Comic Coverage

Profiles in Villainy: MODOK

Grotesque Super-Genius.

Psionic Controller of Minds.

Lousy Bowler.


MODOK © Marvel Comics

Click here for more Profiles in Villainy!

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.

This Product Must Be Made....IMMEDIATELY!

While skimming to and fro last week, I came across this incredibly clever Tauntaun Sleeping Bag at the always-entertaining ThinkGeek website. While originally intended as a joke, there was so much genuine interest in the Tauntaun Sleeping Bag that the gang at ThinkGeek is now pursuing a license to produce it from Lucasfilm!

Well, that got me thinking about unique items from the comic book realm that I would buy in a heartbeat. As a big fan of the quirky era known as the Silver Age of Comics (the late 1950's through the 60's), I simply MUST have the

Making its first appearance in Showcase #39 (1962), the towering toxic waste dump known as Chemo has returned time and time again to plague DC's Metal Men.

The 25-foot monster's clear plastic shell is the ideal "vessel" for another quintessentially 60's pop novelty: the Lava Lamp! The gloopy blobs of melted wax within glowing green liquid perfectly evokes the deadly, bubbling goo inside of the semi-sentient behemoth.

My concept mock-up on the left gives you the general idea...but my point remains: THIS PRODUCT MUST BE PRODUCED IMMEDIATELY!

Who's with me?
Chemo © DC Comics

Simply the Best: A Cover Worth the Trouble

Have you ever seen a  comic book cover that was so compelling, you'd risk an authority figure's wrath just to touch it?

Well, that's exactly what happened to me way back in elementary school. You see, during that bygone era, kids actually bought and read comics on a regular basis...and my 5th grade pals and I were no exception. In fact, we were so enthusiastic about comics, we spent several of our valuable recess sessions looking at comics instead of terrifying girls...and occasionally buying, selling, or trading them (the comics, not the girls).

However, one afternoon during class, a pal sitting across from me took out a stack of comics and slyly held them up for me to peek at. One by one he displayed them, until he came to Marvel Team-Up #53 (1977)...the comic book I instantly knew I HAD TO OWN!!!

Overcome by the sheer awesomeness of both the rampaging Hulk and Spider-Man (two huge favorites of mine at the time), I involuntarily reached across the isle to examine the issue... despite our teacher Mr. Kadlicek trying to lead the class. As you might have guessed, Mr. K turned around and utterly busted us in mid hand-off...so close, yet so far away from getting my hands on this mindblowing cover!

As it turned out, Mr. K. confiscated my pal's comics until the end of the school day, but then told us he'd allow us to trade comics at the end of the day each Friday....with the understanding that we wouldn't mess with 'em during class. A very reasonable policy, I must say...and a kindness I fondly remember all these years later.

Oh...and I did eventually make a trade for that copy of Marvel Team-Up #53 on...you guessed it...FRIDAY!

So...are there any comics YOU risked life, 

limb, or a good conduct grade to own?

Comic Books 101: The History, Methods, and Madness!

Back in April I gave a brief preview or "heads up" on Comic Books 101: The History, Methods, and Madness, a cool new book co-written by my pals Scott Tipton and Chris Ryall. I was brought into the project to create several interior illustrations and chapter intros, which I didn't want to say too much about until the book officially hit the shelves.

Well, now that June's finally here, I can fill you in on the details behind Comic Books 101, as well as post some of my artwork. Having written about comic books for years, Tipton (comic book writer and proprietor of the Comics 101 website) and Ryall (Editor-In-Chief of IDW Publishing) pooled their vast knowledge and created a user-friendly overview of comic books that the newbie and hardcore fan alike could find informative and fun.

Part of that fun is the easy-going tone set by Tipton and Ryall, as personal opinions and asides make their "lessons" feel more like a conversation between friends than a dry, pedantic slog. As a continuation of that lighter tone, the authors wanted cartoon versions of themselves to appear in several of the book's illustrations...and that's where I came in! Creating a total of 11 color illustrations (all of which tie into various topics throughout the book), I was honored to play a part in such an entertaining project.  

