Stan Lee does what he does best — promotes his latest book, this one a collection of his old Marvel Soapbox columns, in the video below. The book benefits the Hero Initiative.

• Toy company Mattel, which creates numerous lines of toys for DC Comics, has posted images of its DCU Classics Wave 8 on their collector’s site. Wave 8 of the toy line will include Dr. Fate, Gentleman Ghost, Hawkgirl and Vigilante, among others.

• Former Marvel editor Carl Potts shares memories of working with artist Steve Ditko and trying to convince the artist to let him see two Dr. Strange stories that never saw print. “I told him that I’d be happy to look over his shoulder as he flipped through the pages,” Potts says. “That way the pages would never leave his hands, but he still declined to bring them in. Since then I’ve fantasized about what those pages look like and what the story was about. I wonder if I’ll ever find out!”

• Comics retailer Rocketship has an interview with Raina Telgemeier, the artist of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, up on their blog. On her own site, the artist reveals her webcomic Smile! will be come to print courtesy of Scholastic. She’ll be at Rocketship this Sunday, along with Dave Roman and Matt Loux. Details on the event can be found here.

• Sparkplug Comics posted a video they made at the Alternative Press Expo last weekend.

• Zippy the Pinhead creator Bill Griffith will be at the Fantagraphics store in Seattle this weekend. Details here.

• The Comic Book Club in New York will host Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker, Brian Michael Bendis and Jeff Katz next Tuesday. Details here.

• Via Drawn comes news that United Features is offering its comics content, including years of archives, for free.

• Kevin stole my headline for this one earlier this week: Salman Rushdie says he’s “a world expert on superhero comics.” He also says he’s been approached about doing a graphic novel, but hasn’t said yes yet.

• Here’s two names that might look familiar … Tim O’Shea talks to Frank Santoro, and Chris Mautner talks to Art Spiegelman.

• Colleen Doran shares more agents who work with comics folks.

• Jim Rugg adds to Kevin Church’s J. Jonah Jameson sketch collection.

• This weekend’s Wordstock Book Fair in Portland, Ore. will feature several comic creators, including Mike Mignola, Alison Bechdel and Lynda Barry. Oni Press, Dark Horse Comics and other comic companies will also be there.

Neil Gaiman, voice actor Tom Wayland and several others will attend a reading from Gaiman’s Sandman series to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The event will take place at the Helen Mills Theater in New York City on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. More details are available here.

Less than 48 hours after a historic election, comics creators and commentators ponder what a Barack Obama presidency will mean to America … and to comics:

• At MTV’s Splash Page, Laura Hudson rounds up comments from a slew of comics notables, including Incredible Hercules writer Fred Van Lente, K Chronicles cartoonist Keith Knight, Love & Rockets creator Jaime Hernandez and DMZ and Northlanders writer Brian Wood.

“Real-life politics has played a huge role in my work, from the Rudy Giuliani ‘Quality Of Life’ regime in the ’90s to the W. Bush legacy of war, torture, illegal politics, occupation and terrorism,” Wood tells Hudson. “But this morning it was impossible to get up after a long night watching election news and put myself into the necessary pessimist headspace to work on the latest DMZ script.”

• Blogger Sean Kleefeld thinks a sense of optimism may seep into the works of creators. However, “that’s about all an Obama presidency is going to lend to comics, I figure. He can’t wave his hand and suddenly have 200,000 more people head off to their LCS every week. He can’t suddenly make paper and/or printing costs diminish to pass savings on to readers. Even the suggested economic stimulus package won’t have that dramatic an impact on comic sales since people are still spending more on food and gas.”

• Blogger Valerie D’Orazio briefly looks at how the national mood during President Bush’s two terms were reflected in comic-book storylines.

• The Washington Post’s Michael Cavna calls on fellow cartoonist to hone their caricatures of President-Elect Obama.

• Dan Goldman, who’s also interviewed in that Splash Page piece, unveils the final cover art (above) for 08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail. The “sociopolitical-document-in-comics,” by Mike Crowley and Goldman, is available for pre-order. It’s due in stores in January.

This may belong under the heading “rumor mill,” but horror site Bloody Disgusting reports it has confirmed that Mandate Pictures is working on a sequel to last year’s adaptation of 30 Days of Night.

The website previously had published rumors of “very early talks” about a follow-up back in May.

According to the new report, Steve Niles and Ben Ketai are listed as co-writers; however, that could change. Niles, of course, is the co-creator of the 30 Days of Night comic-book franchise. Ketai wrote the two webseries movie tie-ins, Blood Trails and Dust to Dust.

