Comics Reviews: 10/5/2009

Digital Comics: The Inevitable Frontier

Sometimes it's hard to recognize change when you're living in the midst of it. "The things they can do now!" my mom often exclaims when I show her my latest digital gadget. "You don't know how amazing it is because you're used to it." Maybe that's why when it comes to digital comics, my attitude is one of pragmatism and not Oh my god, it's going to change everything!

Panel Mania: Dolltopia

Dolls escape their factory built conformity in Dolltopia by Abby Denson. Kitty, a ballerina doll forced into domestic life with a jock doll, and Jim, an army doll who doesn't fit in with the the military lifestyle, flee to Dolltopia, a haven where dolls can be who thay want. Dolltopia is published by Green Candy Press.

Kodansha Sets Up to Publish Manga in U.S.

After years of speculation about its plans, Kodansha, the largest publisher in Japan and a prolific manga licensor to U.S. publishers, is establishing an office in New York City to publish and sell manga directly in the U.S. market beginning this month. The new line of manga will be called Kodansha Comics, which will be published under Kodansha USA Publishing and distributed by Random House.

Attendance Up at New York Anime Fest Despite Costs

Although the anime and manga markets have had a mixed year in 2009, with consolidation and downsizing, it was belied by the enthusiastic fan participation at this years New York Anime Festival, held Sept. 25-27. With an attendance of 21,388 people, a 16% increase over last year, NYAF 2009 was precisely that, an anime festival with less of a manga focus than in previous years.

Small Press Expo Feels the Love

Indie cartoonists, web comickers and the fans who love them once again mingled in a weekend of camaraderie and appreciation at this weekend's Small Press Expo, held in North Bethesda, MD. This year's edition lived up to its well-deserved reputation as one of the year's mellowest and enjoyable comics fests, and a strong slate of recent comics kept sales at high levels.

Comics Briefly 9/29/09

Photo Mania: NY Anime Festival and Small Press Expo

It was a crowded weekend for comics, as the New York Anime Festival and Small Press Expo took place concurrently. PWCW's photographers were there to catch both scenes.

Tokyopop, Harper Team To Release ‘Shutter Island’ Graphic Novel

Graphic novel publisher Tokyopop is working in conjunction with HarperCollins to release a comics adaptation of bestselling novelist Dennis Lehane’s psychological thriller Shutter Island in January 2010 in time for the February release of a new Martin Scorsese film based on the novel.

Toon Treasury: Open Sesame

With The Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, published this month by Abrams, Art Spiegelman and his wife, Françoise Mouly, are bringing comics classics to kids of a new generation. “Comic books were considered the most disposable ephemera, yet clearly those who grew up with them cherished them,” Spiegelman says. “It seems like some of the most important literature for children in the middle of the 20th century is in these comic books.”

An Anime Canon for All

In June, the Penguin Group released The Rough Guide to Anime by Simon Richmond. The book establishes a canon of 50 must-see films and TV anime series, as well as reviews of 150 notable titles, and a brief history of anime.

Conspiracy, Comics and a ‘Red Herring’

Written by David Tischman and drawn by Philip Bond, Wildstorm’s new six-issue mini-series, Red Herring, concentrates on an intriguing and complex tale of conspiracy, betrayal and murder.

Comics Briefly

Capstone to Add Kids' Nonfiction Graphic Novel Line

Capstone Press, a nonfiction imprint of Capstone Publishers, plans to add a new line of kids' nonfiction graphic novels to its fast growing comics and graphic novel publishing program. This fall the house is launching Graphic Expeditions, a nonfiction line of graphic novels that will debut with six titles that aim to introduce young readers to social studies, history and world cultures. The new line will feature the archaeologist Dr. Isabel “Izzy” Soto...

Panel Mania: Refresh, Refresh

In Refresh, Refresh three teenage boys come to age in a small Oregon town where all the men, including their fathers, are away fighting in Iraq. While waiting for their fathers—and hitting the refresh button on their email—the boys fight, drink and discover that the world is not as simple as they thought. Refresh, Refresh by Danica Novgorodoff will be released by First Second in October.

DC Comics Reorganizes as DC Entertainment

The winds of change once again blew over the comics industry last week, as Warner Bros. announced a major restructuring and executive changes at DC Comics. The home of Superman and Batman will become part of a larger division called DC Entertainment, to be run by WB branding veteran Diane Nelson.

Ed Brubaker: Crime, Superheroes and Comic Book History

Comics writer Ed Brubaker's body of work stretches beyond the superhero genre and into gritty crime dramas and dark espionage tales. This November, two of his series, Criminal and Incognito, will ship new book collections—a debut trade paperback for Incognito and an oversized hardcover omnibus for Criminal, which will feature a new story arc called "The Sinners."

R. Sikoryak’s Comics Masterpiece

R. Sikoryak's dead-on recreations of historical cartooning styles—utilized to adapt canonical Western literature—were immediately striking as witty, smart, and intensely well-crafted manifestations of the postmodern impulse within the comics form.

Jewish Life and Comics in ‘The Big Kahn’

Superheroes, action comics and horror stories—comics writer Neil Kleid does it all. But in an unusual twist, two of Kleid’s recent books, have pointed their story-telling lens at Jewish life and history. Brownsville, which came out in 2006, is set in 1930’s Brooklyn in the world of the Jewish mob, and his newest book, The Big Kahn, is a family drama that takes place in a contemporary Orthodox Jewish community

Comics Briefly

Reed Combines NYCC, NYAF at Javits Center; Stitches Online Video; SPX Programming Listing ; A Day for the Bookstores; Seven Seas Manga For Kindle; Archie, Veronica Wed; Old Characters Return; Full House Comes To Netcomics; and Picture Box; Top Shelf Offer Book Sales;