Promotional: New Comics Day = New Nitroglycerin!
Comments Off | Posted: July 12th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
A stupid new hobby. Roll your mouse over the image.
Comments Off | Posted: July 12th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedIf there’s enough interest, I will continue my digital restoration of this old Frank Frazetta Shining Knight story as the next entry in my complete scans of old comics. Is it worth it? Do you notice or care enough or would you rather get the stories faster? I plan on offering more things up now that there’s a little organization in this house and I’d like to know if it’s worth my time or if you’re happy with the current quality of materials on presentation. Just wiggle your mouse over the image below. If you’re on dialup, it may be sort of brutal, the wait.
Let me know what you think. Quality is Job One here at Beaucoup Towers. We’re here to serve you. Just do it. Guinness is good for you. Beanz Meanz Heinz.
"The Monster Who Loved Lois Lane!"
Comments Off | Posted: July 11th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Lois Lane has had many admirers, but never any like
the one who comes literally from out of this world!
Here’s the story of her strangest romance, the tale of…
“The Monster Who Loved Lois Lane
Script: Edmond Hamilton
Art: Kurt Schaffenberger
Previous Complete Stories:
Jack Kirby draws “I Found The City Under The Sea!”
The Three Rocketeers in “The Lunar Goliaths!”
The Fighting American in “Operation Wolf!”
Space Cabby in “The Luxury Limousine Of Space!”
“Little” Joe Little in “The Three-Foot Sleuth!”
Items!
Comments Off | Posted: July 11th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized- SuicideGirls interview with Tony Millionaire, in which he becomes my hero:
I got to do pencil sketches first because I don�t want to be too drunk, but then by the time I�m working into the inks that�s when the booze kicks in. But there�s no way I can sit there sober and draw, I�d just get too bored. Sometimes by the end of the page I would have to actually get up in the morning and go look at it and like, �oh nuts, I got too drunk by the end of this one.� So I�d have to do the last panel over again. I don�t recommend this for everyone because most people can�t draw drunk.
(Courtesy of Spurgeon, man of the people.)
- Here’s some art made with a rake and photographed from a kite, which is very pretty.
- Check out this neat preview of the upcoming graphic novel Rotting In Dirtville, coming soonish from Gigantic Graphic Novels.
- Jason from Comic Strip turns 29 tomorrow! I hope this year finds some relief for him from the medical crap that’s been going down.
- I now have 100 fake internet friends and if you are on the biggest fake internet friend site, you should make sure I know that you want to be my fake internet friend by clicking on the “Add To Fake Internet Friends” link.
- If you’re my friend, I’ll come over and be drunk at your house, just like I was at Jim’s place this past weekend. Yes, that one girl does look a little like Katee Sackhoff, who will not be at SDCC this year, damn her eyes.
- Syd Barrett is dead. I’ve never cared for Pink Floyd, but his decline into insanity is pretty tragic. Check out this interesting interview with Joe Boyd from The Guardian.
- A reminder: A Night At The Hip-Hopera is the best mashup album ever.
- Another reminder: Agreeable Comics is coming.
- The end.
Sorry this is late. I locked myself out of the house. No, seriously.
Comments Off | Posted: July 10th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedJuly 12, 2006
Dark Horse
MAY060011 ESCAPISTS #1 (OF 6) $1.00
The preview for this came out when, 2004? Or does it just seem that way to me, someone who is looking very much forward to getting more Philip Bond in his comics-reading diet?
DC Comics
MAY060228 100 BULLETS #74 (MR) $2.99
When this series is done, Azzarello and Risso are going to have to do a new title called 100 Cuddles, in which people make up for their heinous pasts with hugs and teddy bears.
APR060223 JLA CLASSIFIED #24 $2.99
I can’t say how tired I am of this current story. I really wanted to give Steve Englehart some of my filthy luchre, but when he can’t write a compelling story that has Vibe and the Royal Flush Gang and Tom Denerick seems to just spastically twitch on each page, I’m not interested.
A side note: I had to call Josh because I’m writing this at Diesel. Josh told me that the writer I really liked on Detective was, in fact, Steve Englehart and not Steve Earle.
