Comic Book Collection News and Updates

We all know about the giants of the comic book world, Marvel & DC. But there are also a plethora of small and independent comic book publishers. How have the last few years treated them? Here is how one company is handling it:

"Surviving in a Tougher Comic Book Market
By Hervé St.Louis
Oct 30, 2006 - 7:31:37 AM

The years 2005 and 2006 were tough for small publishers as Marvel Comics and DC Comics launched an onslaught of comic books to gain a market share in the North American comic book market. As retailers are trying to fulfil orders and stock up on products published by the two publishers, smaller publishers are feeling the effects of the competition with smaller orders and a more competitive market. Avatar Press is one of those publishers, that continues to compete in a difficult market.

Avatar Press has been publishing comic books since 1997 and 2007 will mark its tenth anniversary. In time for the occasion, the publisher has several trump cards in its plans. Some of them include more series by star creator Brian Pulido, who started the bad girl craze for Avatar press.

According to Avatar Press' publisher, William Christensen, they "have been producing very few adult series in the past few years, sales were very soft."

Another strategy comic book publishers use..." For the rest of the story, Avatar Comics! Although I haven't purchased and Stargate SG-1 comics yet, it is one of the better series on the Sci Fi channel. I may need to look into purchasing some Avatar comics on this series! Dave

November 3, 2006 07:31 - Kids & Comic Books!

Are comic books still for kids? You bet. I started my fascination when I was young, as I am sure, most of us did. Many comic books these days are written for the older generation, which I am glad for. But the industry does need to entice and titillate the next group of comic book fans. Read on:

"OH, SNAP! A DAY FOR COMICS: Illustrated books festival features Michigan authors

November 3, 2006
BY JULIE HINDS

In "Heir to Fire," Ryan Morales gets invited to a cute girl's pool party and battles to save his town from a giant mutant spider.

It's a creepy-cool adventure from Actionopolis, a new line of illustrated novels for young readers that's spun a web of Michigan connections.

Brain-stinging spiders are just the ticket for drawing in kids who'd rather be immersed in video games than books, says Rob Worley, 42, of Madison Heights, author of "Heir to Fire" (Actionopolis/Komikwerks, $12.95).

"There's just something fascinating about imagining creatures that don't exist in the real world," he says. "It's fun to imagine they might really be out there."

Worley and other Actionopolis authors are set to appear Saturday at SNAP! The Comic Arts Festival in Dearborn, a one-day gathering that highlights local and regional self-published and small-press comics creators.

Dan and Katie Merritt of Dearborn's Green Brain Comics launched the event in 2005 to give comic book fans a chance to meet some of the talent in their own backyard. This year's lineup includes more than 40 special guests.

For Worley, SNAP! is a chance to spread the word on Actionopolis books, which hit stores in September and are aimed at ages 8 and up.

In the world of comic books, "it's, like, 40-year-old guys writing for 35-year-old guys, and nobody's writing for kids anymore," says Worley, who's also the founder of Comics2film.com, a Web site that covers the intersection of comics and movies." More comics for kids.

So, does your children have the same engrossing fascination for the comic hero as you do? You may just want to pick up a few comic books written for the younger generation and leave them lying around. Who knows, you may develop something in common with your children and keep them from all the other bad crap available in the world today!

Dave

November 6, 2006 08:05 - Young Comic Book Creators!

Well, well, well! Here is a follow on to my last post. Some youngsters are starting to learn a little about comic book creation and expanding their minds. Read all about it:

"Kids create own comic books
Blac Ice brothers teach techniques

TAMARA SHEPHARD
Nov. 2, 2006

Black comic strip superheroes - and their creators - are encouraging artistic confidence in a pilot project with two classes of Grade 7 students.

Freeze DNA and Blac Ice Comics brothers Anthony and Justin Stanberry, and Jermaine Smith instructed about 70 Second Street Junior Middle School students in comic book illustration techniques for two-and-a-half hours each week for the past month.

