Weekend Reading: The Avengers, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dave Berg
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Interviews, Movies, Independent, Marvel Comics
Now, how many times have you already seen The Avengers? Doesn't it just kick movie butt? And what movie do you think we'll be talking about all summer? Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises?
Avengers Assemble...in line! Former Malibu Comics publisher and co-founder Dave Olbrich (now a manager at Space Goat Productions) and for Malibu Comics Editor-In-Chief Chris Ulm (now the head guy at Appy Entertainment), show up at the :20 mark in this report from AMC theaters in southern California.
Longbox Graveyard goes Marathoning and Assembling for Avengers and other Marvel-based movies. “Five of my favorite superhero movies, in a day-long sitting, followed by a midnight debut of The Avengers! Seventeen hours in a movie theater, ninety minutes in the car each way getting there, a day off work to do it and another day off to recover. Great for a twelve-year-old, not-so-great if you’re half a century old. So I found a couple twelve-year-olds and went anyway.”
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Free Comic Book Day 2012
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Independent
Hey kids, free comics!
One of my favorite things is Free Comic Book Day, because, you know, “free” and “comics” are the peanut butter and chocolate of the Direct Market. It's the first Saturday of May, and this year that means May 5. Out of all the ones that are being released, I’ve put together a shortlist of the ones I want most.
Kaboom! is the kid-friendly imprint of Boom! Studios and their Peanuts/Adventure Time Flipbook looks like fun. The Peanuts comics are clearly crafted with care and affection for the original material, and Adventure Time is just as nutty as the animated series.
Atomic Robo from Red 5 is one of my favorite comics and why it’s not talked about in the same group as Hellboy and The Walking Dead is beyond me. It’s one of the best comics around - terrific characters, excellent writing and art, beautiful coloring. I grab the latest ones each year at San Diego, and whatever pops up on FCBD. If you see a copy, grab it. Highly recommended.
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Danny Fingeroth in Seattle
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics
Writer and editor Danny Fingeroth will be appearing at Comics Dungeon in Seattle, WA on January 5th.
Here are the Facts on Fingeroth: "Danny is well known for his extensive editorial runs at Marvel Comics, overseeing titles such as Spider-Man, Marvel Team-Up, and more.
"His writing credits include Darkhawk, Dazzler, The Deadly Foes of Spider-Man, and numerous issues of The Avengers, Iron Man, Daredevil, and more!
"Fingeroth is also the creator of Write Now! Magazine for TwoMorrows Publishing and is also well known for his books Superman On The Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Society as well as Disguised As Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero."
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Happy Birthday, Stan Lee!
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics
It’s Stan Lee’s birthday this week. He turns 89 and he seems busier now than he was at 49 1/2.
My only Stan Lee story is from the one time that I met him. It was social. It was political. It was dinner.
That’s right. This wasn’t some convention fly-by “how are you?” We actually had dinner together. Though he would certainly not remember it as I was but one of many dining companions that evening.
Back in 1994, Marvel Comics had just purchased Malibu Comics out from under a stunned DC Comics and a quick “executive back-slapping” dinner was organized at Chinois in Santa Monica.
Chinois is one of those places that you don’t really go to unless you’re on a really terrific date or someone else is picking up the tab. In this case, someone else was picking up the tab.
All the Marvel higher-ups of the day, like Terry Stewart, were there and so was the Malibu gang – Scott Rosenberg, Dave Olbrich, me and Chris Ulm. As we were ushered to our table, I found myself standing next to a very jovial Stan.
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Comic Con International 2011: My Con Report
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Collecting, Conventions, Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics, Image Comics
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So I'm back from the latest Comic Con extravaganza in San Diego. Unlike other folks that gather up news and special announcements, I gather up a few odds and ends.
Here's my Comic Con report for 2011 (Spoiler Alert: names will be dropped):
Planet of the Apes – When Boom!'s marketing director Chip Mosher asks, I answer! I was on the Boom! Planet of the Apes panel as a guest and had a great time with the engaged crowd. Editor Ian Brill, writer Daryl Gregory and myself talked about the movies, the comics, the creators and time travel. Life is rarely that good.
