As we write, Anime Expo ‘09 is taking place at the LA Convention Center (not Anaheim as we stupidly wrote) which is right next door to the Staples Center, which is where…something is going to happen next week. Or as Diamond’s Kuo Yu LIang twittered:

#AX09 all the networks are here at Staples Ctr covering Michael Jackson funeral, confused by the cosplayers

We’re guessing MJ would have approved!

Photo via Deb Aoki, whose blog and Twitter we recommend following for up to the minute coverage.

As us nerds remember all too well from high school, the “jock clique” and the “geek clique” don’t often mix well. So, imagine what it was like the other day when the Mets (the favored team in Stately Beat Manor) arrived at their hotel in Pittsburgh to see a furry convention going on.

That led to a discussion about on the air last night between Mets broadcasters Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez. Uniwatch has the transcipt, including this gem:

Hernandez: I saw a guy with, with his pet beaver. He had his hand, he was stroking it, he was petting it. [Long pause.] I’m serious! It was a, like a stuffed animal, and he was comforting it. Very bizarre.

No word about whether Mr. Met got any action from anyone dressed like a cat.

[posted by mark coale]

Via Vertigo: Graphic Content. Click for a larger version.

The first ever Asian American ComiCon will be held next Saturday, July 11th in NYC, and they are only selling 250 tickets, so we advise buying one in advance! The guest list and programming schedule have been released and here they are. The programming sounds great, and with folks like Derek Kirk Kim, Larry Hama, Misako Rocks and Greg Pak on hand, it sounds like yet another must attend event. Info on purchasing tickets is at the bottom of the post.

The organizers of the First Annual Asian American ComiCon (AACC) have announced the complete Featured Guest list and final Schedule of Events for this celebration of the unique contemporary role and historical legacy of Asians and Asian Americans in the world of graphic fiction, which will take place Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Chinese in America (215 Centre Street in New York).

Confirmed Special Guests Include:
• Larry Hama (writer, G.I. Joe)
• Bernard Chang (artist, Wonder Woman)
• Cliff Chiang (artist, Green Arrow)
• Derek Kirk Kim (artist, The Eternal Smile)
• Greg Pak (writer, Incredible Hulk)
• Khoi Pham (artist, Mighty Avengers)
• Sean Chen (artist, Iron Man)
• Christina Strain (colorist, Runaways)
• Fred Chao (writer/artist, Johnny Hiro)
• Christine Norrie (artist, Breaking Up)
• Tak Toyoshima (writer/artist, Secret Asian Man)
• Misako Rocks! (writer/artist, Biker Girl)
• Kuo-Yu Liang (VP Sales & Marketing, Diamond Book Distributors)
• Sharad Devarajan (CEO, Liquid Comics)
• William F. Wu (writer, Hong on the Range)
• The Editors of Secret Identities (www.secretidentities.org)

Read the rest of this entry »

The Joe Shuster Award nominees in the kids’ comics category have been announced. The nominees were chosen by a panel of teachers:

The Comics for Kids Award / Prix de Bandes Dessinées pour Enfants recognizes creators who have produced works which capture the attention and fascination of young readers, and help to create a passion for life-long reading. Works considered for this award are comic books and graphic novels by Canadian creators that are targeted at readers 14 and under.

Clayton Hanmer, CTON’s Super A-Maze-ing Year of Crazy Comics! (OwlKids)

Susan Hughes and Willow Dawson, No Girls Allowed (Kids Can Press)

Karl Kerschl and Serge Lapointe (with Amy Wolfram, USA), Teen Titans: Year One (DC Comics)

Liam O’Donnell and Michael Deas, Ramp Rats – A Graphic Guide Adventure (Orca Publishing)

Paul Roux, Ariane et Nicolas Tome 5: Les tours de Babel (Editions Les 400 Coups)

Chad Solomon (with Christopher Meyer, USA), The Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws Vol. 2: The Voyageurs (Little Spirit Bear Productions)

Kean Soo, Jellaby Book 1 (Hyperion)

Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston, Emiko Superstar (DC/Minx)

§ Chris Butcher visits Japan 2009: Tezuka World Installation, Kyoto JR Station and sees many many wondrous things that make is drool.

