Newsarama has the complete issues of GUTSVILLE #1 up for you to read — and you should. The demented offspring of creators Simon Spurrier and Frazer Irving, it’s the wild tale of a community that lives inside a giant whale. Issue #3 just hit the stands.

WonderCon kicks off in San Francisco tomorrow, and a few companies have released signing schedule. Here’s Image Comics signing list:

This upcoming weekend, Image Comics kicks off convention season with its hometown show, WonderCon!

“Image is always especially excited to start off the year in our own hometown and always strive to do something special,” said Image Comics Executive Director Eric Stephenson. “We have a great lineup this year, especially with Top Cow and Electronic Arts working with us.”

In addition to signings with such creators as SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN’s Rob Schrab, DEAD SPACE & FELL’s Ben Templesmith, THE LAST CHRISTMAS’ Brian Posehn, THE INFINITE HORIZON’s Phil Noto, WITCHBLADE’s Michael Choi and Image Comics Publisher & SAVAGE DRAGON creator Erik Larsen, fans can visit the Image booth to purchase variant covers of SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #21, DEAD SPACE #1 and THE DARKNESS #2. Also available are free, convention exclusive posters for such titles as DARK IVORY, PERHAPANAUTS and the very first look at CIVIL WAR and ULTIMATES’ Mark Millar’s new superhero title with EX MACHINA’s Tony Harris, WAR HEROES.

(more…)

Filling the void left by Filip Sablik’s rise to Publisher, former Wizard Editorial Director Mel Caylo has been named the new Top Cow VP of Marketing and Sales:

Top Cow Productions is proud to welcome a new addition to its staff. Mel Caylo has assumed the role of Vice President of Marketing & Sales, where he will take over for Filip Sablik, who has been promoted to Publisher. Caylo will develop and implement large-scale marketing, advertising, and promotional efforts, working closely with Top Cow’s promotional partners. He will be heavily involved with Top Cow’s trade and consumer show presence, developing Top Cow’s website and weekly “Moosletter,” and become the primary contact point for retailers and press.

“Mel was a great guy to work with when I knew him at Wizard Entertainment,” said Top Cow President Matt Hawkins. “I really liked his energy and he had such an infectious personality. He’s someone I could trust and he’s always been a big cheerleader for our product. When I heard he was available, I immediately sought to add him to our team.”

Caylo served as the Editorial Director at Wizard Entertainment from 2004 to 2007, where he forged, nurtured and strengthened relationships with numerous individuals and companies not only in the comic book industry, but in the movie, television and home video fields as well. He previously worked at Wizard from 1998-2002 where he started out as a copy editor and rose to the position of managing editor before leaving to try his hand at his own business. As a longtime member of the comic book press, Caylo brings with him an understanding of and familiarity with the industry that he intends to use to continue Top Cow’s reputation as a cutting-edge publisher and entertainment powerhouse.

“I have followed Top Cow ever since it was founded by Marc Silvestri in 1992, and I have long admired how it has continued to put out such great product in the face of fierce competition,” Caylo remarked. “That is a great testament to the talented people who work there, and I cannot wait to join the team. I look forward to helping put the word out about Top Cow’s tradition of excellence, especially with the exciting projects they have lined up ahead and the ‘Wanted’ movie coming in the summer!”

stories gambling addictivecasino hotel and ameristarmerchant card gambling credit account freemissouri casino ameristar saint charlesaladden casino vagas lascasino alabama coushattaon royale casino aircraftcasino gifts 777 Map

Press shy director David Fincher has been forced into a recent junket or two to promote the dvd of ZODIAC, apparently, and he could well be the next director to go cuckoo for comic books, with several projects in the works, including an adaptation of Brian Bendis’s TORSO, some CGI-adaptations of stories from Heavy Metal magazine, and a film based on THE KILLER by Matz, which could star Brad Pitt.

[Torso] is so not a serial-killer movie. It’s about the deconstruction of the myth of [Untouchables leader] Eliot Ness. It has way more to do with “Citizen Kane” than it has to do with “Seven.” Ehren Kruger wrote a script that’s pretty great. We were speaking with Matt Damon about it.

MTV: What about the reported adaptation of the graphic novel “The Killer”?

Fincher: Brad’s company is producing it. We have a writer and a graphic novel, and I think we have a take. It’s that thing we always love from contract-killer movies: the existential assassin. People love the existential assassin, and we’re hoping to cash in on that. [He laughs.]

