Salt Lake Shakespeare Presents:
“Henry V”
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Larry West
August 2-20, 2006
Babcock Theatre, Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre (inside and one level down).
University of Utah, 300 S. 1400 E. Salt Lake City
EVENINGS
Wed. – Sun. at 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS
“pay what you can,” cash donations at the door.
email info@saltlakeshakes.org to reserve a seat.
more info at www.saltlakeshakes.org
A newly appointed king decides to lead his people into war, testing his kingship and their patriotism in Salt Lake Shakespeare’s timely production of William Shakespeare’s “Henry V.”
The dramatic history of the English answer to a French insult seemed to be the perfect choice for West, who says that he chose the play because, “no matter how you dress it up—no matter how you couch it in glorious language—war sucks! People on both sides of the battlefield die—nations are torn apart—and in the end, little is resolved. Shakespeare’s “Henry V” is a brilliant study of war in all its glory—passion—and futility. Will we learn from history? Maybe—I doubt it—but that doesn’t keep me from bringing the subject up.”
BROKEN VERSES: HIS WORDS OUR RHYTHM
Written and performed by Jesse Harward
Directed by Kyle Lewis
August 7, 8, 14, 15, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Babcock Theatre, University of Utah, 300 S. 1400 E. Salt Lake City
This is a one-man production staring Jesse Harward. Monologues and situations from William Shakespeare’s plays are adapted for modern American voices and situations. This production will also adhere to Salt Lake Shakespeare’s new ticketing concept "pay what you can," cash donations. Audience members will be asked, but not required, to donate what they feel is appropriate to the evening's performance or they may enjoy the production for free.
SPIN
August 2-20
Wed. – Sun. at 7:30 p.m.
Five local playwrights have written five short plays involving three characters from three different plays by William Shakespeare. Each play will be performed in rotation as a nightly prelude to “Henry V.”
Monday, July 31, 2006
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salt lake shakespeare 2006 season kicks off! |
Friday, July 28, 2006
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T.G.I.F.: July 28, 2006 |
As previously mentioned, I've had better weeks.
So it was with much joy that I went to my mailbox this week to find a book I pre-ordered almost a year ago: Howard Waldrop's Howard Who?. It's a collection of madness, stories of magical pop-culture fantasies: jazz superstar Dwight Eisenhower playing for Senator Presley, a robotic dog, duck and mouse (named GUF, DUN, and MIK) making their way in a world they don't understand, and the Marx Brothers team up with Stan and Ollie and Abbott and Costello to try and avert The Day The Music Died. One of my favorite books as a teen, and one that irrevocably shaped my own short story writing, it's been out of print for quite some time. In idle moments I would sometimes search around the Great Intarwub in hopes of finding an inexpensive copy, to no avail.
Then came Small Beer Press. This small publishing house has just released a new edition of Howard Who?, and its arrival is one of the high points of this week.
Oh? You want comics content? Yes - that postcard for Howard Who? features Kevin Huizenga's cover artwork. He contributes covers for the entire line of Peapod Classics.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
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52 on 52 #12 |
Oscar = Renee
Felix = "Charlie"
Only one day this week, but with so much unexpected depth given to the Marvel Family, I'm not complaining. I'm constantly reassessing Black Adam, and this week particularly challenged my view.
If "The Origin Of Wonder Woman" is any indication, "New Earth" is "Iconic Earth".
*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
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ScatterThoughts: The BOOM! Books Of July 26th |
That's to the wonders of preview packs, I present you with some thoughts on this week's releases from BOOM! Studios .... before I even go to 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics! It's like magic!