§ In a Cup o’ Joe installment, Mark Waid recounts a classic tale of a store signing that….wasn’t what it seemed:

Several years ago, I had done an over-the-phone college radio interview with a couple of guys in Vermont. Chat went fine, I remembered to mention what a genius Alex Ross is the requisite nine times, and we probably moved some trade paperbacks in the process. So once the interview was done, one of them explained that they ran a store in one of Vermont’s largish towns and asked if I’d be interested in doing an in-person signing. “Sure,” I said. At the time, I was living in Brooklyn, so it would be a short flight, and I’d never been to Vermont before. Fly up late on a Saturday morning, home on Sunday morning, see the sights, meet some fans. “Great,” I said. Set me up.”

That is not what happened.

§ Tucker Stone interviews Dirk Deppey, something you don’t see enough of.

Deppey: …On the one hand, I love writing and can’t seem to keep from knocking out long essays when a short note would often do just as well. (Maybe you’ve noticed.) On the other hand, there’s always the danger of turning into a Keith Olbermann-style blowhard – or worse, a Dave Sim-style crank – if you feel obliged to keep churning out 14,000-word essays three or four times a week. This became clear to me through the course of that Mary Jane Statue fiasco a while back; the more I wrote, the more I found myself circling around to points that I’d already made. Now, in a certain sense this is inevitable in blogging. Since almost everything I write is a mildly edited first draft, I find myself narrowing in on cogent points over the course of several days, refining my arguments as I read responses and get the chance to think more about a given subject. Still, it’s a gateway to intellectual stratification as well, since the further you go in defending a point, the more you feel in your bones that You Are Inarguably Correct in whatever it is you’re talking about. The longer I do this, the less I trust in such positions.

The 300 sequel is actually moving along, according to an interview with producer Mark Canton at Splash Page. It seems Frank and Zack are cooking something up. — 301 or 600 or 299 or something — but perhaps…a familiar set of abs will make a reappearance?

But if you’re thinking that no sequel could ever be the same without Gerard Butler, don’t worry — because Canton revealed to us that even King Leonidas could be brought back from the dead. “Never assume anything; never assume anything,” he repeated when I asked if the original cast were gone for good. “It’ll be what it’ll be. But if we really do it, in this case, we have a visionary creator and a visionary filmmaker.”

And a visionary trainer! Don’t forget the trainer!

Superhero Hype! has a new poster for THE SURROGATES, starring Bruce Willis, based on the comic book of the same name by Robert Venditti and Brett Weidele.

The movie is out in September.

DC has released its complete schedule of panels for San Diego, including daily Talent  Search panels, a Wednesday Comics panel, three Vertigo panels, a Webcomics panel, Wildstorm, Zuda, CMX and more more more.

THURSDAY, JULY 23
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 1 Room 4
11:45-12:45 Superman: Two Worlds Room 6DE
2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns Room 6DE
5:00-6:00 JSA: The Great Society Room 5AB
6:00-7:00 Vertigo New Ongoing Series/Crime Line Room 5AB

FRIDAY, JULY 24
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 2 Room 4
11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Darick Robertson Room 4
12:30-1:30 Batman: New Dynamic Room 6DE
3:00-4:00 DC Nation Room 6DE
4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics Room 5AB
5:30-6:30 Vertigo: View of the Future Room 5AB

SATURDAY, JULY 25
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 3 Room 4
11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Francis Manapul Room 4
12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation Room 6B
2:15-3:15 Green Lantern: Blackest Night Room 6quad
3:30-4:30 Wildstorm: This is WildStorm! Room 4
4:45-5:45 Vertigo Voices: The Fables Forum Room 6DE

SUNDAY, JULY 26
11:00-12:00 CMX: Bringing Manga to You! Room 4
12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham Room 2
2:00-3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio Room 2
3:00-4:00 Making Webcomics Room 4

SAN DIEGO 2009 PANEL DESCRIPTIONS
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Thursday, July 23rd

