comicfoundry.com » 2006» May

Marvel.com: Hotbed of Contradiction

QUOTES FROM JOE QUESADA:

“There are no political reasons, there are no behind the scenes reasons for the no smoking policy, it has nothing to do with advertisers, it has nothing to do with fear of a litigious world. It has to do with one thing and one thing only…”I don’t want to see it in my comics!”

“My Wolverine, the Wolverine in my world, he doesn’t smoke, he’s too cool for it.”

“Look, I do realize some people miss Wolvie and his stogie, but in time, no one will ever know it’s gone as new generations of readers pick up these books.”

“It’s just a matter of whether we want to promote cancer or not,” said Quesada. “Quite frankly, I think we’re done promoting it.”

There’s about a hundred different movie stills from X-Men 3. You couldn’t find one that stays on message?
Posted by Tim Leong on May 30th, 2006 filed in Blog | 2 Comments »
Crazy Credit Confusion in NY Times

I’m sure by now everyone has seen the article on Batwoman and gender issues in the NY Times from this weekend. I myself only saw it online up until now. I didn’t realize that it was actually a full-page story and gives a lot of editorial real estate to a mass market audience.

This is no real surprise to to NYT readers, as the Times has always been one to support the comics industry. Articles on Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Civil War, Paul Levitz, Infinite Crisis and Wizard come to mind. Although many of them were complete puff pieces (cough cough, Wizard), I can’t really complain about comics coverage going out to 1,680,582 million people.

Anyway, because I work in magazines and end up hiring a lot of illustrators, it’s second nature for me to look at all the art credits. There were a total of six images for the story - five to DC and one for Marvel (plus a lot more online for the exclusive DC Great Ten previews). This, however, isn’t the strange part. The DC credits read “Above left, Alex Ross/ DC Comics 2006; above, Joe Bennett/DC Comics, 2006.” Name, publisher and year. Pretty standard stuff. And then we get to the credit for the lone Black Panther image: Marvel. Just Marvel. No name, no year. Huh?

Why no artist credit? Why no more information? Well, there could be several possibilities:
1) DC pitched the story to the Times and the writer (George Gene Gustines, who will forever be known as G3) or page designer didn’t bother getting the credit from Marvel
2) DC’s PR department is roughly 12 times the size of that at Marvel (not 12 times, but close)
3) The NY Times just has a massive comics bias

It’s probably a combination of 1 and 2, though I’d welcome other ideas.

If you’re like me, you’re curious who actually did the Black Panther illustration. Well, all you have to do is go to Marvel.com and search for “Black Panther.” Turns out it’s the cover to Black Panther #15. And according to Marvel.com the artist is Mike Mayhew. Except, that art definitely does not belong to Mike Mayhew. In fact, the artist signature says “Leinil” — as in Leinil Francais Yu. So maybe there’s no bias after all. Maybe the Times got the image from Marvel.com (which means it’s 72 dpi, which makes sense why it ran so small on page and would corroborate idea No. 1) but when they went to get the credit they were confused as I was.

To add to even MORE credit confusion, if you read the story online, the Times gives the Alex Ross/DC credit for the Batwoman sketch to….MARVEL. Beautiful.
Posted by Tim Leong on May 30th, 2006 filed in Blog | 2 Comments »
More PR! This time…Alex Ross

Alex Ross Painting Covers for Virgin Comics

A LEGEND FROM INDIA – NOW WITH COVER ART BY AN AMERICAN LEGEND

New York, NY, MAY 30 – Alex Ross, the acclaimed comic book illustrator is painting covers for Virgin Comics, it was announced today by Virgin Comics CEO, Sharad Devarajan. His first work for Virgin is the cover of Ramayan Reborn #1 (in stores September 6). Ramayan Reborn is loosely based on India’s greatest legend, Ramayana originally written in Sanskrit more than two thousand years ago.

“I have always respected and enjoyed the magic of Alex’s art,” said Devarajan. “His knowledge of classic characters and mythic elements provides unique perspective for Ramayan Reborn.”

Ramayan Reborn from Virgin Comics is a graphic, post-apocalyptical reinvention of Indian mythology told by India’s two greatest creators, bestselling author Deepak Chopra (Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Peace Is The Way) and acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth, Bandit Queen).

“I am thrilled to be contributing to the Virgin Comics library of titles,” said Deepak Chopra. “There are very few Western allegories with mythic storytelling, intrepid heroes and interwoven dimensions on this level. Homer’s Odyssey and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings come to mind.”
Posted by Tim Leong on May 30th, 2006 filed in Blog, Press Release | Comment now »
PR: NEW TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE DVD

Straight-up pr jibber jabber:
SONY BMG Entertainment today is announcing the creation of the TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION DVD, which will hit retail in November.

Packed with exclusive special features to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the animated classic film, the DVD release is timed to the debut of a TRANSFORMERS Classics line of figures.

The 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD includes never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews, interactive games and collectible packaging. The film features the voice of Orson Welles in his final role, as well as stars Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, John Moschitta, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker. The DVD also features a winning soundtrack featuring the iconic theme “The TRANSFORMERS” performed by Lion, and the popular “The Touch,” performed by Stan Bush.

