Night of Fire

By Blair Marnell

Welcome back to another edition of ATR. Time to roll out…

She’s A Marvel

Earlier this week, Frank Cho left a comment on his message board in which he said that he will be providing the covers for a new Ms. Marvel series. The original message was located here, but it appears to have been deleted…

This Has A “This Female Fights Back!” Factor of Nine Out of Ten

Of Ants & Men

In a message left at Jinxworld, Phil Hester confirmed that he and Ande Parks will be leaving Nightwing following issue 115 and hinted that his next project will be for Marvel. Which project, you may ask? Well, Ant-man with Robert Kirkman seems to be a safe bet. That rumor first surfaced here back in August and appears to be picking up steam. I’ve now heard that it is an ongoing series and that the Ant-man in question will NOT be Hank Pym or the recently deceased Scott Lang. Sounds like we’re getting an entirely new Ant-man…

This Has An “Astonishing Tales” Factor of Eight Out of Ten

Call of The Wild

Over on the Image Comics Blog, Rick Remender has announced his new creator owned title, The Brutal Kind, will be coming out in July 2006. The series will be written by Remender, with pencils and inks by Scott Cohn and Sean Parsons. From the looks of the preview art, I’d say we’re in for a Werewolf story…




This Has A “Howling At The Moon” Factor of Nine Out of Ten

Portrait of The Villain As A Young Man

Last weekend, at Wizard World Texas, Viper Comics was spreading the word about Villains, one of their books lined up for March 2006. The creative team attached is Adam Cogan, Ryan Cody and Russ Lowery. The story is described as “Apt Pupil meets Invincible”, and follows an otherwise ordinary man as he blackmails his super-villain neighbor into teaching him the fine art of villainy…





This Has A “Bad To The Bone” Factor of Eight Out of Ten

Stop The Presses

Following the announcement of Alias’ “reorganization”, Brett Burner (Alias Publisher and head of Lamp Post Publications) sent out an e-mail late Friday night which stated:
    Effective Monday, November 14, Lamp Post Publications will no longer be printing for the Comic Book industry. Primarily due to a severe decrease in the average run of comic books, as well as the rising costs of production (mostly a result of rising fuel and energy costs), there is simply not enough profitability to continue producing the standard 24- and 32-page saddle stitched books.
Interesting… I wonder if that’s why the prices on Alias’ titles jumped to $3.50 in the latest Previews.

Bumer continues:
    Now...though we are ending this phase of our business rather abruptly, we also intend to service you through your transition. If you have an immediate need, you will not be left hanging-we will be happy to help. However, any new books we produce will need to be paid either COD or through Diamond Comic Distributors (please ask your Diamond rep how to do this).

    For those of you that still have outstanding balances, we will be happy to offer you a 5% discount for payment on all outstanding invoices received in our office by Friday, November 25, 2005…

    We deeply regret the need for this action, and we wish all of you the best of luck in your publishing endeavors.
He closes with:
    PS: Most of you know that I am a partner in Alias Comics. If you are interested in running your title under the Alias banner, and it meets our criteria for quality and content (G or PG-or 12-up [PG-13 is more equivalent to the book rating of 17-up]...basically suitable for children or youths), please contact me… and we can discuss the possibilities. I look forward to hearing from you!!
It’s important to note that Alias was not the only publisher to print through Lamp Post. Other companies like Viper Comics, IDW and Arcana have also used them in the past and some used them even up to this point. Some of the companies appear to have taken the move in stride and moved on while others are furious. Because this story broke so late, I haven’t been able to touch base with all of the affected publishers yet, but I hope to have more next week…

That is if the fireworks don’t erupt in the meantime…

This Has A “Devil’s Printer” Factor of Five Out of Ten

Alter Ego

You’d think that one major controversy per week would be enough for most comic companies. But not for Alias. In this, they truly excel. Case in point, on the “Alias Reorganizes” Newsarama Talkback, a poster going by the name of “Angry Monkey” left the following message:
    Alias didn't drop LTB, Runemaster left. Alias dropped Gimoles because it didn't sell.

    After Runemaster left, Britdoodz started putting porn back up on their site.

    Please try to get your facts right.
Runemaster Studio’s Mike Bullock stops by to reply:
    Mike,

    I'm not interested in arguing with you, but I won't sit idly by while you hide behind a fake screen name and try to make us look bad. Or had you forgotten to check what screen name you logged in with?

