Monthly Archives: February 2009

Canadian Comic Book Creators News from WonderCon – Part 1

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Captain Canuck

Captain Canuck

Here I am again, experiencing both WonderCon and MegaCon, through the magical world of the Internet, Newsarama, and Comic Book Resources. I’ll be linking up news related to Canadian Comic Book Creators here.

Source: Newsarama: WonderCon ’09 – IDW Panel

“Captain Canuck – IDW will collect the original series by Richard [Comely] and George Freeman, the two hardcover volumes will be scanned from the original art by Freeman. The first volume will ship in June.”

“The Last Resort – written by Jimmy Palmiotti, a zombie comic that takes place in a Club Med style setting. Covers will be by Amanda Conner and Darwyn Cooke.”

“Torpedo – collecting the entire work by Enrique Abulli and Jordi Bernet, the comic in oversized hardcovers. The first volume will contain two stories by Alex Toth. The ganger epic will be rewritten from translation by Jimmy Palmiotti, with design by Darwyn Cooke.”

“The cover to Cooke’s adaptation of Richard Stark’s The Hunter was shown, and Dunbier gave the history of the project, and how he personally had to convince author Donald Westlake that Cooke could faithfully adapt the work. Resistant at first, Westlake was swayed by Cooke’s art, and as a result, Westlake gave Cooke and IDW permission to adapt the work and call the character “Parker,” something Westlake had never done in any of the other adaptations of the novel.

The graphic novel will run 128-138 pages, and be slightly smaller than normal, perhaps 6” x 9”. Dunbier showed the first two pages of the graphic novel, and then held up the first 72 pages of it. The completed version should be in stores in July.”

“Dunbier said that the size of The Hunter was something that Cooke requested to make it look like a paperback from the ‘60s. The book will published in hardcover, run 144 pages (Dunbier was unsure of the length of the story as Cooke is still working on it) and carry a $24.99 cover price. Dunbier noted that Cooke is doing the first four Parker novels, but he is talking to Cooke about two more projects that would be related to the graphic novels.”

Source: Newsarama: WonderCon ’09 – Aspen Panel

“After the Soulfire: New World Order miniseries concludes, the second volume by Krul and artist Marcus To will premiere. Due to the delays in the first volume, the second has several issues stockpiled and future months are said to see quite a bit of the modern fantasy series being released.”

Source: Newsarama: WonderCon ’09 – Oni Press Panel

“Speaking of Scott Pilgrim, Casoni said that Bryan Lee O’Malley was adamant that both the first printing of volume 5 be something special for fans (this was the holofoil cover mentioned earlier) and that the cost of that cover should not be passed on to the readers, resulting in no increase in price.

Scott Pilgrim volume 6 will be out by the time the movie hits theaters. The movie, Jarrell explained, will encompass the entire series, rather than just the first book. The first volume, Jarrell said, pretty much makes up the first 20 minutes of the film.”

DC Comics’ Origins & Omens

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DC Comics' Origins & Omens (Page 1) by Francis Manapul (Back-up story from Adventure Comics #0)

DC Comics' Origins & Omens (Page 1) by Francis Manapul (Back-up story from Adventure Comics #0)

For those that have not picked up the recently released Adventure Comics #0 (released on February 4th, 2009), you can now read the back-up “Origins & Omens” story online for free, which is written by Geoff Johns, contains artwork by Francis Manapul, and is coloured by Brian Buccellatto.

Comic Retailers – Comic Encounters (Terrace, BC)

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The Joe Shuster Awards love comic shops big and small.  If you would like to see your store profiled here, please contact us: retailers@joeshusterawards.com.

Today we touch base with Comic Encounters, located in Terrace, British Columbia.  Like so many small town comic shop owners, Gerry Mattson loves comics.  He loves comics so much, he quit his job to open a small business.  Without enterprising individuals like Gerry, the comic book community in Canada would be so much poorer.

Owner's Name:  Gerry Mattson

Manager's Name:  Gerry Mattson

Number of Employees:  3

Years in Business:  18

Physical Address: #102-4435 Lakelse Avenue, Terrace, BC, V8G 1P1

Phone Number: (250)638-7293

Website: http://www.comic-encounters.com/

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How did you choose your store name?

