Articles by mike-gold
Sun Jan 20, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Roger Price Retires From Mid-Ohio Con
27 year run comes to an end.
The man who founded the Mid-Ohio-Con, one of the best run and most entertaining of the hundreds of comic book conventions held each year, is retiring after 27 years.
Roger A. Price issued an announcement today that essentially said it was time for a change. Having helped run a large convention (the Chicago Comicon) for merely 10 years, I can certainly sympathize. The man is leaving while on top.
He is entertaining offers from those who might be interested in taking over this classic show. Roger can be contacted at info@midohiocon.com, or at R.A.P. Promotions at P.O. Box 3831, Mansfield Ohio 44907.
Speaking for both my family and for ComicMix, Roger, thanks for all the great fun. We wish you well.
Mon Jan 14, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Editing Comics In The 21st Century, by Mike Gold
Whizzy's Wazoo #49
As you may know, as part of the ComicMix ruling triumvirate I spend my spare time editing comics published on, and soon by, ComicMix. It’s the most fun part of the job, and I really enjoy the catalytic experience. I’ve been editing for a million years, much of that time editing comics, and I try really hard not to get set in my ways. Having a short attention span helps.
So does working on the Internet. Case in point:
I’ve been working with John Ostrander and/or Timothy Truman since the week before fish crawled out of the ocean. It’s one of my happiest experiences; it’s great fun to work with talented people with whom you share culture, worldview and personal history. But I’m always concerned that creatively we’ll fall into a rut and take things for granted. So far, so good.
Our process (and this differs for each creative team as well as on each project) is simple. Either John or Tim comes up with an idea and we kick it around in an endless series of witty and self-referential e-mails. Eventually Tim decides he’s read enough. John and I continue for a bit just to make sure Tim didn’t change his mind (or maybe just to annoy him; I can’t tell anymore). Then John writes up a plot for the first chunk of story. Before the Internet, that would usually be a 22 – 24 page segment; now, it’s whatever John feels like. We kick it around a tiny bit, and Tim takes it away and draws whatever he feels like drawing. John dialogues it. At each step of the way, I make snarky notes and cultural references that would confound Dennis Miller.
Continue reading Editing Comics In The 21st Century, by Mike Gold ›
Thu Jan 10, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Solomon Kane Cast Members Announced
Rome Comes To R.E. Howard
The cast of Robert E. Howard's classic redemption-seeking-warrior Soloman Kane is expanding. Joining lead James Purefoy (Rome) will be Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist, Diary of Anne Frank, Flash Gordon), Pete Postlethwaite (Aeon Flux, The Omen remake), Alice Krige (The 4400, Deadwood) and Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End). Michael J. Bassett (Deathwatch) is directing from his own script.
The movie is supposed to be the first of a trilogy. Hmmm... I wonder where they got that idea?
Thu Jan 10, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Turok, Son Of Video
Bedard co-writes
Former Dell / Gold Key / Valiant star Turok Son of Stone will be making his direct-to-DVD debut on February 5.
Written by veteran comics writer Tony Bedard and Invader Zim's Evan Baily, the Turok D2DVD was directed by Curt Geda (the animated Superman) , Dan Riba (the animated Batmans) and Frank Squillace (the animated X-Men) under the supervision of Tad Stones (the animated Hellboy). So the show has quite a pedigree.
Rights to the character are now controlled by Classic Media, which also handles Casper The Friendly Ghost and Terry and the Pirates... which would make for a great crossover.
Tue Jan 8, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Doctor Who Turns 100
Making cranky hip...
Not to encroach on Glenn Hauman's turf, but, hey, happy 100th birthday, William Hartnell!
The man who created the role of Doctor Who – his first broadcast was transmitted immediately after the BBC announced the death of President Kennedy – and stayed with the role for three years had been performing on stage and in movies for 40 years by the time he was cast, including the classic British comedy Carry On Sergeant.
Retiring due to ill health, Hartnell returned to the role to film a few scenes in the groundbreaking 10th anniversary episode "The Three Doctors." His role, in which he helped save the Doctor's next two incarnations, was curtailed somewhat due to his poor health. It was Hartnell's final performance; he died two years after the show was broadcast.
Mon Jan 7, 2008 — by Mike Gold
One More Day Too Many, by Mike Gold
Whizzy's Wazoo #48
Damn. They blew it.Sat Jan 5, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Disney World Hates Kids!
Is There Meat Pie On The Menu?
According to the Associated Press, if you go down to Walt Disney World and want to cop a meal at Victoria and Albert's, the five-diamond rated restaurant in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, you better leave your pre-tens at the hotel. They are not welcome. Or tolerated.
The restaurant manager said that banning young children makes for a better dining experience for adults. Probably so; in fact, I'll bet banning kiddies from Walt Disney World would make for a better experience for adults. Shorten the lines, too, although they'd have to keep those "you must be THIS tall" signs.
Having never been to Victoria and Albert's, I don't know if they have topless dancers in the lounge.
Sat Jan 5, 2008 — by Mike Gold
From England, With Postage
James Bond Gets Licked
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of spy-turned-writer Ian Fleming, this Tuesday the British post office will be issuing a half-dozen "extra-long" stamps featuring reproductions of various James Bond books.
Royal Mail will be issuing other stamps honoring popular culture throughout the year, including a set commemorating the Hammer horror movies this summer.
Can Judge Dredd be far behind? More important, can Royal Mail cough up Brian Bolland's cover rate?
