Fraction's Next Title Revealed

While we usually let more 'news'-oriented sites handle this type of thing, we can't help but be excited to hear word of Matt Fraction's new assignment once The Order concludes with its tenth issue. Marvel has announced this morning that The Invincible Iron Man will debut in May with Fraction writing and Salvador Larroca handling pencil duties. It will be the second current on-going to follow the adventures of Tony Stark, joining the Knauf-written Iron Man: Director of SHIELD.

Any new title with Fraction's name on it is worth checking out, but an on-going with a character known for his tendencies in espionage, gadgetry and sexual debauchery is a sure don't miss. Anyone reading Casanova could easily tell you as much. Fraction says of writing Stark, "[he's] equal parts James Bond and Chuck Yeager--a pioneer, a test pilot, an engineer, an adrenaline junkie visionary. Iron Man is the ultimate achievement in what we, as humans, can become. He's not the product of cosmic rays or a radioactive spider. He is the triumph of human ingenuity over the frailty of the human form."

Many this morning have been quick to question if Iron Man can support two on-going titles, and whether Fraction is yet a name that can sell a book in a market already saturated with the character. These people clearly haven't read enough of his work. If the guy can make Iron Fist and The Order have ravenous cult followings, it's easy to expect he'll do far more with a marquee character who recently debuted in their first Hollywood film. This may just be the book that finally launches Fraction into super-stardom and gives him the sales numbers he deserves.

Joining Fraction is Salvador Larroca, who's first issue of Amazing Spider-Man just hit stands last week and looked great. His stylish realism is well-suited for Iron Man's particular brand of adventure and will bring a great flavor and atmosphere to Fraction's intelligent sci-fi indulgences. Check out the preview pages for more effective convincing.

Ignore any messages suggesting this series be passed over. Forget that there's already a monthly book following Tony Stark. Who cares that it's a cash-in on the launch of the film. With this creative team at the helm such points are trivial. Invincible Iron Man more than deserves a spot on your pull-list and will almost certainly surprise a few people. Find out what you've been missing in all these Fraction titles you've skipped under whatever guise of justification.


Previews and #1 Solicit at Marvel.com: Link
Discuss at Newsarama: Link

Would You Wear That In Public?

Click the images in this article to expand them for viewing

Presentation and design are aspects of comic production that receive far too little attention and scrutiny. Cover art, logos, trade dressings, inside/back covers, bonus material and even title pages are all crucial factors in the whole comic package. Yet despite this only a small number of publishers and/or titles are showing these areas the respect of some proper artistic consideration and design. It's time to start talking about what 'good' presentation looks like in today's market, as well as why this is such a key component to the comic industry's success in the future.

In comics, like most things, you don't have to spend much time with what's right before you start realizing how much everything else is wrong. Some books today do make the extra effort and set what should be considered the new standards in these areas. Looking at those titles we can get an image of what the comic landscape could become, if this much care and detail was invested more commonly. Those who aren't doing these things yet need to start paying attention, adjusting their beliefs, and thinking accordingly.

The Cover:
Everything on the cover needs to be working together toward the same artistic end. The cover is one piece, a whole, and it needs to be designed with an understanding of this.

Logos
Should be simple. Very little imagery, if any. Easy to reinterpret/modify. A very central objective in creating the logo needs to be considering whether it looks good with, or even enhances, the various issue's cover-art. Certainly 'identity' and 'merchandising' and all that is important, but it's time to realize that means far more than just slapping the same big dumb recognizable logo on every issue. Keep the thing simple. Logos are more capable of hurting than they are of helping. The same things are true for sub-titles or arc names. Keep them out of the way, they're not what's going to be selling issues. Clean, professional looking work is.

Art
First of all, calm down. There doesn't need to be tons going on. The art doesn't need to capture a mind blowing moment of action. It doesn't need to have iconic imagery of the characters. It doesn't even need to feature the characters at all. Treat it like a concert poster or a splash page in a magazine. Don't be afraid of empty space. Pay attention to, and focus on, color and how you're using it. Use it intelligently!

When it all comes together, covers should look more like art school projects than pinups with logos plastered on top. They should reflect careful planning and coordination and be more than a clashing collection of parts.

Back & Inside Covers:
So many wonderful opportunities to make a better book are lost to ads in these areas. This is still borderline first impression territory, yet it's relegated to being a promo spot. This needs to change, and right away. The inside front cover in particular provides a fantastic space for doling out bonus info and ideas, and can also be used to effectively set the tone before the issue even begins. Very few books are using this space to their full creative advantage.

Extra Material:
There's too much work and effort going into the creation of each comic issue for there not to be bonus art scraps, napkin notes, or an interesting tale or two to share with the audience. Give them something to read once the panels stop. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips write film essays. Matt Fraction dispenses obscure trivia and observations. Robert Kirkman prints and responds to monstrous levels of fan mail. It doesn't particularly matter what they're doing, as long as it gives another 15 - 20 minutes reading time and possibly stretches the intellectual scope of the book.

Several or all of these areas are overlooked by most books and it's time for them not to be. This is important for a number of reasons. Initially, it simply improves comics for those of us already reading them. This type of attention goes a long way in making an issue worth $2.99. From a business standpoint it's increasingly appropriate considering cover designs are viewed infinitely more online than they ever are on a shelf in a comic shop. It doesn't matter what statistics there may be about where comics are actually purchased. By the time most comic readers are actually holding an issue they've already seen it online. They went down to the shop to get it, added it to their pull list, subscribed to have it, because they already saw a thumbnail sized image of it somewhere else. Big catchy explosive fantastic slogans and logos aren't what catches the eye in that context. The hype doesn't need to be on the product itself anymore. It shows up next to the image of the product, in mega spectacular extra bold text. More than all this though, attentive gorgeous design is important because it gives comics an appearance and stature that creates crossover potential for untapped but very much existent markets. American comics have persistently ignored or bungled opportunities to claim a more reputable spot in the media mainstream. When most people think of 'comic books' they have a pretty specific preconception that comes to mind. Were they to glance at a new release wall in a comic shop window right now most the covers they'd see would do nothing but solidify this image. It's not an image they like. But comics are being published that many of these people would enjoy. They're just too few and quiet for most people to hear about and the negative perception perpetuates.

