KC's Previews for October 2012

• Posted by Johanna on July 30, 2012 at 6:04 pm
• Category: KC, Shopping Guide

Similar Posts: KC's Previews for September 2012 § KC's Previews for March 2012 § KC's Previews for July 2012 § KC's Previews for February 2012 § KC's September Previews

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Sakuran: Blossoms Wild

I was curious to see this single-volume historical manga by Moyoco Anno after reading her Happy Mania series. (She's also had Flowers and Bees translated over here.) Sakuran promised to be similar to Happy Mania in its portrayal of a strong-willed but messed-up woman, only this one had kimonos and a more explicit use of sex as a transaction.

Kiyoha is a child slave at a brothel who eventually, out of stubbornness, rises to become a leading courtesan during the 1800s. Unfortunately, I found the story itself rather confusing. The various chapters make up different incidents in Kiyoha's life, but they don't come together into one coherent whole.

I also found it difficult to follow the various titles used to refer to the characters in lieu of their names. It took several readings before I could follow who grew up into whom. That's not the only way that Sakuran is a dense work. The art can be crowded, and the text refers to some events elliptically.

I wanted many more cultural and historical notes than the single page of translations (eight entries) that we get. I think that would have given me more connection with the world we're suddenly thrust into. Others may have issue with Anno's unique art style, although I'm fond of the 'eggs with huge eyes' look; it reminds me of fashion illustration. Katherine Dacey presents several pages in her review, as well as providing more historical context that I found helpful. There are more pages posted at Comics Alliance.

I didn't enjoy reading this book because I don't appreciate the 'she's a bitch, so she will be a great courtesan' attitude. It all seems very remote and artificial to me. There's also a lot of unhappiness and unpleasantness in this work, from the forced child maids to the problems of sex as a career. I should have expected as much, perhaps, although hearing of a story about geisha leads one to other (culturally biased) expectations. In contrast, Vertical's presentation is quite attractive, with a foil cover and color opening pages on several chapters, not just the first.

I'm glad this work was translated and made available, just to demonstrate the variety of manga out there, but I'd rather see more modern josei works exploring the lives of today's women. (The publisher provided a review copy.)

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Quote of the Day: J. Caleb Mozzocco on Batman Plans

• Posted by Johanna on July 27, 2012 at 1:43 pm
• Category: Superhero Reviews

J. Caleb Mozzocco, as part of a lengthy links column, said:

Don't like stories of The Joker raping people? Why not try Batman's sister book, wherein we'll be exploring Batman's issues with emotional intimacy.

You know, sometimes I think I might no longer be in DC's target audience anymore. The times when I hear them announce things and parts of my brain explode.

This was in response to a con report about the upcoming Detective Comics #0. I'm with Caleb ' I'm clearly not the kind of reader or customer they are interested in, because I'm repulsed by much of what they seem to find selling points. I do appreciate people like Caleb keeping me aware of what's going on, though, so I know if it's ever safe to come back.

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Manga Moveable Feast for July 2012 Covers CLAMP

You still have a couple of days to get in on the latest Manga Moveable Feast. Melinda Beasi is hosting a week dedicated to the works of the collective CLAMP at Manga Bookshelf. Her introductory post is a wonderful overview of the creative team and their works as known in English translation. Check in for the huge variety of what's been published, with art samples.

Ed and I have previously reviewed the following titles by CLAMP:

• Suki (my favorite CLAMP series)
• Legal Drug Book 1
• xxxHOLiC Book 1
• xxxHOLiC Book 12
• Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles Books 1-20

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An Important Kickstarter Reminder: You Still Have to Do the Work

• Posted by Johanna on July 27, 2012 at 8:04 pm
• Category: LinkBlogging

Gary Tyrrell went to the Kickstarter panel at the San Diego con and discovered that, once again, many people are looking for the easy answer:

' the audience, the questions, predominately focused in on the checklist approach: Tell me exactly what steps I need to follow to be successful like you. There wasn't a recognition that there is no single recipe for success, that campaigns have to be tailored to your existing audience and existing work, that Kickstarter is not a magical money machine that will fund your dreams.

Jimmy tried to repeatedly make the point that Kickstarter is merely an enabling mechanism, that it won't make the comic happen, that you have to make it, that your reputation is what will bring people to the campaign, and it's your good name that is on the line for making good on what you promised, that none of this is risk-free, but I never got the feeling that those essential truths were getting absorbed.

Then again, I shouldn't have been surprised ' when Jimmy took the measure of the crowd, about 95% of the approximately 150 people in the room indicated that they want to do a Kickstarter campaign, and exactly three (3) indicated that they already had done so.

There are lots of people who hear about the few, major success stories and think 'hey, I could be getting that much free money!' They don't realize that a successful Kickstarter is much like breaking into comics itself ' once you find a way, it likely won't work again exactly the same in future. I hope more people get the message that running a Kickstarter is hard work, not a guarantee.

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Manga Out Loud Returns With Super-Sized Kickstarter Edition

After skipping last month, Manga Out Loud has returned with a nearly three-hour edition covering Kickstarter and Digital Manga. I know that's a lot to listen to, but Ed has nicely marked the time breaks in the show notes.

We start with some of the anime Ed's been watching recently, then some news headlines discussion with Matt Blind, followed by a lengthy discussion on the Kickstarter model between Matt and Ed. Then we swap in a second group of guests, Erica Friedman and Jason Yadao, to talk about some of the same news stories, including Tokyopop's bigger presence recently, and the longer Kickstarter discussion. Erica and I get quite passionate about discussion, because we both love a good debate, but I think we cover a lot of ground and significant principles and questions. The wonderful Ben Applegate, our final special guest to talk more specifically about Digital Manga's Kickstarter use, described it as 'contentious' but respectful', which I thought was a great summation.

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Archie Archives Volume 6

Archie Archives Volume 6, the latest in the historical reprint series, contains the Archie stories from Archie Comics #19-#22 and Pep Comics #57'#58. Also included are the text stories from the issues, a couple of Hollywood gossip columns supposedly reported by Archie, and a bonus 'Dotty and Ditto' story by Bill Woggon from Pep #58 in which Archie and a bunch of other MLJ characters appear.

Fans of the characters will likely get the volumes as long as Dark Horse continues the series, and non-Archie comic readers have better starting points, but I think it's interesting to note how different these stories are from the Archie of today.

The introduction by Mark Hamill makes an excellent observation about one of the points of appeal of the Riverdale gang: they were a close-knit substitute family, dear friends who were always there for each other. Lonely kids without those kinds of pals enjoy the fantasy of such a group, predictable personalities and all. However, that analysis applies to Archie in general, not this group of stories. This set shows much more comedy, with very little dating or romantic complications, and there are no mixed-gender groups hanging out, as we're used to reading.

These pieces are either pure slapstick, as Archie messes something up with escalating consequences, or family gags, showing Archie at home interacting with his parents. For example, the first story features Archie and his father getting in trouble at a farm. They've gone to collect rocks to build an outdoor fireplace for Mother's birthday present ' even though she's said she wants a watch. Later, the two go on a hunting trip where they shoot a bear!

Other situations are less rural and more familiar in premise to today's readers, even if the way they go about solving them is old-fashioned. There are all kinds of mishaps when Archie takes Veronica skiing or when Dad tries to fix a stuck closet door. The girls go autograph hunting when a celebrity's in town, and Archie borrows his father's car only to have to get the fender fixed. A longer piece features Archie losing tickets for a date with Veronica in a coffee grinder donated to a charity auction. That one's remarkable because Archie and the boys keep going skinny-dipping in a nearby pond. Not something you'd see in today's comics!

Most of the art here is drawn by Bill Vigoda, whom I know little about. By this point, original artist Bob Montana had moved over to the newspaper strip. Vigoda's work is a bit smoother, less idiosyncratic. It's an easy read, focused on the exaggerated actions as Reggie and Archie fight or Archie's father wants to join in with the boys playing football or Archie buys a horse. Even the story where Betty and Veronica compete as salesgirls to win a favorite dress is full of exaggerated hits and falls.

