Thursday, April 26, 2007

SUPER REAL NOTES - Pittsburgh Comicon this weekend!

I'm flying out this AM for the big Pittsburgh Comicon in Monroeville PA that runs all weekend, 4/27-4/29!!

I'll have a space in artist alley with all the latest and greatest Super Real swag, artwork, and doing sketches.
Stop by and say "HI!" if you're in the area!

I'm looking forward to meeting friend face to face for the first time, and hanging out all weekend with them and of course, THE FANS!!!!!!!!!!!
__


Also, don't forget, JOSH HOWARD PRESENTS: SASQUATCH is in comic shops now, and includes an all new 10 page story by yours truly!

Go HERE for more details...

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Death Proof FAN ART

I've completed my fan art for the DEATH PROOF portion of GRINDHOUSE, which you can see on DeviantArt

IN CASE U MISSED IT: I LOVE STAR WARS!

Look, I really don't understand why the mass majority find Empire the best of the trilogy, and at the time Return was my favorite (though in retrospect it's clearly the original), but let's not argue over which of the series was the best, and just all agree that Star Wars was the greatest set of films. ever. made. bar none.

What's that? You weren't old enough to see Star Wars in the theater, or you're criminally miswired so as not to agree with me and the ba-jillions who feel the same?
Well fuck... what a shame.

Do you like Star Wars though?
Really like it?

Good!
Me too!!

So, if you're like me, hearing about this book may sound too good to be true. How about a "making of" that's not only all encompassing, but well constructed, and get this, largely compiled during the creation, or just after, of the 1977 film?
I know I must put down the comics long enough to get and read my copy.
What better way to transport back to that magical time in the late 1970's, when a series of films totally blew your mind and swept you, hyperspeed, to a long time ago... yadda yadda yadda.

Check out this review on AICN for THE MAKING OF STAR WARS HERE

There are also some nice behind the scenes photos included.

I know I'll be getting myself the hardcover...

30 years, wow, I remember discussing with my friend "10 years, so long ago" when I was just a mere dumb-ass teen listening to my Joshua Tree cassette-tape circa the summer of 1987, and getting pseudo-rabid for the release of the remastered editions 10 years ago...

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

SASQUATCH in stores tomorrow!

My first published work outside Super Real hits comic book shops tomorrow, JOSH HOWARD PRESENTS SASQUATCH

It's a HUGE anthology tradepaperback with tons of cool indy creators (256 pages with 27 stories), including an all new 10 page story by me!

You can pick it up in shops via Diamond Order Code - FEB073830

Or direct from Viper HERE

Or direct from me for the $25 cover price, via my PayPal id: jasinmartin@hotmail.com

CHECK OUT PREVIEWS AND MORE AT IT'S WEBSITE: HERE

My story is quite a departure from what I do in Super Real... (or is it?)

SUPER REAL NOTES - Pinups

I recently recieved a couple more pinups, and thought I'd share...

The first is from artist Thom Chiaramonte, who does an awesome comic/webcomic called FINIT-e and many many commissions. Thom and I have been talking up an art swap for some time, and he just fit my pinup into his schedule for this awesome piece of the girls of Super Real...
Check out Thom's works and comics HERE

The next is from Santino, an artist who'd contributed to last years Super Real Pin-up-and-coming Contest. Here, he's splashed some colors on one of his entries (again of the 3 ladies of the book)...
Santino can be reached at this email: cuentadesanti@hotmail.com

Thanks guys, great stuff!

Friday, April 20, 2007

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Grinding on GRINDHOUSE!!



Got to see GRINDHOUSE for the second time last night, it was as much of a treat as the first time, the damn thing throws so much cool shit at you, a second viewing is practically mandatory (or third, fourth, etc).

It's visual nirvana.
The thing I really keyed in on the second time was the soundtrack. Both RR's Planet Terror score, masterful 80's synth echoing that blistering theme throughout, and of course QT's best soundtrack since the remarkable Pulp Fiction collection. I bought the Death Proof soundtrack, and can attest it's really great (I'll have to pick up the Planet Terror too).

So speaking of visual nirvana, and my obsession with all things Grindhouse, here's a collection of fan arts for the movie/s, complete with links to the creators. A fine assortment of interpretaions of the films array of inspiring and iconic characters!!!

Please share any cool one's you've seen that I might have missed!

First, we have a selection of CHERRY DARLING's:

Josh Howard

Cameron Stewart

Grant Gould

Cristian Navarro

Lubasa


And then we have some of the other characters:

Machete by Carlos Lerma
Quite possibly my favorite!

The Babysitter Twins by Don Ramon Sierra

Dakota (aka Doctor Block) by Cameron Stewart
I just love how Cameron captured sooo much about the character here!!

