I hear that two of the main changes to this week’s Authority comic included the planted individual with whom Shen is forced to be a housewife, originally had a name and a visual appearance a lot closer to a certain Ted Turner. And originally the artwork showed him stubbing his cigar out on her tongue. Secondly the Midnighter’s final line on the final page was originally “you just pissed off the wrong faggot”. These may well not be the only changes, but it's enough for me to wonder if the original art with Ted Turner in all his glory is out there somewhere...
Ted Turner, of course, was the individual originally attributed to making DC take notice that Superman and Batman may be taken away from them if they weren’t exploited correctly one of the reasons given for the cancellation of Authority, with their gay Superman and Batman characters. Although his presence at AOL has been sidelined, the points he raised remain.
It’s also interesting to note that the word “faggot” and the gay kiss from Jenny Sparks aren’t allowed, but a homophobic bigot using a gay guy as a gay bashing punchbag is fine. Still at least Rush got to flash her tits at The Machine.
Other changes observed include detail on the face of a character whose head The Colonel kicks off, and a possible grabbing off an ear by Teuton instead of going through a head... more as we have them.
This Has A Rumour Value Of 8 Out Of 10
Layman’s Terms
John Layman, editor of Authority, Planetary, and Monarchy, driver behind the new "Eye Of The Storm" imprint and writer of Bay City Jive for Wildstorm is now America’s best selling comic book writer. The success of the Left Behind comic adaptations reported by Newsarama last week, means he’s outselling X-Men and possibly outgrossing Dark Knght Strikes Back.
Not bad for someone who has been ostracised at DC after he openly made remarks criticising DC’s homophobic policy over the Jenny Sparks mini-series. Plus the fact that he’s edited Authority, gaining sales and popularity throughout the industry, influencing a number of prominent books such as Superman and Avengers, to DC’s embarrassment and despair.
Maybe it’s time for DC to play nice. Or maybe Marvel will come a calling - after going after other creators with other media appeal such as Neil Gaiman, Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, JK Rowling, and Alan Moore, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Joe Quesada was on the line soon.
After all, I’m sure there are a number of companies who’d love to have “America’s Best Selling Comic Writer” on their books... and as for you speculators, see if you can get John Layman’s Bay City Jive cheap. It shouldn’t be hard… for a few days anyway.
Mind you, what these weird fundamentalist fans might make of Bay City Jive, or indeed Authority, is anyone’s guess.
This Has A Rumour Value Of 6 Out Of 10
Busy As Eck
Earlier this week, a thread on the Warren Ellis Delphi forum got a little out of hand. The news that DC had announced they would no longer look at written submissions caused some discussion. 300 posts in, Kurt Busiek decided to pitch his tent. He wrote a long impassioned essay about his own experiences of breaking in, but also gave a measure of advuce to the complainers. He wrote:
"I'm going to risk a reply here, though it seems futile.
After reading through most of this thread, the impression I get is that of a few angry people who are upset that a submissions process that was not going to work for them anyway is now closed to them -- not that a sure-fire way in to the business that broke in people on a regular basis was closed, but that a system that gets almost nobody in is no longer being offered as a way to waste your time fruitlessly.
And the cry goes up, 'They took away the rules! Goddamit, how can I break in and be creative without rules! Somebody tell me the rules!'
And someone suggests something that worked for them or for others.
And the cry comes back, 'That won't work for me! Tell me some other rules!'
Kurt talked about the disciplines of being a freelance writer... how he broke in with his own circumstances and concluded, talking about the needs of an editor, saying:
"Does that suck, that editors are looking to fill their needs and not yours? That they're not out beating the bushes for the next Alan Moore? Maybe so, but it's how things work, and complaining that it sucks won't get you any closer to where you want to be.
"And for that matter, they weren't out beating the bushes for the first Alan Moore either. Alan did what he could, and found, finagled or made opportunities, and one thing led to another, and now he's Alan Moore, and there's thousands of wannabes who want to get that break writing MARVELMAN or SWAMP THING, but they're not out doing MAXWELL THE MAGIC CAT first, because it was the door that was open at the time.
"Doug Moench wrote text for porn pictorials. Bill Mantlo did production work.
"Neil Gaiman wrote a book about -- what, Duran Duran?
"None of them had a road map, because there isn't one.
"You don't need one either. What you need is to think, and figure out what you can do from where you are. Not what someone else did and why you can't do it -- they had plenty of things they couldn't do either, so they didn't do them.
"They figured out what they _could_ do, instead.
"That's the secret. Think for yourself, and try what you think of, until something works. Don't ask someone whether you need a penciler -and- an inker, or someone who can do both. Use your judgment. Craft is nothing without judgment. Careers can't be maintained without judgment. So start practicing it now.
Is this book-length yet?"
For the full, book length speech, go to this link... and also look for Jay Faeber's novella-length post shortly afterwards. And for more state-of-the-industry stuff from Kurt, check out this week's Savant at http://www.savantmag.com/quicktakes
And on reading this article, Bill Rosemann of Marvel Comics responded saying:
"Not only does The House still accept submissions from artists, but we're announcing the final winner of our 2001 New Talent Search in Monday's Your Man @ Marvel column at Marvel.com. The lucky guy - who seems to be as nice as he is talented - will write a Wolverine short story in 2002. So keep on trying, all you hopeful creators - Marvel's on your side!"
