Tagged: Neil Gaiman

Ever wanted to collaborate with Neil Gaiman? Here’s your chance

Ever wanted to collaborate with Neil Gaiman? Here’s your chance

MediaBistro reports that starting in less then an hour, Neil Gaiman and a thousand Twitter followers will write an audiobook script together on Twitter–an epic test to see if the Twittersphere can actually cooperate on a story.

The whole project starts on this Twitter page
at 12 noon EST. Gaiman will tweet the first line of a
story, and the Twittersphere will add the next sentences, continuing
the story in a round-robin style. To be included, your
addition to the story must be tagged #bbcawdio and be sent to the
correct Twitter page, like this:

@BBCAA Your Tweet Here #bbcawdio

Here’s more from BBC Audiobooks America:
“When roughly 1000 Tweets are logged, we’ll edit the contributions and
compile a script, then head into the studio to record and produce the
audiobook. The final audiobook will be downloadable free on our website
and also available as a digital download at iTunes and other audiobook
retailers.”

Doing the math, that should be about 130,000 characters, probably around 21,000 words, which is in the ballpark of an audiobook script.

Neil’s twitter feed, in case you don’t have it, is @neilhimself.

Alan Moore’s Miracleman to be auctioned to benefit John Ostrander

Alan Moore’s Miracleman to be auctioned to benefit John Ostrander

Alan Moore’s artist’s proof of the Randy Bowen sculpted Marvelman/Miracleman statue has been donated to the Comix4Sight.com auction to benefit comics’ legend John Ostrander. The benefit auction will be held Saturday, August 8 at 7:30 PM at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, as part of this year’s annual Chicago Comic-Con.

John Ostrander is a 30-year veteran of the comics field and a playwright facing the possibility of blindness from glaucoma. He is in the midst of a series of difficult operations to protect his remaining eyesight and, like a growing number of Americans, needs to supplement his insurance in order to cover the surgeries.

“With Marvel Comics having announced in San Diego that Marvel has acquired ownership of all rights to the Marvelman/Miracleman character, bringing him back to the public after more than 20 years, and knowing Neil Gaiman’s support for the Comix4Sight efforts for John, we thought that nothing would be more in demand than a high end Marvelman/Miracleman item.” program coordinator Adriane Nash stated.  “By good fortune, Ken F. Levin, attorney for Neil Gaiman’s Marvels & Miracles company, is a long-time close friend of John’s.  Neil Gaiman has also been most supportive of our efforts.  When Ken heard about the auction, Ken spoke to Neil and Alan Moore, and Alan– also a John Ostrander friend– gave the statue to us for John’s benefit with Alan’s blessing.”

The statue is an extremely rare Randy Bowen “Artist’s Proof,” which almost never make their way to the marketplace. As an added bonus, the statue itself has been signed by co-designer Neil Gaiman. Finally, to further identify the statue’s uniqueness, the lucky buyer will also receive a certificate of authenticity from Marvels & Miracles, identifying it as Alan Moore’s own.  “We greatly appreciate the support and assistance from Neil, Alan and Ken, particularly right when the Marvel Comics agreement has been announced,” Nash stated. Ken F. Levin has agreed to be on hand to personally auction the piece.

The auction will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, next to the Chicago Comic Con being held at the Rosemont Convention Center. The event is being co-sponsored by Wizard Entertainment, publishers of Wizard Magazine, and is being covered live at getthepointradio.com.

Win a free ‘Coraline’ DVD!

The nice folks releasing the Coraline DVD today (based on the award winning book by Neil Gaiman, doncha know) have given us a free copy of the DVD to give to a ComicMix reader.

As we’re too dang busy between now and San Diego to grade essays on “why I should get the free DVD of Coraline“, we’ll just make it simple: Comment in this thread, using a real email address when you log in (because that’s how we’ll contact you if you win). Contest open only to people living in the United States. Don’t forget to check out the film’s current site.

In the meantime, here’s a little clip from the DVD extras…

Neil Gaiman’s Watchmen parody: Watchdogs

Neil Gaiman’s Watchmen parody: Watchdogs

From an Avedon Carol fanzine in 1986– yes, before Neil Gaiman ever wrote a single comic book, let alone write Coraline, Beowulf, or Stardust– he wrote and drew this:

As far as Neil knows, this is his first published illustration. Thanks to Rob Hansen for saving this all these years and posting it on his blog.

