Every once in a while one of the ultra-rare copies of the Holy Grail of comic books, Action Comics No. 1, surfaces somewhere and scores massive amounts of money when auctioned off. Nic Cage had one in almost perfect condition that was returned to him 11 years after being stolen last year, which went on to bring in $2.1 million.

But what happens when you blow over 50 years of dust off of that old box in the attic and not only is there a copy of Action Comics No. 1, which introduced some dude named Superman to the world, but a whole collection of old comics that also includes Detective Comics No. 27, the comic that introduced another dude named Batman? Coins rain from the skies, ladies and gentlemen.

Michael Rorer was the man to discover the comic treasure chest in the attic (as always) of his recently deceased aunt. She stored them there after the death of her brother in 1994, who had obtained all of the 1930s and ’40s comics when he was in the 9 to 14-year-old age range.

The issue of Action Comics No. 1—one of only about 100 estimated to still exist from the 130,000 printed—was only in good condition, rated a 3.0 by Certified Guaranty Company (Cage’s copy is the best-quality copy currently on record, rated 9.0), and so it fetched $298,750 at the auction. It was Batman who won this round, with his debut in Detective Comics No. 27 bringing in $522,000.

Joining those two was All-American Comics No. 16, which went for $203,150; Marvel Comics No. 1, which introduced the Human Torch, sold for $113,525; and a 9.4-rated Captain America No. 2 that also sold for $113,525.

From the 222 comics that sold, a grand total of $3,433,342 was paid for them at the auction. Another 100 lesser-known comics will next be auctioned off online, expected to bring in another $100,000.

[Source: Heat Vision]

From: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2012/02/24/comic-books-including-first-appearaces-of-superman-and-batman-score-3-4-million/

23 February 2012
Last updated at 12:06

A mega rare collection of old comic books has been sold for £2.2 million at an auction in New York.

The collection included Batman’s first adventure, in 1939 and Superman’s debut superhero battle from 1938.

The stash of cartoon magazines belonged to Billy Wright from Virginia, in the USA, who bought them when he was a child.

They were found in a basement by his great nephew.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/17141497

Time to bust open those piggy banks, nerds.

Michael Rorrer of Oxnard, California is set to turn a forgotten family collection of rare comic books into a mountain of cold, hard cash.

The collection dates back to an era known to comic enthusiasts as the “Golden Age” of comic books. Rorrer will auction 44 of the top 100 issues from this time period in a New York City auction house on Wednesday.

Experts project that Rorrer stands to net as much as $2 million in bids for the collection. The most valuable issues in the lot are “Action Comics” number one, wherein Superman made his debut and “Detective Comics” number 27, the first appearance of another iconic DC hero, Batman.

Rorrer himself did not amass the collection. He says he stumbled upon the horde of valuable geekdom relics in a basement while cleaning out his great uncle’s home, according to Yahoo! News.

From: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/entertainment/2-million-discovery-michael-rorrer-auction-rare-comics

By Jessie Potts, USA TODAY

Genre: Paranormal romance

When most readers think of comics, they think of Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman and Superman. We think of superheroes and superpowers, of teenagers and comic-book stores. This image is something that Sea Lion Books is trying to change by targeting a much larger market, such as paranormal romance. That’s right: comics for adults, and Sea Lion has selected books by best-selling authors such as Richelle Mead for adaptation.

In December, the final Dark Swan book, Shadow Heir, was published, closing the thrilling series that took readers to the depths of Eugenie Markham. In January Sea Lion released the hardcover edition of Dark Swan: Storm Born Comic #1, giving readers the full-color world of Eugenie, supernaturals, Fae and, in this first issue, Kiyo.

Sea Lion did its homework and collected the best artists, who are also fans of Richelle Mead, to bring her words to life. (Artists on the comic are Dave Hamann and Adam Markiewicz.)

Eugenie in the comic book looks incredibly close to how she looked in my head, and I fell for Kiyo (even knowing what I do now!) after seeing him interact with Eugenie on the pages.

This isn’t for teenagers. There’s still some hot steamy lovin’, though those scenes are tastefully drawn while still keeping the storyline pure.

The colors are also what attracted me to this comic. The red of Eugenie’s hair is so vivid. The story also seems to progress, even though not a lot of the book is covered. I felt satisfied at the end — and eager for the second issue. It felt like the first time I read Storm Born, and I loved feeling excited again.

If you don’t think you’re a comic person, I’d say with 100% certainty that you need to give this new medium a try. Sea Lion Books plans to have more paranormal and young adult paranormal romance books adapted into comics, and its artists are readers and fans just like us, so they take their time trying to get the characters as close to the authors’ original intent as possible. I will definitely be looking out for more Eugenie in her full-color form.

Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She is a top 600 reviewer on Amazon and also does reviews for  Bitten By Books and  AllRomance.com.

