Ambush Bug here with another peek at what I’ve been up to at the San Diego Comic Con today. While Capone, Quint, & Mr. Beaks are wandering around interviewing celebrities and digging up all kinds of cool gossip from the entertainment industry, I decided to do something kooky and cover the comics side of the con. I quickly realized that covering it all is virtually impossible (hopefully next year they’ll send a couple more @$$Holes to help me out), but I did my best to work the floor and attend a few of the panels, and hob-nob with comics best and brightest.
After breaking the news of a new THE WEEKLY WORLD NEWS comic from IDW Publishing this morning, I decided to attend the IDW: Evolution of Comics panel . There, Chris Ryall introduced Bob Schreck (formerly of DC’s editorial staff) to the IDW Editorial Lineup. Bill (FABLES) Willingham was also there promoting his new IDW project with Gene Ha, BACKROADS, a gritty sci fi adventure miniseries.
Much if the first part of the panel was focused on giving a brief history of IDW and the celebration of their 10 year anniversary. They also spoke at length about new developments in digital comics. They are working on having their entire line of comics available for iPhone where you swipe from panel to panel to read through the comic. Interesting concept and it may be the future of comics as we know it.
Other announcements included a reprinting of Chuck Dixon and the late Jorge Zaffino’s WINTERWORLD, a story of a world covered in ice, and it’s never before printed sequel WINTER SEA, both to be distributed soon.
IDW will be releasing a “writer’s cut” extended movie adaptation of this year’s STAR TREK film.
Clive Barker returns to comics and writes SEDUTH, a 3D metaphysical horror with amazing art by Gabriel (LOCKE & KEY) Rodriguez.
Jennifer Love Hewitt created THE MUSIC BOX for IDW, a TWLIGHT ZONE anthology book scripted by Scott Lobdell.
Good Charlotte’s Billy Martin writes VITRIOL about a monster hunter set to be unleashed in Spring of 2010.
Hotter than hot Brea (HEROES) Grant teams with her brother Zane Austin Grant for a zombie story set in the 20’s called WE WILL BURY YOU with covers by Ben Templesmith and art by Kyle Strahm.
Finally, Chris announced that IDW will be adapting Peter S. Beagle’s THE LAST UNICORN and Harlan Ellison’s PHOENIX WITHOUT ASHES in 2010.
After that panel, I tooled around a bit and ended up in the Indie 101 panel where Chip Moser of BOOM Studios and Heidi MacDonald among others talked about marketing indie comics. Much was said about how to reach out to websites to pimp your indie book. Chip’s 3 rules; be aggressive, be shameless, and be brief & concise are words anyone who wants to break into the industry should follow. Much encouragement was given to those wanting to break into the comics biz throughout.
I wandered the floor after that. The following are some of the things I noticed & encountered while doing so.
BOOM’s got a new book coming out called THE ANCHOR which looks amazing by Phil Hester with art by Brian Churilla.Someone farted in front of me as I passed the Suicide Girls booth. Not cool, man. You made me move by the Suicide Girls booth much faster than I wanted, you foul, foul fiend. You know who you are…not cool.
Got a book by Matt Maxwell called STRANGEWAYS. Cowboys and werewolves. Kick ass. Can’t wait to read and review this one for a future Indoe Jones column.
Meredith Salenger is still extremely hot.
Mel Calo, while not hot by my standards, is cool. He works with Archaia and provided me with some cool stuff I will be reviewing soon including Joshua Hale Fiailkov’s TUMOR, DAYS MISSING, and AWAKENING.
There is mucho, mucho jailbait at this con.
Jim Mahfood hooked me up with the awesomely titled CARL: THE CAT WHO MAKES PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES. Can’t wait to review that one.
How much hotter does it make Brea Grant that she’s writing a zombie comic for IDW? I’ll answer that one. Extremely hotter.
If you haven’t read anything by Rick Geary, I feel for you. The guy writes some amazing stuff and is an incredibly nice guy. Hopefully, I can do an interview with him soon. I loved his FAMOUS PLAYERS mystery book from NBM Papercutz and picked up THE LINDBURGH CHILD which Mr. Geary said was one of his favorites. Can’t wait to read and review that one.
GABRIEL writer/artist Jaime "Jimmmy" Portillo is a super cool guy and you should stop by his booth and check out his books GABRIEL & THE RAILROAD KILLER.
A war is bound to erupt between the TWILIGHT folks and everyone else, but the sheer number of the goth teenie boppers I fear is enough to overcome the entire con.
Kirby Krackle was kind enough to give me a CD and an invite to their acoustic performance at a place called the Ruby Room on Saturday night at 9:30. This is a cool band and I hope I can make it to see them perform.