And that was before I found out who else would be contributing to the book! 

Using their contacts throughout the industry, Tipton and Ryall managed to get commentaries and personal musings from several high profile comic geeks like Clive Barker, Gene Simmons, Mark Waid, Paul Dini, Marv Wolfman, Harlan Ellison, and even Stan "The Man" Lee!  Who'd have thought me and Stan would ever (sort of) work on a project together? Certainly not ME!

So, here's just some of the stuff I did for the book (click on the artwork for a larger view)...

What's going on in these illustrations?  Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?  You'll just have to buy the book to find out!  Seriously, consider picking up a copy for either yourself or someone you'd like to introduce to the wonderful world of comic books! Click on the link below to order one from Amazon.com!

Comic Books 101: The History, Methods and Madness

Backyard Battlegrounds!

Long before sophisticated video game platforms could stage spectacular, ultra-realistic comic book battles, young comic book fans of the early to mid-1970's resorted to drastic measures when it came to simulated superheroics. We used our imaginations!  

You see, since Atari's PONG (left) was the only thing close to a video game we had at the time, there were basically two non-electronic, imagination-fueled options for reenacting epic comic book clashes. One was to use Mego's line of comic book action figures (not dolls, mind you!):

The Mego figures sparked hours and hours of surreal adventures that only the addled minds of 8 year-old boys could cook up. However, the Mego figures were a little pricey for a mid-70's allowance, and tracking down the full variety of characters was tough before the advent of internet shopping...so as cool as the Mego figures were, we usually turned to the second (and much cheaper) option of improvisational make-believe.

At the insistence of our moms, these elaborate battle royales were staged outside...beginning with each kid loudly declaring which character he was about to play. Next, we shook down our dad's garages for items that could approximate our character's superpowers and/or equipment...such as:

• garbage can lid = Captain America's shield (duh)

• tennis balls = Human Torch fireballs (or any matter or energy-based projectiles)

• sledgehammer (or, in a pinch, a regular hammer) = Mjolnir, hammer of Thor

• rope = Spider-Man's webbing, a bolt of electricity from his enemy Electro, or (if a girl happened to be playing) Wonder Woman's lasso.

• frisbee = Batarang

• ski goggles = the visor of Cyclops (X-Men), along with tennis balls to simulate his force beam.

Get the idea?  Whatever we could get our hands on usually became some sort of imaginary weapon, magic talisman, energy bolt, or piece of high-tech equipment (to the occasional chagrin of a dad wondering what happened to his funnel, welder's mask, or measuring tape).

Satisfied that we'd approximated our hero or villain's powers, we'd then try to agree upon some kind of simple plot to set the tone of the battle...such as "Electro robs a bank, then Captain America fights him" (we also liked sticking heroes with villains from outside their regular "rogue's gallery").  But, sometimes we'd bypass the context-setting scenario and just start mock-fighting.

Once our epic clashes were underway, I remember how we'd even imitate the "battle banter" we read in the comic books...which included grandiose threats from the villains or snappy quips from the hero. Why I remember this, I have no idea...but a favorite pejorative of ours was "Joyboy", which the Spider-Man of mid-70's Gerry Conway scripts would often lob at villains.

Of course, as with all things of childhood summers, we eventually outgrew our "backyard battles" and went on to find new challenges for our imaginations and boyish energy (like girls). Ahh, but I still smile whenever I think about those grandiose (mock) slugfests...and can still sometimes hear the echoes of Batarang frisbees clashing against garbage lid shields and mighty falsetto-voiced oaths.

P.S.: Speaking of summer, be sure to take a crack at my Summer Heat contest...and possibly win a copy of Comic Books 101!  Midnight tomorrow (Wednesday) is the deadline to submit your guesses!