Some of the appeal of these volumes for me is, like the (more affordable, if you're looking for that option) Americana series, seeing the fashions and social trends portrayed. It's still weird to me seeing Archie's mom looking so old, with dowdy clothes and white hair, but we have very different expectations these days for what a 40-year-old looks like, what with dye and exercise classes and more common cosmetic procedures considered part of the everyday. Another surprise to me was how often everyone's hanging around outside. A Saturday outing for the gang is planned to be a hayride. A fishing trip is considered a good date suggestion for Veronica. Nowadays, we're indoors a lot more.

A particularly outrageous story starts with Riverdale High installing a flight trainer so the boys (only the boys) can learn to fly airplanes. Betty and Veronica complain to Mr. Wetherbee, but his response is, 'Women flyers! I should say not ' it's bad enough they drive autos!' The girls manage to change his mind, but not before Betty is frightened by a mouse and climbs on a table. Were schools that subject to rodents back then? Another one shows up in a later story with Veronica.

I'm glad that more eras of comic history are available in easily readable form with updated color and without the worry of damaging fragile old issues. There are plenty of classic superhero stories reprinted, but I want researchers and librarians to have access to the other genres of comics as well. Particularly since these issues, dating from 1946, were million-sellers in their day! That's shown directly on the cover of issue #19, with the prominent line 'This printing is over 1,256,000 magazines'. (By next issue, it's up to 1,306,000.) It's comfortable to be part of the crowd. Perhaps the country was ready for light-hearted teenage hijinks after the war was over. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.)

Seraphina

I've been a fan of Rachel Hartman's work for 15 years now. Many readers won't remember or haven't heard of her comic work, but in the late 1990s, she created an amazing series of minicomics called Amy Unbounded about a young woman growing up in a medieval society. (Several issues were collected as Belondweg Blossoming.) Hartman created her own historical fantasy world, and it was astounding, full of details like what the musical instruments looked like and how the industries worked and even who the mythical characters were.

Even with all this plausible world-building, she never lost sight of the characters and their warm relationships. Amy's mother, a warrior woman, and her father, a meeker but not weak partner, were doing their best with their sometimes-unruly family.

Seraphina, Hartman's first novel, presents those same strengths ' memorable characters, creative visualization of a fully realized society, difficult but meaningful relationships, and (an overused phrase, but so valid here) a sense of wonder. (Fans of Amy Unbounded will notice a few familiar names in this novel, too, including Pau-Henoa.)

Seraphina is a teenage half-breed (although the details are part of her discovery over the course of this book) with a musical gift and a distant father mourning his own loss. Her mother died at her birth, and the legacy she left is only now becoming visible, as Seraphina has gone to assist the royal composer at court. Her father begs her to remain anonymous, but her heavenly performances attract attention. Now, she must help with the various celebrations to mark a major anniversary of a treaty between her kingdom and the dragons.

Yes, there are dragons here. Only instead of appearing as flying lizards, they're stoic shape-changers, seeking knowledge and logic over emotion. The idea of dragon as the best and hardest teacher you've ever had is genius, combining a Spock-style alien with reptilian coldness as a characteristic instead of a measure of temperature. The dragons don't understand human manners or illogical customs (as so many traditions are), but neither do some professors in our world. The beasts can take their traditional form in this story, but many of them interact with humans in other ways instead.

Meanwhile, a beloved prince has been murdered, leading to bigoted outbreaks of hatred and violence towards the different. Seraphina's heritage makes her a example of another way, but it's not an easy path to survive, being a living symbol. Dragons pass memories genetically, but hers have been interrupted by her half-orphaning, and her unique, illegal status has made her lonely and self-contained. She's deservedly prickly, but as a burgeoning young woman, she also needs to learn who's safe to trust and how to make her own decisions about right and wrong.

Hartman gets how cultures form and how law and custom and religion and human nature interact, which makes everything that happens richer and more satisfying. Plenty of people have tried to create kingdoms threatened by tribal disagreements, but few feel this substantial. It's so easy to visualize the players and their needs and wants. The underlying themes, of the way love and art, particularly music, make humans unique among creatures, are compelling.

Hartman's love of detail also gives her great facility with words, spinning out descriptions and phrases that kept me deep in the story. I miss her pictures, but this is a wonderful way to share the fascinating results of her imagination. Her dry sense of humor is also greatly welcome.

If you only have time for one novel this summer, make it this one. You will be richly rewarded. I know it's labeled for Young Readers. The best books now are, but they still have plenty for adults to treasure. Here, it's some of the strongest, bravest, fiercest, most loving women I've seen in fiction. Teens will also relate to Seraphina's feelings of fitting in nowhere, of her specialness causing her only pain and scars. I very much hope there are more books to come.

You can find out more at the author's website. EW.com posted a trailer and excerpt.

Princeless: Short Stories for Warrior Women #1

Until the next full Princeless story comes out, continuing the tale of Adrienne and her battle to rescue her sisters, this two-issue limited series should fill the gap. In Princeless: Short Stories for Warrior Women #1, author Jeremy Whitley has created three short stories (well, two and a teaser) illustrated by three female artists.

The comic can be ordered right now through Diamond with code JUL12 0704, but I think there's some confusion. The catalog copy says it's 40 pages; the description line says 24; but the promo copy I got was 28 pages, including ads. The catalog also says it's four stories, but I read two, with five additional pinups and a preview of the coming Princeless volume two.

The first piece is simply charming, as it's a flashback to the royal kids all playing together. Adrienne demonstrates gumption even then, telling her younger brother what to do and how to pretend. The cartoony style, by Nancy King, is a good choice to keep the mood light and funny, with all its curvy lines. There's also what I think is a hint to a future storyline, with a mysterious rescuer. I'd like to see more with these kids, to get more insight into their tight family bonds.

The second story, drawn by Quinne Larsen, gives us more idea why Adrienne's father, the King, is the jerk he is, as we see a bit of his relationship with his dad. I think we also see how he met his wife, but the character isn't explicitly identified that way, so I'm leaving myself an out if my guess is wrong.

The teaser section makes me eager to see the next book NOW! Adrienne's father has gathered a motley group of knights and sent them to catch the mysterious rebel plaguing the kingdom ' not realizing that it's Adrienne herself. He bribes the knights, a crazy collection of personalities, with the hand of one of his daughters, their choice. Emily Martin does a wonderful job capturing the variety of exaggerated character types and their emotions.

If you liked Princeless ' and everyone who read it has ' then you'll want these glimpses into the family history to prep you for the next miniseries.

Crime Does Not Pay: The Complete Shorts Collection

I'm familiar with 'Crime Does Not Pay' as a classic comic (recently collected from Dark Horse), but it was also a series of movie shorts.

Six discs from the Warner Archive hold all 50 shorts from 1935-1947, each about 20 minutes. They're cautionary tales, examples of criminals who thought they were clever but got caught in the end, brought to us by 'the MGM reporter'. He interviews investigators and officers who then tell us the story as a flashback. The series is a precursor to the many procedurals we watch today, comforting reminders that justice will prevail and bad guys will get caught.

The first, 'Buried Loot', starred one of my favorite classic actors, Robert Taylor. He's a bank teller who embezzles money with the idea that he'll do the time for the crime and then retrieve the hidden funds and live well. As part of this plan, he burns his own face with chemicals. Taylor was known for being a very beautiful man, so it was particularly odd to see him in fake scars. Especially given the twist ending, a surprise that reinforces the idea that even clever criminals are dumber than the cops that chase them.

'A Thrill for Thelma' involves a woman (Irene Hervey) marrying a crook and going to prison as his accomplice because she was chasing excitement and riches. The two rob cars together, until events turn deadly.

