Comic Book Resources and others are reporting the death of classic comics artist John Severin.  The Marvel and EC artist, known for titles including “Two-Fisted Tales” and “The Incredible Hulk” was 90.  Severin was also a major contributor to “Cracked” and “MAD.”

Comics professionals responded to the news on Twitter.

“It was one of the highlights of my career to write pages he drew in Iron Fist,” wrote Ed Brubaker. “He was still great, still working, at 90.”

Artist Tony Moore related his childhood memories of Severin, and encouraged everyone to read the artist’s work on EC and MAD.

“Severin was one of my earliest favorites, picking up his stuff in Cracked as a kid,” wrote Tony Moore. “I’m so close to his work, i feel like i’ve lost family.”

“Astronaut Dad” artist Brent Schoonover also shared his reaction.

“RIP John Severin.  I’ll always have a stack of MAD magazines that you worked on and made me laugh like crazy,” Schoonover wrote.

A statement from the family has been released at The Beat.

- Matt Price

Joe Simon

Captain America’s co-creator, Joe Simon, has died at 98, the Associated Press is reporting.

Simon, with Jack Kirby, created the All-American hero Captain America, who was shown punching Adolf Hitler in the jaw in the first issue of his comics magazine, released before the United States officially entered the war.

Simon’s autobiography, “My Life in Comics,” was released earlier this year.

“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.”

Mark Evanier, a comic industry historian and Jack Kirby biographer, noted that Simon, besides being able to write and draw, also knew how to edit comics.

“Joe himself was the first great real editor who brought to comics skills he’d learned elsewhere and had some perception of how to put a magazine together and how to make a professional looking publication,” Evanier told The AP on Thursday. “He had some business acumen. He knew how to talk to publishers, he knew how to make deals.”

- Matt Price
Contributing: The Associated Press

In this undated photo released Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 by ComicConnect.com, Jerry Robinson, who created the Joker, stands with the two framed covers, Superman #14 and Detective Comics #69, that were auctioned on ComicConnect.com. (AP Photo/ComicConnect.com)

Astro City: The Dark Age
Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson look at the 1970s and 1980s through the prism of the superhero world of Astro City, in a 16-part storyline.   Four four-issue miniseries (“Astro City: The Dark Age” Books 1-4) follow Charles and Royal Williams as they seek the man who murdered their parents.   Their lives are intertwined with that of the Silver Agent, who is traveling through time in an attempt to avert a coming disaster.

Busiek and Anderson are taking apart the grittier comics of the 1970s and 1980s and exploring them from the point of view of characters who are living it.  It recreates the feel of reading comics as a younger person in the late 70s and early 1980s, but with a story that works on multiple levels.   Any superhero fan should take a look at The Dark Age, which probably suffered from its extended shipping schedule as far as sales.   But with two collections containing all 16 issues, there’s no reason not to read this modern classic.  Alex Ross remains active with the book as a character designer and cover artist.

Also read recently:

Grifter 2-3 (2011) Nathan Edmondson continues his slow burn in revealing who exactly Cole Cash, aka Grifter, is in this new unified DC Comics universe, but it’s an intriguing read with beautiful art by CAFU.

Planet Terry 1-4 (1985)Lennie Herman and Warren Kremer were the creative team for “Planet Terry” (a pun on “Planetary”), which featured young Terry, sort of a Richie Rich of space, on a quest to find his parents, with the help of his robot, Robota, and a gruff alien, Omnus.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,821  Still to go: 190.

"Conan the Barbarian" No. 1, written by Roy Thomas, from Marvel Comics

Missouri-born comic book writer and editor Roy Thomas broke into comics in the mid-1960s, and went on to write some of the comic industry’s best-known characters, from the Avengers to the X-Men to Batman. But among his best-loved works are his comic-book adaptations of the Robert E. Howard pulp tales of Conan the Barbarian. The success of the Marvel Comics Conan led to the Arnold Schwarzenegger films of the 1980s, which had some involvement from Thomas.

“Conan” remains a popular property — the latest film, “Conan the Barbarian,” starring Jason Momoa, was released on DVD this week, and the Thomas-written 12-issue series “Conan: Road of Kings” is currently being released by Dark Horse Comics.

Robert E. Howard, the author and creator of “Conan,” launched the character in the 1932 issue of the pulp magazine “Weird Tales.” Howard was born in Peaster, Texas, in 1906 and lived in Texas and western Oklahoma as a youth before settling in Cross Plains, Texas, in 1919.

Marvel Comics introduced its version of Conan in 1970, written by Thomas and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith. Marvel Comics, headed up by editor Stan Lee, had plenty of success with superhero characters like Spider-Man in the late 1960s, but Thomas and others thought the company should tackle other genres as well.

“I felt we needed to branch out and do other fields, and our readers wanted us to as well, and were telling us that in

Roy Thomas. Photo credit: Alan Waite, 2007.

letters,” Thomas said in a recent telephone interview. “Stan and I decided we should go after a sword and sorcery hero of the Conan variety, and luckily we ended up with Conan, which was the best thing that could have happened either to us, to me personally, to Marvel Comics, or for that matter, given how things have gone since then, to the Robert E. Howard estate and to Conan.”

Thomas’ first artist on “Conan the Barbarian” was Windsor-Smith, but he wasn’t the first choice for the book. The London-born artist had been in the U.S. working for Marvel, but legal requirements had moved him back to the U.K. Since he was a relatively new artist, he was available more cheaply than Thomas’ first choice, artist John Buscema.

“The publisher wanted to get back the little bit of money he was paying for the rights,” Thomas said. Given the budget, Thomas “wanted somebody who I thought would really throw himself into it and have some enthusiasm for it.” He thought Windsor-Smith would have that enthusiasm.