From: http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-02-20/review-storm-born-comic-by-richelle-mead-and-grant-alter/631754/1

NEW DELHI – Move over Superman, here comes Superkudi (“Kudi” being the North Indian Punjabi word for girl). Dressed in a striking blue salwar kameez – a traditional Indian outfit – with a flourishing red chunni (scarf) styled as a cape, the buxom Superkudi served as the mascot for Comic Con India – a three-day event that concluded Sunday in New Delhi – reflecting how east and west blend in India’s burgeoning comic culture.

Launched last year by New Delhi-based publishing and content company 20 Onwards Media, Comic Con India saw over 35,000 visitors with sales of Rupees 5 million ($ 100,000), double from its first year, according to organizers. Held in the open air environs of the popular Dilli Haat market known for its traditional handicrafts stalls, Comic Con India featured about 50 exhibitors including event co-sponsors such as Walt Disney/Marvel who showcased their upcoming titles, The Avengers and John Carter. The Walt Disney Company recently strengthened its India presence followings its acquisiton of diversified entertainment conglomerate UTV Group. “There was a need for a platform like Comic Con India to promote titles like The Avengers and John Carter which cater to a target audience that is rapidly growing,” said UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur.

“The fact that we had major partners such as Disney/Marvel and leading Indian companies such as (iconic comic book publisher) Amar Chitra Katha, among others, made the event attractive for all kinds of exhibitors,” added Comic Con India and 20 Onwards Media founder Jatin Varma.

Comic Con India also welcomed international guest speakers such as acclaimed artist Robert Crumb (known for the popular Fritz The Cat and Keep On Truckin’ comics) and his artist-wife Aline Kominsky-Crumb, The Comics Journal editor and Fantagraphics Books co-founder Gary Groth and Drawn Quarterly publishing house founder Chris Oliveros.

“This is our first time in India and perhaps this could inspire us to create something based on our visit,” said Crumb.

“It is great to be here because this reminds me of the exciting times when comic conventions first started out in the sixties and seventies in the U.S.,” added Groth.

More importantly, Comic Con India showcased a growing tribe of Indian content creators ranging from comic book and graphic novel publishers to merchandise brands. As one of India’s oldest and most respected comic publishers, Amar Chitra Katha – owned by Mumbai-based ACK Media – has a rich 400-plus-title catalogue based on Indian mythology and epics. “Our titles largely target the pre-teen audience but many parents have grown up reading ACK comics,” said ACK Media CEO Vijay Sampath, adding, “We are now expanding our content library across multiple platforms such as films.” ACK Media promoted its upcoming animation film Sons of Rama based on characters from the epic Ramayana.

However, a new generation of content creators are pushing the envelope, a trend spearheaded by New York-Bangalore-based Liquid Comics, originally launched as Virgin Comics in 2006. Its catalog includes contemporary takes on Indian folklore and epics while offering titles created by film directors including Shekhar Kapur, John Woo and Guy Ritchie, among others, including comic legend Stan Lee who is creating Chakra – The Invincible, a new Indian superhero character.

Recent entrants such as Bangalore-based publisher Manta Ray unveiled graphic novel Hush – featuring no words – about a girl sexually abused by her father. Another new entrant, Mumbai-based Level 10 Entertainment launched Daksh, about a devil figure “banished to earth because he dared to love in hell”. Penned by well-known comic creator Shamik Dasgupta, the English text includes Hindi profanity. “We are creating content for a growing audience that is constantly exposed to international idioms,” said Level 10 Entertainment creative director Suhas Sundar who has himself co-created The Rabhas Incident, a zombie series set in Bangalore.

Zombies are gaining favour with another title, Zombie Talkies: Bloodfest in Bollywood, launched last October at Comic Con Express Mumbai (the “traveling” version of the main event) as a joint venture by film production banner iRock Media and 20 Onwards Media imprint Pop Culture Publishing. The title will be accompanied with upcoming release Rock The Shaadi, currently in production, starring leading actor Abhay Deol and actress Genelia D’Souza-Deshmukh.

“Going forward, we hope to make this event truly Asian by attracting participants from neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and of course, Japan as there is growing interest in manga and anime,” said Varma. Japanese manga artist Yukichi Yamamatsu launched his title Stupid Guy Goes to India – based on his experiences living in Delhi in 2004 – published by Chennai-based Blaft Publications.

And if there is a comic convention, can costumed fans be far behind? The daily “Cosplay” costume competition – with the top prize being a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland – attracted a host of characters including Luke Skywalker, Poison Ivy, The Joker, The Crow and yes, even Superman who finally met his match in Superkudi.

From: http://sfluxe.com/2012/02/20/comic-con-india-the-avengers-john-carter-rub-shoulders-with-growing-indian-content-hollywood-reporter/

MIAMI — In “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” Nicolas Cage punches Satan. He punches Satan in THE FACE.