The result - two professionally published comic books featuring the students' comic book characters. Each student contributed a page of pencil crayon-coloured character panels.

Shanyse Rowe, 12, based her character and story on the pink Ipod she desperately wants for Christmas.

"I was one of those kids who takes their drawings and crumples them up. There would be a whole pile of paper on the floor," she said. "I stuck with drawing my name in bubble letters. Now, I've gained confidence. I draw at home. I draw characters that are myself with different emotions."

Wednesday afternoon 31 students sat in two rows of desks finishing off their comics, and thanking the brothers for the "awesome" experience.

"I'm a much better drawer now than I was before," said Mitchell Pusey, 12, adding he'd only ever read the Garfield comic strip in the newspaper.

Shazaam! Story and Illustration Art Project for Youth is funded by Lakeshore Community Partnership and the City of Toronto's Culture Division, with support from Lakeshore Arts.

"When we hear the overwhelming response, we know there's a demand for it," said Freeze DNA executive director Justin Stanberry. "Kids gain knowledge or improve their skills in a fun and contemporary manner."

It all begins with a simple circle..." Finish young comic book creators here!

It is good that the young of today are learning more about comic book creation techniques and really enjoying it! These young minds will become the comic book industry leaders of tomorrow. With the help of the new generation, will comic books take over the world (ha ha)? It might be a better place if they did.

Dave

November 7, 2006 08:29 - New Comic Book Cataloging Software!

Hot dog! I had a unique contact at the "contact me" page the other day. Dave Macy of ComicCollectorLive left me a press release about his and his partner's new comic book cataloging software, which they plan to release in December. And guess what? It is free! Here is the press release:

FOR RELEASE (EMBARGO UNTIL 6PM NOV. 4TH) November 5th, 2006 ***

(Hendersonville, TN) New Comic Collection Software set to explode into the Comic Book community! Its just what comic book collectors, both casual and serious, have been waiting for!

ComicCollectorLive.com is up and taking registrations for its 100% FREE desktop software. The launch of the collectible portion is set for December '06, with the ability to buy and sell all or parts of your collection scheduled to debut February 1, 2007!

When you download ComicCollectorLive you'll be able to organize, track, and even appraise your collection with just a click. It's a comic book software made for EVERYONE who loves comic books. You can easily manage your collection, build your wish list, and with one click buy or sell, and best of all, ComicCollectorLive pays you cash every time one of your referrals buys or sells a comic book! Kaa-ching! That's correct. When you refer your friends to download the FREE software, you'll earn 10% every time they buy or sell a comic book.

Joe Butler, President and CEO of MidTen Media Inc. created CCL out of love of collecting and to fill what he felt was a huge void in the industry. "As a collector, I need a software product to catalog my collection. I want to know what issues were printed for a specific title. How many of the issues I have of that title, and what issues I need to complete my collection of that title. I need to know what the value of each issue is, and what it is going to cost me to complete my collection, based on the current market value.

If I want to sell an issue, I need to know how "sought after" that issue is. If I need an issue to complete my collection, I need to know if it is available, and the market value of that issue. That's what Comic Collector Live does!"

***To register for the FREE software and affiliate marketing program simply log on to www.comiccollectorlive.com. Beginning Nov. 5th or pre-register by calling: (for interview contacts call MidTen Media Inc., 615-264-4747 for Joe Butler or Dave Macy) For free banner links to affiliate pgm call Joe B.

So, I would rush over and register at Dave and Joe's site now. Then when they have the software ready, you will get a notice before the rest of the world knows about it. And I would sure appreciate your comments on what you think about the software. Later.

Dave

November 10, 2006 11:01 - All Kinds of Freebees for Next to Nothing!

The last several weeks I have been privy to a site that was getting ready to launch. Well, it has now launched. For a buck and a quarter, you can gain access and download a bunch of cool books, videos and various other products for free. Just the introductory charge of $1.23.

