A new She Has No Head! about Ben Caldwell’s YA Wonder Woman Pitch, and the need for mainstream comics to court new readers, and women readers, is up.
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I cannot contain my excitement over reading Ben Caldwell’s Wonder Woman pitch to DC. C’mon DC, take a chance, this is some really exciting wonderful beautiful stuff…it could jump start a whole trend. You can read more here on Caldwell’s blog as well.
As I’ve said before…capturing women readers, most especially young women readers, is a huge challenge, but the rewards will be so great if anyone can manage it (did you know girls and women make up approximately 80% of fiction readership?) the spoils will be seriously significant. Just because Minx didn’t quite work, or Manga stuff is getting pulled, or Wonder Woman’s ongoing title isn’t crazy successful, or “kids books are loss leaders” doesn’t mean the right combination of those things won’t work – i.e. the most powerful female superhero of all time with a dynamic female friendly beautiful art style, a fresh perspective and look, free of heavy continuity, in a book that comes out as a digest and might be easily found at the grocery store check out next to Archies…sounds like an insanely winning combination. And the kind of thing that would have alerted someone like me to superheroes very early on…instead of having to wait until I discovered the X-Men cartoon at 16.
Yes, it’s a risk, yes it might not work, but if it does the pay off is HUGE. Fortune favors the brave and all that DC. You should give it a chance, put the full force of DC behind it, commit to it, just do it…and see what happens. The first comic book company to figure this out (how to capture and keep women readers) are going to be freaking kings…don’t you want another shot at that?
And when I say “the year” I mean since last year’s comic-con in San Diego. That’s right, in honor of SDCC 2010, which I am, again, not able to attend I thought I’d do a list of my 52 favorite covers since last year’s comic-con, so essentially July 2009 – July 2010.*
I’m not going bore you with lengthy descriptions about what I respond to in each image, but if you frequent this blog with any regularity, the choices will not surprise you. My tastes skew to specific things like anyone, and I reward covers that cater to those personal tastes. For example, as a woman, I tend to be interested in covers with female characters and at the same time you’re unlikely to see many covers with a lot of objectification and hyper sexualization. As an artist (but only sorta, and a crappy one at that) I tend to be a bit of a snob about what I think is a good or bad cover – good often involves highly graphic images, lots of great negative space, interesting/solid composition, single figures, white space, and good integration of text into the image.
I’m sure I missed a bunch of great covers anyway and, as always, I never feel great about the order, but I tried my best!
If after this list you only desire to see MORE comic covers, then check out my 100 Best Comic Covers list of last year here, here, here, and here. As well as my “already second guessing myself” modified list here.
Next year SDCC, next year!
52. Wonder Woman #40. Aaron Loprestri.
51. Batman Confidential #40. Sam Kieth
50. Red Robin #3. Francis Manapul.
49. Heralds #1. Jelena Djurdjevic.
48. Punisher Max: Butterfly #1. Laurence Campbell.
47. Batgirl #1. Phil Noto.
46. Beasts Of Burden #3. Jill Thompson.
45. Joe The Barbarian #5. Sean Murphy.
44. American Vampire #1. Rafael Albuquerque.
Tags: 100 Favorite Comic Covers, boom! comics, comic covers, oni comics, San Deigo Comic Con, SDCC
The following is a selection of comics released this week (7/21/10)* that focus heavily on women in comics – whether that be characters, creators, or even readers.
The books are rated as BUY, TRADEWAIT, or SKIP.
*It should be noted that this list will focus on North American/English releases as that’s mostly what I have access to. Additionally, as I am in general unfamiliar with Manga, I will not be including Manga titles in my lists. For some great reviews and discussion of Manga titles I urge you to check out Danielle Leigh on CSBG.
Notably missing this week is True Blood #1, co-written by IDW editor Mariah Huehner and which I am very anxious to check out but which was either sold out or missing at my shop. Also missing was Welcome To Tranquility #1, and Tiny Titans #30. Bummer all around, but hopefully I can pick them up next week. It certainly occurs to me that these inconsistencies in my comic shops (I went to two today) could be perhaps solved by digital solutions in which I am the only one in charge of what’s available to me or not…well, beyond what the companies make available of course. It’s a powerful argument for digital to me. Also, I have books that I definitely prefer to have in print, but there are many books I’m interested in reading but not terribly interested in “having forever”, so if digital was available to me easily and same day (and I had a reader of course) and for a cheaper price, I suspect I would try more stuff and only buy the stuff I know I love in print but purchase a significant amount digitally. In some ways I prefer to have the collected trades for stuff I really love anyway, as that works better from a convenience standpoint of books sitting on book shelves as opposed to jammed in short boxes. Digital v. Print is a tough thing for me though as I don’t like the feeling that’s often put out there of it being “either/or”, but I confess that digital seems appealing to me in the same way that individual songs instantly accessible on itunes are. Time will tell.
