Blair Butler announced yesterday on Attack of the Show that Top Cow would be revisiting their Pilot Season Competition, where fans will vote on five comics to determine which two will become a miniseries.

But instead of rookies and indie talent, this competition will be different: all five series have been developed by Image partners Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri.

I gotta say, with the success of Kirkman properties such as Invincible and the Walking Dead (and Astonishing Wolf-Man isn’t bad, either), I’m pretty excited. There’s no word on interior artists (as Silvestri is only doing the covers), but we’ll report more as we hear about it.

Interview conducted by CB and Tony D, two comic book outlaws in their own right.

1. Michael, congrats on Outlaw Territory Volume 1 out in stores now from Image Comics. We hear reviews are great, particularly for the “Ahiga” short story. What gave you the idea for the book?

Michael Woods: Thank you very much.  With Outlaw, I wanted to do something that was a polar opposite of the previous anthology (Low Orbit) and a western theme seemed to just fall into my lap.

2. How hard was it to handle Christian Beranek as a creator? We’ve heard he can be quite difficult.

Michael Woods: I have booze and pictures he’d rather not get out.

3. At anytime did Christian Beranek go renegade on you? Did he ask you to meet him in that dive bar he likes to frequent in Silverlake? The one where those people were murdered?

Michael Woods: People were murdered there?  I thought we were just going for drinks.

4. What are the plans for future editions of Outlaw Territory? Any creator names you can mention?

Michael Woods: There will be a volume two, which is almost finished.  Creators include Stuart Immonen, Sean Phillips, Greg Pak, Joshua Dysart, Paul Azaceta, Jeff Lemire, Francesco Francavilla, Rafael Albuquerque, Dustin Weaver, Tom Fowler and many more.

Oh, and that Christian Beranek guy is back again.  I mentioned about the pictures and the booze, right?

5. What is your craziest convention experience?

Michael Woods: My lawyers have advised me against telling that story.

(more…)

Wow, is it that time already? Sometimes, you have to give a shout-out to the men who have raised us. But in comics, sometimes having a dad isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. For every Luke Cage, we get a Magneto — because villainous fathers have always been a time-honored trope in the comics community. So with that in mind, we at Blog@ decided to take a look and create a light-hearted, sometimes tongue-in-cheek (and obviously subjective) look at the top ten best and worst dads in comics!

The Top 10 Best Dads in Comics: With parental fatalities often being the impetus for superheroics, it’s tough to find a good dad in comics. But the good dads are often the best, even if they’re no longer with us. Let’s take some time to tip your hats to these great men in sequential art.

10. Ted Knight: Ted shows that it’s never too late to connect with your kids. Somewhat estranged from his son Jack until his son David is killed, Ted soon establishes a bond with his son through advice and adrenaline. While Jack first was all about himself, now he’s a hero, partially because of circumstance, but mainly because of the interaction he has with his dad.

9. Mr. Fantastic: While Reed Richards is a bit of an absent-minded, albeit good-hearted, space case, it’s clear how much he loves his kids. It’s one of the reasons he’s pushed himself as hard as he can go, to support his children, and while he can sometimes be a little distant, when push comes to shove, you know Franklin and Valeria come first to this super-stretchable polymath.

8. Wally West: When he had to make a work-related trip, he took his kids along for the ride. This might be a glib way of looking at Infinite Crisis, but that’s pretty much what happened — during his battle with Superboy-Prime, Wally was being sucked into another dimension. But he brought Jae, Iris, as well as his wife Linda along with, and raised his kids — despite their superspeed aging — in that parallel world. He has since fought the Speed Force itself — taking a hit on his own limitless speed — to save his children from its shackles. This guy? A great dad.

(more…)

Mike Allred’s Madman Atomic Comics is wrapping up in August, and he and Image are already promising more.

From the press release:

“MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS marks the end of an era, but definitely not the end of MADMAN at Image,” Allred said. “MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS was a really fun time for me, Laura, Madman and friends. Working at Image gave us  an unprecedented freedom with the book, allowing us to experiment like never before! I hope fans have enjoyed the trip thus far and will be back with us on the next leg once we get to it!”

MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #17 wraps a nearly two year run for the series, the longest for Allred and MADMAN in terms of consecutive issues, seeing his beloved superhero series finish off stories in the making since its inception as well as experiment in ways it never has before. Allred’s run produced some of the most acclaimed issues of his career, including his tribute to the entire history of comics wherein each panel featured a different style of a famous creator. The final issue will also tie in his RED ROCKET 7 series in continuity for the very first time, leading in to his second, long-awaited album, THE GEAR: LEFT OF CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE GEAR: LEFT CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE amps up the psychedelic space rock influences hinted at on the first album and features special guest musicians including The Dandy Warhol’s Courtney Taylor-Taylor. Furthermore, August’s release is a limited edition Direct Market exclusive released well in advance of the mainstream edition and will include tracks not available anywhere else, including iTunes. MADMAN will return in a different form at Image Comics to be announced at a later date.

Mothers. Everybody’s got one (unless you’re Superboy, who has two dads).

But in comics, motherhood has always been a major part of a hero’s psyche, for better or for worse. Which is why we wracked our brains to bring you a Special Mother’s Day Treat — a light-hearted compilation of the Top 20 Best and Worst Mothers in Comics!

Top 10 Best Mothers in Comics: Finding decent mothers in comics is no easy task, with many of them vying for space in the back of Kyle Rayner’s refrigerator. (What, too soon?) But the best of heroes always have a better mother behind them, and the best of the best have made the list:

10. Animal Man’s wife, Ellen Baker: She kept her family in one piece while her husband was considered MIA for a year, following the events of Infinite Crisis. And yet she still stayed strong, and kept her two kids hopeful during all that time. That automatically puts her on the list. (more…)

By Filip Sablik

I think people my age and older have a great fondness for letter columns in comics. Before the Internet it was our one way to communicate with the creators and editors who made the comics we loved. The only other way was conventions and back then there wasn’t one every other weekend all over the country. Something I’ve been pondering recently is the disappearance of printed letter columns in comics.

In the age of instaneous communication and social networking, virtually any motivated fan can interact with their favorite creator, editor, or comic personality in a very direct and immediate fashion. Want to let a Rob Liefeld know that you don’t like his art? Just jump on the comments sections of sites like Newsarama and let him know. Want to share your thoughts on what DC should do with Superman? Write up a clever, insight blog (on Newsarama for example). Want to ask an artist about a commission? Track them down on Facebook or MySpace. Want to know what Joe Quesada has for breakfast? Follow him on Twitter.

But who are the new letter hacks (and I use this term very affectionately)? In times past, it took some writing chops and the ability to construct a cohesive letter in order to get the attention of editors and creators. Prolific letter writers like T.M. Maple or Augie De Blieck were known in comic circles for their letters and became comic personalities in their own right. I remember quite vividly the pride I felt when a letter I wrote was printed in an issue of the short-lived Steven Seagle series “Primal Force”. Or how giddy my childhood friend Jeremy was when his scientific dissertation on the Flash’s powers was printed in an issue of “Flash”.

Somehow a gut reaction posted as a comment, tweet, or on a message board doesn’t seem to carry quite the same weight as the letters of yore. That’s not to say that comments like “You’ll burn in hell for all this T&A” doesn’t evoke some spirited and thoughtful debate…

My fondness for Letter Columns is one of the reasons we brought back official Letters Pages in both Witchblade and The Darkness at Top Cow. I want a fan to experience the same rush of excitement in seeing their name printed in his or her favorite comic series with a thought out response from either Ron Marz or Phil Hester. Sure, it’s a little bit of extra work for us and for the writers, but I think it’s worth it.

Although I do wish that modern day letter writers would run spell check and consult the occasional grammar manual before hitting the “send” button in their email.

So what do you think? Who are the next generation of letter hacks? Are letter columns dead? Do you miss them? Are comic creators and company representatives too accessible?

Take care,

Filip Sablik

Publisher Guy

Filip Sablik is the Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc. He’s been in the business for eight years and just officially entered his thirties. Occasionally, he does a bit of writing and drawing. He loves comics.

Top Cow Productions, Inc. was founded by Marc Silvestri, co-founder of Image Comics. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades.

From Dave Kopecki via Joe Keatinge at Image Comics, please take a minute to read.

This is a call to action!