There are a few books in this here ScatterThoughts that are new to me, and Second Wave #5 is the one that really tests the maxim that "every issue is someone's first". I can't speak to how the issue works for someone who's following along, but if you're leaping in cold it's ... interesting. The situation is hinted at through some dialogue (aliens landed for the second time, and the U.S.A. has crumbled), but I really felt like I needed an introductory text piece, like what Marvel's been using lately. Especially for a smaller publisher with more limited distribution, it seems like a recipe for diminishing numbers. There's always a process of attrition in the readership wars, but without some attention paid to "every issue is someone's first" there's no way to replenish those ranks. This may be a great issue for those in the know: there's some fascinating character moments that give this staple genre scenario a great, human twist. I'm interested enough to keep reading, but the lack of background is a big hurdle to climb.
Jeremiah Harm #4 leaves me in much the same situation of jumping in mid-story, but thanks in large part to the experience of Keith Giffen and Alan Grant, it's an easier landing. Though there's still no introductory text or set-up, it's a simpler scenario to get a hold of, a more manageable cast for characters, and the backstory is filled in well by dialogue. What really makes the book work, though, is that Jeremiah harm himself is such a likeable character: part Wolverine, part Lobo, part Fear Agent's Heath Huston. In fact, that Fear Agent comparison is very apt: though not so consciously emulating 50's pulp, Giffen and Grant hit all the notes of good pulpy adventure with honesty, directness, and not a hint of snark. Honestly, after hearing all the Lobo comparisons, I wasn't expecting to have this much fun with Jeremiah Harm.
Finally we have a clean slate, a number one, that increasingly-mythical "jumping on point": The Black Plague #1. This new effort from GØDLAND's Joe Casey is an excellent first issue, setting up status quos and then smashing them with deftness and aplomb. This is a bit like Wanted's smarter brother, with more twists and turns in the first issue than many current "big event miniseries" can manage in their entirety. Julia Bax's art is clean and cartoony, freeing keeping The Black Plague entirely in a fantasy world of superheroics, and it's all the better for it. In many ways, Casey is returning to the 70's Marvel that inspires GØDLAND, just a different section of it. Instead of Cosmic Kirby, what we have here is much more in tune with A.I.M. and S.H.I.E.L.D. and M.O.D.O.K. and all those other acronyms of goodness. This excellent one-shot sets the stage for an upcoming miniseries, and I'm looking forward to it. Tuesday, July 25, 2006
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This Week's Releases: July 25, 2006 |
These days, Focused Totality is anything but.
"Focused", that is.
Henry V is sapping much of my attention, and the fact that yesterday I got laid off from a company I built .... well, updates could get a bit scarce. I trust you'll understand.
Depending on job futures, trips to 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics may also become scarce, but I will relish Wednesday's trip nonetheless. I've been looking forward to this Morrison/Kubert Batman run for some time now, and am a-tingle with anticipation at finally getting my hands on it. Morrison seems over-praised by the WeboComicsBlogoNet, and Andy Kubert unduly chastised ... so it should result in some fun review dissonance, at minimum.
Beyond that, there's the I-haven't-quite-given-up-yet Civil War storyline, a double shot of Kurt Busiek goodness (Astro City, Action Comics), the conclusion to the stunning Godland, and I'll obey the commands of Guy and try to pick up the new Bumperboy.
There's also a whole mess o' BOOM! Studios hitting tomorrow (Black Plague, Jeremiah Harm, War Of The Worlds: Second Wave), and I plan to post a roundup of the preview pack I received before you make your shopping decisions.
- 52 #12
- Action Comics #841
- Astro City: Samaritan Special
- Batman #655
- JLA Classified #25
- JSA Classified #14
- Supergirl #8
- Fear Agent #6
- Godland #12
- Amazing Spider-Man #534
- Captain America #20
- Civil War: Front Line #4
- Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1
- New Avengers #22
- Wolverine #44
- X-Men #189
- Bumperboy & The Loud Loud Mountain
Monday, July 24, 2006
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ScatterThoughts: The Books Of July 19th |
[Note: This post contains spoilers for the Civil War storyline.]
