I’m not a big multi-user player but this trailer makes me wish I was. Then again, I’d probably be happy watching a complete film like this. Check out this new trailer for DC Universe Online.
A recent promotion for the work of Jacques Tardi got me intrigued so I picked up a couple books. The first I read is West Coast Blues. It’s a black & white book graphic novel translated from French just recently published by Fantagraphics Books. Written by Jean-Patrick Manchette.
The book is beautiful in it’s stark black and whites. The art seems unschooled but that’s a good thing. Lacking flash, the heavy lines add a reality to the story that much of the slick, colored art doesn’t have. The tale is a noir-ish crime drama about a normal guy who gets pulled into a dark world of crime bosses and murder. No pulled punches here, but it’s not really a very bloody story except for a few pages. The constant references to jazz music really helps give the book some atmosphere. Tardi’s art is perfect for the Manchette’s gem of a tale. I definitely recommend West Coast Blues to anyone who loves a good crime tale or is interested in an intelligent graphic novel. I may have to put on some good blues music and reread this book.
Today I’ve finished two new graphic novels that deserve any tiny recognition that I might be able to give them.
Johnny Hiro by Johnny Hiro is the story of a young Asian man in New York and his Japanese girlfriend. They deal with the regular love relationship turmoil while fighting Giant Monsters, deadly ninja, and lots of fish.
I learned of this title from a regular podcast that I listen to and I didn’t regret picking it up. It’s a humorous book with a big heart. I think you’ll love Hiro and Mayumi by the end of this book. Don’t just take my word for it, Johnny Hiro was nominated for four Eisner Awards and one Russ Manning Award. Highly recommended.
Strangers In Paradise Pocket Book 2 by Terry Moore
I picked up the first two trades of Strangers In Paradise, but before I read them I moved. I’m not sure if those books are stuffed somewhere or just dropped off my truck. Either way I was in the mood to finally pick up this series to try, but I didn’t want to spend that $$ again for the big books so I got the cheap brick Pocket Book. I got 2 because the place I picked it up at didn’t have 1, I’ll be getting that next. To be honest I wasn’t sure I’d like it, Strangers In Paradise always struck me as a girlie book. I’m not too girlie, but SIP is not either. This was a great book. I didn’t just like it but I loved it. The characters are amazingly real. The story is hard to pigeon-hole; being about relationships, politics, spies, murder, drugs, sex, straights, lesbians, gays, high school, middle age, etc. Strangers In Paradise is about life; specifically the lives of two friends and everyone who surrounds them.
I highly recommend Strangers In Paradise to all my women friends and to my manly men friends who were to macho to read such a girlie book. I can’t say enough about the art, so I won’t. But Terry Moore’s art seriously impressed me, to the level that few have. Pick up these very cheap books. I’m sure in the larger format Terry’s art would be even more impressive but for just about $12 each you get a huge amount of story for your buck.
Update from Mr. Seidman…
“Where: Cheesecake Factory in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, corner of Ventura and Sepulveda
What we’ll discuss: Conventions — especially San Diego
The big show is coming up soon. How do you make the most of its crowded 4 1/2 days?
What about smaller shows, like Pasadena’s recent Rock’n Comic Con?
How can you use conventions to bring in attention, readers and revenue?
How do conventions fit into a world dominated by Facebook, Twitter and other venues that don’t require you to show up in person?
Come to the dinner to find the answers and throw in your own viewpoints.
About the comics dinner: Held on the last Thursday of the month, it’s for anyone who’s worked in comic books or graphic novels: artists, retailers, publishers, printers, teachers, writers, librarians, editors, everyone. (No fans or wannabes, though. This is just for the industry.) There’s no formal agenda: we eat, drink, trade news and gossip, show off new work, and so on. People have built friendships and business deals after meeting at the dinners. If you’ve got announcements or questions for your colleagues, bring them. Someone’s bound to be interested.
Let me know if you’ll come. If you show up without RSVPing, we won’t toss you out, but I need an idea of how many people we’ll get. I’m at davidseidman@earthlink.net.
Spread the word about the dinner to your colleagues. Better yet, bring them with you!
David Seidman
P.S. Contrary to my earlier announcement, we WILL have a comics dinner in July!”
Here’s the newest update for the GEEKS Con this Sat. with all the creators. Going to be lots of fun.
Launching the coolest little comic-con you will find! Featuring:
*INDIE CREATORS SELLING THEIR GOODS!
*EXCLUSIVE GEEKS-CON ARTWORK!
*ARTISTS SKETCHES and LIVE ART JAM WALL!!
*GEEKS TRIVIA CONTEST WITH PRIZES!!!
*MUSIC and FUN!!