They never miss an opportunity these guys, do they?
This Has A Cut-And-Paste Value Of 6 Out Of 10
Monarchy Street Preachers
Earlier this week, Doselle Young confirmed on the DC Message Boards what All The Rage has been reporting since early September, that Monarchy is gone as of #12.
But rather than pinning the blame on low sales, a source claims that much of it was to do with conflict between the editorial and the creative team. The word is that scripts were consistently late and repeatedly rewritten by Doselle. Also, it seems clear that the editorial team didn’t “get” what the book is about. But it seems this was something they had in common with a number of readers. So as for it’s chance of returning... probably up there with DC approving a new series of Authority... written by Eminem.
This Has A Rumour Value Of 6 Out Of 10
Cover Story
Further to last week’s “example”, I understand that Frank Miller has a separate contract with Marvel dealing with his cover artwork, that wouldn’t affect any past work he’s done.
However the original new Marvel contract, as well as only limiting page rates and royalties to a creator’s lifetime, would have claimed back for Marvel creator-owned work such as Peter David and George Perez’s Sachs And Violens, both of whom would have lost their rights if they’d signed the new contract.
I understand a new contract is indeed in the works. While the page rates section is currently being changed, the incentive section needs action from a higher level at Marvel.
We wait in awe…
This Has A Rumour Value Of 8 Out Of 10
Art For Art's Sake
I hear Art Adams has a 16 part Cliffhanger series lined up after Authority finishes...
This Has A Rumour Value Of 8 Out of 10 RR America Back In The Black
In a related story, I understand that the Black Captain America series that Frank was lined up to do the covers for, is back on. Quesada confirmed to me that it had been cancelled the other week but I hear from a number of sources that it’s back on - all thanks to a promise made to the creative team that there would be no more fiddling from the suits. And is there a reason we haven't seen any sneak peeks of the Captain America art from John Cassady of late?
This Has A Rumour Value Of 7 Out Of 10
Holy Sh*it, Batman
While we're talking Miller, how come Dark Knight Strikes Again gets to say "shit" without the kind of warning label DC would usually demand? Not even a "Suggested For People Who Live In Reality" labels…
Still, a big hello to all the DC people in the offices manning the phones and filling in the paperwork this weekend. I hear there's quite a lot of you!
This Has A Cheap Shot Value Of 8 Out of 10
Marvel Meanderings
The Banner TPB. It's got ads in the back - not just house ads either. Considering the book has a shelf life beyond most of the products featured, it strikes me as a little weird. Will the ads change for successive printings?
And one small thing - the Ultimate Marvels being sold in US WalMarts. A number of retailers wish they could order them too... didn't Marvel learn its lesson this way with the newstand Ultimate Marvel Magazines? While there's no doubt the retailers are fans of the books being in WalMart, I think they'd also like in on the action. But remember the Comic Code business. Wasn't one of the reasons given for Marvel keeping it was so it could do easy business with the likes of WalMart? Well, guess which comics don't have a code sticker...
Oh, and Eddie Campbell drawing X-Men. Never thought I'd see the day. Now grab Glenn Dakin for Thor. Ah go on...
This Has A Wittering Value Of 7 Out Of 10
Marking His Territory
Mark Millar had a few things to talk about on his Millar Hour chat the other night at http://www.dccomics.com. Answering a number of questions from lots of fans, he wrote:
On the Authority:
"I really don't know why DC are cancelling their fourth biggest seller (above Superman and Batman) and one of their biggest trade paperbacks. Who knows? Maybe I just answered my own question. Bugger all to do with Sep 11th anyway, as you can see from this storyline. More buildings came down in The Flash this month than The Authority. To be honest, I think they're just kind of scared of the book and the white heat it generated in the mainstream press.
"I didn't want a fill-in arc, especially when the book was already going to have a six month gap. But I said I'd be happy if they hired Tom Peyer because he's literally the only guy on Earth who could make this work. And he did. I love Tom; he's the best American writer in the business.
"Layman, by the way, is probably the hero of 2001 as far as I'm concerned. WS have been great in the face of a DC assault and most of the stuff you've seen get through is down to their sheer diplomacy. This, to answer several other questions, is probably why the delays were a little longer than expected; the art and writing changes being relatively fast.
"They bought a two parter from Garth and this is coming out, I think, as a forty eight page special. That's it, as far as I'm aware, but they might have other specials planned which I don't know about."
As to the famed Skrull Kill Krew series, Morrison and Millar's first Marvel work from way back,
"SKK from me, but Grant's using them in Marvel Boy 2, I think, which is out early next year. I'm killing lots of Skrulls in The Ultimates issues seven through twelve, though."
On Marvel and DC:
"Marvel's definitely a lot more relaxed and I think that's why the comics are better. However, the big sales for DK hopefully proves to DC that their editorially driven comics are a nonsense and Frank Miller was worth every penny of that million bucks they paid him up-front. Creators make the comics; hopefully this is something they're going to remember in 2002."
