Archive for: October 2007

If I don’t get this post up now, I never will. Some of you are wondering what my kids will be for Halloween. Erin will be Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz. Some adult friend of ours actually asked if she was going as Dorothy from Finding Nemo. Boy how times have changed. Patrick will be a hockey player. We’re still deciding on what sweater he should wear :Michigan State or Red Wings. I’ll post pictures Wednesday night. Also, some of you have asked what I’ll be reading Halloween night. I’m still undecided, but I am currently reading The Avengers/Defender War HC for the next podcast. My interview with IDW’s Chris Ryall is planned to be conducted next week. BTW, Chris has let me know that his house survived and he is on vacation on the Atlantic coast. On with the links:

• Hero Initiative Announces “Hero Library” Auction. I’m going to keep an eye on this and put it into a spreadsheet so we can all watch the progress. I’ll also have some cool Hero Initiative news myself during the holiday season.
• The 2007 Quill Award Winners have been announced. Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels by Scott McCloud won in the Graphic Novel category
• Press Release: IDW Reprints I Am Legend Adaptation In December. It is adapted from the original novel by Steve Niles with art from Elman Brown
• Do you deal in Rare Books? Read this: Rare Book Dealers of the World, Unite!
• Ahmet Zappa Writes Introduction for Zenescope’s SE7EN Hardcover. Zappa on the SE7EN project: “This is not just a comic book… this is a true graphic novel.” Thanks for the quote, Brainiac.
• ICv2.com interviews Top Cow’s President Matt Hawkins on the ‘Witchblade’ Trade Reboot and Program including the very popular Compendiums
• Ben Schwartz, The LA Times, on (the story of the year?) Schulz and Peanuts
• Review: Chris Allen on Avengers-Defenders War HC and Showcase Presents: Batman and the Outsiders Volume 1
• Review: Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin, on The Complete Peanuts 1965-1966

One of my favorite movies of all time is Wall Street. And if there is one lesson to be learned from that movie is to know “the value of information and how to get it”. Excellent words to live by whether it is in your professional career, personal everyday life or just knowing how to get the best deals at the grocery store.
As host of this website and podcast, I do my best to treat you, my costumer, the same way. Each week I write and verbal give you an informed opinion as to the news, reviews, new releases, statistics (with John Mayo), and a ton more. It gives me great pleasure to know that you come here and keep it as you source for all things collected.
Along these same lines, panels are a great way to stay informed with industry news and the future of comics. I have two of these panels to Blog about:

• Friend of the show John Siuntres, Wordbaloon, recently added a panel discussion to his podcast feed. “The Future of Graphic Literature”, was recorded on September 29, 2007 at the Los Angeles Public Library and features Kazu Kibuishi, Mark Waid, Christos Gage, Ross Richie, Tony Fleecs and Joshua Hale Fialkov. John split it up into two parts that run about 50 minutes each. The talk goes into just about everything, web comics, the direct market, cost, superheroes vs. graphic storytelling, and the industry itself, including a lot of collected edition talk. Part 1 and Part 2
• The second panel is upcoming on “Comics and Graphics Novels: Harnessing The Power Of Visual Literature”, on November 14, 2007; 9:00-10:30 am. This panel will feature Calvin Reid, Senior News Editor, PW, and Co-Editor, PW Comics Week, Heidi MacDonald, Writer, The Beat, and Co-Editor, PW Comics Week, John Cunningham, V-P of Marketing, DC Comics, Dan Frank, Editorial Director, Pantheon Books, Rich Johnson, Co-Publishing Director, Yen Press, Bill Schanes, V-P of Purchasing, Diamond Comic Distributors.
  As the web, mobile content, social networking and video games become the language of youth culture, many feel that graphic novels will become an even more important tool for literacy and education. Our panel will explore the growing impact of comics and graphic novels on the book market and will discuss the latest domestic and international trends in comics publishing.
  Surveying the new publishing landscape, this panel will explore how comics publishing is moving beyond its traditional roots and finding new readers. Whether you are a publisher, librarian, educator, or affiliated with the traditional bookstore market or the comics shop market, this discussion will provide insight in this fast-growing and swiftly changing market.
  WHERE: Random House, Louis L’Amour Room, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019
  RSVP, COST AND PAYMENT $45.00 per person; Your payment is your RSVP.To sign up and pay by credit card, visit www.publishersweekly.com/panel

