So apparently Scarlett Johansson is going to be in The Spirit. I don’t know if I really care about the film much: I’ve never read any of the books (I know, shame on me), and I don’t have a whole lot of faith in Frank Miller’s directing ability.
This is, however, a Flimsy Excuse to post pictures of Scarlett Johansson. Because it’s Friday, and it’s Scarlett Freaking Johansson. I don’t even need a flimsy excuse for that.
So comic book people are pretty much geeky losers with bad hair, bad clothes, and excessive fat. Right?
Oh, hang on a minute.
That’s Paul Pope on the cover of Toronto’s free weekly Eye. There’s a pretty big article about him in there, too, about his appearance at the almost-happening-right-now Toronto Comic Art Festival.
And seriously, he’s a good looking guy. I love the ladies, but even I can see that. That picture is supposed to have a label of “movie star!” or “rock musician!”, not “comic book guy!”
So yeah – step forward for the medium. Hurrah.
The 2007 San Diego Comic Convention wrapped up today with one of the more unexpected announcements: Rob Liefeld will be returning to one of his greatest Marvel creations, the cross-dimensional, sword-wielding, Longshot-descended Shatterstar.
But while Liefeld’s return to the mighty, multi-bladed mutant may have been unexpected, his collaborator was even moreso: Indie sensation and occasional New Yorker cover artist Adrian Tomine.
“I just figured, what the heck, you know?” said Tomine when asked about the unusual change of direction. “I’ve been writing and drawing comics this long without doing superheroes, so I thought why not really do superheroes?”
Tomine, who will also provide variant chromium covers for each issue, said that the story revolves around Shatterstar coming to terms with being on his own after Cable disbands X-Force.
“Basically, he has to ask himself the important questions we all do,” elaborated Tomine. “Where do I fit in, what do I want in life, will the cute girl at the record shop phone me back? Mutants have always been a metaphor for alienation, but I always thought there wasn’t quite enough of it.”
Liefeld only appeared briefly at the panel, giggling like an elf on amphetamines and proclaiming to everyone present that the book would be “totally rad.”
Early this morning, licensing machine Dynamite Entertainment quietly announced that they had acquired the license to publish a line of comics based around the classic family television show Little House on the Prairie.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t really know how it happened,” said Dynamite Director of Marketing Joe Rybandt. “We were bidding on the rights to Magnum P.I., and someone asked if we wanted Little House, and I guess we were just feeling bid-crazy so we grabbed it. We may have had a bit too much to drink, too. Anyway, we’re committed to publishing pioneer comics for the next five years, so we’re gonna make a go of it.”
“This is just what happened on eBay, actually. I just wanted some old Jim Starlin Warlock issues, but somehow I ended up paying $200 for the complete Clone Saga.”
Dynamite plans to launch Little House: Back to the Prairie in early 2008. The first issue will feature variant covers by Mike Mignola and Geof Darrow, as well as a special “Zombie Michael Landon” incentive cover by Arthur Suydam.
In its first big announcement of the San Diego, DC Comics announced that superstar pencilling stylist Michael Turner will be chronicling the adventures of one of the DCU’s iconic characters.
“Everyone knows Powergirl,” said Dan Didio, “but we feel the time is right to really make her a star in the DCU. Michael obviously has the power and fan following to take the character where she needs to go.”
“It’s a dream assignment,” said Turner, whose recent work has been primarily concentrated on covers. “I felt like I was ready to step back into the grind of producing a monthly comic, and this was just the right opportunity.”
When asked about his admittedly controversial interpretation of the character and the direction of the series, Turner said he’d be starting with the basics.
“Like Dan says, everyone knows the character. They just don’t know her, you know?” At this point, Turner started winking spastically and not-entirely-gently elbowing anyone standing near him.