Get a sketch! Buy some cool stuff! Check out some one-of-a-kind artwork! Meet some really cool creators! And….No SAN DIEGO COMIC CON HASSLE 
Attending artists include:
AGIMAT ENTERTAINMENT (Shadow Candy)
RAUL AGUIRRE JR. (Man VS Art)
MICHAEL AUSHENKER (Cartoon Flophouse)
GEO BRAWN (Dark Chronicles)
JOSE CABRERA (Crying Macho Man)
SHERM COHEN (Cartoon Snap)
RUBEN GERARD (Penny Comics)
SHWAN GRANGER (King Tractor Press)
JAVIER HERNANDEZ (El Muerto)
A.J. HERRERA (Forbidden Panel)
TOM HUTCHISON (Big Dog Ink)
JIM LUJAN (Ghettomation)
DAN MENDOZA (Zombie Tramp)
JOHN NARCOMEY (Ghost Face)
MAT NASTOS (Elfsong)
RAFAEL NAVARRO (Sonambulo)
LANCE SAWYER (sketch card artist)
TED SEKO (Billy Cole)
SUPA PIRATE BOOTY HUNT (animated series)
JUSTIN WHITE (Forbidden Panel)
FREE! FREE! FREE! Fun for all ages!
Saturday, June 19th from noon till closing!
For more info contact GEEKS Comics, 562 - 696 - 9393
Thanks to GEEKS and the NUVEIN Foundation for their support!
GEEKS, 6747 Greenleaf Ave. Suite A ,Whittier, CA 90601. (2) 562 - 696 - 9393 http://www.myspace.com/geeksspace
My first new book review is LOVE AND CAPES by Thom Zahler. I picked up the trade paperback but you can read the entire story at http://www.loveandcapes.com/readit/lnc0101.html . I recommend that everyone check out the webcomic before purchasing the book. Basically this is going to be a love it or “eh” it.
The story centers on Mark (The Crusader) and his girlfriend Abby. It’s a superhero romance with a very tights-centric humor. I’m just not convinced that those who aren’t fans of the superhero genre will enjoy the book. Jokes about Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and all their friends (& enemies) abound. If you are a fan of the genre I think you’ll be laughing most of the way through. Go to the link and read it, see if it’s worth your time to pick up the book. I recommend “LOVE AND CAPES” to all superhero fans, for others check out the link to see if it’s your kind of thing. It’s a great book, just not everyone’s cup of tights.
The second book I read was STITCHES: a Memoir written by David Small. David Small is an author and illustrator of many books, mostly children’s’ books but “Stitches” is not for kids. I read the entire book in a couple hours, could not put down the beautifully illustrated autobiography. Even though most of the story was as horrible as the pictures were beautiful.
“Stitches: A Memoir” tells the sad story of David’s childhood and how his parents’ ended up giving him cancer. It’s a hard story to read, but many that saw me reading the book asked to check it out. And a few kept reading my copy. This is an amazing book and I’d recommend it to anyone, whether or not you previously enjoyed graphic novels or not. “Stitches” will enthrall you. But be warned, it’s a troubling account of one man’s history. You may find some of the images burned into your brain.
CHEW is the last book I’ve read recently, and it was equally great. Written by John Layman and illustrated by Rob Guillory, “CHEW” is a fun wild ride. It’s basically about a detective that gets visions from anything he eats. If he eats an apple then he’ll see the apple’s life from seed to tree to apple; same thing happens if he eats a person. But cannibals aren’t very popular, even in the police department. “CHEW” is pretty gruesome but if you can stomach it this is a great book. Rob Guillory’s work is cartoon-ish enough that much of the gore gets toned down. Highly recommended to everyone but the squeamish.
And that’s it, three great books that I highly recommend, but not to everyone. Pick the one that sounds appealing to you and you won’t be disappointed.
Here’s the poster with all the guests listed. But there will be some SPECIAL guests as well…cough..cough…ElfSong…Disney…Nastos…cough…
June 19th I will be at the GEEKS con with Mat Nastos (Elfquest, Phineas and Ferb, Sci-Fi Channel, Cadre, etc.) in GEEKS, 6747 Greenleaf Ave. Suite A ,Whittier, CA 90601. (2) 562 - 696 - 9393 http://www.myspace.com/geeksspace
Whittier,Ca- GEEKS-CON Indie COMIC BOOK CONVENTION!!!
The launching coolest little comic-con you will find! Featuring:
*INDIE CREATORS SELLING THEIR GOODS!
*EXCLUSIVE GEEKS-CON ARTWORK!
*ARTISTS SKETCHES and LIVE ART JAM WALL!!
*GEEKS TRIVIA CONTEST WITH PRIZES!!!
*MUSIC and FUN!!
*and……(drumroll) MS.GEEKS LIVE AND IN PERSON!!!
Come take a pic with MS.GEEKS! Get a sketch! Buy some cool stuff! Check out some one-of-a-kind artwork! Meet some really cool creators! And….No SAN DIEGO COMIC CON HASSLE
FREE! FREE! FREE! Fun for all ages!
Saturday, June 19th from noon till closing!
Date:
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Time:
12:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
GEEKS Comics, 562 - 696 - 9393
Street:
6747 Greenleaf Ave. (Cross streets: Philedelphia /Greenleaf)
For more info contact Sal at GEEKS Comics, 562 - 696 - 9393
Thanks to GEEKS and the NUVEIN Foundation for their support!
