Thursday, August 28, 2008

Dear Friends, In May, I conducted a fairly extensive interview for World Literature Today with Scott McCloud when he was a guest lecturer at OU here in Norman, Oklahoma. There is an abridged version of the interview in the latest issue of WLT but they've gone to the trouble of posting the unbridged version up at their website. It's a pretty comprehensive interview and turned up more than a few things about McCloud that I didn't know going in. You can check out the interview at http://www.ou.edu/worldlit/onlinemagazine/2008september/McCloud.htm Hope you enjoy! Rob Vollmar

Rob Vollmar- a writer of and about comics including the Bluesman HC collection out NOW from NBM Publications!

Bluesman online- http://www.bluesmanproject.com
Bluesman on MySpace- http://www.myspace.com/bluesmanproject
PRESS RELEASE:

Sequart Research & Literacy Organization's Mutant Cinema: The X-Men Trilogy from Comics to Screen is now available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other online booksellers.

The book, written by Thomas J. McLean (Variety.com, Newsarama.com), is the second book from Sequart, which previously scored a big hit with Timothy Callahan's Grant Morrison: The Early Years. Like its predecessor, Mutant Cinema sports a cover by award-winning artist Kevin Colden.

Mutant Cinema: The X-Men Trilogy from Comics to Screen is the definitive unauthorized study of the popular movie saga, including:
• The history of X-Men comic books;
• Previous adaptations, including early cartoon appearances, the successful 1990s animated series, and initial attempts to bring the mutants to the big screen;
• The development process for each film, including behind-the-scenes stories, interviews with the screenwriters, and details on omitted scenes and storylines;
• Detailed scene-by-scene examinations of each film and the comic book stories that infuse every aspect of the movies;
• Critical and fan receptions of each film, plus box office performances;
• What the future may hold for the franchise; and
• Tips on some essential X-Men reading.

Mutant Cinema (softcover, 6x9 in, 320 pgs, B&W) is the essential guide to the films for both die-hard fans and newcomers to the series. Comic book fans will enjoy discovering connections to the comics that they didn't know about, as well as information from the Hollywood side of things. Fans of the movies will find the whole world of X-Men comics opened up for them in an approachable style.

Once again, the book can be found through retailers like Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

(Note: If you're a reviewer and interested in a complimentary review copy, please reply with your mailing address and the name of the company for which you do reviews.)

Legal Disclaimer: X-Men and related characters are trademarks of Marvel Comics. This book is not endorsed by either Marvel Comics or 20th Century Fox.

About the Publisher: Sequart Research & Literacy Organization is a non-profit devoted to the study and promotion of comic books as a legitimate art.

About Sequart's Film Series: Despite the enormous success of comic book movies, only a fraction of those movie-goers have explored the original comic books in any depth. Just as with novels adapted into movies, these original comic books are often better than their movie translations, and the differences illuminate both versions. Studying these comics is not only essential to understanding these movies, but doing so also helps readers appreciate the unique medium of comic books.
PRESS RELEASE - YOU ARE NOW ENTERING LIQUID CITY!All-new anthology hits in November!
27 August 2008 (Berkeley, CA) - This November, Image Comics, the publisher who brought you hit anthologies like Tori Amos' COMIC BOOK TATTOO, 24SEVEN, PUT THE BOOK BACK ON THE SHELF and POPGUN, comes a unique collection of comics from Southeast Asia and beyond, LIQUID CITY.

"LIQUID CITY presents the unique visions of artists and writers based mainly in Southeast Asia," said editor Sonny Liew. "The creators involved range from established figures in the region's comics communities like Lat and Gerry Alanguilan, to exciting new talents like Nguyen Thanh Pong, kenfoo and Shari Chankhamma."

Bringing together creators from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere, LIQUID CITY presents an edgy vision of lives in cities past, present and future: from Leong Wan Kok's distinct post apocalyptic landscapes to Lat's charming take on Malaysian life in the '60s, from Mike Carey's meditation on colonialism to kenfoo's dark tales of regurgitation and bodily transformations.
Also contributing to the anthology are artists from outside the region, including award-winning illustrator Jon Foster and cover artist Shelly Wan.

LIQUID CITY (SEP082215), a 312-page full color anthology for $24.99, will be in stores November 5th. For more information and sneak previews, please visit http://www.liquidcitizen.net.

Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently five partners in Image Comics (Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into four major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com.
Heya,
So, that big project I've been working on? It's finally been announced! Here's the scoop:

--
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 27, 2008 -- EQAL, the social entertainment company founded by the creators of lonelygirl15, today announced details of the next online serial drama in the LG15 universe, titled "LG15: The Resistance." The new US-based series will share the mythology behind the previous series "lonelygirl15" and UK-based "KateModern."

Beginning with its online premiere on Saturday, Sept. 20, season one of "LG15: The Resistance" will run for 12 weeks. Daily posts by the characters on LG15.com will consist of short videos and other multi-media content such as text blogs and photos, concluding with a weekly episode posted every Saturday that will include all of the week's dramatic developments. An exclusive sneak preview of the first episode of the new series will be shown at the New York Television Festival Digital Day at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 16.

With 'LG15: The Resistance,' we are taking social entertainment to the next level. By incorporating the lessons learned about writing for the Internet and audience interaction from our experience with 'lonelygirl15' and 'KateModern,' 'LG15: The Resistance' is poised to be the most engaging experience in online drama to date
News Image

In order to allow the audience to better engage with the new show and interact with each other, EQAL also announced plans to completely redesign the LG15.com website and provide its devoted community with new and expanded social features. Audience participation and interactivity throughout the series will be essential to advancing the plot, with the community called upon to make suggestions and solve puzzles for the on-screen characters. The enhanced site will allow fans to do that through the creation their own profile pages and participation in live chats with characters from the show. Other community features include discussion forums, comment boards, character blogs, groups, and more. Future enhancements will add photo and video sharing to the LG15.com social network.

In addition to the new LG15.com, video episodes from the first season of "LG15: The Resistance" will be available on popular social networks and online video sharing sites including MySpaceTV, imeem, Veoh, YouTube™ and Hulu. As the season progresses, all video content, including daily video and weekly show episodes, will premiere jointly on LG15.com and LG15 branded video profile pages on the various partner properties. Customized promotions with each partner will vary, but will involve feature homepage placement over the course of the season to drive traffic and entice new fans.

"With 'LG15: The Resistance,' we are taking social entertainment to the next level. By incorporating the lessons learned about writing for the Internet and audience interaction from our experience with 'lonelygirl15' and 'KateModern,' 'LG15: The Resistance' is poised to be the most engaging experience in online drama to date," said Miles Beckett, CEO, EQAL. "We're all but exploding the wall between creators and viewers, letting fans contribute directly to the unfolding narrative in a way never before attempted in scripted entertainment."

The story told in "LG15: The Resistance" will continue to operate in the LG15 universe with its shared mythology and select overlapping characters from lonelygirl15, including leading characters "Jonas," played by Jackson Davis, and "Sarah" played by Alexandra Dreyfus. As with the previous series, "LG15: The Resistance" will revolve around The Order, an evil secret society that has discovered the existence of very rare girls that carry a special blood trait. The Resistance is now the only hope in battling The Order, but they must overcome great obstacles to do so. The new series will combine action, romance and intrigue in the spirit of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "National Treasure." While this back-story will be familiar to long-time fans, "LG15: The Resistance" has been developed to ensure the plot will be extremely accessible to new fans as well. "LG15: The Resistance" is executive produced by Miles Beckett, Greg Goodfried and Amanda Goodfried, the producers of lonelygirl15
and
KateModern. Joshua Fialkov, creator of the graphic novels "Elks Run" and "Punks," joins as head writer.

"EQAL has pioneered some of the most successful serial dramas in the Internet age, and we're confident they've got another hit in store with, 'LG15: The Resistance.' We're thrilled to bring their ground-breaking new show to over 27 million users on imeem and equally excited to have LG15 fans connecting around imeem music and video playlists," said Jeff Reine, director of business development at imeem.

As with the previous series, brand sponsors will be tightly integrated into "LG15: The Resistance" and seamlessly woven throughout the narrative. EQAL is currently seeking brands that are interested in new forms of product placement and cutting edge interactivity on the Internet.

For a preview of "LG15: The Resistance," see the trailer: http://www.lg15.com/lonelygirl15/?p=675.

