Author: Stephanie Chan

Ghostbusters 2016 team is back in new comic adventures

Kelly Thompson and Corin Howell reunites Gilbert, Yates, Tolan and Holtzmann in ‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call’

‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call’ #1 with art by Valentina Pinto. (IDW Publishing)

In an exclusive to the LA Times, IDW Publishing announced a new Ghostbusters comic, this time featuring the team from the 2016 Paul Feig-directed film.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call will be a five-issue mini-series written by Kelly Thompson (Hawkeye) and drawn by artist Corin Howell (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers).  In keeping with the theme of a female-centric team, cover artists include Valentina Pinto (Strawberry Shortcake), Emma Vieceli (Manga Shakespeare, Adventures of Supergirl), and Elsa Charretier (Love Is Love).

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Comics Lowdown: ‘Abadazad,’ ‘Ghost Rider’ artist Mike Ploog to retire

Plus: designing variant covers, Sonny Liew, Tillie Walden, Simon Hanselman, food in San Diego.

Veteran artist Mike Ploog, known to comic fans as the co-creator of Ghost Rider, announced he will be retiring after a 47-year career. His career began with Filmation, as a clean-up artist on Batman and Superman, and eventually was promoted to layouts. He moved onto Hanna-Barbera, continuing his layout work until he became the assistant to Will Eisner.

He made his comic book debut on Werewolf by Night in 1972. Since then, he was credited as a co-creator of Ghost Rider and notable artist on Man-Thing, Planet of the Apes and The Monster of Frankenstein. Later in his career, he did minimal comic work, but teamed with J.M. DeMatteis on Abadazad in 2004.

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Comics Lowdown: Rest in peace Sam Glanzman, George Romero

Plus: teen romance, and Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and others become Disney Legends

Sam Glanzman (1924-2017): Navy veteran and and Eisner Award-nominated comic artist Sam Glanzman, 92, passed away July 12. Over the span of his 75-year career in comics, Glanzman worked for Marvel, DC Comics, Charlton, Harvey and Dell, among others, on titles like G.I. Combat, Sgt. Rock, Hercules, Jonah Hex, Fightin’ Army, Savage Tales, Semper Fi, Zorro and Kona, Monarch of Monster Isle. Marvel published his A Sailor’s Story graphic novel in 1987, a personal account of his time on the U.S.S. Stevens during World War II. A sequel followed. New stories about his time on the U.S.S. Stevens appeared in DC’s Joe Kubert Presents six-issue anthology limited series, and those stories, along with the two volumes of A Sailor’s Story, were collected in U.S.S. Stevens: The Collected Stories, which is nominated for the Eisner Award this year. A successful Kickstarter campaign to bring Red Range, a story drawn by Glanzman and written by Joe R. Lansdale, recently wrapped up.

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Comic industry pays tribute to Adam West

Plus the Bat Signal flew over Los Angeles to remember the Batman actor.

Adam West, the actor that defined the *POW* *BAM* Batman of the 1960s passed away on June 9 at the age of 88 after a brief battle with leukemia.

The West family is encouraging fans to make a donation to either the Adam West Memorial Fund for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Camp Rainbow Gold.

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Rainbow Rowell to write ‘Runaways’

Critically acclaimed young adult author tackles Marvel’s teen heroes with villainous parents.

Young adult and contemporary fiction writer Rainbow Rowell dropped a big hint on Twitter earlier this week something was on the horizon, and she was excited about it:

At the annual BookCon festival held in New York, Rainbow Rowell announced her writing duties on the new ongoing series Runaways, with Kris Anka as the illustrator.

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‘Wishless: A Graphic Anthology’ debuts on store shelves today

What if Pinocchio’s wish was never granted, and he never became a real boy?

Wishless: A Graphic Anthology
Sho Uehara was at work when he turned to a fellow employee and said, “Hey! I have this great idea! What if Pinocchio never got his wish and he was just an empty immortal wooden puppet forever?” Nick Johnson thought it was brilliant, and the two of them started spit firing ideas back and forth until they realized they had an anthology on their hands. Wishless: A Graphic Anthology was born.