Playing Ghost Rider, Mr. Cage also saves a little boy and helps people and does some other heroic stuff. But no matter what he does, the character will never be as beloved as Batman and Superman. Ghost Rider doesn’t get cheering crowds or parades. The character of Johnny Blaze — a motorcycle stuntman who turns into a flaming skeleton and sucks the souls out of people — isn’t even a superhero, really. He’s more of a man possessed, which is why the role suits Mr. Cage so well.

Unlike other upcoming Marvel Comics film adaptations such as “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Avengers,” which are due in the summer accompanied by an avalanche of hype, “Spirit of Vengeance” rode into theaters Friday, in the middle of winter, without screening in advance for critics. That’s the same stealth approach Columbia Pictures used when they released the first “Ghost Rider” film in 2007. The reviews, when they appeared, were scathing. On the Internet, where geek culture reigns supreme, the movie was heartily ridiculed.

But “Ghost Rider” earned $228 million worldwide. That was enough to convince Mr. Cage — a diehard comic-book fan who named his son Kal-El, was once set to play Superman for director Tim Burton and appeared in the superhero satire “Kick-Ass” as the proud papa of a 12-year-old assassin — to give the role another shot.

“Spirit of Vengeance” was directed by the filmmaking duo of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (“Crank,” “Gamer”) in their usual breakneck, I-can’t-believe-what-I-just-saw style. The movie boasts some sensational 3-D effects, nifty nightmarish imagery and a curious sense of humor — not quite camp, but definitely in the same neighborhood. Early in the film, for example, there’s a scene in which an injured Blaze tries to convince a hospital nurse to give him some morphine. He explains that he transformed into a monster the night before. She assumes he’s nuts. “No, man, I’m not hallucinating!” Blaze shouts at her in a blast of unhinged lunacy. “Look, I’m flirting with you!”

Mr. Cage’s face lights up when you bring up that line. It’s a throwaway moment in a movie packed with gigantic action set pieces, elaborate chases, Satan worshippers and tattooed monks. But the scene is also the kind of small, bizarre beat Mr. Cage grooves on.

“I find it incredibly funny when guys, in the presence of a lady, refer to them as ‘man,’ ” the actor says. “It’s just wrong. In that scene, Johnny Blaze is recovering from the pretty serious hangover of having his head erupt into a flaming skull. That’s just free rein for me to try stuff. I wanted Blaze’s humor to be a lot darker and edgier in this movie. He’s nothing like the Blaze from the first movie. We did other takes of that scene that went further. Even Neveldine and Taylor weren’t ready to go there.”

“Nic went off the deep end that day,” Mr. Neveldine says about the filming of the scene. “He wanted to go super dark. He went nuts. In one take, he yelled at the nurse ‘If you call the police, I’ll whip your ass and break your little arm!’ and it felt so real, like he really meant it. We were like ‘Okaaay, Nic! Let’s do a couple more takes. And remember: This is a PG-13 movie!’ “

In “Spirit of Vengeance,” which was filmed in Eastern Europe and Turkey, Mr. Cage would disappear into character when playing the Ghost Rider. He would walk around with his face painted like a skull. He glared at people through his black contact lenses — which, when you think about it, was probably a little scary. He wouldn’t say a word to anyone on the set, because Johnny Blaze speaks, but the Ghost Rider doesn’t (he’s a skeleton; he has no tongue or vocal cords).

“I could see the fear in the eyes of the crew, and that was oxygen to my forest fire,” Mr. Cage says. “Taylor said he felt an unholy energy was coming off me at times. The problem was leaving all that behind when I went home. When you’ve been playing Ghost Rider until 3 in the morning, and then you get invited to a Christmas party in Romania and you throw in a couple of gin martinis … all hell can break loose. And it did.”

Here’s the thing to remember about Mr. Cage: He really means all this stuff. Collectively, his films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide. He also has one of the most diverse bodies of work of any actor of his generation. Mr. Cage, 48, has won an Oscar (for “Leaving Las Vegas”) and he has directed a movie (2002′s “Sonny,” about a male prostitute played by James Franco). He has made films for Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone and Werner Herzog and Alan Parker and David Lynch and Michael Bay and John Woo.

Say what you will about his choices, which at times have been dubious (“Bangkok Dangerous,” “Season of the Witch”). Laugh all you want when one of his movies goes radically wrong (a two-minute clip of choice scenes from his performance in the 2006 remake of “The Wicker Man” has amassed more than three million views on YouTube)

But he commits to all his roles with the same ferocity, regardless of their pedigree. And he is completely, utterly self-aware. He knows to turn down his volume when acting in PG-entertainments such as “National Treasure” or “The Family Man.” There’s no need to scare the children in those. But the bulk of his films have been genre pictures, because those are the ones that allow him to try out the crazy stuff: Fighting ax-wielding killers while hugging a naked prostitute (“Drive Angry”); eating a live cockroach on camera (“Vampire’s Kiss”); peeing a jet stream of fire (“Spirit of Vengeance”).