'The Public Pays', eighth in the series, marks something of a departure, as the series begins covering crimes that affect more than just a handful of victims. It deals with a protection racket affecting milk companies, in which dairy producers are pressured to raise prices to pay off racketeers. It won an Oscar for Best Short Subject and was also included on the DVD for the Clark Gable / Myrna Loy / Jean Harlow movie Wife vs. Secretary (available individually or as part of the Gable Signature Collection) because it uses the same office set as that movie.

I haven't gotten a chance to watch many more yet, but I plan on spacing them out, anyway, to better appreciate them without all running together. I'm particularly curious to see how the series changes over the decade-plus it ran. This is a great choice for a movie fan hoping to recreate the period movie-going experience. Show a couple of these, a classic film, a cartoon or two, and a B picture for a full evening's entertainment.

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Fantagraphics Goes Digital With ComiXology ' All Major Pubs Now Available

• Posted by Johanna on July 17, 2012 at 6:27 pm
• Category: Digital and Webcomics

Fantagraphics announced a digital distribution agreement with comiXology, beginning with the first four issues of Love and Rockets: New Stories. Fantagraphics co-publisher Gary Groth also said that issue #5 will debut digitally on the same day as its print release in September. Following that, additional Fantagraphics publications, both current and backlist, will roll out.

As far as I can recall right now, Fantagraphics was the last major comic publisher not available on comiXology, making them the new monopoly distributor, replacing Diamond in the digital arena. And they're still on a distinctly upwards curve. From the press release:

In early May, comiXology revealed they had crested 65 million comic and graphic novel downloads since the beginning of the platform, with 15 million of those downloads happening in 2012. ComiXology recently unveiled that only one month later in June they had hit 77 million downloads '- an addition of 12 million downloads '- continuing on a trajectory of record-shattering growth.

Pretty good for a service that prices higher than the pundits think they should and only 'rents' comics in their proprietary format.

Heidi MacDonald interviewed Fantagraphics associate publisher Eric Reynolds and got more background on the deal. As he says,

I would say that I probably resisted ComiXology at first, just because of their dominance in the market. Much in the same way we were probably the largest publisher in the industry to not go exclusive with Diamond until long after the dust had settled and there really was no other competition. I like there being access to the marketplace for the little guy. But the more and more I researched, the more I realized that simply put, ComiXology really was the standard-bearer for digital comics processing AND distribution. They have the most intuitive guided view software I've seen and they are well-positioned to get the books out there on the most popular platforms. It's not an exclusive deal and I am definitely continuing to keep our options open, but I'm excited to see what ComiXology can do.

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The World's End to Complete Wright / Pegg / Frost Comedy Trilogy

Universal Pictures has announced that Edgar Wright will be directing the final film in his trilogy of comedies with Simon Pegg. The World's End, co-written with Pegg, follows Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. It will begin filming in October in the U.K. and co-star Nick Frost. Here's the official plot description:

20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King, a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries.

This is the official teaser poster for the movie, presumably listing the various pub names. I'm excited, since the two previous films made me enjoy genres I normally avoid, zombie horror and cop action.

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Forbidden Hollywood Volume 4: Jewel Robbery, Lawyer Man, Man Wanted, They Call It Sin

I've been looking forward to the relaunched Forbidden Hollywood line ' now coming from the Warner Archive ' for months now, and the actual product does not disappoint. These are 1932 movies, so they're scratchy, at times, both visually and on the soundtrack, but oh, what fun they are! And how wonderful to watch 80-year-old movies so easily!

Forbidden Hollywood Volume 4 consists of four discs, one per movie, in a single case. Each film is just over an hour long, and each disc (except for They Call It Sin) also has the movie's trailer, which runs about two minutes.

Jewel Robbery

Imagine yourself in Vienna, married to a rich but dull baron who gives you diamonds but doesn't thrill you. Then you're caught up in a Jewel Robbery, and flirting with the gentleman thief (William Powell, who subdues his victims with 'funny' cigarettes) gives you all the charm and excitement you could dream of!

That's the situation starring Kay Francis (who shouldn't be appearing in a film where she has to say 'robber'; with her lisp, it comes out 'wobber'). She's introduced kicking her long legs up in the air out of a bubble bath, a silly thing to do but rather daring at the time in what it suggests, and sufficiently indicative of her physicality. She's surrounded by a squad of beauticians, masseuses, and general maids to make her even more lovely and make clear how pampered she is. Her love of jewelry is unapologetic and even refreshing in her materialism ' how else was a well-bred woman to ensure her comfortable retirement? (In some scenes, she seems to love the gems more than any of the men in the movie.)

It's a trifle, but fun for escapism. The film makes us root for a thief and an adulterous wife to run off together, in defiance of the law and proper society. Powell's character is clever, so much so that he sends a loose blonde to distract the local policeman, playing on everyone's baser desires. When he locks up the robbery hostages in separate safes, he asks Francis whether she'd prefer to be with her husband or the man we all know is her lover. She ducks the question, saying she'd rather not be locked up at all. But it's okay, since Powell appreciates her stubbornness.

Jewel Robbery is only 68 minutes, with plenty of scandalous behavior, innuendo dialogue, and double-twists of plot, but I love this film. It's so alluring and sophisticated in its international entanglements. Much of the 'I still can't believe I saw that' appeal is summed up in this gown worn by Francis late in the movie (and shown on the box set cover).

I have no idea how the thing stays on, since it's strapless, backless, and appears to be a quite substantial material. (Elastic sleeves or glue, I guess.) The whole thing drips sex, as she looks like it's about to slide off any minute. You can see why the moralists were worried about the ideas films like this would give the masses.

Lawyer Man

Powell returns as a downtown lawyer (with a roaming eye for women) whose clients are working-class immigrants. After beating a high-powered rival (Alan Dinehart) in a case, he's offered an opportunity to join his upscale firm. Blondell is Powell's secretary, holding a crush for him, keeping him out of trouble, and showing off her legs.

Joan Blondell and William Powell in Lawyer Man

Soon enough, Powell is involved with his new partner's sister (Helen Vinson), a driving society woman who always gets what she wants. There's also a corrupt politician who frames Powell, again with the aid of a pretty girl (Claire Dodd). She brought him a breach of promise case that makes him some powerful enemies who dump him out of his high-class position. (For younger readers, it used to be the case that women could sue if men promised to marry them and didn't.)

Lawyer Man doesn't have the snap of the previous film. It's odd watching Powell get tongue-tied over women, even weirder to see him as a sloppy drunk. He's not particularly believable as either a lower-class man of the people or a clueless sap getting played, either. Also, all the political scheming, while representative of the times, may seem too obvious to today's viewers. Events move quickly, but I didn't have much connection to the threats and schemes.

The social commentary is that of an underdog who learns to never trust the richies. There's a lot in common with 80s high school movies that way. You can't join the upper crust, because they'll turn on you and drop you in a heartbeat when things get tough. I prefer the pre-Codes with more sizzle. This one is too focused on plot to the exclusion of much else. Plus, I wish Powell and Blondell had more chemistry together.

Joan Blondell and Sterling Holloway in Lawyer Man

My favorite moment was a brief scene where an uncredited Sterling Holloway (voice of Winnie the Pooh!) tells an unhappy Blondell that 'you're in love with your boss and he won't give you a tumble,' stating what's obvious to everyone.

Man Wanted

Kay Francis is a workaholic magazine editor; David Manners the sporting goods salesman who comes to her office to demonstrate a rowing machine and winds up working as her secretary. She's so demanding that she needs a man in the job, since the women she's hired just aren't up to it. (sheesh)

David Manners and Kay Francis in Man Wanted

Francis' husband lazes around and plays polo, while she comes to depend on Manners' hard-working Harvard man. This leads to romantic complications, of course, as everyone is suspicious of a female boss with a male secretary anyway. That they get along so well and have similar drives only makes it worse.

The supporting cast in this one is great, with Manners' buddy played by Andy Devine and his girlfriend Una Merkel. (Devine, a former college sports hero, relates everything back to his time on the field in his foghorn voice.) Typical of Francis films, the wardrobe is also eye-catching. She's more than just a clotheshorse here, though, as she's very well-suited to the role of a then-modern businesswoman.