Fri Jan 4, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Simone and Andrew In Snoopy Land
Mr. Pepoy Talks!
Simone and Ajax's daddy Andrew Pepoy did an interview at the Schulz Museum (yep, that Schulz!) and the good folks at www.comicscoasttocoast.com have it up in their latest podcast. This is your opportunity to hear Andrew the way we here at ComicMix do: actually speaking words from his mouth to your ears. It's quite remarkable.
And since I have your attention, I should point out Andrew's hard at work at his all-new full color Simone and Ajax graphic novel... soon to debut right here at ComicMix!
Thu Jan 3, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Law and Order Over There
Bobby Sex and Stalkings?
Just when you thought Law and Order was wearing out its welcome, it turns out there are plans for a fourth – no, make it fifth (one flopped) series. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it ain't gonna be set or filmed in New York City.
Wed Jan 2, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Torchwood Two Sports James Marsters, Freema Agyeman
Doctor Who Spin-Off Returns At Last
Torchwood, the more adult brother to Doctor Who, will be returning to the airwaves on Wednesday, January 16th for another 13 episode run.
To the BBC in the United Kingdom, of course. Its North American debuts will happen... later.
Buffy's James Marsters (well, also Smallville's James Marsters and Without A Trace's James Marsters) is set to become the series' main villain, a rogue Time Agent named Captain (!) John Hart. As promised, Freema Agyeman will drop by for several episodes mid-season in her role as The Doctor's companion Martha Jones. After her Torchwood stint, Martha will be returning to Doctor Who to team up with several other companions, present and past. And Torchwood star John Barrowman is expected to be around for the finale to next season's Doctor Who as well.
But first, Captain Jack must survive Captain John, as well as a slew of other menaces as they "visit" such times as World War I and the 51th Century.
Wed Jan 2, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Sure Hope Lex Luthor Doesn't Read This
Kryptonite discovered. Really.
According to BBC News, a new mineral matching the configuration of Kryptonite has been discovered in Serbia.
The crystals aren't green – it's white and, according to London mineralogist Chris Stanley, it is harmless. Kal-El could not be reached for comment. Hmmmm.
Mining researchers discovered the unusual mineral and could not match it with anything known previously to science. When Dr. Stanley unravelled the mineral's chemical make-up, he discovered the unique formula was already referenced in literary fiction. I guess there are fanboys everywhere.
"Towards the end of my research I searched the web using the mineral's chemical formula - sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide - and was amazed to discover that same scientific name, written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luthor from a museum in the film Superman Returns," Stanley told the BBC.
Tue Jan 1, 2008 — by Mike Gold
Yeah, Robert Burns got it right...
The Four-Color Wazoo
No doubt you've seen the awesome (and I mean that in the traditional sense of the word) response to John Ostrander's column last week in tribute to our friend Paul (Zeus) Grant. As of this writing, there have been 78 responses to John's piece -- quite a lot for an upstart operation such as ours. Lots of good people: old friends, folks I haven't heard from in a while, industry professionals, fellow comics fans. Damn, what a turnout.
Paul would have been pleased. Well, not with the "his death" part – we all could have done without that. But as one of the very first comic fans to understand, appreciate and act upon the relationship between the Internet and comics fandom, he was the grandfather of this project, as well as the many, many others to be found online. So it is most fitting that this genuine outpouring of love, this virtual wake we've been having, is being done in honor of him. Coming at the end of the year, at the moment of auld lang syne... how fitting. And how grounding.
Comics fandom was founded, in part, to honor the first generation of writers and artists who had no choice but to survive the humiliating travails of Fredrick Wertham and the funny book burnings of the late 40s and 50s. Most of those folks are gone now, but most of them knew the respect that we have for their work. They knew their names would live on. They might not have seen efforts such as the Grand Comic Book Database, but they saw their names in the fanzines, the comics history books, and on the autograph pads at decades of conventions.
And now we're losing the first generation of comics fans. Jerry Bails died about 13 months ago, Paul this past month. Others of our founding fathers and mothers passed previously, of course, but now it's becoming clear that we must honor those who got the ball rolling, in mimeo-zines all the way up to the Internet.
John did a swell job last week honoring those who put it all together. Thanks, bro.
* * * * *
Seeing as how I'm filling in for Denny, I want to honor this time-slot with a RECOMMENDED READING offering. But, unlike Mr. O'Neil, I'm going to recommend a comic book -- a mini-series one-third done that will no doubt be anthologized: Kyle Baker's take on Iraq War II, Special Forces, from Image Comics. Perhaps the most important comic on the racks right now.
Mon Dec 31, 2007 — by Mike Gold
The Happy Optimist, by Mike Gold
Whizzy's Wazoo #47
• Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in the Iron Man movie. I can’t think of a better casting choice, except maybe for Howard Chaykin – and I’m not sure Chaykin could pull off the moustache thing. Downey’s got the right look, the right attitude… we’ll see if he gets the right screenplay.Sun Dec 30, 2007 — by Mike Gold
Tumbleweeds Tumbles Its Last
42 Years In The West
Tom Ryan's Tumbleweeds ends its 42 year run in the newspapers today, at the request of the artist.
The always entertaining big-foot western strip launched an animated teevee series, a musical and a theme-park, as well as appearing in hundreds of newspapers throughout the years. Ryan continues a trend of creators retiring their strips at the end of their careers instead of allowing the syndicates to turn their creations over to others, transforming their work into minor family annuities.
