ComicBitsOnline.com

There is an online Daily Telegraph interview with Alan Moore that fans might find interesting.

The link is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/10/07/sv_alanmoore.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

Some very sad news just arrived.  Comicdom has lost another citizen. CBOs condolences go out to his family.

IN LOVING MEMORY 

Richard H. Goldwater 

1936-2007 

Richard H. Goldwater, President/Co-Publisher of Archie Comics, passed away October 2, 2007, after a courageous battle with cancer. Richard’s father, John Goldwater, was the creator of “Archie Andrews” –

As Editor-In-Chief, Richard strived to produce good, clean, wholesome comics suitable for family entertainment.  Under Richard’s careful stewardship, millions of fans all over the world have grown up chuckling at the antics of “Archie” and his friends.  He helped make the “bff” relationship between “Betty” and “Veronica” and the “Archie,” “Betty” and “Veronica” love triangle an integral part of American popular culture. Over the years, “Archie” and his friends have changed with the times and embraced current fads.  They’ve gone from poodle skirts and sock hops to e-mail and in-line skating.  But the age-old teenage issues of dating, crushes, school, homework, sports and parents that they struggle with have remained the same.  Nowadays, “Archie” and his friends interact with fans online at ArchieComics.com.

When asked about the reason for “Archie’s” enduring appeal, Richard told the New York Times in 1973: “He’s basically a square, but in my opinion squares are the backbone of

Richard worked tirelessly to make sure Riverdale was the kind of town you would want to live in.  While the main characters have always been “Archie,” “Betty,” “Veronica,” “Jughead” and “Reggie,” Richard made sure that a diverse cast of ethnic characters were an integral part of Riverdale’s population. Just about everyone in

Richard was instrumental in the introduction of new properties, such as “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “Josie and the Pussycats,” and in the diversification of the Archie Comics product line via the addition of licensed properties, such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.” In each case, Richard ensured that the comic stories fit with the company’s strong family values. He took great satisfaction knowing that Archie Comics only produced comics with content that parents could trust to be appropriate for their children. Richard was instrumental in expanding the reach of Archie Comics beyond

Richard also assisted Michael with efforts to expand Archie’s core characters into other mediums – including countless “Archie”, “Sabrina” and “Josie” animated television series, a long running live action “Sabrina” television series that has been seen in 34 different countries, a “Josie and the Pussycats” theatrical motion picture and “The Archies” musical group that had tremendous success in the 60’s and 70’s.

In commenting upon Richard’s passing, Michael said: “I am proud to know that my good friend Richard played a major role in bringing

Victor Gorelick, Vice President/Managing Editor, said, “I worked with Richard for almost 50 years.  He passed on his enthusiasm and love for the “Archie” characters to me.  He was my boss and my friend.  I’m going to miss him and our almost daily talks.  While he would come into my office to go over cover ideas, story topics and editorial direction, we also enjoyed engaging in lively discussions about cars, food, boats and the good old days.”

Richard is survived by his three daughters, Lisa, Taylor and Summer.  There will be a Memorial Service to celebrate Richard’s life on Wednesday, October 10th at Zion Memorial Chapel,

(203-655-4693). 

Contact: Michael Silberkleit 

Chairman/Co-Publisher 

Archie Comic Publications, Inc.

(914) 381-5155 Ext. 213  

Daily Top 5 coming up:

1.  HaloClix

2.  Gearalt Finlay

3.   Archie Comics Preview

4.  Diamond Comics [India]

5.  Raumpatrouille Orion feature

 Not sure if anyone is going to this event but if you check out the web site you’ll get all the details on how to get there,etc..

 If you’re going let me know!

 http://microplex.cubecinema.com/cubewebsite/

I keep getting asked which articles on site get the most hits each day.  The policy is usually not give this info out as it can be viewed as extra pushing of companies.

However,I’m going to tell you who got the most hits yesterday and so far today.

Friday

1.  ARCHIE

2.  HALO CLIX

3.  HAPPY TOAST

4.   RAJ COMICS

5.   Manhua,Manhwa & Manga

Saturday

1.  HALO CLIX

2.  Manhua,Manhwa & Manga

3.  ARCHIE COMICS

4.  Steve Ditko Comics Britannia item

5.  EMMA VIECELI interview - a regular big hitter since posted in August.

So,there you go!

