World’s Finest #2 previewed at DC’s Source blog
This Wednesday brings the second issue of the DC Comics miniseries “World’s Finest,” teaming heroes from the Superman and Batman families. Tulsa-born writer Sterling Gates writes this miniseries, with a rotating cast of artists. Issue No. 2, drawn by Ramon Bachs and Rodney Ramos, is previewed today on DC Comics’ Source blog. This issue will feature a team-up of The Guardian, and the new Robin, Damian Wayne. They’ll face off against Superman villain Parasite and Batman foe Mr. Freeze.
The first issue of “World’s Finest” has been well-reviewed, and indicates Gates was a good choice for a team-up series. The third issue, by the “Supergirl” creative team of Gates and artist Jamal Igle, is set for Dec. 23 release and features Supergirl teaming up with the new Batgirl.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Reviews of Supergirl 47, Adventure Comics 4, Flash Rebirth 5 and Amazing Spider-Man 612
Like Pete Sampras in the 1996 U.S. Open against Alex Corretja, I fought off illness and exhaustion to bring you this week’s NewsOK Comics Podcast with Kyle Roberts. We talk about the excellent week DC Comics had, with new issues of Supergirl, Adventure Comics and Flash Rebirth, and about Spider-Man’s trip into the Gauntlet with Amazing Spider-Man 612. Check it out.
- Matt Price
Q&A with Neil Kleid of Brownsville, The Big Kahn
Neil Kleid first came to my attention as the writer/artist of the Xeric-winning “Ninety Candles,” an innovative graphic novel in which each panel represented a year. Here’s what I wrote about the book in early 2005, naming Ninety Candles one of the best graphic novels of the year:
Neil Kleid’s experimental “Ninety Candles” follows the life of cartoonist Kevin Hall, with one panel representing each year of Hall’s life. The book was done improvisationally, with no pre-existing script — each day represented in the book was created in a day.
Kleid has since created the Jewish gangster story “Brownsville,” coming to the iPhone via Panelfly, and one of the best graphic novels of 2009, “The Big Kahn.” The following is a Q&A with Kleid about those projects.
Gangster graphic novel makes move to iPhone
Award-winning graphic novelist Neil Kleid is taking his Jewish gangster graphic novel, “Brownsville,” to the iPhone.
“The process is definitely exciting,” Kleid said in a recent interview. “Each and every day another smart phone comes to market — be it iPhone, Pre, Droid or Blackberry — and the comic book industry is matching them stride for stride. The only thing, as a cartoonist or graphic novelist you really need to do is change your point of view, understand that this is the limitless new horizon and get on board.”
“Brownsville,” from publisher NBM, is the story of Murder, Incorporated, the Jewish hit operation of the 1920s and ’30s.
Norman store to celebrate Alan Moore’s birthday
Rob Vollmar passed on the following information about a free celebration of Alan Moore’s birthday on Wednesday in Norman.
- Matt Price
Atomik Pop! is hosting a Mooresday event at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, November 18th to celebrate the 56th birthday of acclaimed comics writer, Alan Moore. An author of hundreds of comic books and dozens of graphic novels like Watchmen and V for Vendetta, Moore fundamentally altered the comics landscape beginning in the 1980s with his literary approach to a medium once considered suitable for only children.
In celebration, Atomik Pop! will be offering a one-hour survey of Moore ’s life and career entitled “Northampton Calling” from local comics author and critic, Rob Vollmar. “Alan Moore is as fundamental to raising both the standard and profile of comics as an artform as was William Shakespeare to English theater,” Vollmar insists “and his contributions to the American cultural landscape of the late 20th century, despite his British citizenship, are nearly without peer.” Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about one of comics’ most important creators in addition to possibly taking home Moore-themed door prizes.
There is no charge for attendance and the event is open to the public. Atomik Pop!’s Norman branch is located at 918 West Main Street. For further information, please call 329-9695.
Buffy may come to Web; Zack Whedon nabs Terminator comics gig
Two big Whedon-related announcements have come out today.
First, according to SciFi Wire, Joss Whedon’s “Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Eight” comics could be coming to the Web as motion comics webisodes. For anyone who hasn’t yet read the comics, they are quite good. I’m not completely sold on motion comics as yet (I have, so far, always preferred the original comic), but it should be a good way to share “season eight” with those who might prefer it in this format.
In other Whedon family news, Zack Whedon, one of the writers of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” announced via Techland that he will be writing a new Terminator comic-book series for Dark Horse.
“I am not a big-time, famous dude and yet now I am choreographing action sequences set in a post-apocalyptic future overrun by evil cybernetic organisms hell bent on destroying the human race. How is that possible?! I’ll answer your question, Made-Up Person. It’s possible because in comics it doesn’t cost 150 million dollars to tell that story. They can put an idiot like me in charge!” Zack Whedon writes.
While it’s been a rough month for Whedonites with the cancellation of “Dollhouse,” maybe this will ease the sting somewhat.
- Matt Price