“Sure, she’s strong and she can fly, but lots of people can do that. So what sets the character apart? Well, she’s sassy. And she doesn’t wear a lot of clothing. I think that’s the sort of thing people want to read about. So I figure we’ll make her sassier, and maybe pare the costume back to its bare essentials.”
When asked if he thought the character’s convoluted history would be a sales obstacle, Didio offered a consolation to the fans, announcing a six-part weekly series leading into Turner’s ongoing.
Countdown to Powergirl will explain everything fans need to know about the character, Didio claimed.
“We’ve got Dan Jurgens and Geoff Johns working on it, and they’ve managed to incorporate 463 essential Powergirl stories into one blockbuster story. And then in the second issue, they’re going to cover the more complicated stuff.”
Following up on an earlier story, Virgin Comics has announced that Shadow Hunter, created by adult entertainment icon Jenna Jameson, will be written and drawn by the acclaimed team of Andy Diggle and Jock.
“It’s a natural fit, so to speak,” said Jameson. “The Losers is a great book, and I understand their new book is some sort of gay porn. I’m looking forward to working with them, or at least sending them some vague plot outlines.”
Diggle was quick to point out that “GAY1” was actually short for Green Arrow Year 1, but said it didn’t really matter.
“If Jenna wants to talk to me about any sort of porn, I’m in,” said Diggle. “I’m all about being provocative and sexy.”
Jock could not be reached for comment, though Diggle suggested his collaborator might finally abandon his pseudonym in favour of his birth name, Dick Cummings.
“I think the time is right,” said Diggle.
So there’s this comic convention this weekend? Somewhere in California? Maybe some of you have heard of it. If you’re, you know, really into the scene and follow the obscure goings-on.
Obviously a lot of people are covering it; even real media show up to listen to Nicholas Cage talk about his new comic book. But over the next few days, I’m going to have all the scoops, the real news and big stories everyone’s going to be talking about.
But Ryan, you say, how are you going to do that? You’re in Toronto. You’re not even in the same time zone as the convention; on top of that, you have no contacts at all in the industry. And you expect us to believe you’re going to have news that the crack Newsarama and Wizard squads don’t get? WTF, dude?
All that is true. But I’ve discovered a no-fail method of getting all the hottest buzz from San Diego: I’m going to make it up.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, for the next few days I’m just going to make shit up. Not that I don’t do that anyway, but for the next few days, it’s going to be topical!
And you never know. Some of it might be so crazy it’ll be right.
Is this not the most bizarre-yet-totally-fitting piece of comic book news?
Seriously. Jenna Jameson. Virgin Comics. Greg Horn. “Provocative superheroine.” “Provocative and sexy, contains no nudity and is intended for a mainstream audience.”
I have no jokes about this at all. It’s like if you’re starving in the woods and a big, fat rabbit walks right in front of you but you’re too startled do do anything about it, and it scampers back in the woods.
It’s exactly like that. Only pornier.
ETA: I’d just like to say I’m ashamed of everyone who thought they were being clever by pointing out a porn star is working for Virgin. Do you people have no shame? The joke is practically in the press release. There’s shooting fish in a barrel, and then there’s dropping a hydrogen bomb on a dead fish lying in the middle of the road.
Standards, people.
I don’t get fan fiction.
Oh, I understand it all right. I know why people write it, I know what the appeal is. I suppose I just don’t understand the people who write it that are much older than 13.
As a writer, I can’t fathom writing stories about someone else’s characters. I can’t imagine being so bereft of your own ideas, or, perhaps worse, being willing to put them aside because no one else is willing to give you Jubilee stories on a monthly basis.
Sure, you can ignore most of it; it’s harmless enough, left on its own. But every now and then, a fanfic writer becomes a professional writer, and things start to get ugly. The last thing the world needs is another superhero comic written by someone who’s only ever read superhero comics. Obviously there’s a market for that sort of thing – the inexplicable popularity of Geoff Johns is enough to prove this point – but it’s certainly not healthy.