After a few hiccups in the first issue, Thomas and Windsor-Smith became a popular team, turning out a successful run of award-winning comics. Conan’s fantasy world came to visual life via Windsor-Smith’s art, with Thomas capably adapting Howard tales and creating new adventures. In 1971, the comic book won the Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards’ Best Continuing Feature.

Two hardcover archives featuring the stories of Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith were released in 2010.

Buscema later followed Windsor-Smith for a long run on “Conan.” Thomas would go on to write more than 200 comics featuring Conan.

Twenty-one softcover volumes of the “Chronicles of Conan,” reprinting Marvel Comics “Conan” series, have been released, with a 22nd set for December release. Ten volumes of the black-and-white “Savage Sword of Conan” reprint Marvel’s black-and-white magazine series featuring the barbarian.

“The Conan the Barbarian comic book and also the Savage Sword of Conan black and white magazine that I launched were quite important to the company,” Thomas said. “They were two of the big moneymakers. I think Conan probably made as much money, in terms of just selling comic-books, as any other character for about a decade in there.”

Matt and Kyle take a look at the Kindle Fire’s options for comics; the Avengers release new posters; and Roy Thomas talks about Conan the Barbarian in this week’s comics podcast.

FIRE AWAY
The Kindle Fire offers comics via graphic novel sales on Amazon.com and the comiXology app that comes pre-installed on the tablet. The comiXology reader links to any existing comiXology account. Its reader is preferable to the Fire’s native browser for comics, which will feature several DC graphic novels.

NEW AVENGERS POSTER

A brand new banner featuring the core four members of “The Avengers” — Captain America, Bruce Banner, Iron Man and Thor, from left to right — has premiered over at Yahoo Movies.

http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/movie-stills/gallery/3403/the-avengers-stills#info

CONAN GIVEAWAY

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is  releasing  Conan the Barbarian on 3D/2D Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2D   Blu-ray Disc, and DVD this November 22nd. Starring Jason Momoa, Rachel   Nichols, Stephen Lang, Rose McGowan, and Ron Perlman, this 2011  re-make  includes audio commentaries, The Conan Legacy  featurette, a making-of  and more. Longtime “Conan” comics writer appears on the special features for the film.

We have a copy of the  Conan the Phenomenon: The Legacy  of Robert E. Howard Fantasy  Icon hardcover art history book as well as the Conan the Barbarian the Blu-ray Combo Pack to give away.  For a chance to win, answer our question of the day:  Which Conan is your favorite?  The character from the books?  Arnold from the films?  The Barry Windsor-Smith or John Buscema version from the comics?  The more recent version from the Dark Horse Comics?  Or Jason Momoa in the new film?

ROY THOMAS

Speaking of Conan, I talked to Roy Thomas, who brought Conan to Marvel Comics in the 1970s and has been writing “Road of Kings” for Dark Horse.  He talked about the early days of the Conan comic.

He said he was hoping to expand Marvel’s reach beyond superheroes into sword and sorcery, and licensing Conan was a home run. The new “Conan the Barbarian” is out on DVD and Blu-ray today. Look for more of the interview with Thomas in Friday’s Weekend Look.

WINNER WINNER ROBOT CHICKEN DINNER

We’ve chosen our winner for the Robot Chicken season 5 DVD  —  the DVD goes to MovieHunter1888.

REVIEW FILE: Justice League 3, Captain America #4, Fear Itself 7.3, Avengers #19, Batman #3
Comics read in 2011: 1,748. Still to go: 263

Oafcon — or the 2011 Classic Comic Book and Nostalgia Convention — kicks off today and continues through Sunday at the Biltmore Hotel I-40 at Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City.

Admission is just $5.  Local creators and classic comics will be on hand.  “Dick Tracy” writer Mike Curtis is also expected.

The show opens at 10 a.m. today (Saturday).   More info at : http://oafcon2011.blogspot.com/

“Teen Titans” and “Tomb of Dracula” writer Marv Wolfman will appear at noon today in Room B of the Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center, 500 E Cesar Chavez.

Wolfman will discuss characters he’s created that have been adapted into TV shows, movies and animated series, including “Teen Titans” and “Smallville.”

Wolfman created the character Blade in “Tomb of Dracula,” which has been adapted into three movies starring Wesley Snipes, and a television series.

Also, Wolfman and artist John Romita Sr. created the “Daredevil” villain Bullseye.

- Matt Price

The 1960s-1970s “Captain Marvel” series was introduced at a time when most of what Marvel launched became a huge hit. But despite being created by Stan Lee, Captain Marvel floundered quite a bit before finding some critical success at the pen of Jim Starlin, who gave the hero “cosmic awareness” and made him the protector of the universe.

Captain Mar-Vell was originally an alien military officer of the Kree assigned to spy on Earth who finds himself having feelings for Earth people.

Introduced in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the Captain went through a variety of writers, artists and situations in the first 15 issues of his title.   Most of the time, he’s in conflict with his superior, Yon-Rogg, who assigns Mar-Vell to tasks he hopes will kill him.  This is because Yon-Rogg is in love with Una, Mar-Vell’s girlfriend serving on the same ship.  Meanwhile, on Earth, Mar-Vell, who is going by the secret identity of Dr. Walter Lawson, is drawn into a love triangle with Carol Danvers, who works on the rocket base he’s investigating.  With Captain Marvel (as the earthlings come to call Mar-Vell when he’s in his Kree uniform), Carol and Walter, it’s a love triangle; adding Una and Yon-Rogg makes it a fairly complicated love pentagon.  Along the way, Captain Marvel’s  mission and powers seem to undergo some type of change every few issues.