Don’t give me that look. I’m impaired.
MAY060219 MAN CALLED KEV #1 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
For loving this, I will not apologize. Kev may well be my favorite Wildstorm character, after Moore and Casey’s takes on Spartan and that girl that didn’t wear very much.
You know the one. Boobula or whatever.
Image
OCT051739 HAWAIIAN DICK THE LAST RESORT #4 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99
Holy shit, this is finally coming out? I really hope that when I’m writing the great history of comics in the first decade of the 21st century, my section about B. Clay Moore can include phrases like “ether frolic.”
Marvel Comics
MAY062024 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE VOL 3 HC $34.99
Just the other day, I was telling some friends that this series, while enjoyable during reading and quite lovely to look at, is utterly unmemorable. Seriously, outside of “Ultron, we would have words with thee,” I remember so very little of Busiek’s run. It’s affable, nice, and manages to keep me entertained while I’m sitting with it, but becomes mental vapor when I walk away.
Comic
MAR063074 HERO SQUARED ONGOING #2 $3.99
I love this comic a truly stupid amount, and not just because Ross Richie lets me wreak havoc on his comics company. Hero Squared is engaging, smart pop fiction that uses superhero tropes to remind us all that there’s a dual nature inside the human animal.
Also, that Steffie is hot.
Is that it for me? Is the Grant Morrison Batman coming out this week? I’m writing this with a truncated list and I’m wondering if my general disdain for NuBatman has meant that I may have missed this epic, quite likely brilliant work. Ah well, if I get it, it’s a nice surprise. No, I don’t plan on going back to the list before uploading this.
LiveJournal Moment Follows
Now Playing: “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force. I swear, I’m chair-dancing like a chubby, male Jennifer Beals.
Oh, this is glorious.
Comments Off | Posted: July 7th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
In the States, this movie comes out on my birthday.
The greatest present you can give me is making sure this
does boffo box office business, boys and girls.
See the not-quite finished cut of the video for the
contest-winning Cobra Starship song that will be on
the soundtrack by clicking here.
Terry tells you "How to spot a Jap."
Comments Off | Posted: July 7th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Comics legend Milt Caniff produced this 11-page comic for the US Army’s Pocket Guide To China, a book distributed to soldiers stationed in the Pacific theater during World War II. The comic was removed from later editions of the book.
A fascinating and essential bit of comics history, even if it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Other Resources:
The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco has an online exhibit about the internment of Japanese residents of the city.
Powell’s has a copy of Dr. Suess Goes To War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel with your name on it.
Popeye entreats us: “Let’s Blast ‘Em Japanazis!”
Speaking of Japanazis, Superman, Batman, and Robin (ytmnd.com) think you should sink them.
Here’s the curriculum of a course entitled World War II As Seen Through Children�s Literature. As far as I can tell, Laura Pringleton’s proposal for the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute never went any further, and that’s a shame.
If you’ve not, you really should read Hiroshima by John Hersey.
Promotional.
Comments Off | Posted: July 7th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
You’ll be able to
buy the star-studded debut of
Agreeable Comics from me at
San Diego Comicon.
It will cost $1.
Copies will be made available through
this site and BenjaminBirdie.com
soon afterward.
Promotional: Nitroglycerin goes meta.
Comments Off | Posted: July 6th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
It’s not now up on the BOOM! Studios site, and Birdie’s gone ahead and posted the large version of the latest Nitroglycerin on his WebcomicsNation page.
I hate to gush (as he’ll get a giant inflated ego and start making demands,) but Birdie totally kicked ass on this one, even if he thinks I am a difficult person to draw. He should try living with me, where the stench of whiskey and failure permeates the air and long, rambling monologues about Kirby occur at the drop of a hat.
Ahem.
This is where I tell you to go look at my very patient girlfriend’s cool-ass project.
Review: Sexy Voice And Robo
Comments Off | Posted: July 6th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedNico Hayashi is a part-time telephone-dating operator, an eager 14 year old wanting to make her mark on the world as a spy. As “Sexy Voice,” she brings out men’s fantasies and gets them to open up about themselves, even having her unwitting clients attempt to meet her college-student alter ego in a public space which she watches from afar. Oddly, there’s no malice in her actions: she just likes to watch people and get to know the real stories behind them. It’s this behavior that gets her noticed by a mysterious benefactor.