Judging from the brief article at Bloody Disgusting, the movie will follow the plot of Dark Days, the 2003 miniseries by Niles and Ben Templesmith in which Stella Olemaun rededicates her life to wiping out vampires.

• Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons talks about catching Alan Moore’s typos, the miniseries’ colors, the movie adaptation, and audience reaction to seeing a naked Dr. Manhattan on the big screen: “He’s somebody who, by the force of his will, has reconstructed his body, so you’re not looking really at a naked man; you’re looking at a model of a naked man. I know that’s a rather fine distinction.” [Vulture]

• Cairo and Air writer G. Willow Wilson discusses those titles, superheroes, the Standard Attrition message board and group blog, and guerilla marketing. [Heavy Ink]

• The Dresden Files author Jim Butcher chats about bringing wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden to comics. [Sci Fi Wire]

• Best-selling author Stephenie Meyer rattles off some of the inspirations for her insanely popular Twilight vampire epic. Who would’ve guessed X-Men cartoons and and the Iron Man movie would be on the list alongside Jane Eyre and Anne of Green Gables? [EW.com]

• Ned Beauman celebrates Garth Ennis’ reinvention of Marvel’s Punisher. [Guardian]

• FEARnet profiles Devil’s Due Publishing, focusing on the company’s horror titles. [FEARnet]

I haven’t picked up a copy of it yet, but the collection of Tall Tales, a collection of a comic strips Mad magazine artist Al Jaffee did in the late 1950s-early 60s strikes me as one of the more intriguing collections of this year. Ger Apeldoorn must agree, as he’s posted a number of Jaffee’s color Sunday strips up on his blog.

The final calendar for the Superman case has been set.

The judge has divided the remaining issues into two separate trials. Because of the specific legal questions involved, neither will be a jury trial. Instead, the judge will issue the final determinations on his own.

On Jan. 12, 2009, the issue at stake will be the Siegels’ claim that DC Comics, Warner Bros., Time Warner and other companies connected to the Superman properties are alter egos. That is, the Siegels are arguing that these companies are so intertwined that they are essentially one and the same. The primary reason a plaintiff files an alter-ego claim is to reach the assets of separate entities that would otherwise not be required to pay. For example, if DC could not pay the full amount of its debt and the court deemed Warner Bros. and Time Warner to be its alter egos, the Siegels could collect the remaining amount from those other companies.

As for any amounts the Siegels may be owed from exploitation of the material in Action Comics #1, the date set for trial in regard to accounting of profits is March 24, 2009.

Of course, the dispute between the Siegels and DC (et al.) is not necessarily over even after the court issues its decisions, as an appeal is a distinct possibility. In addition, the court might also schedule a trial for any remaining issues in the Superboy case.

After last night’s historic election results here in the United States, editorial cartoonists capture the moment … and Daryl Cagle captures the cartoons. Check’em out.

– Van Jensen hangs out with Paul Pope to find out about the new reprint edition of Heavy Liquid, which Pope initiated when he discovered out of print copies selling on eBay for as much as $200: ” ‘That was disgusting to me,’ he said. ‘That was money those fans could’ve spent on other books.’ ”

– Kai-Ming Cha talks to Yen Press’ Kurt Hassler about the imprint’s absorption into Hachette’s Orbit imprint.

– Tom Richmond looks at how Mad Magazine has covered close elections in the past.

– Alan Gardner critiques the revamped Comics.com site.

– Erin Finnegan reports on the MangaNext show in Somerset, NJ.

– Apparently Famous Monsters of Filmland’s Forrest J. Ackerman is not doing well.

– Doug Wolk reports on last weekend’s APE convention.

– Noah Berlatsky doesn’t care for S. Clay Wilson’s work.

– Jen de Guzman wonders why Slave Labor isn’t getting that many submissions anymore and decides to blame the Internet.

– Because you don’t have enough to read: Here’s Graphic Novel Reporter.

This year’s Alternative Press Expo, which I blogged about already here, here and here, gave independent and small press publishers, creators and fans plenty of reasons to visit the San Francisco Concourse this past weekend.

Some wanted to meet Chris Ware, who made a rare convention appearance at the show. Others wanted to see in person, and maybe even buy, Kramer’s Ergot 7, the oversized $125 anthology that comes out from Buenaventura Press this year. Still others bought table space to sell their creations, from graphic novels and mini-comics to posters, art prints, stuffed animals and T-shirts. And let’s not forget the fully stocked bar, which allowed fans to sip on a whiskey sour while looking at the latest books from Top Shelf, Fantagraphics, Oni, SLG and other publishers.

