Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Sherlock Holmes in the film “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows,” in theaters this week. While most know that Downey’s other best-known role, that of Iron Man, comes from a line of Marvel Comics, fewer might be aware that Holmes, who originated in the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle, has made frequent forays into comic books as well.

Sherlock Holmes was created by Doyle in 1887. The London-based detective is known for his logic and use of science to solve seemingly inscrutable cases.

Since the Holmes character is in the public domain, many publishers have created adaptations of the Doyle stories or taken Holmes in new directions.

DC Comics in 1975 created an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes’ tales, written by Denny O’Neil (“Batman”) with art by E.R. Cruz and a cover by Walter Simonson. In the 1980s, Guy Davis and Gary Reed reimagined Sherlock Holmes as a female punk in a London of an alternate timeline in the “Baker Street” comic book for Caliber.

DC Comics returned to Sherlock many times over the years, most recently in the two “Victorian Undead” miniseries, which pit Sherlock Holmes against zombies and Dracula, and a one-shot in which Sherlock Holmes meets Dr. Jekyll.

Dynamite Entertainment since 2009 has been creating Sherlock Holmes stories that pay homage to the originals. Writers Leah Moore and John Reppion joined artist Aaron Campbell and cover artist John Cassaday for the “Trial of Sherlock Holmes” story, released in a softcover collected edition in 2010. This “locked room” mystery has Holmes apparently the only logical suspect in what appears to be a murder.

Dynamite followed up this series with “Sherlock Holmes: Year One,” which looked at the early days of the consulting detective. That series, out in collected form in November, was written by Scott Beatty with art by Daniel Indro and covers by Francesco Francavilla.

“Here’s the deal: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are the original partners-in-crimefighting,” writer Scott Beatty said in a news release. “‘Sherlock Holmes: Year One’ is no mere ‘Year One’ story. For both Watson and readers, Sherlock Holmes is the mystery. Who is he? Where does he come from? What drives him? Watson is compelled to find out. And it’ll take more than deductive reasoning to solve the most important case of the detectives’ careers, a dozen murders laid squarely at their feet!”

Image Comics is currently publishing “Moriarty,” which takes a look at Holmes’ greatest enemy, in a series by writer Daniel Corey and artist Anthony Diecidue.

Other publishers who have created or adapted Sherlock Holmes stories include Marvel, Dell Moonstone, Eternity and Charlton.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

The superhero anthology series “Wild Cards,” edited by author George R.R. Martin, may soon have a film adaptation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Syfy Films, aa joint venture of Syfy and Universal Pictures, has acquired the screen rights to “Wild Cards.”   Several authors created the world of the “Wild Cards,” in which an alien virus killed most it came in contact with, but mutated a few into sometimes powerful but always deformed or damaged “jokers.”  An even smaller percentage became superpowered “Aces.”

Melinda Snodgrass, a co-creator and co-writer on the series, will write the screenplay, and will executive produce with Martin.

The series has a wide cast of characters and a decades-spanning story, and was among the first (along with comics like “Watchmen”) to deal with what the real-world implications of superpowers might be.

- Matt Price

Hugh Jackman plays a down-on-his luck former boxer who’s now the manager of a robot fighter in “Real Steel.” In the world of the film, human boxing has been outlawed, and all boxing is now done by mechanical fighters.

Some readers may recall this premise from an episode of “The Twilight Zone.” “Real Steel” is partially based on the short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson. The story was first released in 1956, in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Matheson adapted his short story in 1963 for the fifth-season “Twilight Zone” episode “Steel.”

“Steel” was released recently in a new Matheson collection, “Steel and Other Stories.”

Matheson, a 2010 Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductee, might be best-known for his novel “I Am Legend,” which was adapted into film three times: 1964′s “Last Man on Earth,” 1971′s “The Omega Man” and 2007′s “I Am Legend.”

More than a dozen short stories join “Steel” in the latest collection, which includes two stories not previously collected.

Lee Marvin played the lead role in the “Twilight Zone” episode, in which he’s a washed-up boxer named Steel Kelly, who was never knocked down in his prime. Now, well past his prime, he’s managing a washed-up robot boxer, “Battling Maxo,” a B2-model who’s obsolete in the era of B9s. When his boxer fails to work properly, Steel has to make a dangerous decision. The feelings of desperation and perseverance make “Steel” a truly memorable “Twilight Zone” episode.

Where the 1963 “Steel” had “John Henry” elements, the modern film also shares elements with 1931′s “The Champ,” as Jackman’s Charlie Kenton is joined by his son, Max (Dakota Goyo), after the death of Max’s mother.

“What I loved first and foremost about the script is the father/son relationship and the idea that people who have made mistakes, who have regrets, can get a second chance, and they can become better people,” Jackman said in press materials for the film.

Charlie lives check-to-check as a small-time manager of robot fighters. He scrapes by, trying to keep his robots running, but his tendency to think his robots have the same heart he had as a fighter often leads to his undoing.

When Max (perhaps a reference to the “Battling Maxo”) finds a generation-2 robot called “Atom” in a scrap yard, he and Charlie, against the odds, seek a fight for the outmatched, out-of-date machine.

“The main characters — a father, his son and a machine — are each abandoned beings,” director Shawn Levy said in production materials. “All three of them have been cast aside and forgotten. The substance of the story is about how this trinity has a chance of returning to grace.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

It’s hard to imagine now, but for about six years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, “Star Wars” was largely in hibernation.
With no new films after 1983′s “Return of the Jedi,” fans of “Star Wars” were relegated to reading the comics and watching the aimed-at-kids “Droids” and “Ewoks” cartoons. And by 1986, even that was over.

In 1991, that all changed. The release of Timothy Zahn’s literate, action-packed “Heir to the Empire” revitalized “Star Wars” as a publishing phenomenon, leading to more than 100 “Star Wars” books. (The same-year release of Dark Horse Comics’ “Dark Empire” didn’t hurt, either.)

Set five years after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” “Heir to the Empire” posited a struggling, infighting New Republic government dealing with surviving vestiges of the Empire. The Grand Admiral Thrawn is a clever, charismatic commander whom Zahn describes as Erwin Rommel crossed with Sherlock Holmes. Besides Thrawn, Zahn introduced other characters who would become important in what’s now called Star Wars’ “Expanded Universe”: smuggler Talon Karrde and former assassin Mara Jade.

Now, 20 years after what became the first book in the “Thrawn Trilogy” was released, “Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (The 20th Anniversary Edition)” (LucasBooks/Del Rey, $30) is on the shelf. In addition to the novel, the anniversary edition features annotations from Zahn and others, and a new novella featuring Thrawn.

Zahn notes how the book changed along the way, character name origins and other Easter eggs, and how the book lines up with the books since, and the prequels, which were still years away at the time “Heir” was published.

If you read the book when it originally was released, the 20th anniversary edition is a good way to revisit the material. If you’re a “Star Wars” film fan but never dipped into the novels, this is a wonderful place to begin.

— Matthew Price
From Sunday’s The Oklahoman

Bob Moore: No Hero

A private investigator in a world of superheroes is asked to help the man who destroyed his marriage. “Bob Moore: No Hero” by Australia-based author and journalist Tom Andry.