10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 1
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DC Universe, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:45-12:45 Superman: Two Worlds
Torn between New Krypton and Earth, The Man of Steel has only just begun his latest adventure. You’ve seen the stories. A new planet of Kryptonians. Scores of super-powered beings. The people behind Superman’s future are here to face the most trying times in his life. Meet the talented folks behind Superman as they give you a glimpse of what is in store for our favorite Super-family. Featuring Superman Group Editor Matt Idelson, Geoff Johns (Adventure Comics, Superman: Secret Origins), Greg Rucka (Action Comics), James Robinson (Superman), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Renato Guedes (Superman), and more! Room 6DE

2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns
He is the mastermind behind the smash-hit, critically acclaimed Flash: Rebirth and DC’s most anticipated book of the year, Green Lantern: Blackest Night. Wondering what makes Geoff Johns tick? Don’t miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, Group Editor—DCU, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in the DCU. Room 6DE

5:00 -6:00 JSA: The Great Society
DC’s legendary super-team enters a new era with top talent and explosive storylines in the second half of 2009! Get the inside scoop on everything JSA right here including info on the exciting spin-off title Magog and the main series Justice Society of America from the creative minds behind the franchise. Hosted by DC’s Senior Group Editor, Mike Carlin, with top talents Bill Willingham (JSA), Matt Sturges (JSA), Freddie Williams (Final Crisis Aftermath: Run), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Jimmy Palmiotti (Power Girl) and more! Room 5AB

6:00 -7:00 Vertigo New Ongoing Series/Crime Line
It’s a new beginning for Vertigo with the launch of new ongoing titles such as The Unwritten, Greek Street & Sweet Tooth. In addition to these titles we will be launching the highly anticipated Vertigo Crime Line with some of the top talents in the industry. Hosted by Senior VP - Executive Editor, Vertigo, Karen Berger and Senior Editor Will Dennis, this panel is not to be missed, especially considering the talent present: Peter Gross (Unwritten), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, The Nobody), Jason Starr, Chris Gage, Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon and others! Room 5AB

Friday, July 24th

10:30-11:30 Talent Search 2
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DCUniverse, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Darick Robertson
Whether he’s illustrating Leatherface or reigniting super-teams like The Authority or launching videogame adaptations like Prototype, artist Darick Robertson has become synonymous with gritty, exhilarating artwork. Now’s your chance to hear the fan-favorite creator talk about his process and career alongside WildStorm Senior Editor Ben Abernathy. There’s no telling what these two might say! Room 4

12:30-1:30 Batman: New Dynamic
Now that the Battle for the Cowl has ended, what adventures lie ahead for the new Dark Knight? Join Group Editor Michael Marts, Paul Dini (Detective Comics), Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics), and more as they discuss the legend of Batman and what the future holds for the newest man behind the bat. Room 6DE

3:00-4:00 DC NATION
Calling all NATION recruits! Bring your friends and hear top talent discuss where the DC NATION is heading from 2009 and beyond. Sr. VP - Executive Editor Dan DiDio hosts this exciting discussion with Ian Sattler, James Robinson, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and more! Join them for a VIP look into the most talked about stories and events of the summer! Room 6DE

4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics
Wednesday Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition by reinventing the classic newspaper comics section and filling it to the brim with today’s top talent and characters! Learn all you need to know about DC’s excitingly innovative weekly 12-issue series from the title’s mastermind, DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, and an all-star list of panelists! Believe us; you’ve never seen a panel or a project like this! Room 5AB

5:30-6:30 Vertigo: View of the Future
Vertigo, DC’s edgiest and most provocative imprint, returns to San Diego! Come and discover what’s going on at the imprint that birthed The Sandman, Preacher, Y: The Last Man, Fables and more? Wait ’til you hear about what new projects the Vertigo team is going to thrill us with next! Hosted by Senior VP - Executive Editor, Vertigo, Karen Berger, Group Editor Shelly Bond, and Senior Editor Will Dennis, with Jason Aaron (Scalped), Mike Allred, Mark Buckingham (Fables), Josh Dysart (Unknown Soldier), Peter Gross (Unwritten), Amy Hadley (Madame Xanadu), Jeff Lemire (The Nobody), Chris Roberson, Matt Sturges (House of Mystery), Matt Wagner (Madame Xanadu), Bill Willingham (Fables, House of Mystery), G. Willow Wilson (Air), Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders), and others! Room 5AB