On his schedule:
"I'm writing issue two of my second year on Ultimate X-Men right now. I'm doing two years in total and two years on The Ultimates. The creator-owned stuff starts in late summer and begins with a twelve issue series which tops The Authority. The Ultimates is a very different kind of book. My creator-owned thing is where all the genuine bad taste and madness has gone. The lead character kills gays for a laugh, rapes his old high school teacher and joins a super-team all in the first four issue arc. DC's gonna love this one!!!
"Other creator-owned stuff includes a four part thing which is being co-produced as an animated feature (and which my agent called the most perverse series in the history of comics) and something bright and breezy for girls-- as patronizing as that sounds. You won't believe what we've got lined up for this, but the girl's book won't be out until I've finished X-Men in Jan 2003.
"Nightcrawler's maybe coming back, but I kind of like the idea of somebody just saying NO, it looks rubbish... every time he's asked to join a team. That's what I'd do. Year Two on X-Men is so much more me, I think. I'm very pleased with year one. Just been told our sales of over 100,000 every single ish (sometimes much more) meant we were literally the highest grossing domestic book of 2001. This isn't even counting the 90,000 the news-stand magazine did or the hundreds of thousands we're doing in Wal-Mart, etc, or Russia. But I was literally sick for six months of 2001 and couldn't really relax and enjoy writing it. I think this is why The Authority and the X-Men were in agony throughout most of the year-- because some of the stuff was written in hospital. Year Two of X-Men plus Ultimates and the creator-owned stuff just has me so relaxed and excited about 2002. I think it's going to be a good year for me and for comics in general."
And more on Ultimate X-Men:
"You're going to love issue twenty of Ultimate X-Men. It features the team in Scotland and Wolverine, wearing a Celtic top, slashing open Proteus (who's possessed a Rangers fan and, of course, wearing a top of pure evil). God, I love this job. Prof X keeps a box at Parkhead too for Moira McTaggert.
"Brave New World was the end of my plans-- but I figured out a whole third year for the book (which I'll use elsewhere). The Vampire project was stalled a lot when I was sick through Summer and Autumn. Have since brought in a friend to help me finish it so Christ knows when it'll be done. Comics are my true love though, but I'll be pleased to see the TV thing finished."
Thanks Mark! Just exactly how loose lipped you are, I'm sure we'll all discover in the coming months.
This Has A Whisky-And-Vodka Value Of 8 Out Of 10
Nation Under Attack
At Sequential Tart this week, Jamie Delano confirmed an All The Rage story of old... the cancellation of Outlaw Nation.
Delano wrote:
“First I should say that — as has been rumored abroad on the 'net for a while — Outlaw Nation will not continue past #19. The book has a core following of "Johnsons" supporting it — just not enough of them to keep DC happy. It's a shame. Largely my fault for giving the thing such a seemingly shapeless construction. But I deliberately eschewed trying to write it in "arcs" in favor of a truly on-going — some might say rambling — drama of chance and improvisation. In a continuing series, it's the journey that counts: there is no expectation of imminent arrival, and I wanted the story to be more of a saga, or soap — with broad scope and slowly interweaving plotlines — than a collection of episodic adventures, focused around the escapades of a central protagonist. A reckless strategy, for sure — but one embarked upon on the understanding that the series would be collected from the start in (probably) six-issue volumes, to accommodate "new reader access" and hopefully reach that more "mature" audience who (like me) is tired of reading their graphic fiction in monthly installments, packaged, interspersed amongst inappropriate advertising, in pamphlets. We ran into a publishing policy Catch 22. Sales figures not initially high enough to "justify" the trade paperbacks needed to swell the numbers to profitability.
"Result: an inevitable spiraling towards entropy — and the waste of a lot of strong characters and creative energy. Oh well. "Won't get fooled again." No more over ambitious, needlessly complex monthly series from Delano (who cheered): more likely a grab-bag of random short-term projects to keep body and soul together while I work up the nerve to write a novel. Writing in dialogue is fun, but I want to flex my prose again.”
It’s a damn shame - Outlaw Nation is my only remaining regular Vertigo buy. And it looks like anyone who was ”waiting for the trade” will be out of luck.
This Has A Rumour Value Of 9 Out Of 10
Stalking Comic Book Celebrities
Scott Dunbier and Jim Lee are back in Britain again, pressing the flesh with Millar, Ellis and probably Moore. If you spot them, remember, Scott only shakes hands after eating a greasy bag of fish and chips...
This Has A Disturbing Value Of 6 Out Of 10
Yay!
Just a quick congratulations to Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid In the World by Chris Ware winning The Guardian's First Book award, voted on by readers and judges. I preordered my first issue of Acme Novelty Library ten years ago and it's wonderful to see this novel receive such prestigious recognition. I expect the £10,000 prize won't hurt either... and neither will the extra 100,000 or more sales he can expect from the publicity.
This Has A Nice One, My Son Value Of 9 Out Of 10
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