As many of you may know already, artist Josh Medors (Frazetta’s Swamp Demon & Sorcerer, Runes of Ragnan, 30 Days of Night) has been fighting a losing battle against a terminal form of cancer for well over a year, and it has recently taken a turn for the worst. The doctors and conventional medicine have all but given up on him and say there isn’t anything else they can do. But he has found an alternative treatment that has the possibility of extending his life a bit and can help improve the quality of his life near the end so he can spend it with his wife and son. There is even a slim chance it can make him somewhat better, so he has to try. But of course the treatment is very expensive and Josh has no medical insurance. (more…)

 

When you’re looking for energy and excitement, go for the best. While many people choose Red Bull for their adrenaline-of-choice, Image Comics is looking for people to get hooked on Tasty Bullet.

Tasty Bullet is the story of Tamar, an adrenaline junkie as well as the spokeswoman for energy drink Tasty Bullet, marketed specifically in mind for the hard-wired ADD action junkie.

Yet when Tamar nearly dies doing a stunt for her corporate masters at Bullet Corp., she begins to learn about her own dark past, setting her up against the Teen Death Squad, “Spiritual Terrorist” Ali Hajjaj, as well as her own addiction to Tasty Bullet.

The book, created by Batman: City of Light artist Arnold Pander and Vertigo editor Jonathan Vankin, will be hitting the stands June 2009. And stay tuned to Blog@ for an interview later!

Just when I think I can’t love this comic any more, Gillen and McKelvie set out to prove me wrong. Rue Britannia was fun to pick apart, and 2.1 was just a cotton-candy bite of pure bliss. but this one made me feel.

Where Phonogram 2.1 was about the magic of dancing–and mostly about dancing by yourself–2.2 is about the magical ability of songs to transport you to a different place and time. It’s about memory, sure, but it’s more than that. Certain memories almost get trapped in a song, and when you play it, they come rushing back out. Sometimes good, sometimes bittersweet, sometimes wretched, but always twice as strong as they would be had you just thought of them without that song playing.

(read on)

(more…)

Some cool news from over at Image — the comics company announced that Cory Walker, co-creator of Invincible, would be returning to the title to draw a two-issue arc!

Here’s a brief statement from Image’s web site:

“While Cory has been working behind the scenes in the INVINCIBLE crew, it’s great to have him back for these two very special issues,” INVINCIBLE co-creator and writer Robert Kirkman said. “They’re going to be pretty damn momentous in the grand scheme of INVINCIBLE as we place the spotlight on INVINCIBLE’s dad, Nolan, and his new partner, Allen the Alien, while they seek the only weapons capable of taking down the Viltrumite empire. It’s gonna be awesome!”

Walker was the original artist for the series, as well as co-creator for the character. However, he soon stepped aside as Ryan Ottley assumed art duties beginning with issue #8. Walker will be back starting with issue #66, due out in September.

The series chronicles the increasing turmoil in the life of superhuman Mark Grayson — aka Invincible — as he struggles to make the world safe. Yet with his now-estranged father — the former hero Omni-Man — a member of the deadly Viltrumites, it looks as though an invasion may be brewing…

By Filip Sablik

When I agreed to do this regular blog column for Blog@Newsarama I told myself that I would avoid using it as a platform to shill books I was publishing. That is after all, what press releases are for. And that’s still my intent, but I hope you’ll forgive me if I indulge and occasionally tell you about something we’re doing at Top Cow that I think is worth a second look. Today, I wanted to let you know about a new title we’re launching in June called Berserker.

(more…)

By Filip Sablik

This week is yet another busy one here at TC HQ, so rather than one long form entry I thought I’d jot down a few scattered thoughts. Particularly since I’m already a week behind my normal Blog@Newsarama schedule.

Topic 1: I had an interesting conversation recently where the conversation of what the correct price point for digital comics is. Should it be the same as the printed comic so as to not disadvantage brick and mortar comic retailers? Follow the iTunes model of 99¢ per issue? Or is it free? The person I was having the conversation with made a very compelling argument for the 99¢ price point citing research, which indicates that 99¢ is the threshold of what most people consider “not real money”. In other words, at under a dollar most people don’t even think about it as a buying decision, it’s just an impulse. In the end on a store like iTunes they may spend $5-6 in less than $1 increments. Conversely if you gave them the same items grouped together at $5 you’d have fewer people purchase it. Interesting stuff! Personally I suspect the only correct price point for the internet is FREE. The real question for most publishers is how to effectively monetize what we do while giving away our bread and butter for free. That and how to do it without hurting our retail partners in the direct market.

