TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Tina and I have a lot of subscriptions about the publishing industry come in, both hard copy and e-mailed copies...

I usually don't blog about them here, but the latest issue of 'Book Business' Magazine, had several articles that caught my attention, that I wanted to share. I'll just mention two of them here in this blog post today.

That's because the articles can be 'translated' to selling comics and graphic novels as well as books.

First up was the cover article: "The Future of the Industry: Whose Hands Is It In?"

The article was by James Sturdivant, and was excellent IMO on how the book industry is reaching a 'disruption point' as big-box stores, as well as online retailers and e-Books are defining the book market.

Here is just a little of the story:

"What does it mean when a city of 230,000 loses its lone bookstore, as is happening to Laredo, Texas, in early 2010? With a world of books available to purchase online, is it merely a symbolic loss, or is there something more deep-rooted at work?"

For more of the article... click here!

Additionally there is another great article, this one titled "Socially Active" by Janet Spavlik, about how Chronicle Books has become the #2 followed publisher on Twitter.  Plus how they have added a Facebook Fan Page, and between the two of those Social Networks have found that those two links are in the Top 10 of sites referring to their own web site.  For more on this article, click here for the direct link!

Again, I don't usually blog about articles like these, or magazines about the industry; but this magazine is really 'clicking' with this issue.

My thanks to the publishers for making this info available both in hard copy and online!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events.

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Last October was the Long Beach Comic Con's 1st Annual Comic Con (LBCC), and even 'Batgirl' was there, (as seen at the above right)...

Plus Tina and myself attended the con to check out all the artists alley attendees, etc. I blogged several times before, during, and after about all the comics creators that were there.  I was looking forward to attending again this upcoming Fall, but guess what? The organizers of the Con have decided to throw a one day Comic Expo this month of February in addition to the Fall Con!

So here's their pitch for YOU to attend this one day expo on Saturday February 20th, 2010:

Why Wait to Love Comics More?

October's Long Beach Comic Con was so much fun, we can't wait a whole year to do it again!

So why not … have a Comic Expo 2010!

A one-day extravaganza of eclectic entertainment for everyone!

Saturday, February 20th 2010

Long Beach Convention Center
Promenade Ballroom
10am – 7pm

Only $10 of your Earth dollars!

Okay... so what special guests will be there? After all, I did mention all the great comics creators I met there last October!
 

Well, here are just a few:

Amanda Wolf
Bernie Wrightson
Beth Sotelo
Brian Haberlin
Christian Beranek
Christian Meesey
David Wohl
Dustin Nguyen
Eddie Nuñez
Eric Basaldua
Frank Mastromauro
Gus Vazquez
J.T. Krul
Jim Daly
JJ Kirby
Joe Benitez
Joshua Hale Fialkov
Livio Ramondelli
Lou Ferrigno
Mark Roslan
Michael Lopez
Peter Steigerwald
Rick Basaldua
Rob Levin
Stan Sakai
Tim Bradstreet
Todd Nauck
Tone Rodriguez
Trent Kaniuga
Stan Sakai
Vince Hernandez
Whilce Portacio

What else will this one day Expo have?

Retailers with cool goods (Golden Apple! Comic Madness! Terry's Comics! Amazing Comics! Ed Robertson's Comics! Harley Yee Comics! Tony Raiola Books! Geoffrey's Comics! Pulp Fiction! Scott Hudlow Comics! And more to come!)

If YOU are going to be in the Los Angeles Metro Area on February 20th, 2010... Don't Miss It!

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the one blogged about here today.

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

February 1940 was the first issue of Whiz Comics, even though it says #2 on the cover...

I won't go into the background of why it says #2, but this issue is very important because of the introduction of the original Captain Marvel!

Yes, he received his own title very quickly, in [March] 1941, which lasted until November of 1953. 

The total number of issues published for that title "Captain Marvel Adventures" was: 150.

Although this Captain Marvel was one of the best selling comics in the 1940's, I don't really remember reading many if any of these super-hero Fawcett Comics when I was growing up on the West Coast. Nor did I really see them when we visited my folks relatives in the Midwest areas.

You see, I grew up in the late 1950's reading funny books as a young kid. So when I first came across "Captain Marvel", it was one of the "strange" Captain Marvel Comics, pictured to the left. (It ran for four issues.)

I thought it was "strange" because there was already a comics group called 'Marvel Comics', and thought why wasn't this 'Captain Marvel' not one of their titles...???

This Captain Marvel's background is the following:

"Roger Winkle, professor of archaeology at Dartmoor College and a robot, has but to utter the word "Split" and his various body parts separate.

