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I used to rank Jack Kirby’s Fourth World series as my favorite of all his post-1970s comic book work, with Mister Miracle as my favorite title. Over the years, that shifted.
My favorite Fourth World title became Jimmy Olsen because of two things: (1) it’s such a whacked out, imaginative take on the Olsen universe and (2) it’s the first time anyone thought about Olsen as a character instead of the victimized afterthought he was for years in the Mort Weisinger comics.
But since then, my favorite has shifted once more. It’s Kamandi, The Last Boy On Earth. What began with the basic elements of Planet Of The Apes turned into an epic of post-apocalyptic Earth. Animals are in charge, humans are slaves or playthings, and only Kamandi stands as the last hope for mankind.
It’s been a long time since I read individual issues. I picked up a bunch on sale for $1 each during Free Comic Book Day, and Kamandi #14 was one of them, the earliest in the pack.
Click to continue reading Kamandi #14 by Jack Kirby
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Weekend Reading: Avengers, Alan Moore, Before Watchmen, and Don McGregor
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Interviews, Movies, Reviews, DC Comics, Marvel Comics
I once met Alan Moore, had dinner with him in fact. A dinner that included Stephen Bissette and John Totleben.
I must stress that they did not have dinner with me at my invitation - I was at the table as a guest of Gary Groth and Kim Thompson from Fantagraphics. Also in attendance was Dave Olbrich. The creative trio - currently on DC’s Swamp Thing - was on their way to NY and had stopped in at the Fantagraphics offices to meet with Gary and Kim and head for Chinese food. And I got to tag along.
I spent a couple of hours listening to Moore and his companions regale the group with story after story. At no point did I ever think of Alan Moore as crazy. In fact, I thought he was one of the smartest guys I’d ever met. He was also not like anyone I’d met either before or since. He was different, alright. But crazy? No. Weird? Hardly.
Which brings me to this:
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Avengers, Alan Moore, Before Watchmen, and Don McGregor
If you’ve been wondering what Paul Levitz has been doing since he left his office at DC Comics, I can tell you one of those things: teaching. He’s an Adjunct Professor of Publishing at Pace University.
According to Pace, “during the Fall 2012 semester, Prof. Levitz will be teaching PUB 615, Comics & Graphic Novels. During the Spring 2013 semester he will be teaching a new course, PUB 619, The Future of Publishing: Transmedia, and he hopes to see many of the Pace M.S. in Publishing students in one or both of these classes.”
Click to continue reading Paul Levitz, Legion of Super-Teachers
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| Pace University
Tony DeZuniga Needs A Helping Hand
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics
Veteran comic book artist and all-around good guy, Tony DeZuniga, is having health issues that's creating financial issues.
Tony was a mainstay of both DC and Marvel in the 1970s, and there was an elegance to his work, even handling a violent Jonah Hex story. (He co-created Hex with writer John Albano.)
Author Scott Edelman has more details about what's going on and, more importantly, how you can help.
He also has a note from creator Neal Adams about how important Tony's arrival in U.S. comics was so important in the 1970s.
If you can help, this is a very worthwhile cause.
[Artwork: All-Star Western, cover by Tony DeZuniga, © DC Entertainment]
Read More | Scott Edelman's Blog
Weekend Reading: Before Watchmen, Mark Waid, Pogo & Ultraverse
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, DC Comics, Image Comics, Marvel Comics
Welcome, weekend warriors! The internets have released a bounty of digital delights, so let's check 'em out!
John Rogers (Leverage) talks about his role in Mark Waid’s digital comics venture, and also talks about digital comics in general. John's a very smart guy, so he's well worth listening to.
One of my favorites, SF author Jay Lake (Rocket Science; Mainspring), is profiled in the Sunday Oregonian.
Over at John Scalzi’s Whatever, author Justin Jordan writes about the trade collection of his Image comic, The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, inspired by those Charles Atlas ads in old comics. After reading about it, it’s now something I need to get.
