Upcoming Comics Collaboration: Mike Allred and Warren Ellis on The Spirit of Bacardi

Every now and then a pretty amazing sounding comics collaboration comes around and when I heard about this new project from Bacardi Rum (yes, that is a new comic book coming from the makers of Bacardi rum), well I just had to share it. 

Bacardi assembled the dynamic team of legendary comics scribe, Warren Ellis, and Madman creator, Mike Allred, to collaborate and tell the story of the Bacardi family, through the plight of Emilio Bacardi, the revolutionary figure from the Bacardi family history.

Everything Warren Ellis writes is worth a gander as he's up there in that league of amazing talents that warrant a look whenever he puts pen to paper, or clicks at the keyboard, as that's the way it generally goes these days.

I received these terrific promotional photos, and Bacardi has a teaser trailer featuring some behind the scenes/interview type bits about the collaboration with the two wacky (and beloved) creators on their site. And here's the coolest part -- The Spirit of BACARDÍ will be available to download from BACARDI.COM on August 6^th. 

That is a nice piece of promotion, and I am very much looking forward to reading what two of my favorite comics creators come up with based on the extraordinary life of Emilio Bacardi. If this photo of Senior Allred at his drafting table isn't enough to whet your appetite, I don't know what'll do it. I'm intrigued...

Check out the reference photo of Emilio Bacardi to Mike's left, underneath the plexiglass of his working desk. I read in an interview years ago that Mike likes to cover his desk with inspirational images as seen here, and work right on top of the plexiglass, letting the images below drive him in whatever project he's working on. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Now listen, I'll be the first to admit I've been known to be partial to a bit of the rum myself, so there's that (okay, I said it). I also happen to think as a publishing professional and lifelong lover of comics that when a company reaches out to tell their company/family story in an interesting way, WITH COMICS, and they reach out to two respected creators such as this, this looks to be a project worth my time. I hope to find out more soon and will report back, or check it out yourselves.

Disclaimer: I have NOT been paid or bribed with promises of endless supplies of rum to write this post (I just really like Mike Allred and Warren Ellis & comics) but I would not turn away an unexpected supply of the good stuff should it be delivered to my doorstep. Carry on.

My review of READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

I recently finished reading an Advanced Reader Editon of READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline, and I am now wondering if the crafty author and I were separated at birth. His funny, action-packed near future sci-fi romp, was so packed full of 80s nostalgia, that I could swear we were twins, almost every reference hitting a direct cord with me.

Every piece of this fun novel was packed with movie, comic book, video game, and song references from the 80s, and I laughed at every mention of Crom, Intellivision, and many, many more. 

His character, Wade Watts, goes on the gaming adventure of a lifetime, very Wonka-esque, in fact, to win the golden ticket, or in this case the fortune of one John Halliday, inventor of the most popular video game in the future, the OASIS, where he hid his billions for one lucky winner to find at the end of the quest.

This book was part 1-part Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in it's poor boy gets a chance, 1-part Little Brother in its mastery of a depicting a computer hacker pop-culture prodigy in the near future, and 1-parts Butter Scotch Ripple. It had that feeling that every single reference mixed in spoke directly to me, brethren, tribe, some would say. 

Then he did a bit about the band, Rush. And I realized this author was only human. We were not separated at birth. (Editor's note: I hate Rush. I just do, sorry, not my cup of tea.) It's okay, by the way, it did not pull me out of the book, it just reminded me that my alter ego did not write this story while I was sleeping and submit it under a false name.

So, aside from that one, minor point, I found Cline's book to be totally entertaining, hysterically funny, a creative whirlwind, and it is a book I've been recommending all over town.

All the while, the professional me, whose done a bit of licensing in my day, imaged just how challenging it would be to pull off that end of this book, as I've read it's going to be made into a film (I believe film rights have been sold and this is in early development) With practically every major fantasy and science fiction film, comic book, and video game mentioned (not to mention lots of music), I don't want the licensing clearance job on that project. (whew!)

In conclusion--a really fun book. My only criticism is that if you are not someone interested in the culture of the 1980s, comic books, video games, fantasy novels, John Hues movies, pop music, and all things related, you might not be interested in the slightest. For the rest of us, it's a damn good time.

Finally catching up: The Walking Dead

Someone recently told to me that I'm always late to the game, but I do show up. Well, that is definitely true in the case with me finally reading the first two volumes of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead. I had only heard good things, reviews, press. What took me so long? And what makes the book so good?

The human drama, that's what it comes down to. Kirkman masterfully plotted out how life would be for this band of survivors, and how it would go on, the big picture. No quick movie end, this is life after, and how hard it is, as the people all around you dwindle one by one.

