“Duel to the Death” comic art event in Norman on Saturday
Meet some local comic-book creators and vote on your favorite “death” in a local arts event hosted by Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave. in Norman.
From the Speeding Bullet newsletter:
We’re issuing the ultimate challenge to Oklahoma comic creators … we’ll give you 20 minutes. Kill off a character right before our very eyes!
Artists will be completing a 4-panel story live at Speeding Bullet, starting at 5 p.m. this Saturday.
Official Death Rules: Artists will have 20 minutes to sketch, pencil, color (whatever they wish to do!) a 4-panel story in our store. They must kill off a character (original or otherwise) in the strip. Artists may enter the contest with concepts or thumbnails, but all art included in the final product must be completed during the 20-minute competition. Artists will bring their own paper and supplies. The winner of our duel will be determined based on stunning use of creativity, humor, and artistic talent under pressure. Tragic irony is also a plus!
After the Duel, fans will be able to get comics signed and talk to these local creators about their upcoming work.
For more information, see the facebook event page here.
I’ll be attending the event as well, so stop by and say hello. (Full disclosure note – I am one of the owners of Speeding Bullet Comics.) I look forward to seeing what kinds of awesome comics are created!
- Matt Price
Farel Dalrymple is focus of Norman comics art show
Pop Gun War, by Farel Dalrymple.
NORMAN — A new art gallery focusing on comic book art will launch an exhibit featuring “Omega the Unknown” artist and former Oklahoman Farel Dalrymple on Friday night.
The gallery, Milk Tree, at 1005 N Flood, Suite 108, is the brainchild of comic book artist Joey Belden.
Fans can help out Steve Rude
The Comics Reporter provides more details about artist Steve Rude’s recent arrest following an altercation with neighbors. Fans who want to provide support can buy prints, art and other items from Rude’s ebay page. Books and more are available at www.steverudeart.com. Rude is the co-creator with Mike Baron of the comic book series “Nexus,” and has illustrated Thor, the X-Men and more.
- Matt Price
Thor, Hulk, SHIELD shown in Avengers promotional art at Comic-Con
Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and the agents of SHIELD were revealed in promotional art from Marvel at Comic-Con International. Along with Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye and the Black Widow, they’ll be the focus of “The Avengers,” being directed by Joss Whedon for a 2012 release.
Conan O’Brien and “Flaming C” make special Comic-Con appearance
TBS talk show host Conan O’Brien made his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con International on Friday. Appearing at the “Green Lantern: The Animated Series” panel in Room 6BCF, Conan O’Brien unveiled the trailer to “The Flaming C,” a character created by O’Brien and Bruce Timm.
Tulsa-based artist Dustin Evans is among the artists providing art for the Flaming C gallery at Comic-Con. Check out the gallery online here.
- Matt Price
Click past the cut for Conan O’Brien promotional art.
Artist Jeremy Haun to draw Artifacts, The Darkness
Artist Jeremy Haun is about to take a walk on the dark side.
The Joplin, Mo.-based artist recently signed an exclusive contract with Top Cow, to take over as the artist of “The Darkness.”
Greg Horn to provide art for “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”
Comic book artist Greg Horn will provide artwork for the Broadway show “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” creating high-end illustrations for the play’s line of merchandise and imagery for the official program guide, according to a news release.
Sergio Aragones of MAD magazine looks back at career
Considered one of the world’s fastest cartoonists, Sergio Aragones and his team had plenty to choose from for his entry in the book series “Mad’s Greatest Artists.” “Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works” features cartoons from throughout the Mad Magazine artist’s career, dating back to the early 1960s.
Holiday gift ideas for comic-book fans include art books, anniversary titles
Paul Levitz with his book, "75 Years of DC Comics."
WORD BALLOONS
With Black Friday upon us, those with comic book fans in their lives might be considering what items relating to the hobby would make good holiday gifts. There are several items, from archival reprints to art books and histories, that might make good selections.
2010 marks the 75th anniversary of DC Comics, so several items are available celebrating that landmark. Paul Levitz has written the enormous “75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking” ($200) from Taschen, recounting the company’s history with lots of beautifully presented art. The hardcover book “DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle” ($50) takes fans on a chronological tour through important events in DC Comics’ publishing history.
For those who may be fans primarily of DC Comics’ artwork, “DC Comics: The 75th Anniversary Poster Book” ($40) provides a look at some of DC’s greatest covers, which can be pulled out as posters if desired.
