2 Cent Post-Weekend Reviews - Everything second week of December
Mon, Dec 17 2012 05:20
| DC, Oz, revies, Clone, Avengers, Green Lantern, Archer and Armstrong, comics, batman and robin, Marvel, stuff of legend, Rachel Rising, Valiant, Terry Moore, demon knights, Fantastic Four, the joker, Image
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Welcome back to another instalment of Oz' 2 Cent reviews. Come back after Wednesday for a massive pile o' goodies for third-week of December books. Today, I'll cover Avengers Arena #1, Fantastic Four #2, Archer & Armstrong #5, Green Lantern Corps #15, Demon Knights #15, Batman & Robin #15, Stuff of Legend Volume 4 parts 1 & 2, Clone #2, and Rachel Rising volume 2. Let's dig in eh?
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CBNAH Interview: Terry Moore
Mon, Nov 26 2012 12:44
| Terry Moore, Tim Barklay, Interviews
| Permalink
Terry Moore is a champion amongst self publishers. His long running series, Strangers in Paradise, won just about every comic award that matters, and his current book, Rachel Rising, is a critical success. Tim caught up with him to discuss Rachel Rising, next years' Strangers in Paradise anniversary and more!
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| Rachel Rising Vol. 1 |
CBNAH: You’re one of the most hardworking guys in the industry, writing, drawing, inking and lettering your work while maintaining a five week turnaround. Can you share with us a little of your process and how you spend your time making a comic?
TM: I just work on the comic every day. I work at home so it is easy to keep drawing all the time and into the night. i usually write the comic or at least the first few scenes, then start drawing. I change the story if I get a better idea while drawing.
CBNAH: Who were some of your influences as a young Cartoonist?
TM: Charles Schulz, Herge, Curt Swan, Frazetta, Manara. I can see their details in my art.
CBNAH: Rachel Rising has far more horror elements to it than your previous work. How is writing horror different to writing sci-fi or drama?
TM: I would have to say it's more liberating. I am free to let the worst happen. In fact, I am expected to let the worst happen. Isn't that odd?
CBNAH: You’ve said Rachel Rising is going to be around the 24-30 issue mark, which means we’re past halfway. Can you tease us with any tasty morsels from upcoming issues? What can we expect?
TM: Nope. No spoilers!
CBNAH: Your talent for creating strong, interesting characters is well documented – currently I’m loving Aunt Johnny! Do you draw inspiration for your characters from your own life, or do they come from somewhere else?
TM: I think my characters are composites of people I've known or read about. I never make a character directly from one person, that would be dangerous!
CBNAH: I’ve noticed you tend to write women in pairs – Katchoo and Francine, Julie and Ivy, Rachel and Jet – Is that a conscious decision, or am I seeing something that’s not there?!
TM: I tend to work the yin yang of everything, including people and relationships. For every push there is a pull.
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| Francine and Katchoo, the main characters of SiP. |
CBNAH: You spent the better part of 14 years working on SiP. What’s it like to have that hard work recognized, both through awards and sales?
TM: It's wonderful that Strangers In Paradise has not been forgotten and left behind by the world. I hoped it would outlive me. So far, so good.
CBNAH: Can you give us anything juicy on the new SiP story for next year?
TM: It is about the girls today, in the present. And they are every bit as cool now as they were then.
CBNAH: As someone who is somewhat detached from the mainstream comics industry, what do you make of the state the industry is in? Are comics a dying art form?
TM: I think comics are changing. But they won't die. They are will remain a valid art form, like classical music and oil painting. Those disciplines were once very high profile in society, but have fallen to quieter levels. So it may be with comics, but the art form will survive. Comics have been around since the the cave men, I don't think the computer will kill them.
CBNAH: You’ve expressed your take on digital comics elsewhere, but I’m curious to know what the results of making your work available digitally have been? Have you seen a decrease in print sales?
TM: I have seen a slow steady decrease in print sales but it is not because of digital... it is because that's the way comic retailers order books. They order less and less and less and less and less until a book dies. It's a nightmare for indy books, and the reason why mainstream stories are mostly short arcs that last no more than a year. No matter what people say, it's all about the new in the American direct market. Meanwhile, my digital sales have been good, helping me to survive the shrinking print market.
