Glenn Hauman | ComicMix

Hey Kids! Topless Pulp Fiction!

News
November 2, 2012

During a recent in-house editorial discussion here, the notion was floated that we should be showing naked female breasts on this website, as part of an attempt to increase search engine rankings and site traffic.* To address this lack of undress, we’d like to present you with The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society, whose slogan is “Making Reading Sexy”. Their raison d’etre:

We’re a group of friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends, and complete strangers, who love good books and sunny days and enjoying both as nearly in the altogether as the law allows. Happily, in New York City, the law allows toplessness by both men and women. So that’s the way we do our al fresco reading. If you’re in New York and the weather’s good, won’t you join us sometime…?

And yes, you can go to their website, which features many photos of them in Bryant Park and other New York City locales fulfilling their organizational mission. (Of course, the site is probably Not Safe For Work.) They’ve been working their way through a recent contribution from Hard Case Crime who generously supplied them with free copies of some of their latest, including [[[Seduction of the Innocent]]] from our good friend Max Allan Collins. We hope he got a good back cover blurb out of it.

They don’t appear to have gotten around to comics and graphic novels yet, but we’re sure we can find something for them by the time the weather in New York gets nice again. And no, despite what you might think, we’re not going to send them a bunch of mini-comics. We just aren’t cynical enough for Cynicalman.

* Yes, this is what goes on in our workplace when we aren’t figuring out how many dimensions Cynosure intersects with. Arguing about whether Thor is stronger than the Hulk is for newbies.

RISE OF THE BLACK BEETLE

News
November 2, 2012

Art: Francesco Francavilla

Dark Horse Comics teases a new pulp comic sensation. Francesco Francavilla’s The Black Beetle – coming in January.

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #1
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters–taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?
32 pages, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 16.

Happy Halloween from ComicMix!

News
October 31, 2012

If you want to see how they did these, take a look:

Sculpting Two-Face
http://www.dccomics.com/videos/sculpting-two-face

Sculpting The Joker
http://www.dccomics.com/videos/sculpting-the-joker

News
October 31, 2012

Pro Se Productions, a cutting edge Publisher of Heroic Fiction and New Pulp, is proud to announce the perfect jumping-on point for fans of adventure – The Rook Volume One Special Edition!

Created by author Barry Reese, The Rook has become one of the most famous New Pulp heroes. Originally published by Wild Cat Books, The Rook joined Pro Se prior to the release of Volume Six. Now Pro Se begins the process of bringing books 1-5 back into print.

“I’m thrilled,” said Reese, “to have The Rook Volume One back in print. This is the book that kicks off the entire series and is really the beginning of my greater interconnected pulp universe. The work that was done on the book has left it significantly improved – the editing is much tighter now, Sean Ali knocked it out of the park on the design aspect and George Sellas brought out the big guns with his artwork. Max Davies has been living with me for nearly a decade now.. and he’s never looked better!”

“It’s our honor,” stated Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se, “to not only have Barry as a major part of our lineup, but also to have the opportunity to really put our brand on the whole Rook franchise from the start. This volume is the first of making sure that The Rook’s entire written history has a classic, uniform look. One that will be a great literary and visual addition to any bookshelf.”

With a beautiful new cover and four interior pieces by George Sellas, The Rook Volume One Special Edition has been completely re-edited and gorgeously packaged by Pro Se designer Sean Ali.

THE ROOK VOLUME ONE SPECIAL EDITION is available at Pro Se’s Createspace store by clicking HERE.

Get your copy from Amazon by clicking HERE.

George Lucas is betting Barack Obama will win re-election

News
October 31, 2012

By now, you’ve heard that Lucasfilm has been sold to The Walt Disney Corporation for $4.05 billion dollars. You also see that we’ve discussed what this could mean for Star Wars, Disney, Dark Horse Comics, and many other players. However, what you may not realize is that this also means that George Lucas thinks that the Force is with Barack Obama and in six days, he will win re-election as President of the United States.

Why? Because of what will happen on January 1st.

That’s the day when the Bush Tax Cuts are scheduled to expire. Right now, the current rate on income from corporate dividends and long-term capital gains is 15 percent. With the Bush cuts gone, those numbers would jump to 39.6 percent on dividends and 20 percent on gains.

George Lucas founded Lucasfilm in 1971 and is the sole shareholder. So all the long-term capital gains go straight to him. He would stand to pay an extra 5% on the purchase price, an additional $202.5 million dollars in taxes if he delayed the transaction to 2013.

Now, it should be noted that one of the few things Mitt Romney’s told us about his tax plan is that he plans to keep the 15 percent maximum rate on long-term capital gains and most dividends for taxpayers with income of more than $200,000 per year. So if Romney wins the election, Lucas doesn’t get a bigger tax bill.

But Lucas isn’t doing that– he’s acting now. Ergo, he thinks there’s a significant chance that Romney will lose and that the risk is too big to take.