    I thought you'd outgrown hiding behind fake screen names to make false statements that push your agenda during our time with DBPro . Might I suggest next time you can't resist the need to post in defense of your opinion, you use your real name and stop hiding behind "Angry Monkey" or don't you want anyone to know that Mike S. Miller and Angry Monkey are one and the same?

    And before you deny it publicly, all Matt Brady has to do is run your IP and prove it's you...
Which led Newsarama regulars to check out the posting history of “Angry Monkey.”
    I see in Angry Monkey's previous postings (which, among others, happen to also pop up whenever a Miller subject pops up) that he has outright claimed to NOT be Mike S. Miller.

    I had forgotten that he is usually first in line to challenge me whenever I bring up Miller's past. Scott Wherle seemed to infer on one thread that Angry Monkey seemed "awfully familiar" at which point AM played dumb.

    Curiouser and curiouser. If he's NOT Miller, then I have nothing but respect for him for being as equally vociferous in his rants as I am. But if he *is* Miller... man that explains a LOT.
Another poster chimes in:
    You know, if this IS true, that makes the name of the company really interesting, doesn't it?
Miller steps up:
    Alias Angry Monkey

    Yep, that's me. Occasionally I like to actually say something without the weight of who I am in the industry giving it any more or less attention than any of the other 95% of posters here who use handles.

    I never LIED about being Angry Monkey. I did at one point ask a leading question that would misdirect most people into thinking I was not using that screen name out of a desire to remain anonymous.

    And I was not 'bringing Runemaster down' by clarifying the misconceptions that were being bandied about (that we cancelled LTB or Gimoles because Jack and Theo are gay). It's nothing less than has been clarified before. Gimoles didn't sell. I liked Gimoles enough to publish it, but it didn't sell. Simple as that. I like Jack and Theo. I think they're top notch artists and top notch people.

    That said, I'm not even going to touch the homophobic line. I'll just let my actions and my relationships with my gay friends and employees speak for itself.

    Aaron, at some point you're just going to have to get over this little crusade of yours to make everyone in the world hate me. If my gay friends, the ones who really know me, are still my friends... then maybe you, who doesn't know me from Adam, ought to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Which led to this response:
    Oh, but you did. When Scott Wherle insinuated that you were Angry Monkey, you point blank responded and said you were NOT. Right here on Newsarama. Strangely enough, while it was there earlier this evening when I looked for it, it's not there now (at least that I can see.) Hmm. Funny that. Seems a NUMBER of Angry Monkey's posts have now been edited to blank posts. That's AMAZINGLY convenient.
And sure enough, a number of “Angry Monkey’s” previous posts are now blank, though some remain. Here is the post from April 2004 in which “Angry Monkey” denies that he is Mike S. Miller:
    Hey Wherle, help me out here, I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or insult? I haven't read many of Miller's posts, and what I have read seems pretty tame. I'm not like that, I see someone being a hypocrite, I go after them.

    I'm a new fan of Miller and the rest of the DBPro tribe, so take that as you will, but it doesn't color my view of reality.
As for the posts that were erased, some of them remain in the quotes of posters responding to “Angry Monkey.” But first, a little background. A few years back, Miller made a number of controversial comments about homosexuals on various message boards. However, the comments he left as “Angry Monkey” seem even more extreme than some of his earlier remarks. From June 2004:
    I don't particularly care what you choose to do with the information. The fact is that homosexuality, as in the acceptance and submittance to the desires and taking action to that end, is detrimental to your physical health. I won't even get into the emotional and spiritual issues, because they are based on faith.

    So if you so choose to live 'out of the closet', just live there with your eyes wide open. The average homosexual male dies in his early 40's statistically. Where the average heterosexual male dies in his mid 70's.

    I haven't said whether homosexuality is 'right ' or 'wrong'. Just stated the facts and repercussions of involving oneself in that lifestyle.

    If you don't like those facts, well, then feel free to live in denial.
And from the same thread:
    The problem is people think they should just give in to whatever urges or impulses they have. "If it weren't natural, I wouldn't have the desire", ________. People have all kinds of F***ed up urges and desires. There are people who like to molest children, who like to rape women, who like to kill and mutilate other human beings, animals, whatever. Somewhere, a line has to be drawn as to what is right and what is wrong. As a Bible-believing Christian, I draw that line at what the Bible says.