BLACK WIDOW #4. Marjoirie Liu (writer). Daniel Acuna (art and cover). Marvel. 32-pages. $2.99
This is a really good book…so good that I’m dreading the creative team switch after issue #5. Acuna’s art is gorgeous and is a perfect fit for this suave noir-y spy story. I love it. Liu’s story is working well, definitely a bit mysterious and cryptic (Natasha IS trying to solve a puzzle of course) but she’s giving me enough story and reveals in each issue to keep the momentum. As usual with Black Widow stuff I find it a bit cryptic for my tastes sometimes, but that’s my only complaint. This is a great book. Certainly the star of Marvel’s “year of women” push as far as I’m concerned. BUY.
DV8 #4 (of 8). Brian Wood (writer). Rebekah Isaacs (art). Carrie Strachan (colors). Fiona Staples (cover).
We’re halfway through the series and it remains one of my favorite monthly books, if not THE favorite. I confess this issue was my least favorite of the series thus far, but I think that’s likely to do with the fact that it focused heavily on Matthew/Threshold who has always been the least accessible DV8 character to me. This issue does its best to help me (and others?) get inside his skin a bit, but it’s still tough for me with this character. Additionally there was some slightly clunky storytelling in Gem narrating things she couldn’t possibly have seen or known…it didn’t bother me in previous issues, but here it stuck out a bit. Still, easily the best comic I read this week, as usual. BUY.
Tags: SDCC, woman's eye view
A year ago I posted a list of 100 of my favorite Comic Book Covers. But as with any list…as soon as you hit publish you can’t help but think what you’ve missed. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I missed and regret not including that first time around, so I decided, in honor of San Diego Comic Con 2010 and the three year anniversary of this blog, to give you the “15 Covers I Wish I’d Included”.
Now, some of my second guessing came immediately after locking the list (where was Skottie Young?) others came up later and some even from discussions others were having about my list (to say some discussions were more civil than others would be a massive understatement).
The biggest legitimate complaint I heard about the list beyond certain creators being missing was that there wasn’t enough diversity – and I agree. I don’t know if these covers will remedy that, but I think at the end of the day I’ll feel better about the list as a whole once it’s been modified.
The most interesting thing that happened while I was revising my list was the order. I was never that convinced that even if I had the right covers that I had them in the right order, and doing these new 15 really proved that out – because when I looked through the covers I didn’t feel confident just lopping off the last 15, instead I went through and picked out all the ones I was reconsidering, and replaced them.
In keeping with the rules of the original list, I limited this list to US saddle stitched issues – so you won’t find any graphic novel, anthology, or non-US covers here. And since comics from July 2009 to July 2010 weren’t eligible for the first attempt, I didn’t let them in this time either (but I do have a fun post for those ineligible covers coming up soon). As was true of the original list, the revised list continues to skew hard toward X-Men, badass chicks, some nostalgia and iconic imagery. What can I say? We all like what we like. 
You can find the original 100 here, here, here, and here.
#015.
Catwoman 19. Javier Pulido. This Pulido cover looks like Cooke to me…but it’s not (see the update below) Regardless, what sells it for me, and why I think it belongs has more to do with this being a moment I have YEARNED for in comics, and that Pulido managed to turn it into a really iconic lasting image. The image of Batman and Catwoman, still masked, kissing on a cover is an image that will stay with me forever thanks to the iconic choices made here.
Update: I originally wrongly attributed this cover to Cooke…and honestly, if I tried 1,000 more times I’d still think it was Cooke’s work…but regardless it’s not and apologies to both Cooke and Pulido as well as to commenter Stuart that pointed out the error.
The cover it’s replacing? #95 – Kick-Ass #1 by John Romita Jr.
This was honestly the easiest cover to remove from list as I was never entirely convinced that it belonged there in the first place and I’m not personally a huge fan of John Romita Jr.’s style. It’s a solid cover, but does it belong on a 100 Favorites List? Not mine.
Tags: 100 Favorite Comic Covers, 100 Great Comic Covers, San Deigo Comic Con, SDCC
The following is a selection of comics released this week (7/14/10)* that focus heavily on women in comics – whether that be characters, creators, or even readers.
The books are rated as BUY, TRADEWAIT, or SKIP.
This was a really ho-hum week, I guess something had to compensate for last week’s awesomeness.
*It should be noted that this list will focus on North American/English releases as that’s mostly what I have access to. Additionally, as I am in general unfamiliar with Manga, I will not be including Manga titles in my lists. For some great reviews and discussion of Manga titles I urge you to check out Danielle Leigh on CSBG.
