Tina's 'Take' On:  Torchwood #1 With SDCC Variant Cover As Seen At The San Diego Comic-Con 2010!     ---------- Above Photo: Tina LoSasso In Front of the Torchwood #1 Comic Book Poster In the Titan Books Booth at 2010 SDCC! At the Top Left: The Front Cover to The SDCC Exclusive Variant Cover to Torchwood #1 - Illustrated by Ian Churchill! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3206:

Today's post is guest blogged by my wife, Tina LoSasso, who attended her 10th San Diego Comic-Con International this year! 

Review: “Torchwood” Comic Expands Storylines from the Wild & Crazy BBC Sci-Fi Series

Michael and I had the pleasure of meeting several representatives from Titan Publishing at San Diego Comic-Con 2010. They gave us a review copy of Torchwood #1 (Sept 2010) for mention in our Blog. If you’re a fan of the show, you’re going to want to get yours, and you have four covers to choose from.

We discovered the “Torchwood” series on DVD this summer. In fact, when I finish writing this for Michael to post in the morning, we’re going to finish Season 3: Children of Earth. And to anyone else who’s seen it – yeah, I know – I can’t believe we were able to tear ourselves away from it! I can’t wait, so here we go – forgive the typos…

Torchwood #1 contains two separate stories. The first (The Selkie) is inclusive while the second (Broken) is part 1 of 5. The copy we read has a really cool San Diego Comic Con exclusive “sketch” cover with realistic representations of Jack, Gwen and Ianto among the rubble of the destroyed Hub. 

Fans of the series will appreciate the involvement of John Barrowman (Capt Jack Harkness) in the comic. Barrowman wrote a special foreword explaining how the comic grew out of his meeting artists Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring at San Diego Comic-Con 2008. ‘The Selkie’ story is written by Barrowman and his sister, Carole E. Barrowman.

The self-contained ‘Selkie’ reveals a little more of Jack’s mysterious history. OK – we still don’t know why he can’t die, but we do learn a little bit about what he did before Torchwood. We also see Jack on his own without his team – outside of Cardiff. It’s different and somewhat interesting.

‘Broken’ feels like an episode of the TV series. It has it all: the team, the bantering, the mystery, the Rift, - why you’ll even see a sinister character from seasons past.  I admit I loved everything about it, except the artwork style. I’m just not a fan of this style. But that won’t stop me from getting my hands on the next issue as soon as it’s out!

On a comic book grading scale of 10, I give Torchwood #1: 9.2 (Near Mint Minus)

Michael still needs to read it, but once he does, look for Torchwood #1 – and a bunch of other cool sci-fi comics in our online store. That’s if he can part with it!

Time to finish watching Torchwood: Children of the Earth!

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Thanks Tina for guest blogging here today, and giving us your thoughts on this comic book with one of the four variant covers that is being printed!  For more on this comic book and others that Titan Publishing is printing in the near future please check out their web site at TitanBooks.com. Plus they have a Facebook Fan Page at Titan Books!

And my personal thanks to Kristen Funk of Titan Publishing Group LTD for bringing this comic book to our attention!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,205 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

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"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 Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- 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. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Vinnie's 'Take' On:  Berona's War Preview Book As Seen In The Archaia Booth At San Diego Comic-Con International 2010!       -------------- ---------- Above Topmost Photo: Vinnie along with Anthony Coffey and Jesse Labbé at their table in the Archaia booth! Directly Above: Vinnie at one of the Exhibit Hall doors eager to get back in! At the Top Left: The Front Cover to 'Berona's War Preview Book'! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3205:

Today's post is guest blogged by my youngest son, who attended all five days of the Comic-Con this year with us!

'My Take' On Berona's War Preview Book - by Vinnie 

This is my review of the Berona's War Preview Book which was one of the comics that my dad and I picked up at the San Diego Comic Con. It is published by Archaia Comics, and was created by Anthony Coffey and Jesse Labbé. Both, Anthony and Jesse, did part of the art and part of the story, but Anthony did the cover art (As stated in the credits on the Inside Front Cover.)

