Astronaut Dad received a good review from Bart Croonenborghs at the Broken Frontier website. (click here)
Schoonover has a good grasp on the characters and combined with the distinct voices David Hopkins gives the protagonists, they really make the reader care. At the end of the book, you want to know how the story ends and that is the highest compliment an art team can get.
Also, I finally upgraded to a pro account on Flickr, so all my older photos held hostage have reappeared.
The December issue of D Magazine is available, with "Souvenir of Dallas" featured on page 26, written by me and illustrated by Paul Milligan.
"Our intrepid cartoonists go undercover at the Mavs' preseason opener."
Apologies to Mark Cuban, JJ Barea, and Sue Raagas, security representative. I'd post a link to the comic, but it isn't available on the D Magazine site. You'll have to pick up a copy at any local bookstore or grocery store. The magazine is all over the place. In fact, you might as well get a subscription. "Souvenir of Dallas" will be in the Pulse section every other month. We've got the best gig -- gonzo journalism in a comic format.
Other news: A few friends noticed I was in Thursday's Quick making NFL/College football game picks. (click here) Let's be thankful the Cowboys won.
Our first advance review for Astronaut Dad, from Chris Murman of Silver Bullet Comics. (click here to read)
"For being relatively young in the comics world, these two unassuming creators have definitely set the bar pretty high for what is possible in their careers."
According to our publisher, Astronaut Dad should be in stores next week.
Thank you to my friend Will Rodriguez of Mangled Stare for this sketch of Karma Incorporated's Marsha Elliot.
Of everything I've written, she's my favorite character. I can't think of hardly any comic book protagonists who are women in their mid-40s. She has a classic look, like a lead actress in an Alfred Hitchcock film or Anjelica Huston from The Grifters. Yet she definitely stands apart with her own history and motivations. Marsha is a lot of fun to write.
For anyone who hasn't purchased the first volume, Poor Mr. Wilson, it's available at your local comic book store (if not, they can order it) and also on Amazon.
Miscellany:
(1) New artwork added to the site, courtesy of my friend Dave Crosland. (2) Tonight, I went to Good Records, in store with The Tah-Dahs and The Physics of Meaning. Good stuff. (3) Dad's birthday. He's on a plane to Portugal right now. (4) Tomorrow, I'm getting Brent from the airport. We've got a signing at Speeding Bullet in Norman, OK on Wednesday. (5) Kennedy is sick with a wicked cough. I'm staying home from work until she gets to feeling better.
CBG Extra, the online version of Comic Buyer's Guide, is donating 10 cents to Hero Initiative for every time you click on the Hero Initiative banner (scroll down, center of the page). It costs you nothing. Simply a few seconds to click, and you're done. No forms to fill out, no mailing list requests. Nothing. One click per computer, per day.
Hero Initiative is a great organization, the only federally chartered 501c3 charity that helps older comic creators in medical or financial need. Visit CBG Extra now.
Update on the Writer's Strike (via Newsarama): Brian K. Vaughan on what it all means to him.
Plus, Vaughan responds to the question: Will comic writers ever unionize?
I certainly hope so, though I’m sure that makes many of my beloved employers cringe.I talked about this when Whedon interviewed me over at CBR a few months back, but I think it’s worth repeating here...
When I used the great Cloak and Dagger in Runaways, Bill Mantlo, the man who helped create them, didn’t get anything, to the best of my knowledge. Not even a credit. And I’m not blaming my friends at Marvel (or DC, for that matter), all of whom are good people who’ve always been beyond fair with me. It’s just indicative of the broken system, one that I’m very much a part of.
For the record, Bill Mantlo was struck by a hit-and-run driver a few years ago, and now requires expensive daily care that’s way beyond what modest means he was left with after dedicating much of his life to our industry. And while things like The Hero Initiative, an absolutely worthwhile cause that I totally support, exist to help comic creators in financial need, THOSE CREATORS SHOULD NOT BE IN FINANCIAL NEED.