For more information on TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD log onto www.TRANSFORMERSthemovieDVD.com

To coincide with the special edition DVD release, this fall Hasbro will pay a special tribute to the rich history captured in the saga that is MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE with the TRANSFORMERS Classics line of figures. Available in November 2006, these new figures will feature updated versions of the first generation of TRANSFORMERS (or “G1”), inspired by the look and spirit of the original figures and characters.
Posted by Tim Leong on May 30th, 2006 filed in Blog, Press Release | Comment now »
Comics & Minorities in NY Times

X-RAY vision. Teleportation. Shape-shifting. Flight. The special abilities of superheroes are certainly diverse. But historically the faces behind the masks have been much less so. Out of costume the biggest difference was black hair or blond. Green skin was more common than any shade of brown. And on the rare occasion when nonwhite heroes were included, names like Black Panther and Black Lightning telegraphed the difference.

Read full text here
Posted by Tim Leong on May 29th, 2006 filed in Blog | Comment now »
X-MEN IN CULTURE PULP

X-FACTS: The X-Men comics vs. X-Men: The Last Stand
Mike Russell’s CulturePulp examines the new movie in a funny and clever fashion.

Check out the full here
Posted by Tim Leong on May 29th, 2006 filed in Blog | Comment now »
Comic Foundry Visits the Spider-Man 3 Set

As I was walking through the city on my day off, I stumbled onto a filming location for Spider-Man 3. It was in the little park on 23rd st. between 5th and Madison. No name stars were there. It was a playground scene with a bunch of little kids and dogs all wearing Spidey gear - backpacks, t-shirts, jackets, etc. The shot was cute kid No. 1 was hanging upside down on a rope swing when cute mom No. 1 runs up and grabs him before he falls. She carries him off while cute kid No. 2 runs and jumps on the now empty rope swing. Here are some photos via my camera phone:

Director Sam Raimi

Posted by Tim Leong on May 26th, 2006 filed in Movies, Blog | 2 Comments »
Get Discovered on MySpace

The lovable CB Cebulski tells his blog readers about how he discovered an artist online for his next project — by surfing through MySpace:

I was just clicking around one day looking at different folks friends when I spotted a cool profile pic, hand-drawn in a sweet style. So I clicked it and came across the artworkof Rob Guillory. You can check his stuff out too at http://www.myspace.com/rob_guillory. So I e-mailed Rob and we got to chatting, I checked out his site and loved his artwork. He was just what I was looking for. I sent him the script for S.A.S.E, he dug it, and the rest is history!

Refer back to CB’s blog for full.

On a side note, CB’s X-Men Fairy Tales is on stands now. Czech it out.
Posted by Tim Leong on May 25th, 2006 filed in Blog | Comment now »
Degrees of Separation

This news about the Persepolis movie is great…I just wish it were live action. Oh well.

Speaking of Iran, did you know L Word actress Sarah Shahi is the great-great-granddaughter of a 19th century Iranian Shah, Fath Ali Shah Qajar?
Posted by Tim Leong on May 24th, 2006 filed in Blog | Comment now »
COMIC BOOKS AND RELIGION

From the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel
He says comic-book readers can find a powerful Messiah figure in Superman, who was created by two Jewish teenagers; Kal-El, Superman’s name on the planet Krypton, roughly translates to “All that is God” in Hebrew. Batman can be seen as “an avatar of God’s justice.” Spider-Man teaches lessons about power and responsibility.
Posted by Tim Leong on May 24th, 2006 filed in Blog | Comment now »
New frames, and I’m not talking glasses

I just bought some original comic art and I’m looking to get it framed. Anyone out there know how to go about doing that? I’m thinking about framing it with the printed page as well — anyone have any experience in that?
Posted by Tim Leong on May 22nd, 2006 filed in Blog | 1 Comment »
VIRGIN COMICS PRESSER - DEVI

Virgin Comics will introduce Devi today, and The Sadhu tomorrow, May 23. The previews being released include several pages of final art and lettered pages from the first issues of each story.

Devi (pronounced day-vee), is the mysterious story of the warrior goddess Devi and the battles she fights that no one ever sees. This modern take on a very ancient myth was created by acclaimed film maker Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth, Four Feathers). Devi #1 goes on sale at comic shops on Wednesday, July 12.

“The preview pages for Devi are being released simultaneously at Virgin Comics’ headquarters in New York, the Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation studios in Bangalore, India, and at Virgin offices in London. We are delighted to at the forefront of story telling for comic book fans in every time zone,” said Virgin Comics CEO Sharad Devarajan.

“Virgin Comics Issue Zero” a free 24 page introduction to Virgin Comics will be released at comic book stores and Virgin Megastores on June 28.

The Sadhu will be in stores on July 26. Snakewoman – Virgin Comics first release from their Director’s Cut line – will debut on July 19.
Posted by Tim Leong on May 22nd, 2006 filed in Blog, Press Release | Comment now »

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Archive for May, 2006

Marvel.com: Hotbed of Contradiction

Crazy Credit Confusion in NY Times

More PR! This time…Alex Ross

PR: NEW TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE DVD

Comics & Minorities in NY Times

X-MEN IN CULTURE PULP

Comic Foundry Visits the Spider-Man 3 Set

Get Discovered on MySpace

Degrees of Separation

COMIC BOOKS AND RELIGION

New frames, and I’m not talking glasses

VIRGIN COMICS PRESSER - DEVI