About EQAL:
EQAL (pronounced "Equal") is a social entertainment company dedicated to changing the way content is consumed. Merging technology with creative development and production expertise, EQAL is a leader in the creation of truly interactive shows. Formerly known as LG15 Studios/Telegraph Ave. Productions, the company recently concluded the runs of the two most successful online interactive dramas, lonelygirl15 and KateModern, which had over 150 million combined views. Through partnerships with independent producers, traditional media companies, and multi-national brands, EQAL is dedicated to building online communities that engage users like never before. The company recently signed a first-of-its-kind partnership with CBS to create and produce multi-platform television, online and mobile entertainment for existing and future CBS television productions. EQAL is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information: http://www.eqal.com.
--

So, you can follow along, and learn more over at http://www.lg15.com.

I'm totally and utterly psyched to be working on the show, and it's going to be a-mazing.

More to come,

j.
IDW INTRODUCES NEW CLASSICS OF THE FANTASTIC SERIES,

WITH NIGHTWINGS


(San Diego, August 27) IDW Publishing sets its gaze skyward with Nightwings, the first installment of the company’s new science fiction series, New Classics of the Fantastic.



In the Hugo Award-winning Nightwings, Earth’s long descent into hopelessness and despair created a civilization divided into guilds. One such guild is the Watchers, charged with keeping vigilant watch over the heavens against the alien invasion prophecy has long expected. But in a moment of weakness one skeptical Watcher is distracted… and the attack begins!



Spared from destruction during the fateful invasion, the Watcher soon travels from the ancient city of “Roum” to find shelter in the other once-great cities of man. Along the way he uncovers the invader’s true intentions, how they are related to the downfall of mankind, and that release from these captors will come in the most unexpected form of all.



Series editor Clifford Meth says, “New Classics of the Fantastic will be an essential science fiction library. It will bring back Hugo and Nebula Award winning books that have fallen out of print. Sadly, most award-winning genre titles don't last long on the shelves—that's a function of space, not quality. So IDW has assembled a list of extraordinary books—titles that represent the very best selections of the very best authors in science fiction. Robert Silverberg's Nightwings is a genuine must-read for science-fiction fans.”



Nightwings features an introduction from author Robert Silverberg, as well as a gorgeous cover by acclaimed painter Michael Parkes, and is edited by Clifford Meth.



TPB • B&W • 232 pages • 5 3/8” x 8 1/4” • $14.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60010-200-4



About IDW Publishing

IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television's #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount's Star Trek; Fox's Angel; Hasbro's The Transformers, and the BBC's Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Hollywood, CA - Comics on Comics returns with a vengeance this Thursday, August 28 to Golden Apple Comics (http://www.goldenapplecomics.com/) in Hollywood! Host Robbie Peron welcomes comics superstar Christos Gage, the prolific writer of Avengers: The Initiative, Wildcats: World's End, The Man With No Name, House of M: Civil War, Absolution and the newly announced Spider-Man/X-men miniseries! Rounding out our panel are comedians Flip Schultz (Last Comic Standing), Sax Carr (UCB's Tournament of Nerds) and Wizard Magazine's "Hottest Fangirl in Comics", Mandy Amano!

Golden Apple is located at 7018 Melrose Ave. in Hollywood, CA. The show starts at 7 p.m. and will be standing room only, so show up early to get a good spot!

The episode will be posted online the following Monday, September 1st. Previous episodes with Geoff Johns (http://www.comicsoncomics.com/?p=83), Wendy Pini (http://www.comicsoncomics.com/?p=94), Brian Lynch (http://www.comicsoncomics.com/?p=62) and David Gerrold (http://www.comicsoncomics.com/?p=113) can be found at ComicsonComics.com (http://www.comicsoncomics.com/) or on iTunes (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=278094320).



About Comics on Comics:

Comics on Comics is an innovative video podcast where "The Greatest Comic Minds Meet The Greatest Minds In Comics." The show, which gathers stand up comedians and comic book creators for a round-table discussion of the latest comic book news, is hosted by Robbie Peron (The Best Damned Sports Show) and is taped in front of a live audience. Comics on Comics is produced and distributed by Retcon Media.

About Retcon Media:

Retcon Media is a dynamic production company that is dedicated to exploring the full potential of new media. Several web concepts are currently in the works along with feature film and animated projects in development. Retcon Media is located in Los Angeles, CA.
ROGER CORMAN AND BLUEWATER MAKE A SPLASH IN ‘09

Creative comic book studio joins with legendary filmmaker for independent publishing

BELLINGHAM, WASH. (August 26 , 2008) -- Bluewater Productions and Roger Corman are teaming up to excite a new generation of genre fans as the independent comic publisher and legendary genre filmmaker plan to readapt and re-imagine some of Corman's popular work.

