Day-before-yesterday in publishing: turns out the YouTube-to-bestseller helter-skelter can deliver you right into the croc pit. Zoella, vlog sensation, became the proud recipient of a fastest debut seller ever crown early in December. Then this week, we’re all atwitter because maybe there was assistance given, in the writing of this book. What’s that, Scoob? A…
Britain, Books, Politics: Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan Said “The Ban on Sending Books to Prisoners Was Always an Absurd Policy”
If you had to hide drugs, would you hide them in a book? I wouldn’t. And if I was relying on drugs as either a balm or a currency during time spent in prison, would you say “well the exact thing she doesn’t need in her life is books?” No! Because you aren’t a bonehead….
Old Man Grumpus at the Con: How to Win Friends and Influence Sales
EYES ON THE PRIZE: How to get new and youthful punters to approach your table, as an art-man working largely before the current generation could even read! Some creators find it easy — gaining fans, treating them well, and improving the social side of the industry as they get new, excited eyes on the goods that…
Old Guard Comics Dudes: Stop Hiding Behind Your Cosplay Hate
Comics artist Pat Broderick once drew Batman: Year Three, Doom 2099, and Micronauts. He quit drawing those things in the 90’s and left the industry, during a time when many were doing so, because comics suuuuuuuucked to work in due to the industry bottoming out after what is called the “speculator boom.” Now he’s back…
Bruise: Sarah Horrocks at Sacred Prism
Sarah Horrocks talks comics with high standards, entry level requirements, and no quarter given. Reviewing her work feels like an exam. I’m raising my hand in McGonagall’s class. Bruise, her 2014 risograph from Sacred Prism, is the first time I’ve read Horrocks’ comic output. I’ve looked at her art before, I’ve read her crit, and…
A Positronic Woman’s Plea: Include Trans Women In Fiction
Earlier this year, Andrew Wheeler of ComicsAlliance listed resolutions that he wanted the comics industry to achieve. Among these resolutions was trans representation in the Big Two for superheroes. This has not yet come to pass in a prominent way. Al Ewing has Loki freely changing their appearance between male and female in Marvel Comics’ Loki:…
[TW] Belief Is Radical: Believe Shia LaBeouf
During an interview with Dazed Digital earlier this week, actor Shia LaBeouf shared the knowledge that he was raped during a performance art project. We believe him. General response to the news was familiar: you don’t need me to tell you how people reacted to a man, a famous man, saying that he was raped. Abused…
The End is not Nigh: Arts and Arts Industries Aren’t Dying
Look up. That’s the Orion Nebula, a site of massive star formation. It’s certainly dramatic. Some bright points of light. Huge clouds of dust colliding. Who knows what will come out of it? Well, we do know. Stars are what’s coming, big and small. Imagine that’s an arts industry. Pick one, any will do. Ok, we’ll go with publishing. What was…
Top Ten Tips for Being a Vigilante On a Budget
My friends and I got into a discussion on vigilantes this past weekend, or, more specifically, what it would be like to be Batman on a budget. It was fun throwing ridiculous ideas into the air but I started to really think about it. I’ve noticed that the only way you can be a decent and successful…
741.5: Liberté, Égalité, Brimping
After I purchased the first volume of Sex Criminals for my library, it was requested that I prepare a “letter of defense” in the event that it was challenged. Dear Library Patron or Trustee, Hello! I see that you disagree with my choice to purchase Sex Criminals Volume One : One Weird Trick by Matt…
Sequential Sartorial: Why Does Fashion Matter In Comics?
Costuming is important in art. Clothing is more immediately communicative than body language, and art communicates. For example, Lana Del Rey’s video for her 2012 release “National Anthem.” It’s all Jackie & JFK pastiche. Towards the very end, there’s that last ride recreated, and Jackie/Lana has on the pink suit. WRONG. She wears goldenrod. Her hat…
Spoilers: EVERYBODY STAND UP: Naruto Has Left The Building
Spoilers Naruto is over. Long live Bolt, son of Naruto. Yup, friends and readers of a certain age: Naruto is finally done. The Masashi Kishimoto manga, Naruto, has concluded, leading straight into a sequel featuring the original characters’ kids. The anime, I don’t know, it’s probably eternal. But the point is that series-prime, the divining rod…