Roger was sent to Earth to promote and preserve peace. When Roger becomes Captain Marvel by saying "Split", his various body parts dis-joint but are still under his mental control. When Captain Marvel says "Xam" the various body parts re-link. As Captain Marvel, Roger wears a uniform that includes jet boots and an amulet which energizes him. If his amulet is removed, he becomes immobile after a short while. His other weakness is that he cannot control his other body parts if glass comes between them and his head.  

Roger takes young Billy Baxton as his ward and confidant. Roger's platonic girlfriend is Linda Knowles, daughter of the president of the college."

Man, that sure didn't sound like any Stan Lee written comic! But I recognized the name of "Carl Burgos" as being one of the creators of this "Captain Marvel".  Hadn't he been credited as to creating the "Original Human Torch" for Timely / Marvel Comics that were being reprinted in Marvel's "Fantasy Masterpieces"?  So again I asked, where is Marvel's "Captain Marvel" at?

Well, that was soon answered in December of 1967 by the 12th issue of 'Marvel Super-Heroes' with artwork by Gene Colan!  (Who by the way, is the topic of this blog's "Featurette" section at the bottom right of this blog post!)

If it hadn't been for Stan Lee's Soapbox at the time, I might have missed this issue at the 7-11, as 'new' Marvel titles at the time were not stocked in depth on the spinner racks.

Plus this really wasn't a #12 issue of "Marvel Super-Heroes", as it was continued from "Fantasy Masterpieces" #11! 

This Captain Marvel was definitely more in the manner of a Stan Lee presentation... and I found myself buying his comic book title shortly after he received his own series.  Unfortunately, the title just never caught on... and stopped and started sporadically it seemed to me at the time! 

It was only much later that DC started publishing their own Captain Marvel, but with the title Shazam because of legal issues!  This series ran from February 1973 - May-June 1978!

You gotta remember that in the 'Old Days' there weren't many comic book shops, and most of my comics were bought off spinner racks at the 7-11s in the South Bay at the time.

There was this great book store in Downtown San Diego that had coverless comics from the 1940's - 1950's for sale... but I had no reference as to what issues they were from quite often, as the splash page would not have the info as to where the comic book was published from, if the info was printed on the bottom of the inside cover.

When I started buying from mail order dealers, I wasn't into Fawcett Comics, as I was a 'Marvel Zombie'.  It wasn't until later, when I first started selling at the San Diego Comic Con that I broadened the scope of my reading of comic books.

Thus, although the original Captain Marvel was never one of my favorites, I can appreciate what he did for comics in general.

Today, the histories of the different "Captain Marvels" is a little convoluted, what with all of those different persons that have taken the name "Captain Marvel" since the 'Death' of Marvel's 1st 'Captain Marvel'.  I'm not even going there for this blog..., as I haven't read most of those versions in their entirety in print.

Instead, I'll just give Kudos to the creators and the publisher of the Original Captain Marvel.  70 Years is a Long Time for a Creation to continue to entertain!

BTW...The first story of the Original Captain Marvel has been reprinted a few times since then, and some of the reprints are found in the following:

•in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-4
•in Millennium Edition: Whiz Comics 2 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn]
•in Shazam! Archives, The (DC, 1992 series) #1

--------------------------- 

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Comic books / graphic novels like the ones shown above can be found at our own web site:  http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com 

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"     Note: If you are breaking into or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to: Make It So Marketing PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     We also have an on-line exhi bitor table at the virtual Facebook Comic Con. You can view the table by clicking this link.  If you are a Facebook member, please join our Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, and other wall posts!     If you are a Facebook member and would like to join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'.

TODAY'S FEATURETTE: My Thanks to Jay E Fife, who sent me an update about the upcoming 2010 Pittsburgh Comic Con this past Saturday. For those of you who have not been to this Con, here is the link to their Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pittsburgh.comicon?ref=ts If you even think you may be attending this Con, feel free to 'join' that Fan Page!  We aren't going to be able to make this Con, but I wanted to receive updates and comment on wall posts, so I 'joined' it already! Let me get the 'business' part of this Featurette out of the way first.  Here's the details for the upcoming Pittsburgh Comic Con: Monroeville Convention Center 209 Mall Boulevard Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146 April 23, 24 & 25 2010 Friday 1pm-7pm Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday 10am-5pm: Now for the FUN STUFF! Well at least for me! ;-)  Pictured below is a photo that I took at another Con, of the SPECIAL GUEST that will be attending all three days of this Pittsburgh Comic Con 2010: Yep, that's Gene (The Dean) Colan standing in the middle of the photo!  He's pictured above after blowing out the candles on his birthday cake at the 2001 San Diego Comic Con! This was a special event at one of Mark Evanier's programs, who is pictured to the right. He's expected to be there all 3 days of this Pittsuburgh Comic Con, so stop by and say hello to him AND his lovely wife Adrienne! BTW, I recently blogged about the upcoming book on Gene; Click here to view the post on "The Invincible Gene Colan". My thanks again to Jay for sending me the special guest info! Jay will be set up at table #___, so stop by and say hello to him too! Have Sum Fun all of YOU lucky enough to attend this Con!  For those blog readers who do stop in for one or all three days of this con, feel free to message me about your visit there, and share a photo or two! --------------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed, which could either be published in the 'Main Feature' or 'Featurette' sections. ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently. The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768. All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Yes, I know... I had previously posted on my Facebook Wall that I wouldn't be blogging this weekend, in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday tomorrow...