Writer Archie Goodwin attempted to make sense of all that had gone before in issue 16, clearing the decks for Roy Thomas and Gil Kane to revamp the series with Oct. 1969′s issue #17.   This issue found Captain Marvel sharing atoms with former Hulk and Captain America sidekick Rick Jones — only one could exist in the regular universe at any one time, with the other being exiled to the Negative Zone.   This was reminiscent in some ways of the Fawcett Captain Marvel, in which the young Billy Batson gave way to an adult Captain Marvel, only Thomas’ version gave the whole thing a very Marvel Comics twist.    The new costume was a definite improvement, but the new series only lasted through issue #21 before going on hiatus.

After a 2-year hiatus, Captain Marvel returns in some fairly forgettable issues (drawn by Wayne Boring and Gil Kane) before Jim Starlin arrives on the scene as the penciller of issue #25.    Starlin’s run really gets going when, in issue #29, Captain Marvel is given new powers, a slightly new look, blond hair and the title “protector of the universe.”

The new protector is quickly thrown into the Thanos War.  Thanos, introduced in Iron Man #55, is intent on getting the Cosmic Cube and becoming the ruler of the universe.    He bombs his own planet, Titan, wiping out millions before coming to earth in search of the cube.  It’s up to Captain Marvel, the Avengers and other assorted allies to put an end to Thanos’ plan.  It’s a story that reads a bit like a rough draft to the later “Infinity Gauntlet,” but it’s Captain Marvel at his best in the storyline, which concludes with issue #33.

Issues read:  Marvel Super-Heroes #12, Iron Man #55, Captain Marvel Vol. 1 #1-33.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011:  1,696. Still to go:  315.

Stan Lee (AP)

Charitybuzz is providing comics fans some rare opportunities to meet with the people behind their favorite comics.

A fan can win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a lunch date with Stan “The Man” Lee along with POW! Entertainment co-founder Gill Champion in LA.  The lucky diner will also get to take home two autographed comics.

Bidding is open through October 19 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/281204 with proceeds going to Communities in School of Los Angeles.

Lee, former publisher of Marvel Comics, co-created a laundry list of characters including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and the X-Men.

Own a Commemorative Marvel Encyclopedia Signed by Stan Lee

Another way to get a Stan Lee autograph is to bid on a Marvel Encyclopedia offered by Charitybuzz.  A copy of the Marvel Encyclopedia, signed by Stan Lee, is up for bid through October 5 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/272716. The book contains new artwork, stats and histories for Spider-Man, the Hulk, Wolverine and more. Proceeds benefit the Young Story Tellers Foundation.

Lunch at Archie Comics Headquarters in NY with the CEO

Two Archie Comics fans could meet the CEO of the company in a special Charitybuzz auction.

Nancy Silberkleit, the CEO of Archie Comics, will meet with the auction winners in New York at the comic book company’s headquarters.   Bidding goes through October 5 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/283815 with proceeds going to the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

- Matt Price
Click past the cut to find out more about the charities involved.

About the charities

Communities in Schools of Los Angeles is empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life. Their mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Young Story Tellers Foundation develops literacy through the art of storytelling. Using group exercises and one-on-one mentoring, they provide underserved children in the public school system an opportunity to write stories and see them brought to life through performance.

Plastic Pollution Coalition is an organization seeking to put plastic pollution at the forefront of global social, environmental and political discourse.

If you’re going to relaunch “Action Comics,” the granddaddy of all superhero comics, you should probably be prepared for some criticism.   However, after reading the 2011 “Action Comics” #1 by Grant Morrison, Rags Morales and Rick Bryant, I can’t find much with which to take issue.

For those who have read a lot of “Superman,” there are homages to be found, and a strong tie back to Superman’s original conception in 1938′s “Action Comics” #1.  But for brand-new fans or curious new readers, it’s all there on the page.

Set six months before the events of “Justice League” No. 1, Clark Kent’s a new reporter at a competitor to the Daily Planet.  He’s friends with Jimmy Olsen, who works there, and beneath the radar of star reporter Lois Lane.

Superman, meanwhile, goes about his business in work boots and blue jeans, rustling up corporate criminals and raising the ire of everyone from the police and military to Lex Luthor, a brash industrialist who doesn’t much cotton to the idea of a superhuman.

Superman’s a bit arrogant, but very much easy to root for, as he attempts to stand up to bullies of all stripes.

Rags Morales effortlessly paces Morrison’s script, and readers will all but hear John Williams’ Superman score in the background as the Man of Steel is reintroduced for a new era.   So far, this is the comic book of the year.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,342 Still to go: 669.

Jim Shooter, former Marvel Editor-in-Chief, has a very interesting writeup on his blog about how Marvel Comics almost licensed the right to print comics starring DC characters from Warner Bros. in 1984.

The thinking at Warner at the time was that the real money was in licensing, and maybe Marvel could make more money publishing DC’s characters than DC could.

John Byrne desperately wanted to write and draw the series.  Marvel saw huge potential profits.  Unfortunately, Shooter said, a lawsuit from First Comics alleging anti-trust violations cooled Marvel’s ardor for expansion.  Of course, a few years later, DC’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” gave DC a sales boost, and led to … John Byrne on Superman.

Interesting look at what might have been!  Shooter says the plan would have called for Marvel to launch with seven titles: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Teen Titans, Justice League and Legion of Super Heroes, and build from there if sales warranted.

The entire story, with lots of details and some scanned memos from the time, is available at jimshooter.com.

- Matt Price

Robot 6′s Grumpy Old Fan column takes a look back at the last big DC relaunch, in the summer of 1986, and compares it to the summer of 2011.

