Summer comic book news from IDW & Dark Horse

1 APRIL 2015

                                                           Courtesy of IDW

Happy New Comic Day! Let's look into the future and discuss the tantalizing announcements we got from Dark Horse and IDW at ECCC last weekend. Because they're bringing all of the below your way this summer and fall.

From IDW, we have a collection of titles coming out in July:

• A 4-issue adaptation of The Shrinking Man from CEO Ted Adams. Yes, this is from Richard Matheson's novel where a man shrinks slowly after encountering a mysterious cloud.
• A 4-part Onyx from IDW chief creative officer Chris Ryall and Locke & Key artist Gabriel Rodriguez. A female warrior arrives on Earth to "either save the planet or destroy it." You'll get to see Onyx #0 as a bonus story in some IDW May titles.
• A miniseries of Godzilla in Hell in which the biggest beast of them all visits the fiery underworld and presumably goes through an SDCC badge sale. The creative team will rotate for all 5 issues.
• String Divers about “a squad of androids who are shrunken down to complete world-saving missions.” This is also written by Chris Ryall, with artwork by Nelson Daniel.

 

 

Not to be outdone, Dark Horse is publishing 10 new series this summer. Each one comes with a vivid description from the Dark Horse site that I feel absolutely must be shared.

• Barb Wire about a bounty hunter once played by Pamela Anderson in a film. "The hunting is stupid good and the bounties are hella big - if Barb lives long enough to collect!" I feel like that sums it up pretty accurately. Out in July.

• King Tiger is described as "Blood, death, and fire - the darkest kind of magic” in which Tiger needs to battle "an unthinkable supernatural obscenity." Out in August.

 

• Conspiracy thriller Negative Space starts with writer's block, a suicide note and involves a terrible corporation and “ancient underwater creatures who feed off our strongest and most base emotions.” I bet this writer has a fascinating backstory. On sale in July.

• The Tomorrows kicks off in July and sounds more like a documentary from the future than fiction: "Everything everyone ever posted online has been weaponized against them. The reign of the Corporation is quickly becoming as absolute as it is brutal - unless the Tomorrows can stop it." Curt Pires is the scribe, with a different artist every issue. Out in July.

 

• Death Head also comes out in July and will center around a family who go on a camping trip and discover “an abandoned village hiding an ancient evil” and a villain called “The Plague Doctor.” This sounds like it would make an excellent horror movie.

• Then we have Zodiac Starforce out in August about "an elite group of teenage girls with magical powers who have sworn to protect our planet against dark creatures - as long as they can get out of class!” Oh, and there are "mean-girl minions." So like a supernatural Pretty Little Liars, I'm guessing.

 

• Adam.3, also out in August, has "a futuristic island paradise populated by talking animals and monitored by orbiting control satellites." The talking animals are turned into aliens by actual alien invaders; a battle to save the island ensues. I just realized how much I wish Dali was alive and making comic books. From the brain of Scott Kolins.

• Power Cubed, which launches in September, is about a kid who gets some “matter-reinterpreting technology" on his 18th birthday. A government agent and a "bumbling Nazi scientist" are involved. Wait, aren't bumbling characters supposed to be lovable?

• Jumping to October, we’ll have The Steam Man, which brings us an Old West peopled by robots, Martians, killer apes and vampires. Delightfully zany or tired and gimmicky? It probably depends on the execution. Which will come from Mark Miller, Joe Lansdale, and Piotr Kowalski.

• Toward the end of the year - not exactly summer - we'll get Eric Powell partnering with illustrator Stephanie Buscema for Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face. "Wrinkle's Traveling Circus's most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back."

And if you didn't hear today, we're also getting two Wonder Woman books this fall - from Jill Thompson and Grant Morrison. Wonder Woman: Earth One will be out in November with pretty art by Yanick Paquette and some of those subversive bondage themes that lurked in old WW comics. Jill Thompson's Wonder Woman: The Very Selfish Princess is out in September. The art in each looks gorgeous.

So many comic books!

6th crop of SDCC special guests are here

9 MARCH 2015

CCI announced special guests 26-30 today. Maybe, just maybe, you've heard of a few of them.


Jerry Beck - author and animation historian, owner of Cartoon Research - The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes, The Hanna Barbara Treasure

Matthew Inman - writer/artist - The Oatmeal

Jim Lee - artist - Batman: Hush, Justice League; DC Entertainment; last year's beautiful Souvenir Guide cover

Richard Starkings - writer, designer - Hip Flask, Comicraft, Elephantmen

Jill Thompson - writer, artist - Beasts of Burden, Little Endless, The Scary Godmother, an amazing pillowcase featuring Death from Sandman which she sold to me on the floor last summer


There's nothing boring or one-dimensional about the special guests we're getting for SDCC 2015. The spotlight panels are going to draw big crowds.