This is why these design and production qualities are important. You can hand and issue of Fables to someone wholly unfamiliar with comics and they don't feel embarrassed to look through it. They don't feel exposed to be seen holding it. It would look good sitting around on shelves and end tables with their books and magazines. People buy books and magazines with cool jackets & covers because, if nothing else, they have cool jackets & covers and will look good on a shelf with other good looking things. Why not put comics on their radar as well? Particularly since many of them would be surprised how much they found to enjoy.

People need to be shown that comics aren't what they think they are and don't have to be a guilty pleasure. Show the college sophomore listening to Can on vinyl and looking through their graphic design textbook with their way-too-cool super awesome friends that there's something for them to find in comics. Show the married suburban couple who're considering getting a Wii that comics, like videogames, really aren't just for kids anymore. Millions of people in this country read books and watch movies with a critical eye dissecting plotting, symbolism, framing, theme, tone, subtlety, wangles, dangles and so forth. Show them how comics can raise the same discussions and bring the same enjoyment.

All these types of people are out there and comics exist that, if they read them, they would enjoy. Their assumptions about the medium, however, keep them away, and the manner in which comics project themselves does little to change this. Before people are going to be made aware of these titles comics first need to be designed in such a way as to invite them to feel interested. Make comics relevant. Put them where they'll be seen and discussed. Get dialogue about them into hip knowledgeable publications like Filter, Wired or Paste magazines. Keep running with the Newsweek thing. Make sure that any images of comics that do end up in the spotlight work to make a good impression and spark curiosity in the uninitiated. Make them something these media enthusiastically want to get involved with. Anything that covers books, movies, music or pop culture could most likely be covering comics as well, and should be.

And would be, if comics came to the party well dressed and put-together enough that anyone would be willing to be seen talking to them. Comics need to get off their butt, do something about their hair, and put on a nicer shirt for shit's sake. Time to show people you're worth talking to and see what you're actually capable of.

January 9 Reviews: Delayed. Shāpies gots back.

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Comics are coming a day late this week because of a 'chase' incident (?) involving the order's truck. So we're hung out to dry. Unexpectedly delayed Wednesday shipments can cause a lot of confusion and anxiety. You feel something's missing, and that maybe you need some perspective. Shāpies is good for at least that second part.

Use the navigation to your right to check out our newest strip!

Best of 2007

We're a little bit behind the times so we didn't make this as comprehensive a feature as we may have otherwise, but we did want to share our most basic proclamations about last year's releases. The comic landscape has been steadily improving, this year being one of the best in a while and next year threatening to be even better. Hail the situation! Hail comics! Hail 2007.


Best All-Around Title

Criminal
In one of the better comic years we've seen: Criminal, a critically lauded book with a modestly growing audience, still managed to rise and stand unfaultering on a peak all its own. Ed Brubaker was born to write this type of gritty mean streets noir and Sean Phillips at least keeps pace. The articles and bonus materials in the back take longer to read than the comic itself and are just as fascinating to commit to. This book feels 'mature' like Watchmen did in its time, and hopefully becomes a model for publishers in the immediate future. With this book re-launching and being re-tooled, there is no better time to jump on. Criminal is the best title of the year, and seemingly only gets better.

Best Ongoing Title

1. Criminal

2. Casanova
Though there was no way to deny Criminal as the 'best' book of the year, Casanova was without question the most exciting. It's the perfect blend of off-beat humor, absurdity, and remarkably intelligent complexities. That a series can appeal so strongly to the desire for irreverent swashbuckling and yet still massage and compliment your intelligence with its challenging and difficult nature - this is a world of comics worth living in.

3. Astonishing X-Men
4. Fables
5. All-Star Superman
6. Scalped
7. Nova
8. DMZ
9. Immortal Iron Fist
10. Thunderbolts



Best New Title

1. Casanova

2. Scalped
This was an incredible year for new titles, and any self respecting pull-list has found itself increasingly consumed by books it hadn't even heard of a year ago. Jason Aaron's Scalped is one of the best of this batch of newcomers and there is no reason this shouldn't become more commonly considered one of the two or three most relevant titles in Vertigo's lineup. If you want an action thriller with some actual heart and guts, this here's the one.

3. Nova
4. Immortal Iron Fist
5. Thunderbolts
6. The Order
7. Astounding Wolf-Man
8. Dynamo 5
9. Proof
10. Mice Templar


Best Mini

1. The Killer
2. Okko: Cycle of Water
3. The Nightly News

4. Umbrella Academy
Even those approaching this with optimism were surprised at just how formidable Gerard Way turned out to be as a comic scribe. Fitting in with the new generation of witty culturally aware writers like Fraction, he puts both humor and humility in each maniacal situation and heart and humanity in every wayward character. The inclusion of industry-best James Jean on covers is itself a selling point, and Ba's work rounds out one of the most impressive productions in recent memory. Congratulations Dark Horse, you got one on the map.

5. Star-Lord
6. Black Summer
7. Dark Tower
8. Awakening
9. Atomic Robo
10. After the Cape



Best Writer

1. Ed Brubaker
(Criminal, Captain America, Daredevil, Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men)
Criminal is the best book of the year. Immortal Iron Fist is slept-on but feverishly loved by the few. Captain America is nearly a dozen issues dead and yet the series is still going strong. Throw in a quality run on Daredevil and Uncanny's current inclusion in the landmark Messiah Complex event and it's hard to believe just how much this man has been responsible for this year. The work essentially speaks for itself. Ed Brubaker contributed more relevance to the comicsphere over the last year than anyone else writing in the industry.

