There’s a short, but nifty video right here in which Marvel head honcho Joe Quesada gives a casual tour of the offices including their walls of covers, and licensed products, digital studio and a rather unimpressive kitchen. It’s one of the newest videos on Slate.com’s Cubez series.
Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths Pics
Two teaser images have been released for the next DC animated film arriving next year. The setup is this: a heroic Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate earth requesting the help of the Justice League in defeating their evil counterparts on good Lex’s home planet. Below are pics of hero Lex in gold armour surrounded by “our” Justice League, and a pic of the bad League’s version of Batman, namely Owlman.
With a story that seems to be based on 2000’s graphic novel, JLA: Earth 2 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely and the introduction of the Multiverse into the DC animated films, this will be yet another one to watch. Here’s the official skinny.
An original story from award-winning animation/comics writer Dwayne McDuffie (Justice League) rooted in DC Comics’ popular canon of “Crisis” stories.
Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday, Green Lantern) is executive producer. Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies) are co-directors.
In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a “good” Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villainous characters with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman, puts the balance of all existence in peril.
All-star voice cast led by Mark Harmon (NCIS) as Superman, James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) as Owlman, Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Law & Order) as Lex Luthor, William Baldwin (Dirty Sexy Money) as Batman, Gina Torres (Serenity, Firefly) as Super Woman and Bruce Davison (X-Men) as the President.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Clips
The next DC Universe animated film is Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and it arrives on September 29. Below are two clips; one involving Supes meeting President Lex Luthor and fighting Metallo and another involving the titular superheroes fighting Major Force and Captain Atom. I’m excited about this film and it looks good.
Bluewater’s December Goodies
Bluewater Productions continue to create diverse products and their biographical comics seem to be garnering attention. Next up is J.K Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter. There’s also a George W. Bush one-shot with a cover that is kinda freaking me out. Perhaps the best new series though is Distortions Unlimited by Daniel Crosier, who created the unique wood burning art in the Bartholomew of the Scissors mini-series. The 3 ish mini is based on the full scale animatronics from the titular company (that’s gotta be a first for comics!) and is centred on a scary mine.
Marvel Comics On Sale 16/9/09
Here’s 3 nice covers from the batch of new Marvel goodies being released this week. The full list is below the covers.
The Super Hero Squad
Marvel’s new animated series with kid-friendly versions of their characters has now debuted on the Cartoon Network. Below are the details, including the impressive voice talent involved.
On Monday, September 14, The Super Hero Squad Show makes its Marvel-ous debut on the Cartoon Network with an action-packed sneak peak you can’t miss! Experience the adventures of Iron Man, Captain America , Thor, Silver Surfer, Wolverine, Storm and all your favorite Marvel Heroes like never before! The greatest heroes in the universe unite against the deadliest villains in an exciting, family friendly Super Hero team up unlike any in history! The Super Hero Squad unites to protect Super Hero City for VillainVille, as they must stop Dr. Doom and his allies from gathering pieces of the powerful Infinity Sword, or the bad guys will rule the universe! Luckily, the City is filled with Marvel Super Hero guest-stars to help out in a pinch. These brave heroes totally deliver the action – but with plenty of humor on the side as they “Hero Up!” to save the day.
The Super Hero Squad Show features superstar talent playing the roles of the series’ memorable characters, including:
Tom Kenny (Spongebob)
Charlie Adler (Transformers 1 & 2)
Steve Blum (Wolverine and the X-Men, Hulk Vs.)
Grey DeLisle (Fairly Oddparents and The Replacements).
And when it comes to guest-stars, The Super Hero Squad Show features the greatest characters—and talent—including:
Wayne Knight (Seinfeld)
LeVar Burton (Reading Rainbow, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl, 17 Again, Buffy)
Greg Grunberg (Heroes)
Lena Headey (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, 300)
Adrian Pasdar (Heroes)
Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galatica)
Jennifer Morrison (House)
Tamera Mowry (Twitches and Sister, Sister)
Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street films)
Stan Lee as the Mayor of Super Hero City .