I based it on a favourite board game at the time, "Cosmic Encounter" and changed it to fit a comic/game store.

Favorite Comic Book, published in the past few months:

Fables

Five all-time classic comics, graphic novels or story arcs:

Sandman, Preacher, Camelot 3000, Fables, Y The Last Man

What are you excited about for this coming year? What are your plans for the next 12 months?

We are just finishing renovating our store and are just implementing a new POS system. We are in the middle of expanding our gaming area and plan to run demo games every Saturday once it is finished, in addition to running many more tournaments. We are going to heavily promote Free Comic Book Day, both in our store as well as with several school and local libraries.

What has been one of the most rewarding parts of running your business?

The employees and customers I have met and worked with over the years. It is great to have customers who came into our store as children who are now doctors, lawyers, etc., many of which now have kids too.

What has been one of the biggest challenges?

We are located in a northern forestry community and have faced several economic downturns. At times this has hurt, especially when first opening, but we have survived and grown stronger. It has also taught me many things about running my business.

Comic Encounters is located in a Northern forestry community. This fella might be hairy, but you can be sure you're not on the Danforth.

Comic Encounters is located in a Northern forestry community. This fella might be hairy, but you can be sure you're not on the Danforth.


Why are you a comics retailer?

I always loved comics and graphic novels and moved to a town which had no stores carrying these products. Since I wanted to buy them and no one in the area sold these products, I decided to quit my job at the time and open the store and see if there was a market. 18 years later I am still at it.

Product Lines Carried:

Comics, Back Issues, Graphic Novels, Comic Suppliers, Posters, Shirts, DVDs, Toys, Statues, Non-Sports Cards, Sports Cards, CCG's, RPG's, Board Games, Greeting Cards, Candy, Novels, Miniatures, Warhammer and Warhammer 40K, Manga, Magazines, etc.

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Best selling books:

Comics-Amazing Spiderman, Fables, Batman, Wolverine Graphic Novels-Hellblazer, Preacher, Sandman, Y-Last Man, Watchmen

What percentage of your business is comics compared to the peripherals of a 'culture store'?

50%

What books do you find yourself recommending the most?

Sandman, Preacher, Fables, Y The Last Man, Hellblazer, Hellboy, BPRD

What comic/manga would you recommend for an adult interested in returning to comics:

Superhero - Amazing Spiderman, Batman, Avengers, X-Men Non-superhero - Sandman, Preacher, Fables, Y The Last Man, Hellblazer, Hellboy, BPRD

How important is the web to your business?

Very important for information, letting our customers know what is going on. Mail orders are also a big part of our business.

Does your store have an area of expertise? What makes your store unique?

No, we are a general store. We are located in a small remote area so we must be a general store in order to survive and prosper.

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Describe the comic book scene within your community? (e.g.: amateur comics, anime/manga clubs, comic clubs, convention events)

Sadly, our area is very small. Our city is about 18000, our service area is about 40000. Due to this we have no conventions in the area or clubs, but we have several very talented artists and a couple of published comic writers live in our region.

Do you participate in Free Comic Book Day?

ALWAYS!!! It is the best promotion every year and we give thousands of books away to our local libraries and schools, as well as advertise this event more than any other event we do during the year.

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What aspect of your store are you most proud?

Our selection. For such a small population base, our store has a huge selection of comics, games, graphic noels, etc.

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What have been some or your best/most fun promotions/events?

Free Comic Book Day is always the best event each year!

Have the last few years of Hollywood film releases changed your customer base?

Not really. Some films provide a temporary increase in a books sales, but this drops with each new movie. The market is becoming too cluttered.

Graphic Novels have been a growth product for large bookstore chains, does this affect your customer base or business?

Yes, it does hurt sales but it also helps. Our local book chains bring in graphic novels, but with no rhyme nor reason. They bring in #3 of a graphic novel, get a new customer hooked, and we sell the person #1, 2, 4+. It gets us business this way, but also hurts us due to heavy discounting by the chains and "big box" online stores.

