The Comics Reporter

February 28, 2019

OTBP: Spring Wild

posted 3:40 pm PST | Permalink

Go, Read: Brian Hibbs On A Colon-Cleansing Of The Direct Market Serving Comics And Hobby Stores

Here. The headline suggests it's a plan for the comics industry entire, but mostly it looks to me like the longtime industry advocate in hoping to clean up the worst variant-related offenses and clear up some general ordering impediments to make the DM work the best it can. They all seem worth endorsing on my first read. On a second, I might express some doubts about whether or not getting out of the DM stores' way actually leads to systemic reform. We'll see!

It's interesting, too, that Hibbs looks at current kids' comics numbers as a sign that specialized selling will experience a surge in a few years' time.

posted 3:35 pm PST | Permalink

Go, Look: Some Al Williamson I’ve Never Seen

posted 3:30 pm PST | Permalink

Assembled, Zipped, Transferred And Downloaded: News From Digital

By Tom Spurgeon

* I wish I knew more about how Comixology works with both information it gets from Amazon and to engage current comics realities. Like I would have thought that Captain Marvel would be dominant on the front page rather than one of a smattering of selections. That's not something I'll figure out doing anything other than paying a lot more attention, though.

* this article points to the writer's shift away from webcomics as a sign of how social media has changed on-line consumption. I figure that's true in the widest. Social media is content about you, your friends and the things you choose to spend your time on. Everything else pales in comparison. At some point there will be a significant, sustained pushback against social media driven consumption, but I don't expect it to have a significant impact on the basics of how media is consumed.

* finally: an exploration of a dominant format.

posted 3:25 pm PST | Permalink

If I Were In Athens, I’d Go To This

posted 3:20 pm PST | Permalink

If I Were In Vancouver, I’d Go To This

posted 3:20 pm PST | Permalink

Random Comics News Story Round-Up

* Paul Mavrides points out the various failures at work within the comics community when it's come to varying levels of support for disgraced child molester and Dragon Con co-founder Ed Kramer.

* I wish Scott Stantis would stop by my studio and chat with me.

* not comics: here's a broad pop-culture think piece on the imminent release of a Captain Marvel movie adhering closely to the relaunch spearheaded by writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and her collaborators. I'm always uncomfortable with art being treated as a measured consumable, but I am for inclusive subject matter across the spectrum of entertainment and have witnessed how powerful an experience that can be for those that have not enjoyed seeing themselves reflected in these giant efforts the way they should have. I hope kids in particular get to enjoy a special moment or several with this film.

* Pat Kerrigan talks to Brian Fies. Kristen Ravin talks to James Sturm.

* finally: a controversial story with any number of difficult elements leads, non-surprisingly, to a cartoon backlash. It's hard to figure out why this one had to happen at all.

posted 3:05 pm PST | Permalink

Happy 67th Birthday, Joyce Brabner!

posted 3:00 pm PST | Permalink

Happy 42nd Birthday, Benjamin Marra!

posted 3:00 pm PST | Permalink

February 27, 2019

Dragon Con’s Kramer Arrested Again, This Time For Taking Photos Of Children In A Doctor’s Office

Here. Ed Kramer was a co-founder of Dragon Con (then Dragon*Con) in 1987, was first arrested on molestation charges in 2000, pleaded guilty to a set of charges in 2010 and was removed from financial participation in the successful comics show in 2013. He faces several decades in prison on these latest charges, in part due to his legal status carried over from those earlier charges.

If anyone has any smart, viable ideas how we as a latticework of communities might balance the scales in terms of how much comics- and geek culture-related money went to this monstrous figure by perhaps setting up a counter-funding campaign or something similar aimed at victims' charities, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

posted 3:35 pm PST | Permalink

The Never-Ending, Four-Color Festival: Shows And Events

By Tom Spurgeon

* tickets are now available for the first NCSFest, in Huntington Beach mid-May.

* here's a tour for Brian Fies in support of A Fire Story.

* here's a tour for Box Brown in support of Cannabis.

* finally, here's one last tour featuring Michael DeForge in support of Leaving Richard's Valley.

posted 3:25 pm PST | Permalink

If I Were In DC, I’d Go To This

posted 3:20 pm PST | Permalink

Random Comics News Story Round-Up

* Nick Spacek on James Warren: Empire Of Monsters, the new one from Bill Schelly. I know so very little about Warren and am very much looking forward to this.

* Michael Weingrad asks after great Jewish graphic novels and great graphic novels, period.

* this is a different way to sell some comics-related material. I'm not certain reading this how different it is and how interested I am in the result, but I always like to see this kind of thing. I would imagine that a primary benefit of writers-room style comics is greater ease of inclusion for a company dominated by decades of career opportunities directed at certain types of people.

* finally, some not comics: comics scholar Jared Gardner answers all your questions. Also, it would be awesome to hold a comics festival in a city with free bus service.

posted 3:05 pm PST | Permalink

Happy 35th Birthday, Lauren Barnett!

posted 3:00 pm PST | Permalink

February 26, 2019

OTBP: Kevin Czap’s Ley Lines 2019 $20 Subscription Offer That Ends March 1

Here. I subscribed on the 26th. Kevin has very interesting taste.

posted 3:40 pm PST | Permalink

This Isn’t A Library: New, Notable Releases Into Comics’ Direct Market

*****

Here are the books that make an impression on me staring at this week's no-doubt largely accurate list of books shipping from Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. to comic book and hobby shops across North America.

