artesia afire: the third volume of mark smylie's epic artesia hits stores next week: "Archaia Studios Press proudly announces its third collection in the epic Book of Dooms, Artesia Afire. The acclaimed Artesia series featuring the ongoing adventures and exploits of the warrior-witch will hit stores on June 2, 2004. The war to save the Middle Kingdoms from the Thessid-Golan Empire continues! With magic coursing through her veins, the whispers of ghosts in her ears and an army at her back, Artesia, self-proclaimed Queen of Dara Dess, confronts the temptations, limits, and consequences of power. Artesia Afire contains all six issues of the Artesia Afire miniseries, a short story from Artesia Annual #2, and the "Into the Dark" story from Dork Tower #16 – 18, here printed in color for the first time." (240pp, color, SC, $24.95, ISBN: 1-932386-08-4)


posted by peter!  10:48 AM EST permalink

book of schuiten details: nbm has posted their august previews including the cover and two pages from the highly anticipated book of schuiten coming out this august:



"Besides the gorgeous work he does on the Cities of the Fantastic series, Schuiten also has amassed a body of work in theater and Opera set design, posters and full scale recreations which is impressive. This handsome art book presents an awesome array of these never-before-seen pieces in large size along with an interview of the artist conducted by Peeters. A handsome addition to anyone’s library that shows off the talent involved in comic art!" (136pp, color, oversized HC, $45)
posted by peter!  10:41 AM EST permalink

just what we need: punisher energy drinks



(thanks warren)
posted by peter!  10:39 AM EST permalink

Thursday, May 27, 2004

call me senile: thought i had blogged this already, but apparently not. art spiegelman's 9-11 graphic novel in the shadow of no tower has been picked up by pantheon books for a september release. more at icv2.com: "Spiegelman, of course, is the author of Maus, a key book in the development of the modern graphic novel, as well as the editor (along with his wife Francoise Mouly) of Raw, the award-winning anthology of avant garde comics... Pantheon is planning a major marketing push for In the Shadow of No Towers including an eight-city author tour, and a national advertising campaign in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the New Yorker, and key alternative newspapers."


posted by peter!  10:39 AM EST permalink

summer reading: the seattle weekly takes a look at a bunch of summer releases from fantagraphics, riverhead, and simon & schuster: "Look beyond the manga and the comix and the 'zines, and you'll find an abundance of worthwhile cartoon books from sources as highbrow as The New Yorker and as lowbrow as Mad and Playboy. No surprise that sex and scantily clad babes abound here, but office politics and simple child's play are equally important. Using few words and careful pen strokes, these artists and illustrators prove that ponderous prose can be the last thing we want to read this summer. The pleasures of one good panel, however, are like a popsicle—they don't require such close attention, and you immediately want another one after finishing."


posted by peter!  12:43 AM EST permalink

hutch owen strikes: tom hart popped in with the following news:

happy pills: grant morrison has been taking them and would like to share. four page preview of something called WE3 at DC right here. requires adobe acrobat.


posted by peter!  12:20 AM EST permalink

i have seen the future of comics: and it looks like prose. on the heels of dark horse's announcement of two new prose publishing imprints, marvel comics has announced the formation of their own prose imprint as well.

more at cbr.com if you're interested for some reason.
posted by peter!  12:17 AM EST permalink

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

the unknown cartoonist: the may 19-25th issue of sfweekly has named cartoonist graham annable 'best unknown local cartoonist' in their annual 'best of san francisco' issue: "Maybe it's because he's originally from Ontario, Canada, but Graham Annable draws cartoons that lack the cynical, biting tone of many other Bay Area comics. Annable's collections, Grickle and Further Grickle (published by Alternative Comics), don't feature ennui-ridden art-school rejects like Adrian Tomine's or misanthropic freaks like Dan Clowes'. There certainly aren't any big-butted lascivious lasses, as in R. Crumb's tomes. Instead, Annable showcases simple folk undergoing simple tasks, like trying to get rid of a cough, weaseling a ride to a party, or attempting to keep a dog from eating a neighbor's wombat..."


posted by peter!  10:41 AM EST permalink

abiogenesis news: gary spencer millidge, who produces one of my favorite serialized comics strangehaven, has provided the following updates:

new review: flowers & bees by moyoco anno

"Meet Komatsu, dweeb Number One who becomes so obsessed with his average looks keeping him a virgin that he goes to one of those expensive makeover salons to get the makeover he believes will make him popular in school. And the owners of the salon are more than happy to take his money. In fact, they make sure he keeps coming back so that they can eventually take all his money. And Komatsu, being the insecure, indecisive, easily-manipulated masochist that he is, keeps going back like a month to the flame. The male salon owners are replaced later on by a pair of bored, sociopathic women, which only lends added sexual tension to the proceedings as they tweak and tease and humiliate him into further frenzies of desperation."

