Preview-ing Comic Books 101

I don't often plug my own artwork and projects here, but for those of you who pick up Diamond's Previews catalog from your comic shop, turn to page 317 of the latest issue (April 2009) and check out Comics 101, the History, Methods and Madness. Co-written by Chris Ryall (IDW Comics) and Scott Tipton (comic book writer and proprietor of the Comics 101 website), I was thrilled to get the call back in 2008 to create several pieces of interior artwork...and that was before I found out who else was contributing to the book! 

Until I get the A-OK from the guys, I'm going to hold off posting some of my artwork until Comics 101 hits the shelves in June...but until then, check out the fantastic cover art and Tuesday's press release below.  

There are few people who know more about comics than Tipton and Ryall...and even fewer who can write about them in an entertaining way, so consider pre-ordering a copy!

COMIC BOOKS 101 OFFERS

VISUAL PRIMER TO THE COMICS INDUSTRY

The Book, Due in June and co-written by Chris Ryall and Scott Tipton, features Contributions from Many Entertainment Luminaries

(San Diego, March 31, 2009) – Chris Ryall, IDW Publishing’s Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, and Scott Tipton, comics101.com’s founder, are proud to announce the May release of Comic Books 101, available for pre-order in Diamond's Previews catalog being released to comics shops April 1st.

Comic Books 101, coming from IMPACT Books, is a 288-page prose-with-illustrations primer to the comic-book industry. The book serves as an overview to the industry, discussing:

- the history of comics

- the top publishers

- most popular characters

- pioneering creators

- a full rundown of Hollywood movie and TV adaptations.

The material is presented through prose chapters, personal asides, anecdotes and sidebars, and contributions from comic-book luminaries, and features over 100 full-color illustrations detailing historic moments, characters, covers and creators.

Comic Books 101 is the natural outgrowth of the long-running Comics 101 column run by Scott Tipton at the Web site of the same name. The weekly column has been running since its launch at Kevin Smith’s Movie Poop Shoot.com site in 2004. Prior to joining IDW, Ryall served as that site’s Editor-in-Chief.

Comic Books 101 features an all-new introduction from comic-book great Stan Lee, and includes all-new sidebar contributions from Clive Barker, Joe Casey, Paul Dini, Joe Hill, Brian Lynch, Gene Simmons, Mark Waid, Marv Wolfman, and many more. Harlan Ellison contributed a brand-new, 1,500-word recollection detailing the first comic book he ever read as the book’s "outroduction." The book also features many all-new chapter illustrations and cartoon images from artists like Mark Engblom, David Messina, and Nick Roche, dozens upon dozens of images of classic covers, characters, and creators, and a cover by Locke & Key artist Gabriel Rodriguez.

“It’s been a pleasure to assemble Comic Books 101 for many reasons, not least of which was the chance to get recollections and remembrances from so many creators we’ve long admired,” said 101 co-writer Chris Ryall. “The book offers plenty of entertaining stories for longtime fans as well as offering new fans or comic-curious folks an easy, illustrated intro to all facets of the industry. If you want to know who Western Publishing is, where Superman—and his creators—came from, the different types of manga, the differences between a comic and a graphic novel or which TV and movie adaptations were the best and the worst, all of that and so much more is right here in this book.”

“The motivation behind the column has always been a simple one,” asserted 101 co-writer Tipton. “Introduce new readers to the world of comics with entertaining history lessons that celebrate both the grand and the goofy, the silly and the sublime. Comic Books 101 allows us to take that philosophy to the next step, with both a more detailed historical approach and 'Guest Lectures' from some of the biggest names in comics and popular culture.”

Comic Books 101, ISBN: 978-1-60061-187-2, is a 288-page, 8” x 8” softcover book with a retail price of $22.99. It is available for pre-order through the April '09 Diamond Previews catalog (page 317, Diamond order code APR09 1125) or at Amazon.com.

Comments

[greyman24]

Congrats! Looks very pretty.

Didn't realize Scott and Chris got so many luminaries to contribute to the book. Can't wait to hear what Mr. Ellison had to say.

Always was a fan of his work, but that new docu, Dreams with Sharp Teeth, really cemented my addiction.

[Skeeter]

Congrats, Mark. This has been on my radar... didn't know you were involved. A 'must have' now.

[Mark Engblom]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Skeeter. It seems like it'll be a step above the typical comic book primer, so I'm proud to be a part of it.

[david w]

Looks like a cool book, and Harlan Ellison as well. Congratulations. I'll look for it in a store.

[Brian]

Hi Mark,
Congrats on being part of the book-- it looks great, and I'm a big fan of "Comics 101," so I look forward to picking it up.

Hey, speaking of fandom-- don't know if you saw this post, but I gave you a "Dardos" award awhile back-- they are designed to recognize great blogs and to foster a sense of community. Someone gave me one, and I passed it on to you. I wanted to mention it as a way of saying thanks for a great blog, and also to let you know so you could pass it on to five other blogs (that's one of the "rules" of accepting it). Hope you are doing well!

[Andrew Wales]

Really great! Congratulations on your success. You really deserve it!