Wishless is independently created by Calgary artists including Nicole Brunel, Jillian Fleck, Jackson Gee, Joanne Leung, Lyndon Navalta, Nick Johnson, Jarett Sitter and Sho Uehara. Today marks their official launch party and book signing at Shelf Life Books in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Wishless creators Nick Johnson and Sho Uehara

“When we realized how intense and how many possibilities there were, I was like, ‘You know, this might be the perfect thing to unify in an anthology,’” Johnson explained. “I wasn’t really into doing anthologies anymore because I had done a bunch already, but by doing one where everyone was tapping that same idea and seeing where they would go with it got us both really excited!”

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Remembering Rich Buckler

Comic legend and prolific artist Rich Bucker passed away on May 19, 2017, from cancer. He was 68. He was best known for his work in the 70s and 80s, creating a definitive style for comic book superheroes for both DC and Marvel comics in the bronze age of comics. He created Deathlok, and his work was seen across a wide variety of licensed merchandise.

With his passing, many tributes were posted throughout the week. A started by writer Clifford Meth, for a Rich Buckler Memorial Scholarship for the Joe Kubert School of Comic Art is currently trending.

Rich Buckler Memorial Scholarship

Jim Beard wrote a blog entry for Marvel.com on Buckler’s accomplishments and creations. He was similarly honoured on the Inkwell Awards’ website, who considered Buckler to be their greatest ambassador.

Other creators and publishers took to their social media channels:

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Battle Angel Alita returns in new digital and print graphic novels

Yukito Kishiro’s post-apocalyptic classic manga Gunnm returns to English audiences with a new translation by Kodansha Comics and Comixology Originals. Known as Battle Angel Alita to English audiences, it was first published as a serial in Shueisha’s Business Jump magazine in the 1990s. This re-release is a digital exclusive through ComiXology Original and is free today for ComiXology Unlimited subscribers.

Battle Angel Alita on ComiXology

Battle Angel Alita tells the story of Alita, a female cyborg. Parts of her were found in a scrapyard and she was eventually assembled into a mercenary hunter-warrior with no memory and then as a player in the brutal sport of Motorball. Memories of life on Mars begin to return to her during combat.

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The Smash Pages family reflects on Tim O’Shea

Earlier this week popular blogger Tim O’Shea passed away after a long battle with cancer. Sadden by the loss, Smash Pages family have a few words we would like to say in remembrance of our colleague and friend.

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The comic industry remembers Tim O’Shea

On the morning of April 30th, Smash Pages lost our co-founder, contributor, and friend, Tim O’Shea from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Our own JK Parkin wrote a touching memorial on Sunday. Tim’s funeral service will be held at the Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, May 20th. More details and virtual guest book can be found here.

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Lights announces new album and comic series

Skin & Earth #1
Skin & Earth #1 by Lights
Canadian electropop queen Lights has announced her fourth studio album in conjunction with a comic series. The project, called Skin&Earth, is entirely written and drawn by Lights and published by Dynamite Entertainment.

In the official press release, Lights commented, “I feel my whole life has lead up to a project like this. It’s a complete convergence of everything I love – music, comics, post-apocalyptic romance, crystals, wine and powerful ladies, all perfectly entwined. It’ll be by far my most care-free and fierce album yet. I think now, more than ever, people need a reason to listen to a whole record, and this is mine.”

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Geek out about Ghost Rider with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Gabriel Luna

Gabriel Luna (Credit: Kelsey McNeal/ABC)
Gabriel Luna (Credit: Kelsey McNeal/ABC)
If you are in Austin, Texas, then this could be your lucky day! To celebrate the release of Ghost Rider #1, then you have a chance to “geek out about NEW GHOST RIDER COMICS!” with the Gabriel Luna, the actor bringing Ghost Rider to life.

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