The e-book is available now, with a paperback to follow in February. The sequel to “No Hero,” “Desperate Times,” is set for release this month, and a third book is in the works. You can download “No Hero” for free at tomandry.com.

“He’s a guy who deals with supers on a regular basis, but doesn’t have any powers himself,” Andry said in an email interview. “He gets by with a few gadgets and access to information that gives him a leg up on the supers. In “Bob Moore: No Hero”, Bob confronts a super from his past. Bob blames this super for the dissolution of his marriage. But when superheroes start to disappear, Bob reluctantly agrees to help him.

Andry says “No Hero” is an introduction to Bob’s world and its history.

“There are hints about the effect supers have had on the development of society, but not the full story,” he said. “More, of course, will be revealed in future books.”

Andry says writers like Frank Miller (“Hard Boiled”), Alan Moore (“Watchmen”) and Grant Morrison (“Animal Man”) are among his favorites. He cites Matt Wagner comics as his biggest comics influence.

“I loved Matt Wagner’s work on ‘Grendel,’” Andry said. “That comic (and Wagner in general) had the most impact on me. Stuff like X-Men, Batman, and the rest were fun and I enjoyed them, but ‘Grendel’ … really felt like literature.”

Some of the characters’ powers in “No Hero” were inspired by Andry’s youth playing the “Champions” superhero role-playing game, but he said his true inspiration for Bob Moore was from life.

“Most of the characters are taken from parts of my friends and me,” Andry said. “I love damaged characters. Bob is nothing if not damaged. He is world-weary and tired. He’s beaten and bruised. He’s sad and angry.”

Andry said he started his story with the character of Bob Moore and worked backward.

“I wanted a nonpowered protagonist who dealt with supers,” Moore said. “In most comics, our world is basically unchanged. … But that doesn’t make sense to me. So I imagined what the world would be like if superpowered people started showing up in the ’70s.”

Andry said he finished the “Bob Moore” e-book based on a dare he gave himself.

“I had tried to complete novels in the past, but I’d fallen short of that goal,” he said. “So I said to myself, ‘Hey, just write something. It doesn’t have to be long. Just write it, finish it and see what happens!’”

Around the same time, Andry’s wife got a job transfer to Australia.

“That put everything we owned in storage and gave me a lot of free time at night that I would have filled with Netflix or video games,” Andry said. “Putting it all together, it was a perfect storm of motivation, tools, and time.”

“Bob Moore: No Hero” is nearing 50,000 downloads, Andry said. In addition to working on the “Bob Moore” novels, Andry, father of three boys, is the Associate Editor of Audioholics.com and host of the AV Rant podcast.

Webcomics creator James Riot created the cover for “No Hero,” which gave readers their first visual look at Bob Moore.

“He’s drawn covers for his own work that really caught my eye. When I was ready for a cover, I emailed him and said, ‘Give me something like that.’” Andry said. “The cover has been universally praised and I couldn’t be happier with it.”

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Tom Andry

Tom Andry, father of three boys, is the Associate Editor of Audioholics.com and host of the AV Rant podcast.   He’s now also an author, and his superhero novel “Bob Moore: No Hero” is nearing 50,000 downloads. A paperback version is to follow in February. The sequel to “No Hero,” “Desperate Times,” is set for release this month, and a third book is in the works. You can download “No Hero” for free at tomandry.com.  He answered some questions for Nerdage about the book.

NERDAGE:  What led to the writing of “Bob Moore: No Hero”?

Andry: “Bob Moore: No Hero” is the result of a dare I made to myself. I had tried to complete novels in the past, but I’d fallen short of that goal. So I said to myself, “Hey, just write something. It doesn’t have to be long. Just write it, finish it and see what happens!” I knew that finishing a shorter work would give me the confidence to go back and complete a full-length novel. The first story that came to me was based on a conversation I had with a friend about webcomics. He was working on one and asked me what sort of webcomic I might like to write. I came up with the basic idea of Bob Moore on the spot.

Around that time, I had bought an iPad and discovered free ebooks. Some of those ebooks were pretty good and that motivated me to complete a work. A little research allowed me to figure out that I could self-publish. Also at the same time, my wife got a job transfer to Australia. That put everything we owned in storage and gave me a lot of free time at night that I would have filled with Netflix or video games. Putting it all together, it was a perfect storm of motivation, tools, and time.

NERDAGE: How would you describe the book to those unfamiliar?

Andry: Bob Moore is a Private Investigator in a world of superheroes. He’s a guy who deals with supers on a regular basis, but doesn’t have any powers himself. He gets by with a few gadgets and access to information that gives him a leg up on the supers. In “Bob Moore: No Hero”, Bob confronts a super from his past. Bob blames this super for the dissolution of his marriage. But when superheroes start to disappear, Bob reluctantly agrees to help him.

“Bob Moore: No Hero” introduces the reader to the world Bob inhabits. Readers discover the history, how supers interact with non-supers, and how the world works. There are hints about the effect supers have had on the development of society, but not the full story. More, of course, will be revealed in future books.

NERDAGE:  What are some of your favorite comic-book superheroes?

Andry: It has been years since I’ve collected comics (unfortunately). Like many, at some point I moved and didn’t find a local comic store fast enough to pull my favorites. Now, I’m mostly limited to graphic novels and compilations. Back when I collected, I loved Matt Wagner’s work on Grendel. That comic (and Wagner in general) had the most impact on me. Stuff like X-men, Batman, and the rest were fun and I enjoyed them, but Grendel, Sin City, Watchmen, Sandman, V for Vendetta, etc. really felt like literature.

Of course, I’m a huge Frank Miller/Alan Moore/Grant Morrison/Neil Gaiman fan but that’s like saying you like bacon. So does everyone else. Some of my favorite “fun” comics that come to mind include Hard Boiled (Miller/Darrow), Haywire (Fleisher/Giarrano), Animal Man (Morrison/Truog/Hazlewood), and Green Arrow (Grell). There have been so many that I missed, even when I was collecting, that I really feel like I’ve missed out. I’d love to read Y: the Last Man, Miller on Daredevil, Invincible, Hellboy, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Moore’s Swamp Thing…an endless list.

NERDAGE:  Did you have any particular inspirations in creating “No Hero”?

My real inspiration was just life. Of course, comics and movies were an influence. And I played Champions (a superhero-themed roleplaying game) for years as a youth (a lot of the character’s powers come from my characters in Champions). But most of the characters are taken from parts of my friends and me. I love damaged characters. Bob is nothing if not damaged. He is world-weary and tired. He’s beaten and bruised. He’s sad and angry.

After finishing “Bob Moore: No Hero”, my inspiration now is Bob himself. I want to see how he reacts to the situations I present him with.

NERDAGE: What do you think makes a superhero story work in prose?

Andry: There isn’t all that distracting art! In seriousness though, I think it is a real shame that superheroes have been relegated to comics. While I love comics and graphic novels, especially some of the more mature stuff that has been coming out over the last few decades, there is no reason that superhero stories have to have pictures. Superheroes have dominated comics and they’ve pretty much conquered the movie theaters, so there is no reason (other than prejudice) that they wouldn’t have a place in long-form prose.

