This is cool. A cutaway of the fabled HQ of the Fantastic Four – The Baxter Building. This guy really has some time on his hands and I’m glad he does.
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Comic Books
Marvel Launches Digital Comics
Posted on November 19, 2007
Apparently, Marvel has decided to enter the 21st Century and is now offering comics online for you to read. Quite a few titles to choose from as well. What’s the catch? Well, it will cost you a monthly fee of $5.00 / month if you pay upfront or $10.00 / month if you opt to pay every month.
Not bad I guess as I spend way more than that on comics in a month anyway. However, I do love the feel of the actual pages so I think for the time being — even though this is pretty cool and is probably the way things are going to go — I think I’ll stick to reading comics the old fashioned way. Although, ten bucks a month really isn’t that much . . Decisions, decisions.
Reading and Watching
Posted on September 15, 2007Even though I’m distracted by personal crap lo these several weeks, I’m still trying to find time to read and watch some good stuff — if only to take my mind off of the distracting personal crap.
So, because I know that you care what I read and watch, here’s what I’m reading and watching at the moment (well, not right this moment as I am, in fact, writing this but earlier today and over the last week or so).
Reading:
Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis — A really cool and crazy detective thriller novel by a really cool and crazy writer who’s work I’m loving more and more as I get into it. Can’t wait to see what he does when he takes over Astonishing X-Men from Joss Whedon. Should be pretty cool (and maybe even a little crazy). Also, if you get the chance, try to check out his comic Black Summer. Great stuff.
Preacher written by Garth Ennis with art by Steve Dillon — This is a terrific series I was late getting into. But man, is it good and asks some of those questions about life, the universe and everything that we all wonder about sometimes. Plus, it has God, magic, vampires, sex and lots of blood a gore. All in all, a great time. Ennis is a great writer who’s other work, including the excellent The Boys, is definitely worth a look.
Watching:
Mad Men — If you haven’t checked out AMC’s original series about early 60s Madison Avenue advertising execs you don’t know what you are missing. Its a great show full of interesting characters, drama, humor and a rather reveling look at how things were in business and between men and women not that long ago.
Portland – The New Hollywood?
Posted on August 3, 2007
I recently did a piece for CBR about Portland, its creativity and its thriving comic book scene. I found Portland to be inspirational for many reasons, chief of which is the fact that it just feels like a great place to “get things done.” It has many of the big city virtues but still manages to maintain some of the small-town feel and, dare I say it, innocence, so often lacking in other places — like Los Angeles.
When I was there talking to a great many of the people responsible for putting Portland on the map as a creative town and a town where there are lots of talented people producing some great stuff, I also got a sense that something else was just around the corner. That we hadn’t seen everything that was going to happen in Portland and that comics were just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Well, if you take a look at this article in Variety, I guess we now have an idea what that something else might be: Hollywood. Hollywood, it seems, is in love with comic books and wants to make as many comic books into movies as possible. In many ways that’s a good thing. It gives people who work in comics a chance to see their work on the big screen and potentially puts a lot more money in their pockets. It also opens up these stories to a much greater potential audience who may, after discovering the movie they just enjoyed was based on a graphic novel or comic book, go to their local comic book store to check out a few more. They might even end up purchasing some too.
But I wonder if, in the end, this attention will really be good for comics and Portland. My first clue that all may not be perfect in this new relationship is the title of the Variety article. It’s pretty openly condescending to comic book creators, calling them “wannabes.” Of course, that may not be an insult to Hollywood people. After all, doesn’t everyone want to work in the movies?
From experience I know that Hollywood often has a tendency to find that “next big thing,” use it until there’s no more left and then move on to the next thing. Unfortunately, that often leaves quite a bit of destruction in its wake. As someone who likes comics, comic book creators, publishers and Portland, I just hope Hollywood doesn’t do the same to them when its finished squeezing every penny it can.
I hope Hollywood, in its desperation to save a dying business model, bring people into the theaters and sell lots of DVDs, doesn’t end up ruining comics for the rest of us and crushing that last bit of innocence in Portland and comics we could all use a little more of now and again. That would be a shame indeed.
I’m Back
Posted on July 31, 2007
Man, what a week. Going to the Comic-Con is like running a marathon. I’m pretty beat (and beat-up) but I did manage to get quite a bit of stuff written while at the Con, meet some great people and have a good time during those rare moments when I wasn’t running around or pushing my way into this panel or that one. If you’ve got some time on your hands, head on over to Cinematical or Comic Book Resources and check out the Comic-Con coverage. There’s a crap load of it.
One of the best things about the Con for me was getting to spend more time with people that I only talk to on the phone or via email. I also get to meet a couple people in person that I’ve never met before. That was very cool and may lead to other opportunities for me, which is always a good thing. Another major highlight for me was getting the chance to meet and interview one of the head honchos of one of my favorite TV shows of all time: Battlestar Galactica.
