Eric Powell’s The Goon is one of the best comics—period—and for what feels like forever there’s been talk of an animated movie, written by Powell, produced by David Fincher, and featuring the vocal stylings of Paul Giamatti and Clancy Brown. Shit, they even made a trailer, and when Ned interviewed Giamatti earlier this year, I […]
Comic Books
Posted inComic Books
Sparkplug Comics Publisher Dylan Williams Passes Away
The Beat is reporting that Sparkplug Comics’ Dylan Williams has passed away. We’ve just received word that Dylan Williams, Sparkplug publisher, has passed away. Williams had been battling cancer, and several benefits for him were underway here at SPX. Williams was an amazing publisher and a kind, thoughtful person — if you ever met him […]
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Comics News: The New 52! Top Shelf Sale! Northlanders!
Northlanders: Metal and Other Stories. Art by Massimo Carnevale. 52—Last week, DC Comics rolled out their line-wide, 52-book relaunch—”The New 52″—with the disappointingly weak ‘n’ watery Justice League #1. I can’t be the only person who wanted to like this issue but mostly just found it confusing, right? Like, who decided charging $3.99 for both […]
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Sparkplug Benefit at Floating World
As Jacob mentioned yesterday, Sparkplug Comics’ Dylan Williams was recently diagnosed with cancer, and is currently facing some hefty medical bills. Floating World Comics just announced a benefit to help defray some costs: From Jason Leivian: Dylan Williams would never ask any of his friends to do a benefit like this. Not his style. Sorry […]
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Season Two of Smash Starts Today!
In the arts section this week I wrote about Smash, a kids-oriented superhero comic by local writer Chris Bolton and his brother, Kyle Bolton. It’s very charming and my 11-year-old nephew would dig it, which can’t be said for most of the comics I read. Season two of the comic kicked off today, or you […]
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Guapo Closes, Floating World Moves, And Sparkplug Needs Your Help
Sad news for the Portland comics community: Dylan Williams, head of Sparkplug Comics, is extremely ill, and like most independently employed creative Americans, he has no health care. Comics blogs Exquisite Things and High-Low have compiled lists of suggested reading from Sparkplug to help raise money for Williams treatment. In the last week alone Blogtown […]
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Grant Morrison on Superhero Comics: “There’s a Real Feeling of Things Just Going Off the Rails”
Via Writers and Kitties From Rolling Stone‘s interview with comics genius Grant Morrison: DC is relaunching its entire line—is there some desperation there?There’s always going to be a bit of that because comics sales are so low, people are willing to try anything these days. It’s just plummeting. It’s really bad from month to month. […]
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Tessa Brunton’s Passage Is Going to Win Some Awards
A month ago I went to a publishing workshop taught by Dylan Williams (of Sparkplug Comics). He showed us a long table covered in comics to illustrate different formats. Dylan always has interesting things to say and I was excited to hear him speak—so it was unfortunate fate placed an advance copy of Tessa Brunton’s […]
Posted inMovies & TV
NICOLAS CAGE IS ON FIRE (AGAIN)
Jesus fucking CHRIST I go out of town for ONE GODDAMN WEEKEND and look at what fucking happens: NO ONE POSTS THE NEW GHOST RIDER TRAILER. Way to let Blogtown go to shit while I’m gone, everyone. Anyway: There’s a new Ghost Rider, I guess, even though the first one was… y’know… Ghost Rider. Because […]
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Portland Cartoonist Chris Cilla Nominated For Ignatz Award
Portland’s comics pedigree continues to grow. Local cartoonist (and my coworker) Chris Cilla was nominated for the Ignatz Award for Best Graphic Novel. His book, The Heavy Hand, was published by Sparkplug Comic Books last November. Brett Warnock of Top Shelf says, “I recently read his feature-length mind-fuck of a book, The Heavy Hand. If […]
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Hey Kids! Comics!
When DC Comics announced they were starting over their entire line of comics with new-reader-friendly first issues in September, they also promised they’d be supporting those new comics with movie trailers and TV ads. Here, via Robot 6, is the first thirty second spot: What do you think?
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Kate Beaton Interview
The line for Kate Beaton at Stumptown last year indicates that Portland loves Hark! A Vagrant. AS IT SHOULD. Here’s an interview Beaton recently did with the Hairpin. Some of my favorite comics of yours include the “Hipsters Ruin Everything” series, where you argue that young people co-opting aesthetics from artistic movements is nothing new. […]