For me, comics can be a little daunting. With prose, you can be sure you are getting a full story without having to search for back issues or waiting for compilation graphic novels to come out. Prose certainly appeals to a different demographic in theory, but I feel there is no reason why lovers of comics shouldn’t love superhero themed books and lovers of books shouldn’t love comics. I certainly love both.

NERDAGE: Tell me about building the history of the world that Bob inhabits.

Andry: I basically started with the character of Bob Moore and worked backwards. I wanted a non-powered protagonist who dealt with supers. In most comics, our world is basically unchanged. Countries are the same and supers just side with wherever they are born. But that doesn’t make sense to me. So I imagined what the world would be like if superpowered people started showing up in the 70′s.

How would an event like supers being born en masse affect the world? It would be like an invasion. At first, they might be accepted when there were only a few. But eventually, as more and more supers start appearing, people would get nervous. And scared. In the end, there would be a war. Bob’s world is set after that war, and the supers have established their own country. This is the only way that I could realistically see supers and non-supers (called ‘tippys’ in the book) coexisting. The supers police themselves, the other countries “trade” with them, and everyone gets to live.

NERDAGE: How has the book done so far? Are you surprised at the response?

So far, fantastic. While I don’t know the exact number of downloads, I estimate that I’m nearing 50,000. I’ve used modest marketing efforts, but most of it comes from word of mouth. When I started reading free ebooks, I noticed one overriding complaint – editing. People constantly commented, even on books they loved, that there were obvious editing mistakes. I vowed that readers would not have that problem with my book. If they hated it, it wouldn’t be because of the editing. So far, based on the reviews, I seem to have succeeded (though I’m sure a misplaced comma or two slipped through).

I honestly don’t know how to answer the second part of your question. Surprised? I’m both surprised when people like “Bob Moore: No Hero” and surprised when they don’t.

NERDAGE: How is the sequel to the book coming along?

Andry: Very well. It’s called “Bob Moore: Desperate Times” and it is set about six months after the events in “Bob Moore: No Hero”. As of this writing [ed: in late July], I’m on version 3 (meaning I’ve been through 2 full editing passes with my beta readers) with probably 3 or 4 more versions before the final draft. If things continue at this pace, my anticipated August release should happen. In the meantime, I’ve started a Facebook page for Bob. Basically, it is sort of like a cross between a normal Facebook account and a diary, but from the perspective of the character. It will give hints to the sequel (and after the sequel, to the next book), but no spoilers. Reading it won’t be necessary for understanding any of the books or stories as they are meant to stand alone. It will, however, add color and give fans a chance to interact with the character.

NERDAGE: Tell me about the cover to the ebook – it has an interesting logo, and also gets across that this story is a mix of the PI and superhero genres.

Andry: I can’t take much credit for that. James Riot is a webcomic creator I’ve followed for years. He’s drawn covers for his own work that really caught my eye. When I was ready for a cover, I emailed him and said, “Give me something like that.” The covers I liked most had a lot of black with a stripe of color in the background. I sent him an early draft of the novel and he worked from it. He sent me a few drafts with different fonts. I agree that the font that we ended up with is very nice. In the end, I had very few corrections or suggestions. The cover has been universally praised and I couldn’t be happier with it.

- Matt Price

The cover to Joe Simon's autobiography, "Joe Simon: My Life in Comics," from Titan Publishing. Copyright 2011 Joseph H. Simon

The 97-year-old co-creator of Captain America tells his life story in “Joe Simon: My Life in Comics” by Titan Books.

There’s no better time than a long Independence Day weekend to celebrate the co-creator, with Jack Kirby, of the most All-American of heroes. The Chris Evans movie “Captain America: The First Avenger,” releasing July 22, has the World War II character at perhaps his highest profile since the 1940s.
In his book, Simon writes about how the character first came to life in 1940. Seeing what was going on in Europe, Simon felt the real-life villainy of Adolf Hitler deserved a heroic counterpoint. The United States wasn’t yet in the war, but Simon wrote that he was outraged by the Nazis.

“We thought it was a good time for a patriotic hero,” Simon writes in “My Life in Comics.” “I did a sketch of him with a chain mail tunic, and wings on the side of his mask like Mercury, the god from Roman mythology. I gave him a shield, like the ones the knights had carried.”

With “Captain America,” Simon and Kirby were so confident they had a hit on their hands, they began producing the comic before trying to sell it. When Martin Goodman, who owned Timely Comics, saw the pages, he brought Simon and Kirby on staff to oversee a line of comics.

“Captain America” No. 1, released in March 1941, became a huge hit, selling about a million copies.

“Nobody could match the thunder and lightning Jack Kirby brought to comic books,” Simon writes.

Over the course of the book, Simon has encounters with celebrities including writer Damon Runyon, prizefighter Jack Dempsey, Batman creator Bob Kane, comedian Sid Caesar and more.

Simon recounts his early days in newspapers during the Great Depression and his role in comics in wartime America. After the success of “Captain America,” Simon and Kirby moved to DC Comics, working on titles including “Boy Commandos” and “Sandman.” Before entering military service in 1943, Simon and Kirby stockpiled dozens of covers for “Boy Commandos” and “Star-Spangled Comics.”

Returning from the war, Simon and Kirby worked for Harvey Comics on titles including “Boy Explorers” and “Stuntman.”

In 1954, the pair launched the creator-owned “Fighting American,” which started out seriously but evolved over the seven issues into an over-the-top character that had a humorous element.

“Sure, the book was full of Commies and offbeat villains,” Simon writes in his introduction to a new “Fighting American” collection, released in June by Titan Books. “But it also poked fun at the whole superhero thing.”

The collection offers the character’s complete Simon and Kirby adventures, minus one lost page, along with previously unpublished stories and a new introduction by Simon.

“Fighting American” is a 200-page full-color paperback that retails for $19.95.

Simon and Kirby worked in tandem until 1955, when censorship and declining sales rocked the comic book industry. Kirby went on to co-create Marvel Comics heroes including the Fantastic Four and the X-Men in the superhero revival of the 1960s, and occasionally reteamed with Simon. Simon continued working for Harvey, created “Brother Power, the Geek” for DC, and headed up the humor magazine Sick. He previously wrote a history of comic book creators called “The Comic Book Makers.”

“Joe Simon: My Life in Comics” is a 256-page hardback that retails for $24.95.

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Marvel Entertainment has announced a collaboration with the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate to create new graphic fiction adaptations of the John Carter novels, beginning with John Carter: A Princess of Mars #1 (of 5) in September 2011.

“With our new partnership with Marvel Entertainment, we believe we have found the best creative force to revive the thrills and adventures in the 21st Century of the legendary John Carter of Mars.  We are looking forward to introducing this original interplanetary adventurer to a new generation of fans and await the first issue with great anticipation,” said  James Sullos, President of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., in a news release.

According to the news release, by working closely with the ERB estate, all John Carter comics produced with Marvel Entertainment will be considered part of the official canon.

Here’s how Marvel describes the series: Transported to the dying planet of Mars, Captain John Carter must now fight for his life against creatures unlike any ever seen by mankind. But as he finds himself enveloped by an alien civil war, he meets the proud and beautiful Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, who will change his life forever!