Revolver by Matt Kindt came out this week, and while I wasn’t able to purchase it it’s definitely worth a look. Great premise and the artwork looks fantastic.
Additionally I am STILL looking for copies of The Last Unicorn #2 and Ghost Projekt #3 so that I can review them here, but I expect both to be BUYS based on excellent previous issues.
THE AVENGERS ACADEMY #2. Christos Gage (writer). Mike McKone (artist and cover). Jeromy Cox (colors). Marvel. 32 pages. $2.99.
This kind of snuck up on me this week as I was so let down by issue #1 I wasn’t expecting much here, but this was solid all around. The writing was good, the art was nice (except for the cover, which is very weird looking – what is up with Quicksilver’s head/torso?), and the storyline is taking a nice interesting turn. The issue focused mostly on Finesse and I feel like we got some unexpected surprises in that. The book still has a lot of female leads (Finesse, Veil, and Hazmat) and all of them wear super appropriate superhero gear, which is refreshing as all get out. The sole “problem” is Tigra’s string bikini…which gets more ridiculous and absurdly out of place with each issue. Time for a makeover Tigra! BUY.
As if I needed further proof that Cliff Chiang IS the perfect Birds of Prey artist, I came across this awesome Chiang Black Canary drawing. Oh to live in a world where Chiang draws BoP…so delicious…
A new SHE HAS NO HEAD! is up, a detailed review of Wonder Woman #600. And yes, I talk a bit about the costume. Woo!
A Jamie McKelvie designed Wonder Woman that, for my money, is hands and feet above the Lee re-design. It's effortless and modern, streamlined and clean. But it still FEELS Wonder Woman
To all my American readers…here’s a “classic” Wonder Woman 5 Minute Marvel sketch I did for Grace’s birthday. What says “go America” more than stars on the ass of your swimsuit? Happy 4th!
The following is a selection of comics released this week (6/30/10)* that focus heavily on women in comics – whether that be characters, creators, or even readers.
The books are rated as BUY, TRADEWAIT, or SKIP.
*It should be noted that this list will focus on North American/English releases as that’s mostly what I have access to. Additionally, as I am in general unfamiliar with Manga, I will not be including Manga titles in my lists. For some great reviews and discussion of Manga titles I urge you to check out Danielle Leigh on CSBG.
First off…Last week I should have mentioned Neil Young’s Greendale, the graphic novel by Joshua Dysart, Cliff Chiang, and Dave Stewart, which is excellent and most certainly a BUY. You can read a more detailed post about it and a preview, here.
Also, I was unable to pick up The Last Unicorn #2 this week. I suspect, based on The Last Unicorn #1 (and that incredible cover), that I’ll be marking that one as a buy…but we’ll have to wait for next week. My shop also didn’t have a copy of Ghost Projekt #3, which I’ve been enjoying and also suspect will be a buy…so expect that review and rating next week as well.
HERALDS #5 (of 5). Kathryn Immonen (writer). Tonci Zonjic and James Harren (art). Nathan Fairbairn and Antonio Fabela (colors). Jelena Djurdjevic (cover). Marve. 32 pages. $2.99
While I’m still a big fan of this mini-series, and it was some of the most fun I’ve had reading comics in a long while, I have to admit that the beginning was stronger than the ending. The first issue has such great humor and fun, but as we delved deeper into Nova/Frankie Ray/Frances the story became a bit unclear…especially for those of us that weren’t completely familiar with the story of Nova/Frankie Ray to begin with. Generally I feel a mini-series needs to be able to stand on its own, and I’m sure many readers would be left with a lot of questions here…and not the good ‘what happens next’ kind (although we do get to wonder that as well). Additionally, this issue is the weakest from an art perspective. Though Zonjic has more of the book and it’s excellent, some of Harren’s pages made it really hard to tell the ladies apart and made for some confusing reading. Also, though I am loathe to admit this, because I LOVE the cast, I think there were just too many awesome people in this book and the end result was that while it was a lot of fun, I didn’t care that much about Frances and her fate, so the necessary punch at the end is really missing. Too bad. I still rate this as a BUY for fun value alone, and if you haven’t been picking it up, I’d recommend getting the trade when it’s released. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s unlike almost anything on the shelves by the big two these days…and I support that and encourage it.
I stand by my desire to have an ongoing Heralds book helmed by Immonen and Zonjic. With either this cast, or a rotating cast of ladies…I don’t care. I think Immonen and Zonjic could deliver a monthly book that I’d adore. I certainly would buy (and blog) the hell out of it if this was a taste of what it could be.