    I may not be perfect when it comes to following what it says, but I do my best, and take solace in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ to forgive me when I slip up.
Back in the present day, Miller’s “unmasking” led to a free-for-all on the original Alias thread before Jack Lawrence, artist of Lions, Tigers & Bears replied with his take on the situation:
    I've stayed completely silent on the whole Runemaster - Alias thing, but as my name's been mentioned here I thought I'd put in my tuppence worth, so to speak.

    I was completely unaware of Mike Miller's DC board comments (I tend not to visit many comic forums, mainly because of time restraints, and I'm certainly not interested in anything political or incendiary.)

    If I HAD read his statements and views before hooking up with Alias, would it have changed anything? Honestly, yeah it would have. I stand by my statement that Alias and Mike never displayed any homophobia while I was with them, and I purposely stayed away from finding out exactly what he said and concentrated on creating comics. That probably makes me just as bad in some people's books but really, I just want to do my job, and in all honesty, Alias was never a huge part of my career anyway (I have jobs over here in the UK that keep a larger part of a roof over my head).

    I wasn't happy when Mike requested that Britdoodz.com be censored so that I could continue to be published by Alias, mainly because, having had my head stuck in the sand, I didn't realise they wouldn't work with anyone who's drawn nudity. That's a business desicion I can't understand, but it's a personal thing and it's fair enough. I did as he wished for Mike Bullock's sake, not my own. LTB was finished and I'd have happily walked away, but Mike B was still tied to them with The Gimoles. It did make the decision for me that I didn't want to work with Alias in the future, which eventually came about in a completely different way in the end anyway.

    I remain unconvinced that a comics forum is the right place to be discussing these issues and expressing these opinions, on both sides, but in this instance, the blame for that lies squarely on Mike's shoulders. He said some really stupid things 3 or 4 years ago (things I've finally had to read in this thread, not very nice really.) and the legacy of that is likely to run and run.

    It'll always irritate me when someone (anyone) stands in judgement of another person and reading posts that point out that myself and Aaron as well as any other gay poster in here are wrong, or sinners, or whatever else you want to call it is irritating. But I'm not going to get into a flame war online about it. Face to face over a beer, I'll happily argue long into the night. Online? Forget it.

    Bottom line: what I do in my house, how I live my life is my and my partners business. I'm more concerned that you enjoy my art than worry about who I spend my off-time with.
This Has A “Behind Closed Minds” Factor of Three Out of Ten

True Romance

Getting back to more pleasant topics… Late last week, Tom Beland (True Story, Swear to God), left a message for his fans regarding his next comic project:
    My next project for February is finished as far as the script. The artist is none other than......

    CORY WALKER from INVINCIBLE!!

    During the month of February, Marvel is going to do an event much like the Monsters on the Loose that just ended recently. The event is called I (HEART) MARVEL and will focus on a different relationship existing in the Marvel universe each week.

    Cory and I will be presenting the Peter/Mary Jane story and if you're excited about this... imagine how I feel. I'm still giddy.

    This will be a 22-page story and will focus on just what it is about Mary Jane that Peter loves. It'll have action (with an appearance from one of my favorite Marvel "villains"....) and humor and some very deep emotions.

    I cannot believe I got Walker for the art. Huge fan. Huge, huge, huge.

    Anyhoo... get excited, preorder and enjoy!
This Has A “Lovebirds” Factor of Nine Out of Ten

Danger In The Air

Steve Bryant has posted some preview pages from Athena Voltaire: The Flight of The Falcon, which is coming out from Speakeasy in January. Enjoy.







This Has A “Fly Air Voltaire” Factor of Ten Out of Ten

Unlimited Outlet

Just a quick note for those who may not have heard… TVShowsOnDVD is reporting that DVD Box Sets of Batman Beyond and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited may be on tap for the middle of next year…

In other multimedia news, Michael Ausiello, from TV Guide, is reporting that rumors of an Aquaman TV series are true and might be a direct spinoff from Aquaman’s recent appearance on Smallville…

This Has A “Sub Diego” Factor of Seven Out of Ten

Days of Futurius Tense

And finally, here’s a last look at Futurius’ Tales From The Plex anthology, which is tentatively hitting on the 5th of December. The book should run around $11.99 and will be available from http://www.futurius.com.





This Has A “Plex Nation” Factor of Eight Out of Ten

That’s a wrap. See you in seven.

Later,
Blair

PS If anyone has any rumors, stories or news to share, please email me at blairm@silverbulletcomicbooks.com. Thanks to everyone who has been sending stuff in. It’s greatly appreciated.