Maybe I'm an easy mark, but with Justice league Of America #0, Brad Meltzer has instantly won me over. I wasn't expecting much from this zero-issue lead-in featuring "An All-Star Cast Of Artists", but it delivered in a way these fillers often don't. Meltzer obviously has a good grasp not only of the events of DC continuity, but a feel for the character transitions that goes beyond aping the conventions of the time. Ably assisted by some wonderfully appropriate artists (I particularly enjoyed Dick Giordano's work, and enjoyed finally seeing the Kubert Brothers even if they seem strangely out-of-place in the DCU), he captures the various eras of the League and the Trinity in just a few strokes. This sets the table damn well, and I'm looking forward to #1.
One continuity point that stands out: are we operating in a multiverse, and just not being told? Wonder Woman obviously features a Donna Troy Wonder Woman, Justice League Of America is clearly about Diana in the role. There's a sequence where in this issue where the JLA discovers a parallel earth, and though it smacks of "The Flash Of Two Worlds" it is clearly set "tomorrow". Combine this with the Donna-centric "strange deviation in realities" seen in this week's 52 ...
You know that horrible sinking feeling you get when you realize maybe everyone else is right? I've enjoyed Mark Millar's work a damn long time, back to Aztek and Superman Adventures. I've ignored those who say he runs roughshod over characterization when the plot demands it. I've ignored those who say his politics are hamfisted and strident. I've ignored those who say his work is increasingly a series of F*@% Yeah Moments with little stringing them together.Then comes Civil War #3, and it's like the scales fell from my eyes. Since Tony Stark is obviously becoming more and more a villain, I can almost accept the idea of a devious trap being set. But Spider-Man trash-talking Cap? Coordinating strike force snipers? "Just a little tranquilizer to make sure nobody gets teleported away, kiddo"? Now that the world knows who's underneath that mask, I'm not sure who's wearing the costume anymore. Certainly Spidey's had his share of "misunderstanding-fight-teamup" days, but there's no misunderstanding here. It feels incredibly out of character for him to not be playing peacemaker at this point. I suppose it all drives the plot, and we certainly get a nice F*@% Yeah Moment on the closing page (yet another Millar habit), but this doesn't feel very much like the Marvel Universe to me.
Friday, July 21, 2006
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T.G.I.F.: July 20, 2006 |
I'll be spending the day with my girls at our Old West "Cousin Camp" today. Almost 30 cousins going on hikes, train rides, cave explorations, and more. It's an annual event, and always great fun.
And that, my friends, is very T.G.I.F.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
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52 on 52 #11 |
I can't help but think this issue would have worked better if The DC Publicity Machine hadn't given away Batwoman's identity months ago.
I don't know about you, but another "strange deviation in realities" with Donna Troy at the center is exactly what I looking for. Thank you, "History of the DCU".
*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
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This Week's Releases: July 19, 2006 |
Wow - the weeks are going faster. I haven't even finished reading last week's books, much less write on them ... hence the scarce posts. Henry V is going well, but especially in the line-learning phase I am finding my blogging time curtailed.
Still, there are traditions and standards to be upheld. Such as the posting of shopping lists, and the mentioning of 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics. What is life without tradition and standards, after all?
I know it's a zero issue. I know nothing of significance will happen. I know that the Meltzer/Benes team has a tenuous hold on my attention at best. Still - it's a new Justice League of America relaunch. First off, the last relaunch was pretty damn good. Secondly ... "at least it's not Bob Harras". So - to the top of the list, Justice League of America!
Sadhu looks like the most potentially interesting of the initial wave of Virgin Comics, and in general I've found the line appealing. Mignola, Conan, Frog Gods ... 'nuff said. Marvel really has a nice lineup this week: Runaways, Civil War, Eternals, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor. If one were to track the pendulum of my attention, one would find it slowly swaying towards the House of Ideas.
I'm assuming Flash: The Fastest Man Alive can only get better, and hoping I'm right. Aquaman: Sword Of Atlantis and Checkmate, however, have got about one issue left until they disappear from my consciousness.