But some of the attendees weren’t there just for the comics – they were there for college credit. Both the Academy of Art University and the California College of Arts attended the show to promote their comics programs and give their students a chance to display and sell the comics they created in their classes.

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Max Allan Collins is set to write and direct two sequels to the Oscar-winning 2002 film Road to Perdition, which was based on his DC Comics graphic novel.

The follow-ups, titled Road to Purgatory and Road to Paradise, center on the adult Michael Sullivan Jr., the son of Tom Hanks’ character. The younger Sullivan returns from World War II determined to avenge his murdered father.

Phillip W. Dingeldein will executive produce. Jeffrey B. Mallian’s JBM Production Company will produce with Joel Eisenberg and EMO Films.

The original graphic novel was published in 1998 by DC Comics’ Paradox Press imprint. A follow-up miniseries, called Road to Perdition, Vol. 2: On the Road, was released in 2003 and fleshed out the six-month period in which the father and son were on the run.

You can read the press release here.

Cliff Chiang may be more awesome than Prince Rogers Nelson.

Here’s a look at some of the loot I brought home from the Alternative Press Expo this weekend:

–Rob Osborne of Sunset City and 1000 Steps To World Domination fame has a series that’s been under my radar called The Nearly Infamous Zango. So far three issues have come out from Rob’s self-publishing imprint, Absolute Tyrant. It’s a comedy about a super villain who isn’t quite so super, and features a bunch of characters with awesome names like Deacon Dredd and R.I.P. Van Freako.

–Gina Gagliano gave me a mini-comic that First Second editorial director Mark Siegel created, titled A Brief History of First Second. She also told me the name of the book that Faith Erin Hicks is doing for the imprint, which I have subsequently forgotten (I was lucky I remembered where I parked). Faith talks about how she got the assignment here.

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As part of an ongoing look at the big holiday movies coming out this year, The LA Times fixes its media eye on The Spirit and its cartoonist-turned-movie-director, Frank Miller:

“I adored Will Eisner and took a real ‘Don’t tread on me’ approach when I came to this movie. At the same time, I was willing to tread all over it. I knew Will always wanted to do something fresh and new, not some stodgy old thing that aspires to be revered. I don’t want anybody to bow to this movie. I want a ripping good yarn. It is not an antique.”

There’s lots more at the link, including quotes from star Samuel L. Jackson and Miller commenting on some of the early negative reactions from fans. The story also calls Miller “the most important comic-book artist of the last 25 years” which … well it’s just asking for someone to knock that statement down, isn’t it? Paging Mr. Chris Ware! Mr. Scott McCloud!

Cartoonist Roger Langridge shares some comic strips from Nickelodeon Magazine, featuring Spongebob Squarepants reimagined as several different comic strips, like Terry & the Pirates and Peanuts (above).

Via Drawn

– The final Opus strip ran yesterday.

– Who would like to see some of John Romita Jr’s cover drafts? Now let’s not see the same hands.

– Why does Mort of Bazooka Joe fame constantly cover the lower half of his face? The Onion has the answer and it’s not pretty.

– Kick Ass’ protagonist and Chester Brown: Separated at birth?

– Alan David Doane talks to Ivan Brunetti, podcast-style, about the new Anthology of Graphic Fiction collection.

– Ladies and gentlemen, the top 10 immortal characters of pop fiction.

– Same Hat has some excerpts from their interview with author and manga translator Frederik Schodt, the full text of which will appear in their zine, Electric Ant.

– Charles Brubaker talks with Kevin McCormack, creator of the late-lamented strip Arnold.

– Eric Reynolds provides what will likely be the last 2008 SPX report.

– The Comics Comics blog is all love, flowers and rainbows now.

Sunday lived up to its name, as yesterday’s rain was gone and my drive from just south of San Jose to San Francisco was much more pleasant today. I made it to the city in record time, and to the San Francisco Concourse just a few minutes before the doors opened for the Alternative Press Expo, which wrapped up today.

So yesterday I declared Kramer’s Ergot 7 the book of the show, but after today I may have to rethink that (or, at the very least, call it a tie). The Totoro Forest Project Book, which benefits the Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s Totoro Forest Foundation, was a big seller at the show.

It features a collection of artwork from a whole bunch of artists, and even at $45 a pop they moved more than 100 copies at the show. In fact, if I recall correctly, they sold 100 copies on Saturday and were moving briskly through the 40 remaining copies on Sunday when I visited the table. They auctioned off all the original artwork a few weeks ago, with great success. You can see some of the artwork from it on their blog; the artwork above was a thank you created by Miyazaki himself.

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