“Nic is just like a kid: He always wants to come out and play,” says Mr. Neveldine. “He’s always coming up with ideas on the set, and 97 percent of the time what he brings is amazing. And he’s a Method actor, so he puts one million percent into every single take. Brian and I trip on that stuff. We love it when Nic goes crazy. You do have to grab him sometimes and say ‘OK, let’s pull it back a little.’ But he’s so passionate and intense. The guy is a force.”

He also refuses to apologize. He knows some people see him as a sell-out — a gifted actor who has devoted himself to paycheck roles. But he’s much too far along in his career to worry about stuff like that. Whatever critics and audiences think of “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” Mr. Cage says he’s genuinely proud of it. The film is not quite like any comic-book movie you’ve seen before, and it gave him a chance to experiment further with his craft. So what if he looks like a skull during the best parts of his performance?

” ‘Spirit of Vengeance’ is an incredibly abstract, psychedelic bit of pop art. It’s like Lichtenstein,” he says. “I have to give some respect to Sony (Pictures) for being brave enough to make something like this. You don’t see this kind of movie coming out of studios often. And Neveldine and Taylor made sure the film is still accessible to large audiences. Acting has to stay exploratory and fresh and challenging. Otherwise it gets stale. And this movie was definitely challenging. There were times when it seriously messed with my head. But it also allowed me to try something new with my acting. These days, that’s what interests me most.”

From: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12050/1210829-348.stm

Comics

By Vaneta Rogers, Newsarama Contributor
posted: 15 February 2012 12:01 pm ET

‘;
htmlstr += ‘ Digg It!‘;
htmlstr += ‘ Newsvine‘;
htmlstr += ‘ reddit‘;
function show_print(){
var print_article = new showPrint();
}

 ENLARGE

In April, DC Comics writer J.T. Krul gets to write Superman in a whole new way.

Superman Beyond, which will be drawn by Howard Porter, is a new ongoing series aimed at both digital and print audiences. The stories will debut as shorter digital comics, but then will also be printed as part of the monthly Batman Beyond Unlimited series released to comic stores.

The characters in the Batman Beyond universe were first introduced as part of an animated TV show set in the future of the DC Universe. Batman had aged to an old man, and many of the characters familiar to DC fans had been replaced by new, younger heroes, but in a future version of the familiar DC. Among them was the older animated version of Superman.

The Superman of the future has also appeared a couple times before in DC Comics, first in the 2010 Superman/Batman Annual that introduced the Batman Beyond characters to the DCU, then in last year’s one-shot Superman Beyond #0.

‘;

if (google_ads[0].bidtype == “CPC”) {
google_adnum = google_adnum + 1;
}
}
else if(google_ads.length 1){

s += ”;
}

s += ”

if (google_ads[0].bidtype == “CPC”) {
google_adnum = google_adnum + google_ads.length;
}
}
}
document.write(s);
return;
}
–

Now the futuristic Superman gets his own ongoing series, joining Batman Beyond and Justice League Beyond as part of DC’s trial with the Batman Beyond Unlimited series. The stories that are published in the monthly comic will be first available digitally in new installments every week, but in shorter chunks than their print counterpart.

Krul, who’s also writing Captain Atom for DC’s New 52 initiative, was recently announced as the writer on a new “The War That Time Forgot” story for May’s debut of G.I. Combat.

Newsarama talked with Krul to find out more about the stories he’ll be telling in Superman Beyond.

Newsarama: J.T., this is a comic that has digital chapters, right? That are available separately from the other “Beyond” comics?

J.T. Krul: Yeah, online, it’s available in individual chapters. But when they do the print version, it will be printed with both Batman Beyond and Justice League Beyond, in the Batman Beyond Unlimited title.

Nrama: What’s the overall premise?

Krul: This story is set in the future, when Superman is on his own. So this story is about Superman kind of taking stock and figuring out where he belongs in the world.

All his connections to Earth are, quite frankly, dying. It seems like in the Beyond universe, the only person he really has in his life anymore is Bruce Wayne. And we all know how friendly Bruce is. He doesn’t provide that much support for anybody. So for Superman, his connection was to the world, but it was also the people, like his parents and Lois. With those people gone, he’s trying to figure out, what’s his connection to the planet and to humanity now?

As he’s confronted with his own internal decision about where he belongs in the world, he’s going to come to find out that there’s still pretty big threats out there that the Man of Steel physically and mentally is the only one prepared to deal with it and do what needs to be done.

Nrama: So there’s action? And villains?

Krul: Yeah, I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a pretty big story. It gets pretty epic pretty fast. You’re going to see kind of a new villain threat that pops up in the story and carries forward.

Nrama: How did you get involved?

Krul: I actually started working on this project a long time ago. This was the book that I left Green Arrow for. The one I couldn’t tell anybody why I left Green Arrow and what the project was that I was jumping onto.