Anyway, the summer of 1986 was bracketed by “Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?” in May, andSuperman Volume 2 in September. In between was Byrne’s reboot miniseries Man of Steel, naturally; but also the start of Watchmen, at least one issue of The Dark Knight, and the all-star Batman #400 and Denny O’Neil becoming Bat-editor in #401. DC’s superhero books were opening up to the post-Crisis status quo, and things were starting to get interesting, even with “Batman: Year One” and the new Flash, Wonder Woman, and Justice League still months away. It was a remarkable period which, fervent desires notwithstanding, I’m not sure the publisher will ever duplicate.

Tom Bondurant writes that he was in 10th grade in 1986, which seems like pretty great timing to create a lifelong comics fan.  I picked up those 1986 books piecemeal over the course of my early comics collecting, which didn’t start in earnest until probably 1987. (I’ve read comics since maybe 1978, but wasn’t that organized of a collector until I got a little older.)

Bondurant writes an interesting piece encouraging everybody to enjoy the anticipation as we lead up to next week’s relaunch.  He also points out the many, many differences between the two eras.   It will be a good thing for DC if the new relaunch can come close to the excitement generated in 1986.

- Matt Price

Tony Isabella points out on his facebook page that today is the birthday of the late Jim Aparo, one of the finest Batman artists of the 20th century.   Aparo died in 2005.

Aparo worked under editor Dick Giordano at Charlton, then followed Giordano to DC Comics.  Aparo worked on Aquaman, Brave and Bold, Batman and the Outsiders, Detective Comics, and many more.   In the 1980s, he was the artist responsible for the “Death in the Family” storyline in which the second Robin, Jason Todd, was killed.  In the 1990s, he pencilled “Batman” #497, the part of the “Knightfall” storyline in which Batman’s back was broken by the villain Bane.

Aparo was one of a very few artists who would pencil, ink and letter his own work.

Two Morrows has an interview on its web site from the magazine Comic Book Artist with Aparo from 2000.

A hardcover collection of some of Jim Aparo’s Batman comics is set for release in April, 2012.   According to the blog “The Brave and the Old,” a collection of “Phantom” comics featuring Aparo’s work is set for November of this year.

- Matt Price
Click past the cut for more Jim Aparo comics.

On the hot plains of Texas, in the wildcatting town of Cross Plains, a barbarian was born who has now lived in our imaginations for nearly 80 years.

Robert E. Howard, the author and creator of “Conan,” launched the character in the 1932 issue of the pulp magazine “Weird Tales.” Howard was born in Peaster, Texas, in 1906 and lived in Texas and western Oklahoma as a youth before settling in Cross Plains, Texas, in 1919.

The Cimmerian barbarian is returning to movie theaters today, in the new “Conan the Barbarian” film starring Jason Momoa. Through the years, Conan has been featured in books, comics, movies and television. The 1982 “Conan the Barbarian” movie helped launch Arnold Schwarzenegger to superstardom.

Howard also created the Atlantean King Kull, Puritan adventurer Solomon Kane and the Pict warrior Bran Mak Morn. Howard is often credited with creating the “sword and sorcery,” or epic fantasy, genre.

Howard’s life, and the Conan’s path to literary immortality, are recounted in a 2007 book from Dark Horse Books, “Conan the Phenomenon,” by Paul M. Sammon.

Sammon covers the early days of the pulps, the reprints and revivals of the 1960s, the successful Marvel Comics of the 1970s, the films of the 1980s, the legal wrangling of the 1990s, and the return to publishing in the 2000s.

Dark Horse Comics, the current licensors of Conan in comic books, continue new stories of the barbarian, along with reprints of the material from the 1970s and 1980s.

Writer Kurt Busiek and artist Cary Nord were the team chosen to relaunch Conan in November of 2003, with a 25-cent issue number zero reintroducing the character to modern comic-book audiences. The 25-cent price tag was the same price as the first appearance of Conan in “Weird Tales.”

Busiek said in a news release in 2003 how excited he was to revive the character, calling “Conan” “a dream assignment.

“It’s got everything — a great lead character, exciting adventures, a vast historical sweep, a fascinating world that involves everything from war to thievery to piracy, from high seas adventure to desert banditry, from sorcery to romance to all-out action and back again.”

The zero issue, called “Conan the Legend,” won the 2004 Eisner Award for best single issue. Busiek wrote the title from 2003-2006, and his stories are collected in five volumes from Dark Horse, numbered zero through four. Tim Truman followed Busiek as writer of “Conan,” and wrote the entire second ongoing “Conan” series from Dark Horse, “Conan the Cimmerian.” Truman’s comics have been collected in six volumes from Dark Horse.

Roy Thomas, who wrote many of the Marvel Comics adaptations of “Conan,” has returned to the character for the current series, “Road of Kings.”

Dark Horse also continues its reprint line; two hardcover archives featuring the stories of Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith were released in 2010. Twenty-one softcover volumes of the “Chronicles of Conan,” reprinting Marvel Comics “Conan” series, have been released, as have nine volumes of the black-and-white “Savage Sword of Conan,” reprinting Marvel’s magazine series featuring the barbarian. A tenth volume is set for September release.

Dark Horse has adapted the new film in the trade paperback “Conan: The Mask of Acheron,” which is on sale now.

More information can be found at www.conan.com and www.darkhorse.com/Zones/Conan.

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

Marvel Comics has revealed the above variant for “Ultimate Comics Spider-Man” No. 1, shipping on Sept. 7.    Artist Sara Pichelli provides an unmasked Miles Morales on the cover of the relaunched Ultimate Comics Spider-Man title, written by Brian Michael Bendis.

Morales, the new Spider-Man in the Ultimate universe, is a half-black, half-Hispanic teenager.

“He’s younger than Peter Parker, he’s coming from a completely different background, a completely different world view,” Bendis said in a recent Associated Press interview.  “It’s Peter Parker’s death that inspires this kid to step up.”