Here is what the book's promb blurb states the publication is to be about:

48 Pages
$3.95 US

Berona’s War Preview Book

"The BERONA’S WAR PREVIEW BOOK serves as an introduction to the upcoming hardcover releases BERONA’S WAR: FIELD GUIDE and BERONA’S WAR: FIGHT FOR AMITY, a pair of books introducing some of the wackiest, most violence-prone characters since “Spy Vs. Spy” and classic Looney Tunes! The PREVIEW features descriptions of each book, a rundown of key players in the war, three short stores and several pages of concept sketches and ideas."

Below are my thoughts about each part of the comic:

Front Cover: I liked the front cover art, because it shows two of the characters in the Berona's War series. It shows the "new-ish" looking drawing style while it shows old style of equipment, and creatures, so it is really fun to look at.

Inside Front Cover: The inside front cover has the title, credits, and publishing information. It also has Archaia's website as well as the address. It also states the "workforce" at Archaia including the President of the company, all the way to the interns, making sure almost everyone has some credit for being in that company.

Splash Page: The splash page gives interesting information, both about the book and human nature. It talks about why someone would pick up this book, and all sorts of other things.

Interior Pages: The interior pages, obviously contain the story which is illustrated and written beautifully. The first few pages of the interior pages also have each class of creature that would be found on the island of Berona, as this was which is where the story is et.

Inside Back Cover: The inside back cover has the usual ad, but this one is about another book from Archaia. I'm glad they had the ad be put on the inside back cover instead of the back cover, because most people will look at the back cover before the inside one. By having the ad on the inside, they can have the lure for the people to think about reading and buying the book.

Back Cover: The back cover had information about the creators, Jesse Labbé and Anthony Coffey, and about their previous works before Berona's War. It also gives information about the Berona's War series, which is the reason for people to even thumb through it to see the wonderful works of these creators. Overall, a really good promo "ashcan" of sorts that will attract people to buy their books. I know I will when I have some money to spend.

My comic book grade for this publication is a NEAR MINT MINUS (NM-) 9.2 on a 10.0 grading scale.

To see more on "Berona's War" series, check out this link!

If YOU are on Facebook check out their Archaia Fan Page!

---------------------------

Thanks Vinnie for guest blogging here today, and giving us your thoughts on this preview book from a tween's POV!

And my personal thanks to Anthony and Jesse who took the time during the Comic-Con to personally show Vinnie their series!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,205 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

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 Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- 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. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Former Comic-Con Goddess Reflects on San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Part 2 Of A Guest Blog By Tina LoSasso!        -------------- ---------- Above Topmost Photo: Michael and Tina at the 2nd Annual Captain Rochester Artists Appreciation Dinner Party! Directly Above: Michael and Tina at SyFy's 'Cafe Diem' Downtown San Diego! At the Top Left: Another Waiting In Line Experience for Ballroom 20! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3204:

Today's post is guest blogged by my wife, Tina LoSasso, a continuation of Part 1 posted here yesterday!

A Woman’s View of 10 Years of Comic Con!

The crowds at Comic Con have begat line control worthy of Disneyland. I missed wading through the Hall H line looking for line buddies in the hour before dawn on Saturday mornings. Can’t do it anymore, the line is too tight and directed by the security patrol instead of the meandering mess it used to be.

As for the change in security, I think they were much more polite and customer-focused than in recent years. It seemed clear to me that they’d been given some very strict instructions about how to talk to attendees. I’ve heard some stories to the contrary, and on Sunday, they seemed to have lost their patience, but overall I think the security personnel were a big improvement this year.

In recent years, the Elite staff has been ill-informed, rude and sometimes out of control. Just last year, I was flabbergasted by an Elite red-shirt telling a blind woman she had to walk to the next set of bathrooms (about a quarter-mile of hallway) because they’d cordoned off the nearest ones for no discernable reason.

Between volunteers and security, line control was much more pro-active this year with plenty of staff positioned along routes to direct people joining the lines. Twice I saw security staff help someone essentially jump the line by guiding them through the Hall H line to join their friends further ahead. Now that’s customer service.

My favorite improvement this year concerned the Warner Brothers booth. After being elbowed repeatedly and nearly crushed last year trying to get Michael a Wonder Woman bag, I applaud whoever brokered the deal whereby WB included a bag in every attendee packet. I suspect it was the Fire Marshall. This simple change helped alleviate some of the insanity on the Floor.

And, was it me or where there a lot less clueless parents with small children in strollers?

