Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
As if my three posts weren’t enough, here’s some other links: Heidi MacDonald sums up some links and concludes “Really, WW Chicago is a major regional show, but any pretense that it is even in the same league as San Diego’s multi media Conmageddon is silly.” Kris Dresen sounds about how I feel (link no longer available): It was all just so disappointing to me. I remember having a table at the last three (and first Wizard World) Chicago Cons. […]
Read more
Contrary to expectations I might have previously created, there were some good bits at the Chicago con. I found a few things to buy. At the Top Shelf booth, I got Lost Girls (part of my reason to drive to the Midwest instead of flying) and a replacement Owly shirt (they come in pink now!). I was introduced to the Theater Hopper web comic, and because it tickled me immensely, I bought their Spoiler t-shirt. I had a great time […]
Read moreI just saw something that suggests Wizard is claiming 200,000 people attended their show over all four days. (Wizard probably follows the method of counting a three-day pass as three attendances. Or, come to think of it, four, considering Preview Night.) I sure hope I misread that, because it’s nowhere near the truth, based on what I saw Thursday and Friday and what a retailer friend told me about business the rest of the weekend. Preview Night, Thursday from 4-7, […]
Read moreI only went Friday to Wizard World Chicago, and that was plenty for me. I was hoping to have a writeup up already, but I’ve been visiting old friends and going to a wedding instead, so Bill beat me to it in getting up his experiences. Bill mentions a sketch Paul Sizer did for me as a surprise, of me with a giant “hammer of snark”. I couldn’t have gotten through the show without Paul, and I really appreciate having […]
Read more
Retailers will love this… as announced at the Tokyopop Otakon panel: Tokyopop will be moving several of its manga to online exclusives, which can only be ordered from Tokyopop.com. Currently scheduled titles for this exclusivity are Atomic King Daibogan, Neck and Neck (starting with volume 6), and The One. I’d love to hear more about what prompted this decision… That’s the final volume of Neck and Neck, and One completes with book 11, while book 10 is listed for order. […]
Read more
Don’t believe everything you hear reported from Wizard World Chicago… here’s one example. From Newsarama’s coverage of the DCU panel (link no longer available), during a section responding to audience questions: [Any plans for] Static or other Milestone characters? [Paul] Levitz: “We keep talking about it. Nothing’s come together yet. Dwayne McDuffie has been talking to Dan about bringing him into the DCU. But Dwayne’s had some health issues.” Dwayne McDuffie’s response (link no longer available), as posted on his […]
Read more
The raison d’etre of Planetary has been using thinly-disguised versions of other people’s characters to explore genre literature. In Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth, Warren Ellis is able to use the real thing, which makes this entry the best of the series. As expected, there isn’t much of a story — the Planetary team, while chasing a superpowered freak, encounters various versions of Batman — but the gorgeous art by John Cassaday and the appreciation for superhero history as summed up […]
Read more
The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy’s Great Idea adapts the first book in the popular novel series by Ann M. Martin into comic form. Raina Telgemeier beautifully handles the conversion, creating a work that reads as though it had always been illustrated. It’s a great story for girls of all ages. Kristy has the idea of forming the club with two friends and a new acquaintance. Mary Anne is shy, with an overprotective single father. Claudia’s growing up a bit faster than […]
Read more