Comics Lowdown | Jud Meyers placed on administrative leave at IDW

Plus: News on SDCC, DC’s writing workshop and the winner of the 2020 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award.

Publishers: Jud Meyers, who was named publisher at IDW last week, has already been placed on administrative leave, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Jerry Bennington, who was named president of IDW last week, will assume Meyer’s duties in the interim. No reason was given for why Meyers was placed on leave. The Beat has more background, including information on a past lawsuit against Meyers by his former business partner, comics retailer Carr D’Angelo.

Conventions: The local San Diego news station KUSI looks at the loss of revenue to the city of San Diego due to the cancellation of the San Diego Comic Con. Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, the president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center, says the cancellation of the event meant a potential loss of $166 million to the local San Diego economy across restaurants, retail and taxes. He notes the convention center has had to cancel about 100 shows this year so far due to COVID-19.

Speaking of Comic-Con, Variety is calling the virtual convention “a bust,” based on the amount of activity on Twitter about the convention being down compared to last year, as well as the YouTube views of panels. The Beat points out that from a comic perspective, the YouTube numbers for “comics-based panels are way way above what they would have reached in person.” Also, almost a week later, those panels are still available for people who want to view them.

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown | Jud Meyers placed on administrative leave at IDW”

Eisner winner refuses award due to voting issues

Nola Fau from Women Write About Comics said: ‘I can’t accept an award that isn’t cleanly and fairly won.’

Following their win in the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism category during the Eisner Awards presentation that was posted Friday night, the editors of Women Write About Comics questioned the legitimacy of the win, with one noting that they “can’t accept an award that isn’t cleanly and fairly won.”

Nola Fau, in a statement on Twitter, said that “given the situation with the Eisner voting procedures this year and given the shoddy way in which they were ‘resolved,’ I can’t personally accept this award.” Fau is one of the two editors listed on the nomination, along with Wendy Browne. You can read Fau’s full statement below.

Continue reading “Eisner winner refuses award due to voting issues”

‘Crossover’ blurs the line between fact and fiction [Preview]

The new title by the creators of ‘God Country’ arrives in November.

Image Comics has released a preview of the first issue of Crossover, the new series coming from Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Dee Cunniffe and John J Hill that was revealed this week during Comic-Con@Home.

Referred to by Cates as the “scariest” project he’s ever tried to produce, but also “the most exciting thing I’ve ever done” during their CCI@Home panel Crossover is about what happens when a big summer event book crosses over into the real world.

Continue reading “‘Crossover’ blurs the line between fact and fiction [Preview]”

CCI@Home: Legendary Comics announces ‘Head Wounds: Sparrow’

New project from Oscar Isaac, Bob Johnson and John Alvey will be written by Brian Buccellato and drawn by Christian Ward.

During their Comic-Con@Home panel yesterday, Legendary Comics announced a new graphic novel called Head Wounds: Sparrow, that was developed by childhood friends Oscar Isaac (a.k.a. Poe Dameron from the most recent Star Wars trilogy), Bob Johnson and John Alvey, and will be written by Brian Buccellato and drawn by Christian Ward.

The story originated with Johnson, who had Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma and used writing as a way to cope with his illness. During the panel, he said he had a dream where he had been shot in the head, but no one could see the wound — so no one could help him. Head Wound is about a cop who has a psychic “head wound” that pulls him into the war between angels and devils.

“Bob Johnson has a mind and a soul like no one else,” Isaac said. “Our friendship and creative collaboration has spanned nearly three decades. I couldn’t be more excited to bring his unique and singular vision of Head Wounds: Sparrow to life with the incredible group of artists we’ve assembled.”

Continue reading “CCI@Home: Legendary Comics announces ‘Head Wounds: Sparrow’”

CCI@Home: ‘Crossover’ team reveals details on the new title

Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Dee Cunniffe and John J. Hill discuss their upcoming ‘anti-event’ title.

After teasing their new comic earlier this month, Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Dee Cunniffe and John J. Hill revealed more details about Crossover during a virtual panel as a part of Comic-Con@Home.

“Crossover is the scariest goddamn book I have ever attempted to produce in my entire life, and that is why it’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever done,” Cates said. He compared it to “Avengers: Endgame, but as Cloverfield,” then shared that the idea came to him while talking to Geoff Shaw about event comics back in 2017, before he worked for Marvel.

Continue reading “CCI@Home: ‘Crossover’ team reveals details on the new title”

Comic Con International in San Diego canceled for 2020

For the first time in its 50-year history, the San Diego Comic Con will not happen due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Comic-Con International has announced that the annual San Diego Comic Con has been officially canceled for 2020. The convention will not return until July 22-25, 2021.

“Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer,” their page reads. “Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year.”

Continue reading “Comic Con International in San Diego canceled for 2020”