Starting in 2009, several of Corman's movies will be "given the Bluewater treatment" under the title "Roger Corman Presents." Some of the first properties being produced include "Death Stalker," "The Barbarian Queen," "Humanoids From The Deep" and a re-franchising of Corman's super heroine "Black Scorpion" which previously found success as two made-for-cable movies on Showtime and a 22 one hour episodes on the Sci Fi Channel.

Corman said: “Comic books have given me so much over the years that it’s time I gave something back to the medium.”

As Bluewater now is working with both Corman and the Vincent Price estate, it is certain that several of the horror classics based on the Edgar Allen Poe stories will also be produced in comic form in the near future.

"Roger Corman's body of work is so visual and visceral," said Bluewater's president Darren G. Davis. "What will make these titles stand out is that Mr. Corman will be personally involved in their development," Davis said. This is not just another licensing gimmick, but an outlet to rediscover his creative genius and a chance for readers to once again be pleasantly frightened. I still get the willies from the 'Masque of the Red Death'."

And just like DVDs that put extras and Easter eggs into their presentations, each Bluewater-Corman book with be full of fan favorite extras like interviews, behind the scene pictures and reminiscing about the titles from Corman himself.

Some of the creative team for the franchise will include writers and artists Paul Salamoff, Shon Bury, Neal Bailey, Ed Brisson & Daniel Cuchacovich -- and television writer/producer Craig J. Nevius (THE FANTASTIC FOUR) who co-created “Black Scorpion” with Corman and is overseeing the Bluewater/Corman collaboration.

Nevius said: “Roger and I had always intended to create a comic book franchise based on the ‘Black Scorpion’ movies and TV series. And with classic costumed superheroes back in vogue thanks to the success of the ‘Batman’ and ‘Iron Man’ movies, the time seemed right to bring back our costumed superheroine.”

“Black Scorpion” was originally played by Joan Severence before Michelle Lintel took over the role for the television series. Bluewater has struck a deal with Lintel to use her image as the comic book basis for the title character.

ABOUT BLUEWATER:

Bluewater Productions, Inc. is one if the top independent production studios of comic, young adult books and graphic novel titles. In the tradition of great storytelling and cutting edge art, Bluewater storms onto the comic book and graphic novel scene. With more titles than ever, including smash hits such as the 10th MUSE, THE LEGEND OF ISIS, and RAY HARRYHAUSEN PRESENTS. Bluewater is poised to continue to produce engaging stories with art from both the top names in the industry alongside with up and coming stars.

ABOUT ROGER CORMAN:

The saga of independent filmmaker Roger Corman ranks as one of the most amazing motion picture success stories. Having produced more than 550 films and directed fifty others, his influence on American film goes far beyond his own energetic, creative low-budget movies. He is one of Hollywood's most gifted and masterful film makers. Noted for his keen ability to spot young talents, his most lasting legacy will undoubtedly be the legion of producers, directors, writers, and actors he has fostered, among them: Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Talia Shire, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert DeNiro, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Charles Bronson, Joe Dante, Jonathan Demme, Gale Ann Hurd, and James Cameron.
IDW RELEASES BEN TEMPLESMITH’S ART OF WORMWOOD COLLECTION



SEE THE ART, READ THE STORY, RIDE THE WORM



(San Diego, August 25) IDW Publishing will release Ben Templesmith’s Art of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse on August 27. The book collects all the notable art plus a large amount of sketches, unpublished ideas and never-before-seen paintings from his semi-regular, off-beat serial Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse. It includes an original Wormwood short story.

Templesmith’s visual approach, which has been described as “daring, horrific, and sometimes just plain perverse” has gained a cult following for his work in graphic novels including 30 Days of Night, Fell, Wormwood,Gentleman Corpse and more recently Welcome to Hoxford. He has said he is influenced by the science-fantasy cosmos of H.P. Lovecraft's Old Ones and the work of H.R. Giger. Templesmith's black sense of humor, his delicate yet vigorous style, his nuanced but bold use of color, and knack for finding just the right detail to make a panel or page come to life have given Wormwood a huge fan base.

“Wormwood is really just me having fun and trying to throw in as many disgusting perversions of my old childhood influences. I call it my riff on Doctor Who, if it were more demonologically oriented and written for very juvenile adults with a sick sense of humor”, says Templesmith.