Lee (aka The Cheerleader girl) by HC Noel

Also, be sure and check out this great GRINDHOUSE FAN SITE on MYSPACE (and not just because they made my fan art their avatar ;)

Thursday, April 19, 2007

I SAW IT ON TV: Lost no more

Despite views to the contrary, and waning interest, I think Lost is beginning to hit on all cylinders again.
Sure they've stretched things out, and had some really weak moments, but as we swing towards season finale time, the show is getting much better.
Last nights episode was a great one, thanks I'm sure to the writing debuts of one Brian K Vaughan, so, if you're still getting your Lost on, you must check out the Entertainment Weekly episode wrap-ups. They're filled with much more than a play-by-play of the episodes, and delve into the subtext of one of the densest shows on TV, highlighting all the little elements that tell what ultimately is going on, and build what potentially may come.
They're very smart, and a great addition to the experience of following the show.

Check out the latest wrap up HERE

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

IN CASE U MISSED IT: Future Formats?

Over on the always informative comics blog THE BEAT, Heidi covers discussions on the format crossroads the US industry has come to, spurred by some OGN creators musing on ramifications of that process vs monthly production (specifically in terms of revenue generation), which then spurs all kinds of thoughts and speculation on where we're heading...
Is this the death of monthlies?
Are Graphic Novels/OGN/TPB/Manga and the bookstore market the future?
Is it digital?
Digital to trade?

Hop on over and check it out HERE
and again HERE
There are some very interesting points and views shared.

As for my thoughts an independent publisher in the direct market?
From what I'm reading, seeing, and hearing around the industry, the market is definitely less promising than it was even 2 years ago, and new approaches are fast becoming the norm, as opposed to first starting out with monthly serialization via comic shops.
More and more are forced to start out via the internet, or trade, as selling in the low range of distributed independent publishing is simply not viable.
And I muse more and more on a hybrid of the trade first approach...
Smaller collections, or page counts, somewhere between a monthly and a trade.
The pros of which would be yielding a higher price point (and conversely fewer runs at a printer) than a monthly, but also yielding more frequency in the market than the straight-to-trade approach, thus allowing for more chance at revenue and exposure than publishing less frequently.
Something I've not really seen anyone doing.
To me, with Diamond's thresholds being set at about where a moderately successful indy can hope to distribute, that is around 1k in distribution at the current 3-4$ cover price, it behooves one to go for the higher price point of the trade, at a 10-15$ cover to find a better chance at success.
So why not try something in between, say a 2-4 issue length collection/format (anywhere from 48-96 pages, as opposed to 120-200), priced in the 5-10$ range, that one could release about twice a year (as opposed to every 12-18 months)?
A lower price point than a trade for readers to try, with a higher price than a monthly (and less runs at a printer) to allow for more opportunity for profit in sales.
(This would also make it easier theoretically for a self/small-publisher to maintain schedules, a huge challenge for those attempting serial publication in this position)
Which of course, as with straight to trade, could still be serialized first via the web.

Or, another variation a friend mentioned they were attempting with their next OGN, don't start serializing on the web until your work is complete (or at least enough for a collection), so you can offer the print version to the web readers immediately, and potentially capture more sales from readers not wanting to wait out the serialization? (The opposite of the current popular approach of collecting as you go)

Just a couple of ideas on future format/approach to publishing comics I've not heard discussed...

What do you think?

Monday, April 16, 2007

HEY DJ! - NIN@MID

Oh glory glory, first Grindhouse an new shit from QT (an RR)... now a mere 11 days later there's new NIN, glory glory!!

NINE INCH NAILS: YEAR ZERO
4.17.07

Friday, April 13, 2007

CON SWAG: Emerald City Comicon 2007 part 2

RAZOR KID #1 - RoninStudios: Written by Marcus Almand, pencils by Jeffrey Cruz

Picked up Razor Kid from DeviantArtist FooRay, who's working on issue 2 of the book. I'd seen it somewhere online and thought the style looked interesting if familiar. Upon flipping through and seeing it had the great work of Cruz, I had to check it out.

RK is standard superpowered storytelling, a young aspiring hero, competing to get a license from C.A.P.E. (citizens authorized for protection and enforcement), but where it shines in in the execution. The plotting and character, Alex Tanaka, are fresh and fun to follow. Turns out Alex is a genius who though he lost both his arms, devised his own prosthetics, that not only give him the functionality he's missing, but much more.

RK is a nice mix of good writing, solid art, and a well developed concept. Check this out if you like books like Invincible, where the creators make the tried-and-true seem fresh and fun!

STEVE LAWLIS: FRANKENSTEIN'S MONKEY - Rorshach Entertainment: Created/Written by Brian Meredith, art by Erik Thompson

I'd seen Erik's nice cartoon artwork for some time now, so I was excited to see he'd worked on a comic and was quick to pick up this new entry from Seattle Publisher Rorschach.

Steve Lawlis is well suited to Erik's style, as it feels much like a mash-up of 3 cartoon network shows; Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter's Laboratory. In fact, after a fun intro that feels like we're going to be treated to a nice cartoon inspired yet adult focused tale, things spiral into the all-too-familiar, with Lawlis being the macho stand in for Bravo, directed by the mayor to fend off outlandish threats to the city ala Powerpuff Girls, and alongside and up against evil/crazed scientists and situations born from their mischief, that would be Dexter's Labortory. Now, I don't think Meredith was actually going for that trifecta, but in hindsight that's what I found. I wish I had better things to say here, I wanted to like this, but it just seemed uninspired, and I really don't need to hear anyone quote Charlton Heston's key line from Planet of the Apes (you know it), EVER. AGAIN. THANKS.

I advise you go ahead and check this out if you like Thompson's cartoony style, the book doesn't get in the way of enjoying his work (though it could stand colors to make it really pop, like on the cover).

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Cherry Darling

Saw GRINDHOUSE on Friday night but didn't have a chance to finish my fan art til this afternoon...

Needless to say, the movie was incredibly awesome, and chocked full of great imagery and characters to inspire countless pinups etc, if only I had the time. I did at least get my take on Cherry Darling, the go-go dancer turned machine-gun-legged zombie killer heroine, from Robert Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR, finished though!

If you haven't seen the film yet, what are you waiting for?!?
Go NOW!
It's a great moviegoing experience, and two great films!!
I hope to see it again, and hopefully at a drive-in!!!

THE BEAT's Heidi MacDonald had a great review and feminist POV on the whole thing with comic's noteables getting active in the comments HERE
And of course AINTITCOOL.com have tons of reviews and coverage HERE

Monday, April 09, 2007

MAKE MINE MANGA: Empowered

This just in... I've finished volume one of Empowered, and I'm going to go ahead and file this gush under MANGA...

Yeah yeah, all you mangaphobes and manga purists may argue whether it belongs under such a classification, but I'm stickin to it.

Empowered is the 243 page black and white artwork collection of shorts centered around a sexy/cute female member of the Superhomey's, named Empowered. She's a superchica with self confidence issues, who, thanks to the trickey powers that her skintight suit endows, is perennially being bound and gagged by the supervillains she goes up against. Along the way the book builds on these funny slice-of-life skewed superexploits and our heroine gains a henchman boyfriend, bad girl best friend, and one entraped essence of space demon that lies around her apartment bitching. The book is full of creator Adam Warren's trademark art and scripting. Warren has one of the most unique voices in comics, an imaginative mind and skillful touch with dialogue make his efforts always a joy to behold. Emp vol 1 is no exception. At first, the volume feels a bit lacking, as it was born from a series of shorts with no grand scheme in mind, empty bits to get our heroine in distress gradually build a world, relationship/s, and story that is totally immersive.

Reading Empowered is most rewarding because of it's unique approach, feeling more like a novel, or journal in it's expansive structure, and wide open reach. By the end of the volume things pick up considerably, and leave even more to explore for the next of what are hopefully the many planned volumes to come.

If you're not an Adam Warren fan already (shame shame), give Empowered a chance, especially if you've ever enjoyed superpowred adventure in your comics, it's a new type of mature exploration of those themes that's both sexy, and ultimately resonant. Empowered is filled with real life emotion and experiences, and Warren is tapping into a new mold of storytelling here, both in structure and scope! I loved it, simply loved it!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

CON SWAG: Emerald City Comicon 2007

Just off my fourth con in the span of 6 weeks, it's time, no past time to share some of the treasures I've unearthed cruising through the artist alley exhibitors. But since the most recent swag is freshest in my mind, I'll start with that, and some of the stuff I grabbed at this past weekends Emerald City Comicon (a great show, that's back on track this year).

First up is the latest work from Super Real friend, Edward Pun. Edward you may recall turned in the slick variant cover of participant number 3 for issue 2, and also contributed 5 pages to the recent Super Real Special. In the meantime Edward put the finishing touches on his first issue of BETSY MAE BITE, a full size black and white comic featruing a mysterious farm girl, her cow, ufo's and men in black.

In BMB Ed weaves a light, fun, and pulpy tale centered around the titular cute girl Betsy, and the events that transpire one evening on her farm. With Ed's clean and ultra smooth storytelling, he could make a book about paint drying a fun read. Here though, he plays with some much cooler material and the result is one good comic book yarn that's a little bit manga, even more "animated", and a whole bunch of fun!

You can check it out HERE for now, but I'm sure Ed will be adding it, along with his latest group venture ATOMIC LEAD, to his website store found HERE

Next we have a heady concoction from James Stokoe, SNACK COMIX issue 1.

James is a friend or current/former roomey (or sumthin like that) of the incomparable comic kids Brandon Graham and Corey Lewis, and their influence is all over Stokoe's work that I've seen (or ya know, his influence is on their stuff, it's all mixed in ya know?). That said, it's a good thing, as Graham and Lewis got enough style and crazy ideas to fuel a line of books each, and the work I've seen of Stokoe is equally impressive. This however is the first time I've been able to pick up a book of Stokoe's. (I know he's got something due soon from ONI PRESS too, of which I'm down for and eager to see)

Snack Comix is 40 pages of black and white goodness. Stokoe presents 2 stories here, the first longer story centered around a visored biker dude hangin back to watch giant monsters throw down and tear apart a city, as the rest of the population heads for the hills. His writing and work on the page are fresh, cool, and most of all fun. His stuff, again as with Graham and The Rey, exudes a unique spirit that's contagious. The second shorter story is a simple tale behind the scenes of an Orc army.

Very cool goods here.
Check out his website or DA page!

Stay tuned kids! Much much more good, "You have to see this shit!" stuff to come...