Comic Books

According to a survey commissioned by U.K. communications regulator Ofcom, the classic Pareto principle is in full effect for people who use pirated versions of copyrighted material. The top 20 percent of copyright infringers account for 88 percent of all infringements (with the top 10 percent being responsible for a whopping 79 percent). What’s surprising, however, is that the top 20 spent £168 (about $253) on content during the six-month monitoring period. That’s not just more than the amount spent by the lower 80 percent (£105, or about $158), it’s significantly more than the £54 ($81) spent by the average person who never pirates anything. In other words, the worst pirates get the vast majority of their stuff for free, but they take in so much media that they end up spending 321 percent more than people who never pirate. It’s a fascinating study, and not only because it turns expectations about pirate behavior upside down. The goal was to classify and predict pirate behavior, with an eye on figuring out how best to curtail it. What wasn’t a surprise were the top factors that would encourage copyright infringers to stop: better pricing and increased availability. (via TorrentFreak)

This Tuesday, Central City Comix of British Columbia was robbed of a number of statues and comics. If you know anyone selling the items listed below, please get in touch with the store The following items are among those stolen from the store: Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman Bust #423/3000 Battlestar Galactica: Little Frakkin Toaster Centurion 1966 Batmobile Replica #574/1300 Dr. Horrible maquette Superman by Frank Miller Statue Superman by Jim Lee Green Lantern Set John Stewart/Guy Gardner #656/1500 Kyle Rayner/Manhunter #323/1500 Hal Jordan/Guardians #524/1500 Arkham City Harley Quinn Statue Green Lantern Animated Wall Plaque: Jon Stewart DC Cover Girls: Batgirl #2870/6000 Batman Black & White: MAD by Sergio Aragones Batman Black & White: Catwoman by Steve Rude #83/4000 Batman Black & White by Ethan van Sciver #2223/3300 Game of Thrones: Daenerys Bust #99/2000 Green Lantern JLA Cover to Cover Statue #1529/2100 Jingle Belle Statue Star Wars: Figrin D’an Mini Bust #247/1650 Marvel Icons: Thor Bust #793/2000 Gremlin movie replica 3’ figure Walking Dead: Rick Grimes TV Series 2 action figure Lot of current variant cover comics British Columbia Retailer Break-In – Have You Seen These Stolen Statues?

Press Release: Archie Comics celebrates the release of Jinx: Little Miss Steps with two signings in two countries! The first signing will take place at Star Clipper in Saint Louis, MO with Eisner award winning artist Rick Burchett on Saturday, May 25th. One week later, Harvey award winning writer J. Torres will sign at Little Island Comics in Toronto, ON on Saturday June 1st. Both volumes of the critically acclaimed original graphic novel will be available for purchase at the signings which star a teenage spin on the classic Li’l Jinx character, a fan favorite comic strip that runs in the Archie Comics digests. Rick Burchett signs on Saturday May 25, 2013 from noon till 3:00pm! RSVP on Facebook! Star Clipper Comics 6392 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130 Phone: (314) 725-9110 J. Torres signs on Saturday June 1, 2013 from 11:30 am till 1:00 pm! Little Island Comics 742 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2R6 Canada Phone: 416-901-7489

Rick Lai visits the Book Cave to talk about his novel Judex and other subjects of interest. http://www.blackcoatpress.com/judex.htm http://www.blackcoatpress.com/judexreturn.htm http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Opera-Rick-Lai/dp/0984476598... Related posts: The Book Cave Episode 206: Arrow The Book Cave Episode 211; Year End Special The Book Cave Episode 210: Gloria Fickling aka Honey West