Interview with Jill Thompson - Part II

11 JUNE 2013


Two days ago I posted Part I of an interview with Jill Thompson that talked about the changes in San Diego Comic Con and the creator experience. In Part II, she talks about the lack of comic coverage in the media, how not to be a jackass to exhibitors and her future projects.


What other general changes have you noticed over the years? For instance, I've noticed a pronounced mainstreaming of comic literature on the floor - I think vendors tend to only bring material they're sure will sell, as opposed to the more offbeat, less commercial work that I used to love finding at the Con. Have you noticed any trends that you like/dislike?


Well, it would be nice to see actual comics creators in photos about comic con in the mainstream media. If I see one more picture of another actor in a superhero comic t shirt picked out by their publicist, I'm gonna scream! ;-) I never thought I'd see red carpet photos of actors at Comic Con in magazines like People. I think it's great that the Con gets the coverage, but it's not about comics or the medium in any way. The only time you see our community portrayed is in a photo to show some eccentric fanboy with his con swag bag asking a question at a panel with the cast of fill-in-the-blank TV show. Or, when someone does an interview with a Con attendee, they are not asked what comics they like but what movie stuff they saw, or exclusive give-a-way they got, or something like that… It would be nice if comics were included in the media coverage in an intelligent way.


What’s the worst behavior you’ve seen from fans?

Lately, the worst behavior is from con goers who are so accustomed to getting free stuff that they grab things off your table and you have to chase after them to let them know that it's actually your merchandise. Then they look at you like you're an asshole for charging for a tee shirt, or a book or something. That's a head shaker. 

My favorite exasperating moment of late is when someone is holding five bags full of stuff and clutching an autographed photo of a celebrity who you know has charged $25-$75 for their signature...and they ask you how much your book or original art costs, and then they tell you it costs too much and ask if you could give them a deal. 

Any advice on how people can be gracious in approaching their favorite artists?

Come on up! Say hi! Be friendly.  I know when I'm drawing, I have my head down. This doesn't mean I'm too busy to talk, it just means I can't draw without looking down at the paper, so please, come over and say hi! I would love to talk to you! You can watch me draw, you can listen to my stories, I just can't look up all the time. It's all good! If you want to buy something, ask me or my assistant. We are here to answer questions and get you what you'd like!  

What’s your best Comic Con memory or story?

Wow, too many of those to recount here. I've been going since I was a teenager, I've met so many of the artists and writers that I admired at SDCC. I became friends with them!  I went to Jack Kirby's 75th birthday party! I went from being a fan to being a professional comic creator! We did the trilogy tour with the Big Tree! I debuted the Scary Godmother animated special at SDCC! I've won Eisner awards and given acceptance speeches and worn shimmering gold dresses!!  I've met celebrities who I liked, that love comics as much as I do! I've filled a huge ballroom for my painting demonstrations. I filmed segments for the WWE! I wore the championship belt and walked around the Con floor! SDCC can be like being at a party with all of your relatives and distant relatives. And of course, you know the best stories are those that happen behind the scenes! ;-)


What are you working on now? Can you tell us anything about the future of Beasts of Burden?

I'm not sure what I can talk about. I've got three projects I've been juggling. Not the way I like to work, but, my lateness on one caused them all to pile up like a train wreck...one car smashed into another ...but they all look terrific and I'm working hard to make them the best work I've done for each one! There will be more Beasts of Burden in your futures.

I've got a website that's moments away from going live. I'll also be launching a Kickstarter campaign for a Scary Godmother fashion doll. It's pretty awesome and I'm very excited! If you follow me on twitter @thejillthompson you'll know all the details for all of these things as they happen! I'm very post-y!

Interview with Jill Thompson - Part I

9 JUNE 2013


Jill Thompson is one of those artists who's succeeded in every corner of the comic book world. Whether it's her work on Sandman or her magnificent Scary Godmother series or my personal love Beasts of Burden, she has created some of the most luminous and memorable art in the medium.  

She's a multiple Eisner Award winner, she's a gateway drug for people who don't normally read comic books - so this interview with her is enlightening but also a bit depressing. Usually an SDCC staple, Jill won't be there next month for the reasons she describes below. Nevertheless, she gives some good advice on interacting with your favorite artists, what it's like for creators to attend the Con, and her feelings on the SDCC shift from comics to Hollywood.

