Daytripper 5

It's the second week of the month, so that means it's time for another new issue of Daytripper. Five issues into this ten issue series, Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba show that they're not only making a great comic, they're making a great comic that comes out ON TIME EVERY MONTH! Our central character, Bras, is eleven years old in this issue's story, hence the title of Daytripper #5, "11" (every self contained issue is a look at Bras during different times in his life).





Every time a new issue of Daytripper comes out I feel ill equipped to write a review of said book, other than to say that this is an amazing book and everyone should be reading Daytripper (just look at this fantastic art!). I say that with every issue, but I only say it because it's true and I like when people thank me for turning them on to a great comic as if I created it - as regular readers of my little blog here already know, I'm only here to find great homes for great comics and graphic novels and Daytripper definitely fits that bill!

ComicsPRO 2010 pt. 1

What is ComicsPRO? ComicsPRO is a comic store retailer exclusive organization that strives to create a unified voice amongst the comic retailer community to improve our stores (including mentoring new stores). ComicsPRO also exists to improve the dialogue between comic book publishers and comic book stores. Basically ComicsPRO's members work towards finding solutions that will make things run smoother for everyone who works in this industry, be they retailers, creators, publishers, distributors, or suppliers. The ultimate goal of ComicsPRO is to make the comic buying experience everything that the wonderful patrons of comic book stores deserve that experience to be.

The lovely couple in this first photo above from this year's ComicsPRO meeting (which was held in Memphis again this year) are Jamye Foster and Brian Herring, who will be opening up their brand new comic store, Southern Fried Comics, in Hattiesburg, MS. this August. I got to talk to them during the first breakfast before the meetings commenced and I couldn't think of a better way for ComicsPRO 2010 to have started for me - Jayme and Brian are the new face of comics retailing and if more people like them are going to be opening comic book stores, well the future of this industry looks very bright from my perspective! Jayme and Brian, in anticipation of opening their new store, joined the ComicsPRO mentoring program and that coupled with their enthusiasm and attending this years meeting, in my not so humble opinion, gives them an excellent foundation for the success of Southern Fried Comics upon their grand opening in August and going forward. For any retailers or aspiring comic retailers who would like to know more about ComicsPRO visit this link: www.comicspro.org
ComicsPro has an online forum where members can discuss concerns with their businesses and share ideas, but actually attending one of the annual meetings is valuable on so many levels. One of the valuable attending the meeting benefits is being able to talk one on one with creators and publishers, as I got to do during one of the breakfast gatherings with Robert Kirkman (writer of the excellent Walking Dead, Invincible, and Astounding Wolfman comics from Image as well as being one of the new Image full partners) and Joe Keatinge, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator of Image Comics (on the left in this photo). Image Comics has been very forward thinking for some years now in the different kinds of creator owned books they do and they have been excellent in communicating with retailers. Robert Kirkman gave the keynote address that launched the meetings proper and let me tell you that not only is Robert Kirkman a great writer, he's also great at delivering an entertaining, inspiring speech in front of an audience. Especially humorous was when he shared how when he was a young lad, his father bought Iron Man comics because he liked The Metal Men (DC characters who have no similarities to Marvel's Iron Man)!
Filip Sablik, Publisher of Top Cow (an imprint of Image Comics), and since he came on board with Top Cow, he's done a lot of interesting promotions for Top Cow titles to get more of their books in the hands of our customers. I know that I'm not alone after talking to Filip and hearing his presentations about upcoming Top Cow titles, to state that I will be recommitting myself to introducing their titles to my customers, especially the new ongoing Magdalena series and the Artifacts series they have upcoming which debuts with the Top Cow Free Comic Book Day offering on Saturday, May 1st.