Writer Roger Langridge and artist Filipe Andrade are the creative team for the project, which will feature covers by Skottie Young.

“Edgar Rice Burroughs created one of the great action heroes in John Carter and we’re excited to bring his novels to comics for a new generation,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor-In-Chief, in a news release.  “Roger and Filipe are going to blow everyone away with their take on the John Carter novels, keeping fans new and old on the edge of their seats.”

War, Politics and Superheroes by Marc DiPaolo

What’s Superman’s stance on the death penalty? Who might Spider-Man vote for? Marc DiPaolo, assistant professor of English and film at Oklahoma City University, has examined the political leanings, often subtextual, of comic-book superheroes.

“War, Politics, and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film” was released by McFarland and Co. last month.

“I’ve been collecting comics since 1984, and as I would read them, an outrageous story would come up,” DiPaolo said. “And I’d make a mental note, and I’d put it in my closet. And over time, I’d notice this series of provocative stories that I happened to own.”

DiPaolo wrote chapters on superheroes for other books, and he’s now combined those essays with several new ones for this volume.

DiPaolo, 34, grew up in Staten Island, where the adventures of Peter Parker appealed to him.

“Growing up in New York, I think I liked comics because they were in New York,” he said. “And I really related directly to Spider-Man, because I was in high school, he was in high school. We were both in New York — he was Queens, I was Staten Island. I liked literature, he liked science. But I felt like he was me.”

DiPaolo’s book is about how superheroes in comics and film can be a mirror to the politics of their time.

In his chapter on Superman, DiPaolo writes how the Superman radio show used leaks from a human-rights activist to

National (DC) Comics Publisher Harry Donenfeld, left, with Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander of "The Adventures of Superman" radio program. Mutual Broadcasting System photo.

inform a story about Superman battling the Ku Klux Klan.

In the 1940s radio serial, “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” the radio show revealed tactics and secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, discovered by activist Stetson Kennedy in his undercover investigation.

“While ‘The Adventures of Superman’ radio serial has significance for fans of the character for introducing both boy photographer Jimmy Olsen and the radioactive rock Kryptonite — the only thing that can harm the invincible Superman — the ‘Clan of the Fiery Cross’ is definitely that radio show’s finest hour,” DiPaolo writes in his book.

With chapters on Wonder Woman as a feminist icon, the X-Men and civil rights, and President Barack Obama as a comic book character in his own right, DiPaolo covers multiple characters and companies.

“A lot of times comics are their most dynamic when there’s a war going on or there’s a very divisive president,” DiPaolo said. “Any time there’s a big cultural fear — a big recession, a big war — comics get very interesting. And they don’t want to be too preachy … but on some level, they have to react.”

- by Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

See an interview with Marc DiPaolo about the book.

With the release of the fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, “On Stranger Tides,” Quirk Books has released a humorous tie-in to the adventures of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow with “The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook.”

A.V. Club journalist Jason Heller writes the handbook, and shared some of his processes and ideas about pirates in an e-mail interview.

NERDAGE: How did you approach the tone of the book? You’ve found a nice mix between humorous and informative here.

Jason Heller: My publisher, Quirk Books, had a pretty good idea form the get-go about how they wanted The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook to look. That said, they gave me some leeway to get creative with it. One thing we wanted to do was make a book that tapped into the underlying tone of The Pirates of the Caribbean without being anything resembling an adaptation. We started with the basic and ridiculous premise, “What if someone alive today wanted to become an 18th-century pirate? But not the 18th century as we know it, but the magical version that exists in The Pirates of the Caribbean?” Once I wrapped my head around that—which wasn’t tough, seeing as how I’m naturally given to daydreaming and fantasizing—it was fairly easy and lots of fun to mix real-world facts about pirates with the supernatural and slightly surreal vision the films project. It didn’t hurt that the new Pirates movie, On Stranger Tides, is firmly rooted in real-world pirate mythology with the inclusion of the infamous Black Beard.

NERDAGE: What was your research process like?

Jason Heller: Funny enough, I’d been doing a ton of research on pirates just before Quirk offered me this project. As valuable as any number of books and websites were, though, it was interesting to me that so many of my research sources were full of glaring omissions or contradictions. To me, it just goes to show how little we still know about the golden age of piracy—and how much we do know has been colored or obscured by our popular preconceptions of them. In real life, it seems to me, pirates were both more fantastic and more boring than they seem in the movies. And that fit the tone of The Handbook perfectly. That said, it was a blast to conduct research for this book knowing that I was under no obligation to really get anything right. I tried to be as rigorous as possible, but at the same time, playing fast and loose with pirate mythos is what Pirates of the Caribbean—and Jack Sparrow himself—is all about.

NERDAGE: Did you work much in collaboration with Eugene Smith on the illustrations for the handbook? How would you describe his work?

Jason Heller: Actually, I didn’t get to see any of Eugene’s art before the book was published. I finished the text, and it was handed off to him to illustrate. I did have to supply him with a certain amount of detailed instructions, though—especially for the book’s more chart-like drawings—and I have to say, when I finally got a copy of the book, I was blown away. Eugene’s art is solid and solidly hilarious, and he has a great way of rendering pirates that’s both cartoonish and immaculately detailed and realistic. He singlehandedly improved the book by a factor of a thousand.

NERDAGE: According to the press notes here, you’re also writing a steampunk pirate novel. Can you tell me about that?

Jason Heller: As I mentioned, I’d been doing a lot of research on pirates before I was offered the opportunity to do The Handbook. It’s all for a novel I’m working on that mixes together steampunk, pirates, and 19th-century whaling in New England. In a nutshell, it’s like a steampunk version of Moby Dick, although it takes place on another world, and it’ll wind up being far weirder than that sounds. I’m currently wrapping up my debut novel, a political satire called Taft 2012—about William Howard Taft coming back to life today and running for a second term as president—that Quirk will be publishing in January. After that, I’ll be spending the rest of the year finishing the steampunk novel and shopping it around. Fingers crossed!

NERDAGE: Why do you think pirates still hold such a fascination in popular culture?

Jason Heller: The typical answer to this kind of question is, pirates had a kind of freedom and disregard for normal society that we all wish we could immerse ourselves in from time to time. And that’s true, but I think the appeal of pirates goes deeper than that. In a culture that still expects heroes to be virtuous and villains to be dastardly, pirates are both. They’re also not brooding antiheroes cloaked in moral gray, either; they have a strong code of ethics—even if it does give them license to plunder and kill!—and they realize there’s a limit to what the world will allow them to get away with. It’s like they’re always contradicting themselves, walking the tightrope between despicable scourge and romantic rogue. In that sense, they’re like gangsters in crime fiction, no different than the casts of The Godfather or The Wire. In our humble and hopefully noncriminal ways, I think we’re all like that. We have our personal codes of ethics, whether we consciously acknowledge them or not, and we spend our lives trying to navigate that code, surviving within the strictures of society, yet hoping to get away with as much mischief as we can. Uh, or maybe that’s just me!