Collected Comics Library Podcast #143

19,704Kb; 20m 45s

Not exactly the Spooky Halloween episode that I planned. I was to have Chris Ryall, IDW Editor, on my podcast to chat about 30 Days of Night and Beowulf, but thanks to the fires in San Diego, we have to reschedule. We are going to shoot for next week. I wanted to have him on this week while the movie is doing well and to discuss the Complete 30 Days of Night Trilogy Hardcover due out in a few days.

Chris let me know that he is doing fine, and in our e-mails he did have this to say:

Hey, Chris, can we do the call next week? I’m not going to be at the office long today due to concerns over the wildfires that are getting a bit too close for comfort now.

and…

Cool, thanks, man. It’s weird here–the air is all orange and filled with ash. It’s done wonders for freeway driving near me, though… as long as the fires don’t come any closer.

and…

…probably nothing I’ll be able to do today, actually. The fires have really thrown this week into whack, but at least so far, it isn’t getting any closer to us.

Freaky to say the least. Other then no interview I did manage to piece together everything else and do some rerecording of what I had planned. This will be my last podcast for October, but I’ll still be Blogging. See you next month.

Chris

Links of Note:

Replay Factor podcast

Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

 

 CCL #143 (Not So) Spooky Halloween: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today, I had the chance to go out and see 30 Days of Night. It was my first horror/scary movie that I’ve seen in the theater in a very long time. In fact I really can’t remember the last one. The only reason I went to go see it was because of the comic book, by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. I only read the first series, and that was a few years ago, but with the advent of the film, I brushed up on the story and was truly excited about it. I can tell you that I was not let down. Unlike many hacker/slasher films, that feature crazy whacko protagonists like Freddy, Jason or the more recent Jigsaw from the Saw series, I tho0ught the vampires in 30 Days were actually cool. Neatly dressed in black suits, or the like, and speaking in some foreign language (Russian?) Not that I was rooting for them or anything, but something about the mysterious band of bloodsucker made me snicker when they went for their human prey from time to time. Josh Hartnett as Eben, Barrow’s Sheriff, was right on the money and you can tell that he genuinely enjoyed the role. Hartnett is no stranger to the comic book movie after his all too brief, yet psychotic, appearance in the beginning and ending sequences in Sin City. If you’re a fan of the comic book-turned movie give this one a try. Bring the popcorn, but leave the kids at home.

Welcome back to the new Collected Comics Library. Many of you may notice nothing, but if you look carefully to the URL in your web browser you’ll notice that it has changed. This week I decided to migrate everything from my Blogspot page back to the original URL of http://www.collectecomicslibary.com . Please change your bookmark accordingly. I’m now using WordPress for the software and this will allow me a ton more functionality. This will be a great benefit to you, the reader and listener.

One neat addition is the use of an app called PodPress. Now you’ll be able to click on the player and listen to that certain podcast that you choose, please note I’m still on the process of doing this, so give me a few days to update everything. I’ll be posting other updates for the next week or so, but for now just know that everything is accessible the way it was before and feel free to write me with any questions you may have.

With all the coding that I’ve been doing the past three days, I’ve missed out on the news, so I’ll have top catch up this weekend. Here are a few links I did come across:

• Good friend of the CCL, Bob Greenberger, has announced on his blog that his is writing and editing, The Essential Batman Encyclopedia, an A-Z updating of Michael Fleisher’s original Batman Encyclopedia. That right it will cover everything Batman from 1939-2007. Wow! The book is set for a June 10, 2008 release.
• DC Comics, Random House Ink Distribution Pact
• Eric Henrickson, The Detroit News, writes about All-Ages Comic Books
• Entertainment Weekly is featuring a 4 page preview of the new The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Graphic Novel, The Black Dossier by Alan Moore

Collected Comics Library Podcast #142
30,766Kb; 32m 32s

I start off the cast with a rant on the whole Powers trade misspelling screw-up featuring C.B. Cebulski. There is also a bunch of news (most of which I blogged about) including the Hunger Dogs in the New Gods Omnibus 4, a few DC Comics solicits, X-Men Masterworks Volume 6 and From Hell, the UK Hardcover edition, from Top Shelf.