I made a big change this year – no Convention food. After contracting food poisoning last year, I decided we weren’t eating anything we didn’t bring in ourselves. I highly recommend the practice – you’ll avoid one more line and save a ton of time!

After 10 years of Comic Con, I’m still a fan – not a Goddess – these days, I think, you have to dress up like Wonder Woman to earn that, but a fan nonetheless.

Despite the crazy crowds, we had a lot of fun at Comic Con.  Here are a few of our favorite lighter moments:

“Jeffster” performing to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” at the Chuck panel. Vik Sahay made the long wait in line worth it, which was fortuitous since the panel itself was disappointing (horrible moderator and no time for audience Q&A).

Running into Allison Scagliotti in the ladies room – she was elated that her job moderating the Eureka panel was over – so Claudia!

Any moment during Quick Draw but Peter David guessing the drawings depicting the word “Miscellaneous” -- with the emphasis on “aneous” -- was hilarious.

Molly Quinn (rumored to be the next Mary Jane in the Spidey reboot) getting into the Comic Con spirit by donning a Lt. Uhura costume for the “Castle” panel. We had a heads-up on that and weren’t disappointed.

A surprise Hall H visit from the always delightful Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) who gave us a glimpse into his upcoming “Haunted Mansion.”

The gay guy who was posing men cross-legged on Thor’s throne at the Marvel booth. He was mock insulted when I played it safe and said, “How metrosexual of you” -- he corrected me!

Helen Mirren (“The Queen” for goodness sakes!) taking the stage for the RED panel in a Harvey Pekar T-shirt.

Funniest Comic Con Moment: This sums up the twisted mentality of Con goers. I spotted him outside the Floor on Sunday afternoon. Obviously riffing on a Comic Con staple, the handmade signs proclaiming things like: “Free Hugs,” the guy had cut out a hole over one eye and drew a circle around it, and taped a pen to the board and wrote “Free Pokes to the Eye.”  If you don’t know what this refers to, Google “Comic Con stabbing” – you’ll be more polite in Hall H in the future, I’m sure!

Note: If you haven’t purchased your ticket for next year’s Con, stay tuned. The 15,000 4-day with Preview Night tickets sold out before the end of this year’s Con. Watch Michael’s blog for when tickets are available online – and jump to it.  Tickets usually go on sale during August. If recent history is any indication, they’ll sell out surprisingly quick.)

---------------------------

Thus Part 2 of Tina's 2 part guest blog ends today.  Thanks, Tina!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,200 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

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 Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- 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. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Former Comic-Con Goddess Reflects on San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Part 1 Of A Guest Blog By Tina LoSasso!        -------------- ---------- Above Topmost Photo: One of the few times in 2010 that Tina was #1 in Line! Above Photo: The lines at the 2010 SDCC were long but well organized! At the Top Left: The huddled masses yearning to be free...To enter Ballroom 20! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3203:

Today's post is guest blogged by my wife, Tina LoSasso:

A Woman’s View of 10 Years of Comic Con!

In 2001, just weeks after Michael and I got engaged, I figured I’d better check out what this Comic-Con thing was since it was so important to him. I joined him for a Saturday. I’ve attended every SDCC since then, and boy, have things changed for us goddesses, uhm, girls.

Yes, in 2001 (and for several years thereafter) I was considered a Comic Con Goddess. How did I earn that status? Well, it was easy – I showed up. There weren’t too many of us and most of the fan boys were a tad nervous. They stared a lot but wouldn’t meet my eye. Michael had to do the talking for both of us. (It reminded me of when I traveled to Italy and my one friend who was fluent in Italian spoke for all of us!)

Each morning as I glanced up and down the line waiting to get into the Convention Center, I’d see maybe one woman for every 20 or so guys. Ah, those were the days. We had our pick of bathroom stalls that hadn’t been used by another soul all day. For a germaphobe like me it was marvelous.

Today it’s more like the modern style of comics that Michael tells me is known as “grim and gritty.” (For the uninitiated, think “The Dark Knight” or “Sin City” or anything by Frank Miller.)

Today, women are all over Comic Con – and not just at annoying “Twilight” programs. There’s programming for women, about women and by women. You’ll find female artists and writers featured in Artists’ Alley and Small Press section of the Convention Floor. Women and girls dress up as their favorite characters, screen Anime films, pore over long boxes of back issues, and stock up on Comic Con exclusive collectibles.