- Matt Price

Author Tim Powers, who’s coming to Oklahoma City’s SoonerCon in June, said he enjoyed the fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film – but he admits to a bias.

“It looked good to me,” he said.  “You know, I’m partial.”

He’s the author of “On Stranger Tides,” the novel on which the film was loosely based.

“My wife and I went to the premiere at Disneyland,”  Powers said. “We got to walk up the ‘black carpet’ … and saw Johnny Depp, and Keith Richards, and Jodie Foster somehow.”

The movie features Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth, which are featured in the “On Stranger Tides” novel, but Powers says much of the rest was changed for the “Pirates” film.

“Given that it was the fourth installment of a fairly complicated series, there was no way it could have a lot to do with my book, so I wasn’t expecting much overlap.  But even when people make movies specifically of books, I don’t think they’re under any obligation to follow the book very closely.  Whole different form and all.”

Fans of adventure fiction with a supernatural twist will find much to enjoy in Powers’ “On Stranger Tides,” which features a former puppeteer drawn into a world of the supernatural when he’s pressed into service on a pirate ship.  Powers said he extensively researches the real world events and settings in his books so that when fantastic elements are introduced, they seem believable.

“I want it to be not too big of a speed bump when the supernatural stuff begins to intrude,” Powers said.  “I really am always aware that the supernatural stuff is plain bogus, and we’ve moved from reality into just imaginary.  And I don’t want that shift to jolt or jar the reader, I want them to sort of go along.”

Powers says he never considers whether any of his books will be optioned or filmed.

“I think it would be a handicap, because you’d think, ‘Oh wait, this would be too expensive to film this scene.’  You’d be restricting yourself with the eventual thought of the movie in mind.”

Powers will appear at SoonerCon, June 3-5, 2011 in the downtown OKC Sheraton, 1 North Broadway Ave.  For more info or discounted pre-registrations, visit www.soonercon.com or call (405) 310-9255.

Look for a more extensive interview with Powers in an upcoming edition of the Oklahoman’s Weekend Look.

- Matt Price

Kyle Roberts’ stop-motion film “Battle of the Bonds” debuts tonight at IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan. Matt Price and Kyle Roberts will co-host the event. The short film will be released online Saturday.

Matt and Kyle talk to author Marc DiPaolo about his book, “War, Politics and Superheroes.”

And a graphic novel inspired by “Castle” is coming out this fall.

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

Author David Sedaris will sign and read from his book “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19 at Borders, 3209 Northwest Expressway.

Sedaris is the author of the New York Times best-sellers Naked (1997), Holidays on Ice (1997), Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000), Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (2004), and When You Are Engulfed in Flames (2008).

For more information, call 848-2667

"Enemies and Allies" by Kevin J. Anderson

The Kevin J. Anderson book featuring a Superman-Batman team-up, “Enemies and Allies,” is released in paperback today. I believe that’s an Alex Ross cover on the paperback edition.

I interviewed Anderson for The Oklahoman when the hardcover edition of the book came out in 2009.

Anderson sets the first meeting of Superman and Batman in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War.

“It seemed unlikely to set a story in the modern day, and say that Batman and Superman have never heard of each other before,” Anderson said. “It felt more in keeping with the spirit of the universe if we set it back in a more nostalgic time. And of course the ’50s is the time we all remember from George Reeves as Clark Kent and Superman, and Noel Neill as Lois Lane, and that was the flavor I wanted to pick up on.”

Ultimately, the 1950s setting became interwoven completely with the story.

“It became not just window dressing, but the ’50s setting and everybody’s attitudes about the Cold War, the paranoia about flying saucers, and all of these details became integral to the plot rather than just little backdrops,” Anderson said.

- Matt Price

Abrams has a nice line-up of panels and signings promoting its current and upcoming offerings.  I for one am very much looking forward to the “Shazam” book this fall!

From Abrams:

Abrams ComicArts Signings

Booth #1216

Thursday, July 22

1–2:00 pm Ethen Beavers N.E.R.D.S. Book Two: M Is for Mama’s Boy

2–3:00 pm Chip Kidd Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal

Friday, July 23

11–12:00 noon Brian and Wendy Froud The Heart of Faerie Oracle

3–4:00 pm Jaime Hernandez and Todd Hignite The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death

Saturday, July 24

10–11:00 am Jaime Hernandez and Todd Hignite The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death

2:30–3:30 pm Lela Lee – Angry Little Girls, Angry Little Girls in Love

4–5:00 pm Brian and Wendy Froud The Heart of Faerie Oracle

Sunday, July 25

2–3:00 pm Jason Shiga – Meanwhile

Abrams ComicArts Panels

Friday, July 23

1:30–2:30 pm Spotlight on Jerry Robinson Room 9

One of the true legends of comics, Comic-Con special guest Jerry Robinson is a writer, artist, historian, curator, and creator rights activist. Jerry discusses his seventy years in comics––from his contributions to the Batman mythos to the creation of the Joker and development of Robin, Alfred, Penguin, Scarecrow, and Two-Face. Jerry is interviewed by Michael Uslan, the executive producer of the Batman movies, comics historian, and author of upcoming Archie Marries… (Abrams ComicArts). In their discussion, Robinson and Uslan will take the audience from behind the scenes of the Golden Age of comics to the filming of The Dark Knight and Jerry’s latest book projects including the upcoming Jerry Robinson: Ambassador of Comics (Abrams ComicArts).

4–5:00 pm Krazy Kat’s 100th Anniversary Celebration! Room 4

An exclusive multimedia show of unpublished strips, drawings, and paintings presented by Craig Yoe, author of Krazy + Ignatz in Tiger Tea (IDW) and the upcoming Krazy Kat & the Art of George Herriman: A Celebration (Abrams ComicArts). The panel will explore a century of Krazy-ness, with Greg Goldstein (IDW), R. C. Harvey (The Art of the Funnies), Charles Kochman (executive editor, Abrams ComicArts), Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics), and Peter Maresca, (editor/publisher, Sunday Press Books). Plus a thrilling bonus: a never-before-seen home movie of Krazy’s creator, George Herriman.

Saturday, July 24

11:30–12:30 pm Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal Room 9

Author/designer Chip Kidd (Mythology, Bat-Manga, Rough Justice), author/producer Michael Uslan (Archie Marries…), and Charles Kochman (executive editor, Abrams ComicArts) celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Big Red Cheese in this panel and slideshow discussion celebrating Kidd’s upcoming fall release from Abrams ComicArts, Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal.

X-Men/Avengers: Search and Rescue, book 2 of the Gamma Quest Trilogy

In the second part of Greg Cox’s X-Men/Avengers trilogy, “Search and Destroy,” the Avengers, X-Men and the Hulk put aside their differences following a melee at Niagara Falls at the conclusion of book 1.  This 1999 novel continues the “Gamma Quest” story.

The Beast, who has been a member of both teams, appealed to the scientific knowledge of Bruce Banner.  While the Hulk in this story is intelligent, he doesn’t like being reminded of Banner.  But he agrees to work with the Avengers and X-Men when he determines the Leader, a super-intelligent, gamma-powered longtime foe of the Hulk, is likely behind the disappearance of the Scarlet Witch and Rogue.