Modern Masters Volume 23: Darwyn Cooke

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TwoMorrows Publishing's Modern Masters Volume 23: Darwyn Cooke (Cover)

TwoMorrows Publishing's Modern Masters Volume 23: Darwyn Cooke (Cover)

Source: Almost Darwyn Cooke’s Blog (but not quite)

TwoMorrows Publishing will be releasing Modern Masters Volume 23: Darwyn Cooke, scheduled for release on July 22nd, 2009.

Solicitation Info from TwoMorrows Publishing:

120 page Trade Paperback – By Eric Nolen-Weathington

In the year 2000, a bold, new force exploded into the world of comics. His name: Darwyn Cooke, and it is no wonder his work immediately stood out from his peers. Years in the magazine industry as an art director and graphic designer—not to mention his work as storyboard artist for the award-winning Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, and Batman Beyond cartoons, and as director for Men in Black: The Series—imbued Cooke’s art with a unique sense of design and energy. But comics is where Cooke’s heart truly lies, and his love for the medium shows on every page. His work on such titles as Catwoman and DC: The New Frontier are a showcase for this Modern Master. This book features a career-spanning interview with the artist, a discussion of his creative process, and reams of rare and unseen art, including a large gallery of commissioned work, and 8 pages of full color work.

ISBN-13: 978-1-605490-20-5
ISBN-10: 1-605490-20-2

Links to Canadian Creators (Updated)

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It’s been a long process, but will continue to be a work-in-progress. The Links to Canadian Creators page has been updated with the initial list I’ve been working with. I am well aware that there are probably hundreds of names that are missing from that list. So if you know someone, or are someone, that is missing from that list of links, please e-mail me at jason@joeshusterawards.com.

To help makes thing easier, please include the creators’ name, website, Province/Country of birth or current resident (whether it be in Canada or elsewhere), and a short list of works. I’ll do my best at updating the list ASAP.

Upcoming Convention Appearances: Feb. 27 – Mar. 26

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Megacon (Orlando, Florida) – February 27-March 1

Features Canadian creator guest: Darwyn Cooke. Canadian resident Steve McNiven also appears.

WonderCon (San Francisco, CA) – February 27-March 1

Features Canadian guests: Kei Acedera, Bobby Chiu, Bob the Angry Flower, Travis Charest, Camilla D’Errico, Miriam Libicki (Real Gone Girl Studios).

CCBCAA Executive Director Kevin A. Boyd can be found at Booth#915 (CGC)

Vancouver Comicon (Vancouver, B.C.) – Sunday, March 15

Features Canadian Guests: David Boswell (Reid Fleming, World’s Toughest Milkman), Robin Bougie (Cinema Sewer), Kelly Everaert (Jungle Tales, Trilogy of Terror), Forg (Birth of Jazz), Miriam Libicki (Jobnik), Mike Myhre (Space Jet Comics), Andrew Salmon (Secret Agent X), Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Hemp Island), Verne Andru, Rusty Beach, Jordyn Bochon & Tim Carpenter, Laura Eveleigh, Donald King, and Steven Snyder. Also features American special guest Howard Chaykin.

Comic Book Bin discusses comics pricing with Canada’s Competition Bureau

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Despite the ups and downs of the currency exchange rates between the US and Canadian dollars, the issue of what price a store sells comics at has always been decided upon by store managers and owners based on (a) customer loyalty and (b) what the competition is doing.

Some stores offer a blanket discount on Canadian cover prices, others sell their comics at what is referred to as “US cover”, that is, if the book’s price is $2.99 US it is sold for $2.99 Canadian. A concern raised by some stores is that they cannot afford to match discount pricing with stores in the same region. I’m certainly aware of retailers in this position here in Canada.

Would this be an acceptable practice if we were discussing big stores vs. little stores? What is an acceptable level to undercut the competition in order to get (and/or keep) business. If one store sells at US cover, is it acceptable for another to sell at US cover + a % discount. At what point is competition on small items pricing prohibitive to profitability? These are definitely concerns in this climate of economic uncertainties (real and/or imagined).

While discounting of some kind is preferred by all customers — location, customer service and merchandise availability are just as important concerns in a niche area like comic book retailing.

Retailers are obliged, as Canadian businesses that are not exempt, to charge the applicable GST (and in some provinces PST) on the discounted price of the merchandise.