Saturday, July 25th

10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 3
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DCUniverse, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Francis Manapul
The hot up-and-coming artist Francis Manapul takes the stage to discuss his kinetic art on one of the most anticipated projects of the year: Adventure Comics with Geoff Johns! Hosted by Group Editor Matt Idelson see what’s it like illustrating the return of Superboy. Come find out from one of the freshest artists in the biz! Room 4

12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation
Dan DiDio, Senior VP / Executive Editor DCU, Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor—DCU, and countless DCU talent are gathering for a discussion that’s not to be missed. Now that Blackest Night is upon us, what lies ahead for your favorite heroes? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6B

2:15-3:15 Green Lantern: Blackest Night
The dead are rising in the DCU – whowill survive when the Blank Lantern Corps attacks? This is your only chance to hear what’s coming up in Blackest Night, the most anticipated comic event of the year! Featuring all the key figures behind the biggest, coolest threat to the DCU in years! Hosted by Group Editor Eddie Berganza with Geoff Johns (Green Lantern), Pat Gleason (Green Lantern Corps) and others! Room 6QUAD

3:30-4:30 Wildstorm: This is WildStorm!
Get the inside scoop on what’s upcoming from DC’s wildest imprint from WS-VP Hank Kanalz, Senior Editor Ben Abernathy, Fiona Staples (North 40, Trick ‘r Treat), Kurt Busiek (Astro City), Adam Beechen (Killapalooza), Christos Gage (Wildcats), Darrick Robertson (Prototype), David Tischman (Red Herring), Liam Sharp (Gears of War), Jason Craig (Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash), Rebecca Isaacs, and more! Find out about what’s new in the WildStorm Universe! There will be tons of info and sneak peaks for Wildcats, The Authority, Gears of War, World of Warcraft, Ex Machina, and much, much more! Room 4

4:45-5:45 Vertigo Voices: The Fables Forum
It’s the Fables Forum – San Diego style! Come armed with your best questions and find out everything you want to know about Fables. Featuring the creators behind Fables, Jack of Fables, and House of Mystery: Vertigo Group Editor Shelly Bond is joined by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Matthew Sturges, Steve Leialoha, Lee Loughridge, Shawn McManus, Andrew Pepoy, Chris Roberson, Chrissie Zullo and Todd Klein. Room 6DE

Sunday, July 26th

11:00-12:00 CMX: Bringing Manga to You!
Manga remains one of the hottest areas in literature and CMX, the manga imprint of DC Comics, is right in the thick of it. Join Director of Manga Asako Suzuki and Editor Jim Chadwick as they discuss the latest releases from one of the most diverse lines on the market today. We are excited to talk about upcoming new series and the ongoing series such books as Crayon Shinchan, Broken Blade, Fire Investigator Nanase, Ballad of a Shinigami, The Lapis Lazuli Crown, Emma, and much, much more! Room 4

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham
Both a master storyteller and an incredible artist, Bill Willingham has created a huge following for his best-selling books. His credits range from the DCU’s Justice Society of America, Salvation Run and Robin- to the already- classic Vertigo titles Fables and Jack of Fables and the new House of Mystery. Hosted by Vertigo Group Editor, Shelly Bond with Fables co-horts Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha. Room 2

2:00–3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio
As the con comes to a close, sit back and unwind as Dan DiDio and friends invite you to a relaxed Sunday afternoon comics discussion. Share your opinions and listen to others as some of comics’ biggest names talk about their love of all things comics. All are welcome, no RSVP required. Room 2

3:00-4:00 Making Webcomics
Join Ron Perazza (ZUDA COMICS), Kwanza Johnson (ZUDA COMICS), Kevin Colden (Fishtown, I RULE THE NIGHT), Cameron Stewart (Transmission X, VERTIGO), Molly Crabapple (Act-i-vate, Dr. Sketchys Anti-Art School) and others for an inclusive, roundtable discussion about the advantages, challenges, questions, solutions, costs and benefits of making webcomics for fun and profit. Topics include working with a publisher, self-publishing, promoting yourself, best practices, style and moving from web to print (or vice-versa)! Room 4

If you’re extremely top-heavy, white can be a hard color to pull off; not only does it show every bulge, but it makes things look a lot bigger. If you’re stuck wearing white — because you have to wear a uniform, say — and are busty, there are still ways you can minimize your chest line.

While form-fitting spandex is not going to hide anything, a v-neckline and high collar give a more vertical line which helps slim the bustline. As Dreamstar from Gilbert Hernandez’s new female superhero epic shows, a little detail can help divert attention from your enormous hooters if your work requires you to show them off.

On the other hand, too much detail can do the opposite. A round neckline tends to emphasize a bigger bust; a rope over the top of them makes them look even huger and shows you are some kind of bondage freak. A high neckline can be good camouflage but, coupled with a cutout, provides little distraction.

A clingy fabric with an interesting cut or drape will help give a more structured look.

If you’re going to wear a necklace, be mindful of where it ends, as the effect may be to draw more attention to your problem area.

On the other hand, sometimes if you’ve got it, you’ve just got to flaunt it.

Technorati Tags: Gilbert Hernandez

Damn it! It’s not enough that Kurt Busiek has to win every internet argument he ever enters…now he got his own website, Busiek.com to spout even MORE of his level-headed, even-handed views and informed, intelligent commentary. Damn it!

With luck, this’ll be a good place for news, information, previews of upcoming projects, announcements of convention appearances, and things like that. I’ve already started putting some articles, interviews and stories in the “Read” section and there’s a near-complete bibliography in the “About” section. We have a message board—have had it for a few years, actually, since it’s been the board we set up to go with my other site, AstroCity.us—and we’ll be reworking and redesigning it, to cover all my work, not just Astro City.

Above, the early fruits of some downtime when Busiek worked in Marvel’s marketing dept.

• The weekly comic strip “Tom the Dancing Bug” by Ruben Bolling won the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies’ 2009 award for Best Cartoon in a ceremony that took place in Tucson on June 26. The list of winners can be seen here.

“Tom the Dancing Bug” is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate to about 50 newspapers and also appears in Salon.com. One of the characters from the comic strip, “Harvey Richards, Lawyer for Children,” is in development at New Line Cinema, where a live action comedy is planned.

• There seems to be a lot of legal issues surrounding Frank Frazetta’s artwork. Now, there are also a lot of press releases concerning the legal issues over Frank Frazetta’s artwork.

• Sandy Bilus unearths Marvel’s 1993 Annual Report — prepared at the zenith of the Ron Perelman era, it was presented in a comic book format, and the graphics provide a picture of a very, very different company 16 years ago (click for larger image).

Sweet Christmas! Can you believe it? A mere six percent of Marvel’s revenue was from licensing, while nearly half — 48.2 percent — was from trading cards! (Marvel owned Fleer at the time, and it was the height of trading card madness.) Wow, that sure didn’t last. Did anyone think it would?

Today Marvel is mostly a licensing company, with net sales in 2008 at $676 million. Much more in the link.

Jeremy Eaton is an acclaimed English artist who will have a show at Secret Headquarters in LA this Friday. The subject is his Cartoon Jumbles that mash up popular cartoonesque icons, like a Danger Mouse of the canvas.

What: ENGLISH ARTIST JEREMY EATON TO TAKE LIBERTIES WITH VENERABLE AMERICAN ARTFORM ON 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!
When: Friday, July 3rd, from 8-10 PM, at
Where: Secret Headquarters on 3817 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

English artist Jeremy Eaton will unveil nearly two dozen new and recent works in his popular series of Cartoon Jumbles illustrated paintings, featuring the irreverent pairings of cartoon icons including Uncle Sam & Uncle Scrooge, Fred Flintstone & Alley Oop, Little Lulu & Wonder Woman, The Yellow Kid & Mr. Natural and Mark Trail & Bullwinkle, all rendered in soft gouache watercolor tones and ink, on austere, pulp-hewn manila paper.