Man Wanted isn't particularly original or deep, but the performances are fun. The acceptance of divorce as a potentially good thing when spouses are fundamentally mismatched, and the mature way everyone handles the attraction across marriage lines, is what makes this a pre-Code.

They Call It Sin

Since I follow Powell and Francis whenever they pop up on TCM, I'd seen the previous movies before. This was the film that was new to me. The luminous Loretta Young is a church organist who gets involved with David Manners, a traveling salesman, when he passes through her Kansas town. He sweeps her off her feet, and she thinks it's love.

When she comes home after being out too late with the stranger, the woman she thinks is her mother suddenly tells her she's adopted and disowns her as thinking she's too good for the town. That's all Young needs to run off to the big city ' where she finds that he's engaged and she was just a way to waste some time on a sleepy Sunday. George Brent is Manners' friend, who takes care of finding Young a place to stay and getting her settled.

Loretta Young and George Brent in They Call It Sin

Young hooks up with showgirl Una Merkel, who shows her the ropes of the entertainment business. She's no longer the sweet, innocent, small-town girl, but a city woman in a low-cut sheer dress deciding whether to succumb to baser propositions. Does she choose an honest relationship with a single doctor, becoming a girlfriend-with-benefits to her boss (Louis Calhern), or fooling around with the original salesman, now married but still interested? Given that this is Young, I bet you're not surprised that she makes a moral decision.

The most salacious thing about They Call It Sin is the title. Beyond that, it's a melodramatic soap opera with some lovely dresses and a glimpse at a very different era (but maybe not so much). I did find the later sub-plot, about Young's piano compositions being stolen, oddly timely, even if it does lead to a surprising death, suddenly changing the tone of the film. (The studio provided a review copy.)

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Genshiken: Second Season Book 1

It took me a couple of tries to get into the original Genshiken series, which concluded with a ninth volume in 2007. So although I wasn't won over by the first book of this sequel series, I halfway expect that I'll enjoy Genshiken: Second Season more in future volumes.

My biggest problem was that I didn't remember enough about the first series. (Those who began reading or re-reading with the recent omnibus re-release won't have that issue.) Many previous characters appear here, and I didn't remember who they were or where we'd left off with them. I would have really appreciated a cast sheet with pictures, names, and short descriptions, or more re-introduction within the story.

The Genshiken otaku club is now composed of President Ogiue, a manga artist; a costume creator; and the only guy, Kuchiki. (Have we seen him before? I'm not sure. He seems the typical geeky fan, only without redeeming qualities.) Much of this volume involves them trying to find new members to keep the club running and how those newbies get to know each other. The first is Sue, a foreign exchange student who speaks in anime quotes, a gag that's probably much funnier to readers who recognize her citations. They're explained in the back, but many of them aren't familiar to me. I'm not nearly as hardcore or clued-in as the characters ' and target readers ' are.

The new club members are types familiar to devoted manga readers but for me, they didn't add much beyond stereotypes. There's a yaoi fangirl, a no-nonsense independent artist, and a boy (Hato) who cross-dresses because it's easier to like yaoi if you're female. Much of the book revolves around his behavior, meaning that even though the club is visually almost all female, the only guy gets the majority of story focus. Between the chapters are a few four-panel strips that I thought were aggressively pointless in their lack of punchlines.

The concept of the original series is such that a continuation is easy to do. Just, as is done here, introduce a new group of students. But I don't have much connection to these characters, and I'm not shown much reason to develop one, especially since I find the pop culture allusions off-putting instead of amusing. They push me away, making me feel left out, instead of creating shared references. Then comes the last chapter, where Hato (in boy clothes) has a conversation with another character while the nude ghostly figure of his female persona hovers overhead. Creepy!

Genshiken: Second Season Book 1 is due out in early September. It can be ordered from comic shops with the Diamond code JUN12 1185. (The publisher provided an advance proof copy for review.)

Similar Posts: Genshiken Book 7 § Genshiken Sequel Series Coming to US This Fall § Genshiken Book 4 § Genshiken Book 8 § Genshiken Official Book

Friends With Kids

I missed this independent comedy in the theater, because only the blockbusters come to my suburb, so I was glad to see Friends With Kids on home video. It's an insightful, amusing film about how children change relationships in all kinds of ways. Although you know the ending once I tell you it's a romantic comedy about best male/female friends learning to grow up together, how it gets there is enjoyable. Watching at home is a more relaxed experience that better suits the domestic material.

Jennifer Westfeldt (who wrote and directed the film) stars as Julie. She and her best friend Jason (Adam Scott) talk about anything, including a game where they pick which way is preferable to die. (One is alligator or shark.) Their friend couples are Maya Rudolph and Chris O'Dowd and Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm (Westfeldt's partner), all of whom are having kids. Friends With Kids was promoted on the coattails of Bridesmaids, because it has those last four actors in common, but thankfully, it has a very different tone and avoids the gross-out humor. (Well, except for the body junk that comes with babies.)

Julie and Jason decide to have a kid together so they can avoid all the fights and other crap that come with settled-down marriages, based on what they see having happened to their friends. I didn't quite buy the logic behind their choice, but then, I don't understand the 'must have kids' drive that the characters (and many other people) share. So I just accepted it as the premise to put them into an unusual situation and spawn the movie.

I didn't laugh out loud much, but I didn't approach Friends With Kids as much as a comedy as a sociological slice of urban observation, much like Woody Allen's films capture a particular milieu. (It's also a lot more female-friendly than his movies.) The dialogue is snappy, and the environment captures upscale city life. The performances are strong, and sometimes heart-breaking, particularly in the (lightly sketched) story of Wiig and Hamm's couple, who go from sex bunnies who can't stop touching each other to screaming passive-aggressive fighters. Overall, it's about dealing with change as adults move from being singles to grown-up parents.

Even if I don't have the baby impulse, I would like Julie's life. Her hair is always gorgeous, she's got a great apartment and a good job in the city and plenty of good friends, including the best boy friend who knows and loves her. It was funny watching how their life plays out once the baby arrives, even if the relationship aspects are predictable.

Later in the film, Ed Burns and Megan Fox show up as new dates for the not-couple. Everything comes to a turning point during a New Year's Vermont skiing trip with all the pairings. The strongest performances in the film come in two scenes between Scott and Hamm, discussing who they really love and hope you cope with the difficult times.

I loved the way that Julie and Jason kept their lives together, even with a baby, because they went into things as a choice with great communication. Too many couples assume that being married will just take care of everything, and they forget that you need to agree on things and make tough choices and keep talking and make compromises. There is a certain amount of 'babies are magic' on display here in bringing (and keeping) people together, but I can't deny that a lot of people feel that way.

I'd also like to see the bookend movie, the one about the singletons who don't want kids (and who are consistent in that position) who watch all their friends start reproducing. I don't know anyone who acts like the characters in this movie ' although I enjoyed spending time with them ' but I do know people who just get on with their lives, coupled or not, without worrying about having babies.

Special Features

Westfeldt, Hamm, and Director of Photography William Rexer conduct a commentary for the film. In addition, there's a typically puffy eight-minute making-of with Westfeldt and Hamm (who produced) as well as the rest of the main cast. The ad-libs and bloopers run 12 minutes, divided into two categories, actors and kids. (That second category just reminds me of how right W.C. Fields was when he didn't want to work with children. They take time and patience.) Eight deleted scenes, a bit over eight minutes' worth, can be played as a set or individually and with or without commentary.

'Scene 42: Anatomy of a Gag' is a five-minute scene where Julie and Jason explain their plan to their friends. You can run it with or without commentary, which talks about how much they ad-libbed. There's an additional four minutes of Megan Fox showing Adam Scott how to play video games. (The studio provided a review copy.)