2. Matt Fraction (Casanova, The Order, Immortal Iron Fist, Punisher War Journal)
3. Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Pride of Baghdad)

4. Abnett & Lanning / Keith Giffen
(Nova, Star-Lord, Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest)
One of my favorite rebirths in this last year has been Marvel's cosmic U. These are the writers responsible for the most impressive of the new titles, all of which have been some of the best reading available in the last twelve months. For our money these go down as the best space-based comics in well longer than that. If we get one wish for 2008, let it be the continued high caliber work in this successful indulgence.

5. Brian Wood (DMZ, Local, Northlanders)
6. Joss Whedon (Astonishing X-Men)
7. Warren Ellis (Thunderbolts, Black Summer, Doktor Sleepless)
8. Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible, Astounding Wolf-Man)
9. Bill Willingham (Fables, Jack of Fables)
10. Peter David (X-Factor, Dark Tower)



Breakout Writer

1. Matt Fraction
(Casanova, The Order, Immortal Iron Fist, Punisher War Journal)
If there's a writer working today that is going to most influence a drastic 'change' or 'shift' in the comic world, it's Matt Fraction. He's in touch with the old-school but his style's all new. There isn't a fresher voice working. If you want it funny, want it witty, want it sexy, want it smart - Fraction's got those goods plus some extras you didn't see coming. Everything he's writing is fantastic and his voice and influence are beginning to be felt everywhere. We recommend buying anything with his name on it.

2. Jason Aaron (Scalped, The Other Side, Wolverine)
3. Jonathan Hickman (Nightly News)
4. Gerard Way (Umbrella Academy)
5. Kyle & Yost (New X-Men)



Best Artist

1. Gabriel Ba (Casanova, Umbrella Academy)
2. Timothy Green II (Star-Lord)
3. Sean Phillips (Criminal, Marvel Zombies)

4. Tom Raney
(Annihilation: Conquest)
The main event of this year's cosmic adventure wouldn't work without the right artist, whom Raney undoubtedly is. Every panel of this series is exploding with gorgeous detail and a fantastically dynamic style that makes Conquest feel like it's on the silver screen. A great event made incredible because of what Raney put forward on it.

5. Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman)
6. Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man, Nextwave)

7. Mark Buckingham
(Fables)
This poor guy doesn't get nearly the ass-kissing he deserves until award season, and recently sometimes not even then. Let's stop taking these quick shipping masterpieces for granted and start giving this guy more lip service on a regular basis. We've seen our precious Fables characters interpreted by other artists and no disrespect but it's just not the same. This story is moving and fun, but Buckingham's art is the majestic touch that makes it beautiful. Simple put, Fables is not Fables without him. May he live long.

8. John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men)
9. Mike Deodato (Thunderbolts)
10. Michael A. Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers)



Breakout Artist

1. Gabriel Ba
(Casanova, Umbrella Academy)
In many respects, transitioning from Casanova to the Umbrella Academy isn't much of a transition at all. The story styles are slightly similar and the tone is somewhat the same. And sure, these just happen to be two of the best comics of the year. Ba, both in color and out, delivers perfectly on two series that act like psychotic toddlers yet ruthlessly demand to be taken seriously. I expect to see much more from both he and relation Fabio Moon in the near future, particularly on cover-work at which they are also exceptional.

2. HUB (Okko: Cycle of Water)
3. Skottie Young (New X-Men)
4. Fabio Moon (Casanova)
5. David Aja (Immortal Iron Fist)



Best Event

Annihilation: Conquest & X-Men Messiah Complex
It would be detrimental to everyone to knock down either of these events in a forced effort to name one the better. Both are fantastically done and will go down as major points of integrity and success for all of comics as well as for Marvel. In reading these series there is a sense of nostalgia as well as a giddy wonderment that this could be the quality we can someday come to expect comics regularly to deliver. Wonderful examples of exactly what mainstream superhero comics should be doing on a regular basis.

Best Publisher

1. Image
Archaia were the sleeper-group, coming from obscurity to expand the artistic scope of many pull-lists. Image on the other-hand was hardly unknown coming into 2007, but before years end they would be putting out such an unexpectedly large wealth of fantastic books that it's been difficult to ignore their sudden surge. To name only a few, this year they brought us new issues of Invincible, Walking Dead, Nightly News, and Fell while also debuting titles like Casanova, Astounding Wolf-Man, Proof, Bad Planet, After the Cape, Dynamo 5, and Pax Romana. If they can carry and push this momentum throughout 2008 there may be some significant shifts in the comic industry playing field.

2. Archaia
3. Marvel
4. Vertigo
5. Red 5



Moments Year Will Be Remember For

Astonishing X-Men #23
There was a lot of good stuff this year, but nothing that rocked me to the core like this single X-Men comic. The entire issue was incredible; two or three moments in particular, and one final scene that immediately changed the way I feel about comics entirely. This was easily my favorite single issue of the year, and one I already consider a cherished classic.
-Tom

Launch of Marvel's Initiative
Say what you will about Civil War, I probably wouldn't wholly disagree, but what it has spawned is the most tangible, accessible, layered and focused comic universe that arguably has ever existed. The number of impressive shouldn't-miss books in Marvel's hero lineup has never been this high. The structure is straight-forward enough to be new-reader friendly but is also intelligent and compelling enough to re-energize jaded long-time readers. World War Hulk may have been an uninspired dud but Secret Invasion (playing heavily into the new structure) may be the crowning achievement of this successful stage of Marvel's history. It's easier now than ever to consider oneself a 'true believer.'
-Grady

This Holiday Season

As you may have noticed we have been, and will continue, taking a break during the winter holidays to spend time with family, loved ones, the couch and some good books. We hope you get ample opportunities to do the same, and we'll see you in the start of the New Year.

Love Scalped or Don't Pay For It (Make Capitalism Shine)

This is a wake-up call for people who suck but that don't yet know it, which is not a positive way to go through life. If you haven't been following Scalped by Jason Aaron, you've been seriously missing out and should consider yourself one of the aforementioned tragedies. It's tough to be too hard on you though. When the series first began I assumed it was just a Brian Azzarello / Garth Ennis rip-off, missing the depths of some of their books and simply looking to find excuses to parade around in sex, violence and excessive profanity. I very nearly was with the unfortunate majority that chose to skip this title. And while the first several issues only slightly negated my concerns, the ride since then has been unexpectedly fascinating and a shit ton of fun. More so even, than anything those other guys have done in recent memory.