I am excited in a way, because there are about 10 more volumes in existence for me to find and devour like the party of friends finding some precious food in the bleak story and cherishing it. The fact that the survivors haven't accepted the fact that at any moment any one of them can die, and they still grasp onto family, friends, and what may have once been normal life, creates a desperate situation that is so easy to identify with. How would I act in such circumstances? Would I be brave enough to go into the city to find food or weapons? Could I be detached enough to let someone I love go, just as they are bitten, knowing they're already gone? Hard questions to answer.

All I knew is that I had to start reading before AMC's TV adaptation of the series kicks off on Halloween--while I'll be at World Fantasy Con--I'm sure a few of us bookish types can find a tv and see how the grizzly comic adaptation turns out. From what I've seen already in previews, it looks really good.

And althoug the attic library only had volume 1 and 2  of the series, now neatly returned to their rightful place in the archives, my quest will be to beg, borrow, or--well, purchase the remaining trades and get all caught up.

Review of Wolverine Noir by Stuart Moore and C.P. Smith

I picked up the premier hardcover of Wolverine Noir a few weeks late as I was having a hard time finding it at a few local shops. I was expecting the compact, roughly 5 x 7 trade paperback like the other Marvel Noir books I'd purchased (i.e. Spider-Man, Daredevil, and X-Men) but for some reason Marvel decided to release this noir book in a standard (larger) comic book size hardcover. I'm not sure why.

Regardless of that bit of format discussion, the treasure is what lay inside. A tale of a lowly P.I. -- one Jim Logan. Inspired heavily by the Wolverine Origins book from 2000, this noir retelling focuses on many of the characters from that book, Dog, Rose, and James Logan of course, with a sprinkling of some of Wolverine's other regular cast: Victor Creed, a gangster in the Bowery section of New York City, and the Asian women of Logan's past: Mariko, the femme fatale, and Yuriko, training ninjas as thugs.

It is an interesting mix, and Logan slipped easily into the role of a hard drinking, down on his luck PI, who works with his half-stupefied partner, Dog, as a result of a long ago incident that takes the entire book to play out. I might have expected a fee more cameos, but this cast if characters kept the story tight and moving along.

Smith's artwork, purposefully sloppy, worked well for the series, as only in flashbacks is James presented like a clean cut kid, who is not sure if he's more human or animal -- the perpetual question of his life. Stuart Moore, recreates the noir sensibility quite well, in 1930s New York, and the build up to World War II. It's in the newspaper headlines, it's evident in the business of arms dealing on the black market...its all right there.

I'd give this a 'very good' and definite solid addition to the Marvel collection of noir books. Also of note is the inclusion of a sketchbook and sample of the issue #1 script in the back, for a detailed look into the creative process. 

All I missed were more villain cameos from Wolverine's illustrious past, as there is so much material to draw from. That, and the fact that I thought the smaller size trades that the other books were released in really lent itself to the "pulp fiction" feel of the stories.
 
Overall, a fine book by a talented creative team.

From the Rooftops. My review of DAREDEVIL: Noir TP written by Alexander Irvine and illustrated by Tomm Coker

Depression Era, New York City. Neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen. Two mob bosses fight for their stretch of the street and all bootlegging and hard living they can handle.

But some forces have lived in Hell's Kitchen a long time too, and have seen a whole lot of nastiness. Or have they?

Carlton Fisk and Jimmy O'Halloran meet over dinner to discuss their rivalry and just what they're going to do about it. Just two men discussing work over a meal. 

Writer Alex Irvine did a great job of bringing these characters to life, even Foggy Nelson seemed more street wise then he is often portrayed.

In the story, a beautiful femme fetale wanders into the law office of one Foggy Nelson, and bemuses his sidekick, blind assistant Matt Murdock. Eliza. Temptress.

In an attempt to protect his new love interest and find out more information, our blind friend becomes his other self, a vengeful street force, as mysterious and fearful as they come. And so it begins.

If ever there was a Marvel character who was a perfect fit for a noir-themed tale it was the blind justice of New York, Daredevil.

I can not speak highly enough about the artistic approach to this book. Not only are the dark sketchy panels drawn to noir perfection, but additional elements like the old school type face of Daredevil's thoughts worked beautifully.

Even the design of the smaller than average size trade paperback is superb. Grainyness is a word that's thrown a lot in the comics medium, but here it achieved the desired effect. The people responsible for the creation of this collected trade paperback did a wonderful job with design elements and extras. Not only is there a cover gallery in the back but there are also Tomm Coker's character sketches from early on. I'm all about the supplemental material.