This will be a very interesting site to surf around and see what you can see. I have even donated a couple of products for anyone to enjoy. The one you may be interested in is on comic books. Once you get signed up for the site, you can find my comic book ebook under the entertainment category. You can then download it for free and I hope that you find it of real value.

You may want to pass this site on to your friends. There are many products in 23 different categories that many others may find extremely interesting and helpful.

So cruise over to the URL here and grab my comic book ebook and any other gift you may see of interest. Have fun:

www.123giftforme.com

Dave

November 13, 2006 08:26 - Anybody for News on Dark Horse?

Well, many may not know who Dark Horse Comics are. But they have been around for quite a few years and are considered one of the big four in the comic book industry. Here is an update on what Dark Horse has coming up in the future:

"A Quirky Superhero of the Comics Trade

If you are a Dark Horse aficionado with an insatiable appetite, the company has more in store for next year.

YOU may not know a little publishing company called Dark Horse Comics, but if you are a fan of Concrete (whose brain was transplanted by aliens into a stone body), Hellboy (he of the sawed-off red horns, satanic red tail and gargantuan red fist) or Sin City (the violent, edge-of-desperation town where people and principles are routinely bought and sold), then you certainly know its characters and its comic books.

And if you are a Dark Horse aficionado with an insatiable appetite, the company has more in store for next year. A new comic book series about Buffy the Vampire Slayer is on its way, written by Joss Whedon, who wrote and helped produce the popular television series of the same name. Dark Horse will also release "Star Wars: Legacy Vol. 1," chronicling the distant future of the Jedi, as well as "300: The Art of the Film," an account of the movie adaptation of Frank Miller's comic book mini-series about an ancient, epic battle between Spartan and Persian soldiers.

By nurturing and backing a quirky, brooding and inventive stable of writers and artists, Dark Horse has spent the last 20 years carving out and maintaining its place as a scrappy comic book franchise in an industry dominated by Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics.

Dark Horse, which is privately held, has endured in an industry where many small publishers last less than a year. It has thrived, its owners say, by sharing financial success with its artists and taking its role as an independent publisher very, very seriously.

"Every comic we do, whether we ask to share the film or toy rights or not, we publish because we think it's a great comic," said Mike Richardson, who founded Dark Horse 20 years ago and is the company's president. "We want to survive far into the future, but we also want to leave a legacy."

The Dark Horse approach calls for protecting the creative and financial rights of its contributors - including giving them a cut of the profits - and publishing comics that are well out of the mainstream (meaning fewer capes and cowls)…" Finish the Dark Horse Comics article here!

Hellboy and Sin City are two of my favorite Dark Horse works. I hope you have a Dark Horse comic or two in your collection also. Later.

Dave

November 15, 2006 09:17 - Nicolas Cage is Really Getting into this Comic Book Thing!

As we all know by now, Nicolas Gage is starring as Johnny Blaze in the new Ghost Rider movie next year. But it looks like he has been tapped for another comic book movie. And Cage also had one of the biggest comic book collections that he sold last year. Here is the new movie article he is planning on:

"Nicolas Cage In Another Comic Book Movie - The Sadhu
November 14, 2006

Nicolas Cage, who is starring in the upcoming comic book movie Ghost Rider as Johnny Blaze will also be starring in another upcoming comic book film. Virgin Comics is adapting The Sadhu into a feature film and are creating it for Nic Cage. ComingSoon.net posted the news, and here are some of the details from it:

The script will be written by spiritual author and Virgin Comics co-founder Deepak Chopra.

The Sadhu, created and written by Chopra's son, Gotham, chief creative officer of Virgin Comics, melds action with mythology from India. Cage will play James Jenson, a soldier who travels to India during colonial times and becomes a spiritual warrior.

"'The Sadhu' is a bold, visual epic that taps into one of India's most heralded spiritual traditions," Devarajan said.

As long as it stays out of the Bollywood range, I'm all for this. Never heard of the comic but from what I've read, it sounds and looks great! Go Nic Cage, our new comic book hero!"