Getting a chance to write Superman is pretty cool. He’s definitely one of the most iconic characters. And being able to do it in a different way, with a different take that I’m guiding as part of the Beyond universe was just something that I really wanted to tackle.

So when the opportunity presented itself, it was a really easy decision to say that I wanted to do the project.

I get to work with Howard Porter, who’s the nicest guy, and of course he’s done fabulous work over the years.

Nrama: Oh yeah, like Grant Morrison’s Justice League and Geoff Johns’ The Flash.

Krul: Yeah, and he’s wrapping up the DC Online Universe book now, so he’s jumping onto this. I’ve seen the pages for the first issue, and they just look great. I’m really, really happy with it.

Another big draw for me was getting to work with Kwanza Johnson, our editor, and Ben Abernathy and Hank Kanalz and the people out of the digital department out on the West Coast. That’s been a lot of fun too.

Nrama: We’ve seen a little of this character before in the one-shot this summer, and a hint of him in Paul Levitz’s Superman/Batman story. Is it the same character in this story?

Krul: Yes. You met him in the Superman/Batman story, and then Tom DeFalco did the Superman Beyond #0 that came out right before DC’s relaunch.

Nrama: Does it pick up where that #0 issue left off?

Krul: It doesn’t really pick up from the Superman #0 that came out, but it really holds true to everything you saw in those appearances. The world’s the same. I mean, what you’ve seen before is how we’re presenting him.

Nrama: So he’s got the black and white costume?

Krul: Yeah. The black and silver costume. And obviously, he’s older.

Nrama: Do you feel like this type of story is something you enjoy?

Krul: Yeah, I’m drawn to the internal struggle in characters anyway. So it’s a great way for me to dig into Superman and what makes him tick. In the present day, life’s kind of perfect for him. He’s indestructible, he had great parents, he lives in a great town, and he grew up and became part of this civilization where he works at the paper and has a woman he loves. There are all these elements that help support him. Sure, he has this strong moral fiber that will always be part of the character, but in the present day, he also doesn’t have too much difficulty making the right decisions because of this atmosphere around him.

In a weird way, Captain Atom prepared me for this book. It’s not exactly the same thing, but there is a sense of detachment from the world. A lot of Superman’s life was spent recreating or trying to bring back elements of Krypton in the Fortress of Solitude, and we find out that he’s kind of doing the same thing in the Beyond stories. He’s almost creating a little museum of what Metropolis used to be for him, and what it used to mean. The current Metropolis, in the Beyond universe, doesn’t hold that same kind of connection for him.

 ENLARGE

As he tries to do that, not only is he grappling with whether or not he’s still connected to Earth, but also whether Metropolis even needs him anymore. Does Metropolis need a Superman anymore? With the technology that exists in the Beyond universe, there’s a police force that has enhanced abilities. So they can do a lot of the things that he was able to do before. So his question is, “Does the world need Superman anymore?”

So Superman Beyond enters his life at a different time, with a completely different situation, and it presents him in a little different light. It’s been a lot of fun for me.

It’s the Superman we all know and love, but the story is different because of what he’s going through.

Nrama: Is it a challenge to do this for digital chapters?

Krul: It’s a little different because they’re coming out in 10-page chunks instead of the full 20 pages, when they come out digitally. They’ll actually appear as “20 screens.” So I have to keep that in mind and structure it so that there’s a break there. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a complete ending to the story like you often have with 20-pagers, but there should be a beat that serves as a cliffhanger or a moment that you can end that chapter on to lead into the next one.

So I’ve formatted it so that I know where the last page falls, and I put an ending that will leave the readers wanting more. And then on the 20th page, you’ll see an even bigger ending.

In that regard, yes, you have to write it a little differently for digital.

You also have to keep in mind that the digital presentation is a little different than the print book. Originally, you would write the comic like a regular print book, then they’d look at the finished page and figure out how they can do the panel guides, how they should showcase the panels and the page in a digital format.

But here, I’m kind of thinking digitally first, so the way I structure the panels and the way I have certain cut-off points. It just works a little differently.

So yeah, it’s a little bit of a challenge, but I actually thought it was kind of fun to think differently about story and kind of stretch a different muscle. It forces you to be smarter about your panel choices and your story structure, because you have to present it in a slightly different way.

But it’s not so different that you can notice when you see a printed version. Nobody’s going to see the printed version and say, “oh yeah, this looks like a digital comic.” There are still full pages and it’s still presented in the same way in that regard. It’s just a matter of, when you break things down, there are certain splits that you just want to be aware of.

Nrama: What do you think of the idea of having the Beyond series in digital chapters in a weekly format?