A solid addition to the Marvel Noir line of books. Next I'm off to purchase the Wolverine Noir trade. Maybe next week.

Disclaimser: This is a comic that I purchased myself at the comic shop just like any normal Wednesday regular might. It was not a free sample and I no gun was held to my head to write this review. The book simply rocked.

So two guys hit Midtown Comics shop... and what I picked up.

Made my way back to Wednesday comic book day with my good friend Matt this week, initially worried that the holiday on Monday shifted the 'new books' release date--which it did not. I've made that mistake many a Wednesday in the past.

We discussed many things from Jeff Loeb's Ultimate universe storytelling (or lack there of), being life-long yet hesitant Los Bros Hernandez fans, as well as marveling that we both want to read Crumb's mammoth and intricately illustrated Book of Genesis from Norton, and were both shocked to see a very reasonable price tag of $24.95 on such an impressive tome (might be purchasing it soon).

My pick this week for the grownup readers is the  little hardcover by Gilbert Hernandez, THE TROUBLEMAKERS. I was initially taken in by the compact hardcover presentation. Personally, as I move more and more into the digital book field, I have an ever-growing appreciation for smartly constructed (and good looking) hardcovers for the home attic library. I really enjoyed the book, and what a beautiful little package of a book it is.

Half the fun of this book is trying to figure out just who is getting conned the worst? I zipped through this fun read, filled with backstabbing, double-crosses, and the spectacular art of Gilbert Hernandez. There is enough sex, violence, and treachery for any fan of pulp fiction. Now I need to go back and get his 2007 hardcover release, Chance in Hell. This offshoot of the Love and Rockets series is too much fun to miss.

On a much lighter note, I also started picking up some of these wonderful DC Comics superhero adventure books done in collaboration with Stone Arch Books for young readers. After all, I do have a new little super guy at home. I had picked up a few of these books at the comic shop over the holidays for the nephews, and thought I should add a few to my little guy's new bookshelf at home.

Done in the style of Bruce Timm's cartoon animation, each adventure book is full of text and wonderful color illustration to share with your favorite little superhero at home.

This particular book, SUPERMAN: BIZARRO IS BORN, was writtten by the legendary, and uber-talented Louise Simonson, and feature artwork by a stellar roster of contributors. Each book in the series has a unique writing and illustration team.

I started off with a tale of Bizarro--a favorite villain of mine. I'll write more about these fun books once I've read them through (hopefully aloud to my son) and once I've grabbed a few more (several Batman volumes are available also). Keep an eye out for them.

That's all for now. Until next time.

My review of Spider-Man Noir by Hine, Sapolsky and Di Giandomenico

I'll be honest, like with many comics over the years for me, it was the cover that drew me in [it is currently my screensaver on my home pc, great job Patrick Zircher]. That, and maybe also because I've been in a noir-ish mood. But this black-trench coat wearing, weapon-wielding Spidy throwback looked interesting enough to pursue.

The creative team was: writers David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky, art by Carmine Di Giandomenico, covers by Patrick Zircher, and edited by Alejandro Arbona. Fantastic job all around creating mood, tension, and dramatic desperation.

I did wait for the trade paperback on this one, and was pleasantly surprised when Marvel released the book in a 5 x 7ish trade, not quite manga sized, and yet not full-sized either. It was perfect for a mass transit ride, and it felt special in it's own mid-sized treatment.

I would have loved to see an introduction of some sort, telling me in detail how this project came together, and just who had the idea to set this exactly at the time period when it takes place [1933 by the way]. It is such a stylized book, a look into the specific creation would have been a nice addition.

Note: There is a cover gallery and development sketchbook in the back. Bonus!

Illustrations such as this splash page opener -- invigorating with movement and tension made for a perfect noir comic book experience.

And is that Spidy with a pistol? Why yes it is. This isn't your grandfather's Spider-Man. Actually it might be your great-grandfather's Spidy - as it takes place in the 1930s after World War I.

Spidy's Uncle Ben was a WW I veteran that tried to teach him about what it meant to be a hero before he passed. But this is a dark era, the Great Depression is here --Peter isn't the innocent kid that we know and love.

He blames the gangster - The Goblin - for the problems that the city and those close to him face. Peter confides in beat reporter, Ben Ulrick, a sorry cause yet an earnest character in this story.

It is the sad story of Ben, coupled with the reckless abandon of Peter, that bring the story to the amazing conclusion. I don't want to give too much away, but yes...Aunt May is a Socialist. Then...

...a jump from the window. The feel of this page fell somewhere between the old crime fighter we've come to know and a page from Sin City.