Massive Top Shelf Sale
Those fine folks at diverse indie publisher Top Shelf are obviously happy that the film adaptation of The Surrogates is only days away, so they’re celebrating with a great sale this month. Details below.
Top Shelf’s MASSIVE $3 SALE is here to celebrate the debut of THE SURROGATES on iTunes, as well as the theatrical release of the SURROGATES on September 25th!
Just in time for the theatrical release of SURROGATES starring Bruce Willis, fans can now read the original graphic novel that inspired the upcoming blockbuster on their iPhone and iPod touch. THE SURROGATES App for the iPhone — developed for the iPhone by iVerse Media — features two full issues of the original comic book mini-series formatted for the iPhone screen for only $0.99. The remaining three issues of the series can be downloaded inside the Application as an “In App Purchase” for only $0.99 per issue. Or, if you prefer, you can simply download “THE SURROGATES #1” for FREE in the iTunes App Store.
So, to celebrate all this — from now thru Friday September 25th (the opening day of the film!) — Top Shelf is having a giant $3 graphic novel web sale. When you visit the site, you’ll find over 100 graphic novels and comics on sale — with 55+ titles marked down to just $3 (!) and 45 other titles slashed! All we ask is that you hit a $30 minimum on sale and/or non-sale items (before shipping). It’s a great opportunity to load up on all those graphic novels you’ve wanted to try, but just never got around to picking up. Get ’em while supplies last, and be sure to visit iTunes as well to download The Surrogates!
To go directly to the list of sale items, just click here.
Zombies Calling Review
I have a new habit these days. Ever since I arrived home from San Diego Comic-Con in July I have briefly stared at the pile of comics I bought there with curiosity, excitement and mild disdain at not organising them yet (especially as said pile is sitting next to my bookshelf crammed full of unread stuff from last year’s SDCC). However since I’ve been getting the train to work I now have an hour each day to get some good reading in and watch the pile slowly diminish, or at least, be rearranged.
So, each night I grab a random book and throw it in my bag for the next morning’s reading, and that’s how I came to read, and enjoy, Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks and Slave Labor Graphics. Man, that was an unnecessarily long intro.
Zombies Calling is a 112 page black and white digest that was created in 2007. Hicks’ blog details her submission process that got it noticed. Her next project is Brain Camp about “a creepy summer camp and how there may be monsters in the forest, and it’s all a metaphor for how puberty is scary as hell.” Cool.
So, ZC is about Joss and her two room-mates at a Canadian university. Joss is fixated on England, and more importantly zombie moves. She knows the rules of said films, (think of the rules for horror moves as stated in Scream) and thankfully, her skills must be put to the test when zombies invade her campus, or rather students are transformed into the shuffling undead.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much and only picked it up at the Con as it was cheap, but I was pleasantly surprised. After the first few pages I thought it may just veer dangerously close to the kind of playful tale we’ve seen before in which all the characters are witty and reference pop culture to show the readers/audience how they’re just like them. Hicks is wise and creative enough to not let that happen though. By sticking to only 3 main characters and giving the zombies an unusual origin that doesn’t require lengthy exposition, she can focus on showing just enough tension, tenderness and humour that could comfortably exist in an average episode of Buffy.
Besides Joss, there’s so-called ladies’ man Robyn and Sonnet, who is more serious and goth. There’s nods to Shaun of the Dead and the non-zombieness of 28 Days Later, and lots of running, hiding and zombie hurting.
It’s the combination of action, character development and touching scenes, such as the discussions of virginity, and death, all in just over 100 pages that make this an entertaining read. It’s also great to look at. Hicks does wonders simply with the page layouts and knows how to use space, and silence to great effect. It’s just a pleasure to look at and not like all the manga-lite artwork currently flooding the shelves. She knows how to render detailed backgrounds, and make the characters emote, and even a nerd like me can appreciate the hip fashion choices.
Also included are a few pages of character sketches and preliminary cover designs. Zombies Calling is a refreshing, done-in-one read that you wouldn’t be ashamed to pass onto your curious friends.
