Seriously –DONNA BARR AND ROBERTA GREGORY??? Say “Who?” and I WILL kill you.
Month: September 2015
The Chances Of Anything Coming From Mars….
…Apparently still a million to one.
Just watching the NASA Mars water briefing was great BUT this should have been broadcast over all TV and radio. Seriously. this is important news….but apparently Kim Kardashian’s ass is of more importance.
We may well be Martians…or any life on Mars may be Terran (meteorite impact carrying microbes from Earth to Mars or vice versa) but I think it’s fun bearing in mind that for years, in Black Tower comics, anything on Mars is set below the surface where there has always been speculation water and basic life might be.
It is why, in The Green Skies chapter Genocide On Mars the attack involved surface busting weapons.
Everyone should really be going “Wow. Water on Mars!” but I get the feeling the latest “affair” or deceit on a TV soap will get more attention. Hey, it could still be like Robinson Crusoe On Mars!!
Disney WOULD Sell Marvel Comics
No one interested at all? Okay, I’ll make it brief then.
We all know that Disney knows movies and that is where they make the BIG money, right? Compared to the profit (yes, even that disappointing multi million dollar profit from Avengers 2) from movies the movies, Marvel comics makes….well, “pennies”.
We also know that Disney, via its Marvel turn-coat hatchet men, swept through the Marvel Movies creative teams. That they have heavy handedly been not pulling strings but attaching tow ropes connected to trucks to control what is going on at Marvel Comics is no secret. There are a lot of things going on that we will hear about in the next few months so stay tuned (not that you tune into a blog).
NDS (Non Disclosure Agreements) mean that people booted out of Disney/Marvel cannot talk about things. But I mentioned the situation in a post yesterday so let’s not say too much that would leave the person involved open to legal action.
Back in June, Disney had a meeting to which, apparently, only one person from Marvel Comics was summoned. The topic? The “profit cut off point” at which Disney would get rid of Marvel. Sound ridiculous, right? But it does make business sense.
Disney is NEVER going to get rid of characters that should make it big movie $s. But it has learnt a few things from the whole Fantastic Four movie rights mess up. Marvel comics are not making huge profits and the plan discussed was this.
Disney would have a dotted line and if profits fell before that they would sell Marvel Comics as a company. However, it would insure that it maintained the movie rights to the Marvel characters ad infinitum so it would have the cash cow. Marvel Comics would be sold “as is” -buyer takes on staff and publishing and has all of those publishing rights and characters (which, of course, a new owner could change again!).
Disney immediately kicks off the burden of having to pay all the Marvel Comics people and is free of any comics rights arguments. It is “in the movie business” and would have high enough paid lawyers to shut up any objections or challenges.
Initially, I thought that sounded all a bit “off” until I thought about it some more and realised there were similar deals out there.
So it makes sense. Sell Marvel Comics while the company looks good and that drain of printing bills and wages not to mention all the building and utility costs are gone. And Disney still has the character movie rights. How could it lose?
Personally, since I stopped buying Marvel Comics and realised the company was dead I’ve no interest in what happens to it but this is what I’m told happened and, since yesterday, another person has been told something similar from a source still at Disney.
There.
It Was Midnight And I settled Down With Martin Eden….
…Well, his book that is!
Although I have been cutting down on comics I am an insomniac and there is only so much technical reading you can do. So, at around Midnight on Saturday, I went to the shelves on Room Oblivion and picked out a book I reviewed in….2012 -2012 -REALLY???
Anyway, Spandex: Fast And Hard is by Martin Eden who created The O Men -this series has been collected into a series of trades but, despite really liking the copies of the zine I had (I only have the “0” issue left now) the trades are too steep for my pockets. THAT is depressing.
Now in my review -I’ve re-posted below with some new images- I said Eden’s art style had not progressed much since the early 0 Men I had read. Looking at it again I think I was wrong. And I was also wrong in saying “basic colours” because looking at it over three years later the colour adds a great deal and some pages are gurt lush (“fab” if you don’t speak the Bristle).
It was a really enjoyable read but were there other books or issues? It would be a pity if there weren’t but I can only go by what publishers send.
So, after over three years I can write that, if you see a copy it is worth buying -but adults only!
Made me want to start drawing comics again. Fresh and NOT a rebooted book!!
Spandex: Fast And Hard
Martin Eden
Titan Books
Hardback
96 pp
Full colour
Dimensions: 258 x 170mm
ISBN: 9780857689733
Publication date: 25 May 2012
£12.99
Prowler, Liberty, Glitter, Indigo, Butch, Mr Muscles, Diva — all superpowered, all British, and the first all gay super-hero team there ever was! Created by independent creator Martin Eden, Spandex charts the highs and lows of a group of Brighton-based heroes, doing battle with 50-foot lesbians, a group of deadly pink ninjas, as well as their own complicated love lives! Packed with pop culture references, nods to classic comics and chock-full of humour and drama, Spandex is a super-hero book like no other!
This is the very first collection of Martin Eden’s award-nominated comic and collects Spandex #1-3, plus bonus material!
There is “A Brief History Of Spandex” article plus a Who’s Who with this book so it ought to be all you need to know.
“There aren’t many gay super heroes around, and there’s never been all-gay super team…” writes Martin. Does it really matter if a super hero or crime-fighter is gay? In Black Tower Comics they have co-existed with the, uh, “straights” since 1984.
