On tonight’s LA Ink, and its subsequent reruns, Hannah heads out to the BOOM! Studios offices for super hero inspiration with Mark Waid, EiC of BOOM! and writer of several DC and Marvel comics.

courtesy BOOM!

Sadly, I missed the episode, but my DVR didn’t! I think its cool when the mainstream, like TV, gives credibility to comics. The movies help, but they deal with comics only so much as the family acknowledges the adopted child at a reunion. Yeah, comics are cool, media says, but only cool when we’ve changed it and made it our own bastardization.

What is also cool about this “crossover” is the combination of two misunderstood and ignored art forms - tattoo artists are just as talented as comic artists, dealing with beauty and transposing a persons’ desire onto page and skin. What’s sad is these under appreciated art forms may not realize how popular culture pats them on the head and sends them away with a lollipop. Comics are starting to get there, I don’t know about tattoos, but as long as comics always have to be talked about in special episodes or segments, they probably aren’t there yet.

That’s right, True Beleivers! Never since the team up of Spider-man and the cast of SNL has a blatant marketing scheme been brilliant comic genius. Stephen Colbert of the popular Colbert Report will be swinging with Spidey in Amazing Spider-man #573.

For awhile Marvel has stated Colbert was a candidate for the presidency in the Marvel Universe, but besides some background Easter eggs this was not anything major. Hopefully now we’ll see Colbert in a more prominent role in Marvel.

Mark Waid, one of the issue’s writers and comics legend, spoke to me about the project:

“It was a blast to write–the best note I ever got on a script was from the Colbert camp, who said simply “We’re having a nerd-gasm!” and asked for zero changes! So, apparently, if you love Colbert as much as I do, we nailed it!”

Pick up this title if you love America!

I made a promise I couldn’t keep. Covering Comic-Con by oneself is impossible. The convention center took days to explore, and each panel had a line so long, you would have had to be there an hour before hand to ensure attendance. I thought I’d have free time, but at night when I thought I’d post, I was occupied by parties.

As far as the Con went, I have mixed feelings. As a comic fan, everyone and everything you’d want to see would be there, and lines in teh comic book area wouldn’t be too horrible. But, the movie and TV and video game and toy stuff really stole comics’ limelight, and filled the con with tourists and kids who admittedly didn’t read. Harold & Kumar were there, for example, and their booth put Marvel’s to shame. But once I stayed out of the entertainment section and kept to the comics area, I had a good time meeting with publishers and creators.

The parties were by far the best part of the Con because I could meet and talk to people one on one. You’d turn around and Joss Whedon or Bruce Campbell would be chilling. I met Mark Waid, Stephen Baldwin, Bill Willingham, the heads of DC and Marvel, Keith Giffen, and Grant Morrison at these parties, and as a professional and a fan boy I had a great time just talking to people.

News: Read the rest of this entry »

The following press release has shown up online. Released from BOOM! Studios, it leaves a lot to the imagination. Hopefully all the removed information will be revealed at San Diego Comic Con?

alexrossart.com

Mark Waid is an author whose books are staples in many (like mine) comic collections. His most popular work, Kingdom Come, was illustrated by Alex Ross and continues to shape the direction of DC today (Current issues of Justice Society of America feature the Superman from this series). He has worked for DC and Marvel, taking the reigns of characters like the Fantastic Four and helping write 52, DC’s weekly series detailing the fallout from Infinite Crisis.

Currently, his work includes Brave and the Bold, a relaunch of DC’s team-up book as well as the limited series, Potter’s Field, which he wrote for BOOM! Studios, the comic publisher where he is now Editor. I spoke with him about his work and BOOM! Studios for an upcoming article in The Buzz.

There is EXCLUSIVE information here about an upcoming project! Okay, it’s just a title, but let me have my moment. Read the rest of this entry »

Potter’s Magic

November brings falling leaves and a new issue of Mark Waid’s Potter’s Field. Read the rest of this entry »