Today’s feature is a review of Hulk: Planet Hulk Hardcover. A very good book and to put it simply it is a story you have seen or read many times before. A man is thrown into exile, becomes slave/gladiator bands with a group of misfits like himself and defeats the enemy on his ground. Flash Gordon, Conan, and Kirk Douglas, Russell Crowe and countless others have played the part. I guess now it is the Hulks’ turn.

Lastly, as always, I go over the New Releases of the Week, and like last week there were a few surprises; JSA All-Stars Archives Volume 1, Jeff Smith’s Shazam The Monster Society of Evil Deluxe HC, Gunslinger Born, but no Nick Fury Masterworks - Damn It!!!

Chris

Links of Note:
True Brit Comics Review
Comic Book Page

Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

 

 Collected Comics Library Podcast #142: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m getting over a nasty cold. It’s so bad, in fact, that I lost my voice on Sunday. I should be OK to podcast either Tuesday or Wednesday. In the meantime, you can hear me on today’s Around Comics #142. (30:40 - New Collected Editions).
The updated list is up and on my New Releases page. Many surprises on the list; one Masterwork is out this week, but not the one I was hoping for, Jeff Smith’s Shazam! (yawn), The JSA All Stars Archives a few weeks early and Stephen King’s Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born Premiere HC, which is the kind of book that will read better as a collected edition. On to today’s links:

• My friend and frequent contributor to the CCL Forum Aaron, (AKA TurboRip) has a wonderful new blog: True Brit Comics Review. That’s right, all about UK comics, many of them Collected Editions. Feel free to think if of it as CCL UK. Now we just have to get him a podcast.
• Speaking of UK Collected Editions Forbidden Planet International has a nice UK HARDCOVER edition of From Hell. I hope that Top Shelf will release this in the US. I’ll keep you updated.
• Hosted by The Small Press Expo (SPX), the 2007 Ignatz Recipients have been announced
• The Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual–September 2007. John Mayo and I are planning our monthly recording as I type. We hope to podcast next week.
• The best title of the week goes to the newly announced The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus. It will be published by Image, February 2008, and will feature over 900 pages of material written and drawn by cartoonist Fred Hembeck culled from the past three decades.
• Review: Michael San Giacomo, Newsarama, on Casper The Friendly Ghost or should I say Sexy Ghost.

I went to my LCS today just to get out of the house for a bit. I ended up getting Focus On 30 Days Of Night from IDW. It’s a great primer not only for the upcoming movie but the entire 30 Days universe. It includes the rare prequel and interviews with Steve Niles, Ben Templesmith, Bill Sienkiewicz and IDW Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall and Director of the film Davis Slade. A must have for any 30 Days fan or novice.

It was pointed out to me on my Forum that the 11 month late Powers Trade is misspelled on the spine. Click on the picture for a larger image. Also on the Bendis Board is an open apology from C.B.Cebulski:

I admit I did get a chuckle out of this. But now I’m just saddened by the whole thing. Care and consideration is done in the editing rooms in all companies and when work is not double and triple checked we all lose out. Forums everywhere will now ask if Cebulski or any of his staff will be fired or held accountable in some way in the same manner that Bob Greenberger was held accountable for the Golden Age Hawkman incident. I can’t say either way. But I just hope that lessons are learned from this. It’s a big deal to of had this happen and right now Marvel doesn’t look so good. Stay tuned.

The Podcast I did with John Mayo regarding his article on the August, 2007 Sales Analysis at CBR is up and running. We also go over the Collected Editions numbers for the month. You can get more information by visiting John’s site Comic Book Page.
Here is the .mp3. On to a bunch of new and review links: