Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
Chris Butcher has a damning post about a Dark Horse mistake (link no longer available): Frank Miller’s 300 has been unavailable through Diamond at a time that interest is growing, due to the film currently in production. Apparently, 2 or 3 weeks ago, there was a signing with Frank Miller in Montreal (this didn’t get any press as far as I saw?). For 300. At which, there were NO copies of 300 available. Dark Horse didn’t come through (it was […]
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Speakeasy has recently come under much criticism for … oh, a whole laundry list of things. Read my original post at the link for details. Now Rich Johnston, Speakeasy creator, has interviewed Adam Fortier, Speakeasy publisher, in an attempt to get answers to some of the concerns raised. The piece (link no longer available) starts with a summary of Fortier’s resume, mostly high points and praise. After that, in response to valid questions, the answers are all maybes and “it’s […]
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Alias Comics hasn’t shipped any regular comics since November 9, when they released Killer Stunts Inc #4, Lethal Instinct #4 (both originally due in July), Sixgun Samurai #2, and XIII #3 (both due August). Now they’re sending out some more titles. According to their message boards (link no longer available), shipping next Wednesday, December 21 are: 10th Muse #8 David Shepherds Song Vol 1 TP Hyperactives #0 Legend of Isis #7 Lethal Instinct #5 XIII #5 You may have noticed […]
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I used to call Alias the next CrossGen, because their combined late books, overloaded slate, and tendency to flood retailers made them look like they weren’t long for the world. Now, they’ve got a competitor for the title: Speakeasy. The publisher seems to have decided that it doesn’t need to do anything in order to make a profit. It doesn’t need to promote titles (press mailings have declined greatly, based on my own experience). It doesn’t need to risk taking […]
Read moreComic retailer Mike Sterling disagrees with those who think Fell should have been priced at $3. I’m sorry to reproduce so much of his comments, but they’re so pithy: Speaking as a seller of funnybooks, I think having a $1.99 comic that’s actually good is just dandy, particularly one by a writer with a significant amount of material in the marketplace. I use it as an inexpensive sampler book for people who want to try some of Ellis’ work but […]
Read moreI stopped talking about the whole brouhaha over “negativity” among comic critics because at least in my case, I was tired of getting responses with all the intellectual fervor of “get back in the kitchen, woman”. (Thankfully, geek sexism is a lot less common in the blogverse than it ever was on Usenet, but obviously, it still exists.) It looks like several people used the opportunity for more thought-out pieces, though. Chris Tamarri (link no longer available) provides a lengthy […]
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Comics Should Be Good tracks the changes that happened to Nightwing #115 between solicitation and publication. DC seems to have truncated Devin Grayson’s storyline with Dick Grayson undercover as a villain working for Deathstroke. Just from the copy CSBG provides, it looks to me like they took connections to Villains United out of the title. We know Grayson was concerned about crossovers having ill effects on superhero comics; maybe that’s the kind of thing she was talking about.
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Ian Brill interviews Warren Ellis on Fell‘s format for Publishers Weekly. The book is unusual, 16 pages of single-issue comic story + 8 pages of supporting material for $2 US. It’s something of a breakthrough in giving fans what they’ve said for years they wanted — a cheaper, satisfying read — and more Image comics will be following its model in the coming year. Retailers should also be pleased that this format is real competition for those “waiting for the […]
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