After Iron Man repairs the Vision, damaged in the battle with the Hulk, the group again splits up into two factions — the Hulk, now working with the X-Men and Avengers, joins Iron Man, Storm and Wolverine in response to a distress call from Moira MacTaggart in Scotland.  (Readers of the first book will remember Wolverine was captured by the Leader in book 1, though neither the X-Men nor Avengers know this. So who is this Wolverine?)

While researching the Legacy Virus, scientist MacTaggart, and friends Nightcrawler and Iceman of the X-Men, come under attack from the Gamma Sentinels, stolen SHIELD developments that can mimic gamma-powered heroes and villains.

Cyclops, Captain America and Vision head to the Leader’s last known location, the hidden city of Freehold, where they come into contact with that city’s defenders, the Riot Squad, and its new leader, Omnibus.  While Omnibus is sympathetic to the Leader’s goals, he believes the Leader to be dead.

Scarlet Witch, Wolverine and Rogue are tortured in some pretty difficult scenes; when they attempt an escape, they find the Leader has seemingly planned for every eventuality.

Cox, who has written multiple superhero novels for both Marvel and DC,  has a good handle on these characters.  His Captain America is heroic and inspiring; Iron Man is tech-oriented and flirtatious; the Beast is brilliant and jovial.    George Perez again provides artwork in the chapter breaks; it’s always great to see “Avengers” artwork from Perez, who is one of the best-ever at drawing the team.  Julie Bell is the cover artist.

- Matt Price
Review of Book One

The X-Men and the Avengers find themselves at odds when members of each of their teams go missing, in this 1999 novel by Greg Cox (writer of the “52″ and “Infinite Crisis” novelizations).

Scarlet Witch of the Avengers, and Wolverine and Rogue of the X-Men find themselves attacked in strange situations, and held hostage and tortured by a mysterious captor.   Both the Avengers and the X-Men uncover gamma radiation at the sites of the disappearance – so they seek Bruce Banner, who is the world’s foremost expert.

However, Banner turns into the Hulk before a peaceful discussion can be had, leading to a huge donnybrook with X-Men, Avengers and Hulk all at seemingly cross purposes at Niagara Falls.

As the kickoff to a three-book series, “Lost and Found” had plenty of action, though the plot may have moved a touch slowly.  I thought the characterization of Captain America and Iron Man on the Avengers side of things was particularly well-done.   The Vision is the other main Avenger in the story.   On the X-Men side, besides the aforementioned Wolverine and Rogue, the main players are Cyclops, Storm, and the Beast.

Of note is the cover, by Julie Bell, and illustrations throughout by George Perez, who was the “Avengers” artist around the time this book originally came out.  Since Perez is possibly my favorite “Avengers” artist, it was great to see illustrations of his that I hadn’t seen before.

- Matt Price
Review of Book Two

She’s the world’s most famous female superhero, but after a decade in development, there’s still little movement on a “Wonder Woman” film. But the star-spangled hero is still popular in the world of comics, and DC Comics is focusing even more attention on the character in 2010.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski (“Babylon 5”) will take over the adventures of the character starting with “Wonder Woman” No. 601, shipping in July.

“The chance to write Wonder Woman — the nearest analogue to Superman in the DC (universe) — is massively exciting,” Straczynski told DC Comics’ Source blog. “She’s a vital, powerful character, and we hope to bring a more contemporary sensibility to her character (while) retaining everything that makes her unique.”

If you want to get caught up on Wonder Woman before July, “The Essential Wonder Woman Encylopedia,” by Phil Jimenez and John Wells, is a 400-plus page reference tool with entries ranging from the ape queen Abu-Gita to the Central American kingdom Zarikan. This is an expansion of the previous Wonder Woman encyclopedia by Michael Fleisher, and it’s been revised and updated with more than 1,100 entries. “Essential” deals with the comic-book adventures of “Wonder Woman,” not her appearances on the Lynda Carter TV series or her various animated incarnations; but for comic aficionados who want the ultimate Wonder Woman reference, this is a very complete tool.

Also available for Wonder Woman fans is the Robert Greenberger book “Wonder Woman: Amazon. Hero. Icon.” This coffee-table book examines Wonder Woman’s comic book origins and her effect on culture.

And if you want to read the very first “Wonder Woman” stories, they have been made available for the first time in a trade paperback format. “Wonder Woman Chronicles” Vol. 1 collects the original adventures by writer William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter in chronological order from the pages of “All Star Comics” No. 8, “Sensation Comics” Nos. 1-9 and “Wonder Woman” No. 1.

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

George Lang and I give 5 recommendations for “Lost” fanatics who have had some time open up on their schedule after last night’s finale.   Among our recommendations are cracking a book – “Watchmen” and “The Stand” should both appeal to “Lost”-watchers.   Check out Planet 46 for the full list!

- Matt Price

Marvel Comics has announced via a press release that its book market business will move from Diamond Book Distributors to the Hachette Book Group, effective Sept. 1, 2010.  Marve also announced that it has extended its direct-market service agreement with Diamond Comics Distributors.

“Teaming with Hachette allows us to even more aggressively grow our presence in the book market, exposing new readers to Marvel’s great library of characters and stories. With Hachette’s overwhelming success in the book market, we can’t imagine a better partner as Marvel looks to expand its presence in the book market” said David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales & Circulation, in the news release.

While some will paint this as a loss for Diamond, I think the extension of the direct-market agreement is extremely important to the continued success of the nation’s primary distributor of comics and graphic novels to comic-book shops.   While I’m sure no one ever wants to lose business, I think Diamond’s position is much stronger losing the books account but keeping the direct-market one, than it would be the other way around.

- Matt Price

Click past the cut for the full release.

Marvel is pleased to announce that, effective September 1, 2010, Marvel books will be sold and distributed into the worldwide book market by the Hachette Book Group. Additionally, Marvel is also pleased to announce an agreement with Diamond Comics Distributor to extend its exclusive Direct Market Service Agreement.

“Teaming with Hachette allows us to even more aggressively grow our presence in the book market, exposing new readers to Marvel’s great library of characters and stories. With Hachette’s overwhelming success in the book market, we can’t imagine a better partner as Marvel looks to expand its presence in the book market” said David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales & Circulation.

Ken Michaels, Hachette COO said “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Marvel. Hachette’s world-class distribution and broad sales reach, combined with Marvel’s outstanding brand and product line, is sure to be a powerful combination.”

Additionally, Marvel will extend its relationship with Diamond, continuing its commitment to comic shops worldwide. Gabriel explained, “Diamond Book Distributors has been very instrumental in the growth of our graphic novel business, nearly tripling our sales in the book market over the last five years, and we thank them for their efforts. The decision to switch book market distributors was a very difficult one but as evidenced by the extension of our Direct Market agreement, our working relationship with Diamond remains very close. We remain extremely appreciative of our Direct Market retailers and continue to grow that vital market.”

The Authorized Ender Companion

WORD BALLOONS
With a degree in history and an eye for detail, Utah writer Jake Black is often a go-to resource for comics or books requiring a heavy degree of research.