- 52 #11
- Aquaman: Sword Of Atlantis #43
- Checkmate #4
- Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #2
- Justice League Of America #0
- Manhunter #24
- Robin #152
- Supergirl And The Legion Of Super-Heroes #20
- Superman/Batman #28
- Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters #1
- Civil War #3
- Eternals #2
- Runaways Vol 2 #18
- She-Hulk 2 #9
- Uncanny X-Men #476
- X-Factor #9
- Conan #30
- Sadhu #1
Friday, July 14, 2006
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T.G.I.F.: July 14, 2006 |
I somehow completely spaced last week's T.G.I.F., but the feature's not gone ... just forgotten.
Today, we honor Bastille Day!
Au revoir!
(This F*@% Yeah Moment brought to you by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch in The Ultimates.)
Thursday, July 13, 2006
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52 on 52 #10 |
The Clark Kent scenes are about my favorite in the series thus far.
Best. Ticker. Yet.
The Khandaq timeline is odd. It took a day to get her back to her cell? Or she escaped again?
History Of The DCU becomes more and more intolerable as it catches up to recent events.
*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
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Focused Linkblogging |
- In the spirit of my Shatter post, I had a long piece in my head about that other great 80's genre: the Post-Apocalyptic. However ... time is preventing me from doing a full write-up on the Wasteland preview Oni kindly sent me, but in short: give it a try. I'm struck by a parallel to Battlestar Galactica: much like the miniseries that launched BSG, Wasteland's opening issue creates a detailed world, interesting characters ... and blows it all to smithereens, leaving room for a new status quo. Though the issue serves as a lot of setup, it's dense and chewy and action-packed and has some damn gorgeous art from Christopher Mitten. Check out a sample, if you don't trust me.
- Bryan Lee O'Malley has posted a lot of sketchbook scans on his Flickr account. Wonderful "behind the scenes" stuff for the Scottheads like myself.
- In the grand tradition of Paper Lion comes Harvey Jerkwater's brilliant The Knave and the Bold!
- Dave Taylor has a great, detailed interview with the creators behind another attempt at Shakespearean manga. I'm impressed with their approach of re-setting the stories, concentrating on entertainment value, and keeping the verse.
- How the heck did Postcards score Harvey freakin' Pekar? Jason tells the tale ...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
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ScatterThoughts: The Books Of July 6th |
When thinking about The All-New Atom #1, I really can't get past the credits. "Based on Ideas And Concepts Developed By Grant Morrison" seems ... insulting to quite a few people, and an unnecessary credit. Don't creators share ideas as a matter of course? Aren't the creative conferences the Big Two hold specifically for that purpose? First off, it to devalues the Gail Simone's work in making this issue hum along like clockwork with well-written characters that provide the foundation for the Morrisonian Big Ideas. Secondly, if DC wants to start giving credit for "ideas" I would humbly submit that they should start with Julie Schwartz and Gardner Fox ... for make no mistake, this "All-New Atom" is as about new as 1961. This isn't a reinvention, but rather a transplant that is completely in the spirit of the Silver Age sci-fi influenced take on the character.
I suppose I haven't been paying attention as well as I could have, as just the idea of John Byrne's rebooted Doom Patrol was confusing enough for me to write off the characters. Is the idea in Teen Titans #37 that the Brotherhood of Evil was also created by Caulder new? I think it's brilliant, and immediately want to see it explored in a new Doom Patrol (mini)series. I'm madly enjoying their appearance in Teen Titans, and particularly relish the way that Johns is integrating Morrison's take on the characters instead of writing it off as a Vertigo mistake. I'm reading the Morrison run in trade paperback now, and realize that though it was dead weird to it's mad heart ... it was also a superhero story that very much honored the team's original concept.