Perhaps, in hindsight, this should have been less of a surprise. Aaron's previous book, The Other Side, was nominated for an Eisner, losing only to some unheard-of-guy by the name of Pope. Praise for Scalped is in no short supply either. Since it's inception, the book has seen pretty much every major name currently working in the comic biz finding some time to give it a plug or a slap on the ass. Brubaker, BKV, Ennis, Brian Wood and a slew of others are falling all over themselves to give this book the credit it has shown itself to deserve.

So why are we hyping other people's hype? Because this book still isn't selling like it should be. In a fair, rational, world Scalped would be already solidifying itself as one of Vertigo's flagship titles and digging in for a long and grisly run. Instead, its numbers are somewhat piddly and there's some guy over on the Newsarama forum having an aneurysm as he convinces himself the title is doomed to cancellation.

Don't get too worried yet though, because if there's anything we're learning it's that Jason Aaron is a man of vast righteousness. He and artist R.M. Guera believe in this title so much that they've gone ahead and put forward an offer; Buy the first trade paperback, Indian Country, read it, and if you don't like it just mail the damn thing to Aaron and he'll reimburse you for both the book and your shipping.

This all but eliminates reasons not to give Scalped a shot. You quite literally have nothing to lose. Even if you end up hating it, and decide the like-it-or-your-money-back thing was a sneaky evil marketing device, think of the satisfaction you'll get in voicing that opinion to Aaron. I have an entire box in my closet full of nothing but newish unsellable comics I hated. It would bring me great pleasure to send these all away to their respective creators with snarky notes attached, only to receive financial compensation as an apology for my trouble and wasted time.

This situation pans out win-win for the buyer however you look at it. Win-win is good. Either you get turned on to a tremendous new title, or you get to revel in the glory of shoving your dissatisfaction down the throat of those responsible. And although the latter may sound more immediately exciting in that phrasing, it's the more likely result listed first that is the real treat and that you should expect going in to this deal. If you like winning, Scalped is the book for you.

How many other titles are you buying this week about which Ennis says, "[this is] the best new series in years. Spread the word. Tell your friends. Talk about it. Blog about it."?

Or, when Ed Brubaker beseeches you,"please give a great book a chance. Drop some superhero book (not one of mine of course) that you're buying out of habit and not enjoying and try something new," can you think of a few books like that?

Read Scalped. It'll make you want to kick the shit out of someone, have a cigarette, and then take a nice long reflective stroll through the countryside trying to figure out exactly what the hell it all means. This is more than I can say for a great deal of my other comic reading most of which, at best, only makes me want a sandwich.

Link - Information on money-back guarantee
Link - Jason Aaron's blog
Link - Scalped Vol. 1 on Amazon for less than $10

On the Horizon: Fablewood

As you might have heard whisper of lately, Ape Entertainment is publishing a comic anthology this January titled Fablewood. The project is conceived around the notion of bringing the magic of Fantasy back to comics, exploring not only swords, sorcery and epic heroes but hopefully finding much more along the way. Says the Fablewood team, "Magic is not just spells and wizards - it can also refer to a feeling [or] an experience." It's cheesy sentimental statements like this that lead to fantastic work, and that's certainly appearing to be the result here.

The project brings together a wealth of talents including up-and-coming names you know as well as newcomers you'll soon be glad to (believe us). If you've followed the Flight series you understand what a compelling read an anthology collection can be. Fablewood is looking to be at least as good, as you'll soon understand when you take a peek at the preview pages below.

We're so excited about this release that we're planning a series of previews and discussions with contributing writers and artists. We're not the only ones amped either, as creators are lining up to be a part of Fablewood and a follow-up book is already said to be on the horizon. We wanted more information, but there wasn't any to be found. So we asked for it. Willing to donate his time and knowingness was editor William Ward. He said the following;

Tom Mattson (newseed): You’ve said that Fablewood was designed with the intention of reintroducing the fantasy genre to comic books. What does this mission mean to you personally? Is this dear to your heart and something you initially set out to accomplish or was it more of a torch that you took up over time?

William Ward: Well, certainly there are some excellent fantasy comics out there today like Conan, Fables, Mouse Guard, Flight, Artesia (and some others) so I don’t want to give the impression there are not good books out there. However, there just is not as much work coming out as I need to keep satisfying my need for fantasy comics. When I started recruiting, “We need more Fantasy” was basically what I went to creators with and it appeared I was not alone—the project idea received a lot of positive reactions and I think it really is because people are starved for more fantasy books.

Explain what makes fantasy such a captivating and effective storytelling realm. What can it provide that has been missing from the current fantasy-lite comic universe?

There were once a much larger number of classic fantasy titles out there—covering a wide variety of styles (Sandman to Bone). I think it is the range of stories you can tell in Fantasy that make it so captivating. High Fantasy epics like Lord of the Rings can stand in contrast to gritty Low Fantasy stories like Conan. You can tell a mystery, an adventure, or a slice-of-life story that just happens to take place in a fantasy world. Endless possibilities.

Other than ‘fantasy,’ did you try to maintain any specific type of aesthetic with the stories you chose to include? For example, did you have a specific age group in mind as a target readership? Did you ever find a story to be too violent, inappropriate, etc…?

It is difficult for me to add a ‘rating’ to any work, as I believe that parents are the best judge of what there children are capable or reading and seeing. Most of us certainly watched films before we reached the recommended age. I did avoid a few stories during the process that I believed were beyond the audience I wanted to be able to read the book—I was shooting for teenagers and up when I was organizing the book.

Some mature, slightly younger children may be able to read the book as well, and there are definitely stories appropriate for all ages. The sample artwork on our page shows the range of material in the book, and parents can judge by that if it is appropriate for their children. We included images that I believe represent the range of stories.

