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Kickstarting comics properties into television

Kickstarting comics properties into television

  • News
  • February 17, 2007

Markosia Enterprises’ press release announcing that Of Bitter Souls has been set up for television development with Hollywood’s Kickstart Productions makes the Chuck Satterlee/Norm Breyfogle-created series the latest in a growing line to be picked up by the fledgling production company, which only began creating, developing and producing their own projects in 2003. 

Kickstart’s already overseen the metamorphoses of the Joe Quesada/Jimmy Palmiotti project Painkiller Jane (starting its 22-episode run on SciFi this spring); Mike Mignola’s direct-to-DVD The Amazing Screw-on Head; Wanted, based on the Mark Millar/JG Jones series, and Red Star by Christian Gossett, both currently at Universal; and Preacher, from the series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, now in development at HBO. 

If these projects all survive turnaround hell, looks like Kickstart will be a company to continue watching!

Mighty manga mania!

Mighty manga mania!

  • News
  • February 17, 2007

VIZ and Del Ray Manga are both pulling out all the stops for next weekend’s New York Comic Con.  Del Ray (Booths 458-459) will have numerous author autographing sessions, giveaways and special guests, who will also participate in panels such as Breaking into SF/Fantasy Publishing (Friday at 7), Future Shocks (Saturday at 11), Star Wars: Beyond 30 (Saturday at 4) and of course The Making of a Del Rey Manga (Sunday at noon). 

VIZ, which is joining Del Rey and others in the Manga: What’s Hot panel during Friday’s trade-only hours, will be making available cell phone downloads of  promotional trailers for their popular Death Note anime series on a one-time-only basis for cell phone downloads exclusively during the show at their booth (619).   The first trailer will be available Saturday and the second on Sunday. This marks the first time this well-known Japanese anime property is being made legally available to U.S. audiences for download. 

And of course the first annual American Anime Awards will be held at the con on Saturday night.  Hope there’s cosplay involved!

The clock is Tek-ing

The clock is Tek-ing

  • News
  • February 17, 2007

Oni Press is offering nifty prizes to New York Comic Con attendees who come to their booth dressed like the Stephen Colbert-created character Tek Jansen, including an opportunity to have their photo posted on Oni’s website.  Because, you know, there just aren’t enough ways to get one’s photo on a website.  Oh well, it’s better than a Boba Fettish.

And Tek Jansen co-writer Tom Peyer has been interviewed about the comic at the Colbert fan site No-Fact Zone, and offers the following advice to first-time comic buyers in the Colbert Nation: "Now, many of you have never set foot in a comic book store; it can be scary the first time. Just pretend you’re Tek, on a mission to establish first contact with some repellent extraterrestrial species. We’re betting everything that your fear of not being ‘hip’ to the latest Colbert ‘merchandise’ will override your completely understandable xenophobia."

ComicMix Podcast #3 is now online!

ComicMix Podcast #3 is now online!

Our third Podcast is now available for your downloading pleasure.

This time around, Mike Raub reveals how Action Comics ends its 69 year streak, talks about more cool action figures, denotes the cinematic meeting of Ghost Rider and Captain America (!!!)  and has a revealing interview with… ummm… me, where I get to rat out ComicMix’s own Glenn Hauman and Brian Alvey.

Plus — can the sound of Tiffany’s voice cure cataracts? You can find out on our third podcast simply by simply hitting the play button:

Just in case you missed our first two podcasts, they can be found here and here.

John M. Ford Memorial Auction tonight in Boston

  • News
  • February 17, 2007

As part of Boskone 44 this weekend, The New England Science Fiction Association is holding the Mike Ford Memorial Auction & Extravaganza at 8 PM tonight. All proceeds of the auction will be donated to the John M. Ford Memorial Book Endowment, a special fund of the Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library.

According to Linda K. Merritt of the Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library, "For every $500 dollars deposited in the endowment funds, the Friends purchase a book for the library system annually with the interest earned on the endowment. This really is the gift that keeps on giving. You can specify what genre or library location/branch the books are intended for. Some people just specify ‘where most needed.’ We prepare bookplates and have them inserted in each book before they are shelved. Patrons will see Mike’s name each time the book is opened! I think it is important for people to know that these funds are ‘permanently restricted’ to the annual purchase of books. The money will never be diverted to other use."

Although his only comics credit was for Captain Confederacy, John M. Ford was the man Neil Gaiman credited as "the best writer he knew" at his eulogy.

UPDATE 12:36 AM: Due to the large number of items received, there will be a silent auction for the remainder of donated items this weekend throughout the convention.

Astronaut farmers go to Salvador

Astronaut farmers go to Salvador

  • News
  • February 17, 2007

Boom! Studios has announced that the writer/director/producer team behind the Warner Brothers film The Astronaut Farmer, set to open on February 23 will be following up by launching a project called Salvador "in the world of comic books."  The teaser gave no further information, but they could be talking about this offering found on the Forbidden Planet international site, and an interview with artist Sebastian Jones seems to confirm it.

Teaching comics creation

Teaching comics creation

  • News
  • February 16, 2007

Via Johanna, the Whitney Center in Harrisburgh, PA is holding a special event on March 3 from 10 AM to 3 PM called Kids Love Comic Day, featuring presentations by Jane Fisher-Smith (WJHC), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), Harold Bucholz (Apathy Kat) and John Gallagher (Buzzboy).  Featured programs include a number of hands-on workshops and Gownley’s launch of a new Amelia Rules book.

And ComicMix colleague Mark Wheatley writes to say he’ll be teaching a class on March 24 at the Maryland Institute College of Art.  Here’s the official course listing (scroll down to "Illustrating Graphic Novels"), but Mark has a much more complete and intriguing description below, and adds cryptically, "I have been approached by a media instruction company about committing this event to a DVD package for sale. But that’s probably news for another day."

 

 

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Michael Davis: I’m not that guy

Michael Davis: I’m not that guy

  • News
  • February 16, 2007

I’m a pretty simple guy. I see clear distinctions between right and wrong, good and evil, love and hate and Republican and Democrat. In this age of political correctness and doing the right thing I don’t make decisions because they’re popular. I make decisions because I think something is right.

Remember the days when someone punched you in the face and you could punch him  (or her) right back without having much to worry about — well, besides getting your ass kicked. After the fight (or, in my case, ass whipping) you and the other party would decide to be friends or continue to hate each other. Either way you knew where you stood with that person. NOW if someone punches you in the face — YOU may get sued — and worst, with the current state of our world you don’t know where you stand. I don’t know about you but I would like to know where I stand after I’m punched in the face.

I grew up in the projects in New York City during the days when a threat sounded like this: "I’m going to kick your ass, Davis." Back then my response was "You will have to find me first, lady." Now I simply call my lawyers.

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Bone go Pogo!

Bone go Pogo!

  • News
  • February 16, 2007

Fantagraphics has announced it will be relaunching a Complete Pogo series with cartoonist (and Walt Kelly admirer) Jeff Smith as series and book-by-book designer. Tom Spurgeon reports the series "will be released on a roughly annual basis" with the first volume appearing this coming October.

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