TPB • FC • 96 pages • 8-1/2” x 11” • $19.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60010-327-8



Ben Templesmith’s Art of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse S&N HC
Is a special hardcover edition is strictly limited to 500 copies and comes with a numbered tip-in plate signed by artist Ben Templesmith.

HC • FC • 96 pages • 8-1/2” x 11” • $49.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60010-330-8



Ben Templesmith’s Art of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse S&N HC
This deluxe limited edition hardcover is strictly limited to only 100 copies. Each copy will include an all-new, hand-drawn Wormwood sketch by artist Ben Templesmith.

HC • FC • 96 pages • 8-1/2” x 11” • $100 • ISBN: 978-1-60010-331-5



About IDW Publishing

IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television's #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount's Star Trek; Fox's Angel; Hasbro's The Transformers, and the BBC's Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.
Baltimore Comic-Con Brings Cardy, Davis, Kindt, Lemire, and Slade! Baltimore, Maryland - August 21, 2008 - Making their inaugural Baltimore Comic-Con appearances in 2008 are Nick Cardy (Aquaman, Teen Titans), Guy Davis (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson), and, courtesy of Top Shelf, Matt Kindt (Super Spy), Jeff Lemire (Essex County), and Christian Slade (Korgi)! The Baltimore Comic-Con is also proud to welcome back Brian Stelfreeze (Midnighter, The Ride), Chris Ivy (Beast Boy, Marc Spector: Moon Knight), Doug Wagner (The Ride, Gun Candy), Karl Story (Black Canary Wedding Planner, Number of the Beast), Taki Soma (Silent Forest, You'll Never Die), and Tony Shasteen (O.C.T.: Occult Crimes Taskforce)! "We're just thrilled to have these guests with us this year," said show promoter Marc Nathan. "Top Shelf always brings along great guests, and we've been receiving requests to have Nick Cardy and Guy Davis for years. In fact, Nick Cardy is a hero of mine and many of the professionals already in attendance. Along with all of the returning guests, we think the show's going to be just a real treat for all of our fans!" A full list of retailers can now be found on our website.

Swamp Thing co-creator and Frankenstein artist Bernie Wrightson will be the show's Guest of Honor.

He headlines a guest list that includes, in alphabetical order, Michael Bair (Identity Crisis, 52), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner, The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, Secret Invasion), Ivan Brandon (NYC Mech, Marvel Comics Presents), Buzz (JSA), Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Countdown), Dennis Calero (X-Factor, Countdown), Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales, Kong: King of Skull Island), Howard Chaykin (Wolverine, American Flagg), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Gene Colan (Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula), Darwyn Cooke (New Frontier, The Spirit), Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows, Mighty Avengers), Steve Conley (Star Trek, The Escapist), Amanda Conner (Green Arrow/Black Canary, JSA Classified), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts, Tellos), Steve Dillon (Punisher, Preacher), David Finch (World War Hulk, New Avengers), Ramona Fradon (Aquaman, Mermaidman and Barnacleboy), John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red), Ron Garney (Wolverine, Skaar: Son of Hulk), Michael Golden (Micronauts, The 'Nam), Bryan J.L. Glass (Mice Templar), Mike Grell (John Sable, Iron Man), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle, Black Lightning), Dean Haspiel (American Splendor, Brawl), Adam Hughes (Catwoman), Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man), Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Action Comics), J.G. Jones (52, Wonder Woman), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, Ultimate X-Men), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man, Empire), Rich Koslowski (Marvel Comics Presents, Sonic the Hedgehog), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Image EIC), Jim Lee (All Star Batman & Robin, Wildcats), Norman Lee (Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane), the Luna Brothers (The Sword, Girls), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Sean McKeever (Teen Titans, Countdown), Mark McKenna (Banana-Tail, Annihilation: Conquest), Bob McLeod (New Mutants, Spider-Man), Pop Mhan (Blank, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Mike Mignola (Hellboy, Disney's Atlantis), Mark Morales (Civil War, Secret Invasion), Rags Morales (Identity Crisis, Batman Confidential), Phil Noto (Danger Girl, Jonah Hex), Michael Avon Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers), Mike Okamoto (Hellraiser, Chaos! Quarterly), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Annihilation: Conquest, Ultimate Secrets), Alex Robinson (Too Cool to be Forgotten, Box Office Poison), James Robinson (Superman, JSA), John Romita Sr. (Amazing Spider-Man), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts, X-Men: First Class), Andy Runton (Owly), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Heroes), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man, Feast of the Seven Fishes), Jim Shooter (Legion of Super-Heroes), John K. Snyder III (Grendel), Mark Sparacio (Heroes for Hire, Captain Action), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), Peter Tomasi (Nightwing, Green Lantern Corps), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), Timothy Truman (Conan, Grimjack), Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock - The Lost Battalion), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest, The Wicked West), Matt Wagner (Zorro, Grendel), Mark Waid (Flash, Boom! Studios), Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster, Mighty Motor Sapiens), Ron Wilson (The Thing), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).