Years ago, I stumbled onto the Cricket World Cup showing on late night digital cable. I had no idea what the sport's rules were, but I sat enrapt in the action as I slowly pieced it together from commentary and action. Supergirl #7 launches Joe Kelly's run on the book, and I'll generally at least give whatever he writes a try. It ended up being a lot like that World Cup. I jumped feet first into the middle of the storyline, and I must say that although we always talk about convoluted multipart storyarcs being a bar to new readers ... it's sometimes thrilling to hit the ground running and try to figure out the story as it happens. I don't really know what's happening - where the characters are, why they are behaving as they do, and what relation this bears to the Supergirl I am reading and enjoying in Supergirl And The Legion Of Super-Heroes. I can't say it's unpleasant, though, as the stakes are so high and the situation so strained that it's damned fun to race at a breakneck speed hoping to piece it all together at the end. Once you get to kissin' cousins grabbin' ass .... yeah, OK, you hooked me. 'Cause whatever I was expecting to find in this issue, that was not it. I'll certainly give the next issue a try, simply because I love opening up a book and actually being surprised. Heck, I'm not even sure I disagree with Graeme. I'm seeing the same lunacy he is ... I'm just enjoying it.
"Not with a bang but a whimper", huh? Is this DC's new editorial policy? Taking long running, successful titles and relaunching them with new #1 issue for no reason whatsoever? And than making sure that the ending arc of the series is written by an editor, is a complicated mess, and completely betrays the excellence the series once had? First we get Bob Harras' godawful JLA swan song, now Paul Levitz' somewhat entertaining run gets co-opted into a piss-poor series finale. I'm not blaming Levitz for this fiasco, however. The cramped, confused nature of this final issue screams editorial fiat, as the end of a complicated arc suddenly needed to be compresses to allow for some pages allowing the series' relaunch in a few month's time. Morrison's JLA and the Goyer/Robinson JSA were great titles that defined an era of DC Comics, and it's a shame to see them both end so shabbily.
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This Week's Releases: July 12, 2006 |
Light week this week at 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics, which is much appreciated. I thank you, comic book industry.
I'll still be buying lots of good books, though, as this week feels a lot like last. The highlight again is two books being reinvigorated by new talent: Superman sees the debut of the Busiek/Pacheco match-made-in-heaven, and Mike Carey takes his bow on X-Men. Also of note is the launch of The Escapists with a debut issue weighing in at one slim dollar. From the preview, it appears to reprint the story from The Amazing Adventures Of The Escapist #8, so there's your caveat emptor ... I'll be buying anyways. Also of note is the excellent slab of cyberpunk known as Shatter, and the apocalyptic sci-fi of Wasteland.
In order to save some money for a certain videogaming tradition, I'm heavily using the Comic List Pruning Shears this week. American Virgin? Gone. Outsiders? Gone. Firestorm? Gone. The soporific Detroit-Era JLA Classified? ... I can only wish it were "Gone", but such are the vicissitudes of anthology titles on one's pull list.
- 52 #10
- Green Lantern #12
- JLA Classified #24
- Superman #654
- Civil War: Front Line #3
- Iron Man #10
- Ultimate Fantastic Four #31
- X-Men #188
- Escapists #1
- Shatter
- Wasteland #1
Friday, July 07, 2006
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52 on 52 #9 |
Standard superheroics are simply too decompressed to fit in 52, and the Natasha/John fight is proof. It devours 10 out of 20 pages, and advances the storyline not one iota.
The Fourth of July was on "Week 9, Night 1"? 52's weeks go Tuesday to Tuesday?
"Two Score And Twelve" = 52.
*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
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Focused Linkblogging |
- A comic set in my very own regular New Comic Day haunt? I can't believe I'll actually be buying an Archie book ...
- As a comic reader and Shakespearean actor, a new line of Shakespeare adaptations in manga style interests me to no end. I can't tell from the samples if the verse is intact at all, but hope that the series is used to introduce language as well as plot.
- The Beat has moved!