He’s the author of “The Authorized Ender Companion,” which shares the histories of the thousands of

Jake Black

characters in the universe of Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game.” He also writes character biographies for dozens of super-characters in magazines published by Eaglemoss and recently co-wrote a backup story in “Supergirl” No. 50, with Helen Slater, the star of the 1980s “Supergirl” movie.

He got started on the “Ender” companion after working with Card on a Marvel Comics adaptation of one of Card’s novels.

“He was really pleased with the result and asked me if I wanted to write the ‘Ender’s’ encyclopedia,” Black said in a recent interview. “He said that he needed it for his own reference, and he wanted someone with a background in research to handle that project, tackle it for him.”

Black, who has a degree in history from Brigham Young University, pored through the books multiple times to ferret out the information, now cleanly put together in encyclopedia format. It’s a similar process whether writing a major project such as the encyclopedia or an Eaglemoss magazine focusing on one character, he said.

“My degree is in history, so I just treat it all like I’m doing a paper about George Washington, but instead it’s a paper about Dick Grayson (the original Robin) or Ender,” Black said.

Black’s “Supergirl” story got started after Tulsa-born writer Sterling Gates, who pens the “Supergirl” series,

Supergirl #50

sought Slater to write an introduction to a collection of stories. Black and Slater previously pitched a “Supergirl” story to DC, and for the 50th issue of the new series, the pair again worked together on a backup story for the anniversary celebration. The Supergirl character originally appeared in 1959.

“Helen and I hammered out a story that looks back on 50 years and 50 issues of ‘Supergirl,’” Black said. “Helen had some things that she really wanted to say about the character as a young woman in modern society but also as a hero.”

It wasn’t Black’s first experience with a Superman family character. Black got his start as an intern for the “Smallville” writers in the show’s first season. He’s since written comics,

Helen Slater as Supergirl

television, books and more. He’s writing an upcoming episode of the animated show “Batman: The Brave and Bold.” He estimates his best-selling work, however, might be something of a surprise.

“A lot of people are really shocked to learn that I wrote the ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘Twilight’ movie trading cards,” Black said. “It was fun because teen Jacob, his name’s Jacob Black, and so is mine.”

Black is married with a 2-year-old son, and in 2009, Black beat cancer.

“There were some times in the hospital where … I’m pushing the codeine button because I couldn’t breathe, and my immune system was shot and just, all of these really, literally life-threatening moments,” Black said. “They didn’t change how I lived my life, but they gave me a better understanding for characters that I could write.”

Black said his battles with cancer helped him truly understand suffering and made him even more compassionate toward those who face it.

“I, of course, felt for people that had been diagnosed and won, or died from cancer before,” Black said. “But I have such an intimate understanding of it now. I’m part of this brotherhood because I’ve shared this experience.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

ONLINE: Cancer

Do you have questions about cancer? What do you do? Where do you turn? How do you go on once you learn you have cancer? Read personal accounts or share your experience.

Knowit.newsok.com/cancer-oklahoma

The 2nd Friday Circuit of Art in Norman, Oklahoma takes place Friday, March 12, from 6 to 10 p.m., and this month, ties in with the Norman Public Library’s Big Read: The Maltese Falcon.

Three locations along the arts loop will be key Maltese Falcon tie-ins: The Depot/Performing Arts Studio is the Big Read headquarters for the evening. Guests can get a free copy of the novel by Dashiell Hammet, sign up for programs and book discussions, and enjoy refreshments, beverages and live music by Off Boyd Jazz.

At the Crucible Foundry and Gallery, artist Jeff Littlejohn will display the falcon series of sculptures commissioned for the Big Read.  The D and will discuss the vision and the processes behind the works of art. And, Norman’s well-known The Diner will be open from 6-8:00 pm for a rare late-night meal created for the occasion: Sam Spade Spam and Eggs.

The arts loop is a monthly Cleveland Area Rapid Transit route that connects the Downtown Arts District with outlying galleries; performance halls and Campus Corner to accompany an art walk the second Friday of each month.  For 50 cents per ride or $2 for the whole evening, visitors can get on the CART trolley at Republic Bank & Trust on the corner of Main Street and University Boulevard, or any other stop on the route, and visit participating art galleries and organizations from 6 to 10 p.m.

A complete list of each participating gallery and art walk events, as well as a CART map for the evening and instructions for riding, is available online at www.2ndfridaynorman.com.

For more information, visit www.normanarts.org or call 360.1162.

Another Big Read activity takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 13 at the University of Oklahoma Law School. Moderator, David Draper Clark, and crime novel enthusiasts Jim Davis, Bill Hagen, and David Kipen will take a closer look at the crime classic The Maltese Falcon. This Keynote Panel Discussion, “The Maltese Falcon: The Plot Thickens” is free.

For more information about other Big Read events, visit www.bigreadok.com.   If you’d like to know more about the film based on the book, check out my post here.

- Matt Price

The Associated Press has reported that author Dick Francis has died at age 89.   The former jockey wrote 42 novels, many focusing on the world of horse racing.  Francis was among my favorite writers, and I’m sorry to hear of his passing.  But he left a great legacy of mystery thrillers that if you haven’t read – even if you aren’t interested in the world of horse racing – you should definitely check out.  Read more about Francis at NewsOK.

- Matt Price

If you have a comics fan in your life, there’s a plethora of gift possibilities on shelves at comic-book stores and other retail outlets. Most comic stores should have staples including comic-book collecting supplies, graphic novels and even gift certificates.

The following is a selection of some gifts that should please a discerning reader.

For kids, a purchase that should provide hours of reading enjoyment is “The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics” ($40). This is one of the best collections of classic children’s comics, primarily from the 1940s and 1950s. These comics are aimed at young readers and have been selected for quality and relevance by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly.

John Stanley (Little Lulu), Sheldon Mayer (Sugar and Spike), Walt Kelly (Pogo) and Carl Barks (Uncle Scrooge) are among the creators represented.

John Stanley fans can also read the creator’s work in the ongoing John Stanley Library selections from Drawn and Quarterly. Stanley’s “Nancy” comics have much of the same charm of his “Little Lulu” comics, and “Nancy: Volume One” ($24.95) is designed by Seth (“It’s a Good Life, If You Don’t Weaken”).

Not sure what you want to read in comics? Comic-book writer and “Comics Buyers Guide” columnist Tony Isabella is full of suggestions in “1000 Comic Books You Must Read” ($29.99). Isabella takes a decade-by-decade approach, highlighting what he felt to be the best comics of each era. You’re sure to agree with some selections and disagree with others. That’s part of what makes a project such as this so much fun.

For a closer look at the early work of a master, check out “Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1” ($39.99). Edited by Blake Bell, who wrote the recent Ditko retrospective “Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko,” “Strange Suspense” offers 200-plus pages of pre-“Amazing Spider-Man” art from Ditko.

Ditko, the co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, is a reclusive innovator who worked with Stan Lee in the early days of Marvel. This collection contains macabre stories from Ditko early in his career, in the pre-Comics Code era of 1953 and 1954.

For an often-humorous, always enlightening look at the stories behind the comics, check out Brian Cronin’s “Was Superman a Spy? And Other Comic Book Legends” ($14). Cronin, a columnist for Comic Book Resources, investigates the truth behind many of the comic-book world’s urban legends.