From an editor’s standpoint, what have you found to be the most frustrating aspect of putting together a big conglomerate project such as this? Was there anything that took you by surprise or that you wish you’d approached differently?

This was a huge learning experience, and while there were not a lot of frustrating issues, there are a ton of small things I learned along the way that I feel would save me time and effort in a future project. Being the editor is definitely a difficult job, from saying “This isn’t for me” to keeping up with hundreds of e-mails—I certainly gained a lot of respect for guys like Kazu and Jason Rodriguez.

Conversely, what was the easiest and/or most rewarding aspect? Was this different than what you expected it to be?

Originally this was supposed to be a small project, but over time it grew because people were more interested than I anticipated. What really surprised me, and maybe it should not have, was the interest and cooperation that Fablewood got from creators already working on higher profile projects. Ryan Ottley (Invincible, Superman/Batman Annual #1), Manny Trembley (Panda Xpress, Sam Noir: Samurai Detective), Joe Infunari (Oni Talent Search, Borrowed Time), J.P. Ahonen and Sarah Mensinga (Flight 4) certainly all had other work they could be doing, but they got involved and have really proved helpful through the whole process with marketing and advice even beyond their submissions.

The book just ran in the most recent edition of Previews. Prior to now, what have you found to be the most effective marketing strategies? Have you been seeing an increased level of awareness and interest as the shelf date grows nearer?

Early on I was worried, but it appears that the advice from Ape Entertainment and some of the more established creators on timing is proving true, as in recent weeks I have started to see an increase people contacting me about Fablewood. It has been a steady and as it continues I expect we will be in good shape. Our marketing is getting out more now throughout November (i.e. the solicitation period) with interviews, advanced previews and reviews. Of course our biggest push will be when the book hit shelves, to push people towards their local retailer.

You’ve revealed that a follow-up is in the works already, or will be shortly. Can you provide any further details? Are there any creators confirmed to be returning? Have you considered who will be doing the cover design (and may we recommend sticking with whoya’ve got)?

Volume #2 is actually a sign of how far our recruitment effort went with Fablewood. When it was all said and done we had enough material for nearly two full 144 page books. Due to the great turnout of material we decided to divide the material for balance and recruit some new talent for the last 40 pages of Volume #2. As far as the cover and more details, I think I will have to ‘Plead the Fifth’ for now. Perhaps I can stop in again to talk about it more.

In a recent interview you agreed that comic anthologies deserve a bigger piece of the market. With the boom of manga and the popularity of the Flight books, a huge portion of the comic market is starting to show up in large book retailers such as Borders or Barnes n Noble. With this new breed of customers in an expanding market, do you see the comic industry undergoing any major changes, with anthologies perhaps playing an increased role?

There appears that as far as anthologies go, the increased role may be starting already. Afterworks, 24Seven, Postcards, and Popgun (check out Fablewood contributor Joe Suitor in Popgun, with a story that features the same character as seen in his upcoming Fablewood tale) are just a couple examples of books that have received attention that in the past may not have existed for anthologies.

As far as large book retailers, they are definitely useful markets, but I really think that the comic book retailers are likely going to remain the initial source for books like ours. For all you hear about what retailers will and won’t order, every major independent book I am aware of made it mark in comic shops before hitting book chains.

At this point do you know whether Fablewood will be receiving a hardcover release?

We don’t have plans for a Hardcover release, however if we get a few volumes under our belt and the demand is there, who knows what could happen.

With this project now under your belt and moving forward from here, where do you see yourself focusing most of your creative efforts in the future? Is story writing your primary outlet or do you think you may now turn more toward editing?

Story writing is what I want to do most of the time and I was fortunate enough to gain some attention from Fablewood and land my first paying writing job just a month ago. We are not announcing yet, but it is for a small press publisher and I am very excited about it. Editing is hard, but rewarding and I think I will do it again some day, but nothing immediate is coming up.

Thanks for your time William. Fablewood looks to be coming together fantastically and we can’t wait to get our grubby hands on it!

Thank you for your time and questions. FABLEWOOD GN VOL 01 has officially hit Previews with an order code of NOV07 3306. Stop by your local retailer, order a copy, and talk it up. It is a HUGE boost for us (and any indy) for people to pre-order, and we appreciate the help.

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As you can see, this is one to get excited about. Here are some other resources if you want to keep checking this puppy out, and land back here sometime soon for further coverage and information! Fablewood will be released 1/30/08.

Official Fablewood Site

Justin Boatwright (Wednesday Is My Sabbath) w/ William Ward

Jazma Online w/ contributor Joe Suitor

Jazma Online w/ contributor Joe Infurnari

Jazma Online w/ contributor Azel Medallin Machain

Ape Entertainment

California Burning, Oct. 3 - 17 Quick Hit Reviews

While Grady is still running all around SoCal trying to figure out what's happening with his life, I find that I suddenly have an afternoon to kill up here in the beautifully green (and orange, and red, and yellow) state of Oregon. An incident like the one currently unfolding in San Diego, Malibu, Irvine, etc... really makes one take stock of their own surroundings. I truly love the Pacific Northwest and would be devastated to see it fall victim to the type of destruction California has seen the last several days. My prayers are out to everyone effected by this shitty shit.

Enough real life though, lets get on to the damn picture books! New releases drop here in about three hours and I've just finished catching up on my back reading. Here are some quick thoughts about a number of the issues from the foot-thick stack I have spent the last few days plowing through. I apologize for the lack of more mainstream Marvel/DC hero titles, I'll try to pick up some of the books Grady usually covers when I go out today. Not that we cover much DCU round here anyway.

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Quick Hits:

The Umbrella Academy #2
Dark Horse
Written by: Gerard Way
Art by: Gabriel Ba
5/5

I enjoyed this even more than the first issue, which I awarded plenty of praise. The focus here is on character development and posturing, though a decent helping of laugh-out-loud spazziness from floating joke buckets the Terminauts and a bunch of witty one-liners keep things congruent with the tones from the first release. The production is as good or better than what got me freaking out last month and the solicited art for next issue is just sickeningly good. Start reading this.