Iichiro Sudo is the stereotypical otaku – a barely-employed, twentysomething fanboy whose collection of giant robot toys carries more importance to him than anything else. One of the many men that Nico talks to in her job, Iichiro is conscripted by Sexy Voice after she’s told to find a missing child and soon becomes her partner, even if he’s quite unaware of what’s going on most of the time.
This is the setup for Iou Kuroda’s oddly charming, frequently enthralling Sexy Voice And Robo. While not quite glossing over the whole nature of what Nico does to earn money, Kuroda uses it as a platform to quickly establish her relationships to a number of characters with a minimum of creepiness. Kuroda shows a deft handling of genre – the stories move from high adventure to contemplative drama while letting the audience get to know both leads as people as well as characters. There’s also a lot to be said for Kuroda’s artwork – it’s slightly scratchy, expressive and energetic while still clearly telling the story.
One of the aspects that makes this work enjoyable for me is the sense of hope that permeates many of the stories. This tone, playful and light while still managing to tackle some fairly heavy material with respect, makes Sexy Voice And Robo much more engaging than I expected. The attachment I formed to the characters and the world they’re trying to make better made the tragic ending to one tale that much more poignant without any sense of cheap manipulation.
Highly recommended, Sexy Voice And Robo does not require a significant investment from an interested reader. It’s available in a $20 single-volume edition from Viz that collects all 13 original stories and two bonus pieces. Translation duties on this were handled by Kelly Sue DeConnick.
Promotional: Nitroglycerin Delayed.
Comments Off | Posted: July 5th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedDue to the delay in comics delivery for all stores, Nitroglycerin has been pushed back by a day to ensure that you equate New Comics Day with a New Promotional Webcomic Strip.
Also, I may have been definitely was aggressively drinking all weekend, causing me to turn in the script late. Mea culpa.
"Promise me that you will never forget the Ninja commandment."
Comments Off | Posted: July 4th, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized“Ninja Tune” by Hexstatic
Happy Fourth.
Comments Off | Posted: July 4th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedWhat’s more patriotic than Captain America being a relief pitcher?
The Rundown
Comments Off | Posted: July 3rd, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorizedmay be late this week because
of the holiday. I still did the
list on time anyway.
Dark Horse
APR060031 BPRD THE BLACK FLAME TP $17.95
An excellent series that I’ve sold and sold to you people. If you’ve not and you like Hellboy, do.
DC Comics
MAY060149 ALL NEW ATOM #1 $2.99
Giving this a whirl. The preview in Brave New World was certainly the highlight of the thing.
APR060183 BATMAN CITY OF CRIME TP $19.99
Is it just me, or does anyone else hear “City Of Crime” from the Dragnet movie soundtrack when they see the title of this book? Check the video below (apologies about the green box and text – it’s the only version I could find on YouTube.)
MAY060215 BATTLER BRITTON #1 (OF 5) $2.99
Garth Ennis in World War II comic shocker! It’s got planes and it’ll be well researched and probably have more than a few Hard Man moments, so I’m sure to be happy.
APR060236 SHOWCASE PRESENTS ELONGATED MAN VOL 1 TP $16.99
Like I don’t have enough giant black and white volumes taking up space in my house. I do hope we get a Flash volume from this period.
APR060282 TOP 10 BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT TP $14.99.
I just sort of stopped reading this in the middle. I think I preordered the trade.
Marvel
MAY062030 BLACK PANTHER BY JACK KIRBY VOL 2 TP $19.99
Awesome. I really love that Marvel’s finally collecting this material. It’d be nice if they could cut Kirby’s family a regular check, though.
MAY062038 ESSENTIAL OFF HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE DELUXE ED VOL 3 TP $16.99
Now I can finally know the true story of Uatu!
MAY061971 FANTASTIC FOUR FIRST FAMILY #5 (OF 6) $2.99
I hope we get momentum back in this issue – I’ve already mentioned that the last issue seemed to hover a bit.
