Category Archives: Comics News

February 28, 2020 · 1:00 pm

Asterix Comes to America!

Papercutz Brings Asterix to America

What Mickey Mouse is to Americans, Asterix is to the French. The news of Papercutz Publishing bringing out new English translations of every volume of Asterix has been stirring excitement since late last year. The wait is just about over. On May 19, 2020, Papercutz launchs the new Asterix editions with two omnibus volumes of three stories each, starting at the beginning of the series, plus a stand-alone edition of the newest book, #38: THE CHIEFTAIN’S DAUGHTER, which was released internationally in October 2019 and promptly sold 5 million copies worldwide. And, by the way, Asterix is not only in good company with Mickey Mouse. Also making the case for Asterix in America is the massive success of Jeff Smith’s Bone series, another quirky comics series that is an all-ages favorite.

Papercutz Brings Asterix to America

Since Asterix first appeared as a French comic in 1959, the ancient Gaul warrior has been featured in 38 books which have sold close to 380 million copies worldwide. It’s the best-selling comic of all time. The series, written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo, has been translated into 111 languages and dialects, adapted into ten animated and four (soon-to-be five) live-action films, and even inspired a full theme park outside of Paris. While the international phenomenon has yet to take hold on this side of the Atlantic, the future looks bright for Asterix at Papercutz.

Asterix Comes to America

Fun facts and the whole story about Asterix follows:

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January 3, 2020 · 12:10 pm

Comics in 2020: BEEHIVE BOOKS

Page from the upcoming PETER PAN: excerpt from Brecht Evens’s Neverland.

We begin a whole new decade and I’m as excited as any of you! I feel that we have no time to lose to own this new emerging era. As for the world of comics and graphic novels, I direct your attention to a new leader in all things beautiful and unusual, the publisher, Beehive Books. Beehive Books has demonstrated a commitment to excellence that will only continue to grow into 2020 and beyond. Here are some compelling facts and enticing news from Beehive Books:

DRACULA: THE EVIDENCE

In 2019, our first titles landed in book stores, and the world began to take notice of the strange magic brewing in West Philadelphia. Thanks to the unsurpassed talents of Paul Kepple, Yuko Shimizu, Justin Duerr, Ronald Wimberly, Bill Sienkiewicz, Guillermo Del Toro, Michael Cunningham, Paul Pope, Omar Abdullah, Ramsey Campbell, Denis & Violet Kitchen, Gary Panter and many more, we ended the year with a lot more trophies, statues, plaques, clippings, plaudits and honors than we began it with.

ARTEMISIA

At Beehive we don’t believe in Instagrammish humble-bragging, so here’s some straight up old fashioned bragging about things we did this year

ILLUMINATED EDITIONS

We are, first and foremost, dreamers of the wild-eyed variety. But publishing, this exercise in the possible, requires a keen eye on the bottom line. We’re learning to be better business-people as we go.

Due to the intimacy of our thousand-odd readership, the projects that have sustained us financially and kept this ship afloat have been the ambitious and elaborate (read: expensive) ones — our entirely implausible experimental briefcase-housed ephermeral facsimile of Bram Stoker’s Dracula; great books of the past, gloriously illuminated by the greatest cartoonists and graphic artists of the day; giant, deluxe, painstakingly researched monographs on master artists like Harrison Cady and Herbert Crowley, whose brilliant work must be saved from slipping into the forgotten past.

LAAB MAGAZINE #4: This Was Your Life!

Next year we want to push even further in the direction of our more elaborate and ambitious projects. Bizarre formats, profuse box sets, paper sculptures, printed art objects, limited edition handmade artist books… Startling voices, forgotten treasures, otherworldly inventions. Books within books and wheels within wheels. Our ambition is to build paper worlds into which our readers can disappear. Refuge from the quick-and-dirty disposability of an increasingly digital and mass-manufactured world. And if you have your own ideas for any projects that push the boundaries of publishing, we always love to hear your thoughts and submissions! Drop us a line at info@beehivebooks.com, or encourage your friends to do so.

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December 14, 2019 · 9:00 am

Kickstarter: Scarfff!!! A newspaper comic anthology

Scarfff!!!