Another DC Comics-related book of interest is “Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee” ($39.95), which recounts the post-Marvel comics art of the DC Comics co-publisher, who has drawn story lines including “Superman: For Tomorrow” and “Batman: Hush.” Fans of classic comics may want to try out “Shazam!: The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal” ($35), which looks back at the phenomenon of Captain Marvel from comics’ Golden Age.
Aspiring comic book artists might be interested in “Stan Lee’s How to Draw Comics” ($24.99), which covers essential elements in comic book creating, or “Bryan Hitch’s Ultimate Comics Studio” ($24.99), which shows the techniques of the popular comic book penciller.
If your comic fan’s taste runs more toward the indie, Oni Press has released a complete box set of all of the “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels. Called “Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Box Set” ($72), this slipcased collection contains all six of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Pilgrim” graphic novels, in which a slacker must defeat all of his new girlfriend’s evil exes.
Marvel Comics fans may enjoy “Marvel Avengers: The Ultimate Character Guide” ($16.99), which gives a rundown on the various characters that were part of “The Avengers” over the years.
- Matt Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
First page of “Watchmen” to be auctioned
From Heritage:
DALLAS, TX – The original art of Page #1, Issue #1 of The Watchmen, the very beginning of one of the most acclaimed comic sagas ever – and one of Time Magazine’s All-Time 100 Greatest Novels in 2005 – will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions, without reserve, on 19 Nov., as part of its Signature® Comic and Comic Art Auction.
The art work, which was purchased for £85.00 (roughly U.S. $150) in 1987 is expected to bring $15,000+.
The page, featuring the introduction of the blood-stained “happy face” badge, Rorschach’s journal and even the first un-costumed appearance of Rorschach himself, comes to auction from the collection of notorious British hard rock designer, musician, DJ and TV host Stephen “Krusher” Joule, long known for his artwork for such rock gods as Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Motley Crue, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Robert Plant and Motorhead – including some punk luminaries like The Sex Pistols and Blondie – as well as for his longtime tenure as Art Director at Kerrang! Magazine, a longtime bible of Heavy Metal music.
“Sometime in late 1987 I was walking off an absolutely horrendous hangover on my way to work at Kerrang!, which meant that I was stumbling, mumbling and tumbling through Covent Garden,” said Joule. “As I was passing the shop where I had originally bought my Watchmen comics, I saw a poster proclaiming ‘ORIGINAL WATCHMEN ARTWORK FOR SALE.’ My hangover cure was immediate. This was the moment that I’d been waiting for all my life.”
Striding up to the door like a man on a mission, Joule asked “Where’s the Watchmen pages?”
The owner pointed to a person at the back of the shop who was picking up a portfolio.
“That man down there is looking at them,” Joule recalls being told. “I was like a greyhound out of a trap, followed closely by the owner, who was asking me ‘Is there any particular page you’re interested in?’ No sooner than the words were out of his mouth, and the man with the portfolio had just finished unzipping it, did I see a vision of beauty, the Holy Grail, Page #1, issue #1. I pointed to it and said, ‘Yes! That one!”
Even the most hardcore and irascible denizens of Metal eventually need a break from the rock and roll life, and want to be closer to their aging parents, which has led Joule to sell of this singular and important piece after more than 23 years of ownership.
“After 33 years of living in my council flat on the 15th floor of what I lovingly refer to as ‘Terror Tower,’” he said, “I want to get out of London and be closer to Ma Krusher. This should help facilitate that.”
In collector circles, original Watchmen art from the 1980s is very highly sought-after. It is, in fact, among the small handful of most important titles from the entire history of the medium. Appearances of original Watchmen art are very rare indeed, let alone the very first page of the very first book.
“Watchmen pages have proven very scarce on the open market,” said Todd Hignite, Consignment Director for Heritage, “and do not change hands very often. In fact, this is the first one Heritage has ever offered – so we couldn’t be more excited that it’s the page that kicks off the entire Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons saga. Many people who’ve never read any other comic books have read Watchmen, and given that mass appeal, we expect very strong demand for this lot.”
In fact, Joule began to realize the importance of this very page many years ago when he attended an Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons signing, where he brought this page to get the signatures of the Watchmen creators.
“When I asked (Gibbons) to sign this page he was more than willing,” said Joule, “but when he saw that it was Page #1, Issue #1, he said, ‘Bloody hell, I told the wife not to sell that one!’ Sadly for him, it was a little too late.”
Click past the cut for the color guide to Watchmen #1, page 1.
