posted
Our Comicon buddy Erik Larsen is stepping down as Image Comics publisher, handing the duties to his right-hand man Eric Stephenson.
Larsen says he wants to spend more time producing his own projects and less time managing everyone else's. So those of you complaining that you don't get enough SAVAGE DRAGON -- you're about to be a lot happier, it sounds like.
This shouldn't be much of a regime change, since the new boss works for the old boss. All I would ask is that Image stick with the very diverse lineup of titles and content -- war and zombies and superheroes and historical adventures and romantic comedy and horror and all sorts of other stuff. Very few publishers offer such a variety.
Posts: 5940 | From: Lexington, Ky. | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
So the plans to have him abducted and lock him in cellar to produce only SAVAGE DRAGON pages can be called off?
Joy to one and all.
-------------------- "The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us." (Paul Valery) Posts: 3477 | From: Brooklyn, NY | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hopefully, this will end the pretense that anyone can be major executive or publisher while also doing comic work. If a machine like Larsen can't handle both, there's no way Slowpoke Comicpro should even think he can do it.
Mike
Posts: 1577 | From: Waterloo, Iowa, United States | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by MBunge: Hopefully, this will end the pretense that anyone can be major executive or publisher while also doing comic work.
It must be tough.
Dick Giordano did a little drawing and inking while he was vice president and managing editor at DC in the 1980s, but his art definitely took a backseat to his management job.
Mark Waid accepted the editor-in-chief gig at Bongo Comics and basically fell off the face of the Earth, as best I can tell. He quit his two DC titles, THE FLASH and THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. If he's writing his own stories at Bongo now, I see no reference to them anywhere. Hell, other than THE SIMPSONS, I seldom see Bongo comics on sale at my local comics shop.
Posts: 5940 | From: Lexington, Ky. | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Alexander Ness: Lawson, bro, that'd be BOOM.
Oops -- sorry!
BOOM? Man, I've never even heard of BOOM. At least Bongo has the "The Simpsons" comics license.
(Lawson quickly checks the BOOM Web site.)
OK.
Apparently it's BOOM! with an exclamation point, and they publish a handful of grim 'n gritty comics, nearly all of which have the name "Cthulhu" in the title. CTHULHU TALES, FALL OF CTHULHU, THE AMAZING NEW ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN CTHULHU, etc., etc. Also ... BLOOD BOWL, ZOMBIES and BLACK PLAGUE.
Ugh.
Well, who would want to write THE FLASH, anyway, when they could shepherd another issue of CTHULHU EATS A BOWL OF EYEBALLS into print?
Posts: 5940 | From: Lexington, Ky. | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
BOOM? Man, I've never even heard of BOOM. At least Bongo has the "The Simpsons" comics license.
(Lawson quickly checks the BOOM Web site.)
ahem...
quote:Originally posted by Lawson: Looks like I called this one in a July thread! Others (*ahem*) said I was being too hasty by assuming that Mark Waid's new job at Boom! Comics would mean he's leaving THE FLASH. Meanwhile, six months later, I still haven't seen any Boom! Comics titles in any of my comics shops.
posted
I only checked out one BOOM! comic, the one with the cyborg teddy bear assassin, but it was good.
I can see why he would want to try out with a new comic publisher versus just writing the Flash for another set of years. Plus, not many people were happy with the stories of The Flash that he recently did, so maybe he should have stayed their and try to develop some more comics.
BOOM? Man, I've never even heard of BOOM. At least Bongo has the "The Simpsons" comics license.
(Lawson quickly checks the BOOM Web site.)
ahem...
quote:Originally posted by Lawson: Looks like I called this one in a July thread! Others (*ahem*) said I was being too hasty by assuming that Mark Waid's new job at Boom! Comics would mean he's leaving THE FLASH. Meanwhile, six months later, I still haven't seen any Boom! Comics titles in any of my comics shops.
posted
Maybe you should try a different comic shop. Not carrying Bongo or Boom! makes me wonder what else you're missing out on,
Posts: 393 | From: Simsbury CT USA | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
Or rather, I apparently knew the name for a few minutes when I read the announcement about Mark Waid's new job last year. Then I failed to commit it to memory. I've been reading comics for 30 years, but I've never come across this company.
As for G. Allan's recommendation that I switch my business to a comics shop that carries every comics publisher -- hey, I'd love to, buddy, but I don't live in New York. This is a mid-sized city with limited comics selection. You gots your Marvel, your DC, your Image and Dark Horse, a little ONI Press and Slave Labor Graphics and Fantagraphics, some Archie, of course ... and that's about it. I'm sure there are a dozen other tiny indie publishers with 0.03 percent of the market putting out stuff I should know about. But the dude who runs my local store has only so much space -- and I have only so much time and money. But if Waid can get his comics into that shop, I'll at least look at them.
Posts: 5940 | From: Lexington, Ky. | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Lawson: Arrgh! Joe got me!
I don't remember remembering BOOM!
Or rather, I apparently knew the name for a few minutes when I read the announcement about Mark Waid's new job last year. Then I failed to commit it to memory...
Oh, stop it! It's not like you're in a profession where you should know to check your facts or anything.
Besides you post about enough stuff, it was a statistical likelihood you had bitched about it at some point. I just happened to remember you bitchin' about Waid leaving for Boom a few times and did a google search.