A daring escape from the cops who were probably on the take anyway. Evidence pointing in his direction, and a crime-fighting outfit comprised of a black trench coat, mask sown together by hand, and a pair of aviator goggles from the great war.

And a revolver of course -

I'm a fan of re-imaginings. Looking at iconic stories and characters, told in a different light, or in a different time. Such as an all-time favorite, Superman Red Son, the DC Elseworlds project supposing Big Blue crash landed in Communist Russia.

Or the 1980s film, Time After Time, in which Jack the Ripper, steals away to the future in a time machine.

Take an institution and re-imagine it in a new creative context. Sometimes it isn't done right, but when it is, it makes for some great reading or viewing.

I recommend Spider-Man Noir, if you're looking for a little something different, something darker from the red and blue crusader that you have always known. Maybe not for the youngster, but definitely for the definitive fan whose grown up with Spidy and wants to be challenged with a new concept.

Toys in the Attic

I'm not sure exactly what Aerosmith had in mind when they titled this 1975 cd, but it's a gem. I also don't know what the man who designed the attic in the home I moved into this summer was thinking... but boy did he design it for me.

I've already spent loads of time up there going through boxes of my personal collection of comics, books, and toys to fill out my new hideaway.

I know once I've built in more book shelves--there was already one built into the wall by the stairway-- it will be glorious. I've already drawn up plans to add shelves to the walls which allow for it.

Also, somehow I have to get a desk up there and at this point I'm not sure whether that means building it up there or finding something to take apart and bring up the narrow secret staircase [Ok, the stairway is not completely hidden, but there is a door which simply looks like a linen closet which leads to the attic. Yes, I'm considering making it more like a hidden doorway.]

Here is an early photo of the attic before we moved in, and clearly this woodwork was not the toiling of an amateur. Every angle is accounted for and and as soon as I saw it I knew the room would be perfect for a library and reading room filled with my collection of books.

And as I move box after box, I keep rifling through them to find one piece of treasure after the next. Not to mention I continue to find duplicates of so many books, a side effect of many generous years of free books while working as a book club editor. Ask anyone who ever stopped by my cubicle/office/then cubicle again, and it was packed with books - a joy of the job for me.

So, the built-in shelf went from looking like this...

...to this. Quickly it was filled and as you can see more boxes of books await...I also took advantage of the top to place [from left to right] my: Ultimate Iron Man bust, the Dark Knight Strikes Again statue, Secret Wars Iron Man figure, Mr Freeze snow globe, special edition Boba Fett action figure, reading gargoyle statue, and Dark Horse Hellboy vinyl figure, all on top of the shelf space.

Obviously this is a work in progress. A proud work I would say, a room I've spent a lifetime putting together. And it will change as time goes by and I get rid of non-essentials and purchase more gems for the collection. I look forward to posting progress as more shelves get built and filled.

A Time of Change at DC Comics...

There are many details coming out since yesterday's announcement that Time Warner has created a new group called DC Entertainment, Inc. and that well-respected president & publisher of DC Comics, Paul Levitz, is stepping down to return to his writing roots [as well as act as an editorial consultant for DC] with Diane Nelson being named president of this new group [along with a new publisher for the still-in-existence DC Comics group to be named in the near future].

I'd like to mention that over the years as an Editor for the Science Fiction Book Club, I had the chance to meet Paul Levitz several times and he was always friendly and willing to chat for a bit, and I honestly wish him the best in his new endeavors. He is someone I respect very much.

It is difficult for me to determine at this time if this announcement is the result of various Warner execs sitting in a conference room and creating this plan to "combat" the Disney purchase of Marvel Comics. Certainly a major power struggle in the entertainment industry has just hit a new level and each side is bolstering up.

What this might mean for the comics fans out there... who knows? But as far as that precious entertainment dollar, well, I'm sure each company will be working hard to make sure it goes to their side with boatloads of game/movie/tv/animation/toy/etc. products coming along.

This industry professional, comics fan, movie aficionado, and reader of all things comics-related will stay absolutely glued to the blogosphere and media sites to see how this progresses.

This just in -- Disney buying Marvel Entertainment!

The comics world is rocked to the very foundation today when it was reported by all the major news sites that the Walt Disney Company is buying Marvel Entertainment for an estimated 4 billion dollar deal.

In a stock and cash transaction, Disney will gain the ownership of some 5000 Marvel characters, and the future of Marvel will change somewhat I'm sure under new ownership.

What does this mean for Marvel Films? What does this mean for Spidy, Wolverine, and the X-Men gang? Stay tuned. How the Disney media powerhouse might transform the House of Ideas is yet to be seen.