Similar Posts: Friends With Benefits § Airplane! § How to Lose Friends & Alienate People § Scott Pilgrim vs. the World § Scott Pilgrim on DVD/Blu-ray Before End of Year

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Kickstarter Stats to Consider

• Posted by Johanna on July 16, 2012 at 3:45 pm
• Category: LinkBlogging

Planning a Kickstarter for your comic? You might want some data on which types of projects have been successful. Here are some high points, followed by an infographic from AppsBlogger:

* 44% of projects succeed, under half.

* Kickstarter makes it hard to find data on unfunded (unsuccessful) projects. They hide them from Google, for example.

* Successful projects tend to pass their target by a small margin, while failed projects fail big.

* If you have a bigger funding goal, you have less chance of success.

* Larger projects are more likely to deliver after a delay. Only 25% of projects deliver on time (based on studying tech projects).

Similar Posts: Why I Won't Be Giving to Kickstarter Projects § Two Good Thoughts on Kickstarter: A Letter and Dork Tower § Comic Book Diner Discusses Kickstarter § Two Kickstarters Worth Supporting, and More Thoughts on the Method § Comic Fans Need Patience: Thoughts on Lengthy Kickstarters & Incomplete First Issues

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The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan: The Complete Series

Review by KC Carlson

Recently released from Warner Archive is the Complete Series of The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan as a two-DVD set featuring all 16 episodes.

Chan Clan first aired on September 9, 1972. Placing it in the Hanna-Barbera universe, the show was preceded (in 1971) by Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch! and The Funky Phantom and followed (in 1973) by Speed Buggy and Inch High, Private Eye, among others. Not always mentioned as one of Hanna-Barbera's 'classic' shows ' and one wonders why anybody in charge thought that kids would be interested in a revival of Charlie Chan ' in retrospect, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan is a enjoyable feast for both fans and scholars of pop culture, with some very surprising names involved with its production.

According to Joe Barbera's autobiography, My Life in 'Toons: From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century, Barbera directly pitched Fred Silverman (then in charge of children's programming at CBS) the idea of an animated reincarnation of Charlie Chan and his 'clan' of a dozen children. (Later whittled down to 10 for this show. Plus a dog. EVERY HB cartoon had a dog.) Silverman bought it immediately. Then the problems began. Not the least of which was the fact that this show had a dozen lead characters ' 10 kids, dad, and a dog. At least the dog (named Chu-Chu, and performed by Dog Whisperer Don Messick, who performed almost all of the HB dogs) didn't actually speak ' although he sorta 'whispers' the show's theme 'song'. And it's easily one of the ugliest (and least inconsistently animated) dog designs ever done by HB, who were usually very good about these sort of things. (Originally, I thought it was a cat.)

Meet the Chan Clan

The kids were all excellently designed, and all packed with individual visual personality. They had to be ' they often didn't get a lot of screen time because of the size of the cast. To help simplify the animation, the family was usually broken down into sub-teams of characters, frequently by age groups. The older kids were: Henry, the natural leader; Stanley, the comedy relief (he usually shouts the show's catch-pharse 'Wham-bam, we're in a jam!' at least once an episode); and Suzie, the oldest daughter, but she was usually paired off with the middle kids. She's essentially a variation on the stock HB Daphne type (from Scooby-Doo).

Alan, Suzie, Tom, and Anne Chan

The middle kids include Alan, the inventor of the amazing Chan Van (more later) and whatever gadgets the family needs; Anne, an early feminist tomboy, with a baseball cap (and voiced by a young Jodie Foster); Tom, the intellectual of the family (you can tell because he wears glasses!); and Flip, the most enthusiastic member of the Clan for solving mysteries. He's usually seen wearing a porkpie hat.

The youngest kids are Nancy (age 9), the family klutz with the giant ponytail; Mimi (age 7), very girly and bossy, especially of; Scooter (age 6), the youngest and fiercely proud of being Flip's 'right arm'. Chu Chu (the dog) usually hangs out with the young kids in their primary role of being cute. But Chu Chu can also howl like a police siren, whenever the family needs to get somewhere fast in the Chan Van. Only in a Hanna Barbera show'

Flip, Mimi, Nancy, and Scooter Chan

The Chan Van was another in a long line of magic HB vehicles; it could disguise itself with the push of a button. Plus, it didn't always turn into another road vehicle. In one episode, it turns into a hot dog cart. I always wondered where the hot dogs came from and what exactly was in them.

I Got the Music in Me!

One of the more charming aspects of the show is that the older kids have a rock band, called (duh) The Chan Clan. There were some pedigreed folks behind the scenes providing the tunes. Music supervision was by Don Kirshner (best known for producing the early Monkees' music). Songwriting and main vocals were by Ron Dante, the voice of many 60s and 70s pop hits. 'Tracy', by the Cuff Links in 1969, is but one. He's best known for his work (with Kirshner) on the Archies. Dante was the singing voice of Archie Andrews on their best-selling singles and albums. Dante's lyricist for the Chan Clan was hitmaker Howard Greenfield ('Love Will Keep Us Together', 'Calendar Girl'), and the behind-the-scenes musicians included NYC session pros Hugh McCracken and David Spinoza (who, prior to their Chan Clan work, contributed to Paul McCartney's 1971 Ram album).

Many of the HB shows of this era had music groups as part of their structure ' it was almost a formula, which is gently mocked on the back of the Chan Clan DVD box: 'kids, mysteries, canine, van'. They left out 'rock band'. Music has always been a huge part of Hanna-Barbera, from their early jazzy scores (by the largely unsung) Hoyt Curtin, to HB's first regular rock band ' The Impossibles ' and includes the Cattanooga Cats and Banana Splits. The latter's theme song, 'The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)', actually hit the Billboard charts. In the 70s, some of the HB shows featuring bands and songs included Josie and the Pussycats, the near-forgotten Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, and Jabberjaw.

A lot of these shows remain popular today with bubblegum/power pop/sunshine pop connoisseurs who still collect this ultra-gummy music, much of which actually was released on albums in the era. Sadly, despite its quality and pedigree, the soundtrack for The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan was never released.

Although it has to be said ' and anybody who's heard the complete soundtrack to The Banana Splits Show knows ' HB songs are either brilliant (or catchy) or 'What in hell am I listening to?' (aka 'Two-Ton Tessie'). The Chan Clan soundtrack is no exception, from great pop songs to what sounds like things that didn't make the cut for the show's theme song. (Which is amazing considering how bad the actual theme song is.) Dante and Greenfield took their job pretty seriously (and they didn't write all the Chan Clan songs), not knowing that the show was kind of a stiff. Here's the theme song and opening credits:

(For more information, as well as an incredible read, check out the book Bubblegum Music Is the Naked Truth, edited by Kim Cooper and David Smay. This book is never far from my stereo, and I frequently re-read huge sections of it. If you were watching these 60s or 70s shows, it's the ultimate guide to your childhood soundtrack ' and it's filled with stuff you never knew!)

Back to Basics

Keye Luke

The animated series is loosely based on the Charlie Chan novels by Earl Derr Biggers originally published from 1925-1932. They featured the quick-witted and heroic detective Chan and were set in Hawaii (as is the cartoon, but that's not immediately apparent unless you look carefully). Numerous movies were based on the books, and actor Keye Luke (who voices Chan in the animated series) originally played Charlie Chan's 'Number One Son', Lee Chan, in a number of 1930s films. He also played Kato in the original Green Hornet serials in the early 1940s and Master Po in the TV series Kung Fu. Considering my love of unusual cartoon characters, perhaps my favorite role he played of his many, many film and TV appearances was that of the original Brak on Space Ghost.

Luke had an amazingly long Hollywood career. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed to RKO Studios, and he was one of the most prominent Asian actors in American films in the twentieth century. Amazingly, with his role of 'Mr. Chan' in The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, he was the first (and only) actor of Chinese descent to portray the Chinese detective. (The most popular Chan films starred either Swedish actor Warner Oland or American actor Sidney Toler, after Oland's death.)

Interestingly, in the animated series, the lead character is always (with one exception ' and that's in a story title) referred to as 'Mr. Chan' or 'Dad', but not as 'Charlie' Chan.