The Ultimate universe Peter Parker died in “Ultimate Comics Spider-Man” No. 160.

- Matt Price

According to The Beat and other sources, “Fantastic Four” #1, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, shipped 50 years ago today, Aug. 8, 1961, kicking off the Marvel Age of Comics!  Way to go, Stan and Jack!   Thanks for all the great comics.

Check out the Kirby Museum for more about Jack Kirby.   Stan Lee can be found online at POW! Entertainment and on twitter.   Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four page can be found at the Marvel site.

The Lee-Kirby run on “Fantastic Four” is rightly remembered as a high water mark for comics at the time, and it certainly changed much of what came after.  If you’ve never read any, I recommend making the time.

- Matt Price

Nerdage reached out to Oklahoma City University’s Marc DiPaolo, author of the book “War, Politics, and Superheroes,” for his take on the new Spider-Man in “Ultimate Spider-Man.”   POSSIBLE SPOILER: Miles Morales takes on the role of Spider-Man in “Ultimate Fallout” #4, on sale now.

Here’s what DiPaolo had to say:

If Morales is well-written, believable, and has an interesting personality, he could be a wonderful role model and a long-overdue superhero for black and Hispanic comic book readers to relate to. He also has the potential to add some much-needed diversity to the comic book world. He will more likely draw new readers to comics than win over old readers, though, because current comic book fans tend to be entrenched in their views of what their heroes should look and act like and are resistant to change.

No doubt conservative comic book fans will complain that this move by Marvel represents political correctness run amok, but the same complaint was leveled at the Justice League cartoon in 2000 when it included nontraditional cast members like the pseudo-Hispanic Hawkgirl and black Green Lantern John Stewart. And, as anyone who actually watched the series knows, they wound up being the two most compelling characters.

Significantly, Miles Morales is not replacing Peter Parker in the main Marvel Universe, nor is he going to be the Spider-Man in the fourth Spider-Man movie. He is replacing Peter Parker in the somewhat-high-profile comic book Ultimate Spider-Man. In a way, this move by Marvel is a win-win. Fans of Peter Parker won’t lament that he is “gone” altogether and Morales will not have to compete directly with the ghost of Peter the way that, say, the black Iron Man (James Rhodes) has to compete with the white Iron Man (Tony Stark) for comic book and movie screen time or the black Green Lantern (John Stewart) has to compete with the white Green Lantern (Hal Jordan).

In a way, Morales may be Marvel’s apology for the character of Darwin in X-Men: First Class. That character was a much-anticipated bi-racial mutant who had very little screen time and no personality to speak of and he was killed right away. I think it is a safe bet that Ultimate Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis will give Morales more respect than that, especially since Bendis has already proven capable of writing strong, likable black characters, like Luke Cage. Of course, if Miles winds up being a really big hit, his fans might one day want to see him be the Spider-Man featured in a $200 million movie adaptation and not Parker.

It might seem a little cheesy “changing the race” of an established character instead of inventing a new, multiracial hero from whole-cloth, but new black and mixed-race characters are created almost every year and they rarely “take off,” so this kind of move is needed to create the necessary buzz to generate sales and to make a non-white character into an A-list superhero automatically.

This bit from my book might also be of interest:

One of the few successful transformations of a traditional white character into a black one was the refitting of white, cigar-chomping, eye-patch-wearing World War II veteran Nick Fury into the bald, black, eye-patch-wearing Samuel L. Jackson, founder of the 21st century incarnation of the Avengers and director of S.H.I.E.L.D. The characterization seemed to have “taken” because the new Nick Fury was part of the justification for the creating of a parallel Marvel Universe called the Ultimate Universe, and he was featured as a supporting player in two enormously popular comic books, The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch and Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. The fact that Samuel L. Jackson consented to play the character that was now drawn to look exactly like him in the Iron Man and Avengers films helped the change stick. If Jackson had been less popular with comic book readers, or the black Nick Fury had not been drawn to look like an already famous black man, the alteration might not have been as successful.

- Marc DiPaolo
Assistant Professor of Film and English at Oklahoma City University
Author of War, Politics, and Superheroes.

Norman’s Atomik Pop, 918 W Main, closes Saturday after 27 years in business.

The store, previously known as Planet Comics and Southside Comics, reached new heights in popularity during the manga boom of the 2000s.   But manager Bart Bush said via facebook that the economy, changes in consumer buying habits and overall rising expenses have led to the need to close the store.   The Atomik Pop in Oklahoma City, 7884 S. Western, will remain open.

Full disclosure note: I am one of the owners of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, and so a lot of people would consider me to be in competition with Atomik Pop.  I’ve never felt that way.  I’ve always felt that Bart and his group were almost like teammates trying to raise the tide of comics in Norman with us.   I’ve been deeply saddened by the store’s impending closure.   There are few people in the state – heck, probably in the world – with the knowledge of Golden Age comics, early comics retail and comic book history like Bart, who opened the first comic shop in the state back in 1974. Atomik Pop owner Steve Richter also deserves credit for his years of making Atomik Pop a go-to destination store.

I told Bart personally, but I’ll also say publicly – the city will be worse off without Atomik Pop, which provided many fans their first comic-book exposure via its high-traffic location across from Norman High School.   I even give Bart credit for my Jim Starlin fandom, as I’m pretty sure it was him who sold me on “Silver Surfer” back in the early 1990s. (I didn’t confirm this with him, so it could be faulty memory talking.)

My best wishes to the employees and customers of Atomik Pop. It’s always sad to see a favorite location close, and I encourage everyone to cherish their memories of it. I know that I will.