I’m not aware of retailers adding back the difference in the exchange rate back as a hidden additional tax.An additional retailer-created tax to offset an advertised discounted price would certainly be a cause for concern.

HOWEVER

With the advent of publishers dropping the Canadian price (due to fluctuating exchange rate). Publishers are basically saying that they can’t predict what the rate will be when the item will be printed and placed out for sale, so they are leaving it to the retailer to determine the correct Canadian dollar price. Retailers who do charge the Canadian dollar price are converting the printed US$ price to a Canadian$ price at the register based on the daily exchange rate.

To some extent that does actually contravene Canadian law as in Canada consumers are supposed to see a clearly marked price on merchandise for sale in retail outlets.  With no Canadian price marked consumers do have a cause for complaint when presented with a different price at the register.

What to do then? Many comic book readers and collectors are concerned about condition – these consumers are going to definitely rebel against price stickers with converted prices placed on the comics for sale, and bagged and boarded comics with price stickers may not be productive for store owners to re-price every day. However, proper signage with the daily conversion placed near the sales rack or by the cash register is probably the simplest way to solve that problem, it will keep customers informed and curtail potential complaints.

Anyway, the Comic Book Bin’s Herve St. Louis decided to check with Canada’s Competition Bureau to see what their position was on the subject. The article can be found here: Competition Bureau Weighs In on US Pricing in Canadian Stores.

Kevin

State of the Awards update – end of Feb. 2009

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As we are nearing the end of February, here is a status update on the progress of the 2009 Joe Shuster Awards:

  • Gene Day Award for Canadian creators who self-publishing their work was announced on February 23, 2009. Call for submissions now open and ends on May 18, 2009. Submissions can be mailed in or dropped off at some comics related events this spring. See the Gene Day Award page for more information.
  • Round One Nominating for Artist, Writer, Cartoonist and Colourist categories is nearly complete. Round Two starts on March 10, 2009. As well, nominees for Cover Art, Publisher and Webcomic Creator(s) are being discussed. All Nominees will be selected by the end of March 2009 and announced on Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
  • The Inductees for the Hall of Fame have been selected. The four inductees (three living, one deceased) and their families are currently in the process of being notified. Inductees for the Hall of Fame in 2009 will be announced at a later date.
  • The Comics for Kids Award Nominating Committee is currently sifting through the eligible material and will also have their selections ready for the April 1 Nominees announcement.
  • 2009 Poster (artwork by Francis Manapul and Agnes Garbowska) is still in the production phase.

On April 1, we begin Part III of the long process that leads to the presentation of the Joe Shuster Awards on June 27, 2009. Phase III consists of:

  • Starting mid-April, the Jury reviews, discusses and makes their final selections from the list of Nominees announced on April 1. (Artist, Writer, Cartoonist, Colorist, Publisher, Cover Art, Webcomics). Jury will decide the winners in early June 2009.
  • Retailer Committee makes their final selection for the Harry Kremer Retailer Award (late May 2009)
  • Jury #2 makes their top 5 selections for the Gene Day Award in late May from the submissions received (nominees announced June 3rd) then makes their final decision for who will receive the award in 2009.
  • Jury #3 makes their decision on who will receive the Comics for Kids Award in 2009 in early June.
  • Work begins on the production of the 2nd Joe Shuster Awards Sequential Arts Symposium Day.
  • Collection of pieces for the 2009 Visions of an Icon art show for the June 27th JSA Day
  • Distribution of 2009 Poster and event postcards.
  • Manufacturing of the Award plaques in mid-June.

Just for fun: Canada’s Watchmen movie gears up for March 6th release.

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The Nearly all-Canadian MINUTEMEN: Appolovia Vanova/Silhouette, Niall Matter/Mothman, Dan Payne/Dollar Bill, Clint Carleton/Nite Owl I, Darryl Scheelar/Captain Metropolis and Glenn Ennis/Hooded Justice along with American actors Carla Gugino/Silk Spectre I and Jeffrey Dean Morgan/The Comedian.