I Hear 'Extra' Voices?

It's been occasionally reported that the show was originally cast with Chinese or Asian actors portraying the Chan children, and that they were quickly replaced by American actors because it was decided that the original accents were too thick. Animation and comic book historian Mark Evanier says that it was more likley a financial issue. Traditionally, most voice actors double (or triple) up on doing incidental, minor voices, beyond their main role. The Asian actors couldn't really provide additional voices for the primarily American villains and supporting characters, which meant hiring more voice actors on top of an already huge cast ' a big no-no for cost-conscious Hanna Barbera. Mark has more on this in the link, including the history and production of the series and how he came to write the first issue of The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan comic book ' an important milestone for his writing career.

Among the American actors hired to voice the Chan Clan, besides the aforementioned Jodie Foster, were Lisa Gerritsen (various voices), best known as Phyllis' daughter on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Phyllis. (But I remember her from the before-its-time series My World and Welcome To It (1969), which was loosely based on the work of author James Thurber.) Robert Ito (Henry Chan) worked extensively in animation, as well as playing Professor Hikita in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and as Sam Fujiyama on six seasons of Quincy. Brian Tochi (Alan Chan) has had extensive careers in both episodic TV and animation as Master Hama on Johnny Bravo and Shiv on Static Shock. HB regular Lennie Weinrub (Stanley Chan) has a long animation and television resume, including being the original voice of Scrappy-Doo, H. R. Pufnstuf, and Inch High, Private Eye. I just saw him in a great early episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show where he hysterically scams Mel to get Buddy's job back.

Here's a rare clip with all of the kids getting involved:

The Legacy of the Clan

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan hasn't exactly faded quietly away over the years. The band showed up in an episode of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (as did many of the HB stars of this era), as a Japanese band called 'Shoyu Weenie' suing the Jabberjaw band, the Neptunes, for plagiarism. Some of the Chan kids have cameoed in group shots in such shows as Krypto, the Superdog (Mimi) and Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated (Suzie).

There's a Hanna-Barbera legend that for most every season during their prime years, HB had a 'problem' series. In 1972, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan was that year's problem show. The scripts were so poor that Fred Silverman threatened to never buy another HB show (a threat quickly forgotten). Joe Barbera described the pre-rant situation as ' ' when Fred reads it, the shit's really gonna hit the Chan.' The early recasting of many of the voice talents was only one of the production nightmares and cost overruns stemming from the extra-large cast.

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan was also produced during some of Hanna-Barbera's notorious cutbacks in animation, making it even more 'limited' than usual. Even casual viewers of this set will notice that there's basically only one version of the animation to accompany the frequent musical segments of the show, where the family's pop band is performing, although they try to disguise this with editing tricks. Watch carefully in one episode ' guitarist/singer Stanley's head completely disappears for a few frames! What I found amusing were that several backgrounds were painted with main characters directly on them so that they don't move at all! Some characters go for minutes without blinking, and some never move their heads at all ' other than their mouths. Each character had their own unique walk-cycle, but when three or more of the characters walk together it often looks like crazy dancing! This show could be the ultimate HB drinking game for hardcore animation fans. (No head ' drink!)

Here's a clip showing how limited the animation could be. The parrot moves more than some of the lead characters!

But We Love it Anyway'

Despite all of this, it's actually a charming show if you concentrate on the interesting character interrelations (and design work) and on the (mostly) high-quality music. Try to ignore the super-limited animation and the really corny jokes ' although I have a theory that some of those are deliberately so. As with all of Warner Archive's animation sets, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan episodes have not been restored, but overall the show looks (and sounds) at least as good as the prints occasionally shown on Boomerang. You'll see some specks and dirt, but what do you expect from a show that's now (gasp!) 40 years old.

I'm really happy to be able to hold this set in my hands ' especially as I'm beginning to wonder if some of my favorite HB shows (including Quick Draw McGraw and the Banana Splits) will ever be recovered enough to be properly released. Even if The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan wasn't HB's best show, it has its fans, and it's truly wonderful that it even still exists at all. Fans should rejoice! Warner Archive's animation rocks! Bring on more!

(The studio provided a review copy.)

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Tokyopop Teases More Publishing With Hints of OEL Return

Sean Kleefeld caught Tokyopop once again teasing readers on Twitter with hints that they would be publishing new volumes of their OEL series. (OEL, or 'Original English Language', is an umbrella term for what would simply be called 'graphic novels' from other publishers. They were original works created for the American market.) The company stopped publishing over a year ago but returned from the dead with print-on-demand editions of Hetalia, followed by one of their most popular OEL titles, Bizenghast. Just last week, though, the status of other OEL titles was back in the news with Stu Levy's contradictory attitude about returning the rights to the original creators.

The key part of Tokyopop's Twitter said:

Would you like to see us release new volumes of our old OEL titles ASAP or would you prefer we stagger it over the course of a few months? Just for clarification, we say OEL because that's what we can easily do next as a publisher, whereas manga will take more time to negotiate.

I guess Stu's not planning to release those rights after all. Sean makes the excellent points that this indicates once again how

it still seems unusual to make such a drastic change to try to return from such a drastic change only a year ago. If other folks do manage to pick up this story amid all the Comic-Con business, I can almost guarantee someone will use the term 'whiplash.'

I think Levy and Tokyopop do deserve a lot of credit for helping to make manga popular here in the States. I doubt there are many people who would deny that. But with radical upsets like this, I can't help but wonder how much MORE they could have done for manga if they could keep the company focused. Levy's got a definite love of the medium and plenty of energy to market it, but damn if he doesn't seem to always be distracted by the nearest shiny object.

Stu Levy: the Magpie Kitten of American Manga Publishing.

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The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra

The latest in the Manga Guide series tackles the complicated math of Linear Algebra.

As with the other books, there's a framing story to involve the reader and provide a sympathetic co-learner. Here, it echoes the classic shonen fight manga structure, as freshman Reiji wants to join the karate club. He's too scrawny, though, so he strikes a deal with the brawny club captain ' he will be allowed to join if he tutors the captain's sister Misa in linear algebra. Of course, she's adorable, but Reiji's afraid of what her monster brother would do if he hit on her.

Also following the Manga Guide pattern, some chapters are followed by a text section with more depth. Not all of them, though ' more of this book is in comic format than others in the series. The chapters here are paired. The first two explain what the subject is, involving transformations and functions, with the basics of set theory and logic brought up as a refresher. As always, the images are incredibly helpful in visualizing the examples and concepts.

Chapters three and four cover matrices; five and six, vectors. The final two chapters are the most complex, covering linear transformations (used in computer graphics), then eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Throughout, Reiji wins the reader over with his determination and good humor in both learning and teaching, despite pushing himself to the limit in learning karate. His story is familiar, which is comforting.

I appreciated the way the author tackled the question 'what is linear algebra good for?' He admits, 'It doesn't stand that well on its own, to be completely honest' but states it's an important foundational subject for mathematicians and physicists. There are sample pages and extra material at the publisher's website. (The publisher provided a review copy.)

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Viz Launches Neon Alley, Anime Channel That Skips Traditional TV Model

Viz Media, manga and anime publisher, announced that they will be launching a new anime channel this fall. Neon Alley is a bit different, though, because you won't get it through your cable or satellite provider; it will be delivered through game consoles. (Specifics not available, but I'm assuming/hoping this means all the major ones, similar to Netflix.)

The service will carry uncut and dubbed anime in the United States and Canada, including Naruto Shippuden, Death Note, Tiger & Bunny, and Vampire Knight. It will cost $6.99 a month, although the programming isn't ad-free. They promise 'limited commercial advertising' to keep the price down as well as 'studio agnostic [content], featuring titles from other anime producers and distributors'. From this panel writeup, they will also include 'martial arts movies and behind-the-scenes content, and will also have anime shorts, OVAs, music videos, and anime news'.