This office tried to reach The Punisher for comment, he has yet to return my calls.

A Friday Run

After what felt like weeks [and it may have actually been weeks], I met my partner in crime yesterday and hit Midtown Comics. Being a weekly comics buyer for as far back as I can remember, whenever too many weeks go by without hitting a shop, I start to exhibit symptoms of withdrawal. So I was glad to be back among the colorfully printed books and fellow nerdy companions.

I've a few things to note for any interested. First and foremost, if you're not already reading FABLES, you should be [what is wrong with you?]. Volume 12: The Dark Ages came out in trade paperback last week and I'm already a few pages in, and as always it did not disappoint.

I was pleased to find the first story, "All Around Town" illustrated by Mike Allred with colors by his talented wife, Laura Allred. I'm a big fan of the Madman creator, and his Kirby-influenced style was a nice slight change of pace for an issue.

I also picked up, PUNISHER: Noir, #1 written by Frank Tieri, with art by Paul Azaceta and colors by Nick Filardi. I had read a preview of this at Comicbookresources.com and liked the opening pages in the trenches of World War I [anyone who knows me, knows that I'm happiest when military history & comics come together].

I was initially pleased with the fantastic artwork, which works great for the flashbacks to the war, but was disappointed by the latter part of the first issue dealing with "young little Frankie." The plot seemed like a combination of The Godfather [with a young Vito Corleone refusing the Don of the streets, and the confrontation in the store is right out of A History of Violence--one must simply substitute a hot pot of coffee with a jar of pickles].

I picked up the variant cover, although I normally shun variant editions as I had enough money taken from me in the 90s with that nonsense, but this cover was just perfectly reminiscent of that great shot in The Usual Suspects of Keyser Soze walking...had to get it.

I may stick with this book another issue or two, especially if it flashes back to the father figure in the trenches of the war. We'll see.

Lastly, I was glad to see The Eternal Prison prominently displayed at Midtown [good work guys supporting a local writer - Jersey boy].

Back to the trenches...

Other Books I'm Excited About from BEA

I wanted to run through a few more of the advance reader copies, that I picked up at BEA that I have only just started reading. Now that there are plenty of books on my to-be-read shelf, let's take a peek the newest additions that I picked up at the show.

First up is my off-center photo of the advance uncorrected proof of Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer's Life by Michael Greenberg from Other Press. This collection of autobiographical essays was first written by Greenberg for the Times Literary Supplement. A native New Yorker, describes his life as an aspiring writer, describing in vivid detail all the struggles, the highs and lows, and at only 66 pages in I feel connected to the author by his New York experiences.

It has even already affected my personal journal writing, as I'm already trying to keep in mind the panache which the author writes about the everyday, the mundane, and the seemingly ordinary. He writes about topics such as documenting his daily commute, the transport of garbage to the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, and other goings on and how it ties into his life, his father's scrap metal business, and all the menial jobs he's had in the struggle to survive as a writer.

Swinging back to graphic novels as I often do, I wanted to talk briefly about the advance reader's edition of a new book from IDW, an adaptation of Richard Stark's Parker novels by the award-winning Darwyn Cooke in this first installment, The Hunter.

Adapted with the blessing of Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) before he sadly passed in 2008, the Cooke adaptations are moody, highly stylized, and in my opinion - dead on.

Illustrated in black & white with only a wash of blue ink throughout, this effect sets up a noir-ish atmosphere that other books seldom accomplish. IDW is so behind this new series, they printed a limited number of hardcover advances to give away at BEA, and I'm glad I was able to snag one. More to come soon.

Oh, and I had to post this picture of the King, as I found him rocking out not far from the Diamond booth.

B.P.R.D. Vol. 10: The Warning TPB

I read a lot of comics. I don't post reviews of all of them, and for some reason whenever I read a new B.P.R.D. book - I want to talk about it. I don't want to give away much, but I want to share that this is the type of book I feel lots of people would enjoy. And B.P.R.D. volume 10, The Warning, is no exception.

And this newest story is another wonderful addition to the B.P.R.D. library. As Abe [Sapian], [Johann] Kraus, and friends figure out that the plague of frogs has returned in a new and frightening way, they are on the hunt to find Liz Sherman, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious gentleman from her dreams.

Other ancient enemies surface as well, and this series continues to include solid storytelling and crisp characters throughout. With each adventure, I care about the them more and more, and want to follow them on their bizarre journeys.

Also, the end of the story hints at connections from one of my favorite characters from this series, Lobster Johnson, so I wait in eager anticipation to see where the next story takes me.

