Heroes, the comic

This week the Heroes hardcover, which collects the online comics that were done while the first season of Heroes aired, arrived. I think it's a really nice production and think that fans of the show will like this book as it is a good supplement of the characters and we get some back stories that reveal how things on the show have gotten to where they are (most of the stories, if not all of them are written by writers of the tv show). I hadn't read the online comics (I don't really like reading comics on the computer) so all of the stories were new to me. My favorite story was the second one in which we learn how Hiro got his name.

Speaking of Heroes, the tv show, this season has been a little off. I thought it was just me that was feeling this way, but recently I've been hearing more and more of the same reactions and that ratings haven't been what they were last year. Kate told me that one of the head writers even admitted that this season has been off. I was surprised to hear that because usually one doesn't hear a writer say anything negative about their work, especially while the work in question is still being produced. Hopefully this will lead to a correction that will re-strengthen the show. At the same time I wonder if the writer is just coming out and saying this in reaction to what more and more of the audience is saying and if opinions weren't so negative, would he have said anything and what were the writers original plans with where things were going (if in fact writing changes will be made to swing things around)?

Here's what I think is wrong with Heroes: Too many new characters and or characters in which there's no progression from episode to episode (the new characters, the Wonder Twins, for example), New York City looking like it's been destroyed again, time travel with its countless paradoxes (Hiro's story), and too many plotlines going on that just seem to be teasing viewers each week in hopes that there'll be some resolutions to them and or how they all fit together.

I think the same thing happened with Lost (the tv show), with its introduction of new mysteries and new characters without giving viewers any payoffs and that show started losing it's audience (they lost me). I've heard that Lost turned things around and I think this was because of it's shrinking audience voicing the same complaints, but for me it was too late, because the show I once enjoyed (Lost season one) was gone and it seemed like they were just making up things as they went along.

With Heroes, I'm giving it until the end of this season (who knows when that'll end though with the writer's strike) and if it doesn't have a really strong conclusion wrapping up a lot of what's been introduced this season thus far, I won't be back for the next season. I thought most of last season was really good, but felt the conclusion wasn't very satisfying and probably could have used another episode or two. How long should a viewer or reader keep watching or reading a creative production before that production goes south or until it gets better?

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Today, in England many celebrate the fifth of November as Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes, on November 5, 1605 attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliment in what was called the Gunpowder Plot (do you think he had some problems with the government!?).

Following is a verse from a contemporary condemnation (actually read by many, including anarchists, as a celebration) of Guy Fawkes:

Remember, remember the fifth of November
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes was one of the main inspirations for a lot of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V For Vendetta, and early on in the graphic novel V actually succeeds in blowing up the Houses of Parliment (England in the book is under Facist rule, unlike the Conservative rule portrayed in the movie).

One of my good friends, Todd Murry, is lucky enough to have his birthday on Guy Fawkes Day, so I'd like to shout out Happy Birthday, Todd! And I know what his wife, Brandi, is getting him for his birthday and I can't imagine him not totally loving it because besides it being really cool, it just serves as another illustration of what a great thinker Brandi is (I'll share a picture of the gift here on a future entry when I get an up close chance to see it)!

Kim Deitch

As part of the Sixth Annual Vegas Bookfest this past weekend, Kim Deitch was one of the guests. Saturday morning Deitch gave a presentation on his origins as a cartoonist accompanied by a slide show from some of his comic work. In this photo Kim is holding up a drawing he did of his character Alias the Cat, which I was happy to buy from him after his presentation.

Kim Deitch had parents who strongly felt that a creative pursuit was the strongest ideal a person could attain. His father worked for years in the early animation industry and was an aspiring comic strip artist himself. While growing up, Kim aquired an interest in early comic strips (he was born at the end of WWII) and through his brother's continuing interest in superhero comics, Kim was there at the beginning of the Lee, Kirby, and Ditko Marvel era. Kim never did have a desire to do superhero comics, but one day in the 1960's New York, he was introduced to an underground comic strip called Captain High and thus began his over three decades as an alternative cartoonist.

As an aside, Kim Deitch attended the Pratt Institue briefly after high school, but quickly didn't connect with what their ideas of what art was or is. On thing that stayed with him from Pratt that he shared with us at his presentation, was their motto: "Be true to your work and your work will be true to you". I think that is a great motto no matter what line of work a person does.
Kim Deitch, at my booth on First Friday, holding his graphic novel Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Kim's most recent graphic novel is Alias the Cat which is about his wife and his collecting of antique cat figures and the interesting people one meets in those circles. Kim's recent comics work deal with obsessions and fascinations with the past, specifically the 1920's and 1930's (also recommended is his Shadowland graphic novel from Fantagraphics).

This is an example of the crisp detailed line work that is typical of Kim Deitch's art (be sure to click on page on the right for an enlarged view). At his presentation Saturday, Kim recounted stories of doing what he calls "reality comics" for Details and Maxim of all places - I'll be looking for those and hope that someday they are collected.

First Friday / Vegas Bookfest

This past Friday I had a booth at First Friday which this year was tied in with the Sixth Annual Vegas Bookfest. First Friday is an arts event held in the downtown area of Las Vegas the first Friday of every month. It's been a while since I've gone, but I had a blast and will definitely be going back more often.