Criminal #9
Marvel
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Sean Phillips
5/5

I think I enjoyed this the most so far of this arc's issues, which is saying a great deal considering this series has never once put out anything less than incredible. Brubaker is really starting to move his pieces around here and next month's conclusion could not come sooner. If you've read this series at all you understand why further elaborating on what happened in this issue isn't necessary. Just read it and experience it for yourself.


Atomic Robo #1
Red 5
Written by: Brian Clevinger
Art by: Scott Wegener
4/5

This was great looking and a lot of fun to read. Red 5 don't skimp at all on paper/print quality apparently. The story itself was, again, definitely fun and entertaining. It shoots for humor the entire time and while some lines miss the mark a bit it succeeds far more than it doesn't. Unfortunately at this point the experience is somewhat disposable as, although a fun read, the story is shallow outside it's charming presentation and humorous dialogue. Time will tell if this is to change or not, but either way I'll be sticking around to see just how charmingly funny this can become once the creators get their feet on the ground.

Red 5 seem to suddenly be offering a bunch of readable material. Did anyone get to read the debut issue of The Abyss? I missed that one and would be curious to hear some thoughts.


Black Summer #3
Avatar
Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Juan Jose Ryp
4.5/5

This is another one where I'm not going to say too much about what actually happened because so much of what makes it good is in the telling. It still feels like Warren Ellis is in complete control of this series and knows exactly where he's going. In Black Summer he's bringing all his twisted ideas and masterful plotting to the table, but so far has left out the constant grandstanding his characters seem to often be bogged down in. This is some of the cleanest, most succinct work he has done. There's Ryp as well who takes his art up another notch in this issue and looking at his work on all the various technological gadgetry, holoscreens, etc... it becomes obvious why he was the perfect fit for this title. Mark Sweeney, also, is one of the people who often make me feel stupid for not listing colorists in the credits of issue reviews. I would, however, prefer ten more pages of comic and ten less pages of Avatar catalog. Then again, I guess this is probably better than the ads between pages of the actual story like so many other publishers do. So noyeahboooray to what they're doing there.


Ex Machina #31
Wildstorm
Written by: Brian K. Vaughan
Art by: Tony Harris
4/5

Mayor Hundred's trip to the Vatican is underway and is naturally chock full of intrigue. Throw in some exciting flashbacks to his days as the Great Machine and we've got another terrific installment of Ex Machina. I'm very interested to see what Vaughan has to say in the remainder of this arc as his ability to discuss controversial topics with insight and intelligence are about to be put to the test yet again, something this series does quite frequently. He hasn't disappointed me yet.


Astounding Wolf-Man #3
Image
Written by: Robert Kirkman
Art by: Jason Howard
3.5/5

This is going to turn out to be a good one. Kirkman has been advancing the superhero werewolf threads, but has also been focusing on the home/marriage environment of this character, bringing interpersonal politics and private conflicts to the center of the story in similar fashion to what he's become known for in his other titles. It seems there have been some people skeptical about this one, but I think Wolf-Man is going to end up being not only a hell of a lot of fun but perhaps even moving.


Awakening #2
Archaia
Written by: Nick Tapalansky
Art by: Alex Eckman-Lawn
4.5/5

Another book that's slowly but surely proving its worth. While I loved the first issue of this mixed-media zombie tale I was a bit nervous things were going to descend into mindless horror scenes and a bunch of hyper-stylized nothing. This second installment has laid my fears to rest. Awakening is a wonderfully moody spot of detective intrigue that's more focused on its mystery narrative and exploring the identities of the people in the story than it is on violence and gore. Very promising.

The Industry

An interesting post has gone up over at Ink Destroyed My Paintbrush which I felt compelled to respond to. Here are some excerpts from that article, followed by some of my own thoughts. What do you think?

"There is a popular thought process that Jim Shooter was the perfect cheerleader for: the notion that the comic must be basic enough for anyone to read, after all, "Any comic could be someone's first comic." An attitude that has been championed by more than a few people in the business. Recently, however, I've had reason to rethink the old canard."

"Unfortunately, over the last couple decades, what we've seen are a far greater number of comics that become the 'last' issues rather than 'first' issues. Comics have been losing numbers in droves, so making the point that we have to potentially sacrifice the complexity of story or storytelling so as not to drive away a potential new reader, may well be moving us in the wrong direction. We may have been actively pushing away the reader who is constantly looking for something to grow with them.

It does make sense, for instance, to keep the "every issue a first issue rule" when you look at the industry demographic/marketing plan through the 1940s to 1960s: your comics were targeted towards the same age range, so instead of moving upwards with a person's age, you had to hope to replace the same number of readers that "age out" with a similar number that grow into reading your books. Already there are flaws with the system, when you look at birth statistics during the baby boomer years. Without new product to go along with your new kids, you really have no hope of expanding your market."

"So here's what we do: we don't continually tie the hands of creators. We have books that are not meant for the 6 year old, or the 12 year old, but for the adult. And we make sure that we have books at that 6 year old level that don't insult their intelligence. My almost 7 year old daughter is already telling me what the theme of a movie or book will be in the first third of the story. She understands subtext without knowing what that word means yet. We don't need to keep the material within the medium stupid.

Challenge me. Make me think. Keep me awake. Keep me buying. Or that next comic might be my last."
-Ink Destroyed My Paint Brush -view-


Some interesting thoughts here. I went away from comics for quite a while, during which time I went to school, grew up, focused on developing a career in television, the written word and other storytelling media before coming back as a comic reader in the last few years. Looking at this industry and assessing its evolution over the time I was away I notice a lot of trends. One of these is the growing division between two groups in the comic market, and therein many of the creators as well. One group see comics as a powerful storytelling medium and want to see it explored in order to be used as effectively as possible to meet those ends. Others, are so enamored with the history of comics that they see evolutions as devolutions when often.....the first group would disagree.

