got definite ideas of what he likes. I haven’t clicked with the right thing yet for him. But you never know.

Blog@: Wrestlers usually portray characters that are larger than life, do you think there is a correlation between the entertainment aspect of wrestling and super hero comics?

JT: I think that’s an easy answer: of course there is. Visually, the way the characters and the wrestlers look. The physicality of it, the costuming, the promos… all portrayed in the wrestling ring, which is kind of like a comic panel, if you think about it. And the characters break outside its panel borders on a regular basis. The commentators are the captions. The promos are the dialogue or in some cases monologue. All that talking works better in wrestling than in comics, because the voice overs don’t interfere with you being able to see the actual wrestling, the way it would if it was word balloons.

Blog@: Jill do you think that there’s a hidden wrestling superstar within you?

JT: Hidden? You do not know me well, sir!  I’ve got an affinity for the theatrical! I love to entertain an audience though a story and I’ve always been fairly strong… But the cardio! Lord, that’s some intense cardio!

Blog@: Do you have any more designs for Bryan in mind? Maybe something specific for a future world champion?

JT: There are three that have been on TV and two more in the works. When they come to me, I illustrate them, write notes on them and then send them to Bryan. He let’s me know if he likes them and then he gets them made. There are a couple cool ones that could be made in time for Wrestlemania!

Artist Robbi Rodriguez has been making a name for himself as of late. Aside from independent hits such as Tek Jansen, Moon Lake, and the upcoming Polly and the Pirates 2, he’s also joining Rick Remender on Uncanny X-Force and Vertigo title, The Unexpected. Rodriguez has been promoting the sequel to his creator-owned Frankie Get Your Gun. Blog@ talked to Rodriguez and discussed “FGYG2″ and his influences behind his storytelling process.

Blog@: Robbi, you’ve been promoting Frankie for a while now. The first part came out last year or so, for those unfamiliar with Frankie and why she has to get her gun, can you fill us in?

Robbi Rodriguez: Yeah FGYG is an acid western. It’s about the subject of revenge and just what are the ramifications from those actions. Its follows the typical hit list formula at the very beginning, but I start it out at the end of the list. It follows Frankie Kansas, a child born with the soul purpose to seek retribution of a gang of land grabbers from years past. The thing is Frankie is autistic and that handicap has been used to her advance on her campaign over the years by her trainer, Jericho Topo, a ex-war vet. And it will be needed as her last target , Bastin Window, an immortal space god trying  to make out of town as he’s doubled-crossed one to many folks. But at its heart it’s also about some Mother-Daughter relations. I grew up in a house of women and seeing first hand a woman finding her identity with a mother’s preset obligations. I found it could be the foundation hell of a story. Especially one with basically two female leads.

Blog@: Interesting that you’d make Frankie autisic, any reason on why?

RR: That’s an aspect I took from the 70′s Hong Kong and Japanese films. The protagonist in those films always have a handicap. The one-armed boxer for example that actually serves as an advantage. And with all the films in the revenge genre they always have this one-tracked mind or presented as a thoughtless killing machine. While she is not thoughtless at all, she is presented to her world as one.

Blog@: Like “The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi“?

RR: Exactly.

Blog@: The art style is very kinetic here. What are some influences on your style and the visuals you used?

RR: This is basically the voice that has been trying to get out for a while. “Polly 2″ was the hill I needed to climb to find it. I alway wanted to do something like this because this was something I was not seeing out there while I was originally working on it. I am a huge Jamie Hewlett fan, and as you can see by the work, a huge Tank Girl fan, too. Thus the nod with Frankie’s look. I wanted to see comics like that again. I mean you see it in most indie books, but I wanted to bring it back to genre comics. Not just a slice of life about nerd pop culture. And I also wanted to bring that energy of the 70′s low budget genre pics. I guess what they call “Grindhouse”. I grew up on that stuff. Dawn of the Dead is the point I wanted to hit.  Its so over the top, but at the same time it’s so down to earth. I wanted to bring the attitude of a Hewlett and [Katsuhiro] Otomo with character interaction of a [Alex] Toth and [Dave] Mazzucchelli.

Blog@: So where are you taking Frankie and company in Part 2?

RR: Issue two recounts the story of the train ride out of town. It’s the beginning of the race for Window. All the parties are showcased and what they have to lose. My wife was looking over the end of the issue and she was shocked by a direction I took. I knew I was on to something here. It’s an issue to show that there are no black and white hats here. They are grey in their own way.

Blog@: And you’re planning on making this a web series, correct?

RR: This was always planned as a digital comic from the start. Back in ’05 when I just heard the rumors of an Apple tablet reader. It will be online for free at Frankiegetyourgun.com every Wednesday, 2-5 pages a week. But also a magazine-sized version of the issues as well. Then down the line, a hard cover collection with an EP from this great band called Married with Sea Monsters.I wanna use the Radiohead/NIN model. Value for value. Support it in a way you see fit. If you want to chip a buck or buy a book, rad. If you just wanna just read the book, hey just spread the word. It will also be on Four Studio’s Double Feature with 50 pages at 99 cents.

[Blog@ notes: Robbi even made a "trailer" for FGYG2: click here]

It was recently announced that Dr. Who would finally make his way to the big screen in what appears to be the start of a movie franchise. Director David Yates, who was behind the last four Harry Potter movies would helm the project. Now, it doesn’t have a release date just yet as Yates told Variety they are now looking for writers and it may take “two to three years” to get it just right. He and Jane Tranter, head of L.A.-based BBC Worldwide Productions are making sure they appeal to long-time Whovians, as well American audiences not that familiar.  However, the “British sensibility” won’t be lost, “but having said that,” notes Yates, “Steve Kloves wrote the Potter films and captured that British sensibility perfectly, so we are looking at American writers too.”

No word yet if current Doctor, Matt Smith, will be involved to some capacity, but since this is being seen as a big budget reboot exclusively for the big screen, I doubt it. Especially Yates made it clear that his movie adaptation would not follow on from the current TV series, but would take a completely fresh approach to the material. I’m sure a plethora of Who fans feel confused and concerned about this, but it gives non-Who fans a chance to jump on without worrying about 40 years of continuity. Then again, one of the characters greatest attributes is his continuity and how he draws from his previous lives, but if you can have Smallville and Superman Returns at the same time…

So if they are starting over again, and having an older Doctor, can we just sign Alan Rickman or Ian Holm up already?