As it was way back in the day, when it previewed Star Wars footage, Comic Con is not just about comics. Sci-fi, fantasy, and various pop culture programming have always been strongly represented at Comic Con. Some old-time comics fans think the mix has gone too far toward the “Hollywood” side. With panels for “Glee” and “Castle” I can’t help but agree. I suspect the “Glee” panel was invited because there was no “Twilight.”  C’mon, the fan boys need something to complain about!  Speaking of “Castle,” the line was predominantly female and extremely long. They didn’t look like “Firefly” fans to me. Security closed the line over an hour and a half before letting people into the room.

As a more mainstream, pop culture fan, I tend toward the movie and TV panels which I’ll be guest blogging about in the coming weeks. I hang out in Hall H or Ballroom 20 while Michael attends what I affectionately call “old-fart” programs in the smaller meeting rooms. After the first few years of attending Comic-Con, I bailed on sticking with Michael – I couldn’t stay awake in the panels! These guys remind me of my NY relatives sitting around after Thanksgiving dinner telling story after story about people I don’t know. Hey, I nod off on them too – but I think it was the turkey and the heat in Grandma’s apartment!

For me, the biggest difference in 10 years of Comic Con is summed up by my experience that first day. After I snoozed through a few panels, on a whim, Michael walked me over to see what was happening in Ballroom 20 – the Hall H of its day.  We walked right in and found seats just as James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger took the stage to talk about T-3.  Unfortunately, this could never happen today. Today, you’d have to camp out in the wee hours, or plan on being in line several panels ahead.

The crowds, the crowds, the crowds. For the last several years the crowds have been insufferable, but this year, they turned ugly. The Hall H incident didn’t surprise me. Civility has become a casualty of the crowds. In one of the bigger panel rooms, I witnessed people crawling over a woman in a wheelchair to get to some just-vacated seats. People moving in and out of the lines push, walk into and step on people with no regard.

Safety notice to Comic Con organizers: Try selling fewer tickets!

(To be continued...!)

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Thus ends Part 1 of Tina's guest blog today.  Stay 'tooned' for Part 2 tomorrow!

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,200 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

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 Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- 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. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

My 'Take' On Will Eisner: Portrait Of A Sequential Artist Now Out On DVD & Blu-Ray!        -------------- Above Top Photo: The Movie Poster for the 'Will Eisner: Portrait Of A Sequential Artist' Film! At the Top Left: The Cover to the DVD Version of the Film! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3202:

Saturday night we watched the DVD of the film "Will Eisner: Portrait Of A Sequential Artist'.

This brand new release was brought to my attention by the Director of the film, Andrew D. Cooke of Montilla Pictures, when I met him at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con International, (SDCC).

The film was one that Tina and I had see a premiere of a while back at an earlier SDCC. Unfortunately we had not seen it all at that time due to program scheduling conflicts.

The fact that it was in association with 'Comic Book Artist' Magazine, and its Editor, Jon B Cooke - who was the writer this film, was an additional plus to my wanting finish viewing this film on DVD and mention it here in my Blog.

Before I start though, I'll be upfront with you, my blog reading audience.

When I first started reading comics in the late 1950's, Will Eisner was already out of comics / comic books. He had closed down the publication of 'The Spirit' in 1952 due to the ever increasing cost of newprint.

Will didn't come back to 'comics' until being invited by the late Phil Seuling in 1972, when Phil invited him to attend his comic con in NYC.

There he was amazed at how underground comics had come into being, after being introduced to them by Dennis Kitchen.

(Side note by Michael:  By that time, I had already caught the 1st Wave of Marvel Comics Madness.  DC Comic Book Titles were mostly over 100 issues by the time I started to 'collect' comics in 1962.  Marvels were mostly starting with number ones.  Being a 'completist' at heart, and loving the 'Marvel Way' of doing things, along with my hero worship of Stan Lee, I became an early 'Marvel Zombie'. Thus Will Eisner wasn't even on my 'radar' in the early 1970's.)

Will's return to comics was prefaced by reprints of his 'The Spirit' newspaper supplements by Dennis Kitchen of Kitchen Sink Press, until his first sequential art novel, which he called a 'Graphic Novel', 'A Contract With God' was published.