Tally me in with the first group. History is important in all things, and having an understanding of it is essential toward grasping what's happening / has happened / may happen and what it all means. Surely, we must be aware of history and consult it when shaping the present. This doesn't mean, however, that certain historical practices or approaches should be regarded with such reverence that the medium is never given the chance to truly spread its wings. Too much dedication to history and we miss the lesson, leaving us to continuously stick our heads up the same asses time and time again. Gross and redundant.

People have an image of 'comic books,' they aren't willing to part with. They have a nostalgic relationship with an expression that appealed to their small constituency of friends and peers and that the world-at-large just didn't get. I can understand that. I feel a kinship with comic fans of older generations that can take happiness and inspiration from those cheesy old stories. My college buddies couldn't understand what we see in those old issues and that's sort of a special feeling we share as a collective. That shouldn't suggest though, that comics as a story-form should avoid changing and growing to where it can appeal to those people who previously didn't get it.

Isn't it more satisfying to have new series that really illustrate the power of the medium (e.g., Criminal, Fables) that you can show to people who don't read comics and have them come out of the experience saying, "Whoa, I had no idea." These are the types of books (Fables is a great example) that are bringing new readers to comics, and these titles are hugely dependent on their linear nature and accumulated character building over time. Imagine if every issue of Fables was entirely un-reliant on things that had come before? It would become meaningless. Sure, everyone would be able to pick it up as their first comic and follow along but all it would do is confirm their preconceptions about the shallow nature of the medium. Personally, Fables was the series that brought me back, and what excited me and kept me reading wasn't that the first issue I read was so enjoyable (it wasn't really) it was that there was the implication of a greater story to be developed and expanded upon. A constant universe to be perpetuated and built into something truly worth investing time and interest into.

He's right, people aren't stupid. His seven year old has been barraged by more culture, stories, ideas, concepts and theories by that age than can even be calculated. This newest generation's ability to understand subtleties and arching messages are way more developed than any youth before them. They don't want to be treated like idiots any more than I do as an adult. I love to be challenged, and believe it or not so do children. In a world that puts so much stock in personal achievement and where knowledge and intelligence more and more help some people define themselves and their worth in such a place - why not give them a product that speaks to these aspirations?

Remember, kids today have ridiculous access to video-games, movies, and the Internet to give them boobs, bad-guys, monsters, flashes, punches, explosions, and all other forms of adrenaline pumped I-just-got-my-first-erection chaos. They don't turn to comics for this type of wide eyed excitement anymore. Sensationalist entertainment has graduated and moved on from comic books, at least insofar as readers are concerned in their consumptions. We need comic creators who understand this, and who aren't trying to write what they would have loved as a child because frankly that just isn't the market any longer. Not with people wailing on each other or accidentally blowing themselves up on YouTube.

We need more creators and editors that still come from the older generations of comics, or at least get it, but that aren't hampered by their worship of classic forms that may be tirelessly dated.

-Tom

Slightly Off-Topic: Harry Potter

If you haven't read the Harry Potter books and have ignored most the movies because you've been under the impression it's a children's tale - you are seriously missing out. What's more, anyone who has been reading the books can tell you that if you've only watched the movies - you have absolutely no concept of the scope and scale of this series. The Potter books have developed into one of my favorite stories ever, rivaling or coming-close-to most anything from the realms of fantasy or sci-fi. This is not just some cute story about an out-of-place boy and his adventures/trials in discovering the world of magic. If you haven't read the most recent several books, or at least seen this newest movie, don't fool yourself into thinking you know what I'm talking about, regardless of what spoilers you've read or heard.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the most recent movie, based on the fifth book, and is the first of the film adaptations to start getting into the real meat of this story. This is the beginning of the war that will spread far outside the walls of Hogwarts, and threaten the existence of both the magical and regular worlds of Earth alike. The fourth film was a slight misstep, but this one is the best yet. By the time these movies are all said and done, people who didn't read the books are going to be shocked at the the grandeur of it all. Go see this movie. Read these books. Stop robbing yourself of one of the greatest stories told in our generation.

My neighborhood has sounded like a battleground for around a week now

Happy fourth of July to all of you in the States! Have fun, be safe. There's still a lot about this nation to be proud of, so be sure to take some time to remember how we got here. Hopefully, over the next several years, we can change where we're headed so our children can have the same pride and security I grew up with.

Call someone you haven't in too long - and be crazy for the sake of it. That's just good advice. Though perhaps, do these two things separately.

Enjoy everyone!

Catching Up On Some Current Favorites

Before we try to jump right into the swing of things here, I thought it might be a good idea to take a moment and set the stage a little. Here is a rundown of some of my favorite titles I've been reading recently, what I think of their current status and what I'm expecting from the future.

Scalped
Vertigo
Writer: Jason Aasron
Artist: R.M. Guera

Scalped follows the exploits of organized crime on an Indian reservation in the modern day Midwest. The series focuses on Bad Horse, an unquestionably tough piece of work who returns to the reservation after years away only to immediately find himself in the middle of violent political intrigue, brutal sexual encounters, and an altogether disregard for any type of civilized existence.

Admittedly, I had a little trouble getting into this one at first. Violence and sex for the sake of violence and sex is typically not my cup of tea and initially Scalped can seem like just that. I'm confident there are many out there who would feel offended by this depiction of Native American life on the 'rez.' That said, after five issues I'm finding myself increasingly captivated by this title and interested in the characters. The hardcore sex and violence remain, but it is becoming evident that there is something more being offered here. The multi-tiered plot, where everything is colored in shades of gray, is revealing itself to far more complicated and fascinating than simply creating excuses for people to hump and slaughter each other.

I recommend Scalped, but with hesitation. It reminds me of 100 Bullets in that it starts out slowly and doesn't seem like it's going to show it's whole hand until it's good and f**king ready. It does have the potential, however, to start finding itself mentioned alongside similar Vertigo classics such as Preacher if it decides that it actually has something to say.