Lastly, I thought it worth mentioning the superb storytelling by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I've come to love the artwork by Guy Davis. Not only are his interpretations of the main characters moody and atmospheric but everything from military vehicles, to gigantic machine/beasts, to all the backgrounds and scenery come to life and I simply get lost in the pages.

Kudos to the good folks at Dark Horse for including the sketchbook in the back, with notes by the various creators. It really adds a bit of creative insight to the process. I don't have anything bad to say. I guess my only hesitation would be for new readers of the series to come in at this point, as it would be best to start at volume 1, and it might be difficult to pick up on all the nuances if coming in cold. That being said, many adventures await...

Writers Chris Claremont and Matthew K. Manning talk Wolverine

Tonight was a nice little event at the MoCCA museum – that’s the museum of comics and cartoon art in Soho – where comics legend Chris[t] Claremont and author of the new book, WOLVERINE: Inside the World of the Living Weapon, Matthew K. Manning, had a great discussion about everything Logan, James Howlett (well, not really), Patch, Wolvie, the ol’ kanuck, and whatever else you want to call him. Moderating this discussion was Marvel and DC Comics historian and author, Peter Sanderson. [1st photo is of Chris Claremont]

They had a pleasant discussion about how Wolverine has become an icon, the stand out character from the X-Men that wasn’t the intention at the onset. But there was something about the scrappy little guy as he kept getting back up when he was knocked down – and people liked it. [Note for the uninitiated: Claremont wrote the Uncanny: X-Men for something like 16 years, from 1975 - 1991, longer than any other writer. His "Dark Phoenix Saga" is the thing of legends.]

Author of DK Publishing's, WOLVERINE: Inside the World of the Living Weapon, Matthew K. Manning, chimmed in with some great points and was well versed on all thing Wolverine. When I went to get my copy signed after the panel, and mentioned how much I liked his book and how much I was surprised I didn't know about the events in the last several years of Wolverine's life in the comics, he nodded, saying he read about 400 comics to get caught up across the board. Impressive. [2nd photo is of Matthew K. Manning.]

Claremont brought up, more than once, the new book he’s writing for Marvel, X-MEN: Forever. It sounds very exciting, he explained it that he has pushed to the side many of the things about the last few years that didn’t fit into his version of the hero, and will introduce elements in Wolverine’s life the way he sees them, including a new father [and mother] that obviously differs from the Wolverine: Origin story of a few years ago, which seems mixed in to the new X-Men Origins film which releases tomorrow. This book sounds exciting, with Jim Lee on artist duties for the arc anyway, and promises to leave fans wanting more – looks to be out in about 5 weeks too.

It was interesting to hear Claremont talk about the savage/samurai connection, something that I loved about his limited series book with Frank Miller from the 1980s and the Uncanny X-Men I read growing up. Logan was a little, hairy, indestructible tough guy – and I loved him.

Peter Sanderson did a decent job steering the conversation, asking questions of the panel, making historic points, and referencing the cultural impact Wolverine has had on us all. [3rd picture is of Peter Sanderson.]

The crowd even chimed in with a few questions at the very end, but the panel ran over, there still needed to be a bit of time for a signing [which both writers happily signed my copy of the new book, sweet!] Although I'm sure he felt he went on and on, I could listen to Claremont talk about Wolverine all night, as he is clearly one of the talented few writers who understands all that is Wolverine. I think I'll be picking up that new X-Men: Forever book. And if you haven't grabbed a copy of the new DK book - I highly recommend it, and it makes a great gift for any fan.

Out today: THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY

Out today from Titan Books (the wonderful folks I volunteered for at this year's NYCC) is an amazing new book: The Best of Simon and Kirby. I was privy to the page proofs at this past New York Comic Con as my former boss from my Marvel intern days, Steve Saffel, had them to show fans.

Of course the real highlight was having an appearance by comics legend Joe Simon, as well as the beautiful limited edition lithographs that Joe signed over the course of the con weekend.

The oversized pages and expertly restored artwork make this book quite a gem! I'll be picking up my copy when I hit the comic shop tomorrow, that's for sure.

[4.23.09: Edit note: made a few corrections here] Featuring the work of dream team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and edited by Steve Saffel (former Marvel Comics editor and author of SPIDER-MAN: ICON), art restoration by Harry Mendryk, with an introduction by Joe Simon, and essays by Mark Evanier (author of 2007's KIRBY: King of Comics), this beautiful book is a treasure for any comic book fan, and contains material selected by Joe, himself.

Some of the pages sent out are just too good not to include here, although I'll admit posting them doesn't do them the justice they deserve. The color pops on the actual pages, and you'll be amazed at the reproduction, printing, and design of this book.

