This is why Mark Millar needs an editor...

Most Anticipated Movies of the Summer

Green Arrow

Grayson

Tales from the Gothic Horror Suspense Crypt that will Astonish

So remember how good horror comics used to be?  I mean, seriously!  There was some great stuff there.  Not to say that horror comics today are not great bathroom reading, but they don't carry the same weight as they used to.  I know you know what I'm talking about.  I love that there are people from big publishers getting into the classic short-story anthology format again.  I mean, I miss reading beautiful lush illustrations of womyn killing men in bathtubs w/ plugged-radios back to back w/ french men in pantaloons running around w/out heads!  What happened to that?!  I think what happened to it is the zombie of Thomas Wertherm ate all the great horror comics writers & artists.  Yup.  That's what happened.  That would explain why all the good horror comics are all zombie stories.  Now you know that I love zombies as much as the next guy.  Probably more than the next guy.  But not as much as that guy over there breathing real heavy with the peeling skin.  But there has been a huge overflow of zombie related comics.  Alternately, I don't appreciate horror comics that are purely liscencing deals.  I feel that there is a bit more creative liscence that these writers & artists are willing to take w/ these characters, but not enough to be wholly original & unique.  

So I started thinking about it.  What actually makes a scary story.  Horror movies now a days rely so much on a heavy gore & sharp editting cuts to make things scary.  There is something really eery & frightning about those old 70s horror movies that show very little.  Even Takeshi Miike's "Audition" is scary as shit 'cos there's very little scary stuff involved until the very end, & even then it's not the torture or the barbed wire mesh device that's scary, but that crazy undefineable look in people's eyes.  Amazing twists too.  That's what I miss.  Not the "Oops.  I guess that's not the end of the story" kind of ending, but the "Yeh, the killer turned out the be posessed by bees" which makes very little sense but makes you think about something completely unrelated to a specific plot or specific characters.  A quick glimpse of something unknown that scares you to yr bones.

Self-Destruction Button and USB hub

Self-Destruction Button and USB hub: "David Pescovitz: This is a USB 2.0 hub disguised as a 'Self Destruction Button.' Pushing the button plays sound files too. Available in Japan or online through GeekStuff4U.com for $61.39.
Link (via Akihabara News)"

Filipino Komicks Artists

So this is where Kurt Busiek got his pitch for Sword of Atlantis...

Gil Kane's form is simply stunning here, but is Ray Palmer wearing one of those costumes with the hair exposed? To quote Kirkman, "Even Cyclops gave up on those things a while back." Comics.org is down so I have no way of finding out when this was published, but my guess is early-to-mid-90s. Sheesh.

According to Wikipedia Ray Palmer was featured in a "four-issue limited series and three subsequent specials all entitled Sword of the Atom, in which he abandoned civilization and became a Conan-like figure, hero of a tribe of six-inch tall yellow-skinned humanoid aliens in the jungles of Central America). Eventually the colony was destroyed by loggers despite Palmer's attempts to stop, and he was forced to escape via the telephone to North America. In the attempt, he failed to anticipate that the connection would involve satellite relay and the unexpectedly ardous trip caused him to internalize his equipment's powers."

But seriously, It's probably not a similar plot at all, but the very concept of Sword of Atlantis was that it took a classic DC superhero popularized in the Silver-Age, & revamped him Moorecock-ian "Sword & Sorcery" adventurer. Pooh on Busiek for not doing better. I expected more from him.

FOX ATOMIC/HARPERCOLLINS ANNOUNCE PUBLISHING IMPRINT

Official Press Release

Santa Monica, CA (July 19, 2006) – Fox Atomic, the youth focused entertainment unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, announced today a partnership with leading publisher HarperCollins to publish and distribute branded graphic novels from Fox Atomic Comics. Up to four graphic novels are planned for release in 2007, with content tied to Fox Atomic theatrical releases as well as original content.

The structure of the deal allows all creative direction to come from Fox Atomic Comics, with all publishing rights to graphic novels being handled exclusively by HarperCollins. In addition, HarperCollins will concentrate their marketing efforts on in-store merchandising, while Fox Atomic Comics will extend awareness via online, regional, media and theatrical-based promotions.

“With a focus on high-quality, creative product, we hope to make Fox Atomic Comics a destination for top-tier writers, artists, filmmakers and content creators to develop and publish high-end graphic novels through the brand,” said Peter Rice, President of Fox Atomic. “Our creative strengths coupled with HarperCollins’ publishing expertise will enable us to effectively establish ourselves in the marketplace.”

“Fox Atomic Comics has put together a truly impressive group of creative minds to establish an exciting slate of graphic novels for release in 2007,” said Jane Friedman, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. “Through this deal, we look forward to expanding our brand in the rapidly growing graphic novel market and within the core demographic of 16 – 34 year old male genre fans.”

Fox Atomic Comics plans on releasing four graphic novels in 2007, based on upcoming theatrical films as well as original content. The first title slated for release is 28 Days Later: The Aftermath (due out Spring 2007), written by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Wake the Dead, The Creeper) and edited by Jimmy Palmiotti (Publisher/Editor of Event Comics and Marvel Knights), which bridges the gap between the original film and it’s sequel, 28 Weeks Later. Next up will be The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning inspired by Wes Craven’s film The Hills Have Eyes and the upcoming sequel The Hills Have Eyes 2. Due out fall 2007 is The Nightmare Factory, adapted from the anthology series by Thomas Ligotti, which will be a recurring anthology series of one to three separate horror tales per novel. Additional title(s) will be announced shortly.

About Fox Atomic
Fox Atomic is a culturally branded entertainment company that produces and markets theatrical movies and digital content targeting the 17-24 year old demographic across all media platforms, with a goal to produce and acquire eight films per year focusing on a mix of genres. Fox Atomic has its own production and marketing operations, while films are distributed by Twentieth Century Fox. Fox Atomic was created in 2006 as a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment.

About HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins is one of the leading English-language publishers in the world and is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, the company has publishing groups in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australasia. Its publishing groups include the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at Harper Collins [dot] com

FRANK MILLER TO ADAPT/DIRECT FILM VERSION OF EISNER'S THE SPIRIT

Frank Miller's writing & directing the Spirit adaptation? Jeez. I sure as hell hope it's better than Sin City, because as beautifully shot as it was, that was seriously some of the worst acting I've ever seen from some very talented people. Regardless, it's interesting to see Jeph Loeb's reasons for discontinuing his involvement w/ the project. I still wish Harlan Ellison's version could have been made. It sounded amazing.

Tenement Stories at Sequart.com

Well, it turns out that I'm sort of an idiot.  After weeks & weeks of pestering the Editor-in-Chief of Sequart.com about the status of an ongoing bi-weekly column dedicated to Graphic Novels & self-contained comic stories that he greenlit weeks ago, it turns out, all I had to do was log-on to the website & upload it properly.  Now, as it turns out, due to a slight miscommunication & my own mental defficiency, my first column for Sequart.com is late.  Great.

Regardless, please take the time to check out the website, not only for my fabulous column, but for other great columns and articles about sequential art, graphic novels, comic art stories, manga, bande desinees, & other pretentious terms for what we all affectionately refer to as the "funny-book".   Read it.  It's almost as good as The Comics Journal (only half-the content is as charmingly pretentious...the rest of it succumbs to the usual internet-fan-boy trappings that most comics journalism does), but better, 'cos it's on THE INTERNET!!!  (like me)

If you like degrassi or

If you like degrassi or the oft forgotten 15 soapopera from nickelodean, you should be reading teen titans. More on this week latr