Ex Machina
Wildstorm
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artists: Tony Harris, Tom Feister, JD Mettler

Now this is how its done. There are very few titles I'm ever more excited to read each month than the newest installment of Brian K. Vaughan's brilliantly executed political thriller Ex Machina. As someone who is interested in politics but usually turned off to any pop-culture attempts to discuss them, I was a little uncertain whether this title was going to capture me. Clearly, Mr. Vaughan sympathizes with individuals like myself as I am rarely frustrated by political discussion in this series.

For the uninitiated, Ex Machina follows the life of Mitchell Hundred who had a brief career as the worlds first/only superhero before running and being elected mayor of New York City. While this premise may sound ludicrous initially, it doesn't take long before the intersection of Hundred's political and private life start to become incredibly fun to follow. Vaughan does an excellent job of keeping the political dialogue topical but not annoyingly partisan. Mayor Hundred has a fly by the seat of his pants approach to the office and considers himself a moderate, siding with different parties on different issues. I'm incredibly grateful, especially in today's political atmosphere, that this is a series more about people and society than it is about making some grand political statement to impress the writer's eclectic liberal buddies from back at college.

Recently, Ex Machina has begun to explore some long unanswered questions about the origins of Hundreds powers and I can't wait to see where it's all going. Highly recommended.


Fables
Vertigo
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artists: Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, others.

If you're reading this site or have been even remotely interested in comics over the last several years you have undoubtedly already heard of Fables. I can say without reservation that this is my favorite series, and one that I feel is going to eventually be regarded as one of the greatest ever, if it isn't already. In case you somehow don't know, Fables follows the lives of well known fairytale characters who are living in NYC after exile from their homelands at the hands of a devastating army, and its unseen leader known initially only as the 'Adversary.'

I'm not even going to get into all the elements of what makes this series so special. Even the covers, by the incredible James Jean, are consistently the best work in comics. If you aren't reading this, you need to be, regardless of whether you think you'd find fairy tale characters interesting. It takes several issues before the storyline really starts to ramp up, but once it does you'll be sickeningly addicted. Recent issues are taking the series to some great new places and aren't losing a step even after all this time. Highest possible recommendation.


The Killer
Archaia Press
Writer: Matz
Artist: Luc Jacamon

Watch out for Archaia Press, as they're developing into one of the best publishers in comics. Between this, Mouse Guard, some other acclaimed series I don't read, and several new titles I'm expecting good things from - Archaia is really bringing it to the table.

The Killer places readers in the mind of an unnamed assassin (henceforth referred to as 'Mr. M') who is without sympathy and meticulous in his work. The series starts out with a well-known story archetype - criminal wants to do one last big job and then get out of the game, but the job is botched and getting out suddenly becomes intensely complicated. While this dynamic would be boring and and tired in the hands of a lesser work, The Killer manages to truly flourish. What makes The Killer succeed where other's like it have failed is its tone. Presented as a noir, the title perfectly captures the dark detachment of an assassin, albeit one who is aware and interested in his position and function in society. Nearly all the narrative is unspoken so we have an intimate perspective inside the mind of Mr. M, following his thoughts and concerns as he goes about his shady business. M has much more on his mind than simply his mark though, and growing to understand his views of the world are what truly makes The Killer something that can be identified with, or at least intrigued by. Its too bad the title is reaching the half-way point of its limited run, though from a storytelling standpoint that may be one of its strongest traits by the end. If you love crime stories, or can get into a fascinating yet cold character, you must read The Killer.


The Walking Dead
Image
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artists: Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

The zombie story for everyone who doesn't have any interest in reading a zombie story. Kirkman makes this title a must read by focusing on the human element of the disaster, with the characters and their relationships being far more important to the story than anything zombies are doing.

The Walking Dead is one of the hottest comics of the day, and for good reason. Unless you are turned off by some gore, this series is a truly great read and deserves all the attention it gets. Recent events have the characters in the story about to experience their greatest conflict yet, and it couldn't be a more exciting time to get involved.


Criminal
Marvel
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Philips

Another noir/crime series though more traditional in style and approach. Don't make the mistake of assuming this is a run-of-the-mill title though, as Brubaker and Phillips have absolutely nailed this one. I will easily consider this one of my favorite ongoing series if it maintains the incredible quality found in the first six issues. Rarely are crime series driven by character rather than plot development, and rarely is anything done this masterfully. The afterwords from the author and artist go even further to set this title apart and add another 20 minutes of solid enjoyment for your $3.00.

If you are only reading one crime series and The Killer sounds a little to dry for you, check out Criminal. It is a truly fascinating character drama with more than enough noirful suspense to get the job done. I consider this a must-read.


The Astonishing X-Men
Marvel
Writer: Joss Whedon
Artist: John Cassaday

The only full-on superhero title on this list has more than earned its spot amongst these elite. Astonishing is light years beyond any of the other titles in either the Marvel or DC universes. Whedon has taken the X-Men, who have for years been bogged down by far too much bloated continuity, stripped away all the superfluous characters and backstory, and focuses on telling succinct, exciting stories. Whedon seems to completely understand what makes the X-Men so intriguing in the first place - the characters relationships with themselves, each other, and the world at large. This is the X-Men title for those of us who aren't interested in reading the ridiculously pointless arcs in most the other current X series, but that are nostalgic for some good ol' mutant madness. This is the X-Men as I have always wanted them to be.


Fell
Image
Warren Ellis
Ben Templesmith

Fell is the flagship of a trend to reach out to comic readers who don't have the money or time to keep themselves immersed in today's grossly expensive and convoluted comic market. At only $1.99 (dollar(s) cheaper yet still ridiculous), with standalone plots, and interesting interviews/letters following the story - Fell is one of the best deals out there right now. Throw in the unworldly skills of both Ellis and Templesmith and suddenly this becomes a must-read series. Fell is perfect for newcomers at any point, but with enough easter eggs and tributes to make returning readers feel rewarded.

Casanova, by Matt Fraction, is another Image title that is also being released at $1.99 a pop. This is a great trend for the industry, and for the price, how can you not support it? Particularly when the stories are this damned good.