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
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This Week's Releases: July 6, 2006 |
Lots of new series will debut this week, and there are a few that I'll at least give a try to. All-New Atom and OMAC both hooked me enough in last week's Brave New World that I'll at least try the first issues. Beyond frankly looks like superhero filler that usually wouldn't even get a cursory flip-through from me, but I'm taking Dwayne McDuffie on faith at this point ... that's really the whole point of a "track record", isn't it? That pesky "track record" will also get me to pick up the Truman/Lansdale Conan & The Songs Of The Dead after studiously limiting myself to only the main Conan series.
It's not these debuts that have me excited for the trip to 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics, however: it's the two series that are seeing a rebirth. Both Detective and Uncanny X-Men are among those few touchstone comics that I find myself wanting to collect, even when they're in a creative slump. I've largely resisted both since I returned to comics a bit over a year ago, but am now welcoming them back with open arms. Ed Brubaker on Uncanny and Paul Dini (with J.H. Williams) on Detective? Both the Big Two seem to vacillate on putting "names" on the tentpole franchises, and I'm glad to see the pendulum swing back towards exciting creative teams.
- 52 #9
- All-New Atom #1
- Batman: Secrets #5
- Detective Comics #821
- JSA #87
- OMAC #1
- Outsiders #38
- Secret Six #2
- Teen Titans #37
- Beyond #1
- Fantastic Four: First Family #5
- Incredible Hulk #96
- Uncanny X-Men #475
- Conan & The Songs Of The Dead #1
- Dark Horse: Twenty Years
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ScatterThoughts: The Books Of June 28th |
It's Wednesday, yet there are no new comics! What's a junkie to do?
Let's travel back in time a week, and discuss last week's comics - that should ease the hunger pangs.
After coming home from the distinctly disappointing Superman Returns, I gathered up my newly purchased Action Comics #840 alongside the past few months' Action and Superman issues, and read through the complete "Up, Up, And Away!" arc by Kurt Busiek, Geoff Johns and Pete Woods. Spinning out of "One Year Later", it's an arc that begins with Superman missing from the public eye for a year, as we learn he's been depowered and has been happily living his life as Clark Kent. From there, powers are regained, villains defeated, and there's a great examination of the character. The Superman books often exist in perpetual doldrums, but this was an exciting story that can easily stand alongside All-Star Superman as a beautiful example of how and why the character works. It's not about all the powers, it's about the heroism of one man who tries to do the most good he can with what's been given to him - whether that's good journalism or super-strength. I can't say I'm thrilled to see so much of the movie franchise creeping in - the 3-D chest insignia, Luthor's plot which closely mimics the Singer movie, even a new Fortress of Solitude introduced in a panel-for-panel homage to the 1979 Richard Donner film. That aside, this arc was pure Superman bliss, and I am looking forward even more to Busiek's upcoming run on the book.
In almost every way, Civil War: Front Line #2 addresses most of my problems with the debut issue. Some of the main story's heavy-handedness is gone, and comparing superheroes to Julius Caesar is much more palatable than the distasteful analogy to Japanese internment camps. This issue in large part works better because we get more plot and less opinion. It's a dense issue with a lot of beats that flesh out and expand the Civil War story. There's a continuing messageboard debate over Marvel's claim that you don't "need" to read any of the Civil War tie-ins to enjoy and understand the main event, but it sure feels like Front Line is required reading. At the least, the initial battle of the war as the clock ticks midnight belongs in the main series. What initially appears a heroic stand by the Anti-Registration forces is completely undercut by an obviously drunk Prodigy swinging a bottle around as he makes his stand ... and that complexity is thoroughly welcome, and may be one of the first actions (as opposed to blabberiffic talking heads) that defines the complexities of the issue.I need to ask, though ... between this and Runaways, what's with the Slingers hate?