Wow,I’m on fire with item titles tonight [well,it is gone Midnight!].

One of the projects I was excited about at the International Comic Expo this year was Alan Grant [scribe supreme] and Cam Kennedy’s adaption of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped into a graphic novel for Waverley Books.

But so far I’ve heard no more yet the art I saw was just exuding loveliness and sparkle [yeah,it really has gone Midnight!].

So keep popping by as I delve into the mysteriously silent Kidnapping!!

 This is a project Tony Lee and Dan Boultwood were talking about at this year’s International Comic Expo.  The guys will be at BICS in October and you can go up and ask both men lots of silly questions as they no doubt be,uh,the worse for hard ….work.

Here’s the official bumpf!
HOPE FALLS is a five - part Supernatural Thriller coming out in November 2007, from AAM / Markosia.

Written by Tony Lee and with art by Dan Boultwood, the story is Pale Rider meets Twin Peaks by way of The Crow and The Da Vinci Code when an angel, currently free-falling towards hell returns to the town she lived in - to finally gain revenge against the four men who raped and killed her twenty years earlier.

But each killing puts her soul one step closer to hell…

For twenty years, her murder has been unsolved - now she’s back to settle the score…

For more information visit

www.hope-falls.com

The British have a long history of treating their comic book creators,especially artists,badly.  I can recall a trip to Germany in the early 1980s and seeing the name Don Lawrence on albums.  Last I’d seen of his work was The Trigan Empire reprints in Vulcan!

But the Europeans,and especially the Dutch,took Lawrence to their hearts.  No surprise that that there is a nice site [in English and Dutch] selling Lawrence books.

Some in English and also Dutch -you simply cannot complain,though;the Dutch have kept Lawrence’s work in print and built him up to star status so they can print the work in whatever language they want!

STORM vol.23 The Navel Of The Double God will only be available in Dutch!  Other Dutch volumes will see English language reprints but a while off yet.

The site can be reached at:

http://www.donlawrence.co.uk

Well worth spending time there -and tell ‘em CBO sent you!

September 2007 - 100 pages

ALTER EGO 72 spotlights Captain Carrot & The Ghost of Milt Caniff! Behind a new SCOTT SHAW! cover of the 1980s Zoo Crew, Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw! document the creation of Captain Carrot, with art & artifacts, many of them never before seen, by SCOTT SHAW!, ROY THOMAS, RICK HOBERG, STAN GOLDBERG, MIKE SEKOWSKY, JOHN COSTANZA, E. NELSON BRIDWELL, CAROL LAY, and others!

Also, there’s an incisive interview with DICK ROCKWELL, Golden Age artist (Black Diamond Western, etc.) and 36-year ghost artist on MILTON CANIFF’s Steve Canyon!

Plus, there’s P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) with Marc Swayze, C.C. Beck, and others, Michael T. Gilbert and Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, and more!

We’re also selling the complete PDF for $2.95.

It has to be said that AE is getting better in many ways.  It was,if I remember correctly,brother Mike who got into the Captain Carrot And His Amazing Zoo Crew back in the 1980s and for me the series stood side-by-side with ‘Mazing Man [anyone remember that?].  The Scott Shaw! cover is,obviously,a tribute to the old Sekowsky & Anderson JLA cover of Brave & The Bold #28,March,1960.

So,lots of anthropomorphic [funny animals given human attributes/character] art and info and I think there are a lot of artists out there who could benefit from checking out the art itself.  Lovely.

There is a look at Golden Age DC humour teamLarry & Martin Nadle;Mr Monster’s Comic Crypt [of course,and if you are an MLJ (Golden Age Archie Comics) fan you MUST get this one!];FCA #131 and lots more. 

And in October there is the Hallowe’en special [AE #73] with a Frank Brunner cover painting of Dr Strange & Clea -the Sorcerer Supreme making a MUCH deserved cover come-back as you’ll see with….

