First FCBD Review!
In this FCBD issue, Zahler does everything right. He devotes his inside front cover to information “for those just joining us” and it’s as inviting as a new reader could want. The story itself is complete-unto-itself with just a touch more “screen time” for those members of the cast wearing spandex…Getting an issue of the ongoing series for free, especially when the ongoing series is as terrific as this one is, may be the greatest bargain you’ll find on Free Comic Book Day.
Thanks, Tony. Be sure to check out his column online.
Why Am I Just Finding Out About This Now?
In the wake of the recently announced Spider-Man musical, I've found out that the long-talked about Batman musical is a dead project.
So imagine my surprise to find out that Steinman actually wrote some songs for it, and posted the demos on his website. He cribbed one of them, "Angels Arise" for Dance of the Vampires. From what he writes on his site, he wasn't a fan of that production, and being one of the eighteen people who saw it, I can't say I blame him. I enjoyed it, but I freely admit it wasn't good.
Still, it would have been interesting. It was clearly based on the Tim Burton movie (one of the songs is "Wonderful Toys") but included Catwoman and, interestingly, had a young Selina Kyle as a witness to the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents by the Joker. I wouldn't want to see them adapt it to the comics, but it is an interesting way to tie those three characters together.
At least one of the songs, "In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher is King" appears on Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell III.
Just For Kicks
So set your TiVos and see if I can drink enough coffee to be awake and chipper at that un-Thomly hour.
Review Revue
The reviews keep pouring in. Here's some of Bill Sherman's review on Blogcritics.org.
As a scripter, Zahler has an easy ear for dialog…Though he peppers his script with periodic fannish comic book japes, he's also smart enough to make 'em secondary to the situational punchlines. As a writer, Zahler plays fast and loose with his universe, occasionally alluding to comic book characters beyond the pages of Maerkle Comics. When Abby asks her Crusader boyfriend if he has any weaknesses, for instance, he notes that the "last guy I knew who told his girlfriend his weakness wound up seeing it splashed across the front page of a great metropolitan newspaper." Mark has reason to be wary of keeping too many secrets with Abby, we already know, since it didn't take any time at all for her to spill the beans to her sister Charlotte.
Zahler's art in Love And Capes is well-suited to the material: heavily outlined with thick brush strokes, cartoonishly retro in its look…Gotta admit I chuckled over Abby's first meeting with the Parents, wherein Ma Spencer notes, "I like her Mark. She's not all skinny like that Amazonia girl." Abby's "Gee, thanks" response is humorously carried by the art – and those big big expressive eyes.
I Remember When I Used to Get Face Cards in Blackjack
I took an honest-to-God vacation to Vegas, which is why things have been quiet in these online parts. So, while very little of it is artwork related, I thought I'd regale you with some tidbits from the trip.
I Have a New Favorite Airline
We flew out on Frontier Airlines, my first time using them. They're pretty slick. First off is the whole animal-on-the-tail thing, which is just kind of a neat touch. They also have LCD monitors at every seat, all of which have DirectTV free while you're on the ground and for the first fifteen minutes of the flight, and then for $5 for the rest of the flight. Our flights were too short to justify getting it, but it did let me catch the first half of the Stargate Atlantis midseason premiere.
But Speaking of In-Flight Entertainment
Lost is not the show to download from iTunes and watch on your laptop. Especially not when you're flying with someone skittish and they decide to air an episode which features flashbacks of the plane cracking in two.
It occured to me that the Star Trek Experience would be a fine place to do a signing of The Sky's the Limit. Especially since I'm going to be out there for New Year's this year. Why, a well-timed signing would make that trip deductible now, wouldn't it?
Irony, Thy Name is Vegas
We saw Louie Anderson's show at the Excalibur, which was pretty good. Particularly funny to me though was the large poster for his show prominently displayed at the Round Table Buffet. I bet they don't have too many people going back for thirds there.
And Still, the Best Way to Get Work…
…is to leave town. Three caricature gigs and a coloring book project came in while I was playing blackjack and doing other Vegasy things.
