Month: September 2020

Ariel Ries, Eleanor Davis and more win 2020 Ignatz Awards

Annual awards typically presented at the Small Press Expo honor excellence in independent comics, graphic novels and minicomics.

The 2020 Ignatz Awards were presented tonight during a livestream on the Small Press Expo YouTube channel

The Ignatz Awards, which have been handed out since 1997, celebrate the outstanding achievements of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons. Typically the awards are voted on by SPX attendees and then given out at the event, but given the COVID-19 crisis, this year they opened voting up to anyone and went virtual with the awards ceremony.

Congratulations to all the winners, which you can find in bold below:

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Comics Lowdown | Dog Man once again rules the best-seller charts

Plus: News on ‘Fun Home,’ Vault Comics, IDW, DC’s new GM and more.

Not surprisingly, Dog Man has once again claimed the top spot on best-seller charts for USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Indie Bound, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail, among others. It’s the ninth book in Dav Pilkey’s popular kids graphic novel series to land at No. 1 on the best-seller chart.

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Chuck Austen returns to comics with ‘Edgeworld’

Austen team with Hawkman artist Patrick Olliffe on a new title for comiXology Originals.

Here’s a name that will likely bring a strong reaction from comics fans of a certain age — Chuck Austen will return to comics next week with Edgeworld, a new series from comiXology Originals.

Austen will write the series, with veteran artist Patrick Olliffe and colorist Lee Loughridge providing the art. It’s described as “an edgy expectation-busting western set in the far reaches of outer space.”

“Edgeworld is the place people need to go in order to get somewhere else, but not to stay,” said Austen, “It’s a temporary rest stop, a place to blow off some steam on a long journey between the stars. But no one stays on Pala unless the rest of the universe is done with them. No one, that is except for the oppressed Palans and their lone supporter, Killian Jess.”

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Christian Cooper writes a new comic about his Central Park encounter

The comics writer makes his return in the first issue of DC’s ‘Represent!’ which is now free to download.

DC has released the first issue of a planned digital-first series called Represent!, featuring a story by Christian Cooper, Alitha E. Martinez, Mark Morales, Emilio Lopez and Rob Clark Jr. “It’s a Bird” is available to download for free.

Cooper, a former Marvel editor, was thrown into the national spotlight earlier this summer when a white woman walking her dog in New York’s Central Park called the cops on him and said as African-American was threatening her life — just because he asked her to keep her dog on its leash. The incident occurred on the same day that George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His story in this first issue is a fictionalized account of that encounter.

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DC resurrects ‘Batman: Black and White’

The anthology series spotlighting the Dark Knight returns in December.

DC has announced the return of Batman: Black and White, the popular series from the 1990s that featured rotating creators telling stories about Batman, his friends and his foes — all in black and white.

This new iteration will be a six-issue, prestige-format, $5.99 miniseries with an impressive lineup of creators on tap to produce colorless tales of the Dark Knight.

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Eynd of Empyre

Carla Hoffman looks back at Marvel’s Empyre, both as a game-changing “event book” and from a story perspective.

With the world in flux, we can at least count on a major summer event to remain a constant for comic fans. Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night will keep our Big Two from their appointed rounds of throwing their entire universe (or multiverse, as the case may be) into flux to determine the definitive path for their respective companies. At least until next year.

Let’s look at this year’s Empyre by Dan Slott, Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti, and see if a comic can rock our world harder than real life already has. WARNING: spoilers ahead for the basics of the main Empyre series, so if you’ve read all six issues, grab your comics and read along!

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‘Avengers,’ ‘Battlestar Galactica Counterstrike’ win at the 2020 Dragon Awards

Congratulations to this year’s winners.

The 2020 Dragon Awards were announced this past weekend, recognizing science fiction and fantasy books, movies, video games and comics. The awards are typically given out during Dragon Con, which was held virtually this year.

The awards, which have been presented annually since 2016, recognize comics in two categories — “Best Comic Book” and “Best Graphic Novel.” Winners were selected in an open vote from the general public.

The winners are:

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Smash Pages Q&A: George O’Connor

The creator of the ‘Olympians’ series discusses his work on ‘Unrig: How To Fix Our Broken Democracy,’ the first book released under First Second’s World Citizen Comics publishing line.

George O’Connor is the acclaimed cartoonist behind the Olympians series of graphic novels retelling the Greek myths. Readers may know him for his earlier comics like Journey into Mohawk Country and Ball Peen Hammer, but his new book, Unrig, is something of a departure for him. 

Unrig: How To Fix Our Broken Democracy is the first volume of a new publishing line at First Second Books called World Citizen Comics. O’Connor worked with Daniel Newman, the president and co-founder of Maplight, a nonprofit that reveals the influence of money on politics. The book looks at how money has influenced American politics, how people and organizations with money have changed the system, and how individuals and local organizations have been fighting back. It’s an important book for many reasons, and I reached out to talk with George about the challenges of the project and what he learned from working on the book.

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Fund Me Wednesday | ‘Some Strange Disturbances,’ ‘Skin Horse,’ ‘Ghost Band’ and more

Check out projects by Shelly Bond, Craig Hurd-McKenney, Jason McNamara, Ronald Wimberly and more.

Crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, as comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. The internet also allows creators to sell their creations direct to fans, through sites like Gumroad, Big Cartel and of course their own websites. If you’re looking to buy something from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place. And that’s a good thing to do, now more than ever.

Send any suggestions of your own to jkparkin@yahoo.com.

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The Justice League at 60, Part 7: Pantheon

With the team’s first appearance arriving in December of 1959, Tom Bondurant looks back at the different eras that have defined the Justice League over the last 60 years. This time around: JLA!

Check out part one, part two, part three, part four, part five and part six of this series!

Throughout the 1960s, Justice League of America was the standard-bearer for DC Comics’ superhero teams. In the 1970s, the series boasted an expanded roster and solid, steady Dick Dillin art. The 1980s brought sweeping, lasting changes, from Detroit to the JLI; and the early ’90s turned the League into a franchise. Still, was any of that ever really cool?

I can’t tell you for sure, but I can say this: starting in the summer of 1996, the Justice League was cool enough for Wizard. The breathless self-appointed arbiter of mainstream superhero comics’ cutting edge was all over JLA in the series’ early years, including a 1997 special issue devoted entirely to the title. It was a super-high concept executed by Grant Morrison, one of the era’s hottest writers. Of course Wizard was going to notice.

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DC names Daniel Cherry III as SVP and general manager

The hire will allow Jim Lee to focus on ‘the overall DC brand.’

DC Comics has announced that they’ve hired Daniel Cherry III, who previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for Activision Blizzard Esports, as their new SVP and General Manager.

This is a new role for the company, but one that Jim Lee referenced a few weeks back. According to the report, Cherry will be responsible for business affairs, editorial, talent services, marketing, sales, brand and direct to consumer for DC. Like Lee, he’ll report to Pam Lifford, Warner Bros. global brands and experience president.

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IDW names Nachie Marsham as their new publisher

Company also promotes Veronica Brooks to vice president of creative affairs.

IDW Publishing has named Nachie Marsham as their new publisher. Marsham brings about 25 years of experience in the publishing industry to his new job, following roles at Disney Publishing, where he also worked on their Marvel Press imprint, and before that at DC Comics and Wizard Entertainment.

“Working collaboratively to create powerful stories has always been my passion,” said Masham. “IDW is home to some of the most beloved IP in the business and I couldn’t be more excited to join them in furthering these stories and expanding their creative direction across all platforms.”

In addition, IDW announced that Veronica Brooks has been promoted into the role of vice president of creative affairs.

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