Tweet [Art: Tom Richmond cover fro the NCS conference with Mo Willems, Brad Anderson, Drew Freidman, Jason Chatfield, Lee Salem, Rob Rogers, Joe Wos and Terri Libenson.] This weekend the traditional Memorial Day annual meeting of the National Cartoonists Society will be held in Pittsburgh, PA. Although Saturday’s Rueben Awards banquet is a private affair, the rest of the weekend has been turned into a public comics festival, starting today with the FIRST EVER art show of Reuben Award winners at the Toonseum. The Pittsburgh Comic Arts Festival (which no one is calling PCAF) takes place Sunday with a block turned into a comics fair: The 900 Block of Liberty Avenue downtown will become a veritable living funny pages block party with visits from Betty Boop, Popeye, Olive Oyl, Dennis the Menace, and the Care Bears. Fun vendors, art activities, chalk artists and caricaturists and will round out the festivities and help to literally draw a crowd! Inside the Bricolage theater is a full day of discussions and signings. There’s also an exhibition of original art from Fat Albert at the August Wilson Gallery. More in this link and in this preview. While many events are free, there is a $5 charge for panels. This is one of the best ideas ever, and a big boost for Pittsburgh’s growing comic arts scene. The NCS meeting moves around every year, but it has never been turned into a public festival of this kind. While comic strip cartoonists have traditionally been much shyer than comic book artists—partly because of their higher status in the culture until recently—but with the social media making everyone more approachable, this is a great way to celebrate comic strips and the people who make them. Times and locations: THE REUBEN AWARDS EXHIBITION opens Thu., May 23 ($150 VIP ticket for 7:30 p.m. reception). Exhibit continues through Aug. 25. 945 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-232-0199 or toonseum.org PITTSBURGH COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., May 26. Various venues 900 block of Liberty Avenue Downtown. Street fest is free, other ticket prices vary. pghcomic artsfest.com Sunday Schedule: • 10-11 a.m. (ToonSeum, 945 Liberty Ave.): Jan Eliot (“Stone Soup”), Patrick McDonnell (“Mutts”), Brian Walker (“Hi & Lois”). • 11 a.m.-noon (August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave.): Brian Crane (“Pickles”), Greg Evans (“Luann”), Rob Rogers (Post-Gazette editorial cartoonist), John Rose (“Barney Google and Snuffy Smith”), John Stevens (caricatoonist), Carolyn Belefski (“Curls”). • Noon-1 p.m. (Wilson Center): Paul Fell (“Paul Fell Cartoons”), Jeff Keane (“Family Circus”), Bunny Hoest (“The Lockhorns,” “Laugh Parade,” “Howard Huge”), Bill Morrison (“Simpsons Comics”), Laurie Triefeldt (“World of Wonder”), Sandra Bell-Lundy (“Between Friends”). • 1-2 p.m. (Wilson Center): Donna Lewis (“Reply All Comic”), Mark Tatulli (“Lio”), Jerry Van Amerongen (“Ballad Street”), Greg Walker (“Beetle Bailey”), Tom Richmond (“Mad Magazine”). • 1:15-2:15 p.m. (Bricolage, 937 Liberty Ave; ticketed event): Women in Cartooning Panel — Lynn Johnston (“For Better or For Worse”), Cathy Guisewite (“Cathy”), Terri Libenson (“Pajama Diaries”) and Hilary Price (“Rhymes With Orange”), Jen Sorensen (“Slowpoke”). • 2-3 p.m. (Wilson Center): Jason Chatfield (“Ginger Meggs”), Barbara Dale (“Dale Cards”), Jeff Knurek (“Jumble: That Scrambled Word Game”); Mo Willems (“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”). • 3:15-4:15 p.m. (Bricolage): Dan Piraro (“Bizarro Quick-Draw Jam Session!”). • 3-4 p.m.: (Wilson Center): Daryll Collins (“Scholastic, Highlights and Boys Life”); Paul Combs (&#

