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Make Yourself Manga

  • Uncategorized
  • August 14, 2008

rick-marshall-manga-00-2428533As anyone who follows the Twitter feeds, Facebook profiles and various other online extensions of comic creators has probably noticed today, the newest meme circulating through the comics scene is Face Your Manga — a website that allows you to create your own "manga" avatar.

As Michael Pinto points out over on Fanboy.com, the art actually isn’t very manga-like… but it’s still a fun little diversion. I’ve posted the manga-fied version of myself here. What do you think?

The website has caught on particularly well with the webcomics set, with manga versions of many well-known creators popping up around the ‘Tubes. Here are a few I’ve come across:

There are lots more out there, so just look around and see what you can turn up.

The most interesting thing about this to me is that so many talented creators who are capable artists on their own have become enamored with the site. As Rich Stevens of Diesel Sweeties remarked earlier today: "Draw your own darn icons, you incredibly capable people. Those B.S. generators are for kids…"

… but then again, maybe that’s why we enjoy ’em so much.

Marvel’s Michael Turner “Hulk” Tribute Covers

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

hulk-07-turnervariant-00-6738005In an announcement released earlier today, Marvel Comics has released the variant cover images for Hulk issues #6 and #7 featuring the art of recently deceased, fan-favorite artist Michael Turner. Turner passed away on June 27 due to complications in his battle with cancer.

Hulk writer Jeph Loeb had this to say about the covers:

“Living in a world without Mike is something I could never imagine,” said Hulk scribe Jeph Loeb. “He was the greatest guy. The. Greatest. I wanted some way to share my love of his artwork and at the same time give something to the fans — who were more important to Mike than anyone can imagine — and spoke to Marvel about doing these covers. They are pieces Mike did of the Green Hulk (one as a gift to Frank Mastromauro)and Peter Steigerwald of Aspen Comics did the recoloring and remastering. It was terribly important to me that Peter and Aspen got to be part of this as well. They are a celebration of Mike’s enormous talent and in turn, his life. Enjoy.”

Hulk #6 is scheduled for release September 24, while Hulk #7 is scheduled for an October 22 release.

So, ComicMix readers, what are your thoughts on the use of Turner’s art in these covers? Is it a respectable tribute to a beloved creator or something a bit more… suspect? Either way, the art is as impressive as always, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the decision to release these covers.

Full-size versions of both cover images are posted after the jump. (more…)

ComicMix Radio: J.J. Abrams Warms Up In The Comics

Attendees at this year’s ComicCon got A free Fringe comic which actually leads into the new series on the way to stores in a few weeks. Missed it? Don’t feel bad because now you can read it for free plus get even more into the world of Fringe before the show comes to Fox, plus:

  • Paul Dini gets his own imprint
  • More Robin Hood coming to the BBC
  • A down and dirty new line of comics with a back to basics attitude

We at ComicMix Radio want you to know that we endorse J.J. Abrams’ new TV show, but we cannot explain it. Don’t ask – just Press the Button!

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-4417282 or RSS!

 

 

Canadians in Comics: An A-Z Guide

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

Over at Hypergeek, newly citizen-ized Edward Kaye has decided to celebrate his Canadian residency by profiling comic book creators who also hail from areas north of U.S. border. That in itself is an ambitious project fur sure, but he’s doing it in A-Z form. He kicked it off yesterday with a look at the career of Adrian Alphona, co-creator of Marvel’s teen superteam Runaways.

Adrian Alphona is known for his intricate linework, incredible grasp of the human figure, as well as a good understanding of teen fashion. Many fans of Runaways have commented that the characters actually look like people you could find in Los Angeles, the city which provides the primary setting for the title.

A-Z of Canadian Comic Book Creators looks to continue with 25 more profiles of north-of-the-border comics people, so now it’s time to start taking bets on whether he’ll be able to find that many Canadian creators with the appropriate letters in their names.

No pressure, Edward, no pressure…

More Awards For Jeff Lemire’s “Essex County” Trilogy

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

With final third of his "Essex County" trilogy of graphic novels set to hit shelves later this year, creator Jeff Lemire has already had a pretty good 2008. The first two projects in the trilogy, Tales From the Farm and Ghost Stories, have been celebrated by critics and nominated for multiple awards (and won quite a few of ’em, too). On Friday, Lemire added another award to his list of accolades, taking home the Doug Wright Award for "Best Emerging Talent," a prestigious Canadian cartooning award.

The last graphic novel in the trilogy, The Country Nurse, is scheduled for release in October from Top Shelf Productions. The trilogy is described as follows:

Lemire’s ESSEX COUNTY trilogy is an intimate portrait of one small-town community through the years, charged with themes of family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation.

You can find out more about Lemire’s "Essex County" trilogy on the Top Shelf website. You can also read a review of Ghost Stories here on ComicMix, as well as an early review of The Country Nurse.