All types of material is included from the many years of collaboration between these two icons: superhero stories, horror, westerns, romance (see image below) as well as detective stories. It also includes work from their Marvel and DC days, including the early hit collaborations, Captain America and Boy Commandos.

This book is a testament to these legends of the field. The fact that Joe Simon still attends comics conventions, well into his 90s, just shows what a class act he is; he's a special guy. Join me in supporting this wonderful book--you won't be disappointed!

Review: WOLVERINE: Prodigal Son by Antony Johnston, art by Wilson Tortosa

The Del Rey manga program has grown significantly in the years since it began. When I was an acquiring editor for SFBC, I used to buy titles from Del Rey and saw the incredible growth of their manga division.

In time for the launch of Hugh Jackman's newest movie: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Del Rey developed an entirely new version of everyone's favorite scrappy warrior, manga-fied.

In, Wolverine: Prodigal Son, (Vol. 1) written by Antony Johnston with art by Wilson Tortosa, we see a completely new Wolverine story, as a troubled teen left in the Canadian wilderness (ok, that sounds familiar, but it ends there - trust me), and taken into the Quiet Earth training school where he develops his martial arts prowess.

An outstanding student with some abandonment issues, Logan longs for the outside world, and when he is taken there -- carnage ensues, as does that longing to find out about his mysterious past.

It is a fine new take on the Wolverine story, obviously aimed at a young manga readership, but as a long-time Wolverine comics reader I didn't mind the spin (or any recreationas long as it is done interestingly). And if it is able to snare a bunch of new young Wolverine fans, with its black & white manga art style, then that is excellent.

Due out in April, the manga trade paperback is set to retail for $12.99.

New York Comic Con this weekend

Set up for New York Comic Con starts tomorrow, and although it doesn't open to the public until Friday at 1 pm (open to anyone with a Professional badge early in the day Friday), I'll be there tomorrow to help set up and also working each day at the convention in addition to geeking out and checking out all the events, booths, books & toys that I can.

I've volunteered to work with my friends and former colleagues at Titan Books. Back when I was an SFBC editor, I used to buy some of the great books coming from Titan and I'll be glad to helping at their booth this year. Titan has some exciting books right now. Red hot stuff like the awesome, WATCHING THE WATCHMEN.

I'll be at booth #1514 each day until about 2 pm, if you're stopping by the con be sure to stop by and say hello. I'll be the slightly bearded fellow, in his element, with a big grin on his face. It is comic con after all.

They'll be so many cool events, panels, and signings going on all weekend. For a quick round up of highlights, check out Heidi's updates at The Beat (as always, she's got it covered).

Also, I must mention my good friend, and Del Rey's newest author, Peter V. Brett will be signing copies of his debut novel, The Warded Man, which publishes next month, at the Del Rey booth on Saturday at 4 pm. And if you're lucky, you may snag a convention badge promoting The Painted Man as Del Rey is promoting on the badges this year (see Pete's blog for more on this).

[All photos in this post are actually from the 2005 San Diego Comic Con, just trying to get into character].

Catching up on industry news and notes

The New York Times has written a piece that captured some of the buzz last week in the comics blogosphere (mainly at The Beat), about changes major comics distributor Diamond is making this year which will affect many publishers of weekly (pamphlet) comics. Could this be the end of the weekly comic book run? It is also worth noting that Diamond laid off 13 people last week; even the distribution giant is feeling the wrath of hard times in the industry.

Also last week, DC Comics cut some DC and Mad Magazine positions, and well-respected editor Bob Schreck was let go. This certainly speaks of difficult times as he was responsible for maintaining many great DC books and I wish him all the best. I believe he'll be at the company a while longer covering various projects through the transition.

Also Publishers Weekly let go of Editor-in-Chief, Sara Nelson, as well as a few other staff positions. When I had access to the magazine back in the office days I really enjoyed reading her collums as she was keenly tuned into the central vibe of the publishing scene. I'd also see her at various events around town, and I wish her the best in wherever her career takes her next. Nowadays I catch up with the magazine online or when freelancing in various offices and see a copy lying around.

In happier news, I was glad to see Neil Gaiman win the Newbery Medal Award for his enchanting novel, The Graveyard Book, which I really enjoyed, and reviewed here a few months back. This is one of the most prestigious awards in childrens literature, and the beauty of the book is that you don't have to be a child to appreciate the story. A film adaptation is in the early works. Read more here.

That's all for now. I hope to have a few more book reviews up soon. For the few who check in regularly, if there is anything specifically you'd like to see reviewed or talked about more here, please comment below or drop me a line.