MEANWHILE, IESB.net has many rumors that the JLA movie is being delayed! While an immanent start was once a possibility — and prep work is underway in Australia — the lack of announcements of the cast augurs ill:

“Justice League is indeed in danger of not starting production on time and maybe even getting scrapped altogether” is what a studio source told the IESB last week. “The concerns are that the script is not ready to go in front of cameras, and also that the budget is getting a bit out of control, the WGA strike has proven to be Kryptonite to Superman and friends.”

So while the cast is apparently locked, the studio has had to go back to the actors and extend their holds. IESB was told that at least two high level studio execs headed to Australia right before Christmas to try to resolve these issues and get the film get back on schedule.

Take a “mediocre cast” add a conflict with the much-anticipated DARK KNIGHT movie, and throw in antipathy from new studio head Jeff Robinov, and you can see why the JLA flick seems to be in jeopardy, Much more in link.

Filip Sablik, formerly VP of Sales and Marketing at Top Cow has been promoted to Publisher.

As Publisher, Sablik’s primary responsibility will be to oversee aspects of Top Cow’s comic book and graphic novel publishing including editorial, sales, and marketing. Sablik joined Top Cow in September 2006 as Vice President of Marketing and Sales after 6 years at Diamond Comic Distributors. During his tenure Top Cow has embarked in a number of innovative marketing efforts including the fan driven Pilot Season, regular promotional trailer releases, and the upcoming Witchblade trade paperback re-branding campaign. Sablik will continue to report directly to Matt Hawkins, President of Top Cow. As part of the transition, Sablik will relocate from his Baltimore office to the Top Cow home office in Los Angeles.

“I can’t recall a time I’ve been more excited professionally. This is an incredible thrill and honor,” commented Sablik, “I look forward to continuing to grow Top Cow’s success in both the direct and book markets. Our team at Top Cow is top notch and our editorial output is at an all time high point. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I intend to embrace it fully.”

“Filip has done great work since coming on board with us,” stated Hawkins, “and I’m fully confident he will do a superb job shepherding our core business. Having him in place will allow me to expand our efforts in other media, which in turn strengthens our publishing base. We’re at a real turning point in Top Cow’s history with three hit properties in three different media and it’s time to strike while the iron is hot!”

Many blogs, including Colleen Doran’s are reporting an item from Spin Magazine regarding COMIC BOOK TATTOO, a new anthology based on the songs of Tori Amos. The book will run some 400 pages and stories will be based on individual songs. Long-time Amos cohort Rantz Hoseley edits. Doran has a bit more:

I will be illustrating a 12 page short story for the anthology in fully painted color, using the style I used for the Orbiter cover art. The story is written by noted writer Derek McCulloch.

Other announced contributors include Lea Hernandez, Chris Arrant, Russell Lissau, and doubtless scores more. Hernandez had this to say:

I don’t know if I can say what mine is, but I can say no one will expect my take on it. Nope. Never. Being a fan of Tori’s since Little Earthquakes, and what a profound effect her music has had on me emotionally and artistically, this is not only a dream come true but an honor.

Amos is one of early adapters in the comics/media crossover trend, due to her friendship with Neil Gaiman (the two were introduced by Hoseley) resulting in many lyrical and comical mentions of one another over the years.

Frazer Irving writes to assure us that he is indeed, working on issue #3 of GUTSVILLE, the well-received comic by him and Simon Spurrier about life inside a giant whale. To prove it, he even points us to a five-page preview.
Enjoy!

No it’s not Cartman! It’s MARK MILLAR! It seems that Mark has a new Icon book called Kick-Ass, which John Romita Jr. will draw. And they are promoting it on MySpace, as Mark writes:

The next stage of the Kick-Ass promotion gets moving with the Myspace site going live. As you may recall, Kick-Ass is a limited series by John Romita Jr and I about a real-life superhero and his myspace page will form an integral part of the story. This is where all our promotional material will be appearing, the first of which is available now with an eleven page pencil preview from the first issue. We also get our first glimpses of the character and see the viral cell-phone video featured in last week’s Lying In The Gutters. The PR campaign kicks off in earnest early in the New Year with a major announcement in January and another the week before the first issue launches. This site also offers a chance for other amateur, real-life superheroes to interact with Kick-Ass (or any savvy comic-book creators hoping to promote their work).

Click on http://www.myspace.com/kickass_comic and check back for regular updates. Kick-Ass is a limited superhero series launching from Icon in February 2008.

We’ve blurred out a naughty word in the above poster, but you can see the unexpurgated version at the link. Also a suitably grainy YouTube video which shows some of the events of the comic — the secret word for the day is MULTI MEDIA!

And in yet MORE Mark Millar-related news, it sounds like the WANTED movie is getting a big push from Universal:

Come June 27, Universal Pictures anticipates having a huge blockbuster on its hands with “Wanted” a fantasy-action-thriller with a megastar cast that includes Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Terence Stamp. Is that the sort of thing that can be successfully shoehorned onto a 2-inch-by-2-inch cell phone screen? Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but mobile game developer I-Play sure intends to try.

While there will be other versions of the game for various platforms, only the mobile version will be released “practically day-and-date with the movie.” No specific date has been determined, however, because just two weeks ago the movie’s opening was pushed back three months from March 28.

Supernerd Nicolas Cage is itching for some crossover action!

“I would love to have Ghost Rider drive onto a ‘Spider-Man’ set; that would be fun,” Nicolas Cage told us over the weekend, insisting that he’s eager to contribute to the cross-pollination of movie superheroes that has become all the rage. “A Marvel team-up? That could happen.”

While a GHOST RIDER sequel is seemingly in the works, there’s news of other Marvel movies guest stars — Samuel L. Jackson will appear in the Iron Man movie as Nick Fury and there’s reportedly an onscreen crossover between IRON MAN and HULK 2. What’s next? A Civil War movie?
Meanwhile, WANTED, based on the Mark Millar JG Jones comics, has moved from a spring release to a summer slot:

In making the date-change announcement, Nikki Rocco, Universal Pictures’ President of Distribution, stated, “After an early look at “Wanted”, we are certain that it fulfills its promise as a stunning, committed, thrilling, eye-popping vision that introduces a bold new narrative. We believe it can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the event titles of the summer and will give audiences a chance to discover a fresh new alternative. We are excited to date the film on June 27.”

On its new release date the crime saga will go up against Pixar’s Wall-E and the Tom Cruise WWII pic Valkyrie.

Time machine! Or at least someone with a VHS in 1992. Not Blog X begins an examination of Image Comics and links to the 1992 CNN report on the founding of Image Comics. Dig the hair and such titles as RETIEF on the stands.

Before becoming its own full-fledged company, Image began as an imprint of Malibu Comics. Youngblood, the comic that would become Image’s first release, was announced as a three-issue mini-series in October 1991. Before Youngblood was announced, Marvel’s lawyers apparently squashed Liefeld’s previous attempt to publish a title called The Executioners through Malibu. The Image name actually didn’t exist yet, and there’s no indication in the early announcement that anyone else would be joining him. In fact, looking at the Usenet discussions from this era, most people didn’t believe that he was even leaving X-Force in order to do this title.

The video mentions “EIGHT” image Creators — who was the eighth man??? (The Image Founder are considered to be seven: Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Rob Liefeld, and Whilce Portacio, whose book never quite came out.) Jesus, it’s like the missing replicant! Was it Dale Keown? Or someone…else.

The trailer for WANTED is now online. As rumoured, the film version of the comic by Mark Millar and JG Jones seems to have lost its superhero/villain trappings, and the characters are now assassins. It also seems to be a Matrix-like story with Angelina Jolie reprising the Carrie-Anne Moss role, and James McAvoy as a more expressive Keanu. Given that director Timur Bekmambetov is widely credited as making the Matrix of Russia (NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH), and it all comes together.

Speaking of the GN, Top Cow wants us all to know that the new edition is AVAILABLE now:

Top Cow Productions announced today that the new printing of Wanted Trade Paperback is available for immediately through Diamond Comic Distributors. The new printing was originally scheduled for release in November but in anticipation of the release of the first Wanted movie trailer this week, Top Cow rushed the new printing out to accommodate increased demand.

