The San Diego comic con was last weekend, an event that is becoming more and more a multi media supermarket for anything sci-fi, comic or fantasy related.
There are gazillions of posts about the hunners of topics covered at the Con here, but here’s what I found interesting...
Indie writer/artist Terry Moore is taking over from Joss Whedon on Marvel’s brilliant teen superhero comedy Runaways.
Original ongoing title writer Jamie Delano is back on Hellblazer for a one shot story, with Rebis creator and crime novelist Ian Rankin set to take over writing the regular series at some point in the future.
Watchmen casting - Billy Crudup (as Dr Manhattan) leads a cast of virtual unknowns in what has to be the most anticipated comic book related movie of all time.
Here’s hoping it isn’t total wank.
DC have announced a new “Minx” imprint, a line of comics aimed at teenage girls trying to tap into the massive Manga market that has exploded thanks to female patronage.
Other movies in development you might want to see...
Whiteout is a thriller set in well, you guessed it, somewhere with loads of snow.
And, you’d think in direct contrast, comes 30 Days of Night, a vampire movie set in (I think) Alaska during the month-long period where there is no sun. Obviously, this is like spring break for vampires and offers a reasonably original take on an old idea.
Final Crisis – DC comics has been bogged down in something known as the Crisis since the mid 80s. Originally a mini-series trying to tidy up the various loose ends of the DC Universe of characters, it went and made things a whooooole lot more complicated, especially after a bunch of follow-ups emerged.
Charged with fixing this is Scots comic book God Grant Morrison. Will he kill or save the DCU and will this really be the final crossover? And has anyone who really cares ever touched a real woman?
Grant Morrison is known not only for comics but for advocating the use of Magik in everyday life. You may laugh and doubt if these rituals work to improve your life, but how many other guys from Govan have ever written Superman and Batman at the same time?
The excellent Gail Simone is taking over Wonder Woman.
The new creative teams for the various Spiderman comics were announced to a big yawn from me anyway.
Darwin Cooke has done a great job on The Spirit for DC, but is leaving soon – and to be honest I though that would kill the book. But it is rumoured that “Bone” creator Jeff Smith is taking over, which would be genius.
Also stroke mag fans can rejoice in the news that inflatable “sex kitten” Jenna Jameson will shortly have a new comic book out, which from the promo shot looks a bit like Red Sonja, if she was blonde and had fakies.
Finally, the Western comic is truly back.
While “Loveless” and the revamped “Jonah Hex” have both been doing well as has the re-launched “Lone Ranger”, “Streets of Glory” promises to top them all, as it’s the creation of comic book machismo master Irishman Garth Ennis.
Ennis, who created one of the most important comic books of all time in Preacher is also in the middle of his disassembly of superheroes “The Boys” which is also well worth a read.
Iain “The Neck” Laurie also strongly advises us to check out the new Kevin Smith related TV pilot “Reaper” wherein a slacker discovers his parents have sold his soul to the devil, who now wants to use him as bounty hunter chasing down errant souls.
It’s got my vote.
I realise about 2 people who read this will be vaguely interested in the contents, so if you got to the end without gouging out your own eyes, well done!
