For The Love of Comics

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Remember when I called “bullshit” on those Cher casting rumors? Well, I hate to say “I told you so,” but…

Okay, that’s a lie. I love saying I told you so.

Here’s the scoop from ShowbizSpy.

Cher won’t be playing Catwoman in the next Batman movie, despite reports to the contrary.

It was claimed the 62-year-old Believe singer was in discussions to star in Christopher Nolan’s third film about the caped-crusader, and that she would join a cast including Johnny Depp as the Riddler.

Britain’s Sunday Mirror newspaper quoted a source as saying, “Cher is Nolan’s first choice to play Catwoman. He wants to portray her like a vamp in her twilight years.”

Julie Newmar was the first actress to take on the role in the 1960s Batman television series. The supervillainess has also been played by Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry.

The source added that Cher’s Catwoman would be “the absolute opposite” of Pfeiffer and Berry’s “creations.”

However, a representative for Warner Bros. insists that “those casting rumors are untrue.”

Angelina Jolie was also recently rumored to be in the running for the part.

Technorati Tags: Cher, Batman, Catwoman, Bullshit Rumors, I told you so

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Popularity: 18% [?]

Many readers will remember creators’ issues with Platinum Studios and their late payments, culminating in DJ Coffman no longer working on Hero By Night, the flagship title for Platinum that Coffman, arguably their biggest cheerleader and asset up to that point, had written since winning their first “Comic Book Challenge”.

Well, Platinum Studios bought online pdf retailer Wowio and guess what?

Wowio is late on Q2 payments to their publishers. Way to improve your image, guys.

Thanks to ComicList for the initial report of this story. and TheBeat for following up with a letter from an individual publisher that adds insight and context.

I believe both ComicList and The Beat have contacted Wowio for comment and asked for more people to speak up, so watch their blogs for follow-up.

Technorati Tags: Platinum, Wowio, Late Payments

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Popularity: 12% [?]

Image by edwick via Flickr

First of all, I highly recommend that you read IGN’s excellent interview with Grant Morrison. It touches on everything from Morrison’s approach to storytelling on previous works as well as current projects like Final Crisis, All-Star Superman, and Batman: RIP to his post-Crisis and RIP plans to his plans to reconcile the discrepancies that came from Death of The New Gods, Countdown, and the beginning of Crisis.

I’d really love to talk about everything in that interview, and maybe I will come back to it another time, but for now I want to focus on Morrison’s take on the whole “Creator-Owned vs Work-for-Hire” kerfluffle that resulted from Robert Kirkman’s call-to-arms video editorial that he posted last week on Comic Book Resources. Morrison perfectly summed up my thoughts on how silly the whole debate really is.

I suppose I’m slightly amused by the reformer’s zeal with which each new generation approaches the problem of ’saving’ comics. It reminds me of humanity’s charming, self-regarding notion that it’s our job to ’save’ a planet which has survived fine without us through several mass extinction events, climactic overhauls and planetary disasters.

I’ve been listening to people talk about ’saving’ the ‘industry’ for over 20 years while comics have continued to be published and have, in fact, become better, to the point where the only conclusion I’ve come to is that comics are best ’saved’ by sealing them in Mylar bags! Everything else is just messianic inflation. Just do good books and stop trying to be the savior of a whole medium that’s been doing okay without you and will continue long after you’re gone.

Yes, I think Kirkman’s right, in that I’d like to see more of our creative community unleashing their wild imaginations onto the page and less of the obvious ‘movie pitch on paper stuff’ that’s come about recently as a result of comic creators chasing the Hollywood dollar but I don’t have a problem with writers and artists working on Marvel and DC properties if they enjoy it. I’d rather read a good Green Lantern story by someone who cares than work my way through a ‘creator-owned’ project that’s been created solely to appeal to lowest-common-denominator movie executives.

To which I say “Fucking DUH!” Beyond their own bank account, which I totally support writers looking out for, what does it matter who you’re writing for as long as you’re writing good stories? If you write well, the readers will come.

Morrison also points out that the vast majority of major comic writers do have their own creator-owned properties that they’re working on, which I knew but hadn’t really thought of, if you get what I mean.

Technorati Tags: Grant Morrison, IGN, Interview, Robert Kirkman, Comic Books, Comic Book Industry

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Popularity: 21% [?]

I’ve been reading Avi Green’s blog, The Four Color Media Monitor, for about a month now, and I’m finding that I almost never agree with him. I generally write it off to the fact that he thinks with a conservative-biased agenda and I’m pretty liberal on all the issues that I really care about, but his latest post just has me scratching my head trying to figure out what he’s talking about.

Avi starts out by quoting a recent Newsarama interview with Mark Waid. The bolding for emphasis is Ari’s.

NRAMA: As you saw in Marc’s interview, we’re asking how various Spider-Man creators feel about the reaction to Brand New Day. You’re new to the scene, but do you have an opinion on it that you want to share, since you’ve been talking to these guys for a few months and participating in what they’re trying to do? Do you think it’s a good direction for Spider-Man?