CBNAH: What comics have you been reading lately?
The last comics I read faithfully was Power Girl by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. I tend to read novels and but art books. I read good titles like Chew and The Goon when I can find them.
Creator Roundup
Mon, Feb 6 2012 09:58
| Francesco Francavilla, Jeremy Bastion, Felicia Day, Peter David, Phil Noto, Chrissie Zullo, Creator Round-up, Sean Phillips, Terry Moore, Dan Hipp, Jamie McKelvie, JH Williams III, Joe Hill, skottie Young, Jeff Lemire
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- This week's Dan Hipp:
- Phil Noto draws Kitty Pryde:
- Terry Moore wants you all to pre-order the Rachel Rising Vol. 1 trade:
- JH Williams III got a spotlight in USA Today:
Co-writer/artist J.H. Williams III and co-writer W. Haden Blackman most fondly remember the comics growing up that focused more on story than just beating up bad guys, and that's what they aim for when crafting the adventures of Kate Kane and her cowled alter-ego in Gotham City.
"It wasn't always 'Let's get to the villain' — there was actual character interactions that were very profound and ended up having some sort of comment on the bigger action stuff," Williams says. "That shows in the work we're doing now."
The current Batwoman character has made a major impact in the DC Universe since first appearing in the maxiseries 52 six years ago. The Detective Comics "Elegy" run from Williams and writer Greg Rucka featuring her was an instant classic, and the portrayal of the lesbian superheroine garnered a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Comic Book in 2010. (The new Batwoman comic is up for the same honor this year as well.)
- Joe Hill installed some new doors in his place:
- Here's a sweet new Sean Phillips:
- Skottie Young has a bunch of new sketches this week, including this one of Hermione:
- Peter David Introduced his daughter Caroline to the original Star Wars movies with an interesting result:
We just completed a long-overdue aspect of nine-year-old Caroline’s education by finishing up showing her the only three “Star Wars” films that really matter: Eps 4, 5 and 6. She actually sobbed copiously when Vader died. You know, we spend so much time bitching about Lucas doing this, that and the other think that sometimes we forget the power these films can pack, especially for younger viewers.
Then we asked her the obvious question. Which of the three was her favorite?
Without hesitation she said, “Return of the Jedi.” I said, “Because of the Ewoks?” She said, “No, because of Leia. This is the first movie she kicked ass.” And I thought about that and realized she was right.
In “A New Hope,” Leia is captured, tortured, waits for rescue. Yes, granted, she immediately takes charge while castigating the guys, shooting Stormtroopers, and leading them into the dumpster. But once they escape the Death Star, she basically allows the Millennium Falcon to lead the bad guys right to the rebel HQ (remember, she says the Empire let them escape; it should have been obvious why) and then stands there silently hoping they don’t get blown up while a slew of men take care of business; she doesn’t have a word of dialogue for the last fifteen minutes except to welcome Luke and Han back.
- Jeremy Bastian has a new print that he's selling on his convention round:
- Yay! Chrissie Zullo!
- Jeff Lemire takes over Justice League Dark:
Following the JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK/I,VAMPIRE crossover in issues 7 & 8, JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK will have a new writer.
Beginning with issue #9, superstar Jeff Lemire (ANIMAL MAN, SWEET TOOTH) will be taking over the reins. We asked Lemire about following the sage Peter Milligan and what he’s got planned and here’s what he has to say:
“This is my dream gig at DC Comics, no doubt about it. The characters in Justice League Dark are my absolute favorite in the DC Comics stable, and I can’t believe I’m actually getting a chance to write John Constantine, Zatanna and Deadman (as well as a few new team members!).
I have a huge amount of respect for Peter Milligan. I’ve loved everything he’s done since his original SHADE run in the pre-Vertigo days of DC to his current run on Hellblazer and JL Dark. It’s a bit daunting to take over this title from someone who I revere as much as Peter, but at the same time I can’t help but be inspired by the work he’s already done with this book.
- Dustin Nguyen presents Justice League Beyond:
- Francesco Francavilla posted this WhatNot:
- Will Wheaton, Felicia Day and Jamie McKelvie are making a Fawkes comic:
At long last, it can be revealed: Felicia and I wrote a Fawkes comic together.