The Nearly all-Canadian MINUTEMEN: Appolovia Vanova/Silhouette, Niall Matter/Mothman, Dan Payne/Dollar Bill, Clint Carleton/Nite Owl I, Darryl Scheelar/Captain Metropolis and Glenn Ennis/Hooded Justice along with American actors Carla Gugino/Silk Spectre I and Jeffrey Dean Morgan/The Comedian.

In the just for fun department:

Not Canadian by any stretch of the imagination, the Watchmen graphic novel by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons continues to be a sales juggernaut — all in anticipation of the March 6 release of Zack Snyder’s motion picture adaptation. Snyder, Gibbons, and some actors from the film will be appearing this weekend at San Francisco’s WONDERCON.

HOWEVER, the film itself was mostly shot in and around Vancouver, British Columbia and includes a large number of Canadians in key lead and supporting acting roles, as extras and on the production team.

Toronto's own Malin Akerman as the Silk Spectre

Toronto's own Malin Akerman as the Silk Spectre

Although born in Sweden, Malin Akerman who plays Laurie Jupiter aka the Silk Spectre II grew up in Toronto, Canada. Young BC actress Haley Guiel plays Laurie Jupiter as a child.

BC actor Laura Mennell plays Janey Slater, with Billy Crudup as Jon Osterman (pre-Dr. Manhattan) in a flashback scene from the movie.

Laura Mennell plays Janey Slater, with Billy Crudup as a pre-Dr. Manhattan Jon Osterman .

British Columbia’s own Laura Mennell plays Dr. Manhattan’s first girlfriend Janey Slater.

Quebec actor Stephanie Belding plays a character known as Janet Black.

US-born and Peterborough, Ontario raised Matt Frewer plays Edgar Jacobi aka Moloch the Mystic.

Then there’s the nearly all Canuck MINUTEMEN team (see picture above):

Nova Scotian actor Stephen Hattie as the elder Hollis Mason / Nite Owl I.

BC actor Clint Carleton as the young Hollis Mason / Nite Owl I.

Slovakia native and BC resident Apollonia Vanova as Silhouette.

Canadian stuntman Daryl Schaellar as Captain Metropolis.

Canadian stuntman Glenn Ennis as Hooded Justice.

BC actor Dan Payne as Dollar Bill.

Alberta’s Niall Matter as Mothman.

SCOTT PILGRIM MOVIE TO START FILMING IN TORONTO IN MARCH 2009

We are, of course, following the news stories about the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie which starts shooting in Toronto in late March, 2009. One hopes that this will spark a comparable interest in O’Malley’s graphic novel series published by Oni Press.

Director Edgar Wright will be hosting a series of film screenings and discussions at Toronto’s Bloor Cinema during the month of March before principal photography starts.

SEND IT TO THE SENATE FOR APPROVAL SCOTTY… PRIME MINISTER WILLIAM SHATNER?

william-shatner-with-video-phoneIn a completely unrelated story making the rounds, Captain Kirk himself — Canadian actor William Shatner would like to be Prime Minister of Canada.

Happenings: the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

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expo-logoThe Joe Shuster Awards will be setting up presentation booths at a few spring 2009 events, the first of which was announced today — we will be at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo on April 25-26.

The Expo was launched in 2006 and has been growing ever since. We hope to run some interviews in the future with some of the show’s organizers.

The show features a lot of great Canadian talent, including DARWYN COOKE, SVETLANA CHMAKOVA, BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY, YANICK PAQUETTE, OMAR DOGAN, JIM ZUBKAVICH, JOE NG, JIM SU, GAVIN BLAIR, SCOTT HEPBURN, RAY FAWKES and more!

I will also be accepting submissions for comic book grading on behalf of JSA sponsors, the Certified Grading Company at the booth.