MW: I actually think it’s really a good, solid direction. It does exactly what they set out to do, which was re-establish the books as being about Peter Parker, perennial loser, who is not married.

They’re very careful and very respectful, whether the hardcore fans believe it or not; the team that I’ve seen on the Spider-Man books is very respectful toward them in terms of not going out of their way to thumb their nose at the readership, or try to make fun of them or mock their concern. Everybody who works on these books understands that it was a gamble to take this direction. Everybody on these books understands why there’s that slowly diminishing minority of fans who believe that Spider-Man comics are no good anymore because we got rid of the marriage. Everybody gets that and understands why they’re so attached to it. But we’ve set the course now, so the only thing we can do is tell the best stories we possibly can.

Seems pretty straightforward to me. I may be part of that slowly diminishing minority, but I can respect the Spider-Team’s point of view, shrug my shoulders, and say “fair enough”.

Avi, however, seems to feel that Waid has insulted the fans and the character and should be sent to Gitmo.

Tsk tsk tsk. What’s really funny here is that this is a guy who’d worked on The Flash, where he himself married Wally West and Linda Park, and now he’s acting disrespectful to something he promoted a decade ago. And he even has the gall to imply that Peter is only a loser. I’m sorry, Mark, but that’s just lame.

I can see where he gets the implying Peter is only a loser part, even if I think he drew the wrong meaning from Waid’s statement, but “[...]now he’s acting disrespectful to something he promoted a decade ago.” has me scratching my head, as does his insinuation that Waid has somehow put down the fans.

Can someone help me out here? Has Avi lost his mind? Or, being so rabidly conservative, is he trying the Karl Rove strategy of flinging shit at a wall to see what sticks?

Believe it or not, this isn;t meant to be an attack on Avi; his way of thinking just seems to be so alien to mine that I’m hoping someone can help me understand what the fuck he’s talking about.

Technorati Tags: Mark Waid, Spider-man, Peter Parker, Marvel Comics, Avi Green, The Four Color Media Monitor, Bat-shit insanity

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Popularity: 11% [?]

Megacon, my hometown convention and the con that broke my con-going cherry this year, has announced that George Perez will be the Guest of Honor for Megacon ‘09.

Here is the official press release:

The Orlando MegaCon, the largest comic book multi media event in the Southeast is pleased to make its initial announcement of guests for its 2009 convention. The Orlando MegaCon will take place Feb. 27-March 1, 2009 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

Legendary artist George Pérez will be the Special Guest of Honor at MegaCon 2009. In a 30+ year career in comics, George has illustrated Avengers, Fantastic Four, JLA, Wonder Woman, and a host of other seminal comics titles. He is hard at work on his next project from DC Comics, Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds. This will be George’s first scheduled convention appearance in over a year, as he took 2008 off the convention circuit.

In addition, MegaCon is proud to announce additional comic guests including:

* Jimmy Palmiotti, writer of Back to Brooklyn
* Amanda Conner, artist of Green Arrow/Black Canary
* Darwyn Cooke, writer/artist of The Spirit
* Adam Hughes, artist of Wonder Woman and Tomb Raider
* Ethan Van Sciver, artist of Green Lantern
* Paul Pelletier, artist of Guardians of the Galaxy
* Jim Cheung, artist of Young Avengers
* Ron Marz, writer of Witchblade and Dragon Prince
* Steve McNiven, artist of Wolverine and Civil War
* Chuck Dixon, writer of Robin and Nightwing
* Brandon Peterson, artist of Uncanny X-Men
* Greg Land, artist of X-Men
* Nelson DeCastro, artist of Action Comics
* Mark Waid, writer of Flash, Captain America, and Fantastic Four
* Tony Bedard, writer of Birds of Prey and Exiles
* And Chris Claremont, Marvel Comics’ legendary X-Men writer, who shepherded the title for over 20 years.

The MegaCon guest list is constantly growing. Check www.MegaConvention.com frequently for more updates.

There are some very exciting names on that list. And, admittedly, a few that I’m completely underwhelmed by. Maybe this year I’ll get over being awestruck and actually talk to some creators and get some artwork.

Or, even better, meet some readers! February 27th - BE THERE!!

Technorati Tags: George Perez, Megacon, Chuck Dixon, Chris Claremont, Mark Waid, Greg Land, Steve McNiven, Darwyn Cooke, Jimmy Palmiotti, Ethan Van Sciver, Amanda Conner

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Popularity: 10% [?]

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An e-mail from MTV is making the rounds looking for people to cast in it’s next “True Life” show - “I’m a Fanboy!”

The title of the show pretty much says it all, but here’s the pitch from MTV, for those who need it spelled out a bit more.

ARE YOU A FANBOY?

MTV’S TRUE LIFE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR STORY!
Are you a young person who is obsessed with a certain book, comic, or video game? MTV’s True Life is looking for young people who are die-hard fans of certain brands, characters, or fantasy series.