DC Comics has been the biggest sponsor of previous ComicsPRO meetings and this year was no different. Additionally DC has been the biggest supporter of the comic store direct market since its inception and their support of ComicsPRO and their own semi- annual DC Retail Representative (RRP) meetings are further proof of this fact. At the ComicsPRO meetings DC and the other publishers that attend, discuss aspects of the business that is not intended for general public disclosure, so I'm of course not going to get into specifics about what DC or any other companies dialogue with us about. I will say that every retailer in attendance was appreciative of DC's candor in addressing concerns within the industry as they affect them, comic retailers, and people who buy comic books. DC also brings several people from their team, both on the publishing and editorial sides, such as Jim Lee (in his new role as Co-Publisher of DC), Bob Wayne VP of Direct Sales), and Karen Berger (Executive Editor of Vertigo), who make themselves available during the course of the meeting to talk to retailers one on one.

I, personally, would also like to especially thank Mel Caylo, Marketing Manager of Archaia Press (Days Missing, Mouseguard, The Killer, Secret History of the World, and the forthcoming Fraggle Rock comic, amongst others), for really opening up to retailers about Archaia Press titles, and I'd like to thank Archaia on behalf of everyone who is a member of ComicsPRO for their first time sponsorship of a ComicsPRO meeting. Dark Horse, IDW, Radical, and Boom were returning sponsors of the ComicsPRO meeting and these four companies produce a diverse line of titles that any forward thinking comic store should stock as well as re-evaluate how these companies' titles are displayed around their stores. And a huge tip of the hat for Boom's creative use of a RV they rented at Memphis and parked it in the hotel parking lot for after hours meet and greets (and a little bit of alcohol - grin)!
At the Memphis meeting, ComicsPRO also awarded Paul Levitz to be the recipient of the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award. Paul Levitz, had been the President of DC Comics from 2002-2009, but has also wore a writer hat and an editor hat, in addition to the many other hats he's worn at DC during his 35 years plus and counting. Paul Levitz has also been very instrumental in developing the direct market comic specialty store into what it is today (especially in its formative years) so while the other nominees also contributed greatly to the comic industry, Paul Levitz' achievements are without parallel and thus he was the perfect recipient of the first annual ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award.

Bob Wayne, VP of Direct Market Sales, has also been with DC Comics in many different capacities for over 30 years and is THE go-to person at DC Comics for comic specialty store retailer marketing and it is a certainty to me and many others, that he will be the recipient of this award next year.
In addition to the award Paul Levitz received, he accepted the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award in the posthumous category that was awarded to Carol Kalish, who died in 1991, at the waaaaay too young age of 36. Carol Kalish worked the last ten years of her life as the direct sales manager of Marvel Comics and was the other instrumental voice in the development of comic stores during the formative years of the direct market (the 1980's).

The topic that was discussed most at this year's ComicsPRO meeting was what I call the looming digital cloud, meaning what will be the impact on comic stores and the printed comic book form with more digital (online) outlets for comic books (such as the iPad)? All of the publishers present tried to explain where they saw this industry going, their own digital plans, and the difficulty in predicting how things will ultimately play out in a technological world in which the only constant is change. The publishers and Diamond Comics Distribution are just as concerned as comic store retailers about this and they are also having to adapt to how this will impact them. From these discussions, the biggest thing I took back from this year's ComicsPRO meetings was that, while the access of reading comics digitally WILL change the way that comic stores do business, that future isn't as ominous or as close to radically changing as I thought prior to attending ComicsPRO meeting 2010. Comic book stores are not going to go the way of music or DVD stores any time in the near future and with so many new comic stores (stores that have "only" been around five years or less) and up and coming stores, such as Jayme and Brian's Southern Fried Comics, present at this year's ComicsPro meeting, the future of this industry looks very promising.