- Matt Price

If watching Chris Evans as Captain America take on Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull in this week’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” film whets your appetite for more of the star-spangled hero, you’re in luck. Marvel Comics has several trade paperback and hardcover editions in print collecting the hero’s adventures.

Captain America first appeared in “Captain America Comics” No. 1, with a cover date of March 1941. Captain America became one of the most popular wartime heroes, but his popularity waned in the postwar era, and by 1953 his comic had been canceled.

But the Captain hadn’t been forgotten. When Stan Lee began his Marvel Comics line of superheroes in the early 1960s, he remembered Captain America, who had been published by Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel. He revived Captain America in the pages of “Avengers” No. 4 and starred him in his own stories in “Tales of Suspense.”

The first of Lee’s and Jack Kirby’s Silver Age Captain America solo stories are collected in “Marvel Masterworks: Captain America.” The origins of Captain America, his nemesis the Red Skull and Cap’s partner, Bucky, are all in this collection.

This paperback collection also features the Cosmic Cube and Baron Zemo’s army of assassins. It includes the Captain America stories from “Tales of Suspense” Nos. 59-81.

Steve Englehart was one of the most prominent writers to tackle Captain America in the 1970s. His storylines “Secret Empire” and “Nomad” are among the most famous adventures of Captain America.

Captain America discovers a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of the U.S. government. He’s disillusioned by what he’s discovered, and gives up the Captain America identity to become Nomad. This Watergate-era Captain America examined what happened to the country’s greatest super-heroic symbol when the government failed to live up to his trust. “Secret Empire” ran in issues 169-176 of “Captain America.” “Nomad” ran in issues 177-186.

Roger Stern and John Byrne had a brief but memorable run on “Captain America” in the 1980s, collected in the “War and Remembrance” hardcover edition. It features Captain America mulling a presidential run, and an updated version of his origin.

Mark Gruenwald became the longest-serving writer of Captain America during his run in the 1980s and 1990s. His best-known storyline, “The Captain,” recently was collected in trade paperback.

In “Captain America” No. 332, a government commission demands that Captain America answer solely to it. Rogers refuses and gives up the costume of Captain America. In the storyline, the government hires its own Captain America, and Steve Rogers continues to fight for liberty while wearing a predominantly black costume and calling himself simply “The Captain.”

Artists for the storyline were Tom Morgan and Kieron Dwyer.

Gruenwald ended his run in 1995 and was replaced by writer Mark Waid, who with artist Ron Garney created the storyline “Operation Rebirth,” which sees Captain America alongside the Red Skull against Adolf Hitler.

This storyline, collected in hardcover, contains Captain America Nos. 444-448 and Nos. 450-454.

In recent years, writer Ed Brubaker has been the man behind the “Captain America” saga. The “Captain America: Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection” features an action-packed, espionage-tinged Captain America tale featuring the Red Skull, the Cosmic Cube and a plot against the United States. There’s also the return of a long-absent member of Captain America’s supporting cast.

Artists include Steve Epting, Mike Perkins and Michael Lark.

If you’d rather start with the latest comic book, Marvel’s made that easy, too. Brubaker and artist Steve McNiven (“Civil War”) have launched a new “Captain America” No. 1, on sale now, to draw in recent converts to the character.

“I gave myself a few challenges for this new No. 1 — I wanted to do the perfect Cap comic for anyone who walks out of the Cap movie and wants to know what’s next, but it also had to build on everything I’ve done on the book beforehand, too, and feel like the natural next step,” Brubaker said in a news release.

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

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

Clifford Meth reports the death of Gene Colan, one of the truly great comic-book artists in the history of the medium.   Colan was 84.    Meth reports that Colan died about 11 pm on June 23.

Colan worked in comics as early as 1944, and is heavily associated with his work on “Daredevil” from 1966-1973.   He co-created Marvel’s first African-American hero, The Falcon, in the pages of “Captain America.”  And in the 1970s, he was the artist for arguably the decade’s best comic, “Tomb of Dracula.”   He drew Steve Gerber’s cult hit “Howard the Duck,” and had a well-remembered run on “Batman” and “Detective Comics” in the 1980s.

Remembrances were pouring in on twitter, where Colan was a trending topic.

“Amazing Spider-Man” writer Dan Slott wrote:

“I only had the honor of meeting Gene Colan the one time, I asked him if he had any advice about working in our industry, and he said…’The most important part of our job is to enjoy what we do.’  Thank you, Gene Colan, for a lifetime of wonderful comics.”

IDW Publishing CEO said Colan had a huge influence on his company.

“Sorry to see that Gene Colan is no longer with us,” he wrote on twitter.  ”Tomb of Dracula kept me reading comics. There would be no IDW without that book.”

Joplin, Mo. artist Jeremy Haun, who is the upcoming artist of Top Cow’s The Darkness, shared his thoughts as well.

“Sad to hear about the passing of Gene Colan,” he wrote on twitter.  ”He was truly one of the greats. His work on Tomb of Dracula was so inspiring to me growing up.”

Colan had a hand in so many things that I loved about comics that it’s difficult to accept he’s gone.  I remember as a young teenager picking up back issues of his “Captain America” and being impressed by this artist who seemed to make this fantastic world of the Marvel Universe seem so real.   As I got older, I discovered his work on titles like “Tomb of Dracula” and “Howard the Duck,” both of which were very influential.  And even last year, reading his “Captain America” #601 with Ed Brubaker, I was stoked that one of my old favorite artists was now part of one of my new favorite comic-book runs.    He will be missed.

- Matt Price

In the heady comics boom days of the early 1990s, Valiant Comics were among the hottest properties, with titles including the mysterious Shadowman, the armored barbarian X-O Manowar and the superpowered teens of “Harbinger.”