Well, I learned something here. I didn't realize that Deepak Chopra was into comic books. That is an interesting tidbit. I have been aware of Deepak for years and his self help products. He even has a degree in Physics, as well as I do. Good to see he is also interested in the comic book world. Carry on Nic & Deepak!

Dave

November 17, 2006 08:34 - Dave Sim's Cerebus!

Although, I have never learned much about Cerebus the barbarian aardvark, here is a rather interesting article I found in one of my local papers:

" 'Cerebus' comic book a publishing pioneer

By Craig Holyoak
Deseret Morning News

In the late 1970s, Dave Sim had an idea for his newly conceived comic book.

Art Dave Sim And Gerhard, Aardvark Vanaheim Inc.Cerebus as warrior He would create an entire lifetime for his protagonist, a barbarian aardvark named Cerebus. Sim would write and draw the story to fill 300 issues, then let Cerebus die (not disappear in a dream sequence or fade into the sunset, but die, d-i-e, die) in the final pages of the final issue. And Cerebus wouldn't die heroically but on his bedroom floor, "alone, unmourned and unloved."

This concept alone was enough to put "Cerebus" on its way to earning its first-class creative license.

Add to that the facts that the books were self-published (in Canada, no less); were not drawn in color but in black and white (well, sort of white - it is printed on newsprint that yellows with age); and were concerned with historic and current affairs (not superheroes or space adventure), and you have a one-of-a-kind comic-book enterprise.

Remarkably, the whole thing made a considerable amount of money.

Sim pioneered another aspect of cartooning by combining already printed monthly issues of "Cerebus" into large volumes, something no publisher had done before. Sim became a father of the graphic novel.

"Cerebus" became an icon of the comic-book world, breaking all kinds of comic-business rules and turning out more than 6,000 pages of material in 26 years, from 1977 to 2003.

The most fortunate development in "Cerebus" came about with a chance meeting in the early 1980s between Sim and another Canadian artist, Gerhard, who came aboard with his remarkably disciplined, crosshatched inkwork that filled the previously empty backgrounds of Cerebus' world with beautiful architecture and classic interiors.

Even though the series ended in 2003, it is enjoying an active afterlife as Sim and Gerhard fly across the continent meeting the devoted and the curious and discussing Cerebus-related topics, as they did recently at Great Salt Lake Book Festival in Salt Lake City..." And now you can finish the article on Cerebus!

Although, I haven't followed the character development with this Aardvark, are there any other Cerebus fans around? Would love to hear your opinion on this character!

Dave

November 20, 2006 10:46 - Aren't We Glad that Comic book Writers Like to Write!

Why do comic book writers like to write comics? Does this question ever go through your mind? Here is why one writer likes to write:

"Mike Bullock on "Why I Write Comics"
Posted by Brian Cronin,
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006 12:00 PM

Mike Bullock currently writes Lions, Tigers and Bears for Image Comics and The Phantom for Moonstone Comics. His website is www.runemasterstudios.com.

There's a somewhat indescribable feeling I get when anything touches my imagination, a rush of anticipation mixed with hope, wonder, excitement and something else that is, well, indescribable. Since I was old enough to really be self-aware, I've recognized that this feeling has brought me more happiness than any new toy, game or other material possession ever could. It's that same sensation I get when I watch a great movie or, you guessed it, read a good comic book.

As I've grown older, it seems it has become harder and harder for external stimuli to engage that shift lever which pushes my imagination into overdrive. I'm sure there are plenty of studies conducted by men and women in various collegiate arenas that show just how and why this happens to all of us as we age, but for me, it's simply the real world responsibilities of adult life trampling my 'make believe' time until my brain has come to expect nothing else.

So, with that in mind, when people ask me why I write comics, my first response is non-verbal, sincere and irrevocable: I smile.