(more from adi tantimedh)


posted by peter!  12:46 AM EST permalink

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

a look back at gill fox: the new york times ran an extended obituary yesterday on gill fox, the golden age creator who passed away last week: "Gill Fox, a jack-of-all-trades cartoonist who collaborated with the first generation of comic-book creators on innovative characters including Plastic Man and the Spirit, died May 15 in Redding Ridge, Conn., his daughter Donna Morency said. He was 88. As an editor, artist and writer at Quality Comics from 1940 to 1943, Fox drew covers for comic books featuring the diminutive Dollman and edited Police Comics, which featured Jack Cole's Plastic Man. A skillful artist in his own right, Fox had a tight, clean-lined brush style. He also penciled and inked Torchy, a comic book created by the pin-up artist Bill Ward." click the link above for the complete piece.
posted by peter!  11:47 AM EST permalink

day of deals:

Monday, May 24, 2004

war goddess: alternative comics has released more details on laura weinstein's upcoming graphic novel, the goddess of war:



"Lauren Weinstein's follow up to her critically acclaimed, Xeric award winning graphic novel, Inside Vineyland. The Goddess of War traces the life of the title character, from her majestic beginnings as the best Valkyrie and the great granddaughter of Thor, to her present position as the Goddess. But she's bored of determining the outcome for all wars on earth. So she leaves her isolated planet of vampires, wolves and volcanoes to visit Earth, where she quits her job being a Goddess to be with her lover, the Apache Chief. This angers her boss, the king of the Gods, and he decides to exact vengeance upon them. Will he succeed in punishing them or will the lovers escape the hand of fate? The Goddess of War is based on the character that Weinstein plays in her rock band, Flaming Fire. The story will be told in deluxe, oversized format with both pen and ink and with etchings.

"The Goddess of War, deluxe graphic novel by Lauren Weinstein, For Mature Readers, 40 pages, partial color, 10” x 16”, $11.95. ISBN: 1-891867-84-9. Diamond Code: MAY04 2210. July 2004."

more at indyworld.com.
posted by peter!  11:28 AM EST permalink

Sunday, May 23, 2004

adhouse books preview: adhouse books has provided a sneak peek at three of their major releases debuting in late '04 and early '05:



Sequential: The Collection by Paul Hornschemeier
"This fall will find Paul Hornschemeier teaming up with AdHouse to bring back to print his series Sequential in the aptly titled The Collected Sequential. These seven highly experimental comics have been long sought by fans of Hornschemeier, and AdHouse Books is proud to offer them in a beautiful hardcover format." (256pp, b&w, HC, $25)



Project: Superior
"What could possibly be cooler than space & robots? How about Super Heroes? Or should I say Project: Superior. (Legal disclaimer: Say 'Superior' out loud, it kind of sounds like super hero!) Chris Pitzer has decided to re-visit the 'project' anthology and has challenged some of his favorite indy comics and alternative artist creators to work within this theme. A peak at who is planning on playing: Tim Biskup, Jeffrey Brown, Farel Dalrymple, Dean Haspiel, Scott Morse and Paul Pope (and many, many more!). Planned for this winter, this will make stuffing those stockings easy." (264pp, color, SC, $25)



Process Recess: The Art of James Jean
"Most great artists keep a sketchbook. That's how they get good. Eisner-nominated cover illustrator James Jean is good, and he's got a LOT of sketchbooks. Process Recess collects the art of James Jean. From his travelogue-sketchbooks of Vienna, London, New York, LA and Taiwan to his finished illustrations and paintings we get to see a side of the artist that most have not seen. James' artwork blends media such as watercolor, oils, computer work, and sketching - all of which is collected here in a beautiful hardcover format." (192pp, color, HC, $25)

more at adhousebooks.com
posted by peter!  7:16 PM EST permalink

summer school: georgetown is offering two new comic classes this summer: "Following a highly evaluated initial semester, Examining Comic Books as Literature will be returning again this summer from Georgetown University's School of Summer & Continuing Education along with a new, second course, Comic Book Scriptwriting, both taught by alumnus, writer, and lecturer A. David Lewis." click the above links for more details.


posted by peter!  7:03 PM EST permalink

spookycon: warren ellis has announced he'll be a guest at this year's spookycon in san francisco: "THIS YEAR, Spookycon returns on HALLOWEEN WEEKEND (October 30th and 31st) with our guests WARREN ELLIS (author of TRANSMETROPOLITAN), Christa Faust (author CONTROL FREAK, HOODTOWN), Caitlin R. Kiernan (author SILK, THRESHOLD), and Bernie Wrightson (artist SWAMP THING, BATMAN, THE PUNISHER). More guests are in the works, so get your tickets early!" more at spookycon.com.


posted by peter!  6:58 PM EST permalink

it must be sunday: here's christianity today on comics, jim krueger and metron press: "The comic-book industry isn't known for communicating spiritual truth. In fact, mainstream comics have backslidden a ways since the days of Archie and the original Spiderman. Walls in many comic-book stores are lined with covers drawn by illustrators whose sexually provocative creations are intended to tempt young men to hand over their minds and their cash. Comic-book conventions reach a seamier level, as fans line up to meet porn stars. But now, some Christians are creating comics and graphic novels that communicate God's truth. Comic-book writers like Jim Krueger and the creative team at Metron Press-a division of the American Bible Society in New York-are translating Christianity into language that they hope will be relevant and attractive to today's comic-book readers."


posted by peter!  6:48 PM EST permalink

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