Called Guston-like by preeminent Seattle art critic, Regina Hackett (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), Eaton’s delicate yet forceful paintings are full of surprises and deft trickery, with numerous unexpected shapes appearing within their thoughtful cross-pollinations. Having commenced upon the series during the Spring of 2008, the artist, best known for his early ’90s comics published by Fantagraphics, Kitchen Sink and other alternative imprints, has created more than three dozen of the paintings, many of which will be included in the Secret Headquarters show, made available for purchase for the very first time. Response to the enigmatic series has been strong throughout the cartooning community, and beyond. It seems Eaton’s plucky disassembling of such well-loved characters as Mr. Magoo, Charlie Brown, Nancy and Bugs Bunny, has pushed some notoriously opinionated buttons.

We esp. like Lotta Galactus, below:

• The cover for the program for this 40th San Diego has been revealed. It’s by Rick Geary.

• Street signs for the con are already up in San Diego and they sport teasers for James Cameron’s supposedly revolutionary AVATAR film!

{Both of these via the con’s official Twitter feed.}

• Speaking of the Twitter feed, 20 or so passes for Comic-Con are going up each day on eBay and selling out in about 3 minutes.

• KICK-ASS, the independently produced film based on the Millar/Romita JR comics will show some footage in SD. That should be….interesting.

§ Grant Morrison MEDIA week! At io9, he talks all about Batman and Robin.

And at Splash Page, rapper MF Grimm interviews the Scottish raconteur.

§ Many people are under the mistaken impression that comic books are for children. This isn’t the case.

§ Michael May picks out some promising comics from the September Previews. John Rozum is writing something fro DC again? Good news!

§ At the exact same time that the world’s best selling musician was pulling a Schrodinger’s cat on Twitter, Rich Johnston was interviewing Rantz Hoseley about Longbox. Now that we have a little distance, it’s time to link to this discussion of whether e-distribution spells certain doom for comics shops or not:

BC: So do you see yourself as the new Phil Seuling? Or is there danger of you being the new Marc Alessi?

RH: someone said I needed to invest in black turtlenecks. I’m happy to be an evangelist for LBX, but it’s about comics||& anything that really GROWS the market, gets new readers, gets the excited… that’s KEY||Our COO took his 13 yr old daughter to HeroesCon & she was very much “dad, I don’t want to, comics are dumb…”||& yet, an hour later, she’s back at the hotel with a huge stack of comics, laughing aloud, & asking ‘are there more?’||reaching THAT audience, making it easy for them to find stories they love, introducing them to what’s out there…||THAT is a HUGE part of our focus, & why LongBox is exciting for me speaking as a creator, parent & fan

§ Also at Robot 6, Brigid Alverson wonders why Archie is on iPhones, and just how many 7-year-olds own iPhones anyway.

Brigid Alverson: Why does it make sense for Archie to move into iPhone apps—does it extend your audience?

Steve Oswald: It definitely extends our audience, especially overseas. We hope that many people who haven’t picked up an Archie comic in a while try out some of our free downloads and see how great our books are.

§ Also in re online, Joey Manley at Comicspace is trying an interesting experiment in seeing which ad network has the best ROI to sell T-shirts. He’s testing Google Adsense, Facebook and Project Wonderful. He reports results on a regular basis and it’s getting some interesting feedback from readers as well.

§ Josh Neufeld writes: How to be an Obscure Alternative Cartoonist Specializing in Real-Life Topics.

§ Guillermo del Toro warns this won’t be your grandpappy’s HOBBIT

Asked about the film and what he wants to avoid with it, Del Toro said: “What I want to do is make the best movie I have ever done. What I want to avoid is to make some fastidious tracing of lines that were established by the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. We’re trying to be respectful of it, and what was shown in the trilogy is canon, but we are gleefully exploring new creatures, new set pieces, new territory and new avenues.

“As with everything, there is always something new to get excited about.”

{Please send us your events, but if at all possible put EVENT in the subject line somewhere.]