Kevin

Interviews: Troy Little

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Courtesy of Comic Book Resources:

An interview with Troy Little about his January 2009 comic release Angora Napkin, and his work on a soon-to-air animated version. He also discusses Chiaroscuro, collected by IDW.   From CBR:

The roots of “Angora Napkin” stemmed from an idea for a wacky retro cartoon, so it was only natural that the style carried over when I decided to make a comic out of it. Also, I had spent the better part of five years cross-hatching myself blind on “Chiaroscuro” that I wanted to do something fun and loose as a bit of a break.

angoranapkin3

chiaroscuro2

The Joe Shuster Awards are proud to have Troy participating as a jury member for the newly added Gene Day Award for Self-Publishing.  As a creator who spent years creating , and working through the ups and downs of self-publishing/distributing, Troy is an excellent example to self-publishing creators everywhere.  From CBR:

I had managed to self-publish seven issues of “Chiaroscuro” thanks to a Xeric grant before the book went on hiatus. Eventually, I managed to finish the first book and I did a small print-on-demand run of the collected work, which I sent around to reviewers, publishers and industry folk. Dave Sim of “Cerebus” fame wrote a very positive review on his blog about my book. Shortly after, I was contacted by IDW Publishing and within a year the hardcover edition of “Chiaroscuro” was on shelves! I can’t thank Dave enough for his support and inspiration.

troylittle1

New for 2009! The Gene Day Award for Canadian Self-Publishing

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New award for 2009!

The Gene Day Award for Canadian Self-Publishing

“Gene Day really showed me that success in a creative field is a matter of hard work and productivity and persistence.” (Cerebus creator and self-publisher Dave Sim)

The Gene Day Award for Self-Publishing honours Canadian comic book creators who self-published their work during the previous calendar year. The award includes a bursary of $500.

In order to qualify you must be a citizen and current resident of Canada. Anyone who writes and illustrates a comic book of their own creation (includes creative teams) and publishes and sells that comic independently of any other publishing company and does not currently have said works distributed by a third party distributor may submit their publication for review.

Format and content is at the discretion of the creators. Must include new content, not reprinted material from other sources (such as webcomics). There are no language restrictions for this award.

Entries should be sent to:

GENE DAY AWARD SUBMISSIONS

C/O THE JOE SHUSTER AWARDS

PO BOX 67031 – 2300 YONGE STREET

TORONTO, ON M4P 3C8

Closing date for submissions: Monday, May 18th, 2009.

Entries may be submitted in person to the Joe Shuster Awards booth at the following Canadian events:

* Toronto ComiCON Fan Appreciation (April 18-19)
* Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo (April 25-26)
* Toronto Comic Arts Festival (May 9, 10).

All entries will be reviewed by an independent jury consisting of members of the Canadian comics community. Entries will be judged individually based on originality, literary and artistic merit, and overall presentation.

The finalists will be announced on Monday, June 1st , 2009 and the winner will be announced at the Joe Shuster Awards ceremony in Toronto on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at the Lillian Smith Library Auditorium.

About Gene Day

Gene Day (1951-1982) began his career in the Canadian alternative comix scene. In the seventies he began his own publishing imprint, Shadow Press / House of Shadows and put out over twenty issues of Dark Fantasy, a horror/fantasy/sci-fi digest that featured the early writings of Joe Lansdale, Charles De Lint, John Bell and Charles R. Saunders, amongst others; a short-lived comic publication, Out of the Depths and various other one-shots, portfolios, and prints. Day drew for the Skywald magazines Psycho and Nightmare from 1974, as well as the Canadian comic anthology, ORB, and Mike Friedrich’s independent comics company Star Reach, contributing to the Star Reach anthology, Image and Quack. Day did illustrations for fantasy role-playing games and had a collection of his comic stories, ‘Future Day’, published by Flying Buttress Press as a hardcover graphic novel in 1979.

He was a longtime inker on Marvel’s ‘Master of Kung Fu’ title by Mike Zeck, starting in 1976 and later took over as full penciler on the series. He also inked on the licensed ‘Star Wars’ series, pencilled by Carmine Infantino, as well as ‘The Mighty Thor’ and ‘Marvel Two-in-One’ featuring ‘The Thing’. From 1985 to 1986, Renegade Press published four issues of Gene Day’s ‘Black Zeppelin’, an anthology series primarily featuring stories and painted covers Day completed before his death, as well new contributions by Sim, Bruce Conklin, Augustine Funnell, and Charles Vess. More of his work appeared posthumously in Caliber Comics’ anthology series Day Brothers Presents, which also featured the work of Day’s artist brothers, David and Dan Day.

Dave Sim credits Gene Day as his earliest and most influential mentor and the inspiration for his own self-publishing efforts. Gene Day was inducted into the Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame in 2007.