Ultimate Alliance 2 Launch Trailer
A sequel to the excellent Ultimate Alliance game starring a bunch of Marvel characters, Ultimate Alliance 2 hits shelves on September 15. Here’s a new trailer, (with a catchy song) showing plenty of in-game graphics and some of what made the first game so memorable – excellent cut scenes. The game is based on the awesome Civil War series from 2006-7 which had Iron Man and Captain America on opposing sides of the Superhero Registration Act. Now that Disney has engulfed Marvel, hopefully we’ll get an entire movie made like this.
Devil’s Due On iPhone
Indie publisher Devil’s Due (Hack/Slash, Jericho, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, etc) are now joining the iPhone comics revolution. Press release below.
Devil’s Due Publishing to Deliver Digital Comic Books Through comiXology for iPhone
Devil’s Due Publishing and comiXology announce that comiXology will be distributing Devil’s Due comic book titles to the iPhone and iPod touch. Comic books published by Devil’s Due include the continuation of the TV show Jericho, plus popular titles like Hack/Slash, Voltron, and Spartacus: Blood and Sand, based on the upcoming Starz TV show Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The soon to be released Merch Girl will also include exclusive music by co-creator, rapper MURS.
“We’re excited that Devil’s Due has chosen comiXology to be its digital comics partner,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Fans of Jericho reach far beyond the local comic store, and that property, along with Voltron and Spartacus make great introductions to comics. They’ll look great in our Guided View on the iPhone.”
The Guided View feature of Comics by comiXology keeps the entire page of a comic intact, unlike other solutions where the page is cut into individual pictures the user browses like a photo application. The app’s retailer locator will enable customers to contact local retailers from within the app itself to order the print edition of Devil’s Due Publishing’s comics.
“I’m very excited to be able to offer the massive library of Devil’s Due titles through comiXology’s online store,” said Josh Blaylock, President of Devil’s Due Publishing. “Comics on the iPhone are allowing us to reach millions of potential customers who have never set foot in a comic book store, and it’s instantaneous. It’s really going to expand the comic reading audience.”
The Comics by comiXology App is available, including over 30 free comics, for $0.99 from the App Store. Information on Devil’s Due Publishing comic books can be found here.
The Darkness/Pitt #1 Free On iPhone
The first issue of Top Cow’s new x-over mini-series, The Darkness/Pitt has sold out, but fear not! The debut issue is now available for free for the iPhone, as well as from comiXology. The second issue hits stands on September 23. If you want to know more about Pitt and his convoluted publishing history, check this out. Press release below.
THE DARKNESS/PITT #1 FREE ON IPHONE
Sold Out Debut Issue Available at No Cost Through Comics by comiXology Application
Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that the first issue of The Darkness/Pitt, which has sold out at the distributor level, would be made available for free on comiXology’s Comic store/library/reader application for the iPhone beginning this Wednesday, September 9th. The issue will also be available in its entirety on comiXology.com.
Paul Jenkins (Captain America: Theater of War) and Pitt creator Dale Keown (Berserker) have reunited for the first time since their much-lauded run on The Darkness in 2002 in The Darkness/Pitt. The series also marks the first Pitt series in a decade and creator Keown’s return to the character he is best known for. In the three issue limited series, Jackie Estacado, mafia hitman and current bearer of The Darkness, encounters an alien infection which turns normal people into monstrous zombie like beings. Meanwhile, Pitt, an alien/human hybrid warrior, and his teen half-brother Tim arrive in New York tracking down this same problem. The highly anticipated crossover series has been over five years in the making and was held back from release by Top Cow Productions until all principal work on the series had been completed.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of Top Cow’s strategy to get more exposure for The Darkness/Pitt. The long-awaited return of Pitt deserves great exposure to a wide audience, and our patent-pending Guided View really shines with the material,” explained comiXology President David Steinberger, “Many thousands of people now have the opportunity to read the first issue and use Comics by comiXology’s unique in-app connection to retailers to pre-order the next issue.”