JULY 2
Anime Expo 2009 kicks off. The biggest Anime show in the US runs until the 5th, in Los Angeles, CA. Guests include Yun Kouga, Takashi Okazaki, Yasuhiro NIghtow and many more.

JULY 3
White River Junction, VT

FIRST FRIDAY BOOK RELEASE PARTY
WHERE: Revolution, 26 North Main Street, White River Junction VT, 05001
WHEN: Friday July 3rd, 6pm-9pm
DEBUTING FOUR NEW COMICS:

Woman King by C. Frakes $7
5.5 x 5.5″, 88 pages, perfect bound
A story about a girl raised by bears and the cyclical nature of war.

Monsters & Girls: Amelia Part 2 by Denis St. John $5
36 pages of Twisted Terror!
Amelia faces creatures and horrors both real and imagined in this strange book that brings new meaning to the term “body horror”, for mature audiences only!

Indestructible Universe Quarterly 2, by Morgan Pielli $5
8.25 x 6.75 20 pages
The second issue of this quarterly collection of strange and surreal stories from artist Morgan Pielli.

Don’t Hate, Menstruate by Jen Vaughn $5
5 x8 1/2″ 24 pages
A 24 page comic made in 24 hours focusing on one girl’s trials and errors (and more errors) with different feminine products.

JULY 5

LOS ANGELES
Dale Sizer (above) and Miles Thompson show
July 3 – July 26, 2009
Artist reception: Friday, July 3, 2009 ~ 8:00 -11:00 pm
LA LUZ DE JESUS GALLERY, 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

July 11
LOS ANGELES:

Reception for the artists: Lou Beach (above), Hudson Marquez, Jayme Odgers, Mel Weiner
Saturday, July 11th, 7-10 pm
BILLY SHIRE FINE ARTS, 5790 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232

Why does no one dance like this anymore???

{Via Topless Robot}

A sad story winds down.

In honor of the occasion, IDW is releasing a CAPTAIN CANUCK collection.

Also…

First, congratulations to all the Harvey Award nominees who were announced yesterday!

Now that that’s over with, let’s make some FRIENDS. Folks around the web seemed to be puzzled, irked and/or resigned by yesterday nominations. The Harveys noms are voted on by comics professional on an open ballot — you can write in whoever you please. Unfortunately, faced with the blank page, folks often decide it’s too onerous a task to remember the best of what came out in the previous year. Understandable. It’s unknown how many ballots are cast in the nominating process each year, but its suspected to be not very many because the results are invariably skewed by some voting bloc or another. The first well remembered example of this was 2002’s CrossGen showing. CrossGen’s Chris Oarr claimed he had merely distributed ballots at the company’s Florida campus/studio/sweatshop, and people had supported the home team, but it was a bit of a shock for many.

It was the first suggestion that a small voting bloc could make for a strong showing for a book outside the “usual suspects” of critical acclaim. (If you browse through the archives at this page, you’ll see that the nominees prior to 2002 — and most subsequent years — were quite respectable roundups of beloved cartoonists, many of them studied and reprinted and given other signs of mass critical acceptance.)

A few years ago Don Rosa and (later) Gemstone’s Disney comics began to show up regularly in the nominations. Once again, it seemed that a dedicated faction was getting together to represent their homeboy. It was kind of cheesy, but Disney comics are also beloved the world over, Don Rosa is a household name in Denmark, and, if it isn’t you cup of tea, at least there was some pedigree.

Unless, of course, you read Travis Seitler’s post here on the Beat that describes an organized ballot stuffing effort. Spurge calls for the Harveys to be ended , and Seitler’s whistle blowing may just be the last nail in the camel’s back — it’s going to be hard to take the Harveys seriously again.

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§ In this Czech link from the Prague Writers’ Festival, you will find video of Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky Crumb and Gilbert Shelton attending said festival.

§ Rick Veitch reveals the Secret Origin Of The Sentry Part 1

Paul and I were old buds, having met while he was at Mirage Studios. We worked closely together on BRAT PACK and THE MAXIMORTAL at Tundra. Paul was focused mostly on production and editing back in those days but clearly had potential as a writer. He and I had often discussed a story he wanted to develop concerning an over-the-hill guy, struggling with addiction, who had a tight relationship with his dog. Paul was trying to come up with a way to show the character’s addiction problem as a manifestation of the unconscious. At one point, if I remember correctly, Paul pitched a horror version of this plot to Steve Bissette for TABOO, although nothing came of it.