Heidi nails what’s going on over at Disney, with link to Nikki Finke.
David Brothers nails Before Watchmen. I love the phrase “ethical rot.”
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Before Watchmen, Mark Waid, Pogo & Ultraverse
Weekend Reading: Watchmen, Ploog, Gibbons, and Gary Friedrich
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Television, DC Comics, Marvel Comics
It's the weekend time again and since we're between the end of football season and baseball season, at least in the U.S., it must be comic book season. Let's take a look.
Author Joe Konrath is a very smart man on the subjects of book publishing, Amazon, and the future of the written word business. He makes a great case in a post called Amazon Will Destroy You.
Tom McLean at Bags And Boards looks at both sides of the Before Watchmen argument and comes up with some smart thoughts worthy of attention.
J. M. DeMatteis runs a very nice appreciation of his sometime collaborator Mike Ploog.
Cartoonist Lew Stringer uncovers an old Dave Gibbons strip you might not be familiar with.
This is an old link, but it’s a nice profile of gag cartoonist Bob Vojtko.
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Watchmen, Ploog, Gibbons, and Gary Friedrich
As you may have already heard, DC Comics is changing the name of Captain Marvel, a superhero who dates from the 1940s.
He’ll now be officially called by his magic word: Shazam! That’s the word that changes poor red-shirted newsboy Billy Batson into the fully-grown Captain Marvel.
That’s the equivalent of changing the name of Superman to “Up, Up And Away!” but DC says it has to be done. There’s confusion in the marketplace since Marvel Comics also has a Captain Marvel of their own.
Marvel’s Captain Marvel was created after DC Comics sued the original Captain Marvel’s publishers (Fawcett) and drove them out of business, leaving a Captain Marvel void in comics. Years later, DC acquired the rights to the Fawcett Captain Marvel, which they could publish, but only under the Shazam! name so as not to compete with Marvel’s trademark. Are you following all of this or do you need a moment?
Click to continue reading My Name Is…Shazam!
Weekend Reading: Gary Friedrich, Walking Dead, Ted McKeeer & Arcana
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews, DC Comics, Image Comics, Marvel Comics
What a weird, weird funnybook week. Let’s take a look:
Artist Tony Moore is suing writer Robert Kirkman over his portion of money from The Walking Dead.
Gary Friedrich is getting legally crapped on by Marvel Comics.
DC Comics is still legally battling over Superman.
Columbia Pictures drops The Boys from their film roster.
Vietnam is banning comic books.
And how was the rest of the week?
If you've ever thought about opening a used bookstore, here are 25 Things you might discover.
Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Gary Friedrich, Walking Dead, Ted McKeeer & Arcana
Comic Book Jobs: Checking Out Craigslist
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, DC Comics, Independent
As many of you already know, I love the Craigslist as the perfect opportunity to find the oddest of comic book jobs.
And here’s one now: in Philadelphia, the comic book publisher Zenescope is looking for an actress to portray Alice in Wonderland.
Manga translators are needed in San Francisco.
A “multimedia company” wants to share a booth with you at Comic Con International this year.
A “comic book style film” needs female actresses for $100 a day.
Remember Nick Cuti’s Moonchild character? Someone’s acquired the audio rights and is looking for a model who looks as much like her as humanly possible.
MackVision Entertainment needs an intern for their new Motion Comics series.
Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: Checking Out Craigslist
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Want to be an editor at DC Comics? Want to work in beautiful Burbank, California?
Then Time Warner, DC’s parent company, has a job for you.
DC’s looking for a Content Editor, someone who is a “creative, digitally savvy, and strategic-minded individual” to join their Interactive Marketing team.
The Content Editor “will be responsible for leading the day-to-day planning, development, and execution of DC Entertainment’s digital content strategy across all platforms (online, mobile, social media, etc).”
Click to continue reading Comic Book Jobs: DC Comics
Read More | Time Warner
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