Viz has a history of putting its anime wherever they can to reach viewers, from Netflix to streaming services Hulu and Joost to their own VizAnime website (where content is subtitled, not dubbed). This mechanism more directly monetizes the content, while reaching interested audience members directly. It also cuts out the major TV carriers, cable systems and satellites, who have been demonstrating resistance to adding more channels.

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More Books Should Have Comic Press Releases

• Posted by Johanna on July 8, 2012 at 8:03 pm
• Category: Graphic Novel News

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Max & Lily Return!

• Posted by Johanna on July 8, 2012 at 5:25 pm
• Category: Digital and Webcomics

I'm absolutely thrilled to see the return of Max & Lily, an outstanding comic strip by Kris Dresen first published in minicomics beginning in 1996. Now Dresen is reposting the series as a weekly webcomic. Plus, as she says, 'I could add my commentary for each strip and post all of the covers and out-of-continuity comics and sketches and drawings and, and, and.'

Remember, if you haven't seen it before, it's new to you, and this is one really great comic. Reading Dresen's observations add in plenty of new material for old fans. I would love to have friends like these, so insightful and witty. Look, aren't they cute together?

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Usagi Yojimbo: Traitors of the Earth

Although I enjoy each new Usagi Yojimbo volume just for the stories, I was particularly attracted to this latest collection due to the introduction. It's by comic grand master Walter Simonson.

As I would expect from such an insightful contributor, Simonson sums up beautifully the appeal of Sakai's series:

I have read this comic book, since its beginning, for all the right reasons. Regularly, like clockwork, it brings me the unalloyed joy of reading a well-told, well-drawn story, about characters I have come to care about. For me, that's the highest praise I can give any comic book.

That's why Usagi Yojimbo has continued for so long with such well-deserved recognition, and also why it's so hard to talk about. How do you find new ways to recommend a series whose greatest strength is its consistency in excellence? 'It's still good' doesn't draw attention or raise sales ' which is why so many other, shorter-running series resort to stunts or creative changes, and they still don't satisfy as much as Usagi does. Perhaps I should follow Walt's lead and talk more about how classic and accomplished Sakai's storytelling is 'fashioned with craft, care, devotion'. (Only I don't have nearly the reputation to stand behind it.)

Traitors of the Earth collects Usagi Yojimbo #117'#123 with stories from Dark Horse Maverick 2001 and MySpace Dark Horse Presents #35. The book opens with a flashback to young Usagi in training, where a demon story teaches an unexpected lesson. The following tale shows a grown-up Usagi continuing the tradition, educating another youngster. Those are just introductions to the much longer story, involving a stolen mystical trinket. It turns out to have the power to create an undead army in a beautifully illustrated tale. There's magic, death, battle, and someone called Sasuke the Demon Hunter to help rescue Usagi's possessed friend.

The friend is a thief, and the next chapter involves caring for her after her experience. Since this is an adventure comic, though, there's also a mystery about who's trying to kill a local merchant. Usagi additionally gets taken to a bandit gang's secret hideout and brings trouble on a poor family for their hospitality. The book ends with a reprint of issue #123, 'The Death of Lord Hikiji', which was nominated for a 2010 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue. It's about the futility of never-ending quests for vengeance.

There are also a few cultural story notes, a one-page 'Usagi vs. Groo' crossover, and a gallery of cover art. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.)

Does a Mashup of Media References a Cartoon Make?

• Posted by Johanna on July 7, 2012 at 3:14 pm
• Category: LinkBlogging

The local free weekly runs a comic panel called The HR Department by Ed Harrington. (I don't know if it's syndicated or not ' the problem with calling your comic something so generic means it's darn near impossible to google for information.) Here's the latest example:

While it tickled me, before I stopped to think about it, I also found myself wondering if this comic made any sense at all to someone who doesn't recognize the Mythbusters cast members. Aquaman's more well-known, I guess, but then there's the combination of the two. Is it funny? Or just self-satisfying when the reader recognizes all the references?

(And in the 'killing the joke' category ' Aquaman spends all his time in water. Where his hand is shouldn't matter.)

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Before Watchmen: Nite Owl Gives Some Odd Advice

• Posted by Johanna on July 7, 2012 at 5:28 pm
• Category: Superhero Reviews

I'm not sure I should be taking advice from superhero comics, let alone a line that screams 'we are totally out of ideas so we are strip-mining the most important graphic novel in our library'. The below is from Before Watchmen: Nite Owl, J. Michael Straczynski, writer, Andy and Joe Kubert, art.

I'm not going to comment on the rest of the book ' although Brian Hibbs lives up to the 'Savage Critic' name on it, and I can't argue with his points ' but this particular exchange struck me. Both for what it might say about how comic creators are viewing franchise superhero work these days, and how it echoed thoughts I've been having about my own 20-year career talking about comics online.

Like much of its genre, on further reflection, this piece of advice strikes me as rather immature. Adults don't do things solely because they're meaningful ' they also do them for income, to build a career, to take care of their family, because you don't throw over your life on a whim or a bad day. There's also obligation, living up to your word if other people are depending on you continuing what you said you would do. However, adults also don't put on costumes to punch people, so perhaps this is as starry-eyed misguided as what that type of story has become. As an argument against self-reflection, though, I reject JMS's 'advice'.

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Avengers Home Video Trailer, Second Screen App Available Now

Here's a trailer for Marvel's The Avengers on Blu-ray, due out September 25.

Although 'The Avengers Initiative: A Marvel Second Screen App' is a special feature for the Blu-ray, Marvel has released it now. You can't follow along with the movie yet, obviously, but they're rolling out 'exclusive content' every other week during July and August, weekly in September until the Blu-ray comes out.

Right now, you can access S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel files for Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, with other characters coming later (including Jasper Sitwell!). Here's an example, with most of the items being touch-clickable for bigger images and galleries (if you remember that you can swipe to scroll):

You can also play along with with the Item 47 Comic-Con experience ' the first activity is a map puzzle of San Diego ' or view three 'visual effects showcases', which show the different layers involved in those movie sequences. Not yet unlocked are folders labeled 'Comic Book Origins', 'Sync' (presumably with the movie), or 'Avengers Initiative Timeline'. These match up with the promise of the ability to 'view the major events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ' Phase 1 on the definitive timeline of all 6 movies' and 'seamlessly link the characters, stories, and scenes of the movie back to their comic book origins through the interactive Marvel digital reader.'

The app is available for your iPad or iPhone (first time for second screen on that platform).

Similar Posts: Disney Publishing Releases Marvel Avengers iPad Story Apps § Avengers DVD Dates Announced § New Avengers Poster, Trailer Released § More Thoughts on the Avengers Movie, Particularly Money § Marvel Announces Captain America Sequel for 2014

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Everything You Like About Netflix? Analysts Think That's a Bad Idea

It doesn't surprise me to see more evidence that, in today's connected world, the interests of consumers and entertainment providers continue to diverge greatly. It's just rare to see it expressed so blatantly. Techdirt wrote up a recent analyst's report on kids' programming on Netflix in which the conclusions were reached that

1. parents and kids like being able to watch what they want when they want
2. especially since there are no commercials
3. and this is a bad thing for kids' programming providers like Viacom and Disney
4. so they should try to restrict this viewing in favor of their own channels

The first two points are not at all surprising to anyone who's tried any kind of DVR or Netflix programming. The last two may not be news, either ' many observers have seen that providers hate viewers having more choice and control over what they consume, especially when it comes at lower flat rates instead of paying per movie or TV show. I'm not sure exactly how they're supposed to restrict that behavior, though, since today's digital world is all about providing more control to consumers, less to the traditional media giants.

What's not realized in the advocation of this strategy for the giants is that some viewers are more loyal to the method than the content. That is, they're more likely to stick with Netflix, watching what is available there, than follow Disney back to their walled gardens.