The Harvey Awards will return to the Baltimore Comic-Con for the third consecutive year. The awards dinner and ceremony will be held Saturday night, September 27, 2008, following the convention's normal hours. All the votes are in and being tabulated as we write this announcement. Look for a major press release in the next week concerning ticket details. We look forward to welcoming the comic book industry to Baltimore to honor some of the best work of 2007. Kyle Baker will return as Master of Ceremonies for the evening's events.

Tickets are now available for sale. For more information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, email cardscomicscollectilbes@yahoo.com or call (410) 526-7410. The guest list, ticket information, directions, and other information can be found on the convention's website or on its MySpace page.

For more information about the Harvey Awards, including sponsorship opportunities, e-mail baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com.

Monday, August 25, 2008

My darlings:


I’ve proposed a panel for 2009’s SXSW Interactive, a discussion called Comics on Handhelds: Taking Webcomics Mobile. Last year’s SXSWi was incredible, and for this year I’m assembling a very interesting group of comics' reimagineers/futurists for a panel who’ve all had a part in bringing digital comics’ culture in the pockets of Muggles everywhere.





The proposal is live on the SXSW Panel Picker site now, and it would mean alot to me if you could vote-up/comment my panel and keep comics’ evolution part of the conversation at SXSW this year. It really only takes a minute to do.


Panel link here: http://w3t.org/u/7z7g
Register for free account here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/users/register


Voting ends this Friday, August 29th; my humble thanks to you for helping out.



------onelove------> d!
Dan Goldman
RECENTLY RECEIVED FROM ANGRY DRUNK GRAPHICS:

Marc,
We are having a benefit at the Asbury Lanes in Asbury PArk NJ, on Saturday Septemebr 6th at 8pm, to help Mike DIana pay off the rest of his legal fees from when he was arrested for his comic.
A ton of artists are donating art to be auctioned off for this; Danny Helman, Pete Bagge,Johnny Ryan, Steve VIncent, Roman Dirge, Sam Henderson, Hollie Stevens, Mike Stoneorad, Sergio Zuniga, Ran Jones and a lot more.

We have great bands playing like HUNCHBACK, Reactor Radio, Hit the Ground, 241'ers, The Takers Canine10.

All proceeds go to Mike's legal fees anything left over will go the Comic book Legal Defense Fund (who will also have a table there).

Maybe you can let people know.


Here is the info on mIke Diana
Mike Diana, the controversial creator of the 'zine "Boiled Angel," is the first American artist ever to be convicted of obscenity. His work contains graphic and often shocking depictions of society's most serious problems: child abuse, date rape, and religious corruption.

Diana was first charged with obscenity after an undercover Florida detective posed as an artist to obtain copies of "Boiled Angel." In a week-long case in March of 1994, a Florida jury found Diana guilty of publishing, distributing, and advertising obscene material. They agreed that his work "lacked serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value" because it did not compare to such works as "The Grapes of Wrath" or Picasso's "Guernica."

Diana was sentenced to a three-year probation, during which time his residence is subject to inspection, without warning or warrant, to determine if he is in possession of, or is creating obscene material. He is to have no contact with children under 18, undergo psychological testing, enroll in a journalistic ethics course, pay a $3,000 fine, and perform 1,248 hours of community service.

Two appeals to the State Appellate Court failed to have the case reversed or reheard in Florida. During the first appeal process, the prosecution used evidence gathered after the original trial, a move usually considered unethical. The courts refused to accept an amicus brief submitted by the ACLU, and responded 'without comment' to the second and final appeal.