In My Hot Little Hands
I've been in Las Vegas on vacation the last couple of days, and when I got home, what was waiting for me but advance copies of Love and Capes #4, both the Free Comic Book Day version and the special Secret Identity version. They look pretty good, and hopefully all of you will think so, too. Just a little over two weeks before they pop into stores.
In celebration of this event, I'm posting a whole page from the FCBD edition, so check it out.
I'll be posting a bunch of random tidbits about my Vegas trip on my blog in the next day or two. Nothing artwork related, but a couple of interesting stories (at least, I think so).
Happy Easter!
Over forty days ago, I was convinced to give up coffee for Lent. Normally I give up chocolate, but I wanted a new challenge. The sacrifice and penance is part of the Lenten ritual, and I appreciate the self-discipline that goes with it. I think the strength that you learn by such sacrifices can be applied in case where you have to keep yourself motivated, essential when you're self-employed.
So, today I could break that Lenten denial. I got myself to Starbucks after church and had my first cafe mocha since February. Starbucks coffee has a little bit of a burnt taste to it, and not having had any in so long made it a little more noticeable (Caribou Coffee, as was once pointed out to me, is probably better coffee, but there's no Caribou close and besides, my baristas at Starbucks can't be beat.) but it was still, as the Tick once put it, "That sweet elixir of life that men call 'Joe'."
Sunday mornings are probably my favorite part of the week. I have my coffee and turn on the Sunday news shows. Things are quiet, and I can think without constant phone calls or client e-mails. It's when I have my Deep Thoughts, or I tackle those more brain intensive work problems, like websites and programming issues, when I've got the time to think about them.
And then, around noon or so, a little later today because of Easter, I'll be heading over to my Grandma's house and having dinner–because "lunch" doesn't describe it well enough–and spending time with friends and family. Sundays are my recharging day, and when I get centered to take on the rest of the week.
Just thought I'd share, as I'm basking in my first caffeine hit in well over a month. Talk to you soon.
Baby, Baby, One More Time
It's Good Friday, let's do something a little special.
I've started working on Love and Capes #5. So I'll post a panel from each page as I get it finished. But like I said, Good Friday, so let's go Broadway. I'm going to post the whole page.
I don't usually post pages of a comic-in-progress. After all, I want you to buy it. Preferably multiple copies of it. But, it's the first one, so it won't spoil too much. Besides, I like to try to have cool introductions to my characters. Issue #4, which you haven't seen yet, is probably the weakest, but it serves the story so well. Here, we meet two of the super heroes, introduce the city, and set up the theme for the entire book. And all in eight panels.
Thirty Days
Free Comic Book Day is thirty days from today. It’s not the first year for it, but this is the first time that I’ve been a part of it.
As I’ve mentioned, like, a bizillion times already, Love and Capes #4 will be one of the participants in FCBD. It’s going to be all kinds of cool. First, it’s spiked sales on the book pretty considerably. I’m hoping that I can hold on to at least some of them come August and the fifth issue.
I also get to do a signing appearance. This will be the second comic store appearance I’ve done in my career (the first was Keith’s Comics in Dallas) and I am so looking forward to it. I’ll be at Alter-Ego Comics in Lima, Ohio. Marc and his gang have been great, giving me the rock star treatment. No red M&M’s and hot and cold running groupies. At least that’s what I think it means.
I’ll be doing sketches, selling books, signing books and best of all, meeting readers and hopefully fans. I really like doing the meet and greet thing, and have had some great times meeting comics fans, especially the younger ones.
So if you’re going to be Lima-ways, come on by. There are directions on the Alter-Ego website. And even if you’re not, bop by your local comic shop and pick up a copy. Hey, it’s free!
So, If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge
Crowds of people have been telling me for a while to open up a MySpace page. Who am I to argue with crowds, especially those carrying torches. The final straw was Mid-Ohio-Con biggity wiggity Roger Price, who finally convinced me to go for it. So, if you click here, you'll be taken to the Love and Capes MySpace Page.
If you're not a MySpace cadet, or just afraid of answering the wrong e-mail from Chris Hanson, don't worry. I'll make sure to post any news both here and there. In fact, I've tweaked the settings on both the Thomz.com and LoveandCapes.com sites so that a lot of information that posts here will automatically post there. Soon, you won't be able to avoid Love and Capes news. So there!