My booth was right next to the stage so I got to hear local band Clydesdale play (I've had their cd, but haven't gone out to see them live before last Friday). They played two sets and put on a fantastic show. Their sound is kind of in the country and western vein (and not that pop country crap they play on most radio stations) with a rock edge and sultry vocals by Paige Overton. Check out: www.myspace.com/theclydesdale for upcoming local shows updates and to listen to some of their songs.

One of my favorite things about having gone out to First Friday was seeing my old friend Keir (who designed / drew my store mascot Epstein). It was good catching up with him and meeting his friends Jennifer (who reads this blog at least semi-regularly - thanks and it was good seeing you again), and two other of his co-workers (whose names I'm spacing on - damn my vanishing brain cells - oh well at least I remembered Jennifer's name!).
Gilbert Hernandez, with his wife, Carol, and their daughter Natalie, at my booth. Gilbert, is of course, one half of Los Bros Hernandez, creators of Love and Rockets, the grandaddy of alternative comics (and still going strong!). Gilbert also released the graphic novel Chance In Hell recently and has a mini series through Dark Horse called Speak of the Devil. Across the street from where my booth was, in the Arts Factory, there was an exhibit of comics art and Gilbert along with Andy Hartzell and Kim Deitch had art pieces on display.

Andy Hartzell, former cartoonist for CityLife and Las Vegas Weekly (now living in the Bay Area), former self publisher of mini comics including Monday and Yip, the Wonder Dog, holding his display sign for his new graphic novel Fox Bunny Funny published by Top Shelf. Fox Bunny Funny is dialogue free, told entirely in sequential drawings, and is about "what happens when a secret desire puts you at odds with your society?" Andy also was at my store this past Thursday for an evening signing and that was a good time.

I would have been happy being at First Friday even if I didn't sell any books, but I did find some good homes for good comics so that was an extra bonus. I saw a good number of people who come to my store, saw some old and new friends, and heard some good tunes - further proof that Vegas isn't the cultural wasteland that some would have people believe! I thought it was a good idea to tie in this year's Bookfest with First Friday because it definitely reached a new audience.

Steve Ditko is 80!

Steve Ditko turned 80 this past Friday, November 2nd. Ditko is known mostly as the co-creator / artist of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange and while he drew a good number of issues of both of these characters in the 1960's, he left the titles because his vision of where he wanted to take these characters differed from Stan Lee's. Steve Ditko has always been a very private person and has never taken part in any interviews. To understand the mindset of Steve Ditko, it helps if you've read the works of philosopher / novelist Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead), as he shares a world view with her. The Ditko character that is closest to Rand's writing is his Mr. A, which is his even more extreme version of The Question, another character he first worked on at Charlton (both of these characters were Alan Moore's inspiration for Rorschach from Watchmen).

After Ditko quit drawing Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, he still worked on other Marvel titles, but also worked for DC, Charlton, and other independent companies. Amongst the countless characters Ditko created and drew was Shade, The Changing Man which he did for DC in the mid 1970's and this title was a great showcase for his illustrations of otherworldly realms.




I love Steve Ditko's art because of his flair for drawing fantastical dimensions and characters, the sheer amount of drawings he'd have on a single page and his excellent story-telling skills, but mostly for the way he'd draw "normal" people (especially their clothes with just the right folds and lighting). When Ditko drew someone that was scared or happy, it REALLY looked like that person was scared or happy. While I'm sure that Steve Ditko won't see this blog entry (or even keeps up with anything on the internet), I hope he knows how much enjoyment his art and creations have given to so many people for almost 50 years (!!) and how infuential his art will always be.

In June of 2008, Blake Bell and Fantagraphics will publish a book titled Strange & Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko, which will be an examination of Steve Ditko, the artist. Go to: www.ditko.comics.org for updates on the book and a very comprehensive catalog of Ditko's work and news.

Pink Vader!

I was reading this thread on costumes over on a retailer forum and someone posted a link to this little girl from Texas who didn't want to just be Darth Vader, she wanted to be a PINK Darth Vader! Well that rules! Maybe if Star Wars Episodes One, Two, and Three had used a pink Darth Vader they would have been better. I used to be a huge Star wars fan, but the last three were so horrible, oh well, Star Wars is Lucas' baby so of course he can do what he wants with the property.

Go Pink Vader!

Happy Nevada Day!

Actually, Happy post Nevada Day, as Nevada Day is on the same day as Halloween. Nevada Day, for those of you not living in Nevada, is the day that Nevada was admitted into the United States as a state (October 31, 1864). How cool and befitting is it that Nevada joined the United States on Halloween!?

This photo is of my friends Camila (on the left dressed as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo - Camila even drew on her mustache and uni-brow!), Martha (on the right, cosplaying as a character from the manga Vampire Knight), and her daughter, Lilly, dressed in her pretty purple costume.
I'm really bad with names so I don't remember who the viking gal is. I'm wearing a Greatest American Hero cape (it came with the box set of the tv series my friend Joel got me last year) that probably isn't real visible from the front.
The little green lizard guy is Jillian (spelling?) being held by his papa, Barney. Jillian also had on these really cool matching green shoes, but my other picture of him didn't come out so great.

Me and little Davy Smuckers Johnson - he's dressed as a bumblee bee (I caught him in mid-flight!).

Thanks to everyone who wore costumes yesterday for Nevada Day!