ComicMix Quick Picks – February 3, 2009

ComicMix Quick Picks – February 3, 2009

* Quote of the day from novelist David Mack, talking about Sandman:

One story from that series, “Calliope,” continues to haunt me; a writer who tried to justify his crimes as a desperate search for ideas is cursed by Dream to be deluged with story ideas faster than he can write them down. In a handful of panels, the character rambles off nearly a dozen snippets of story concepts as he succumbs to a delusional fugue. What really haunts me about that scene is that Neil Gaiman tossed off a dozen story ideas as throwaway lines of dialogue that are all better than anything I’ve ever written. As a writer, I’ve never slept well since reading those panels.

This is all part of agent Lucienne Diver‘s weeklong discusion about comic books. Monday was Keith DeCandido‘s turn. I look forward to seeing who’s next– and slightly insulted she hasn’t asked me yet.

* Sandman, of course, is not to be confused in any way with Mr. Sandman, who, "though immortal and existing since the beginning of time, is your standard everyday teenager from the 50s. He enjoys such activities as going on dates with Calliope and Nada (rivals for his affection), meeting up with his old friend Jughead (a mortal granted everlasting life) at the same soda jerk every 100 years, and bringing into existence desirable new teenagers at the request of existing ones." Here, we see Mr. Sandman’s famous crossover with Jughead.

* This is ironic and deeply cruel: Unscrewed, which was formed to help comics creators who’d gotten screwed by a particular publisher, had funds embezzled by their former treasurer. Via Rich Johnston.

* TNT renewed the drama series Leverage for a second season, ordering 15 new episodes. Congratulations to show co-creator John Rogers, who won’t have much time to write comics any more, and the rest of the crew and cast.

* Hank Pym Is the New Doctor Who.

* And finally, our condolences to Scott Edelman on the passing of his father.

Anything else? Consider this an open thread.

Compare and contrast…

Compare and contrast…

From Salon:

A Wall Street retiree wearing a red latex bodysuit and a black hood is strapped to a table…. Talking to Daniel Bergner in his new book, "The Other Side of Desire," the man compares his masochistic ecstasy to having onion skins stripped off his psyche.

"Is this a weird way to deal with life?" he asks Bergner at one point. "Consider the man who bought Mark McGwire’s seventieth home-run ball for three million dollars. Who’s weirder?"

Let’s see, who bought that home-run ball? Oh yeah… Todd McFarlane.

No doubt about it. Todd’s much weirder.

And this quote comes on the day when Neil Gaiman wins the Newbery. Hey, does Neil own Todd’s balls yet?

Neil Gaiman wins Newbery Award, ‘Moribito’ wins Bachelder

Neil Gaiman wins Newbery Award, ‘Moribito’ wins Bachelder

Many of you probably already know by now that Neil Gaiman picked up the 2009 Newbery Award for The Graveyard Book. If you’ve completely forgotten your unhappy childhood, I’ll remind you that the Newbery Medal is the most prestigious award given out in children’s publishing; all the books your parents’ friends gave you for your birthday and Christmas had the medal stamped on it.

But unless you’re connected to the children’s book world, you might not have paid attention to all the other awards the American Library Association handed out today. The Bachelder Award is given to the “most outstanding” book published in a foreign language. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi (published by, yes, Harry Potter’s American publisher, Arthur A. Levine) picked up the laurels this year. The award comes a week after the animated series based on the novel was yanked from the schedule at Cartoon Network.

This year marks the second year in a row that a novel translated from the Japanese has won the Bachelder; last year it was Miyuki Miyabe’s Brave Story, published by Viz, which had not previously been known for its non-media fiction.

Amy Goldschlager writes for FindingDulcinea.com.