Aaron Lopresti – Dinner with the artist on the upcoming Justice League International series from DC. We spent it art-spotting with licensed merchandise. Pal Dave Olbrich bought along a 1970s-era Master of Kung Fu drinking glass and it was decided that it was a Gil Kane figure with a face reworked by Romita, Sr.
Marineman – I had a great chat with Ian Churchill, creator of Marineman, the Image Comics title that's also an Eisner-winner. I plopped down $15 for the collected 6 issues. I'm halfway through and it's money well-spent.
Portfolio Review – Dropped in on Space Goat's Dave Olbrich (him again) as he flipped through portfolios offering advance and gentle criticism. Lots of talented folks this year.
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Top 10 Surprises in Thor
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews, Marvel Comics
Have you seen the new Thor movie yet? And if not, why not?
Of the summer's four big comic book movies - Thor, Green Lantern, Captain America and X-Men: First Class – it's the one with the distinguished pedigree (Kenneth Branagh! Sir Anthony Hopkins! Natalie Portman!) and one of the least likely super-hero movies besides Ant-Man or Metamorpho.
Curiosity alone makes it worth $10.
Having said all that, there were still a number of things about Thor that surprised me. Here's my Top 10.
10. It's not just his hammer that's called Mjolnir
9. Cameo by Stan Lee Media
8. His real name is "Sore"; he has a speech impediment
7. Shout out to Kirby; that's Kirby Carruthers, the assistant lighting director
6. Natalie Portman should be in every movie. Just sayin'.
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Marvel Reboots The Avengers Movie For 2013!
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics
HOLLYWOOD, CA - Call it "Avengers Reassembled!"
Marvel Comics today announced that even though their new all-star superhero movie The Avengers won't debut in theaters until 2012, they will reboot it for 2013.
Said Avengers executive producer Avi Arad, "It's important to get an early jump and stake out our release dates." He added that the easiest way to do that and guarantee another hit movie for for the company is to remake a movie that's almost certain to be a hit.
Marvel's rationale is borne out by the facts of movie production and audience tracking. "Word of mouth on the first Avengers movie is Snakes On A Plane huge," Arad said. "But we've got superheroes."
Arad added that by the time the first Avengers film debuts in theaters and appears on DVD, enough people will have seen it that they will be clamoring for something new. But they'll also want something that's familiar and reliable so they don't feel like they've wasted the price of a movie ticket.
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Comic Book Jobs: Checking Out Craigslist
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Independent
It's time to visit my favorite place that isn't in front of the TV: Craigslist. Let's see who's hiring:
Heroic Publishing in Long Beach, California is looking for an assistant for a couple of days each week.
A female model is needed for a superhero photo shoot "for a comic book project for class."
A live-action comic book movie needs an actor to play the villain. "Any stage fighting, martial arts, and certainly any acting background is preferential but not absolutely necessary."
1821 Comics in Los Angeles is on the hunt for interns. They're doing the Romeo And Juliet: The War graphic novel with Stan Lee.
A "Comic Book Group" based in New York is looking for the full run of comic book freelancers: pencillers, inkers, colorists, letterers.
Good luck, job seekers!
[Artwork: Abiding Perdition from 1821 Studios]
Comic Book Jobs: Marvel Comics
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television, Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics in New York hasn’t posted much in the way of job listings so far in 2011, but now they have a nice one.
Marvel.com is looking for a Video Editor.
You’ll be working with “other video editors and producers through all stages of the video production and post-production process to promote and expose Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios projects and much more.”
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Comic Book Jobs: 1821 Intern
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Independent
1821 is looking for a few interns. And no this isn't some "live without electricity time travel show on The History Channel."
1821 is a new graphic novel and film production company (they're the ones doing Romeo And Juliet: The War with Stan Lee).
It's a 3-month unpaid internship, but it comes with school credit and free lunches. They want a couple of interns ASAP and you'll be working in either their film or their comic division.
Interns are expected to answer phones, assist with script coverage/notes, plus "research, errands, office duties, and special projects." An interest in the comics would certainly help.
Good luck, interns!
[Artwork: Juliet from Romeo And Juliet: The War © 1821]
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