I spent some time speaking to Mr. Mark Verheiden, Co-Exec. Producer of Battlestar, about the show, his movie projects and a bunch of other stuff. He was a very nice guy and talked as openly as he could about things. All and all a pleasant experience and one that I would like to repeat again sometime. It was that fun. That interview is up over at CBR now. Right here.
Other than that, there were the obligatory celebrity sightings like Jessica Alba, Robert Downey, Jr. and Ali Larter from the TV show Heroes (who looked smashing, btw). Although, as I live and work in LA and see celebs pretty regularly at my local Starbucks, walking their dogs in the park or eating at local restaurants, that part was less interesting to me than some other things.
If I lived in Minnesota or somewhere like that I would probably be much more excited. Although, seeing Ali Larter and shaking Stan Lee’s hand was pretty darn cool. I’ll come back later with some more info, but in the meantime go to the other sites cause we need the hits. Thanks.
The Death of the Comic Book Industry and some Comic Con News
Posted on July 17, 2007
This is an interesting piece in LA Times regarding the death of the comic book business and how it might be saved by a move to the web. I don’t know for sure if that’s right but I do know I really like the feeling of a book in my hands. I don’t especially love reading things online. I’ll do it but its far more fun to flip the pages and feel the paper when reading a “real” book — comic or otherwise.
Although, the piece makes some interesting points and I gotta believe the cost of production and distribution would drop quite a bit for comics shown on the web versus those in print form. In the end, economics will probably make the decision for most publishers. If comic books sell in print form and make a profit, we’ll still see them sold that way. If not, well then its off to the web we go.
In other (related) news, I will be traveling down to San Diego next week for the madness known as the San Diego Comic Con. This year I’ll be covering it for CBR and also doing some stuff for Cinematical as well — along with my pal Kevin Kelly who is a far more talented writer than I am. So, if you want the latest and greatest news from the Con, check out those two sites next week.
If you happen to be going to the Con, feel free to say hello. Look for me on the show floor, in the various panels or on the CBR boat docked next door at the Marriott marina! Yes, CBR honcho Jonah Weiland got a boat for this years Con. Yes, he’s a pretty fun guy.
Land o’ Ports and Coffee, Beer and Creative Juices
Posted on June 17, 2007
As some of you may know, I’m currently up in the Pacific Northwest in Portland, Oregon. It’s a great city with many of the things I enjoy most about life: coffee, beer and free wi-fi. There’s also an abundance of great food and people who are very friendly and don’t act like the world owes them something.
Sure, Portland also has its less favorable elements too but in my experience (rather limited, I grant you), these negatives don’t really detract from the positive experience as a whole. In other words, I like it here. So, now that I’ve professed my love for the city, why am I up here in Stumptown?
Well, my fantastic, talented, intelligent and extremely manly editor at Comic Book Resources, Jonah Weiland, has me up here doing a story about the Portland comic book scene. Yes, among its many virtues, Portland is also home to a very big comic book community of artists, writers, publishers and others who work in and around the comic book world.
Dark Horse, Oni and Top Shelf are some of the main publishers here and many super-talented folks like Brian Bendis, Greg Rucka and Rick Remender live and work in Portland as well. To be honest, I am beginning to understand the attraction to living here. The town seems geared to fostering the creative forces necessary to make something: be it a comic book, a song or something else.
At the moment, I’m sitting in a coffee house on SE Belmont Ave. ( I would name it specifically but that would mean rising from the couch that has sucked me almost entirely inside itself) taking full advantage of the great iced coffee and free wi-fi. In addition, there’s some great music playing (The Cure, btw) which is not so loud that I can’t hear myself think but instead is volumed just right (volumed? look, i make up words. no extra charge!). Some other coffee houses could take a lesson from the correct song volume demonstrated here (yes Starbucks, I’m talking about you).
Another nice thing about this place is that people are leaving me alone. Not once has someone come over to ask me to borrow my paper or ask for change or to buy their rap cd with “clean” lyrics or to tell me that the table I’m sitting at is usually reserved for people eating lunch. Instead, I’m sitting, Powerbook in my lap, enjoying my iced coffee and writing this post without a care in the world and with no annoying distractions that are counter to the creative process.
Thank you Portland for allowing me to rest comfortably and spend a little time creating something. See you again soon.
Six Issues Facing the Comic Book Industry
Posted on June 4, 2007Over at The Comics Reporter, Tom Spurgeon lays it out for you and shares his thoughts about the biggest issues facing the comic book business today. Its a good read and one, if you have any interest in comic books, that you should take a look at. For a different perspective, Heidi MacDonald at The Beat offers her observations of Tom’s observations. Its all very observationy (if that’s even a word. let’s pretend it is, ok?)
Oh, the picture below is of my favorite alternative covers of Astonishing X-Men #1 by the gripping Gabriele Dell ‘Otto, written by the wonderful Joss Whedon and with art by the cool John Cassaday. This series of books is one of the reasons I got back into comics after a long haitus. Now, thanks to Joss and company I’ve gotten to experience a whole new world of comic books I never read before. Its been great so far and I expect it to get even better.