Fans who want a full-featured reference to the characters of Marvel Comics may like the newly updated “Marvel Encyclopedia” ($40), which covers everyone from The Abomination to Zzzax, and provides a decade-by-decade Marvel chronology as well.

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Husband and wife voice actors Yuri Lowenthal (Superman in “Legion of Superheroes”) and Tara Platt (Wonder Woman in “DC Vs Mortal Kombat”) took a few minutes to talk to me at Comic-Con International about their upcoming book, Voice-Over Voice Actor, available for pre-order at BugBotPress.com.

- Matt Price

The sixth movie adventure of Harry Potter, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” hits theaters at midnight tonight.

Local librarians and booksellers say the movie, and the release of the seventh book in paperback, has quickened Potter mania yet again. They say “Harry Potter” books are flying off the shelves.

“They are pretty much always checked out in the last two or three weeks,” said Leanne Cheek, teen librarian at the Moore Public Library, which is sponsoring a Harry Potter party from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Oklahoma City Zoo will bring owls and a snake to the event from 4 to 5 p.m. The party will also feature a sorting hat, a costume competition and a Horcrux hunt.

There will be events geared at age groups from first grade to adult.

The magical events are pulled from the pages of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” book series.

“It’s been the one series that got a lot of kids interested in reading,” said Alicia Cox, manager at Second Chance Books in Warr Acres.

Cox said the store has been selling “Harry Potter” books every day for the past few weeks.

Mark Heisey, assistant librarian at the Noble Public Library, said movie releases tend to spur interest in the books.

Fans can watch the previous movie in the series and have Harry Potter-style snacks at the Noble library at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Meanwhile, tickets to the movie, including tonight’s midnight screenings, are going fast, with at least five screenings already sold out in the state.

“Harry is tracking to match last year’s juggernaut, ‘The Dark Knight,’ in advance ticket sales,” said Rick Butler, chief operating officer of online ticket seller Fandango, in a news release.

“Show times are selling out at a very fast pace, and it’s clear that the film’s wider blockbuster appeal, solid word-of-mouth and positive Internet buzz on ‘Half-Blood Prince’ are helping fuel the demand.”

Cheek said the progression of the characters and the battle of good versus evil are among the reasons that “Harry Potter” remains popular.

“It mixes our world with a magical world so that the things that happen are easy to imagine and easy to relate to, but also fantastical and fun,” Cheek said.

By Matthew Price
From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman

WORD BALLOONS

Superman meets Batman in the new novel from writer Kevin J. Anderson, “Enemies and Allies.” Anderson sets the first meeting of the two in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War.

“It seemed unlikely to set a story in the modern day, and say that Batman and Superman have never heard of each other before,” Anderson said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. “It felt more in keeping with the spirit of the universe if we set it back in a more nostalgic time. And of course the ’50s is the time we all remember from George Reeves as Clark Kent and Superman, and Noel Neill as Lois Lane, and that was the flavor I wanted to pick up on.”

In “Enemies and Allies,” Bruce Wayne’s Wayne Industries is at the forefront of many technological breakthroughs. But he’s being spied on by another industrialist, Lex Luthor, who wants to stoke Cold War tensions to build his own military-industrial empire.

“Set in the Cold War universe with Bruce Wayne as the big industrialist as well, Lex Luthor just seemed like the natural foil for both Bruce Wayne and Wayne Industries, and Clark Kent and Superman,” Anderson said.

Meanwhile, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen, reporters for the Daily Planet, are sent to look into a possible flying saucer crash.

“We did the story in stages,” Anderson said. “One was doing Batman and Superman and deciding to set it in the ’50s. And in the ’50s, the primary thing is the Cold War, and everybody was afraid that the Russians were going to launch nuclear missiles at us, and everybody was doing disaster drills. The movies at the theater, they’re … all these wonderful flying saucer paranoia pictures.”

Ultimately, the 1950s setting became interwoven completely with the story.

“It became not just window dressing, but the ’50s setting and everybody’s attitudes about the Cold War, the paranoia about flying saucers, and all of these details became integral to the plot rather than just little backdrops,” Anderson said.

Another new release from Anderson is “Terra Incognita: The Edge of the World,” a fantasy novel featuring high-seas adventure. Additionally, a CD from ProgRock Records tying into the book’s release has lyrics by Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, with music by Erik Norlander (keyboardist for Asia Featuring John Payne).

“This idea’s been in my head for a long time, because I think a lot of the people who listen to that kind of music also listen to the kind of books that I write,” Anderson said. “It’s a crossover rock CD and fantasy novel.”

More about Kevin Anderson’s “Enemies and Allies” and “Terra Incognita” can be found at his Web site, www.wordfire.com.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Jessica Akers, author

Local author Jessica L. Akers, who has written a book for young adults, will sign at the Moore Public Library on Saturday. Check out the full release:

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Young Adult Fiction author Jessica L. Akers will be signing copies of her newly released novel The Speaker at the Moore Public Library on Saturday, May 30, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Akers developed a passion for writing at a very young age. “I would write stories, draw pictures, and make them into books. Then I’d take them to school and my teacher would read them after recess.” Akers remembers. Akers got her inspiration for The Speaker while writing another book. She says that a line from the book just popped in her head and she immediately needed to know more about the girl who was talking and immediately The Speaker was born.

The Speaker takes place in Rapid City, South Dakota, revolving around the life of Nata Francis, a young Sioux Indian girl who discovers she has inherited the gift of orenda from her dearly departed grandfather. This gift is a sacred and honored power to possess, but Nata sees it all as a hoax and extreme inconvenience. It is not until one summer night, when a boy who needs help only Nata can give that she realizes she must accept this gift as well as her destiny. Nata must choose between following her head or following her heart.

Akers is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. Akers has worked in production and has written articles for The Vista and is a member of Oklahoma City Writers, Inc. For updates on upcoming books and other events please visit www.jessicaakers.com.

Looking for more “Wolverine” reading? For this week’s “Wolverine Wednesday” I’ll go off the beaten path a bit and recommend an out-of-print (but findable) “X-Men” novel from 1998: X-Men: Law of the Jungle, by Dave Smeds.
Ka-Zar calls the X-Men to the Savage Land when Sauron and a gang of mutates are kidnapping Savage Land natives.  Sauron’s goal, however, was to lure in the X-Men, to feed on their mutant energies.  This Sauron seems more devious than ever before — Psylocke, of the X-Men, thinks she knows why.  The X-Team featured in this book are Wolverine, Cannonball, Beast, Iceman, Psylocke, Archangel and Storm.  If you enjoy Ka-Zar and his supporting cast — Shanna the She-Devil and Zabu the sabretooth — you’re even more in luck.  I’ve been slowly making my way through all the X-Men novels in the past few years, and I’d say this is one of the better ones.
Admittedly, this might have been more appropriate for a Ka-Zar day than a Wolverine Wednesday — this is the most prominently I’ve ever seen Ka-Zar featured in a Marvel novel.  But Wolverine does have a starring role, and, just check him out taking on Sauron on that cover!

– Matt Price