Dave Elliott has more than 25 years of experience working in every aspect of the comic book industry from writer and artist to editor and publisher, and his latest project, the return of A1, is about to be launched, in partnership with Titan Comics. Dave created Sharky and Maximum Force and has worked on diverse titles such as A1, Deadline, Viz Comic, Heavy Metal magazine, Penthouse Comix, 2000AD, Justice League of America, Transformers, GI Joe and Doctor Who. He recently worked with the band Fall Out Boy, and with NASCAR/MMI to create and brand new intellectual properties which he cites as examples of new media integration for a more immersive entertainment experience. In 2006, Dave co-founded Radical Studios, and, as both the co-publisher and Editor-In-Chief, was integral to the development and launch of Radical’s premiere comic book titles several of which have now begun development as film properties including Hercules (Starring Dwayne Johnson, directed by Brett Ratner and to be released by MGM), Freedom Formula (New Regency), Schrapnel, Caliber, Hotwire, Last Days of American Crime and Oblivion (starring Tom Cruise, directed by Joe Kosinski and released by Universal). He's currently relaunching his company Atomeka, started with his partner Garry Leach, as an imprint of Titan Books. Atomeka’s titles include A1, Weirding Willows, and Monster Massacre, followed by Odyssey. downthetubes: The return of A1. Why now, after what, how many years? Dave: I've been asked a few times over the years to bring it back but with the rise of creator owned material I really didn't see the point at the time. When Garry and myself started A1, doing creator owned material was pretty rare. Most British creators never had the chance or the opportunity to do anything. Then I did several projects with [US publisher] Image Comics. The approach seemed noble, giving creators all the rights and they'd just take a cut off the top. Seemed reasonable. But I saw many creators who were doing four to six issue mini-series that came out of it in debt. Their trade money already spent in paying back Image their piece of the pie. Creators quite naturally want to get their ideas out there. To seed them and hopefully get the chance to tell their story someday. So what if you didn't need to do a six issue series? What if you could do a series of shorter stories where you wouldn't have to quit your day job? I'm offering some people the chance to do that. To lay the ground work by seeding their ideas so when they do take the time out to do that four to six issue mini-series, the audience has had a taste for it. The creator has had a chance to get feedback and refine his (or her) ideas. The upcoming A1 annual downthetubes: What's the appeal of the anthology format for you - you seem to get drawn back with it, what with guest editing Heavy Metal and more? Dave: Anthologies offer the chance for experimentation and exploration. It's a tougher discipline as you have to tell a story in three to 12 pages, build a little character and hopefully see if the idea floats for you and the audience to want to see more. Text stories, art galleries, even articles shouldn't be off the table as well. downthetubes:The anthology is a tough market, particularly in the United States - despite A1's amazing success in the past. Are you a glutton for punishment or one of life's optimists? Dave: I think that needs clarification. The big A1 anthology, which will be out in October, will be more Mass Market. (The comic will just be the Direct Sales Market). Anthologies in the comic book Direct Sales Market don't do that well. I think it is primarily down to motive for doing one. is it just to get a bunch of characters that no one really cares much about into print to keep the copyright going? Now the mass market tends to react the other way. Every magazine available in the mass market is an anthology. TIME, People, Entertainment Weekl

What to say about this cute little girl who went to meet Stan Lee DRESSED AS STAN LEE?! Caption below!