§ What is Dylan Horrocks reading this summer, anyway?

§ Jim Salicrup recalls Michael Jackson’s discussion to purchase Marvel, including much else of those heady days. [Via Comics Alliance]

§ Rich Johnston has a useful essay on How To Be A Celebrity At The San Diego Comic Con

How do I get the Comic Con clique to love me? This is the easiest thing of all. Go to the small press comic publisher booths. Walk along and buy something from every table you see. Might cost you $200 to $300 in total. The publishers and creators will twitter this instantly. Go to a panel for your movie, get there early, put your feet up and start reading from a stack of thse comics next to you. The word will spread. And you’ll be a Con God. could be worth an extra fifty grand on your next contract. And if you really really don’t like comics, there are recycle bins around the centre.

§ Cinematical chats with writer Justin Gray:

More people than ever dream about writing for Marvel and DC. What is it REALLY like to be a successful comic book writer? And what does it take?

JG: It is humbling, not everyone gets to make money doing what they love, which in my case is writing comics, film, TV, short stories and so on. I’ve been lucky, I have a great friend and writing partner who believed in me after I left the industry in ‘98 and fought to have me work with him when people just wanted his name on their products. I’ve had varying degrees of success over the last eight years, but it has all been an invaluable learning experience that has helped me grow creatively. As far as what it takes to get into and survive in the industry I can only speak for myself. Joe and Jimmy opened a door after I spent a number of years being relentless and dedicated to proving it wasn’t impossible for a writer to break in. After that I feel I’ve had to continue to prove myself on every project. Sometimes the industry can be frustrating, but this frustration is much sweeter than many others I’ve faced. At the end of the day I know I keep pushing myself to do what I love.

Do you really need to know any more?

CLIVE BARKER will hold a brief conversation with GRANT MORRISON before the signing.
WHO: GRANT MORRISON
WHY: Signing Batman and Robin and his latest Hard Cover Book
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JULY 1st, 2009
MUSIC PROVIDED BY: iheartcomix.com & DJ Franki Chan
DRINKS: ASAHI & TIBETAN TEA
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM @ MELTDOWN
7522 SUNSET BLVD., L.A., CA, 90046

The spring Xeric winners have been announced and they are:

Joe Boruchow – Stuffed Animals: A Story in Paper Cutouts

Adam Bourret – I’m Crazy

Timothy Godek — !

Adam Hines – Duncan the Wonder Dog (Note: there were several cartoon Adam Hines — hope this is the right one. More here.

Joshua Smeaton — Haunted

Note: Art is from each artist but not necessarily their Xeric winning project.

PR:

The Xeric Foundation has announced its most recent grant recipients. A total of $22,002 was awarded for five comic book projects. The Foundation has awarded in excess of $2M to comic book creators and nonprofit organizations since its first grant cycle in September 1992.

Established by Peter Laird, co-creator of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Northampton, MA based foundation offers financial assistance to self-publishing comic book creators in the US and Canada and to qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations in western Massachusetts.

The next deadline and review dates for comic book grants are September 30, 2009 and November 1, 2009, respectively. The charitable organization grants are decided annually in March and announced separately.

Artist Mitch Breitweiser and writer Patrick Stiles have a new webcomic called The Futurists — it’s a science fiction comic set during the Raj (English rule) in India in the 19th century — we hear that’s the hot new comics genre. And it’s purty as hell.

Blog@ has more and an interview:

DP: Another question I had was regarding the format. Mitch, I know you do a lot of work with Marvel, and so I’m curious what made you guys decide that a webcomic was the best format for this particular story.

MB: Given our current obligations, the internet is the most convenient and hassle-free way for us to publish. Plus, everyone likes FREE, and if we really want The Futurists to grow wings then why not give it away. If it fails, it’s a labor of love, no regrets.