But... I did have to stop for a late lunch today after catching up on several projects on and off-line.

And when I did, I was watching the cable news networks, and saw that I had missed the 99th Celebration of Ronald Reagan's Birth, being held up in Simi Valley, California.

Yeah, I know... I don't usually blog on politics here in my Blog.  But this post is actually about how Ronald Reagan was the 'Star' of a really curious comic book series from SolSon Publications.

Yes, Ronald had been shown on comic book covers before, after all he was a Movie and TV Star... but it was the SolSon Publications' Limited Series (Mini-Series?), titled "Reagan's Raiders" that a LOT of people don't know about.

That's Right!

The Ultimate Patriotic Super Heroes Team 'Reagan's Raiders' Existed Back In the 1980's!

Actually published in 1986-87, there were three issues of this title of 'Reagan's Raiders'.

Created by artist Rich (Deathlok / Black Panther) Buckler and actor Monroe (Alice's Restaurant / Goodbye Columbus) Arnold, this was part of the black and white comic book explosion when hundreds of new comics were published by many publishers now defunct!

How did this happen??  Well their secret origin is as follows:

Using a 'physo-nuclear conversion process', Project Alpha Soldier staff scientist Professor Cashchaser transformed President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George Bush Sr., Secretary Of Defense Casper W. Weinberger,  and Secretary of State George P. Shultz into the patriotic super-team known as Reagans Raiders!

Oddball as it may seem, this series was actually a good read, and not derogatory to the then President as you may think it would be!

I keep coming accross issues of this comic book here and there, and usually pick them up for resale, because of the 'cross-over effect' between comic book collectors, political items collectors, and Hollywood memorabilia collectors.

I believe that with next year's Celebration of Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday, that it will be a really big boost to items that feature him.  So if you have one of these comic books... save it for next year to show everyone!

If you don't have a copy, well... we have listed four copies in our own online store at: Click here for Ronald Reagan Comics!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the one blogged about here today.

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

This week I found myself at a new client, (an ad agency), doing 'Year-End Work'.  That's what we call it in the Accounting Field, when preparing financial statements and backups for review or audit by a company's outside auditors.

Before you get totally bored and click off this blog post... let me say this:  I have met many creative types during my years on the periphery of comics, and all too often, those creators have good to great skills to creating their works, but lack the basics of running a business or promoting their works.

Yeah, that could be You, but hopefully it isn't!

But IF it is... then this book could be just what you needed!

Especially when the book can be yours for FREE!

Yes...FREE!  As in a Free download format!

First, my thanks to the author of this book, David Parrish, who sent me a review copy in hard copy format.  After working on a desktop or laptop all day, my personal preference in reading for 'pleasure' or for a possible 'review' is not on an e-book format.

However, I am bringing this book in e-book format to my blog readers because of its' value. First, the regular cost of the book from the UK is £15 GBP plus shipping.

However the e-Book can be obtained from the following link for FREE:  http://www.davidparrish.com/page.asp?pgid=125&pgsid=33.

Why should YOU take the time to download this book, and most important of all... read it?

Well, even though he is based in the UK, David’s qualifications include experience as business advisor, trainer and management consultant. He draws on his own experiences as a creative entrepreneur and with his knowledge, he works as a professional advisor with creative businesses and the agencies that support them to do business better.

Some of the chapters he covers include:  'Creativity and Business', 'Know Yourself', 'The Magic of Marketing', 'Protecting Your Creativity', 'Counting Your Money', 'Keeping Good Company', and more!

I have taken on some personal projects before and while enjoying doing them, had not seen 'commercial' success.  Instead, it was more of a 'vanity press' type of venture.  I wish this book had been around then, and also the internet for that matter!

My suggestion is that You take the time to check out the link above, download the Free e-Book, and peruse a chapter at a time, digesting what is in those pages, before moving on to the next chapter.

I found this book to have many applications, for both individual creators, as well as those that are running or attempting to run a small creative environment business with just a handful of staff.

My thanks to David Parrish, my new Facebook Friend, for sending this book to me.  AND for sharing it via e-book format!

PLUS: Our thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events or topics, such as the one blogged about here today.