Within milliseconds of the muscles in my face pulling at the corners of my mouth, cheeks and eyes, my lungs send a blast of air across my vocal chords then past my lips to form the words, "It's a lot of fun."

This, as the title of this column states, is as it should be. Let me explain.

Not only do I have a blast telling tales of Joey and the Night Pride in Lions, Tigers and Bears, I get a big kick out of imagining the exploits of the oldest costumed super hero in the pages of The Phantom. In addition, I have a great time concocting adventures involving Firestorm, Moon Knight, ROM, Luke Skywalker, The Lone Ranger and dozens of others, but for now, I can't share those with the rest of you.

So, what is it about comics that make them fun for me? Well, I don't want to spend too much time dissecting my passion, but I can say with utmost certainty imagination is the key ingredient..." Finish the rest of Mike's article here.

Are there any aspiring comic book writers out there? Do any of Mike's reasons for writing come to heart? I am just glad that those who have more talent than I do also have deep-seated reasons for writing comics books so I can keep reading them. Ta.

Dave

November 22, 2006 09:31 - Is NBC's "Heroes" Just for Comic Book Fans?

I think not! Heroes has been breaking all kinds of TV records. I can't wait for each episode. Although, I do enjoy comic books, I believe I would enjoy this series had I not ever picked up a comic book. Here is what others are saying:

" `Heroes' snags fans by humanizing super powers
By Joey Holleman

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Did Claire the cheerleader really kill the quarterback? When did Hiro learn English and ditch the dorky glasses? Who is this evil Sylar, and what exactly are his powers?

If you're not asking yourself these questions, you're missing out on the hottest new show of the television season, "Heroes." The common-people-with-uncommon-powers drama on NBC ranks first in its 9 p.m. ET Monday time slot and has added a new phrase to the pop culture lexicon: "Save The Cheerleader. Save The World."

The drama is water-cooler-worthy partly because how it harnessed the Internet and cultivated an army of sidekicks in comic book fans.

Viewers are drawn in by the complicated plot lines and conflicted characters. It's along the lines of "Twin Peaks" or "Lost," but taken to another level with the hook about people suddenly realize they are extraordinary.

"It's the dream of most people, I guess," said Angela Ruot, manager of Silver City Comics in Cayce, S.C. "They wake up one day and they're not ordinary anymore. They're special."

There's Claire, the cheerleader whose body can recover from any wound; Nathan, the politician who can fly; Isaac, the artist who can paint the future (albeit only when whacked out on heroin); Niki, the online stripper with a serious Jekyll-Hyde complex; Hiro, the Japanese officer worker who can bend time; and Peter, who thinks he can fly.

NBC cultivated an early buzz during the summer by taking most of the cast members to a sneak preview at Comic-Con, the massive comic book convention in San Diego. The Internet soon was abuzz, but unlike the even louder buzz for the movie "Snakes on a Plane," this was more than just noise..." And to finish the Heroes article!

It will be very interesting to see how this season pans out and what future seasons may bring. I do hope the quality of the content keeps at its great high with future episodes.

Dave

November 27, 2006 10:02 - More Neat Stuff from Hollywood!

Well, there sure seems to be no lack of ideas in Hollywood for more film versions from the comic book genre! Here are some more ideas being tossed around:

"Producer Donner Talks Comic Book Movies

Lauren Shuler Donner tells fans about upcoming movies including Constantine 2, Wolverine, Magneto, Metal Men, and Days of Future Past?

Producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently spoke to IESB during a roundtable interview in which she discussed various upcoming films.

When asked about X-Men 4 ever happening: "I hope so, I think if we can work out the economics of it, absolutely. Certainly there are tons of stories. There is 40 years worth of stories. I've always wanted to do Days of Future Past and there are just really a lot of stories yet to be told. I wouldn't rule anything out."

On Constantine 2: "Constantine was huge foreign, international, therefore, there is a good financial reason to make a sequel. And, I think we really want to do it as a hard R, I mean, really go into the Constantine world and do it even more justice than the movie, even though I thought the movie was true to its core. We have a terrific idea of the world we want to go into, it's a nice, really terrifying world and Keanu is willing so we should do it!"