Obviously everyone is inspired by past works. But while great writers are aware of what came before them, they are also unafraid to point out that some of it sucked. DC actually had a couple good ideas when they realized the original Flash and Green Lantern looked kind of stupid, and we’re all better off because Stan Lee’s idea went beyond “Let’s have the Human Torch and Submariner fight again!” Writing the same old stories with the same old characters is at best pleasant masturbation, and at worst a threesome with your grandmother and uncle.
That said, there are certainly plenty of people willing to recycle mediocrity for a living, particularly if it means they get published in their favourite comic book. Which brings us, in a roundabout way, to Zuda Comics.
With some fanfare, DC Comics announced they’re getting into the webcomics business. Naturally, there was some skepticism.
I understand the complaints, or at least the suspicion that leads to them. Creator ownership is still something of a sore topic in the comic industry.
But on the other hand, are people really surprised that DC is going to want something out of this? That they’re not some giant, beatific philanthropist, eager bestow fame and riches on pure and hardworking writers and artists?
Excuse the skepticism of the skepticism, but: Duh. Doing business with a big company like DC has its ups and downs. You get more exposure, more quickly. Probably more money, at least up front. You also get more editorial interference, and possibly less ownership, which potentially means less long-term money.
Some people will make that tradeoff. Some will weigh the pros and cons and decide the good outweighs the bad, and some will jump at any chance to be published. This latter group can be referred to as “suckers”, but should we really be concerned with people who will give away what few ideas they have for simple gratification? These, after all, are the people the superhero industry relies upon: Filler.
And the former group, who hopefully have higher standards and better legal advice, will be working with an understanding of MacDonald’s Law “If your property that got ripped off was the only thing you had, you weren’t going to have a very long career anyway.”
I don’t believe that any concession to shared ownership is necessarily a bad one, though it may not be the best one. And granted, the webcomic model is much easier to do on your own than a print book: You can grab some rudimentary webspace or a blog for free, and a moderate investment and a bit of research into web design can get you a fairly professional site. It’s still harder to build an audience, though, and DC has something most aspiring creators can’t afford and can’t buy: A big department and big brand name.
You know, I think I had some sort of grand, unifying theme when I started this, but it’s eluding me right now. Perhaps we shall settle on this: A lot of people do things with their talents we wouldn’t consider very bright. But sometimes they know what they’re doing, and sometimes they get lucky even if they don’t.
Also, threesomes with relatives are just out, no matter who has the ownership rights.
Power is a tricky thing. I’m not even talking about the responsibility or corruption that comes with it; I’m talking about writing about power.
A common complaint about some superheroes is that they’re too powerful. Can a Superman story be truly compelling when the protagonist can do nearly anything? (Answer: Yes. Proof: All-Star Superman.) It usually comes up in those silly Marvel vs. DC debates: DC superheroes are super-duper-powerful, while Marvel heroes are more human. How, exactly, this still holds up when Wolverine has been shown to regenerate his entire body from a single strand of DNA is rather beyond me, but let’s ignore that for a moment. Let’s also ignore the fact that in 99% of superhero stories published by Marvel and DC, the hero can’t lose; it’s not like the Green Goblin is actually going to kill Spider-Man any time this century.
Instead, let’s look at the latest story starring one of those too-powerful characters: Doctor Strange. Strange is even trickier than most super-superheroes because he’s all about magic. His powers are both all-encompassing and vague. While anyone’s powers might shift a little for story purposes from book to book depending on the writer, at least the basics will be consistent; maybe Spider-Man’s a little stronger here than there, maybe his spidey-sense works a little differently from time to time, but he’s still a guy with the proportional sense of a spider.
Magic, on the other hand, refuses to be pinned down. At least, few people seem willing to pin it down. So if Doctor Strange can alter reality in one book, it’s kind of difficult to explain why he can’t do anything about Stilt Man in another. For that matter, it seems like half the stories I’ve read featuring the character spend most of their time talking about why he can’t do anything: There are mystical wards; he has a headache; he’s out buying milk and forgot to bring his cell phone.