“Top Cow has been talking with comiXology for some time about an opportunity to explore their terrific iPhone app and introduce some Top Cow properties to the world of mobile comics and this seemed like the perfect opportunity,” added Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik, “Not only do we put our best foot forward, but hopefully we can drive some additional sales to direct market retailers for issue #2 and #3.”
Comics by comiXology can be found here.
KGB Webcomic
Becky Cloonan is one of those names I’m familiar with, but I can’t honestly say I’ve ever picked up an issue of any of the series she’s drawn for, such as Demo or American Virgin. Well, now she’s started a new webcomic with Hwan Cho, called KGB. Apparently 9/9/9 isn’t just the date for “new” Beatles’ music. There are so many webcomics out there, so if you want to get in on the ground floor of a new manga-flavoured one centred on a rap/dance group, check it out here. There will be updates every Wednesday.
Neil Gaiman’s Bookshelf
Thanks to comicbookresources.com I’ve become aware of this entry from the book loving site, Shelfari. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a world renowned novelist/comics scribe’s personal library looks like, check out this gallery of Neil Gaiman’s packed shelves. And if you are somewhat humbled by the literary treasures on display, and prefer the more pop culture-centred library of a fanboy just like you and me, check out CBR’s latest entry in their badly named Shelf Porn series.
This Week’s Winners
Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth#1. Worth much more than the $1 cover price, this debut ish from Vertigo is equal amounts enchanting and intriguing. Writer/artist Lemire mentions in the On The Ledge column that a friend of his described it as “Bambi meets Mad Max.” That’s not a bad way of putting it, though it’s still too early to see those references yet. Lemire is one of the new wave of indie creators making a splash and getting noticed. His Essex County trilogy from Top Shelf chronicled various inhabitants of a small town with great realism and warmth. He brings that same edge to Sweet Tooth, but with more fantasy than his usual work. We are introduced to Gus, a boy with antlers living with his dying father. Gus has never left his home and the area around it and knows no-one but his ailing Dad. Gus is one of the last few human/animal hybrids who came into existence after a mysterious pandemic 10 years ago. This is an ongoing series and Lemire has plenty of time to build upon this premise. It hooked me more than I thought it would. Lemire’s art seems slightly more refined here. The thick, black sketchy style of his previous work is still obvious, but there are rare places where faces appear odd. Jose Villarrubia’s colours sit slightly uneasily, but maybe that’s because I’m not used to seeing Lemire’s work in colour. There’s also a 7 page preview of October’s Peter and Max Fables novel from Bill Willingham. Sweet Tooth, like The Unwritten before it is yet another bold move from Vertigo, and Lemire is conducting a unique promo for the series.
Justice League: Cry For Justice #3. There’s still a few issues with this series, namely writer James Robinson’s occasional missteps with out of character dialogue, particulary with Hal Jordan, but with the build up towards the team’s formation, and the big reveal of the baddie, ie, Prometheus, it ticks a few boxes. Prometheus was always one of the great JLA baddies when Grant Morrison reinvigorated the JLA over a decade ago. Mauro Cascioli’s art is splendid and his ferocious depictions of action, such as Starman’s and Congorilla’s aerial assault are the highlights. Robinson’s extra pages on the origin of Prometheus and why he chose the “anti-Batman” give fanboys great insights too.
Star Wars: Invasion #3. The thing that’s immediately apparent from this new SW mini-series is Colin Wilson’s art. It’s the kind that you don’t really see in mainstream American comics, and it fits with the high drama and action of Star Wars beautifully. Tom Taylor keeps things fresh, knowing that it’s probably a mix of fans of the New Jedi Order series of novels and people who want to see Luke Skywalker do his thing again that are reading this title. Anyone who has read the books in which the alien species known as Yuuzhan Vong come to conquer will be relieved that they translate so well to sequential art. Taylor gives enough info about the Vong for curious readers, and starts to make serious strides in showcasing the menace of the creepy race. Plus, in the few pages that reveal Skywalker’s relationship with the apprentice Finn Galfridian, Taylor lays hints that he’s going slightly beyond the typical SW mentor/protege arc that we’ve seen many times before. Hopefully the characters shown here will continue in some form with Dark Horse after Invasion wraps.
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