(more…)

Courtesy of A Distant Soil, Image Comics’ Shadowline line has continued with its child-friendly programming with Stagger Lee’s Derek McCulloch and Evil and Malice Save the World’s Jimmie Robinson’s T. RUNT, a story about, well, a smallish Tyrannosaurus.

Here’s the preview images:

For the record, I totally wanna be Magnus.

Mark Andrew Smith and Matthew Weldon’s New Brighton Archaeological Society is in stores this week.

Not familiar with the backstory? The book came out of Popgun 2007 (and you can read an interview about it here). And while we’re talking Popgun, in advance of Popgun Three (due April 1), Smith has a full 32-page story up for free with luscious art by Johann Leroux. Called Japanese Wasp, it’s a monster/superhero tale worth checking out. Plus, y’know, free comics.

So in honor of all of this, I bring you PREVIEW IMAGES! You’re welcome.

(more…)

By Filip Sablik, Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc.

I love ice cream. It’s one of my many vices and I’m cool with that. Chocolate and vanilla are old standbys because they pair well with just about anything. Pie? Good. Cake? Good. Cookies? Good. Bananas, nuts, and candy? Good. A nice filet mignon? Probably not, but I’d be willing to try it.

As much as those two flavors are standbys and consistently the most popular flavors in surveys, I do love to experiment with different flavors. Hit me with some Peanut Butter Cup, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Cream, Rocky Road, or any number of more unique combinations and I’m a happy man. What does this have to do with comics?

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen a bunch of “Best” lists online for top picks of comics and graphic novels for 2008 and couldn’t help but notice how heavily dominated they are by Big Two books. When I scan the list of top-selling books from Diamond each month on ICv2, I can’t help but notice the lack of what I would call independent titles.  In the top 25 comics last month, there was only one non-Marvel, non-DC title – Buffy, The Vampire Slayer – an excellent read, but a licensed property with its roots in television. In the top 50, only two others – Angel (same boat as Buffy) and The Umbrella Academy. The Umbrella Academy gives me a little bit of hope, because it’s a fantastic, unique comic that doesn’t rely on a pre-established licensed property, but that’s only one out of 50! The top 100 looks a bit better, but only slightly so with the addition of The Walking Dead, Spawn, Conan the Cimmerian (licensed again) and Black Terror from Dynamite Entertainment.

Then reading John Mayo’s monthly report of sales through Diamond, I came across this chilling statement – “the total units sold for the top 300 comics was down by an estimated 1,763,925 units from October 2008 and down 1,185,793 from November 2007.” As John explains, the reason for this significant sales hit is because a number of high-profile titles from Marvel and DC Comics did not ship in those two months.

Back to my ice cream analogy so we can bring this blog entry full circle. Marvel and DC are our vanilla and chocolate. I say “our” because they’re mine as well, I love the characters and the stories these companies produce. But the pure domination of the market concerns me both as a fan of independent and original comics and as a publisher of the same said comics. It bugs me when I see a second or third-tier superhero character outselling a unique, critically acclaimed title like The Goon, Mouse Guard, Firebreather or Pax Romana.

Using November as an example again, Marvel had almost 43% of the total units sold to comic shops and DC had 35%. The percentages by which vanilla and chocolate are favorite flavors? According to the International Ice Cream Association, 29% prefer vanilla and less than 9% prefer chocolate. Independent comic publishers fight over 22% of the market, while other ice cream flavors compete for 62% of your taste buds. I think the latter makes for a much richer market place overall.

What do you think?

Take care,

Filip Sablik
Publisher Guy

Filip Sablik is the Publisher of Top Cow Productions, Inc. He’s been in the business for eight years and just officially entered his thirties. Occasionally, he does a bit of writing and drawing. He loves comics.

Top Cow Productions, Inc. was founded by Marc Silvestri, co-founder of Image Comics. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades.

In 2009, the big crossovers are coming strong for comics fans. But what if you’re new to the storyline? Have no fear — Newsarama has prepared a crib sheet for the biggest stories of 2009!

UPDATE: In case it isn’t clear, by “crib sheet” we mean SPOILERS AHEAD…

(more…)

The New York Comiccon has announced a tentative lineup of its panel schedule!

