ITT - COMIC BOOK NERDS ONLY

[saturnine]

That and I had a girlie soft spot for Strangers In Paradise by Terry Moore

YO FUCKIN'

THIS

[E.O.T.]

It was a great starting point for new artists and writers as well, now its going to be even tougher for people to break into the comic book industry.

WAS

          yes it WAS. Now maybe some of those folks will put that opportunity back out there like Jim Lee & Co. did.

OR

          maybe they'll just hog all the limelight and continue to eat up all the contracts and write/ illustrate/ ink/edit 39 titles a month so they can have a chance at Hollywood picking them up. Which seems to be a fairly major factor in American comics (new limited titles) right now.

[E.O.T.]

TED NOMURA & his "Families of Altered Wars"

         

         In some ways this topic is nearly too epic to lay out here, with my horrible typing skills - but here goes! Ted Nomura is a Japanese-American comics artist who began self publishing in the mid-eighties and was later picked up by ANTARCTIC PRESS.

         His "Tigers of Terra/ WORLD WAR II 1946" is an altered history where World War 2 never ended and also slips in & out of time into space age settings. This guy is an ultra gear-head nerd for airplanes, specifically focusing here on experimental aircraft of the third reich. And the plans there-of.

         What he delivers, in a manner unlike any other comic you've read, is a masterful blend of Japanese comic style that breaks every frickin rule of what's o.k.

         The comics are loaded with technical jargon about plane styles, UFO influenced mythology is totally applied, all his best pilots are women and giant Nazi robot tanks appear virtually on demand!

         Each issue begins with a full introduction page of what he's currently into, from "Family Guy" episodes to detailed history viewpoints and arguments around political correctness. And motorcycles, and women and airplanes and women and UFO's and women. There are often several ongoing stories in each title and of course, a fan/ letter page(s) at the end. Unless you've spent time sipping model glue at a hobby shop listening to nerds discuss paint details of "jargongarble" vII this and wing detail that, you cannot guess at how nerdy this altered universe gets.

         Mostly there are original characters, original versions of real characters, some historical characters who don't die when they ought to have and others who die when they didn't. Always, there are tech jabbering anime chicks who fly planes and blow up shit with tanks.

         Ted Nomura also did a "Gigantor" series and of course, his "Angels 750", about a bunch of high-school girls who have a early '70's motorcycle fetish club. Uh HUH, in your dreams, TED!!

         

         And technical manuals. There is so much nerd concept in the stories themselves that Ted has published numerous technical manuals illustrating the designs which appear/ do not appear in the stories.

         and of course, aliens do (in special chronicle issues) abduct and violate in ways fitting the topic.

         Good luck finding his stuff on the racks! HA! Although he's been on a (semi)major imprint since the early '90's, PREVIEWS isn't exactly pimpin him hard.

         not 'nuff said exactly, but, 'NUFF SAID!!

         

         

         

[Faust]

It was a great starting point for new artists and writers as well, now its going to be even tougher for people to break into the comic book industry.

WAS

          yes it WAS. Now maybe some of those folks will put that opportunity back out there like Jim Lee & Co. did.

OR

          maybe they'll just hog all the limelight and continue to eat up all the contracts and write/ illustrate/ ink/edit 39 titles a month so they can have a chance at Hollywood picking them up. Which seems to be a fairly major factor in American comics (new limited titles) right now.

That only ended at wildstorm a few years ago, when DC bought them.

[E.O.T.]

FAUST

           since you're having such a hard time letting go of 'WILDSTORM' i brought the topic up to my favourite local comic book store owner.

ACCORDING

          to him, 'DC' axed 'WILDSTORM' because of financial reasons.

APPARENTLY,

          the recent price hike  of more than 50 CENTS an issue was necessary to offset the FACT that NO marvel OR DC title sells well after two issues, currently. Artist/ writer/ storyline changes may cause interest, but by the third issue, everything goes down hill.

ADMITTEDLY,

          'WILDSTORM' has done great shit in the past, but that's not what's going on now. Or has, for years.

CURRENTLY,

          a good number of artist supported labels have cropped up, (similar to what WILDSTORM was doing) and all the hot folks are doing new stuff. The European/ American artist convergence may be the clearest example, like the label ICON.

[E.O.T.]

I'D

         be finding more to read on the shelves if comic book artists would SHUT THE FUCK UP about their opinions/ perspectives on real life & stop putting those thoughts in print at the back pages of comics.

MATT FRACTION

         fuck off with your 12 step & A.A. - shove your 'CASANOVA' rag up your junkie ass!