 

New “Conan” Film Fast-Tracked By Lionsgate

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Lionsgate is so keen on pushing a new Conan film into production that they’ve hired two sets of writers to draft parallel scripts for the film. No director has been attached to the film at this point, but sources close to the project have said that the intent is to reinvent the franchise based on Robert E. Howard’s stories of the famed barbarian.

Currently, Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain are writing one script for the project, while Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer (Sahara) have been writing another script.

THR reports that Paradox Entertainment president and CEO Fredrik Malmberg, who is producing the Conan film along with Boaz Davidson, Joe Gatta and Avi Lerner of Millennium FilmsMalmberg, recently explained that the project is a "fast-tracked movie" and that "Lionsgate felt the process was enhanced by having a second team come in and do a script."

As for the decision to return to the film franchise that began with 1982’s Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayal of the character:

"Fans expect (these types of movies) to be more true to the source material," Malmberg said. "There’s no reason there couldn’t be a Conan movie every two years. He’s almost like Batman: He’s a dark hero. He’s a hard hero. He has to be badass, but we also have to like him."

(via ICv2)

A Matter of Opinion, by John Ostrander

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

So. I’m watching – and enjoying – the finale of this season’s Doctor Who. I’m a big fan of the time traveling Doctor and have been for years and his present incarnation, embodied by David Tennant, is one of his best. The Doctor is in a dire fix, as usual. This time, he’s trapped in the headquarters of his arch-foes, the Daleks, and at the mercy of their creator, Davros. A whole squadron of the Doctor’s companions and friends are trying to help him by a) threatening to blow up the Dalek HQ or b) blowing up the Earth itself, ruining the Dalek master plan. Like I said, the situation is dire.

Davros sneers at the Doctor that, while the Doctor himself doesn’t carry weapons and won’t kill, he creates friends and companions who will. He tells the Doctor that those companions are the Doctor’s weapons. The Doctor looks guilty and distressed as he considers, and seemingly accepts, Davros’ accusation.

Mind you, this is the Davros who has just enunciated his master plan of destroying not just the Earth, not just the galaxy, not just the universe, but all of reality except for the Dalek HQ. This Davros describes as winning and will prove the Daleks – and thus Davros – are supreme.

Which leads me to my thought of the week. Some people’s opinions really don’t matter. They just don’t. I’m not saying that people don’t have a right to their opinions or that they don’t have a right to express those opinions. However, there’s no rule saying that I have to listen to them. As I heard Steven Grant once say on a panel, “Opinions are like assholes; everyone has one.”

And, omigawd, are there assholes out there with opinions – especially now in an election year and especially here on the Internet! You don’t need to actually know about something to blog about it. Hell, I’ve proven that from time to time myself. What you need is a computer, a modem (preferably high speed), and a website. It doesn’t have to be your own website; if it has a message board, you can blaze away with your opinions at will. You don’t even have to use your own name so you don’t have to stand by your opinion. Wheee. What fun. (more…)

White Viper: The Mighty Fu

  • News
  • August 14, 2008

In today’s brand new episode of White Viper, by Erin Holroyd, Dick Giordano and Frank McLaughlin, the bandits return to town, and Ta Moa must decide how to deal with them.  Will he be able to defend the girl he rescued?  Does she need defending?  What can one man do against a violent gang?

 

Credits: Erin Holroyd (Writer), Dick Giordano (Penciller), Frank McLaughlin (Inker), Lovern Kindzierski (Colorist), John Workman (Letterer), Mike Gold (Editor)

 

Indiana Jones Opts For October DVD Release

  • News
  • August 13, 2008

ICv2 reports that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be released on DVD the second week of October. Much like Iron Man, which hits shelves on September 30, the quick turnaround time on the Indiana Jones DVD is part of an effort to generate long-term sales in a crowded DVD market this fall. The fourth Indiana Jones film was the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning $770 million worldwide.

According to ICv2, the DVD will find its way to shelves in three versions:

The Single-Disc version comes with two extras, "The Return of a Legend,” a feature about the evolution of the new film, and “Pre-Production,” a mini-documentary that follows director Steven Spielberg as he creates animatronic sequences and Shia LeBoeuf as he learns to swordfight. The 2-disc Special Edition contains a host of additional extras created with the collector and the serious fan in mind including “Production Diary: Making Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” a major behind-the-scenes look at all facets of the production, plus seven additional featurettes about various aspects of the filming process (special effects, action sequences, etc.), a special feature about Stan Winston Studio’s contribution to the film, plus galleries galore, production photographs, portraits, storyboards, set sketches and more.

ICv2 also points out that the trio of recent Indiana Jones-themed comics published by Dark Horse in recent months (the adaptation of Crystal Skull and two Indiana Jones omnibus projects) have been selling well, and the DVD release might mean good things for the publisher in October.

Movie-Style Trailer for DC Comics’ Trinity

Imagine if comic books had trailers like movies and TV shows to build up buzz and get mainstream audiences excited. Now imagine no more! DC Comics released a movie-style trailer for the new weekly comic Trinity. Starring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the series is being written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Mark Bagley. Check out the video for yourself below.

 

Video: Trinity Animation

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