Scarfff!!! is a new comix anthology and currently has a Kickstarter campaign running up to January 1, 2020. The free newspaper comics anthology as we know it goes back to the sixties underground comix. Many cities had or currently have such a publication. Consider it a sign of a healthy subculture. It’s a great venue for young cartoonists who are just starting out or perhaps not-so-young cartoonists still loyal to a bohemian spirit. In a typical free comix paper, you tend to find work that is more experimental and more provocative. A subversive sensibility is baked into comix. No one is expecting to make money from it or even gain notoriety. There is this love/hate relationship with the possible or perceived audience at large. Just ask R. Crumb. Some cartoonists find a way, some don’t and some don’t care and are more than happy to jump off a cliff in a fit of rage. Or so it may seem. All in all, a typical comix rag is always fascinating on some level. This one is called, Scarfff!!!, and that should tell you something right there. Or maybe it has to do with it being a food theme. In that case, I have no idea what the actual name of the newspaper is and perhaps they should adopt that name. Why not? Well, that’s my suggestion. You’re welcome. Anyway, it will be interesting to see what they come up with over the course of their run. This newspaper comix anthology features artists from Seattle and San Francisco. Members of this group are coming together for the first time to present their work. Be sure to visit the Scarfff!!! Kickstarter campaign right here.

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December 10, 2019 · 1:30 pm

PAUL IS DEAD, new Beatles Graphic Novel by Image Comics, April 2020

PAUL IS DEAD

I have people ask me all the time if I know of any new comics based on their favorite pop culture. Some are asking about The Twilight Zone or Star Trek or even Logan’s Run, for all you true believers. Perhaps the all-time biggest request is for something new about The Beatles. That makes sense. We’re talking about The Beatles, right? Even the youngest among us know we’ve entered into some transcendent territory shared by only a select number of pop culture icons. And so, without further ado, here is something very special on the way…Paul is Dead, a magnificent work of speculative fiction as a graphic novel published by Image Comics coming out April 2020! Press release follows:

PORTLAND, Ore. 12/10/2019 — Creators Paolo Baron and Ernesto Carbonetti team up for a speculative fiction graphic novel steeped in music history and Beatlemania in the forthcoming Paul Is Dead. It will be available from Image Comics this April.

Set in London, November 1966, this new graphic novel retells the most popular conspiracy theory in music history and, in a sense, showcases the very first “fake news” of the entertainment world.

John Lennon can’t speak, he can’t take his eyes off a photo of a car in flames with the body of Paul McCartney inside. His friend is no longer there, and that means the Beatles are no longer there, either. But John wants to know the truth, and with George and Ringo, he starts to re-examine the final hours in Paul’s life.

Set in the magical atmosphere of Abbey Road Studios during the writing sessions for Sgt. Pepper, the definitive version of the legend of the Paul McCartney’s death.

Paul Is Dead original graphic novel (ISBN: 978-1534316294) will be available on Wednesday, April 22 and in bookstores on Tuesday, April 28. It can be pre-ordered at your local comic book shop on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, IndieBound, and Indigo.

Paul Is Dead original graphic novel will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.

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November 12, 2018 · 2:15 pm

Stan Lee (1922-2018)

Cover art by Ed Piskor

Stan Lee (1922-2018). News today that comics legend Stan Lee has passed away. There will only ever be one Stan Lee in the comics industry. You will hear that today and in the days and years to come. As a kid in the ’70s, I have fond memories of the iconic figure of Stan Lee. He was the guy leading the Marvel Comics Bullpen. He was the guy who was always yelling out, “Excelsior!” He was part salesman and part creative genius. This, in no way, takes away from the collaborative work he did with such greats as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. At the end of the day, Stan Lee was Stan Lee, a force of nature and an integral part of Marvel Comics and comics in general. May he rest in peace.

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January 25, 2018 · 3:00 pm

Comics Industry Review: The MNT monthly comics newsletter

The MNT monthly comics newsletter

The MNT is making a monthly comics newsletter and I’m excited to tell you about it. This is a special place to keep up with the comics industry put together by some of the leading talent in comics journalism. For as little as a one dollar pledge on Patreon, you can read this highly informative and entertaining monthly magazine along with monthly news reports.