George Lucas On The Disney Sale In His Own Words (Video) (comicsbeat.com)

DISNEY ACQUIRES LUCASFILM

News
October 30, 2012

George Lucas has sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to the Walt Disney Company. Disney announced plans for new Star Wars movies to premiere beginning 2015.

Global leader in high-quality family entertainment agrees to acquire world-renowned Lucasfilm Ltd, including legendary STAR WARS franchise.

Acquisition continues Disney’s strategic focus on creating and monetizing the world’s best branded content, innovative technology and global growth to drive long-term shareholder value.

Lucasfilm to join company’s global portfolio of world class brands including Disney, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel Comics, and ABC.

STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 feature film targeted for release in 2015.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn.

You can read the full (lengthy) press release at http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-news/press-releases/2012/10/disney-acquire-lucasfilm-ltd.

There has been no news as yet regarding the future of Lucasfilm’s beloved pulp adventurer, Indiana Jones.

Disney Buys Lucasfilm for $4 Billion; ‘Star Wars 7’ Coming In 2015

News
October 30, 2012

In a deal that rivals the size of its Marvel purchase, Disney has just confirmed that it has agreed to acquire George Lucas’ Lucasfilm Ltd, including all rights to the Star Wars franchise. The companies have also announced a 2015 release for Star Wars: Episode VII. The stock and cash transaction is worth an estimated $4.05 billion, and a conference call is going on right now to discuss the deal.

“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger in a release announcing the deal. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”

But Disney is paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing based on Disney’s stock price on October 26. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm chairman and founder Lucas.

via UPDATE: BREAKING: ‘Star Wars 7’ Slated For 2015 Release As Disney Buys Lucasfilm – Deadline.com.

We’ll note that this deal is happening on a day that the New York Stock Exchange is closed, so the impact of such a huge announcement on Disney’s stock price is minimized.

A quick note: Avengers 2 is also scheduled for 2015. One wonders how scheduling for these two mega-blockbusters is going to shake out.

We’ll have more news as we know about it.

Hurricane Sandy Check-In Open Thread

News
October 30, 2012

Okay, if you can read this message, post in comments and let us know you’re okay. We know various ComicMix people from Maryland to Michigan to Manhattan are without power, and we want to hear from you.

Even if you’re not a regular poster here, check in so that your friends and/or fans know you’re okay. If you’re a comic store in the affected area, feel free to post and tell us how your store is holding out. (Jim Hanley, I’m looking at you.)

Ron Perlman gets back into Hellboy makeup to make a wish come true

News
October 29, 2012

Ron Perlman made one little boy’s wish come true when he showed up in his full Hellboy makeup and costume for a day of hanging out with his big screen hero. Seth Abramovitch reports:

Six-year-old Zachary had expressed to Make-A-Wish his desire “to meet and become Hellboy.” The boy is undergoing treatment for leukemia, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Enter Spectral Motion, the creature effects house that brought to life the many fantastical characters in Guillermo del Toro‘s Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy 2 (2008).

They in turn approached Perlman, who “loved the idea and donned the makeup once more,” Spectral Motion said on its Facebook page.

Perlman then underwent the four-hour makeup application procedure it takes to become Hellboy and shocked a delighted Zachary — who later got the opportunity to become a pint-sized Hellboy himself. More photos of the memorable encounter are posted on Facebook.

Now if someone can convince him to dress up as Vincent from Beauty and the Beast again, I’ll be thrilled.

VAN PLEXICO’S SENTINELS TRILOGY “THE RIVALS” COLLECTED

News
October 29, 2012

Cover Art: Mitch Foust

White Rocket Books has collected New Pulp Author Van Allen Plexico’s second trilogy in the saga of The Sentinels in an omnibus edition. Sentinels: The Rivals: Omnibus 2 is authored by Van Allen Plexico with illustrations by Chris Kohler.

About Sentinels: The Rivals:
The Sentinels and their oldest enemies must band together as four Great Rivals–cosmic beings of unimaginable power, to whom humans are but insects–renew their ancient war high above the Earth.

But even as our heroes and their foes all rush into space in a hopeless effort to drive away these malevolent menaces, new clues to the origins of Ultraa and Vanadium emerge–revelations that will rock the team to its foundations, and challenge everything we thought we knew about the SENTINELS!

This second omnibus volume contains all three novels in the “Rivals” trilogy, including The Shiva Advent, Worldmind, and the PulpArk “Novel of the Year” nominee, Stellarax, along with all fifteen of Chris Kohler’s mind-blowing interior illustrations and a new painted cover by artist extraordinaire Mitch Foust.

It’s more than 700 pages of cosmic superhero action–continuing the greatest superhero novel saga of them all–from the author Pulp Fiction Reviews calls “The Master of Space Opera!”

Sentinels: The Rivals is now available in trade paperback via Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Sentinels-The-Rivals-Omnibus-2/dp/0984139273 and at CreateSpace at www.createspace.com/3772075 .

Original series co-plotter Bobby Politte will be joining Van Allen Plexico on an upcoming episode of the White Rocket Podcast to discuss their influences in creating the characters and the series.

Author: Glenn Hauman