And yes, I like the X-Men. You got a problem with that?
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300: Made on a Mac + The Screaming Death Monkey
Posted on March 13, 2007
Over at this site they have an interesting bit of info on the film 300 and how the Macintosh was a very big part of getting the film done. Some of the Apple tech that was used to make the film possible include Final Cut Pro, Shake and Quicktime. Even though the film was primarily edited on an AVID system, the filmmakers said they prefer to use Macs running Final Cut instead of AVID. Interesting bit of info. And, if you want even more, head on over to the FX Guide site. Even more bits of interesting info there including the above mentioned ‘Death Monkey.’
While we are on the subject of 300, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the film. As I usually do these days, I went in with almost no expectations and as open a mind as I could possibly muster. Fortuntely, the film more than lived up to the hype and I was rewarded with a great experience. Sure, the film isn’t perfect but its a visual treat that should not be missed. Obviously, I’m not alone here because the film made over $70 milion in the first weekend — the third biggest opening weekend for an R-rated film of all time, btw. So, get a babysitter and go out and see the movie if you haven’t already.
Also, got some new stuff up over at Cinematical — including details on Frank Miller’s career aspirations, Michael Eisner’s new venture and the YouTube saga — as well as a brand new ‘Ask the MACist‘ over at LAist. Plus, I should have a couple things coming out at CBR in a few days as well. And, possibly something new and cool I’m not at liberty to discuss just yet too. You’ll just have to chcck back to find out, sorry.
Looking Inward and Some Cool Comic News
Posted on September 25, 2006
First, a little business. As some of you may know I have started writing more for other people at other sites. And, not only that, I have started writing a weekly Mac column at LAist called “Ask the MACist”. Plus, various other articles for various other places. Consequently, this particular blog has suffered from lack of attention. I have no excuse other than writing every day when people actually expect you to deliver on a deadline or they won’t pay you is harder than I thought. Not harder because I can’t do it but harder because of the expectations of others.
It’s been some time since I had to write in more of a journalistic style or do more feature-type articles. Normally, I just ramble on here for a few paragraphs and call it a day. Writing here and in the first person seems somehow easier or something. Or, its probably more that writing here, while very important to me, doesn’t carry with it the added pressure of readership or pay. When you throw readership and money into the mix, people expect results.
They expect you to be really good and for people to not only read what you write but to actually like it or at least, in some way, react to it. If your work brings new readers and keeps them coming back because they, for some reason, like what you say and how you say it, that is a huge added bonus (for them but not necessarily for you as then you have to try to be even better next time to continue the trend).
At this site, I am my own boss and basically write here because I have a compulsion to do so, not because I expect anyone to read, understand or care. Writing is really some kind of sickness that drives people to do it all the time or they will explode. I have to write because I have to get this stuff out of me. So, in that way and by writing here, I am less burdened by the pressure to be entertaining or even good. That is not to say that I don’t care. I do. But there is a certain thing that happens to people, at least to me, when someone is expecting you to perform in order to get paid. For me, it becomes more work and I tend to be far more critical of what I write in those circumstances than I am for things here.
I want things to be good here and I want people to read this and like it or hate it or ion some way react, but don’t expect them to. But I can’t say for sure if anyone is even reading this stuff. So, there is less pressure to be good or entertaining. Perhaps I’m just lazy at heart and only care if I’m getting paid to care. In some ways that might make me a whore except that in most cases, if not all, the whore is only pretending to care and doesn’t actually, really, give a crap. That’s the difference, I guess. In this case, I’m the whore with a heart of gold and I care. Really. Now give me fifty bucks. Don’t look at me, I earned it!
You have to love a place where the author refers to themselves as a whore. But really, when I think about it more, I have been a whore many times in my life. For example, almost every time I ever did a movie or a music video or a commercial that I didn’t believe in. I only did it for the money in those cases but also in those cases I did care about how it all turned out. I wanted the results to be good and worked very hard to make sure that they were. it didn’t always work out but it wasn’t because I didn’t care or didn’t try, there were other factors that influenced the outcome. It wasn’t me. I was in there swinging for the fences but the fences kept getting moved farther and farther away.
What does any of this mean to you? Well friends (yes you, you and you) here’s where I pull it all together. In your life, it’s ok to not be great sometimes and its even ok to fail once in awhile. As long as you can go home knowing that you tried to do your best, you’re still a winner. And, its ok to be a whore too sometimes. We are all like that once in awhile. You haven’t sold out as long as you keep fighting for quality. If you ever stop fighting to make things better, even when nobody else gives a crap, then its over and you are just a whore who’s faking it. And faking it is not good. Unless you’re the President of the United States. In that case, its all good.
On another front, somebody put together a list of the best comic book covers of 2006.I think that’s kinda cool. I know the year isn’t over yet but what the hell. Check it out here. Plus, I thought the picture was somewhat appropriate to the above diatribe. That’s it. Stay classy San Diego (or LA or New York or London or wherever you are).