Krul: I think it’s worth trying different formats. Having the 10-page format feels right for digital, but especially for mobile devices. Mobile content seems to work best in smaller chunks. When you look at the media that people enjoy on mobile readers, it’s usually in shorter bursts. People aren’t really watching full-on television episodes on their phones, but they’re watching two- or three-minute shorts on Funny or Die or something like that. So I think there does seem to be a preference for shortened content length. It’s just kind of indicative of a lot of what we watch digitally from mobile devices.

But I think it makes sense to present the Beyond universe as its own anthology, and putting Batman Beyond and Superman Beyond and Justice League Beyond together for the print format. I think that’s really cool, because even though the stories are all self-contained, it brings a cohesion to the universe and makes it feel like it’s a little more special. You can go and get this one book and you’ve got all these different stories in it. They’re all running concurrently, and with this one comic, you get a little bit of everything. It’s the same way that G.I. Combat is putting two different stories in each issue.

I still think the digital frontier, in comic book publishing, is still a bit of a mystery, because everyone’s still trying to figure out what that model is and what works the best, and where you get the most bang for your buck and what’s the best way to present something creatively. But also, from a financial standpoint, what makes the most business sense — how you release stuff and how many pages it is and what you do. Does it come out day-and-date digital, or do you try something like what we’re doing with the Beyond universe? A year ago, day-and-date wasn’t even a possibility, and now most publishers are doing it. So I think it’s going to be a progression of trying different things and seeing what works.

It’s exciting to be able to not only write such an interesting Superman story, working with a character I absolutely love, but also to be part of DC trying something new with their digital material. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Nrama: Then to finish up, is there anything else you want to tell fans about Superman Beyond?

Krul: Superman is one of the most iconic comic book characters in all of the comic book world. And this is just a great alternate way to tell a story about Superman in a little different light. It’s still the Man of Steel, and he’s still the greatest hero in the world.

Got a comment? There’s lots of conversation on Newsarama’s FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Blogs

‘

s += ”;

s += ”

if (google_ads[0].bidtype == “CPC”) {
google_adnum = google_adnum + 1;
}
}
else if(google_ads.length 1){

s += ”;
}

s += ”

if (google_ads[0].bidtype == “CPC”) {
google_adnum = google_adnum + google_ads.length;
}
}
}
document.write(s);
return;
}
–

Spotlight Destinations

• Topic

  

  DCnU REVAMP News, Previews and Interviews

• Feature

  

  Newsarama’s COUNTDOWN Corner: Comics News in List Form

• Feature

  

  Newsarama on Facebook

• Topic

  

  DC Comics

• Topic

  

  Marvel Comics

FOLLOW US ON…

Copyright © 2012 TechMediaNetwork.com
All rights reserved.

From: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/jt-krul-superman-beyond-120215.html

Comic Book Legends Revealed #354

• by Brian Cronin
• in Comic Book Legends Revealed
• 10 Comments

Welcome to the three hundredth and fifty-fourth in a series of examinations of comic book legends and whether they are true or false. Today, learn whether the Greatest American Hero had its origins in a failed Superboy TV series, discover whether Warren Ellis used WildC.A.T.s./Aliens as a loophole to kill off the Stormwatch supporting cast and marvel at a Mutt and Jeff comic strip about suicide!

Click here for an archive of the previous three hundred and fifty-three.

Let’s begin!

COMIC LEGEND: The Greatest American Hero began life as a Superboy TV series.

STATUS: True Enough for a True

The Greatest American Hero was a cult classic TV series created by the late, great Stephen Cannell about a young man who gains a suit that gives him super powers. The series is about this normal guy dealing with becoming, well, the Greatest American Hero. It ran three seasons from 1981-1983.

His powers were similar to Superman, similar enough that DC actually sued the show over copyright infringement.

They lost, but an interesting fact came out and was almost certainly the reason DC felt particularly sure that this was infringement. You see, ABC-TV originally came to DC to ask for the rights to Superboy to do a Superboy TV series. With Superman II coming soon into theaters, DC naturally did not want to divert the rights to the character, so they turned them down.

Undeterred, ABC-TV then hired Cannell to come up with what would become The Greatest American Hero.

Even with this connection, the courts turned down DC’s attempt to get an injunction to stop the show from airing in the first place and two years later, came to a final determination that there was not substantial enough similarities between Superman and Ralph Hinkley for Greatest American Hero to have been an infringer on DC’s Superman copyright. The courts also found that DC’s other counts of trademark dilution and unfair competition were also invalid.

Still, imagine how different things would have been had DC just granted ABC the rights in the first place! Would ABC-TV have hired Cannell to run the show? Most importantly, would we have that great theme song from Mike Post? Clearly, this is the most important What If…? in the history of humanity!

COMIC LEGEND: Warren Ellis used the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens one-shot at a loophole to kill the Stormwatch characters.

STATUS: False

Reader Karl wrote in to ask about a story he heard:

The story went that Warren Ellis hated doing Stormwatch and somehow wasn’t allowed to kill off the characters during the normal series but through some loophole could do it in the Stormwatch/Aliens crossover. That’s why most of the team is killed there so he could reinvent the series as The Authority.