Thanks also to the ComicsPRO board members, Amanda Emmert (Muse Comics in Montana), Joe Field (Flying Color Comics in Concord, California), Brian Hibbs (Comix Experience in San Francisco), Gary Dills (Laughing Ogre in Ohio and Northern Virginia), Carr D'Angelo (Earth-2 Comics in LA, California), Rick Lowell (Casablanca Comics in Maine), Eric Kirsammer (Chicago Comics), Calum Johnston (Strange Advenures in Eastern Canada), and Phil Boyle (Coliseum of Comics in Florida, Phil recently left his board position with ComicsPRO, but he's still there in spirit and still a member) for all of the behind the scenes work they do to make the annual meeting run so smoothly. Seriously, if you know any of these fine people to any degree and or have been in their stores, that should tell you right there that ComicsPRO is going to be around for the long haul. I'd also like to give a huge thanks to the staff of the Memphis Hilton for all they did to make our stay with them so enjoyable and relaxing in the midst of our meetings (and the vegan food choices they made this year were EXCELLENT).

In closing, I'd like to make another appeal to any present comic store retailers and or people looking to open a comic book store reading this who aren't already a member of ComicsPRO to seriously consider becoming a member. All of our stores and the industry will only be strengthened with increased membership, as the old adage "there's strength in numbers" couldn't be truer. I'm certain that there are many comics stores who aren't yet a member of ComicsPRO who could introduce some of what they do really well to the larger comic store community and in turn they would also get ideas from present members that they could take back to strengthen their own stores. For those of you reading this who go to a store other than mine, ask your favorite local comic store owner if they've heard of ComicsPRO and give them this website address for more info: www.comicspro.org, I'm sure they'll thank you.

ComicsPRO 2010 pt. 2

I'd be lying if I said that the only reason I go to the annual ComicsPRO meetings is to compare notes with other retailers and people within the industry, as I also go to recharge and have a fun time on the side. Being that the ComicsPRO 2010 meeting was in Memphis again this year, we had to go to downtown Beale Street at least one night for some great live tunes.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) hosted a party upstairs at the Rum Boogie Cafe and they had as their guests Terry Moore (Strangers In Paradise, Echo) and Jeff Smith (Bone, Rasl), pictured here from left to right, with Kate in the middle trying to keep them from fighting about who is a better cartoonist (as if these two fine cartoonists would ever resort to that and really anyone who is familiar with their comic book creations knows that Terry and Jeff are both at the top of this wonderful medium and are always challenging themselves). I managed to stay away from the Red Bull & Vodka drinks this year and just enjoyed a couple of beers and the great company of my fellow retailers (and wifey!) to the soundtrack of some good blues music provided by a local blues band. The CBLDF is a nonprofit organization for comic book stores and comic book creators who require legal representation of the first amendment order. Thank Charles Brownstein and CBLDF for all your organization does and for a great Memphis Rum Boogie Cafe party!
More lifestyles of the rich and famous, with Jim Lee, the new Co-Publisher of DC Comics (as well as probably the most famous comic book artist of this present age and the NICEST guy in comics bar none - and really most everyone in the comic industry are great people, but Jim Lee brings "nice" to a whole new level) slumming with the likes of my goofy self! I promise I wasn't trying to make rabbit ears upon Jim Lee, that's just my beer induced peace sign!
Catching up with some more retailer buds and industry buds (sorry for this not so great photo). I don't think all of those empty cups in front of Derrick (seated, with the white long sleeves) of Comic Oasis (here in Vegas of course) belong to him, but so what if they did because he wasn't driving and I'm sure he could handle them better than I could anyway (grin)!
In between sets that the band at Rum Boogie Cafe did, I took Kate for a little tour of Beale Street and wandered over to Club 152, to show Kate where I had too much fun with alcohol last year, and we stayed for a set by this really good funk rock band who call themselves the Grant Garland Trio (even though there were four members in the band). The Batman logo shirt I'm wearing was given to me as a gift and is uber cool because it lights up and pulsates to music (which everyone was jealous of!). So of course I had to get a photo with the bassist of the Grant Garland Trio who was wearing a Superman logo shirt.

Thanks Memphis!

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 - WOW!