I know the Writers Guild of America isn’t a perfect union, but I was afforded more benefits and protections in my first few months with the WGA as a work-for-hire screenwriter than I was ever given in a decade of working in comics. And again, I’ve been treated pretty honorably throughout my career, and have made more money than I ever deserved doing this “job,” but that doesn’t mean that I can’t still be concerned about the generations of writers and artists before and after me.
Anyway, I know that smarter people than I have tried and failed to unionize in the past, so for now, we’ll have to help creators like Bill Mantlo by donating directly to organizations like The Mantlo Project, or to the aforementioned The Hero Initiative. But it would be nice to see the day when they weren’t necessary.
And one more update. Zeus Comics has partnered with Project Rooftop for a contest. Details below:
CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT: WONDER WOMAN WARDROBE WAR!
Tuesday November 06th 2007, 1:59 pm
Break out your golden lassos, kids! Project: Rooftop is teaming up with Zeus Comicsof Dallas, TX for a costume contest event in honor of fan-favorite creator Gail Simone’supcoming run writing for the world’s greatest and most recognizable superheroine,Wonder Woman! Starting today, we are accepting entries for the Wonder Woman Wardrobe War, with Zeus Comics providing cool prizes for the top redesigns!
Grand Prize (1) - This classic Linda Carter Wonder Woman statue, a signed WonderWoman issue from Gail Simone, a DC Direct Wonder Woman action figure, and $25 gift certificate good at the Zeus Comics Online Store!
First Prize (2) - A signed Wonder Woman issue from Gail Simone, a DC DirectWonder Woman action figure, and a $15 gift certificate good at the Zeus Comics Online Store!
Second Prize (3) - A signed Wonder Woman issue from Gail Simone and a DC Direct Wonder Woman action figure!
Additional Prizes - P:R and ZC may provide a few extra goodies for the other striking entries, if we see something that really knocks our socks off!
Send in your Wonder Woman redesigns to editors@projectrooftop.com, with the subject line, “Wonder Woman Wardrobe War!” Please include your full name, age, website, and mailing address for prize shipment.
All entries must be received by November 20th, 2007!
More Info:
I was reading my comics update on the Publisher's Weekly newsletter and found this bit of information (click here):
The Middleman, a graphic novel published by Viper Comics, is being made into a one-hour pilot for ABC Family. Matt Keeslar and Natalie Morales will star in it. The comic was written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and illustrated by Les McClaine; they story revolves around a struggling artist who is recruited by a secret agent to fight villains.
Congratulations to Javi and Les. This is very cool indeed. I can't wait to see the pilot. Matt Keeslar, who I remember from Art School Confidential, is perfect casting for the title role. Gotta say I'm proud of Viper for sticking with this series. Anyone who has read The Middleman knows it's good, but by some twist of nature the sales never were what they should have been. My opinion. (Do you have all three TPBs? Buy now. Ask questions later.) Hopefully, you who missed the boat will come back and become a fan, like me.
In other updates, The Happy Bullets released a music video for their song The Vice And Virtue Ministry. It features some beautiful animation. The Happy Bullets are in the process of recording a new CD.
Information about Art Conspiracy 3 is now available.
Tomorrow is my signing at Zeus Comics. I'm worried, because the UPS shipment of Karma Incorporated TPBs hasn't arrived. This might suck. Light a candle and pray for the postal gods to come through.
About once or twice a year, I re-design my site. It's that time again. To the best of my knowledge, this will be version 7.0 of Antihero Comics dot com. I still need to fix a few things here and there -- need to check for broken links, update the fonts for the 140+ preview pages. (I do not skimp on content.) Most importantly, I have a friend working on some art for the noticeably vacant right side of this page. Expect the lovely addition sometime in early November. Until then, enjoy the sparseness of it all.
The site is like an empty apartment.
KARMA INCORPORATED Vol. 1 and ASTRONAUT DAD Vol. 1 trade paperbacks are at the printers, soon to be in stores. I've finished the re-write for ASTRONAUT DAD Vol. 2, and I'm more or less finished with KARMA INCORPORATED Vol. 2. As of yesterday, I sent in my second script to D Magazine for SOUVENIR OF DALLAS.
So what's next?
Bolivar.