Felicia Day and The Guild are back, along with costar Wil Wheaton, for a brand-new story spotlighting Fawkes, the dashing, debonair, and douchey leader of the evil guild Axis of Anarchy! His relationship with Codex threatened to tear the Knights of Good apart until he was thrown off a balcony for his treatment of her. Set after season 4 of the show, this issue reveals how Fawkes deals with his split from Codex and navigates the aggressive personalities of the Axis, and follows his journey to his surprising state when he returns in season 5!
I’m incredibly proud of this, and I can’t wait for people to read it.
It comes out on May 23, and is the first issue set during the series. Covers by Paul Duffield and Emma Rios, art by Jamie McKelvie.
- Ryan Ottley does Brian Wood's DMZ for the Sindiecate:
- Dustin Weaver's been busy on Astonishing X-Men:
Talking Trades: Echo by Terry Moore
Sat, Jan 21 2012 01:50
| Talking Trades, Reviews, Terry Moore, Echo, Tim Barklay
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Echo follows Julie Martin, an ordinary young woman with an ordinary life who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. While taking photographs in the desert, she inadvertently witnesses a military test that goes horribly awry. She is rained on by a strange metal alloy that attaches itself to her skin. One thing leads to another and Julie is on the run from the government, who are out to retrieve the alloy so it can be properly weaponised. Terry Moore describes the series as ‘The Fugitive meets The X Files’, an apt description. The science fiction elements are minimal but powerful and used to great effect. The alloy and other technology in the book are not that far removed from reality, which makes for gripping reading. Moore plays with the ideas of science and spirit, human achievement and human nature. There is no ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters, just people. Each character, from the protagonist Julie to the bored gas attendant, is unique. They’re each people you could bump into and not miss a beat.
Terry Moore’s art is, as always, amazing. The man is clearly dedicated to, and passionate about, his craft. Things like the way clothing sits on a body and the way gravity affects hair and breasts are important details in realistic art, and Moore takes great care in ensuring these details are evident in his work. It also comes as no surprise that the women in Echo are strong both artistically and in character. This has always been one of Moore’s greatest strengths. The characters vary in weight and size, and everything *ahem* is in the right proportions. They are real, relatable woman and react to situations like real, relatable women. Moore’s lines are crisp, his composition is interesting and his content is detailed and realistic. Each character is unique and expressive. Moore is one of my all time favourite artists, which is no mean feat, considering he’s one of my all time favourite writers, as well.
At 30 issues long, Echo can be read in 4 hours or so, and you’ll want to set yourself that time, because once you open the cover of the first trade, there’s no stopping. It’s as gripping as it is beautiful, as engaging as it is powerful. Echo is set in the same world as strangers in Paradise, and fans of Strangers get some service towards the end of the book, with a familiar character showing up. I can’t recommend Echo highly enough. 5 stars.
The complete edition is $39.95 and contains all 30 issues.
Terry Moore on CBR TV
Mon, Nov 21 2011 03:56
| CBR, Rachel Rising, Terry Moore, Videos
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Katchoo, Princess of Mars!
Sat, Nov 19 2011 11:13
| Terry Moore, Nerdgasms, Art
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Creator Roundup
Wed, Oct 5 2011 01:36
| Brian Wood, Chrissie Zullo, Creator Round-up, Dan Hipp, Terry Moore, Dave Gibbons, Jamie McKelvie, Joe Hill, Mike Carey, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Luna Brothers, Gabriel Ba, Kate Beaton
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- Here’s this week’s Dan Hipp:
- God is a Geek interviews Mike Carey about writing the X-Men Destiny video Game. Here’s a taste:
How did you get involved with writing for games, and what are your aspirations for this medium?
I wandered in from the comic book world, essentially. Most writers these days are doing this, I think: seeing themselves not as comic book writers or novelists or screenwriters but as writers, period. Almost nobody among the creative people I know is committed to staying in one medium. So for the games work I’ve done, my comics work – and to a much smaller extent, my prose writing – was my CV.
And, as with all my other writing, my aspirations are to tell a cool, engaging, absorbing story that plays with ideas I find interesting. In a way, for me, the medium really is NOT the message. Obviously, you adapt your storytelling style and approach to the medium you’re working in, but in terms of what I want to get out of a writing gig, that’s pretty universal.