All of this brings us to Doctor Strange: The Oath, by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin. Vaughan has effectively broken the story into overlapping but separate elements: There’s the mystical hocus-pocus that’s necessary for a Doctor Strange story, and there’s down-to-earth detective work and fistfights to anchor the story into reality. Vaughan hasn’t made an extensive list of what his protagonist can and cannot do, but he imposes certain limits on the character’s abilities; if they’re more-or-less arbitrary, they’re also quite sensible and enable the story to progress logically on a level that everyone can understand.
The basic premise is fairly simple: Strange’s manservant Wong becomes sick; Strange finds a mystical cure; the cure is stolen by a burglar who also shoots Strange, near fatally; Strange tries to get it back.
It’s the shooting that gives the story its first bit of grounding, and adds an element that will ground the character even further. Obviously, one doesn’t expect the Master of the Mystic Arts to simply get shot, let alone in the first issue (the third page, even); the fact that it’s a gun with some bad mystical mojo only detracts slightly.
The shooting also leads to the addition of a vital element of the story: Night Nurse. The 1970s romance comic protagonist has been recently reincarnated as a medic to the superhero community. (She is, in fact, a doctor, but continues to got by Night Nurse because it’s “catchier than Night General Practitioner.”)
Night Nurse is a welcome and necessary source of skepticism and dry wit for the story, as well as an important character element. Doctor Strange is the super-important magic guy, but he’s not exactly on top of his real-world responsibilities. That’s why he needs Wong, who makes sure the hydro bill gets paid and Strange can always find his Cloak of Levitation. But while Wong is more rooted in the physical world, he’s also a bit too reverent of his master.
That’s where Night Nurse comes in. She’s not so skeptical that she doesn’t believe in magic or superpowers, but she’s also not afraid to tell Strange when he’s being a ninny, or when there’s a simpler way to do something than casting a big spooky spell. “For most of my adult life, I’ve run a back-alley hospice that cares for every vigilante in the city,” she tells him. “You honestly think I haven’t picked up a few tricks of the trade?” Night Nurse adds a great dynamic to the book, complementing Strange perfectly; she works perfectly as a legitimate partner to Strange; while it’s obviously his book, Vaughan quickly elevates her above the level of “sassy sidekick.”
Vaughan sets up various roadblocks between Strange, his would-be assassin, and that man’s employer. There are mystical wards, robots, monsters, and possibly the least-expected sort of confrontation between Strange and his adversary that comes with a great payoff and one of Vaughan’s trademark Awesome Moments. Doctor Strange is unquestionably the Magic Master guy, but Vaughan has structured the story so his less-powerful co-stars each have roles to play; Strange is the most powerful guy around, but the story’s not merely about having the most power.
I’m not familiar with any of Marcos Martin’s previous work, but he’s on my list of “Artists To Watch” now. (Admittedly, it’s more of a concept than a “list”, per se.) He matches Vaughan’s talent for mixing the real world with the other-worldly; he shows some imagination with the big spooky monsters and earth-shattering conflicts, but he also pulls off some great character moments. Also like Vaughan, he seems to enjoy the addition of Night Nurse to the cast: She doesn’t entirely look dressed for action and adventure – she looks something like a turn-of-the-century doctor – but Martin gives her plenty of life, character, and intelligence. Not to mention a sensible hairstyle.
It probably shouldn’t surprise anyone by this point that Vaughan can write a great story. Doctor Strange may have been an unusual choice for his talents, but it turned out to be a pretty good one: Doctor Strange: The Oath is full of the snappy dialogue, plot twists, and great moments that you’d expect from him. He’s also managed to avoid most of the problems associated with the character, suggesting (proving, even) that the problem with writing Doctor Strange lies not with the character, but with the talent and imagination of the writers telling his stories.