Similar Posts: Rental Calendars Have Different Release Dates § Don't Like UltraViolet Digital Movies? You Can't Sell the Codes § Warner Thinks Waiting to Netflix DVDs Will Help Sales § Shock! Price Matters ' At Least in Music § Viz Anime Streaming on Netflix Adds Death Note

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Wonder Woman/Archie Fashion Mashup

• Posted by Johanna on July 4, 2012 at 4:10 pm
• Category: Archie Comics, LinkBlogging

Similar Posts: More on the DeCarlo Family: Dan's Sons and Their Pinups § Archie: The Best of Dan DeCarlo Volume 1 § Gisele's Josie Tryout § Josie and the Pussycats DVD PR Wrong About DeCarlo § Archie: The Best of Dan DeCarlo Volume 2

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USA Today's Aurora Rose = Buffy as Babysitter

• Posted by Johanna on July 4, 2012 at 7:41 pm
• Category: Digital and Webcomics

USA Today has begun serializing a weekly online comic called Aurora Rose.

The first issue is 17 pages, of which three are alternate covers, including a photo variant. I'm not sure why a digital comic needs those. But the models and their agency gets credit! Story is by Jason Stevens and William Wilson with art by Taylor Bills. Although Wilson says they don't want to 'make books about women who look like strippers', this is one of the covers:

The tale, such as it is, reminds me of Buffy as a babysitter, with a hot young thing fighting demons to protect the innocent. The creators are obviously aware of the similarities, saying:

Many of today's strong female leads owe a lot to the title heroine of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Stevens admits that Aurora has some Buffy DNA in her. But there are also elements of Adventures in Babysitting, John Carpenter's original Halloween, and even some old-school Lynda Carter Wonder Woman in the series, too, all with a 1980s Spielbergian bent.

The narrative voice is snarky, as though nothing mattered, very wannabe Whedon. Only the interview at the web page tells us all this, because none of it's visible in the comic yet. Typical of first issues these days, it's badly paced, with no scenes with the title heroine. It's all background and setup, telling us of various mysterious conspiracy groups and their long history. The problem is, we have no reason to care because we have no connection to any of it. Plus, it's too familiar in terms of having seen it all before. I don't really need another monster-fighting story where a bunch of old men sitting around a table tell the few female characters what to do.

If you do want to read more, new pages will be posted every Tuesday.

Similar Posts: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home § Aurora Pulls Online Manga From Netcomics § Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayers § Fractured Franchise: Dark Horse Reclaims Angel to Go With Buffy § Darn, Motion Comics Aren't Dead Yet: Buffy Season 8, Black Panther Yanked

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Spinner Rack: X-Men Legacy 269, Archie 634, Angel & Faith 11, Resident Alien 2

X-Men Legacy #269

Writer: Christos Gage
Penciler: David Baldeon
Inker: Jordi Tarragona
Marvel, $2.99

Rogue and Ms. Marvel face off as part of the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover, a particularly fraught battle due to their history. (I assume she's still Ms. Marvel for now. I couldn't find her name in the issue.) Ms. Marvel wants to talk about the danger the Phoenix Five represent, while Rogue has taken their side in the 'war' against the Avengers.

It's a good conflict, one that helps personalize the big event, with lots of intriguing concepts. For example, is it fair to stop someone based on what could happen? Ms. Marvel's fears are more hypothetical than actual at this point, although we all know that power corrupts, especially in superhero comics.

What really struck me about this issue, though, is that Gage manages to sum up the difference between the two mega-teams in simple phrases. As Rogue says,

Guess that's the difference between us and the Avengers. The world already looked pretty good to them. They fought to keep it as it was. We fought to make it better.

And that's what drives most political debates, right? Whether you feel as though you're part of the establishment, or left out of it.

I also like Baldeon's chunky figures, who have good action poses that convey energy while still seeming achievable. It's refreshing to see a super-comic featuring women where the emphasis is on their power, not butt shots. In this issue, they're fighting, struggling to come out on top, without posing for the viewer.

Resident Alien #2

Writer: Peter Hogan
Artist: Steve Parkhouse
Dark Horse, $3.50

I can't really recommend buying this issue, #2 of 3 (not counting the #0 introduction), because at this point, I think you should just get the eventual collection. I like this tale of an extraterrestrial masquerading as town doctor, shanghaied into investigating a murder mystery.

This issue fills in much of the history, of the victims, of the visitor (and how he arrived), and of the nurse, the only person who suspects the doctor isn't what he seems. Her family ' she seeks guidance from her dad ' ties the story back to the Southwestern location as well as explaining, a bit, her unique status. He also provides good advice, restraining the American need to do SOMEthing about weirdness, instead counseling acceptance and patience.

The characters and setting are well-delineated, a pleasure to view, with distinctive coloring and personalities, expressed both through voice and visually. There is a bit of fortuitous circumstance, as a patient I don't recall seeing before gives the doctor the clue he needs to start tying the killings together, but I like the plain-spoken man's take on how to be healthy: 'I eat well, I sleep well, I walk a lot, and I don't take crap from anyone.'

Angel & Faith #11

Writer: Christos Gage
Art: Rebekah Isaacs
Dark Horse, $2.99

This series keeps surprising me. This issue is part one of a new 'Family Reunion' storyline, which means we see several well-known characters reappear to cause trouble. There are three big names here, which I won't spoil, one of whom is my favorite, one of whom is always a pleasure to see (although I thought he was dead), and one of whom I can't stand.

I'm not sure how I feel about the structure of this series. The TV show, back when, revolved around 'there's a monster, we must stop it.' This story is more proactive, with Angel trying to do something stupid. It allows for more different types of tales, as there's an excuse for Faith and Angel to go do something instead of waiting for trouble to come to them, but invariably, we still get the 'zompire' battle scenes. It's a difficult line to walk, too, with readers wanting to know what's going on with their favorite characters, but at least in my case, I need a series that still works if you remember very little about the details and didn't read all of Buffy Season 8 or the previous Angel comic series.

So far, this is balancing well. Devoted franchise followers may find some of the discussion here exposition-heavy, as one of the guest stars has her own quest that intersects with Angel's desires tangentially. I found it helpful to remind us where we'd left things, and it's leavened with plenty of humor. (I'm quickly becoming a Gage fangirl.) There's an underlying theme running through the series, too, which is how the lack of any magic in the world is making it a worse place to be. (Except that there are still plenty of residual artifacts and demons and such ' it's not a consistency that bothers me, though, because with absolutely no magic, we'd have about 20% of our cast members.)

This issue is very talky, as much of the premise is set up, and given what they set out to do and where they're going, I expect it will be balanced out in the rest of the storyline with more action and wild visuals. Isaacs' characters are nicely done, with enough resemblance to the actors we know, but with the kind of expression lacking in more heavily photo-referenced works. There are lots of feelings on display, as folks reunite and get sad and yell at each other. Very nice hair, too.

Archie #634

Writer: Dan Parent
Penciler: Dan Parent
Inker: Rich Koslowski
Archie, $2.99

The 'Archie Marries Valerie' storyline concludes by satirizing the company's tendency to run these kinds of events. The writer appears to have gotten tired of pairing off Archie and Valerie as a musical family, giving them a prodigal daughter named Star, so eight pages in, Valerie goes walking back down Memory Lane. That's the magical lamppost that shows characters their potential futures.

Since she (and the reader) are bored of the story they've been reading, we start getting glimpses of Archie alternately marrying every other female character in Riverdale ' Cheryl Blossom, Sabrina, Josie, Ginger, even Midge and Ethel. None are happy, based on what we see, leading Valerie to disavow planning for the future in terms of relationships. That makes sense for the characters, perpetually stuck as teens, but it's not so great a message for the readers. It's also a ridiculously over-the-top 'resolution' to this event storyline, running the concept into the ground.

The book ends with (the sadly non-paired) Dilton telling us no one can know the future, so we should 'seize the day'. Which leaves Archie and Valerie smooching, a state of affairs I suspect won't be followed up on until the publisher needs another 'ratings boost'. Or maybe they want to see which possible marriage for Archie catches the attention of readers.