Where did S.H.I.E.L.D artist Dustin Weaver come from!? The first issue of Marvel's SHIELD hit comic stores yesterday and I thought it would be a good story as writer Jonathan Hickman has been writing a very entertaining Fantastic Four comic for some time now, but I wasn't prepared for how gorgeous this book would look. SHIELD is supposed to be bi-monthly (meaning it's supposed to come out every other month), but unless Dustin Weaver has had a head start before this title launched, I don't see how he can even meet a bi-monthly schedule with the amount of work he puts into each page (please prove me wrong though!).
S.H.I.E.L.D (I'm going to just call it SHIELD from now one because it takes too long to type the correct title), in the current Marvel universe is a somewhat secret C.I.A. type orginization headed by the eye patch wearing Nick Fury. It's unclear with the first issue of this new SHIELD series where it fits into the Marvel universe "proper" (but I guess one could say that about any number of titles like the X-Men titles that seem to exist independent of other Marvel characters that they hardly ever interact with), but based on this first issue, wherever Hickman and Weaver are going with this series, it looks like it's going to be a fun, great ride.

The title of the story in SHIELD #1 is "The Unholy Resurrection of Leonardo da Vinci" so right there you know you're in for a different kind of superhero comic. The first issue of SHIELD takes place in different time periods and Galileo (as well as other historical figures) also makes an appearance, so SHIELD looks like it's going to be Hickman and Weaver's version of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, but I think that's okay because really, how much of anything in any medium is truly original and I think that a good writer can make a seemingly similar concept their own by other ideas they bring to the work.

I'm certain that SHIELD #1 will sell out pretty much everywhere because the art by Dustin Weaver just pops out that much. Even comic store retailers, such as myself, who ordered well above what the suggested initial interest (sadly I should say lack of interest) by pull and hold reserves suggested I should order (but as I mentioned above, Hickman has recharged the Fantastic Four so I thought some of those people might like other things he writes) will be clamoring for a second print to build on the word of mouth SHIELD will be receiving. Marvel has always had waaaaaaay too many titles, and they're even amping up their number of titles, which is just totally overwhelming their customer base so I totally understand people throwing their arms up in the air when they see a new sign up sheet with the myriad title offerings (such as something like seven Avengers titles!!,four Deadpool titles, six Iron Man titles, and ten Spider-Man titles!!) and have to make hard decisions on which ones will get selected to be on their pull list and which ones they'll have to skip. Also understandably, people want to look at a first issue before committing to that title, but with there being so many titles vying for shelf space (but no company produces the title onslaught that Marvel does) retailers are also playing a guessing game in regards to what will click with our customers (if I'd seen this first issue of SHIELD before ordering, I would have probably ordered almost twice as many as I did).

Anyway, if the creative team of SHIELD #1 can maintain this level of quality, more people are going to be dropping one of the Avengers, Spider-Man, or X-Men titles they get to follow SHIELD (and I'm sure there will be a second printing and of course a trade collection once the first story arc ends).

Years Of The Elephant

Years Of The Elephant is a 2007 graphic novel written and drawn by Willy Linthout, from Fanfare / Ponent Mon. This was one of the four graphic novels I picked up this past Saturday night at Brian Hibbs' 21st birthday / anniversary bash for his store, Comix Experience, in San Francisco (and such a great time was had that the celebration will be on the list of upcoming blogs here).

Years Of The Elephant is the true story of how Willy Linout dealt with the 2004 suicide of his son, Sam, who was 21 years old. As one can imagine with a subject matter as dark and sad as a suicide is, Years Of The Elephant is dark and sad, but it is also an in-depth narrative of the multitude of emotions a parent goes through going forward. Obviously anyone who has had a loved one commit suicide or knows someone who has, will be forever changed and it is VERY hard to go forward with your own life. There's much sadness because that person isn't in your life anymore and you wonder why this choice was made and what you could have done to change what happened. Years Of The Elephant doesn't have all of the answers to these questions as the answers will widely range from person to person, but this graphic novel by Willy Linout and how HE dealt with his son's suicide will maybe help you process what you're going through if you know someone who committed suicide.