About The Joe Shuster Awards

Established in 2004, The Joe Shuster Awards are Canada’s first national award recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books and are named after pioneering Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster who, along with writer Jerry Siegel, created the iconic super-powered hero, Superman. The name is used with the approval of the Estate of Joe Shuster – Michael Catron, Estate Agent.

For more information contact info@joeshusterawards.com

Happenings: Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009 (Update)

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Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009 Illustration by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009 Illustration by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Honoured Guest, Bryan Lee O’Malley, released an illustration (seen above) for the 2009 Toronto Comic Arts Festival (May 9-10, 2009). The image will also be used as a poster for TCAF, with less text.

On a related note, TCAF has updated their guest list, which features the addition of several great Canadian creators (Ho Che Anderson, Kate Beaton, Paul Rivoche, Cameron Stewart, J. Torres, and many more).

February 25th, 2009 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Angel #18 – IDW US$3.99
Written by Kelley Armstrong. Artwork by Dave Ross.

Atomic Robo Vol. 2: Atomic Robo And The Dogs Of War Trade Paperback – Red 5 Comics US$19.95
Colours by Ronda Pattison.

Cartoon Network Block Party #54 – DC/Johnny US$2.50
Story written by Sam Agro.

Dr Doom And The Masters Of Evil #2 – Marvel US$2.99
Inks by Terry Pallot. Cover by Karl Kerschl. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Incredible Hercules #126 – Marvel US$3.99
Artwork by Takeshi Miyazawa. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

John Byrne’s Next Men Premiere Edition Vol. 1 Hardcover – IDW US$50.00
Written, Artwork, and Cover by John Byrne.

Mister X: The Condemned #3 – Dark Horse US$3.50
Written, Artwork, Colours, and Cover by Dean Motter. Preview at Dark Horse Comics.

Ms. Marvel #36 – Marvel US$2.99
Inks by Serge Lapointe. Cover Colours by Chris Chuckry. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

New Avengers #50 – Marvel US$4.99
Guest Artwork by Steve McNiven. Guest Colours by Dave McCaig. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Proof #17 – Image US$3.50
Artwork and Colours by Kelly Tindall. Artwork and Cover by Riley Rossmo. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Resistance #3 – DC/Wildstorm US$3.99
Artwork by Ramon Perez. Preview at Comics Continuum.

Runaways #7 – Marvel US$2.99
Artwork by Takeshi Miyazawa. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers Trade Paperback – Marvel US$12.99
Artwork by Takeshi Miyazawa.

Spawn #189 – Image US$2.95
Written, Inks, and Incentive Cover by Todd McFarlane.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Last Generation #4 – IDW US$3.99
Inks by Terry Pallot.

Star Wars: Legacy #33 – Dark Horse US$2.99
Colours by Brad Anderson.

Street Fighter II Turbo #4 – Udon US$3.95
Written by Ken Siu-Chong. Colours by Saejin Oh. Variant Cover by Joe Ng.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Movie Prequel – Alliance #3 – IDW US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Alex Milne.

Ultimate Spider-Man #131 – Marvel US$2.99
Artwork and Cover by Stuart Immonen. Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Unknown Soldier #5 – DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Cover by Igor Kordey.

Wonder Woman #29 – DC US$2.99
Colours by Brad Anderson.

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz #2 (2nd Printing) – Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

Prix Bédélys: Nominees Announced

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Since 1999, the Promo 9e Art organisation has been presenting the annual Prix Bédélys. The awards celebrate the best comics published in french over the previous year.

There are four categories:
Bédélys Québec (the best French comics published in Quebec)
Bédélys d’Or (the best French comics published from around the world)
Bédélys Jeunesse (the best French comics published for younger readers)
Bédélys Fanzine (new for 2009) (the best French comics zine)

Last week, the nominees for two of the four categories were announced:

Bédélys Québec

Burquette by Francis Desharnais (Les 400 coups)
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Macanudo by Liniers (La Pastèque)
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Paresse by Pascal Girard (La Pastèque)
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Les Ravins by Philippe Girard (Mécanique générale)
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Une piquante petite brunette by Albert Chartier (Les 400 coups)
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Bédélys d’Or
Adamson 1 by Veys & Puerta (Robert Laffont)
Coupures irlandaises by Kris & Bailly (Futuropolis)
La guerre d’Alan 3 by Emmanuel Guibert (L’Association)
Lettres d’Agathe by Nathalie Ferlut (Delcourt)
Lulu femme nue by Étienne Davodeau (Futuropolis)
Mattéo 1 by Jean-Pierre Gibrat (Futuropolis)
RG 2 by Pierre Dragon & Frédéric Peeters (Gallimard)
Tout seul by Chabouté (Vents d’Ouest)
Une aventure de Spirou par… 4 by Émile Bravo (Dupuis)
Zoo 3 by Bonifay et Frank Pé (Dupuis).

The nominees for Bédélys Jeunesse and Bédélys Fanzine will be announced soon.

A list of the previous winners can be found here: www.bdquebec.qc.ca/forum/detail.php?forumid=25&id=982&page=1

Special thanks to Michel Viau for providing us the information and images.

Interviews: Jim Su

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Crozonia #1 cover by Jim Su

Crozonia #1 cover by Jim Su

Source: Comic Book Resources

Comic Book Resources conducts an interview with Toronto creator, Jim Su, about Crozonia, which will see release in April 2009.

“Crozonia,” written and illustrated by Jim Su and published by Su’s Beach Creative Studios, will follow an offshoot of the Lost City as it struggles to maintain its independence from Atlantis. Issue #1 of the four-issue bi-monthly series ships in April. CBR News spoke with Su about “Crozonia” and why some fans may already be familiar with the heroes of its story.

Interviews: Ryan Sohmer

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Courtesy of Comic Book Resources:

An interview with Ryan Sohmer, one half of the duo that won the Joe Shuster Award for Outstanding Webcomics Creative Team in 2008. Ryan and Lar De Souza produce the webcomics “Looking for Group” and “Least I Can Do”, which have also been collected in print. From CBR:

Ryan Sohmer is the writer behind the popular webcomic, “Least I Could Do,” which is now approaching its sixth anniversary. For the past few years he’s been collaborating with artist Lar DeSouza on the strip, with whom he also produces the comic, “Looking for Group.”

“Least I Could Do” follows daily the hilarious (and often very wrong) adventures and entanglements of Rayne Summers, a charming, self-centered character who if he were more restrained, might be described as Sohmer’s id.

Sohmer is also the head of Blind Ferret Entertainment, an animation company developing different projects — including a television version of “Least I Could Do,” which has been greenlit and currently scheduled for release sometime later this year.

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Comic Book Retailer Panel Discussion

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In October 2008, Jeffery Klaehn conducted a Comic Book Retailer Panel Discussion. Participants included retailers from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Panel Participants:

- Jim Hanley is a partner in two comic book stores that carry his name – ‘Jim Hanley’s Universe: Where Art and Literature Meet’ operates stores in Staten Island, New York and Midtown Manhattan, USA.

- Peter Birkemoe owns The Beguiling, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

- Gail Burt is owner of Metropolis Comics, located in Bellflower, California, USA.

- Tim Morris owns and runs Comic Book Collector, located in London, Ontario, Canada.

- Jared Myland is owner and manager of OK Comics in Leeds, England.

- John Brenner is owner of Lookin’ for Heroes, located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

From Klaehn’s introduction:

Comic book retailers are on the front-lines of the comic industry and arguably possess the most knowledge of all when it comes to all things comic books. What follows is a panel discussion that I undertook with the owners and managers of six different comic book shops located around the world — in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is my hope that this research will inspire debate and encourage new ways of thinking about comic books, contemporary and historic trends associated with the medium and aspects of the comic industry industry, and possibilities for comics scholarship.

McFarlane & Kirkman’s HAUNT – an update

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hauntink

Courtesy of Comic Book Resources

More details about HAUNT were released at the New York Comic Con, including details on the creative team.

Written by Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman, with layouts by longtime “Spawn” artist Greg Capullo, pencils by “Invincible” penciler Ryan Ottley and digital inks and covers by Todd McFarlane.

Artist Ryan Ottley provides some more information on his website as well as some character sketches.haunt_teaser_3_sm