The film goes back to his roots. His parents, their meeting, and ensuing marriage in 1915, and his being born in 1917.

In the Summer of 1939 Will developed 'The Spirit' for 'Busy' Arnold, but Will retained all rights.

A Side Note:  There were many quick stories told in this 96 minute film. One that struck me was his love for 'Krazy Kat', which is celebrating its 100th Birthday this year. As announced in the 2010 Comic-Con International Souvenir Book I blogged about earlier here.

Other stories were told by Trina Robbins, Sergio Aragones, Scott McCloud, Dennis Kitchen, Stan Lee, Jerry Robinson, Art Spiegelman, Kurt Vonnegut, Joe Kubert, Gil Kane, and oh so many more well known individuals!

Several of those shown in the film have passed away. I remember seeing so many of the them in panels at the SDCC in earlier years. 

Matter of fact, the film has several clips of some of those persons mentioned above in interviews conducted at the SDCC.

For those of you that don't know of Will Eisner's previous works, his history, and what he contributed to the comics industry, this is a really good film on DVD for your reference library!

In addition to the film itself, there are a few additional Special Features on the this DVD:

1) Shop Talk Takes - Interviews recoded on cassette tapes by Will for his column'Shop Talk' conducted during the 1980s.  Some taped inteviews were with Neal Adams, CC Beck, Milton Canniff, Jack Kirby, and Joe Simon among others.

2) Selected artwork - There was good music playing in the background while the photos and illustrations were shown.  Which was good because the early pictures shown in this feature were direct from the film.  The colorized versions were also shown as well as this feature unraveled. Many more additional photos & illustratins were added as the feature continued.  We watched the whole of this featurette.

3) Credits / Links - Lots of credits and links for follow up reasearch if desired by the viewer!

Whew!  There was a LOT to this film and features on this DVD. It made a perfect showing for our Saturday evening, coming down from our previous weekend's high at the San Diego Comic Con International itself!

For those of YOU that would like to see a clip of the Film itself, here is the link to the trailer!

My comic book grade for this DVD is a NEAR MINT (NM) 9.4!  Because it was well researched, very well presented, Plus there were additional valuable features added on the DVD itself!

You can find it for sale at the web site: Montilla Pictures. The cost of the DVD version is $19.99 plus shipping. The Blu-Ray version is $25.99 plus shipping.

BTW, We have a couple of back issues of 'Comic Book Artist' Magazine in our online store.  We picked up another couple of dozen of them at the SDCC, which we will be listing shortly.  You can find those issues of 'Comic Book Artist' listed here in our online store.

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As an Addendum, both my wife, Tina, and my youngest son wanted to add a couple of thoughts to this blog post today on the film:

Tina:  She thought that this was a good history of the man she had seen briefly at several Comic-Cons before Will's passing on January 3rd of 2005.  Her comic book grade for this DVD is a VERY FINE PLUS (VF+) 8.5 grade.

Vinnie, (my tween-aged youngest son):

NOTE: Before this film, I knew nothing about Will Eisner except for the Eisner Awards named in his honor. This past Saturday night, we watched the film, 'Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist'.

It taught me much of the history of when Will Eisner was a kid all the way up until his death. I learned about how The Spirit was first in the comic strips of newpapers, then later became reprints in magazines.

What I found interesting about his work was that the title, "The Spirit," was never lettered the same way twice. Each issue would have you almost thinking it was a different magazine with the same title, because the way Will designed it ranged from being written in calligriphic-looking writing to being written in the scenery or in what appeared to be pipes or electrical cords. He obviously put much detail into the titles themselves, as well as time for thinking up the new style.

Overall, I believe Andrew D. Cooke did a magnificient job on the presentation, and putting it all together to direct this film.  If I had to give it a Comic Book Grade, I would give it a Very Fine Plus (VF+) 8.5.

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In Summary, my thanks again to Andrew D Cooke for bringing to my attention that the DVD / Blue-Ray format of this Film was premiering at the SDCC. And that it would also be For Sale this past week at their online web site. It was great to meet You at the SDCC and to finish watching the film! Plus being able to view the Special Features only found on the DVD once we arrrived home!

PLUS...My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at the 3,200 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

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"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 Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- 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. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.