Matt's Fave Comics 2008: The Rest, Part One
Jan 13I had great ambitions of writing about like ten or twelve different comics over the course of a couple weeks, and I’m looking at my little “best of” list, and I’m thinking, shit, lemme just get this out of my system. Writing about comics is generally something I WANT to do well more than I actually DO well, so let me pretend to be Jog for a few hours and you can either indulge me in my fantasy, or ignore me and move on.
So, yeah–some GREAT comics in 08, party people! Here’s my previous two entries, and here’s part one of the rest…
Wintermen
Jan 12
There’s no real reason for this post other than the fact that Winter Men is awesome, and the finale is finally on stands after more than two years of waiting, and really no expectation that it would ever come out at all.
I bought issue 1 right when I was getting back into comics, thanks to a raving e-mail from Warren Ellis’ Bad Signal list. I faithfully bought the single issues, but somehow missed issue 4; just a month ago, I magically found it for 33 cents in a clearance bin. I dug them all out of the short boxes in my closet just this weekend. They sit pregnant with possibility, awaiting the arrival of my copy of the Wintermen Winter Special from my mail order service. I will read them all in one delirious sitting, a glutton for good comics.
A Question Mark Away
Jan 07Clearly, we need some new words.
Right now, the term “blogging” covers anyone who writes online on a regularly updated site. Whether you are doing robust traditional journalism for an online outlet or reporting on what you had for lunch today at LiveJournal, you are a blogger. This means the expectations of the reader have no context whatsoever, other than the other posts on each blog itself; the site you click on could offer any range of content, and there’s no standards or benchmarks with which to measure what you’re reading.
This occurred to me upon seeing the story at Blog@Newsarama about the sale of 1UP and Electronic Gaming Monthly to Hearst. This has led to speculation that EGM will shutter its doors with the next issue.
Watchmen Is Okay: An Alert Nerd Public Service Announcement
Dec 29Message boards and blogs have been alight for a week with the news that Fox was awarded some stake in Warner Bros’ Watchmen film. Today, a Fox spokesperson revealed they’d be seeking an injunction to delay the film.
I’m no industry expert, just a yokel in Orlando with an internet connection and a full bladder, but let me prognosticate for just one second:
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THAT THE RELEASE OF WATCHMEN WILL BE DELAYED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
There’s no precedent for delaying a film that’s in rights limbo, especially not a film where there’s upwards of $100 million in production costs, marketing dollars, and merchandising on the line. Usually, the case is resolved and settled in some fashion. Even if it means eating serious crow and forking over cash, WB will do it…and even if it means taking a lower offer than they’ve proposed to date, Fox will cave in.
Fox said that bit today about the injunction because they are HUFFING and PUFFING. They’re trying to make WB flinch. WB will not flinch.
These are high-paid powerful lawyers whose job is to protect their clients and make them money wherever possible. A shelved Watchmen film makes no one money. A released Watchmen film could make everyone lots of money. There will be lots of shit talking for the next couple weeks, and then on January 20, the trial will begin, and maybe as soon as that afternoon, a settlement/deal will have been reached.
Mark my words: WATCHMEN IS OKAY. Let’s complain about something else instead.
Matt's Fave Comics 2008 – Batman: Gotham After Midnight
Dec 28I’m a sucker for Batman comics, even half-baked ones, but I don’t think this Steve Niles/Kelley Jones maxiseries is half-baked at all. It’s pretty fully baked. It probably helps to be baked when you read it. I wouldn’t know. Just a guess.