Here are some of the highlights for this year’s programming:

The Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Comic Professional: Creating the work is one thing, but what should you keep in mind in order to present yourself well to an editor? Do personality and rapport play a part in how you’re perceived? What’s the difference between a pro’s attitude and a novice’s? How do you balance doing quality work with making the deadline? What’s the proper way to pitch? (Friday, 2-3pm)

BOOM! Studios: BIG! BOLD! BOOM! Join Mark Waid, Ross Richie, and Chip Mosher as they run down the most exciting new projects at BOOM! Including a special announcement by Mark Waid that is sure to make your head explode! (Friday, 2:15-3:15)

(more…)

Image Comics’ giant art-book of comics inspired by Tori Amos songs isn’t just for Tori fans, or comic fans. The book’s sold so well that it’s coming out with a new, shiny, hardcover slipcased edition (full disclosure: my review of it is blurbed on the back). You may be a Tori die-hard like me, or you may go “Eeeewww” at the mention of her name (as at least one person will no doubt do in comments), but the book is really a treasure, with work from so many writers and artists indie and mainstream. It spans the breadth of what’s being done in comics these days.

Editor Rantz Hoseley took some time to fill me in on the response to the book since I picked it up and wrote that review. So please, read on.

(more…)

I was at a bar last night with some classmates to celebrate the end of the semester. One of the guys looked at me and said, “You know, I always wanted to know what a girl who reads comics looks like.”

There’s no deep, dark secret to what girls who read comics look like. We look like all sorts of things, and are quite often quite cute. (/ego.) But more important, I think, is what girls who read comics LIKE. Aside from comics, of course.

I’m a self-proclaimed nerd girl (nrrd grrl) and I get geeked out about many, many things, from classic film noir to Shakespeare’s language to the perfect rock song to, of course, good comics. And lots of comics folks are into many other things, too.

So “Talk Nerdy to Me” will be a sort of regular feature for me. I’ll post it when I feel like it, but what I aim to do is give you all a bit of insight into things that give me geek-gasms. I’m pulling quotes from comics folks or related pop-culturey types that made me go “oooh” and get a wee bit of a brain-crush.

Because we all know brain-crushes are the best kind.

I make no promises that anything I say in this column will help you pick up nerd girls (or guys). And I hope no one will be offended by the use of the word “nerd.” I mean it in only the best way. For real.

Anyway! To the point, woman!

This episode of “Talk Nerdy To Me” comes from the Annotations in the back of Phonogram: The Singles Club #1. Phonogram is a comic for people who get as excited about music as they do about new comics. And it’s excellent.

So. The backmatter for Phonogram contains many things, including a rundown on the musical references for the issue. I’m going to make you buy the comic yourselves, but I am going to quote the annotation on Nick Cave, a longstanding geek-crush of mine.

Cave, Nick: Okay, more seriously: One of the towering figures in leftfield popular music of the last thirty years. From the Birthday Party, through the sinful Southern Gothic of his early work with the Bad Seeds, to the spiritual versus romantic transcendence of albums like The Boatman’s Call, that’s a hell of a body of work. And there’s still another fifteen or so years after that. Still-he does have a tendency to off a lot of ladies. She Who Bleeds… references, in order, “She’s Hit” by the Birthday Party, “From Her to Eternity,” “The Mercy Seat” and the whole of Murder Ballads. Her “revenge” Comment is referencing things like his PJ Harvey duet “Henry Lee” when PJ gets to do the slaying.

Nick Cave explication plus comics plus feminist deconstruction? It’s triple-layer bliss. Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and guest artist Laurenn McCubbin: I kind of love you.

Plus, the comic is about as much sheer  joy as can be packed into sequential format. Go buy it already.

Artist Rob Liefeld, always the source of good internet conversation, is signing tonight at Midtown Comics’ Times Square location in NYC, in support of his new original graphic novel from Image Comics, Armageddon Now: World War 3. The OGN features a marked shift in art style for Liefeld, with digital painting over his pencils. The writer, Phil Hotsenpiller, will also be there, signing copies of the recently released hardcover GN about the end of the world. As a longtime and unabashed fan of Liefeld’s work and how nice of a guy he is in person, I’m excited to attend tonight. Full details after the break. (more…)