This new printing of the Wanted Trade Paperback will feature a brand new fully painted cover by series artist JG Jones. The trade collects the complete six issue limited series by Mark Millar (Civil War, Fantastic Four) and JG Jones (Final Crisis, 52) along with bonus material including the Wanted Dossier featuring character profiles. Wanted tells the story of everyman Wesley Gibson, who discovers that the father he never knew was a deadly assassin called “The Killer” and part of an underground fraternity of supervillains. The series is being adapted as a feature film from Universal Pictures and is scheduled for release on March 28th, 2008. The film is directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch) and stars Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman. The official web site for the film is www.wantedmovie.com.

Wanted Trade Paperback is available immediately and has a SRP of $19.99,.

“The buzz surrounding the Wanted feature film has been great,” added Filip Sablik, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Top Cow, “We’re thrilled to see it is driving interest in Mark and JG’s phenomenal comic work. We have a few more things planned for Wanted to coincide with the movie’s release which should make fans happy.”

Empire has the first pics from WANTED. That’s villain Mr. X. Angelina pic in link.

It looks like sellouts aren’t just the province of the Big Event crew, as Image announces Diamond has sold out of the first issues of Jamie McKelvie’s fantasy SUBURBAN GLAMOUR.

Jamie McKelvie’s SUBURBAN GLAMOUR #1, hot off the heels of his critically-acclaimed mini-series PHONOGRAM, has officially sold out at the distribution level.

“SUBURBAN GLAMOUR is the first work I’ve done completely solo, following LONG HOT SUMMER with Eric Stephenson and PHONOGRAM with Kieron Gillen,” said series writer/artist Jamie McKelvie. “Writing and drawing on my own was initially nerve wracking, but news like this has me very excited.� I’m especially happy there’s a solid readership who will experience the story getting much stranger and far more dangerous for Astrid and company.”

SUBURBAN GLAMOUR is a four-issue modern day fantasy mini-series featuring a teenage girl, Astrid, whose world spirals out of control once her childhood imaginary friends turn out to be real. Her previously make-believe friends reveal themselves to be harbingers for a greater evil centered upon the hometown she’s eager to leave. The mini-series has already received high praise from such sources as FELL’s Warren Ellis.

porn black teen lesbianteen black clips porntgp black teen pornpornstars teen blackporn black teenstgirls porn site blackgayporn black thugblack videos trannie porn Map

Fred Hembeck reveals that a gargantuan collection of his work is on its way from Image which is great news for fans of knee squiggles.

Come February, 2008, Image Publishing will be gearing up to release THE NEARLY COMPLETE ESSENTIAL HEMBECK ARCHIVES OMNIBUS, featuring over 900 (!) pages of material written and drawn by cartoonist Fred Hembeck (who, in this particular instance of shameless self-promotion, is the actual individual typing in these very words), culled from the past three decades.

[snip] That’s how this whole thing started out, y’see–my old buddy (and veteran comics embellisher) Al Gordon’s suggested I put together a collection of each and every one of those old cartoons, including all the ones that had never been reprinted in a more permanent format previously. Al then proceeded to get his pal–and Image Publisher–Erik Larsen interested in the notion, and once things got rolling along, Erik encouraged me to expand the scope of the book to include a wide variety of additional material as well, some of which had never been seen before and some of which had turned up only in the most obscure of places.

Oh man, we can just imagine the internet chatter about this lengthy profile of Rob Liefeld in the OC Weekly:

To this day, Liefeld is described as “controversial”—it’s one of the first things you’ll see on his Wikipedia page—but he isn’t quite sure why. “I ask people, but no one really has a good answer,” he says. “It’s just one of those things, like, ‘I’m controversial!’ I’ve never gotten out of a limousine without my underwear on. I haven’t been pulled over for any DUIs. . . . I think the success that I had when I was young ticked a lot of people off because they eventually told me so.”

Pages and pages more. Fun for everyone, and the author’s email is at the end!

A recent posting at Larry Marder’s blog confirms what we’d been hearing on the grapevine: the forner Executive Director of Image and McFarlane Toys long time President has left the Mcfarlane fold:

I’m no longer in the Todd McFarlane business. I wish Mr. McFarlane well in all his future endeavors. For the first time in over 15 years, I’m back in the Larry Marder business…and it sure feels good! I can’t wait to see everyone this weekend at SPX and discuss with my friends, colleagues, and fans the future of the Beanworld!

We wish him luck in all future endeavors…especially if that means MORE BEANWORLD.

Tonight!

First, it’s Wednesday and to millions around the world that means — new comic book day! For me, that means PARADE (WITH FIREWORKS) #1 hits the shelves today, and I’m very excited. Would you believe I haven’t actually seen a copy yet myself???