Posts: 4988 | From: Cleveland Heights, Ohio | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Can't wait to see those new issues of Savage Dragon. I recently got the last 60 issues of SD and I just finished issue 101 last night. Fun stuff that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Posts: 5219 | From: Newfoundland, Canada | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, I can't even remember if SD is monthly or not.
I hope this won't adversely affect stuff like "The Next Issue Project."
Posts: 4988 | From: Cleveland Heights, Ohio | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
One of the cool things about Savage Dragon is how the cast ages roughly in real time. Publishing hiatuses tend to mess with that, so Erik has had to resort to plot twists like Dragon being trapped in another dimension for months, or being on the run from the authorities for a year.
I kinda hope that he just lets himself off the hook this time, and continues with the stories as if there had been no hiatus. But I'm sure whatever he comes up with will be great.
Posts: 758 | From: Salem, MA, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Peter Urkowitz: I kinda hope that he just lets himself off the hook this time, and continues with the stories as if there had been no hiatus. But I'm sure whatever he comes up with will be great.
I'm with you on both points.
Posts: 4988 | From: Cleveland Heights, Ohio | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Paul O'Keefe: Can't wait to see those new issues of Savage Dragon. I recently got the last 60 issues of SD and I just finished issue 101 last night. Fun stuff that doesn't take itself too seriously.
You have the 2004 John Kerry issue?
-------------------- "We used to build civilizations. Now we build shopping malls." - Bill Bryson Posts: 5816 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Peter Urkowitz: One of the cool things about Savage Dragon is how the cast ages roughly in real time.
I'm a huge fan of all of Larsen's work (going back to that first Megaton ad in Comics Interview), but the one thing that bugged me about Savage Dragon was the 'real time' aging. Mind you, if every (monthly) issue told a '30 days long' story, then I'd have no problem with it. But the 'real time aging' stories I've read seem to be a couple days here, an hour there, maybe a week or two added in...you know, not 'real' time.
But that's just me. It's not my book and certainly not my character, so I'll just shut up and enjoy the rest of the ride (the cool layouts, the idiosynchratic style, and on and on).
quote:Originally posted by Peter Urkowitz: I kinda hope that he just lets himself off the hook this time, and continues with the stories as if there had been no hiatus. But I'm sure whatever he comes up with will be great.
I'm with you about letting himelf off the hook. And I'd second that with the Super Family storyline as well. (See also: Above note about me just shutting up and riding the ride. I'll go away now, Erik. ;D)
Posts: 1293 | Registered: Jul 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Peter Urkowitz: One of the cool things about Savage Dragon is how the cast ages roughly in real time.
I'm a huge fan of all of Larsen's work (going back to that first Megaton ad in Comics Interview), but the one thing that bugged me about Savage Dragon was the 'real time' aging. Mind you, if every (monthly) issue told a '30 days long' story, then I'd have no problem with it. But the 'real time aging' stories I've read seem to be a couple days here, an hour there, maybe a week or two added in...you know, not 'real' time.
Having every issue try and cover all of the major events over the course of 30 days month in and month out would make for an incredible choppy and boring comic book. No conversation could last more than a panel or two--or fight scene--or much of anything. That would be a disaster.
The "real time" idea came from the desire of fans over the years--wishing Spider-Man or Superman or the Teen Titans would age with them--to grow up with them. Had DC or Marvel done that neither universe would resemble their current one and their icons would either be ancient or dead. It's unworkable and unwise for them to do that in their books because they can't count on successive creators creating the next Silver Surfer, Wonder Woman or Iron Man. But I can count on myself to create new characters as I dispose of the old so I thought I'd give it a shot just to see how it could work.
posted
No, I haven't read the John Kerry story yet, Cory. I just finished the story where the President sends the Dragon family to out of the way vacation, only to be set up by baddies in the basement.
The next issue has Dragon punching Bush on the cover. I can't wait to see what that's about!
Posts: 5219 | From: Newfoundland, Canada | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Peter Urkowitz: One of the cool things about Savage Dragon is how the cast ages roughly in real time.
I'm a huge fan of all of Larsen's work (going back to that first Megaton ad in Comics Interview), but the one thing that bugged me about Savage Dragon was the 'real time' aging. Mind you, if every (monthly) issue told a '30 days long' story, then I'd have no problem with it. But the 'real time aging' stories I've read seem to be a couple days here, an hour there, maybe a week or two added in...you know, not 'real' time.
Having every issue try and cover all of the major events over the course of 30 days month in and month out would make for an incredible choppy and boring comic book. No conversation could last more than a panel or two--or fight scene--or much of anything. That would be a disaster.
The "real time" idea came from the desire of fans over the years--wishing Spider-Man or Superman or the Teen Titans would age with them--to grow up with them. Had DC or Marvel done that neither universe would resemble their current one and their icons would either be ancient or dead. It's unworkable and unwise for them to do that in their books because they can't count on successive creators creating the next Silver Surfer, Wonder Woman or Iron Man. But I can count on myself to create new characters as I dispose of the old so I thought I'd give it a shot just to see how it could work.
And I obviously dug it. It just bugged me. Kinda like Aimee Mann (another artist we both like)...listen to the Magnolia soundtrack first time thru, and it's one of those things where (at least in my case) I didn't get it. Not right away. With repeated listens it grows on the listener. Same thing with the 'real time' business. Definitely worth a shake, especially since SD is yoursallyours. Definitely don't mind me...
Posts: 1293 | Registered: Jul 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