Just saw Frank Miller's THE SPIRIT at the movies.

As a comics fan, I'd be remiss if I didn't go see The Spirit, Frank Miller's film adaptation of the influential series by legend Will Eisner - I was there. Of course I realize the film has not performed quite as anticipated and hasn't been met with glowing reviews.

An industry guy (even if only self proclaimed) I couldn't help but separate the comics industry references from the story itself. This seems to be the thing to do in Hollywood, ever since the Spider-Man movie of 2002: to affectionately name minor characters or small locales in comics-related films after comics industry people (even TV's Smallville named a small bridge in the first season, Loeb Bridge after Jeff Loeb as his comics series, Superman for All Seasons was a big influence on the TV show's take on the early life of Clark Kent).

The Spirit contains several insider references, and a surprise industry cameo - and I'm not talking about Stan Lee. The first comics industry reference is the appearance of Frank Miller himself, cameoing as a beat cop, Liebowitz. It took me a minute, but then a local fence played by actor Richard Portnow, was named Donenfeld. And those two were two of the biggest names comics history: Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz.

Now, if you've read one of my favorites novels, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon or the brilliant non-fiction book about the history of American comics, Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones, as I have, you'd know these two names intimately.

Donenfeld and Liebowitz are the historic partners of National Allied Publications (later DC Comics), which famously bought the rights to Superman from Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster for a pittance, as was standard at the time, but in this case - they made millions and built an empire. In The Spirit movie they were a schluby cop and a mover of stolen goods... interesting to say the least.

My favorite cameo of the film, aside from Miller himself, was the appearance of current President of DC Comics, Paul Levitz. I've met him a few times, he's a hell of a nice guy and does a great job at DC (he's been there over 20 years). I guess this cameo was a way of him blessing the project (I think his one line is a Superman sort of joke, "You'll believe a man can't fly," or something like that at a point in the film when the Spirit gets caught by his trench coat on a building's gargoyle horn). I thought the cameo was great, as Levitz is not the historical showman that Stan Lee is (nor does he try to be), but his small appearance in The Spirit was noticed by this comics fan, I mean insider.

There was also, of course, in the last scene, the delivery truck that Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson) drives away in, clearly labeled as... Ditko's (referring to Steve Ditko, legendary co-creator of Spider-Man along with Stan Lee and legendary reclusive Marvel and later DC Comics artist. Little references thrown here and there, a standard place in Hollywood script writing these days.

I realize this isn't much of a movie review, although I never claimed it was going to be. This was more of an observational post about a comics-related movie. Maybe I'll come back and post about the name dropping in The Dark Knight, Iron-Man, and other recent comic book films... but that's for another day.

What did I think of the movie? I liked it but thought it was just ok. I wished I liked it more. I saw a hell of a lot of Sin City in there. And there was plenty of other things to talk about, but this was the angle I chose to discuss. It is what stuck out to me the most, so there it is. I also realized once again, what an influence Eisner was on Miller. In that sense I thought it was nice that he handled the direction of the film.

Happy New Year everyone! Here is to wishing that 2009 is an amazing one.

Packed house at MoCCA for European Comics Event

Last night’s event at the Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) was terrific. It was a packed house, all in attendance to listen to the gifted European comics creators talk very personally about the books they’ve brought to life.

I was volunteering, working at the bar providing refreshments after the conclusion of all of the speeches, and even from my vantage point, you could see that all eyes and ears were tuned into the art of comics creation being spoken about. MoCCA also had large monitors spread out for those of us who weren’t in the main seating area, making it easy to see and listen to the slide shows the creators had prepared.

There were enlightening presentations from all of the creators. Check out Heidi MacDonald’s Publishers Weekly comics culture blog, The Beat, for the expert write up (and a much better photograph than mine of the signing afterwards). She also posts a link to one of the comic book trailers shown by German cartoonist, Isabel Kreitz, promoting her WW II Russian spy illustrated book, DIE SACHE MIT SORGE.

I had a brief chance to meet Isabel while doling out refreshments and told her how much I liked the look of her ambitious spy comic. She was humble, friendly and appreciative. That was the feeling overall at MoCCA last night. There was an air of appreciation of wonderful work from around the globe. The world felt a bit closer and maybe I’m just being sentimental but I really enjoyed it.

I also got a chance to reacquaint myself with some publishing industry professionals, as well as talk comics & film with the trusty other volunteers. Overall it was a great night and another reason why I think it’s important to donate time to a cause – and for me one of the passions of my life has been comics and that is why I was there.

Keep an eye on the MoCCA website as they have many upcoming events soon to be announced.