As a happy warrior myself, both as a comics creator and freelance writer, I am thrilled to see this particular comics vision realized. The MNT is made up of folks I’ve kept up with over the years. It’s smart of them to band together in this unique format. The team: News co-editor Christian Hoffer is a writer and editor who can currently be found writing extensively at ComicBook.com. News co-editor Vernieda Vergara is a freelance writer and manga critic. Her work can be found at Book Riot and Women Write About Comics. Features co-editor Steve Morris has written for a number of websites, including CBR, ComicsAlliance, and is a former Managing Editor for The Beat. Features co-editor Megan Purdy is a freelance writer and editor, and the publisher of Women Write About Comics and Bleating Heart Press. The Process editor and social media manager Kirsten Thompson is a freelance writer and editor who has contributed to The Frisky, Teen Vogue, Femsplain, Women Write About Comics on topics such as feminism, pop culture, and LGBTQIA issues.

The MNT kicked off its first issue in February, 2017. That first issue included: guest essayist Rosie Knight on her experiences within the direct market pointing out the distribution system’s pros and failings; Steve Morris interviews retailer Ariell Johnson about her first year in the industry and her plans for Amalgam Comics and Coffeehouse; Megan Purdy reviews Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallaro’s Decelerate Blue; analysis on Donald Trump’s unexpected impact on comics; analysis on Marvel and DC’s recent changes in price and digital strategy; and a tribute to the career of John Watkiss.

The MNT team has created a highly consistent publication. And that is saying quite a lot. This is a seasoned group of committed comics journalists who dig deep and know how to deliver professional and compelling content. Each monthly edition features news, interviews, reviews, and guest essays written by some of the best critics and creators in the business. The MNT mid-month News Report delivers breaking news and bite-sized features. Your Patreon subscription goes directly into the pockets of MNT guest essays and staff, ensuring that the MNT can continue to break news and offer critical industry commentary. I’ve become hooked and consider the MNT a reliable source for superior comics commentary and journalism. You will too. Go visit them and see for yourself right here.

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June 19, 2014 · 7:43 pm

Glasgow Comic Con 2014: Scotland’s Comic Book Festival is July 5-6, 2014

Glasgow-Comic-Con-2014

Here at Comics Grinder, I go wherever my nose for something interesting takes me. I am gearing up for the biggest and grandest Comic Con in the United States, Comic-Con International in San Diego, but don’t think that gives me tunnel vision. There are all sorts of other comics conventions and festivals out there in the States and throughout the world. Consider the Glasgow Comic Con, Scotland’s Comic Book Festival. That takes place July 5-6, 2014. Check it out here. I’ll see about sharing a few things about this special event with you soon. I have one particular item in mind that I will be posting next week.

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June 17, 2014 · 9:13 pm

Kickstarter: Taking Graphic Novel THE CHAIR To The Screen

The-Chair-movie-Alterna-Comics

“The Chair” is a great example of the offbeat horror you can find at Alterna Comics. You can read my review of the graphic novel here. Both the book and the movie project have a rabid following. A lot of people want to see this movie become a reality but we’re not there yet. Check out the Kickstarter campagin in support of this movie project right here. The campaign ends on Saturday, June 28, 2014.

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June 17, 2014 · 8:20 pm

Image Comics Presents HOWTOONS, A DIY Guide For Kids

Howtoons-Image-Comics

Image Comics presents DIY for a new generations of makers in HOWTOONS: TOOLS OF MASS CONSTRUCTION. Kids build a world of fun, comic-book-style, with this 360-page book of discovery. Celine and Tucker, the brother-and-sister heroes of HOWTOONS, are kids who see the potential for play everywhere. When their mother challenges them to make something other than trouble, their adventure begins in an adventure-DIY graphic novel from Image Comics. It arrives in comic book stores on July 23 and bookstores on August 5.

HOWTOONS will be getting a moment in the spotlight at the first-ever White House Maker Faire on June 18, hosted by President Obama, where co-creator Saul Griffith will be a guest. Griffith will be presenting HOWTOONS at the event, which “will feature Makers, innovators, and entrepreneurs of all ages who are using cutting-edge tools to bring their ideas to life.”

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June 7, 2014 · 2:43 am

PHOENIX COMICON 2014: Dark Horse Announces New Ongoing Series From Fred Van Lente: ‘Resurrectionists’

Project Black Sky

Project Black Sky

The name of Fred Van Lente means action, fun, and adventure! This has been the case since Van Lente first teamed up with artist Ryan Dunlavey on “Action Philosophers.” It’s been a whirlwind ride from then on with Marvel Zombies and, more recently, with “Brain Boy” and “Project Black Sky” at Dark Horse Comics. And now, we have yet another intriguing Dark Horse Comics title, “Resurrectionists.” Details follow:

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