The art in Years Of The Elephant is done in an unfinished, not inked fashion, because as Willy Linthout says: "Sam's life didn't get the chance to go all the way, it stays unfinished, so the same goes for my pencils."

King Of The Flies

Last week I finally got around to reading King Of The Flies, a hardcover graphic novel by Mezzo and Pirus, that was released by Fantagraphics Books a couple of weeks ago. Not having been previously acquainted with their work in Metal Hurlent (they are from France), I just ordered King Of The Flies because the art sample I saw looked interesting in a Charles Burns (Black Hole) kind of way. Well to say that I was blown away with King Of The Flies may be an understatement because this graphic novel evoked to me some of the best of Charles Burns dark, odd comic creations with the wordsmith, insightful stylings of Alan Moore.

King Of The Flies is very odd, but in a good way, not in an inaccessible, what the hell is going on and why should you care way. It does take a few pages to get into the characters, the writing style, and what's going on, but once you get there, you'll know that Mezzo (the artist) and Pirus (the writer) are two comic creators that should be highly lauded (and I'm sure they are in France, but from my little online research before writing up this entry I couldn't find anything else of theirs that has been translated into English). This graphic novel is "only" 64 pages in length, but there's a lot of text on every page so King Of Flies seems like it's twice the length it is. There's very little dialogue in King Of Flies as the story is told mostly in narration, but none of the narration is of the sort where one wonders if the writer is being paid by the word.

Following are a couple of examples of some of the sharp writing on display in King Of The Flies:

"I get a kick out of breaking news. Especially that little jingle at the start. It tells you right away something serious has happened that's gonna blow your little problems out of the water. I kind of enjoy it."

"Malls are the last places on earth where the word 'architecture' still has any meaning at all, but I think I'm the only one who realizes this. They're like the cathedrals of our age."

"You can't look at a photograph of the early Stones without envying them. I mean, their anti-establishment coolness, that slick fuck-you vibe. That's what I'd achieved under my mother's shadow, and I couldn't stand the thought of a stepfather coming in to shatter my world. I prayed that he sucked in bed and that my mother would dump him."

When is more coming? Must have more of this in a hurry!

greendale:; an advance look

At the ComicsPRO Memphis meeting last week (the annual retailer trade meeting, of which my looong blog entry is sadly not going to happen until next week), DC / Vertigo presented an advance copy of greendale, a graphic novel inspired by Neil Young's concept album from a couple of years ago to attending retailers. The copy of greendale we received is a softcover version (called a galley) of the hardcover version that will be released in June and only the first twelve pages of greendale's 156 pages are in color (the entire graphic novel will be in color when it goes on sale), but those twelve color pages serve to show people just how excellent the final version will be.

Neil Young's greendale, the graphic novel, is written by Joshua Dysart (who also writes the excellent Unknown Solider for Vertigo) and beautifully drawn by Cliff Chiang (artist on Vertigo's Human Target). Greendale is the name of a town in southern California, where the central character, Sun Green lives. greendale does have a very liberal, tree hugging vibe (qualities that are very attractive to me), like Neil Young's music, so it does help if you share these politics, but ultimately greendale is a book about a young woman's self discovery, life, the beauty of the earth, love, and personal growth. One also doesn't have to enjoy Neil Young's music (or have heard his greendale album, of which there's also a good DVD interpretation in which the characters sing all of the lyrics of the album) to enjoy the greendale graphic novel (although people who don't like Neil Young's music is something I could never wrap my head around) as this was even better than the high expectations I had when I first heard that Dsyart and Chiang were going to do this graphic novel. Triple AAA+!! - this was obviously a labor of love for everyone who worked on it (and getting to read this months before its release was definitely a highlight for me of this year's ComicsPRO meeting). For those of you that live in Vegas and or are already regulars of Alternate Reality Comics (and thanks for that!), please ask me to show you this book.