BACK ISSUE #24

100 pages - September 2007

In BACK ISSUE 24, superstar artist MICHAEL GOLDEN takes center stage in an all-new interview examining “Golden’s Oldies” Micronauts, The ’Nam, and Dr. Strange!

There’s more Dr. Strange in this “Magic”-themed issue: GENE COLAN and PAUL SMITH talk “Pro2Pro” about the Master of the Mystic Arts, FRANK BRUNNER discusses his unforgettable stint drawing the Sorceror Supreme, and CARL POTTS and KEVIN NOWLAN are among the talents featured in a Dr. Strange Art Gallery!

Plus: BILL WILLINGHAM’s Elementals, a Zatanna history, Dr. Fate’s revival, DC’s Silverblade and Amethyst, a “Greatest Stories Never Told” look at Peter Pan, and a tribute to the late, great MARSHALL ROGERS!

There’s also art by and commentary from TERRY AUSTIN, CARY BATES, STEVE ENGLEHART, KEITH GIFFEN, CRAIG HAMILTON, MIKE LEEKE, GEORGE PÉREZ, and others, and a magical

Dr. Strange cover by Michael Golden! Includes a FREE Preview of ROUGH STUFF #6!

There’s a preview of this issue’s Michael Golden interview on the Westfield Comics web site.

We’re also selling the complete PDF for $2.95.

Again,after Comic Book Artist [volume 1] departed Twomorrows I had serious doubts they could ever replace it.  I did “hmm” and “auhh” over the first couple of issues of Back Issues but it really has gone from strength-to-strength.

Take a look at that cover -and it looks even better when you are holding it in your hands!!

What is a true joy for any comics fan or artist are the vast number of pencilled/inked art pages by some of the greats -Marshall Rogers [great tribute],Gene Colan,Frank Brunner and more.

You do,of course,if you prefer [yeuch!] pdf versions,have that option with both AE and BI -and it’s much cheaper so CBOs friends in India and other far off lands can now learn more about the greats!

Both magazines are,if you haven’t guessed,highly recommended!

Emile Schwarz posted some news over at the Euro Comics group[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eurocomics] which should interest those of you living in France:

“The first book to be reprinted and available today is “Le secret de l’espadon”. 

There will be 12 books to be reprinted (12 Blake and Mortimer albums ?) 

I just hear an advertising on the RTL radio (French). 

They also said “original colors”. I will watch carefully later this morning.”

Emile came up trumps with more info: 

“First of all, the newspaper web site url is:

http://www.lemonde. fr/ 

Nota: I do not found any entry that talks about ‘Blake et Mortimer’… 

In the newspaper, they had the rightmost column with a color photo about this reprint done for the 20th anniversary of E.P. Jacobs death. 

Starting on saturday, 5 october 2007 with a reprint of “Le secret de l’espadon”  (tome 1) and therefore every each other saturday, Le Monde will reprint the 12 albums of the collection. 

The twelve albums are: 

01. 2007-10-05    Le secret de l’espadon - tome 1 - OPY: 1950 - ISBN 978287097075102.

2007-10-12    Le secret de l’espadon - tome 2 - OPY: 1950-195303.

2007-10-19    Le secret de l’espadon - tome 3 - OPY: 195304.

2007-10-26    Le mystère de la grande pyramide - tome 1 - OPY: 195405.

2007-11-02    Le mystère de la grande pyramide - tome 2 - OPY: 195506.

2007-11-09  La marque jaune - OPY: 195607.

2007-11-16    L’énigme de l’atlantide - OPY: 195708.

2007-11-23    S.O.S. Météores - OPY: 195909.

2007-11-30    Le piège diabolique - OPY: 196210.

2007-12-07    L’affaire du collier - OPY: 196711.

2007-12-14    Les 3 colliers du professeur Sato - tome 1 - OPY: 197712.

2007-12-21    Les 3 colliers du professeur Sato - tome 2 - OPY: 1990 

The date is the publication reprint date.OPY: Original Printed Year. 

This is a hard book cover album.”

Of course,in the UK and elsewhere you’ll be able to start collecting the English language version via Cinebook The 9th Art…you have all heard of Cinebook..right??