Geoff Johns' epic GREEN LANTERN #20 has paved a new path for the massive Lantern universe and, come June, new creative teams are going to hop on the various GL titles and take all of the key characters in an all-new journey. If you've been following along, then you know there's been a major change with Kyle Rayner and he's now an immensely powerful White Lantern. While the rest of the roster in GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS has yet to be revealed, we do know writer Justin Jordan will base his opening story around Kyle and the Templar Guardians. We had a chance to chat with Jordan about why he thinks Kyle's a unique character and how he'd describe the series.Comic Vine: What’s it like taking over a title after such a huge event? Do you like having a direction already basically set in stone or does it kind of limit your options with the character?Justin Jordan: I wouldn’t say it limits my options a whole lot. I mean, it’s kind of the nature of work-for-hire business. You can’t have, generally speaking, Batman chuck Joker into a blender and set it to puree. You’re always working within restrictions so this isn’t real different. I was actually given relatively free rein to do what I wanted with the books, working it out with editorial and all that kind of stuff. The most daunting prospect is probably just coming onto a popular property in general. I mean, Green Lantern titles tend to have fans who are really, really into the books and that’s a little daunting because you don’t want to screw it up.CV: Were you a big fan of the Green Lantern universe prior to this or not really?JJ: It got to be one of those things where keeping track of the books got to be kind of overwhelming for me at a certain point. Conceptually, I like the idea a whole lot, I just haven’t been able to keep up with it as much as I would like. One of the dirty secrets about comics in particular is when you start writing them eventually you run out of time to actually read them as much as you would like.CV: Why do you think Kyle Rayner’s someone who deserves the spotlight?JJ: He’s bringing a different kind of perspective to Green Lantern – that’s kind of been true from the beginning. They tried to go with someone who has an artistic background, who looked at things from a different point of view. You know, a fairly different mindset than someone like Hal Jordan who comes from a kind of military background. And that’s still the case and we want to emphasize the idea that Kyle, just because of his role as a White Lantern and stuff, is sort of outside of the GL key structure. This means he can look at what the core as a whole is doing from a different perspective that somebody inside it just can’t do. I think that’s an interesting way to contrast and explore the other books.CV: You mention Kyle’s an artist. Will we see that expressed through his constructs?JJ: Yes. It comes up a couple of times in the first two issues so that’s not something we’ll be ignoring.CV: What’s it like trying to create obstacles for a hero who has become incredibly powerful?JJ: (laughs) Tricky. That’s one of the things that kind of interests me about it and I kind of talked about this before when I was talking about Superboy because it kind of applies to superheroes across the board. That kind of power doesn’t give you the ability to just fix things. My go to example is yeah, you can go to a world that’s ruled by this cruel dictator and you take out the dictator… that doesn’t change the world fundamentally. All the structures that are in place to allow that are still there. If you went to Apokolips and eliminated Darkseid, you’ve still got the Hunger Dogs and all those problems are still there – you haven’t magically turned it into a paradise. That’s just not how things work and that’s the same thing with raw power. Raw power isn’t enough to necessarily make the changes you want to make. The trick with working with somebody like Kyle who has a lot of powers at his fingertips is presenting him

ComiXology has removed 56 titles from its iOS app this week — they range from Angry Youth Comix to Sex to The Boys: Herogasm — to adhere to Apple App Store policies. They’re still available for purchase from comiXology.com. “In order to comply with the Apple App Store guidelines regarding adult or inappropriate content, some new releases were rejected for our iOS app this week,” a statement on the comiXology blog reads. “In addition, certain previously released titles that fall outside of these guidelines were also rejected and will be removed from sale.” The announcement comes a little more than a month after the digital-comics distribution platform rejected Saga #12 in an effort to adhere to Apple policies, an action originally attributed to the computer giant. In the aftermath, Image asked that Black Kiss II, XXXombies and Sex #1 be revisited, resulting in all three being approved for the comiXology and Image Comics iOS apps. Now, however,  all three have been removed. The list of removed titles also includes Jess Fink’s Chester 5000, Reed Waller and Kate Worley’s classic Omaha the Cat Dancer, Johnny Ryan’s Prison Pit and the gay-comics anthology No Straight Lines, which features the work of Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruse and Eric Shanower, among others.

Tonight in Los Angeles, there’s a gala to celebrate the work of Geoff Johns by the great and the good. And in this week’s final Green Lantern issue from Geoff, some of them shared their thoughts in a series of multi coloured tributes. They may have been skipped past as readers wanted to get on with the story, that very final story, so here there are in one place to be read at a more leisurely pace… DC’s Green Lantern #20 Tribute To Geoff Johns From Neil Gaiman, Jim Lee, Richard Donner, Mark Strong And… Mrs Geoff