The new Valiant Entertainment recently announced plans to return to comic book stores in 2012. Warren Simons, former editor of Marvel Comics titles including “Invincible Iron Man” and “Thor,” will bring his skills to the revamped Valiant. Last week, Simons was named executive editor of the company.

In an interview with The Oklahoman, Simons says the company’s focus will be on comic books, though a number of film properties are also in development.

“As a company, we’re about comic books first, and comic book stores are the best way to reach our readership,” Simons said. “Stores and retailers will be our most important fans and advocates. We plan to work with them through traditional channels but also to develop and maintain relationships through new vehicles like social media. There are many different ways we can communicate and stay in touch with our fans and retail partners, and we intend to make use of all of them.”

Simons said he sees a chance for the Valiant characters to make an impact on the modern comic book market.

“These characters still resonate,” Simons said. “Many of the core concepts driving them are brilliant and timeless. And we think there’s tremendous potential to tell incredibly exciting stories with these characters. Valiant has a reputation for breaking molds and avoiding cliches, and we intend to continue pushing Valiant storytelling to the next level.”

And while comic book stores are seen as a focus, Valiant won’t ignore the emerging digital marketplace.

“Because Valiant is relaunching at a time of unprecedented media channels, we have a unique opportunity to produce comics across multiple platforms with forethought and consistency,” Simons said. “We’re excited for the possibilities in the digital space.”

Simons said title announcements weren’t ready yet, but some of the company’s “most beloved characters” will be key to the relaunch.

“There are a number of great characters worthy of the spotlight, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Archer & Armstrong, Eternal Warrior, Rai, Ninjak and Shadowman, to name a few,” he said.

He said the coherent Valiant Universe will be among the selling points for the new line.

“Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bob Layton and all the talented writers and artists who first introduced the Valiant characters built a three-dimensional universe that readers could dive into headfirst,” he said. “They did this with a set of great ideas that we intend to honor and update. Chief among these is a coherent universe with strong interconnectivity and clear continuity.”

He said the classic Valiant universe will be the “backbone” of new storytelling, but that everything in the line will be re-energized and updated for modern audiences.

“The successes of Valiant’s past will be a guiding force behind our new stories,” he said.

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

Green Lantern toys are on display at the Toy & Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley.

Green Lantern, an intergalactic peace officer who stars in comic books from DC Comics, has probably his highest profile ever this month.

Ryan Reynolds will star as Hal Jordan, Earth’s defender in the Green Lantern Corps, in the movie “Green Lantern” opening Friday, June 17.

The Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw St. in Pauls Valley, is celebrating the release with a weekend-long event starting Saturday, June 11.

And DC Comics announced a brand-new “Green Lantern” No. 1 comic for September, written by Geoff Johns, the company’s chief creative officer, who has been involved in the film adaptation.

“It’s building off the Green Lantern stories I’ve done since ‘Rebirth,’”Johns told The Associated Press about the series, which features art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy. “Taking it in a very new direction that we’ve never seen in ‘Green Lantern’ before.”

Green Lantern first appeared in the 1940s as Alan Scott. This first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell. He first appeared in July 1940′s All-American Comics No. 16, and he had a magically powered Green Lantern ring.

“Of all the Green Lanterns, he really stands out,” said Kevin Stark, curator of the Toy & Action Figure Museum. “He’s got the cape, he’s got the red shirt. He’s really totally different from all the Green Lanterns.”

After superheroes fell out of favor in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Green Lantern disappeared from comic book racks.

But the concept would return, this time with a science fiction tinge.

Hal Jordan first appeared in “Showcase” No. 22 in October 1959 as part of the so-called “Silver Age” revamp of the DC Comics characters. Hal Jordan, a test pilot, became Green Lantern when a dying

Green Lantern in "Showcase" No. 22

alien selected Jordan to replace him as a member of the Green Lantern Corps.

“I do like the Hal Jordan Green Lantern a lot also,” Stark said. “I like the whole concept of this space police force. Having a lot of characters … where they carry a theme throughout the costume, the costumes are variations on a theme, I really like that. I think that’s cool.”

There have been other Green Lanterns featured in DC Comics through the years, including Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner and John Stewart, all of whom still appear in the comics and will be involved in new series in September. “Green Lantern Corps,” featuring Guy Gardner and John Stewart will be written by Peter J. Tomasi and illustrated by Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna. “Green Lantern: The New Guardians,” starring Kyle Rayner will be written by Tony Bedard and illustrated by Tyler Kirkham and Batt.

Fans who dress as any Green Lantern will receive free admission to the Toy & Action Figure Museum from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. If you can’t swing an entire costume, wearing green will get you $1 off museum admission.

The museum has a new Green Lantern display and will have giveaways of items related to the upcoming film.

For more information, go to www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

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

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.

Google is celebrating the birthday of cartoonist Will Eisner with a Google logo today based on Will Eisner’s most famous creation, The Spirit.

Read Scott McCloud’s remembrance of the influential cartoonist, who died in 2005, on the Google Blog.

- Matt Price

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.

“It was almost impossible to start choosing,” Aragones said in a recent phone interview. “I would have published it all … ‘The Complete Works,’ but since I’m still working for the magazine, that cannot be done.”

The 272-page book, published in late 2010, features cartoon stories such as “A Mad Look at the Olympics,” “A Mad Pictorial Look at the United States,” and “A Mad Look at UFOs.” The ongoing series “The Shadow Knows” featured characters whose true thoughts were revealed by the actions of their shadows.

“It was very interesting seeing the progress and the changes,” Aragones said, who was hired by the magazine at age 24, and continues to work there today.

Aragones is well-known for his wordless “marginals,” cartoons that run down the side of the magazine’s pages.