ComicMix QuickPicks – January 10, 2009

ComicMix QuickPicks – January 10, 2009

Today’s installment of comic-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest…

* New Pooh to view: Here’s a reason to celebrate: "In August, Dutton will publish Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, the first authorized sequel to the Winnie-the-Pooh books in years. The author is David Benedictus, who finally prevailed upon A.A. Milne’s estate to let him write a book. ‘We thought David had a wonderful feel for the material,” a Pooh trustee tells The Wall Street Journal. “No doubt some will say it’s not as good as the original, but it’s very good, and we’re pleased with it.’ " Call it a hunch, but I’ll bet that book isn’t cut in the publishing downturn. (Via The Daily Beast.)

* Space And Time magazine has updated their website.

* If Norse legends are good enough for Neil Gaiman, they’re good enough for J.R.R. Tolkien. HarperCollins has bought the rights to an unpublished work written before The Hobbit, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, edited and introduced by Tolkien’s son Christopher. The work, written when Tolkien was professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University during the ’20s and ’30s, makes available for the first time the author’s extensive retelling in English narrative verse of the epic Norse tales of Sigurd the Völsung and the Fall of the Niflungs. The book is expected for May 2010.

* Barnes & Noble’s holiday sales dropped, though not as badly as expected.

* J. Steven York on the coming publishing apocalypse and electronic saviors.

* Disneyland Shanghai? "Walt Disney Co said today it’s going to submit a joint application report with the Shanghai government to China’s central government to build a new theme park. The company was responding to a Wall Street Journal report saying the joint venture is for a $3.59 billion Shanghai Disneyland to open in 2014 with Disney taking a 43% stake while a holding company owned by the local government keeping 57%."

Anything else? Consider this an open thread.

‘Comic Book Dreams’ Avialable on Sunday

‘Comic Book Dreams’ Avialable on Sunday

Letterer extraordinaire Todd Klein has announced the release of his latest signed print, Comic Book Dreams, in collaboration with famed artist Alex Ross. This one is for comics fans of all ages. The print goes on sale this Sunday, November 30, at Noon, Eastern Standard Time at Todd’s website.

Available at the same time will be the third printing of Alphabets of Desire, written by Alan Moore, and the second printing of Before You Read This, written by Neil Gaiman. All prints are 11 by 17 inches, printed on Exacta Vellum Bristol paper, and each has elements hand-painted by Todd. There will be 500 copies available of each print, which will be placed in a protective plastic sleeve and mailed in a sturdy mailing tube. Todd expects all orders received in at least the first week to arrive before Christmas.

Todd has written about the projects here and here.

 

Neil Gaiman NYC reading 11/8 to benefit CBLDF

Neil Gaiman NYC reading 11/8 to benefit CBLDF

So I was waiting for a subway yesterday after visiting my local comics store, and I heard a voice behind me say "Glenn!"

I turned around and didn’t see anybody. Then I looked down. Lo and behold, there was Jill Friedman, fundraising director for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

"Glenn, let me ask you, as a member of the press, how come you aren’t covering the Neil Gaiman benefit in town this weekend?" I kinda answered a bit non-commitally. Jill got that determined/slightly crazed look in her eye that suggested that if I didn’t write up a piece about cousin Neil, I would be beaten around the head with a stapler.

So here you are, Jill. Please don’t hurt me…

Sandman_Reading_11_08_08.gif

Veteran voice actor Tom Wayland and others, will read from some of the most politically charged excerpts of THE SANDMAN written by New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman, in honor of the 20th Anniversary of THE SANDMAN.

Presented by the CBLDF and Vertigo, Neil Gaiman will be on hand to host this dramatic reading which will be held at the Helen Mills Theater in New York City on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available for a $50 donation to the CBLDF. Only 100 tickets are available to this special reading event. Reserve your tickets now!

THE SANDMAN is a series that is often hailed as one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling and which Norman Mailer famously praised as, "a comic strip for intellectuals." This very special evening will bring two of the series most beloved stories to life with a multimedia presentation that marries comics and live theater.

About the stories being performed:

Three Septembers & A January, originally published in THE SANDMAN #31 / Trade #6

The story of Joshua Abraham Norton the first, last and only Emperor of the United States of America that incorporates an explanation for his strange career centering on a challenge between Morpheus and Despair.

The Golden Boy, originally published in THE SANDMAN #51-56 / Trade #8

A revival of a 1970s DC character named Prez, it’s the story of the US’s first teenage president that considers how we view our leaders—while they’re in office… and once they’re gone.