Month: May 2017

DC doubles down on artists with new ‘Artist Alley’ statue line

With a name inspired by a staple of the comic convention scene, DC Collectibles has announced a new line of “Artist Alley” vinyl statues that “merges indie design with the most iconic characters in the DC Universe.” Batman, Superman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Catwoman and more get the 3-D treatment in 2018.

“The motivation to create a line celebrating radical new artists stems from years of visiting cons and being impressed by the raw talent and artwork on display,” said Jim Fletcher, Executive Creative Director, DC Collectibles, in a statement. “When we decided to launch DC Artist Alley, we approached visionaries we felt would best represent the line, while bringing their own creative signature to our classic characters.”

Continue reading “DC doubles down on artists with new ‘Artist Alley’ statue line”

‘Annual’ to collect rare and new Joe Casey material

“One-man anthology” to feature Casey’s work with Nathan Fox, Jim Rugg and more.

Man of Action and veteran comics writer Joe Casey has a “one-man anthology” coming out this September that will feature new and rarely seen work with collaborators like Jim Rugg, Nathan Fox and Luke Parker.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Annual will include The Winternational, which previously appeared on the digital comics app Stela, as well as Modern Romance, a story drawn by Fox that appeared in Playboy’s 60th anniversary issue.

Here’s the cover by Sonia Harris, which was inspired by a Batman Annual cover by Trevor von Eeden:

Continue reading “‘Annual’ to collect rare and new Joe Casey material”

Second issue of ‘Resist!’ storms into comic shops July 4

Françoise Mouly and Nadja Spiegelman made headlines back in January with the release of “Resist!,” their free, tabloid-sized, crowdsourced publication featuring comics and commentary that was distributed during the women’s marches across the United States.

In July, Resist! is grabbing back, as the second issue arrives just in time for America’s birthday. The second issue of Resist!, a comic book-sized 96-page anthology of comics and cartoons, will be handed out during the July 4th weekend by volunteers and in the comic shops that ordered it. Per the release, “distribution of Resist! is intended as an Independence Day celebration of the First Amendment, of our diverse country and of our resilience.”

Continue reading “Second issue of ‘Resist!’ storms into comic shops July 4”

Don’t tell Thor: Walt Simonson covers Titan’s Hercules series

‘Hercules: Wrath of the Heavens’ debuts this August from the team of JDMorvan, Looky and Olivier Thill.

Known for his bold interpretations of Norse mythology in the pages of Thor and Ragnarok, Walt Simonson takes leave from the halls of Asgard to cover a new comic featuring a different pantheon — Hercules: Wrath of the Heavens.

Titan Comics will launch the new series by writer JDMorvan and artists Looky and Olivier Thill in August, which will feature a new take on the Greek demigod’s fabled 12 labors. The new series launches in August. Check out Simonson’s cover for the first issue below.

Continue reading “Don’t tell Thor: Walt Simonson covers Titan’s Hercules series”

Comics Lowdown: Original Crumb art sells for $717,000

Plus news and updates on NBM, ‘Saga,” Dan Parent and more.

Robert Crumb’s original art for the cover of the 1969 Fritz the Cat collection has set a new record price for a piece of original American comics art: The drawing sold for $717,000 at an auction run by Heritage Auctions; the next highest price for a piece of American comics art is the $657,250 that someone paid for the last page of Incredible Hulk #180, which features the first appearance of Wolverine. Internationally, Tintin art is still top of the heap; one set of drawings brought in $3.5 million, and two other original Tintin drawings have sold for over $1 million apiece.

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown: Original Crumb art sells for $717,000”

Sunday Comics: The best of what’s online

This week, we’re starting a new feature: A roundup of the best comics we’ve seen online in the past week. If we missed something, let us know in the comments!

Continue reading “Sunday Comics: The best of what’s online”

‘March,’ ‘M.A.S.K.’ and more take home 2017 Glyph Awards

Annual awards presented last night at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention.

Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell continued to add to the awards pile last night for March: Book Three, the final chapter in the trilogy that detailed Lewis’ experiences during the Civil Rights movement, at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention in Philadelphia. The Glyph Awards, which recognize the best in comics made by, for and about people of color, also recognized Tuskegee Heirs and IDW’s M.A.S.K. series with multiple awards.

Founded by Rich Watson, the Glyph Awards have been presented annually since 2006. This year’s nominees are listed below, with the winner in bold.

Continue reading “‘March,’ ‘M.A.S.K.’ and more take home 2017 Glyph Awards”

‘War Mother’ fights for the future in new miniseries

Fred Van Lente and Stephen Segovia head back to 4001 AD to tell more stories about the breakout character and her talking gun.

Valiant Entertainment has announced War Mother, a four-issue series spinning out of their 4001 A.D. event. Fred Van Lente and Stephen Segovia will “bring War Mother to bear with an all-new, self-contained entry point for the newest hero manning the frontline of the Valiant Universe’s far future.”

Continue reading “‘War Mother’ fights for the future in new miniseries”

Bellaire, del Rey’s ‘Redlands’ offers deep-fried witchy noir

Image conjures up the new title in August.

Originally announced at the Emerald City Comicon, Image Comics has released more information about Redlands by Jordie Bellaire and artist Vanesa R. del Rey.

“Redlands is my sick, weird love letter to Stephen King, Florida and Riot Grrrls everywhere but ultimately, hate mail for everything else,” Bellaire said in a press release. “Inspired by the strange complexities of real world politics and crime, the characters of Redlands play victim and villain, attempting to understand themselves and others, through murder, magic and mayhem.”

Continue reading “Bellaire, del Rey’s ‘Redlands’ offers deep-fried witchy noir”

Comics Lowdown: Sophie Labelle’s webcomic hacked

Plus news and updates on Don Martin, Todd McFarlane, Tom Spurgeon and more.

Webcomics creator Sophie Labelle reported on Facebook yesterday that her webcomic about a transgender girl, Assigned Male, had been hacked and the page was down:

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown: Sophie Labelle’s webcomic hacked”

Talbots’ ‘Grandville’ series wraps up in November

Bryan and Mary Talbot’s five-part graphic novel series Grandville will complete its run this fall with the final volume, Grandville: Force Majeure, coming from Dark Horse Comics.

Continue reading “Talbots’ ‘Grandville’ series wraps up in November”

Comics Lowdown: Creator Eleanor Davis arrested in Georgia protest

Get today’s comics news and updates in new feature here at Smash Pages.

Cartoonist Eleanor Davis was one of eight people arrested at a Georgia Board of Regents meeting on May 16 for protesting the board’s policies with regard to undocumented immigrants. The University of Georgia does not allow undocumented immigrants to attend its five best schools and requires them to pay out-of-state tuition at the others. The protestors, described by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as “a mix of faith leaders and current and former University System of Georgia students,” were taken to the Fulton County Jail. Davis’s husband, Drew Weing, reported on his Facebook page that she had been released after the Georgia Civil Disobedience Fund paid her bail. Davis’s newest book, You & a Bike & a Road, has just been published by Koyama Press, and Slate ran an excerpt on Tuesday—showing a man being arrested at the border.

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown: Creator Eleanor Davis arrested in Georgia protest”