I might not buy all of the works listed here. I might not buy any. You never know. I'd sure look at the following, though.

*****

JAN191670 GOING INTO TOWN LOVE LETTER TO NEW YORK TP $18.00
This book has been alive in comics' collective consciousness due to it being discussed during the great Roz Chast's extended period of promotion on behalf of Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? A hyper NYC focus would play to different strengths, and in that way makes this book just as welcome as the last.

DEC181892 MR WOLFS CLASS GN VOL 02 MYSTERY CLUB $9.99
DEC181893 MR WOLFS CLASS HC GN VOL 02 MYSTERY CLUB $18.99
I've enjoyed both books in this ensemble kids series and look forward to a third this Fall.

DEC180357 HELLBOY AND BPRD 1956 #4 (OF 5) $3.99
DEC180527 ACTION COMICS #1008 $3.99
JUL188526 DIE DIE DIE #8 (MR) $3.99
DEC180296 WICKED & DIVINE #42 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR) $3.99
DEC180259 MAGE HERO DENIED #15 (OF 15) CVR A WAGNER $7.99
Hey, comic-book comics. We have our weekly Mignola, always welcome. I think Brian Bendis tweaking Action into a flagship DC Universe title was a really smart move; the resulting comic books have an ease of read to them pretty rare in mainstream comics these days. Die Die Die is a gaming comic gaining marketplace traction; it feels like we're four or five issue's worth of content on Wicked And Divine, so I'm paying closer attention. Finally, congratulations to Matt Wagner for finishing the third cycle of his long-running Mage comic, something that I believe began -- yikes -- 35 years ago when I was the perfect age for its monster designs, t-shirt toting hero and broad call-outs to Arthurian legend. I always think it's nice for creators to get the comic they intended out, whether or not it's a comic for me at its far end.

DEC182038 EMOTIONAL DATA ONE SHOT (MR) $6.00
This is the high-curiosity item of this week's books of note: Silver Sprocket is as good a name as any for this kind of book, and the visuals look interesting. I'll definitely be looking at it.

JAN191654 WHEN IS HIGH MOON GN $30.00
This is one of those animation artist turn to comics projects -- another book not my cup of tea, but I like how aggressive and hyper-contextual the ad copy is.

NOV180715 CORTO MALTESE GN THE SECRET ROSE $19.99
This is a single-page comic that originally ran in the 1980s, and you just know it's super-handsome. I'm not enough of a close reader to capture in my own mind, even, any sort of satire or commentary.

DEC181865 CULT OF THE IBIS HC (MR) $29.99
This is Daria Tessler through FU press. Tessler's stuff is really good-looking, and reflects her background as a single-image printmaker, enough I'd certainly check out a stand-alone volume. Here's the Instagram site.

DEC181863 WRITING WRITTEN HC SHORT STORIES $24.99
Here's the latest offering from Fantagraphics' intermittent prose book program, Stephen Dixon is certainly a formidable writer with the usual cluster of honors and fellowships. He has to be at least in his mid-'70s and I don't know what the later work is like at all but I love any boutique publisher that chooses to work with older talent -- even one I already love for other reasons.

DEC181854 BILLIE THE BEE HC $14.99
Mary Fleener! I can't imagine not wanting to pick this up and look it over in the comics. Her skill on the page should lend itself very well to all-ages work, and will hopeful drive some attention to a reconsideration of her memoir-style comics. A full Mary Fleener re-appreciation, that's what I want.

*****

The full list of this week's releases, including some titles with multiple cover variations and a long, impressive list of toys and other stuff that isn't comics, can be found here. Despite this official list there's no guarantee a comic will show up in the stores as promised, or in all of the stores as opposed to just a few. Also, stores choose what they carry and don't carry so your shop may not carry a specific publication. There are a lot of comics out there.

To find your local comic book store, check this list; and for one I can personally recommend because I've shopped there, albeit a while back, try this.

The above titles are listed with their Diamond order code in the first field, which may assist you in finding comics at your shop or having them order something for you they don't have in-stock. Ordering through a direct market shop can be a frustrating experience, so if you have a direct line to something -- you know another shop has it, you know a bookstore has it -- I'd urge you to consider all of your options.

If I failed to list your comic, that's because I hate you.

*****

*****
*****

posted 3:25 pm PST | Permalink

If I Were In Huntington, I’d Go To This

posted 3:20 pm PST | Permalink

Random Comics News Story Round-Up

* Tom Tomorrow has been great for so long, it's easy to take him for granted. No one could do a comic strip quite like this one, and have it be funny every panel.

* I liked the look of this Gemma Correll comic strip, and felt it added to the overall effect.

* Ken Parille would like to point out the ageist elements of comics criticism, just like you'd expect from an old.

* finally: so apparently I may have aided and abetted Brian Bendis is blowing up the DC universe version of the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) campus. All apologies to my friends teaching there. You can't sleep over here, though.

posted 3:05 pm PST | Permalink

Happy 57th Birthday, Andy Kubert!