Illustrated by Diana Nock, BOLIVAR integrates the true story of my grandfather's family during World War II with a fantasy journey into the spirit world of Campeche. My Grandpa David was one of thirteen children. Eight of them served in the war. I did extensive research, collecting old newspaper articles and personal interviews with the people who lived through it all. It's going to be the longest story I've written at just over 200 pages. Diana and I want to release the story as a single graphic novel. However, we need to find the right publisher.
Silent Devil posted their Astronaut Dad page:
http://www.silentdevil.com/astronaut-dad.php
Astronaut Dad featured in Comics Shop News...
Astronaut Dad is ready for pre-order. Not only has it been featured in Comic Shop News (image coming soon), but it's also a Spotlight Item for the Previews catalog. We're doing good.
Order code: SEP07 3931
ASTRONAUT DAD VOL 1 GN
SRP: $5.95
Starting with the October '07 issue for D Magazine, Paul Milligan and I have a semi-monthly full page comics feature called "Souvenir of Dallas."
In the first installment, we cover the opening of a new restaurant. Mischief ensues. This is going to be fun. (click here for more info)
My friend and Emily Edison collaborator, Brock Rizy finished shooting his film Bike_Gang Congratulations. Now he has to do the animation over the live action. I can't wait to see it. Check out the photos on the official website. If you are considerably wealthy, they still need money to get it produced and distributed. Pay up!
Great blog from my friend Rozie, check it out --
http://far2serious.com/
I'm getting excited about Harry Potter, book seven. Don't have to wait too much longer.
Just to let everyone know, I've updated the "published work" section of this website to include the forthcoming trade paperbacks.
My blog posts have been rather "business as usual" when, in fact, over the past three months that's hardly the situation. However, for some reason, I'm typing much much faster than my Firefox browser can keep up with. Anyone know how to fix that?
On page 357 of the July 2007 Previews catalog:
from Viper Comics, Karma Incorporated Vol. 1 "Poor Mr. Wilson" GN
by David Hopkins and Tom Kurzanski, color by Marlena Hall
soft cover, 6x9, 112 pages, full color
Diamond Order Code #JUL073898 (SRP $11.95)
"Entertaining premise with an equally engaging cast of characters" -- Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, Buzzscope.com
"Terrific story. Terrific dialogue. Terrific idea." -- Marc Mason, Movie Poop Shoot
"One of the funniest comics I have ever read. Readers should read with care as this is a certifiable gut buster!" -- Raven Gregory, writer for The Gift
"We're enjoying the hell out of this book: it's funny, it's got a nice trace of bitterness, and we have no idea where the hell it's going." -- NeedCoffee.com
Heidi MacDonald posted our MoCCA announcement on The Beat. (click here and scroll down)
Also, the first press release for Astronaut Dad is on Newsarama. (click here) Any positive comments you can post would be greatly appreciated.
According to the somewhat trustworthy Diamond Shipping List, THE TICK'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION #1 should be available at your comic book store tomorrow (Wednesday). Make sure to get a copy. It's a creative jam featuring one and two page contributions by over 30 renowned comic book professionals -- including Brock Rizy and myself. I'm excited to be part of this exclusive Tick celebration, and I'm rather proud of our page too.
Getting ready for MoCCA Art Fest. Tom Kurzanski, Diana Nock, and I will have a table with promotional goodies for the upcoming KARMA INCORPORATED Vol.1 and Vol.2 trade paperbacks, the cover for the ASTRONAUT DAD graphic novel series, and a sneak peek of BOLIVAR. Once I get back, I'll share with everyone else... maybe.
Karma Incorporated pin-up (below) by Cal Slayton. Make sure to visit Cal's blog, and check out the super cool Spookytown art.
This Friday, I'm going to The Door in Dallas. My friend Heather Daniel released a new CD. Congrats Heather. We were friends in high school, and I think she may have been one of the few, rare, precious fans of my ill-fated band Cosmo Monkhaus -- and a spiffy person in general.
Then on Saturday, I'm going to Lee Harvey's to see The Happy Bullets (1807 Gould Street, Dallas TX 75215, music from 8:30 PM to 12 AM). It's going to be their last show for awhile, as they are about to start work on recording a new album.