Any truth to that?

WildCATs/Aliens did, indeed, kill off a bunch of Stormwatch characters right before the book was relaunched as The Authority. Like Fahrenheit…

But was that why the series existed?

Simply put, nope!

Scott Dunbier, editor on the book, talked about the background of the story on his blog a few years back…

About 10 years ago WildStorm and Dark Horse Comics agreed to do a WildC.A.T.s/Aliens X-Over, it was to be the first of several such events featuring various properties (the others never happened, can’t remember why). One of my goals was that this should be a book with lasting effects, unlike the usual cross-company epics that come and go and mean nothing. Since Warren Ellis was wrapping up his run on Stormwatch, before diving into The Authority, I thought it would be an interesting idea to kill off a large portion of the remaining Stormwatch characters, the ones that wouldn’t be moving on to the new book (For those unfamiliar with either series, The Authority sprang from Stormwatch, or what was left of it).

There ya go!

Interestingly enough, Scott’s blog post was also the basis for the classic story of how Gil Kane drew (an awesome looking) cover for the WildCATS/Aliens crossover, just with a interesting twist (you can read about it in this past edition of Comic Book Legends Revealed or, of course, read it right from Scott above).

Thanks for the question, Karl! And thanks for the info, Scott!

COMIC LEGEND: A Mutt and Jeff comic strip showed the pair committing suicide.

STATUS: True

Some time ago, I featured an edition of Comic Book Legends Revealed about a series of Mickey Mouse comic strips that involved Mickey Mouse trying to kill himself after being dumped by Minnie Mouse (you can read that column here). Last week, I featured a legend about Mutt and Jeff, the first successful daily comic strip (which was about two friends who kept trying out various get-rich schemes).

Reader Mike R. wrote in to tell me about a bizarre Mutt and Jeff strip from 1911, that was very much in the same vein of the Mickey Mouse strip.

Check it out!

The captions read: “There ain’t nothin’ in this world for me – I don’t see no hope = Guess I’ll take the gas route.” “Farewell crue-ll woild.” “Don’t do that! We’re in luck again. I just saw a fortune teller, and she said you were gonna get a letter today with money in it.” “HUh?” “Ah, I’ll bet this is it now. At last we eat again.” “What does it say?” “It’s a gas bill for $9.80.”

Hilariously twisted!

Thanks for the head’s up, Mike! Mike got it from a blog Ben Welter does for the Star Tribune. You can check out Ben’s blog here. Thanks, Ben!

Okay, that’s it for this week!

Thanks to the Grand Comics Database for this week’s covers! And thanks to Brandon Hanvey for the Comic Book Legends Revealed logo!

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future installments! My e-mail address is cronb01@aol.com. And my Twitter feed is http://twitter.com/brian_cronin, so you can ask me legends there, as well!

Follow Comics Should Be Good on Twitter and on Facebook (also, feel free to share Comic Book Legends Revealed on our Facebook page!). If we hit 3,000 likes on Facebook you’ll get a bonus edition of Comic Book Legends the week after we hit 3,000 likes! So go like us on Facebook to get that extra Comic Book Legends Revealed! Not only will you get updates when new blog posts show up on both Twitter and Facebook, but you’ll get original content from me, as well!

Also, be sure to check out my website, Urban Legends Revealed, where I look into urban legends about the worlds of entertainment and sports, which you can find here, at urbanlegendsrevealed.com.

Here’s my book of Comic Book Legends (130 legends – half of them are re-worked classic legends I’ve featured on the blog and half of them are legends never published on the blog!).

The cover is by artist Mickey Duzyj. He did a great job on it…(click to enlarge)…

If you’d like to order it, you can use the following code if you’d like to send me a bit of a referral fee…

Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed

See you all next week!

10 Comments

Michael P

February 17, 2012 at 9:36 am

Did any of the Stormwatch characters get killed by a chestburster?

Jakk

February 17, 2012 at 9:42 am

I am very glad DC lost that case, as i have fond memories of Greatest American Hero from my childhood. The idea that DC almost took that away just ticks me off.

Shadowtag

February 17, 2012 at 9:46 am

In the first item, you mean Ralph Hinkley. John Hinkley Jr attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan.

David Gallaher

February 17, 2012 at 9:47 am

that there was not substantial enough similarities between Superman and John Hinkley

The character’s name was Ralph Hinkley.
John Hinkley shot the President.
But, this similarity was noted by the show’s producers — so for the later half of the first season, Ralph’s last name was ‘Hanley’

Anun

February 17, 2012 at 9:49 am

Whoa, nelly. Ralph Hinkley was the Greatest American Hero. John Hinkley? …Not so much (and that’d be “Hinckley” anyway).

