Thursday, September 30, 2010

A bit about one of one of my favorite comics.



I would normally bag on mainstream comics. Most of them are boring or whatever, this isn't about those ones. I've been reading a comic by two friends of mine for half a year now, after their previous run on Supergirl, and I'm here to say that Batman: the Brave and the Bold by Landry Walker and Eric Jones is one of the best books I read this year. Admittedly, I'm biased. I think of both of them as two of my best friends in comics. But the truth is I wouldn't write about something I didn't like on here.



































Landry and Eric worked for years in independent comics and created Filthy Habits, X-ray Comics and Little Gloomy as well as working on a host of other books. They still have a shared livejournal: http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/. They did an amazing run on Supergirl, creating one of the best superhero comics in recent memory.

And like that, their run on Batman (which is at an end with issue 21) is an actually engrossing lovesong to what makes superhero comics good. The stories are written for all ages, just like the 1960s comics that inspired them but they are full of all sorts of witty in-jokes and beautiful art that doesn't really have any target age. The last issue they worked on together of Batman just came out and it is particularly funny and good.

I'm serious when I say: Go pick up Batman the Brave and the Bold issues 9,10,12,14,16,18 and 21. Some of them will most likely be collected but not all of them together (unless a smart editor figures out what a diamond they have). If you are a fan of alternative or independent comics just get stoned and chillax. These comics are the definition of fun entertainment, totally tongue in cheek and enjoyable by anyone. I'm hoping that somebody at DC or Marvel will be see their way to picking up on the beautiful and symbiotic relationship that Walker as writer and Jones as artist have developed after 20 years of working together. I want to see more books by them with superheroes.  Landry writes for Incredibles by Boom! comics but has yet to be pared with an artist I like as much as Eric. Eric has done other work for DC. But together they've managed to create a kind of timeless shining example of what superhero comics are capable of.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Store "Remodeling"




I've been revamping the store over the last couple weeks, and hopefully making it easier to navigate! Check out the new pages for Fleep, Tales to Demolish #1-3, Watching Days Become Years #1-2, Reporter #1-5 and the Orchid Anthology!

Sparkplug at the Jet City Comic Show this weekend!

Tim Goodyear, Chris Cilla and Sparkplug will be in full "affect" this weekend at the Jet City Comic Show, this Saturday (the 25th) in Seattle, Washington.  We'll be joined by Jason T. Miles, Profanity Hill, Kelly Froh and Max Clotfelter. This is going to be a good one. It'll be at:
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
299 Mercer St. Seattle


http://www.jetcitycomicshow.com/

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Let Noah get this job!

If one person was meant to draw Howard the Duck, that person is Noah Van  Sciver. Please go on to facebook and get in on this. And tell everyone else to do it too:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Let-Noah-Van-Sciver-Draw-Howard-the-Duck-for-Strange-Tales/155812694436810?ref=mf

Monday, September 20, 2010

Steve Lafler rules, okay!

Steve Lafler has been interviewed by Rob Clough at TCJ. A career retrospective interview, that is, with Steve. Part one of three, here:

http://www.tcj.com/alternative/explaining-reality-to-myself-the-steve-lafler-interview-part-one-of-three/

Read, enjoy and look forward to parts two and three. Steve is a one man inspiration festival.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Kyle Field

This guy Kyle Field did a cover for the town paper that I really liked. His website: http://www.kyledraws.com/ is also pretty radical.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Aron Nels Steinke and Greg Means Read at Guapo this Sunday!

Aron is having a big book release party and reading for his new book, The Super Crazy Cat Dance (published by Blue Apple Books), this Sunday the 19th, 6:00 P.M. at Guapo Comics and Coffee
(located at 6350 SE Foster Road).

Greg Means will be reading from his newly published children's book as well, titled Yes Let's by Galen Longstreth and Maris Wicks. This is a kid friendly event and an adult friendly event as well. Fun, fun.

If you want to read a review of of Aron's book you can check out apartment
therapy's ohdeedoh review...

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/the-super-crazy-cat-danceby-aron-nels-steinke-125983

Monday, September 13, 2010

Patrick Rosenkranz teaching at PNCA in Portland

Okay, there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a class in Comix from the man who literally wrote the books on Underground Comix, Patrick Rosenkranz!
http://secure.pnca.edu/ce/reg/detail.php?c_id=CED0555-1&sem_year=Fall2010&program=1

It seems like anyone can sign up for it. Patrick's books on Rand Holmes, Greg Irons, Dutch Comix and Underground Comix are so totally great that if you haven't read them and can't take the class I'd suggest getting copies from Fantagraphics or your local comic store. Documentary on craft is available here: http://www.patrickrosenkranz.com/Crafted_Over_Time.html  Fuck Amazon.


http://www.patrickrosenkranz.com/Welcome.html

Bound and Gagged


Tom Neely's epic Bound and Gagged book is now available, art is for sale and the show is hanging at Secret Headquarters in Los Angeles. I did some pieces for it as did Chris Cilla, Chris Wright, Julia Gfrorer, David King, Zak Sally, Theo Ellsworth, Elijah Brubaker and others!

http://iwilldestroyyounews.blogspot.com/2010/08/bound-gagged.html

SHQ has a flickr set up with most of the artwork that is for sale (the rest to be added soon).  http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesecretheadquarters/sets/72157624871833632/
You can order  the book from Tom Neely through his webstore.
http://www.iwilldestroyyou.com/store.html
Stores they can order directly from Tom or through Tony Shenton.
Shenton4Sales@aol.com

Thursday, September 09, 2010

SParkplug At Partyka Table at SPX

Sparkplug doesn't have a table (for the first time in 8 years) at SPX this weekend. BUT our three new books Flesh & Bone, Lemon Styles and The Heavy Hand are all available for purchase at the Partyka Table!

Make sure you go by and check out their art, it is phenominal:



Also, if you are there make sure to vote for Sparkplug in the Ignatz Awards:
http://www.spxpo.com/2010-ignatz-award-nominees
We are up for a bunch.

The Whale is Coming!


Seriously, you should order an advance copy of the Whale. I'm excited to see what comes of Gaze Books and Aiden Koch!


http://gazebooks.com/store.html

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Starbase San Francisco!

Sparkplug will be down in San Francisco this weekend for the SF Zine Fest. David King and Tessa Brunton will be at the Sparkplug table. If you're in the Bay Area please come by and see us. We'll have tons of new stuff and will be with Chris Cilla, Tim Root, Rina Ayuyang, Noah Van Sciver, John Porcellino, Jesse Reklaw and a host of amazing zinesters. And the show itself is amazing.

http://blog.sfzinefest.com/

Saturday, September 4 from 11:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday, September 5 from 11:00am – 6:00pm


SF County Fair Building (formerly Hall of Flowers)
9th Ave. at Lincoln Way (in Golden Gate Park) map