Part I:


How grueling is it to work as an artist at San Diego Comic Con? What’s a typical day and night? I think many fans assume that the big name creators are going to parties every night, but most of the people I know are working around the clock.

Well, since I go to the convention as an artist and an exhibitor, my day starts at 7 am and usually ends about 3 am! Sometimes I also try and grab a breakfast with my editors because it's usually my only time to schedule that's just one on one. The rest of my day is spent drawing commissions, selling merchandise like prints and books and tee shirts, doing painting demos for the CBLDF or DC comics and doing panels.  I try to give everyone who comes by my table some good conversation and take a photo with them if they like, as well as sign autographs. I rarely have time to do meetings or lunch in the middle of the day. And I also spend time at Trickster doing demos and stuff.

Sometimes I am a presenter or a nominee at the Eisner Awards and I've spent many a con running from convention floor to hotel room to awards ceremony, which I think means I ran about a mile and a half or more in a red dress and high heels. Everything is so spread out you forget how much time it takes to get somewhere! On foot is the most maneuverable even though you're cutting a swath through the throngs of fans leaving the show...

After the show closes each day I'm fortunate to grab dinner with other professionals and my editors. Then you try and hook up with your friends for drinks and parties and schmoozing, which is also business, but with laughing and stuff! Space is limited at parties and I only end up knowing about most of them if I hear about them from other people because I'm table-bound most of the show... The days of the big comics company parties are no longer, it seems. Most are invite-only affairs with limited space. The DC event in the Art Gallery was lots of fun and I did manage to squeeze my way in to the Marvel party and also had fun. 

I'm on the go from the time I get there on Tuesday, setting up our booth and organizing our stuff, until Sunday night after we break down our booth, pack things up and get it all to Fed Ex to ship back home. That's a typical San Diego Comic-Con for me! I wouldn't mind just sauntering into the show to do a panel here and there and then do nothing but shop, shmooze and go to cool parties...but that hasn't happened lately! If anyone wishes to sponsor my trip to SDCC this year and make that happen, I'd be more than happy to be your booth babe! ;-)


How palpable has the shift away from comic books been, and what has the effect been on you?

Well, unfortunately, I won't be attending SDCC this year. I suppose that shows you how palpable the shift has been and how great of an effect it has had on me. We gave up our exhibitor's booth as it was too expensive. I'm going through convention withdrawal already, as it's been such a huge part of my life up until now. But, I've found that about 75% of my 'regular' fans who I used to see year after year at this Con have not been present for the last several years. This really makes a difference. I see them at other shows and they tell me that they cannot afford to attend SDCC, or they couldn't get a badge, or they can't afford to bring their family anymore. Or they can only get one badge where they used to be able to get one for their whole family. Even I could not get a hotel room in the hotel room lottery!! And I've been coming regularly since the mid-eighties!

And the influx of new attendees does not seem to be those who are looking for non-Marvel and DC comics. If they are, they haven't made their way over to where I am. The focus is very much on the comic characters that have been in the movies. I think if there are new fans coming, it might be for the more corporate characters than the medium.

About 6 years ago, I was making a profit. Then, it shifted to breaking even... And for the last two years, I have been in the hole. I am still working as hard, but I've noticed a complete lack of business on Saturday, which used to be one of my busiest days. I used to have a huge list of commissions on Friday and Saturday and the last two years, I think I had one commission on Saturday. But Saturday is the day when there are movie premieres and panels with TV shows and actors. I think much of the convention attendees spend lots of their time in  giant ballrooms watching these types of panels, or waiting in line to see these types of panels. They get their comic news from the Internet, so that might cut into how they prioritize their Comic Con time.

So, since I do not have a new project out by the time SDCC is happening, I've chosen to spend my time finishing the projects I have on my desk instead of hustling behind a table at SDCC. When I have new product to sell and new stories to share, I'll be back! That is, assuming, I can get a table and a hotel room!

I will be at other cons where the crowd is very comics-centric like C2E2, NYCC, Cincinnati Comic Con, Emerald City Con... Heroes Con next year... There is an enthusiasm about the comics medium at these shows that is really inspiring. It's kind of been pushed out of SDCC. I feel comics and their creators have been pushed into the background at a show that is named Comic Con International.



Part II will be up on Tuesday. You can also get news from Jill by following her on Twitter at @thejillthompson.