JEFF LEMIRE

         how many giant deer horn racks do you think I can violate your epically huge ego-expanded skull with?!

[BadBeast]

I quite like "On the Ledge" in the back of Vertigo's comics.

[E.O.T.]

I quite like "On the Ledge" in the back of Vertigo's comics.

YEAH

          it's where my "wanna punch you in the face" love of Jeff Lemire originated

[BadBeast]

I quite like "On the Ledge" in the back of Vertigo's comics.

YEAH

          it's where my "wanna punch you in the face" love of Jeff Lemire originated

Then you should hunt him down, and punch him.     In the face.

[Suu]

Speaking of which, tomorrow I head down to NY Comic Con, which unfortunately was merged with the struggling NY Anime Festival, and taking over the entire Jacob Javits center for 3 days.

I'm not bringing a costume, I'm not having a table, my sole purpose of going is networking. I'm going to walk around and actually play professional artist all weekend for once, instead of 501st lackey. This should be interesting. Bringing MSY with me, samples of the new book, printouts of my work from Audio Book of the Dead, Roger's Bio, and a few other goodies in press kits and gonna see what I can do.

Oh, and I'm not dressing like a scrub either, oh no. I'll be dolled up.




...In other news, I picked up issue 1 of the 4 part Deadpool Pulp series. I haven't read it yet though. I'll let you all know how it is probably later today.

[E.O.T.]

Speaking of which, tomorrow I head down to NY Comic Con, which unfortunately was merged with the struggling NY Anime Festival, and taking over the entire Jacob Javits center for 3 days.

I'm not bringing a costume, I'm not having a table, my sole purpose of going is networking. I'm going to walk around and actually play professional artist all weekend for once, instead of 501st lackey. This should be interesting. Bringing MSY with me, samples of the new book, printouts of my work from Audio Book of the Dead, Roger's Bio, and a few other goodies in press kits and gonna see what I can do.

Oh, and I'm not dressing like a scrub either, oh no. I'll be dolled up.




...In other news, I picked up issue 1 of the 4 part Deadpool Pulp series. I haven't read it yet though. I'll let you all know how it is probably later today.

COOL, HAVE FUN

         Suu, and good luck pimpin tha goods! The kids and i just met rick remender at our local store, he was pushing his new titles. He'll be there. He drew us a 'wolverine' smokin a butt on a blank cover issue of the new 'uncanny x-force'. it's not really my thing at all, but he was a nice guy. I grabbed a trade of his 'fear agent', since i've read only one or two things by him, i asked him what his favourite project was. i'll get back about that later.

WHAT ELSE

         did i pick up this Wednesday? The new 'madame xanadu', 'house of mystery', 'chip' by richard moore (issue #1) & 'baltimore' by mignola. i just recently started reading this guy and i just can't decide, i do like the 'b.p.r.d.' stuff a lot. i also picked up (stuff i had stashed in my box) some old 'batman' titles by matt wagner 'riddler', 'batman/spirit' by loeb/ darwyn cooke - curiously, both remender AND a store clerk were goin off about cooke. a brubaker (!!) batman one-shot  and a NEW 'batman' by BERNIE WRIGHTSON.

BATMAN?

         i know, i guess i just like noir stuff a lot and good batman is great crime material

ALSO

         because remender was there (mostly) for his x-men thing, ALL MARVEL stuff was half off!! i bought too much stuff.(!)

REMENDER

         was funny, he talked to me about how much research he has to do because he was never really into superhero titles. tha store was dead. but it's like 90 degrees out right now. 'nuff blabbed!

[Suu]

NICE!

I worked under Greg Land when Cross-Gen was still in existence. He won't be there, otherwise I tend to sit and harass him and piss off all the adoring fans.

[E.O.T.]

NICE!

I worked under Greg Land when Cross-Gen was still in existence. He won't be there, otherwise I tend to sit and harass him and piss off all the adoring fans.

SWEET!

          can't wait for the feedback!

[E.O.T.]

         

INCOGNITO

          by ed brubaker. this is a new story arc, they (ed & the artist, sean phillips) took a break for a while. can't get enough of this title. weird superpowers exist in some due to government experiments, now those individuals are being reigned in. tons of carnal/ visceral motive, dark side intrigue, whodunnit/ backstabbing/ set-up/ betrayal. gristmill & goddammit heartless killing. someone sees their whole life wash away in nearly every issue!!

[Faust]

Ohh Looks interesting, I must give it a look.

Madame Xanadu is ending on the next issue. I'm heartbroken.