Two of the three counts under which Diana was convicted were endorsed by the Appellate Court. The only count that was judged incorrect was the conviction for "advertising obscene material." The Court agreed with Diana's attorney that it was improper to convict someone for advertising material that had not been created yet, since the artist could not, at the time, know the nature or character of the work.

In May of 1997 the CBLDF and the ACLU submitted a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Diana's case. George Rehdart, a well-known First Amendment attorney, assisted in preparing the petition. The Supreme Court denied the petition "without comment," thereby ending all possibility of overturning Diana's conviction.

Mike Diana is currently living in New York, where he was granted permission to serve out his sentence. He is fulfilling his community service obligation through volunteer work for the CBLDF.
MashON Launches Public Beta of the
MashON Spore Comic Book Creator



August 21, 2008 Los Angeles, CA - MashON today announced the Public Beta launch of the MashON™ Spore™ Comic Book Creator. Spore will be available globally on PC, Mac, Nintendo™ DS and mobile devices on September 7, 2008.



The MashON Spore Comic Book Creator (www.MashON.com/Spore) is a browser based application which allows Spore players to create, design, write and share digital comic books, storybooks and graphic novels by combining graphic, sound and videos from the game with their very own unique Spore creatures and game play. These MashON Spore Comic creations can be emailed, posted to your favorite social network, or to your MashON.com profile.

The MashON Spore E-Card Creator which was successfully launched in July 2008 gives Spore fans the opportunity to create, interact, and send personalized MashON Spore E-card using creatures, backgrounds and word bubbles . The MashON Spore E-Card Creator is an extension of the MashON Comic Book Creator.



The MashON Creative Media Suite is a collection of online social media applications, which allows users of all ages to easily create engaging, multimedia mashup stories combining their own user generated pictures, videos and sounds with their favorite characters and creatures. The resulting MashON creation can be saved and posted to the MashON Gallery, shared via email or published to the user’s favorite Social network or web site.



By registering for the free MashON Spore E-Card Creator at MashON.com, fans can bring Spore creatures to life by combining Spore backgrounds, clip art and word bubbles using unique digital assets. Creators can also add their own personalized speech bubbles and share their Spore E-Card creation with their friends by posting to their favorite social networking site or emailing directly to friends.



For more information, please visit http://www.MashON.com/SPORE/to register.



About MashON



MashON develops and publishes interactive software for the MashUP generation. MashON produces web-enabled tools & widgets that provide personal interactivity in the creation, connection and easy syndication of user generated content online across the Internet. The company's signature latest product, the MashON Creative Media Suite, embraces user-generated content ("UGC") enabling its users to blend their own unique creations into their social networks, blogs, and Internet brand spaces. MashON has licensed its interactive platform to world-class lifestyle brands and advertisers in entertainment, online portals, video games, motion picture, television, music, sports, fashion, art, and travel.



About Electronic Arts



Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS Freestyle(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at info.ea.com.



EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, POGO and SPORE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
PRESS RELEASE - SHADOWLINE HATES GALAXY GIRL THIS NOVEMBER!Image Comics Shadowline launches I HATE GALAXY GIRL this November!

25 August 2008 (Berkeley, CA) - Every underdog gets their day this November as newcomer Kat Cahill and BRAT-HALLA's Seth Damoose take a stand in Shadowline's newest three issue superhero mini-series, I HATE GALAXY GIRL!

"While I HATE GALAXY GIRL was originally Kat Cahill's runner-up for our 'Who Wants To Create a Super Heroine Contest', Shadowline Editor Kris Simon and I loved the concept so much we had to put it on the fast track to becoming its own series," Shadowline Publisher Jim Valentino said. "When Kat saw Seth's upcoming work on BRAT-HALLA, she knew he was the perfect artist to capture the mood she was going for. We really can't help but agree!"

Based on skill alone, Renee Tempete should be the new Galaxy Girl. Instead, a buxom blonde with no actual powers holds the title. As events unfold, Renee struggles not only against monsters, criminals and giant robots, but also a society that desperately wants to keep her in her place.

Cahill added, "The core of I HATE GALAXY GIRL is Renee finding the self-confidence to achieve her dreams despite constantly being told to give up. The experience is something I think just about anybody can relate to while the overall story is still a heck of a lot of fun!"

I HATE GALAXY GIRL #1 (SEP082263), a 32-page full color mini-series for $3.50, will be available in-stores November 12th.

Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently five partners in Image Comics (Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into four major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com.