Is X-Men Destiny going to be canon in the X-Men universe or does it happen totally separate from the events that are currently happening in the X books. If it is in the X-Men canon, without giving details, does it tie in to what’s going to be happening in the upcoming Schism storyline? How important is this to you?
X-Men Destiny is not canon. It’s an alternate timeline, essentially like the Age of Apocalypse, Days of Future Past, and (kind of) my own recent Age of X. X-Men lore allows for these parallel continuities, and is rich in them. In this case, what we’ve done is to keep some of the flavour and some of the broadest strokes of recent X-Men continuity – the destruction of the Xavier Academy, the move to the West Coast, the battle against a rising tide of anti-mutant intolerance – and put our own spin on them. And in much the same way, although we don’t acknowledge Schism, we kind of have our own version of that, too. Our X-Men have fragmented into different groups with different goals, and depending on what happens in the course of the story that may intensify or reverse.
- Terry Moore shares 3 unused pages from Echo. Here’s the first:
- The Huffington post spoke with Dave Gibbons about a host of topics, including digital comics and the success of Watchmen:
HuffPost: When it comes to digital comics are we still waiting for someone to really use that medium in a new way?
Dave: Well I think we are sort of groping towards what is perhaps a new kind of medium. ... I think there is a new grammar that we're groping towards. I've been very involved with a company called Madefire who I think have got quite a revolutionary new approach to this. They've kind of come up with an authoring tool, and a way of distributing this material which I think is going to be really interesting, and I'm involved with them to the degree that my other commitments let me be, and I've always been a great proponent of that technology.
HuffPost: Are you comfortable with the fact that Watchmen is always going to be held up as part of the graphic novel canon? That when people try to convince their friends to read them they'll say ‘you should probably start with Watchmen.'
Dave: Well I mean that's what traditionally has happened, and I think because it has got such a reputation it is going to be on the basic comics or graphic novel reading list and of course, from my point of view, given that we get a royalty, well then, that can only be a good thing.
Of course, it's been a rather overshadowing thing in my career but, hey, I mean I can't really complain about having done something that's been amazingly successful. So yeah, I'm perfectly happy with the position that Watchmen has.
I think the fact that it stands alone is such an important thing that I hope DC can resist any temptation to expand it beyond that. I don't think that would be a good thing. I think the unique selling proposition of Watchmen is that it is complete and entire and self-contained and that's the only thing I fear, I say fear, the only thing I'm apprehensive about is perhaps that they might not be able to resist the lure of kind of burning the furniture, as it were.
- Gabriel Ba shares a poster for a Sao Paulo concert he drew:
- Kate Beaton is featured over at NPR. Here’s an excerpt:
Beaton's new book, Hark! A Vagrant — based on her website, Hark! A Vagrant — is full of witty rewrites of history and classic literature. In her version of the discovery of the North Pole, Henson gets his revenge. The white explorer, Peary, demands that his black associate help him from his sled so he can stand on the North Pole and get all the glory — but Henson refuses. He gloats, "Man! It's pretty nice being on the North Pole! ... Gonna do some squats ... on the North Pole ... feels good."
Beaton's comics tackle both the obscure and well-known sides of history. One of her favorite subjects is the Kennedy dynasty.
"I love the Kennedys; they're amazing," she says. "The Kennedys are fascinating because I'm Canadian and this is a big American thing and they're such a big part of the culture around here. ... That really fascinates me; the drive that they all had to go and to succeed and to push."
- Jamie McKelvie continues to practise his likenesses, this week sharing a drawing of Bjork:
- Georges Jeanty has an interview with Komix Online. Here’s part of it:
Was there a point when you felt like you’d ‘arrived‘? (Perhaps working on big DC characters such as Superman, Superboy and Green Lantern, or your first ongoing series Bishop: The Last X-Man?)
Aw, man. There were several times I thought I had arrived! I must have done 3 high profile books before I got to “the Big Two” I scored a job at Tekno Comics, and then at Defiant, and a couple of others I can’t even remember now. I always say that my career has been a series of false starts. Just when I thought I had arrived something happened and I was back to square one. It wasn’t until I moved to North Carolina to join the staff of London Night Studios (of Razor fame) that I thought I was at least a working artist… until they folded a year later).