MAY061970 FRANKLIN RICHARDS SON OF A GENIUS SUPER SUMMER SPECTACULAR $2.99
I can’t help it. I know it’s cheap and manipulative, but it’s just so cute. I know it’s riffing on Calvin and Hobbes and I don’t care.
Other Companies
APR063014 FLIGHT VOL 3 GN $24.95
I’ve been looking forward to this since it was announced. The first two volumes are uniformly good and manage to tic over into the “excellent” territory pretty often.
MAR063208 HATE ANNUAL #6 (MR) $4.95
I still love Peter Bagge’s cartooning, but he’s getting downright crazy of late, isn’t he?
APR063025 TALENT #2 (OF 4) $3.99
Talent is a comic from BOOM! Studios that I enjoy very much. I believe many other people would enjoy it as well.
Now, finally, another video link. The BBC used “Numb” from the new Pet Shop Boys album Fundamental to close out their World Cup coverage. Not that anyone needs any more salt in that wound, but:
I have to go – Anthony Bourdain’s talking to Ferran Adri�, who’s crazy talented and manages to break food in new and unique ways.
Does The World Need Another Superman Movie?
Comments Off | Posted: July 3rd, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedJust got out of seeing Superman Returns, Bryan Singer’s successful attempt to revitalize the film series that Richard Donner started in the 70s. While others have complained about a lack of action and a “mopey” feel, I’m finding myself wondering if I saw the same film they did, or if maybe I’ve seen the revered 1977 Superman movie more recently and am aware of the laconic path that movie took – almost an hour before we see the titular hero in costume – in an attempt to ground the character in cinematic reality.
Singer’s in prime form here, making the movie accessible to new audiences without being a slave to changing things just because. While he may lack the visual zip of a Sam Raimi and sometimes he lets a scene breathe just a bit too long, the film is energetic even when it’s not about space rescues and citywide destruction thanks to Routh’s dead-on performance and most of the cast (Bosworth aside) embracing the material and chewing the scenery just enough. Some people have commented that this was a Superman movie for people that don’t know anything about Superman and haven’t read the comics for years. That’s rather the point of the whole exercise – to make the Man Of Steel relevant for a post-Matrix, Amber Alert society. Singer and the screenwriters succeed admirably in doing this, much more so than John Byrne did with The Man Of Steel in the comics. The introduction of new wrinkles to the myth – Lois Lane’s fiancee Richard White (played by James Marsden, looking very relieved to not be behind giant ruby quartz lenses) is likeable and has many of the same traits that Lois sees in Superman and the child they’re raising together – kept me wondering where the movie was going to go. This is a welcome departure that the film series can make away from the comics, opening up the future of the franchise by adding elements that hook a broader spectrum of moviegoers.
Superman Returns is not without its flaws – Kate Bosworth utterly fails to make me believe her slightly whiny take on Lois Lane would get a certificate for good attendace, much less a Pulitzer Prize and Luthor’s plan smacks too much of the original film’s land-grabbing plot, but one can be ignored and the other can be fixed with a bit more direction in the sequel, which I am certainly eager to see. Surely the most entertaining comic book movie of the year, at least until I see the Cromartie High School adaptation.
Bonus Link:
I’ve got a couple of small bites of comics suggestions over at Comic Foundry’s latest issue. Tim Leong’s a hell of a guy and I hope to do more for him in the future.
The Only Sports Post I Will Make This Year.
Comments Off | Posted: July 1st, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
This logic, it eludes me. I love Kristin to tiny, tiny pieces, but it boggles my mind. Surely a belief in a team’s superiority on the field should vastly outweigh the hottness of any given player.
Excuse me while I write a 3 page essay on why Katee Sackhoff is better than Dirk Benedict in the role of Starbuck.
Kirby Saturday: Cake!
Comments Off | Posted: July 1st, 2006 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Happy 30th Anniversary of
Captain American’s Bicentennial Battles!
(Scan taken from the back of the actual book and recolored
because three decades beat the hell out of the poor thing.
Yes. I could have used the trade, but the coloring there
was a bit too “digital” for my tastes.
Yes, I spent an hour on this.)