Are you obsessed with comic books, anime, fantasy, or manga? Do you like to dress up as your favorite character and attend conventions with other fans? Have you ever waited in line overnight for a book, movie, or videogame release? Do you have tattoos depicting your favorite brand or characters? Have you ever missed work, school, or other important events to engage in role-playing or cosplay? Are you misunderstood by your family or significant other because of it? Do you aspire to author your own graphic novel or comic series despite your parents’ disapproval?

If you appear to be between the ages of 16 and 28, and want to share the story of your fantasy obsession, email us at fanboy@mtvn.com with all of the details. Be sure to include your name, location, phone number and a photo, if possible.

Tell MTV why you need to be seen and heard. This is your chance to let others see what your life is all about!

I’m slightly amused that they want you to appear to be between the ages of 16 to 18, but don’t specify that you actually be between the ages of 16 and 28. Interesting wording, that.

Anyway, I’m really getting a “stereotypical geek” vibe from this search, but there it is. Maybe one of my readers can get on there and show the world that we’re not all creepy loners with poor personal hygiene that live in our mom’s basement.

Except for those Harry Potter fans. Those people are creepy-ass losers.*

*That’s a joke, people. I love Harry Potter. Save your angry e-mails for hapless WB execs.

Technorati Tags: MTV, True Life, Geekdom, Fanboys, Otaku, Fandom

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Popularity: 11% [?]

Finally there’s some progress on the film adaptation of my favoritest current series, The Boys!

Six months after the announcement that Columbia Pictures was picking up the rights to The Boys, with Neal Moritz planning on producing, The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, scribes of such greats as Aeon Flux, The Tuxedo, Bug, and Crazy/Beautiful, will be writing the script.

Honestly, the resume that these guys are packing makes me a bit nervous (although I did kind of like Crazy Beautiful), but I’m so happy that things are moving forward that I’m willing to give them a chance. I mean, the original Aeon Flux wasn’t that great in the first place and a Jackie Chan movie isn’t exactly going to give a scriptwriter their chance to shine.

Technorati Tags: Comic Book Movies, Movies, The Boys, Columbia Pictures, Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay

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Popularity: 8% [?]

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I was holding off on saying anything about the rumors that Virgin Comics was closing up shop until I got more information, but Publishers Weekly confirmed this morning that it was true; Virgin Comics - as it existed last week, at least - is no more.

A statement released by CEO Sharad Devarajan (also head of Gotham Entertainment, run out of India and apparently unaffected by this development) confirmed that the company’s New York office and publishing unit are closed and the eight employees have been laid off, but the company is “restructuring” and will be relocating to offices in Los Angeles, assumably to focus on the film properties that sprung from the comics label.

It seems like alot of people on the intrawebs are upset about this, and I can understand how the closing of a comics company limits our options as consumers and the variety that invigorates the industry, but I can’t bring myself to care beyond the abstract sense. All of their stuff just felt like it was being produced to establish copyright and intellectual property claims in order to branch out into film and whatnot. It felt very much like they were trying to follow Platinum’s lead and not doing nearly as well with it. All of the high-profile projects could never really capture my interest, either; I was left with the impression of all flash and no substance.

Anyway, that’s that. I’m sure Richard Branson and Sharad Devarajan can console themselves after their “failure” by taking a bath in all of their money.

Technorati Tags: Virgin Comics, Richard Branson, Publishers, Closings, Poor Little Billionaires

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Popularity: 5% [?]

I just found out that Threadless is having a sale on all of their t-shirts - everything is twelve dollars!

So, if you were planning on picking up a tee like the Dark Side of the Garden one pictured here…

Now is the time! Tell them Cracker sent ya.

Technorati Tags: Threadless, Sale, T-Shirts, Darth Vader, Topiary, Death Topiary

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Popularity: 6% [?]

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Comics Continuum has a talk with Mark Steven Johnson - writer of the Daredevil and Elektra flops - about his refusal to dilute Garth Ennis’ Preacher for adaptation into a series and the likely death of the project as a result.

“We were budgeting and everything and it was getting really close to going,” Johnson told The Continuum. “But the new head of HBO felt it was just too dark and too violent and too controversial. Which, of course, is kind of the point!

“It was a very faithful adaptation of the first few books, nearly word for word. They offered me the chance to redevelop it but I refused. I’ve learned my lesson on that front and I won’t do it again. So I’m afraid it’s dead at HBO.

“I’ve heard someone is in the process of getting the rights to turn it into a feature film. I hope that happens. But I hope it happens as a series of movies as one movie couldn’t do it justice. I really love that story and I dedicated a lot of my time to honor Garth’s work. But it wasn’t meant to be.”

I was unsure about the rumored plans to be so faithful in the adaptation that each episode would reflect - almost panel-for-panel - an issue of the comics series, but it’s still sad to hear that this project is dead.

Maybe Johnson will be right and someone will make a movie (or, even better, a series of movies) and it will be undiluted. Here’s hoping.

Technorati Tags: Preacher, HBO, Mark Steven Johnson, Garth Ennis

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Popularity: 11% [?]