Having worked on so many iconic characters like those mentioned above, are there any characters/titles out there you’d still like to work on?
How much time have you got? Pretty much every character out there I would consider a challenge to work on. I’m still a Marvel fan, I’d love to work on their characters, but DC has been very good to me over the years and it’s always a pleasure to do their books. Sorry, that’s a short answer to a long question.
Moving on to Buffy, I believe I read somewhere that you hadn’t seen the show when you were offered the job on Season Eight. Is that correct and, if so, what went through your mind when you did get to watch the series knowing you’d be working on the comic?
You are correct, sir. I was aware of Buffy from pop culture, but I wasn’t into the show. Not knowing the much of the character, what struck me most in the begging was how much this little blonde girl got hit. I was a little turned off in the beginning. I didn’t get the extent of her Slayer strength. As I continued to watch, I was taken at just how good the writing was and how many comic references there were. Ultimately I was hooked, as I’m sure most Buffy fans will attest.
- Jonathan Luna shared this painting of ‘Stephanie’ Rogers:
- Joe Hill is putting together some geek lists. Here’s how to take part:
I’d like to build a series of lists: the essential geek reads, movies, shows, and games of the last decade. What do we talk about when we talk about geekdom? This is a two-stage project.
First, we need to build a long list of possibilities. To that end, please use the comments thread to post your own picks for essential geek books, films, shows, and games of the 00s. Or, alternatively, visit Twitter and use these hashtags: #geekreadsofthe00s #geekshowsofthe00s #geekfilmsofthe00s #geekgamesofthe00s.
Next Monday, I’ll take the raw data and turn it over to a panel of noted geek experts. They’ll winnow each rough list down to 10, and put them in order. That list will be here on the blog for everyone to ogle.
Now, to answer some preliminary questions:
SHOULDN’T THERE BE A HASHTAG FOR COMICS? No, I don’t think so. Comics go under “Geek Reads” same as novels. Comics are a part of literature, not separate from it.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE 00s? For the purposes of this discussion we’re going to define the 00s as 2000 – 2010. Which is actually, um, 11 years. It’s okay, just go with it.
WHO IS ON THIS SO-CALLED PANEL OF EXPERTS? Not saying. They know who they are and will be revealed in due time.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE “GEEKY”? Ah, we wouldn’t be geeks if we didn’t love academic questions like this one. If it’s the kind of thing people might celebrate at a place like San Deigo Comic Con, or if it’s the kind of thing io9 might report on, then I think we can say it’s geeky. But that’s a very wide net.
WHAT ABOUT DOCTOR HORRIBLE’S SING-A-LONG BLOG? Let’s call it a TV show. Yes, we all know it will be on the list.
- Brian Wood has a rather cryptic post on his tumblr about a project he is doing with Becky Cloonan at dark Horse. This is all we’re given:
- Mike Mignola has had to cancel his appearance at NYCC.
- Bryan Lee O’Malley shared a Super Mario level he designed when he was 10, as well as answering a bunch of fan questions. Here’s the level and his thoughts on comic to film adaptaions:
Any adaptor is going to have a personal interpretation of the source material, the same as any fan has their own. If I asked five directors to tell me the story of Scott Pilgrim, then asked five fans, I’d get ten different stories. Every reader (or viewer) remembers things differently, focuses on different aspects, gets something else out of the story.
Even if I were to have written and directed my own Scott Pilgrim adaptation, it would have been different from the original. I love some aspects of the books, and there are always bits that I regret — but something that I regret might be some fan’s favorite thing in the whole entire universe.
- Chrissie Zullo posted a few of her commisions, including this one of Death on the Titanic:
More Strangers in Paradise Cosplay!
Thu, Sep 22 2011 07:54
| Terry Moore, Nerdgasms, Art
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Katchoo is Power Girl!
Wed, Sep 14 2011 04:04
| Terry Moore, Nerdgasms, Art
| Permalink
Molly Hayes Punches an Elephant!
Mon, Sep 5 2011 12:34
| Terry Moore, Nerdgasms, Art
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