Michael Sacal

February 17, 2012 at 10:02 am

From what I remember, the courts determined that GAH had more in commun with Green Lantern than with Superman.

hmmmmmmmmm

February 17, 2012 at 10:02 am

A spaceship comes down and gives the guy a superhero suit. He gets his powers from the suit. Yet DC sues them because it is like Superman

Only in America

Adam Langton

February 17, 2012 at 10:04 am

Great column. I love stuff like this. Keep up the great work.

Chap

February 17, 2012 at 10:09 am

ABC was undeterred in ripping-off “Superboy” just like they were undeterred in ripping off “Fables.”

It’s a joke.

VanGoghX

February 17, 2012 at 10:20 am

“Clearly, this is the most important What If…? in the history of humanity!”
Laughed my ass off at that one!

Leave a Comment

From: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/02/17/comic-book-legends-revealed-354/

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Taps JAKKS Pacific to Create Novelty Figures Plush Based on DC Comics Heroes Villains

Line To Kick-Off With Products Inspired By Summer Blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises

Leading U.S. toymaker JAKKS Pacific, Inc. announced today a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to manufacture, distribute and market a line of novelty and large scale figures and plush under its Creative Designs International (CDI) division, based on the DC Comics Super Heroes and Super Villains. CDI will launch the DC Comics product line in summer 2012 to coincide with the release of one of the most anticipated films of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises, as the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which is scheduled to open in theaters on July 20.

“We are confident that JAKKS will bring its trademark creativity to this new toy line inspired by the DC Comics Super Heroes and Super Villains,” said Karen McTier, executive vice president of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

The license includes the right to include in the new figures and plush line products based on many other popular DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains, including Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, The Joker and Darkseid.

“In bringing our own extensive expertise to the development and marketing of novelty figures, large scale figures and plush based on blockbuster action entertainment, JAKKS makes a real contribution to the ongoing excitement surrounding The Dark Knight Rises and the broader DC Comics pantheon,” said John Blaney, Executive Vice President of Marketing for CDI, a division of JAKKS Pacific. “We are particularly excited to introduce to our boy audience our 30″ scale, multi-articulated Batman based on The Dark Knight Rises.”

The DC Comics and The Dark Knight Rises product lines from CDI will be available at major retailers in summer 2012.

From: http://www.supermansupersite.com/02161040.html

I started off my talk with DC Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer on the wrong foot, by forgetting that Geoff Johns has been writing an Aquaman series. “You just proved my point,” he chided me. The point being that people rag on the publisher’s amphibious character, which is a phenomenon that Johns is trying to reverse in the DC Comics New 52 relaunch. Johns’ Aquaman is powerful in ways that other characters in the DC Universe are not and, when cannibalistic sea creatures come to the surface, the same people who once made fun of the Sea King in the comics have to thank him for saving their lives.

Re-envisioning classic characters has made Johns one of the most respected writers in superhero comics but even he has to admit that taking characters outside of comics presents a whole new set of challenges. Everyone’s basking in the success that Rocksteady’s had with their two Batman games but DC’s flagship character has gotten airborne in the interactive medium.

Johns has written great runs on Superman so I asked him specifically about what he thought the problems have been with bringing the Man of Steel into video games. “We talk about it a lot, about how flipping up robots for four hours would get old,” he offers.

There’s been talk about adapting Johns’ Last Son storyline—where Kryptonian villains escape the Phantom Zone dimensional prison to plague Superman—because it delivers enemies who are credible threats to Kal-El’s power level. Cosmic tyrant Darkseid’s also been floated as another big bad for Clark Kent to face off against. “I think all games come down to gameplay and the right studio. I’m sure the right studio could crack it. Rocksteady has a real passion for Batman, and I think that’s why they make a great game.”

Johns knows how to get inside characters’ heads and the best example of that right now is in the new status quo of Green Lantern, where villain Sinestro finds himself with former hero Hal Jordan’s power ring. “That conviction that what he’s doing is right is what drives him. People have gotten hurt and killed and outright murdered because of him . He’s very ego-driven but he’s not selfish,” He is narcissistic but he doesn’t really do things for glory. What makes him a compelling villain is the fact that he really knows what a Green Lantern is.”

Johns’ penchant for the cosmic is reflected in his video game tastes, too. He jokingly asked me if I had any dirt on Halo 5 before admitting that he’s got a serious Halo: Reach habit. While Gotham City Impostors represents a video-game shooter with DC Comics roots, Johns is most excited about another game in development form the media company. “We’re working on Suicide Squad; it’s in development right now,” he divulges. The team book where supervillains take on ultra-dangerous government espionage missions that they’re not expected to come back from is on the DC Entertainment slate as both a movie and a video game. “I’m really super excited about it. Because of the concept, you have a game where any of the lead characters can conceivably die and it’s not a stunt. Some really cool story could come out of that.”

From: http://kotaku.com/5885093/geoff-johns-says-a-great-superman-video-game-needs-the-right-studio