I'm not going to go through Brave New World #1. I think Mike, Jog, Chris and many others handled that well. I probably agree with the HiveMind on this one: The All-New Atom looks like it'll be a fun romp, and I'll sadly avoid Martian Manhunter no matter how much I like the character. The big place I differ with most reactions I've read is with OMAC: I hated them in the Crisis, think little of Bruce Jones after his Nightwing disaster, and can't imagine the concept sustaining even an eight-issue miniseries. Somehow, though, I immediately liked the main character and got hooked on the mystery ... and I fully admit that I may simply be rationalizing a purchase of the series based on art alone. I'm usually a writing guy, but I was just floored by Renato Guedes, and may purchase the series and ignore the word balloons.
Just about damn-near note-perfect. I hate to see Young Avengers go on hiatus, but at least Young Avengers #12 provides a really satisfying conclusion to this first "season". Though clocking in with only two extra pages, this feels much larger. A fantastic trick here is the series of half-splashes that make up the issue's central battle. In each one, we get a detailed, dynamic splash from Jim Cheung peppered with 6 panels focusing on character beats within that moment. It's really a simple establishing-shot/two-shot technique, but it works perfectly. Plenty of plot, plenty of gorgeously-rendered action, and it it's heart are the characters which compete with the Runaways cast for some of the most realized characters in superhero comics today.Tuesday, July 04, 2006
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T.G.I.F.O.J.: July 4, 2006 |
Thank God It's The Fourth Of July!
I have a busy day of parades, cars, fireworks, and some eatin'.
Here's a sketch from the fantastic The Black Coat, featuring revolutionary fervor aplenty as the Black Coat fights off a slew of lobsterbacks.
Poached from The Black Coat Website.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
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Focused Linkblogging |
- In last week's "New Joe Friday", Joe Quesada pulls a teflon move worthy of a presidential candidate. In the midst of discussion the latest creative summit that sets Marvel's long-range storytelling plans, we get this gem:
NRAMA: Noticeably absent (and for some time) is a female creator in that group. Big picture wise, why hasn't a women creator made it into the tight circle of Marvel creators?
JQ: Because currently there aren't any female writers working on any of our major titles. That said there are female editors at the summit.
It's a weak evasion, and a weak piece of interviewing to let it stand.
I'm actually not even accusing Quesada or marvel of sexist hiring practices. It's a damn small market, this writing of Big Two Comics. It's really just a handful of people, all of whom have proved themselves elsewhere. It's not like the back of previews is packed with female writers who are turning out the kind of action thrillers that would catch Marvel's eye. Just because Chynna Clugston is a great comics creator doesn't mean she's a perfect match to write a long run on Captain America or Iron Man. The Big Two aren't the Major Leagues, where everyone with enough talent will eventually wind up - they produce a pretty specific kind of comic, and aren't about to change anytime soon. I'd lay good money that if J.K. Rowling came along and offered marvel a Spider-Man mini, they wouldn't turn her down because of her chromosomal makeup.
That said ... there aren't enough comics female writers working on comics period, and in the select ranks of The Big Two there are even fewer. I'd really rather not hear from DC fans that Dan Didio is somehow more enlightened due to the presence of Gail Simone and Devin Grayson: two exceptions does not parity make. - In another Newsarama link, a roundup of DC Nation from Heroes Con contains some tantalizing newsbits:
Speaking of Morrison, Didio noted that Seven Soldiers #1, the conclusion of Morrison's epic, is looking like it will be out in October.
I believe this is, in fact, the literal definition of the phrase "better late than never".Didio said that Wildstorm is looking at and is in talks to see about bringing back the Milestone Comics characters and series, but it is a very complicated process.
Not much comment other than "Fan-bleeping-tastic".DC may collect the original Captain Carrot series as a Showcase collection of there's enough demand, Didio said...
There is demand, Mr. DiDio. There is demand.
- I got a chance to see Superman Returns over the weekend, and I think Paul Dini summed up much of what I have to say about the film. It's not 1979 anymore, in case anyone at Warner Brothers was keeping track.