From “Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works”

It wasn’t common to see wordless cartoons in the United States at that time, but Aragones convinced the powers that be at Mad to give him a shot drawing the marginal cartoons, replacing topical jokes that once were on the page borders.

“They said, ‘Let’s run him until he runs out of ideas,’” he said. “That was it. I’m still coming up with them.”

Aragones, who lives and works in Ojai, Calif., also co-created the barbarian parody “Groo, the Wanderer” with writer Mark Evanier. The character has appeared in more than 100 comic books and plans are in the works for more.

“I’m still doing it,” Aragones said. “I’m working right now on one issue of a crossover with Conan and Groo, and I’m … also doing ‘The Simpsons.’”

When Mad went bimonthly, Aragones said he received a lot of calls about taking on new projects.

“Right now I’m very busy,” Aragones said.

Aragones said he still enjoys the process of creating cartoons, and at age 73, has no plans to retire.

“Every day, I think jokes and ideas. And that’s part of my life, the sitting there to create, to try to make people laugh,” Aragones said. “And then the other part is sitting and drawing it, which is very comfortable … and time just flies. You’re doing something you like, and time flies.”

“Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works,” published by Running Press, has a suggested retail price of $29.95.

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

ComicsPRO, the direct-market comic-book retail trade organization, has announced its nominees for the 2011 Industry Appreciation Award, to be given at the organization’s annual membership meeting in February.

The award is for those who have had an impact on the business of comic-book retail.   There are two categories: one for active professionals, and the Memorial Award for those who have passed away.

“ComicsPRO members are proud to highlight the achievements of the many people who have made this industry a better and more successful place to work,” said Amanda Emmert, ComicsPRO Executive Director, in a news release. “The Board of Directors has a difficult time narrowing the ballot each year.”

The 2011 nominees for the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award are Diamond Comics Distributors’ owner and founder Steve Geppi; writer/artist/publisher Denis Kitchen; former Marvel president and chairman Stan Lee; Diamond’s Vice President for Purchasing Bill Schanes; and DC Comics’ Senior Vice President of Sales Bob Wayne.

The 2011 nominees for the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Memorial Award are Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Julius Schwartz and Phil Seuling.

Last year’s recipient was Paul Levitz, former president and publisher of DC Comics. The 2010 Industry Appreciation Memorial Award was presented in memory of Carol Kalish, a former Direct Sales Manager at Marvel Comics.

“The Industry Appreciation Award gives ComicsPRO members the opportunity to express gratitude to those who have contributed significantly to the business of selling comics in general and the Direct Market in particular,” said ComicsPRO Director Carr D’Angelo, co-owner of Earth-2 Comics in California, in a news release.  “It’s our ‘Hall of Fame’ for those whose efforts make the world better for retailers.”

Find out more about the nominees at http://comicspro.blogspot.com.

- Matt Price

The Great Treasury of Christmas Comic Book Stories

WORD BALLOONS

Classic tales of Santa Claus, his reindeer, friendly elves and helpful snowmen populate “The Great Treasury of Christmas Comic Book Stories,” edited and designed by Craig Yoe.

Yoe, who previously edited and designed “The Golden Collection of Krazy Kool Klassic Kids’ Komics,” has collated another collection that should delight young and old alike. Artists represented in the collection include John Stanley (“Little Lulu”), Walt Kelly (“Pogo”) and Richard Scarry (Little Golden Books).

The stories, primarily from the 1950s and 1960s, have a charm and innocence and are compelling holiday-season tales that deserve the new audience.

“When I was a little kid, as opposed to the big kid I am now, one of the best parts of Christmas was the comic books that Santa Claus always, without fail, brought me — he knew what I liked!” Yoe writes in the introduction to the book. “Christmas comic stories have some of the best art and most fun stories of any comic books. That’s because some of the greatest artists and writers did some of their finest work on these tales.”

Stanley, perhaps the best children’s cartoonist of all time, provides five stories in this collection.

“Santa’s Return Trip” follows the plight of a sleepy elf that gets wrapped in a child’s Christmas gift.

Among the four Walt Kelly tales included in the book is “How Santa Got His Red Suit.” Kelly explains how Santa Claus got his famous suit in a whimsical tale as a group of elves — and one giant — help create Santa’s iconic costume. Kelly also writes and draws the heartwarming story of Ticky Tack, the littlest reindeer.

Scarry illustrates “The Shoemaker and the Elves,” which adds a Christmas twist to the Brothers Grimm fable.

Mike Sekowsky, best-known for his work on DC Comics’ “Justice League of America,” provides an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” that is abbreviated but still moving.

Another classic adapted is “The Night Before Christmas,” adapted in a sprightly, kinetic manner by artist Dan Gormley.

The collection wraps up with an adaptation of the Christmas story from the Gospel of St. Matthew. Alberto Giolitti, known for Gold Key’s “Star Trek” comics and Dell series including “Turok” and “Cisco Kid,” creates a beautifully illustrated adaptation that first appeared in 1954′s “A Christmas Treasury” from Dell Publishing.

Published by IDW, “The Great Treasury of Christmas Comic Book Stories” is a fine collection for any time of year but is especially resonant during the Christmas season.

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

It was announced yesterday that Mike Grell is taking over as editor-in-chief at Ardden Entertainment, which is spearheading the revival of the Atlas line of comics this March.  I’m not sure how many people reading were fans of the Atlas line, or have since sought them out, but they are an interesting line of comics featuring work from creators including Neal Adams, Wally Wood and Steve Ditko.

What was your favorite Atlas/Seaboard title from the 1970s?  Vote below, and find out more about each of the books at the web site www.atlasarchives.com, which is a great reference for Atlas/Seaboard fans.  According to Atlas Archives, the entire Atlas/Seaboard Comics line consisted of 23 titles and 61 issues.