To celebrate the release, I’ll be signing at St. Mark’s Comics (11 St. Mark’s Place, between 2nd & 3rd Aves., 212-598-9439) from 6 - 8 p.m. Then, we’ll be heading around the corned to The Continental (25 3rd Ave. btn St. Mark’s & 9th St. 212-529-6924) for some drinks. Invite your friends and come by to help us celebrate.

Newsarama previews three September books we like the looks of: REPO #4, MADAMAN ATOMIC #4, GUTSVILLE #2:

Speaking of GUTSVILLE, writer Simon Spurrier writer to tell us that he’s joined the “Brit comics guy who has a novel out” club with Contract which is out next month.

Contract is an urban-occult-crime-thriller with a vein of black comedy thicker than a chainsmoker’s artery about a hired killer whose victims – somewhat unfairly, he feels – keep coming back to life.

Well, only yesterday we were editing a story on LUCHA LIBRE, a drop-dead gorgeous book in the Euro style, first published in France by Humanoids, but now coming out from Image. And now it has a movie deal!:

Producer Pierre Spengler has confirmed that “Luchadores 5,” to be directed Michael Olmos, will be the first movie to emerge from his 12-pic deal with European comicbook publisher Humanoids.

Project, scripted by Adrian A. Cruz, is based on the comicbook series “Lucha Libre,” written by Belgian author Jerry Frissen and drawn by French artists Bill and Gobi.

Set in East Los Angeles, it’s a comedy about five Latino wrestlers who form a masked vigilante group to clean up their neighborhood.

We’re a sucker for a good email title:

Critically acclaimed comics creator Mark Haven Britt will be appearing at Comic Relief in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, August 25th, 2007 from 5 to 7 P.M.. The Xeric Award-winner will be promoting the release of his new Image Comics original graphic novel, FULL COLOR.

Publishers Weekly says about FULL COLOR, “Xeric Grant-winner Britt offers a dark, unrelenting story of petty drug dealers, spoiled rich kids and a tormented woman on the edge of oblivion in a truly unsettling one-sitting read… Typeset lettering and jagged, angular, almost angry thought balloons contribute to the book’s singular tone and style. The title belies that the story is told in stunning black-and-white–this story could be told no other way.”

FULL COLOR (MAY071852) is a 176-page black and white graphic novel with a cover price of $15.99. The ISBN is he ISBN is 978-1582408408.

More information on FULL COLOR can be found at www.markhavenbritt.com .

Comic Relief is located at 2026 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, CA. For more information, visit the store website at www.comicrelief.net.

Ivan Brandon writes to remind us:

Tonight’s the celebration of the release of my new book: 24seven v2. 24seven is a collection of urban robot stories told by a gathering of my favorite verbal and visual minds from assorted media: film/animation/comics, etc… even architecture.

here’s a preview of the book.

wednesday/TONIGHT, august 15th is THE DATE.

the VILLAGE POURHOUSE, 64 3rd ave and 11th street is THE PLACE.

http://www.pourhousenyc.com/

OPEN BAR (including STELLA) from 6-7pm with assorted eats, then: 2 for
1 ABSOLUT from 7pm to whenever the hell you leave.

come one, come all… +more=merrier. BRING ROBOTS.

Top Cow Productions is pleased to announce its plans for WizardWorld Chicago taking place on August 9th through August 12th. In addition to bringing along the joint convention exclusives which debuted at Comic-Con International: San Diego, Top Cow will bring a few new surprises.

(more…)

As Barry Bonds chases the home run record, Time Mag revisits Todd McFarlane’s baseball collection:

So, are you fired up about Number 756?

No, the ball that’s interesting to me is the last one Barry hits. That becomes the new number they print in the record books. 756 is cool, but 62 was cool when McGwire hit it, and I put my money on 70. This one is a pretty good ball. It’s a helluva-story ball. It’s a conversation-starter ball. But it’s not the ball. If you’re going to spend gobs of money, why not wait until the end?

Why wake up early when you know it will be on YouTube later! All seven Image Founders reunite for the first time EVER.
[Link via Colleen.]

UpDATE: Sorry about all the WP/Firefox/DIVX issues. Click on the above pic or here to see the vid, and thanks to Ford Gilmore for setting it up.