The story's setting: "It's a Latin American country, I'll say that, a South American country."

On Wolverine's filming: "I don't know, it's our desire but, you certainly, you know, he has to be available and willing and my desire is always to shoot it sooner than later because every year there are more and more comic book movies and we want to remain fresh in everybody's mind. So, I'm hoping to do it in the Fall, another movie may precede us, I don't know."

On Magneto: "Yes, it starts off in the concentration camp and what he went through and the consequences of when he came out and what it did to his character, his psyche, and then how that evolution from being a persecuted Jew to a persecuted mutant comes to be and then from that persecuted mutant to the reversal, the feeling that he is almost superior to the homo-sapiens."

"No he's not, he and Xavier built Cerebro. They worked together. They were delighted to find each other and share this secret that they had."

On Metal Men: "I am developing Metal Men at Warners, which is a DC Comic, which is a very difficult one because it's very dated, but it's fun. It's more like Men in Black in tone. And Cirque Du Freak, which is a new franchise, different kind of franchise and more in the Harry Potter world but darker and edgier."

Stay tuned to CBM for more on the latest...

Xavier LeBlanc
11/20/2006
Source: IESB"

Maybe one day Hollywood will start some kind of poll and ask us fans what movies we would like to see. Think that is a good idea?

Dave

November 29, 2006 08:48 - X-men Artist Dies!

As time passes on, all individuals must meet their maker. And so goes it in the comic book world. One of the prominent artists, Dave Cockrum, has passed on at the age of 63. Quite frankly, this is too young to be leaving this earth. I am sure he had much more artwork left in him. Here is an article on his passing:

"Dave Cockrum, 63, Comic Book Artist, Dies

By DOUGLAS MARTIN
Published: November 29, 2006

Dave Cockrum, an illustrator who in the mid-1970s helped invent a dynamic new look and intriguing new characters for the moribund "X-Men" comics, paving the way for what became America's most popular comic books and a billion-dollar movie empire, died on Nov. 26 at his home in Belpon, S.C. He was 63.

The cause was complications of diabetes, Andrea Kline, his former wife, said.

The X-Men are mutants who as a result of a sudden leap in evolution are born with latent superhuman abilities that usually manifest themselves at puberty. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, two creative legends at Marvel Comics, created the odd group in 1963, but by 1970, fan interest, never great, had petered out. Marvel put new X-Men adventures on hiatus.

Enter Mr. Cockrum, who with the writer Len Wein, under the direction of the editor Roy Thomas, was assigned to restart the series in 1975. After an issue and a half, Chris Claremont replaced Mr. Wein.

New international characters with strange new powers sprang to life. They included Thunderbird, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Storm, and they joined compelling standbys like Wolverine to eventually be the heroes of a dozen comic book titles, cartoons and video games, as well as three movies that have together brought in more than $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts.

Mr. Cockrum saw the characters as dark and appealingly dramatic; they became weathered adults instead of smooth-faced children. Comics Reporter noted the handsomeness of both men and women, as well as an overall "sumptuous, late-'70s cinema style."

Clifford Meth, who has written extensively about comic-book art, said Mr. Cockrum created a new look for superheroes, featuring wide shoulder lapels, big belts and buccaneer boots.

"It was space opera," he said. "It wasn't just Spandex anymore."

Neal Adams, a well-known illustrator who drew the X-Men before the hiatus, said Mr. Cockrum created "just crazy characters." He said Mr. Cockrum and Mr. Claremont had so much fun during their collaboration that they were like "two kids in a playground."

David Emmett Cockrum was born in Pendleton, Ore., on Nov. 12, 1943. He grew up loving comic books, but his father, a colonel in the Air Force, disapproved of them, Ms. Kline said..." And to finish the Dave Cokcrum article, click here.