In 1986, Don Melia, together with his former long-time partner Lionel Gracey-Whitman, created ‘Matt Black’, dubbed “the world’s first gay superhero.” John Byrne had to drop heavy hints (thanks to Marvel censorship) in Alpha Flight that his character, Northstar, was gay. I could go on as there have been a few –I’ll not insult anyone by mentioning “Kaptain Kween” (last seen in a 1970s Ally Sloper magazine).
Does it really matter?
For this book –YES!
Where else would: “PINK NINJAS!!” make you chuckle? Marvel will stick to the traditional Western black-clad versions thank you. There are lots of nice touches and I don’t think this is just going to appeal to a GLBT readership –though I want to be there when that brave comic geek buys a copy!
I don’t think Eden’s art style has progressed a great deal since he started The O Men but his enthusiasm and obvious fun he has writing/drawing this makes it fun to read. The use of basic colour is also a bonus as it opens up the artwork and pages and made this a good read.
We have very few good comics coming from the UK so to see this and its neat packaging is good –and it helps show people there are creators in the UK.
Disney WILL Sell Marvel Comics?
Closing up a lot of things and putting various projects away into archive boxes at the moment. I think it says a lot that I am doing no comic work and have done none since May/June?
I am spending far more time on the science, natural history and research side so that in January of next year I can slide into that easily on a full time basis. CBO? Well, let’s be honest, it’s a LOT of work for nothing and 99.5% no feed-back so what I see, read and hear I’ll keep to myself.
Not a single comic album or book sold all month despite the huge cover price cuts and I’ve heard from other publishers that they’ve tried similar things and all failed. You see, the majority -99%- of comic readers out there do not want originality or good quality products -unless they are free. They want the same regurgitated Marvel and DC rebooted crap.
As I had to explain -AGAIN- to a few people earlier: CBO is a FULL TIME and UNPAID job and I get NOTHING from it. It’s no loss to me. And the comic and book side of things, well, the online store will stay there but I’m betting if I check in a year there will still be no sales.
CBO I may just turn into a personal blog about whatever I want and not necessarily comics.
Please consider this my final post on the matter because unless things change by December that’s it.
Now, might do a review tomorrow or gossip because I heard from someone who just got fired from Disney -they did a really shitty job so he took all the flack for a decision that had nothing to do with him- that Disney has a “bottom line sales margin” and if Marvel comics does not stay above that….it gets sold off. Sound odd? Well, no because there is additional info BUT I’ll keep that in case anyone is interested in my posting it…..though everything I’ve been dead on target with over the years has been ignored until it finally happened as I stated. See why CBO ain’t my true love any more?
John Short -Octobriana
Calling all comic shop owners/managers
As you may have heard, we failed to get Diamond distribution for our new book about the cult, public domain, underground, communist super-heroine – OCTOBRIANA: THE UNDERGROUND HISTORY.
That means that most comic shops won’t be carrying the book. You can of course, still buy it direct from this blog (just to your right, there) or artist Gabrielle Noble’s blog.
However, if you happen to be the owner or manager of a comic shop anywhere in the world, why not get in touch with us and we can stock it direct to you. That way, you would be cutting out the middle-man (distributor) and getting copies for a better price.
Email me, John A. Short, at: johnashort@hotmail.com and let me know how many copies you would be interested in stocking and I will work out the best price we can do for you (I’m sure we can come to a good arrangement for both sides.)
Cult of Personality – Living Colour
Dedicated to those ‘great’ men who actually just write comics (some not very good at all) but think they are lofty gods in the making and know everything. You know who I mean (their fans ought to listen, too).
Well, It IS A Fighting Fund Of Sorts
The Paypal button added to the right was suggested by someone who thought “Well, if thousands view CBO each day but don’t comment and you have all those feeds to other sites, surely they’ll donate to keeping CBO going?”
Can I say at the outset that, like cutting book prices for September to encourage new sales, I do not believe this idea will work.
Logically, if you really like something and want it to continue then donating whatever amount is a way of keeping it going. But I don’t believe this will work with today’s comic people. CBO closes in January they’ll move on to find another blog.
There is no “loyalty” involved. It is just read and go.
But I promised I’d keep the button there until 31st December 2015. I still see CBO closing on 1st January.
Yeah, I’m pessimistic but nothing has ever happened to make be be otherwise! Buying the books would be a better way of showing appreciation!
Mark Millar "Someone Pay Attention To ME!!!"
Poor boy hasn’t been getting his dose of ego boosting publicity recently so what to do….ooh! Predict the death of super hero movies! Right, Mark, not enough obscenities used in them over school boy over the top violence or sex -right?
Oh, and of course, he could have made Fantastic Four a better film….unhappy bunny?
Chris Agar at ScreenRant writes:http://screenrant.com/mark-millar-fantastic-four-controversy-superhero-fatigue/?utm_source=SR-FB-P&utm_medium=Social-Distribution&utm_campaign=SR-FB-P
Mark Millar Responds to Fantastic Four Failure & Josh Trank Controversy
By now, everyone knows that Twentieth Century Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot was an epic failure – both critically (becoming the worst reviewed Marvel movie ever) and commercially (earning $55.7 million domestically as of this writing). Whether you want to blame the studio for interfering or director Josh Trank’s alleged erratic behavior on the set for how things turned out, there’s no denying that the project has morphed into a mess for all involved.
Honestly, that fact is a little frustrating, since Fantastic Four was a film that had potential. Featuring a talented cast of up-and-coming young stars, and the possibility of crossovers with Fox’s X-Men franchise, there were plenty of reasons to look forward to it prior to the film hitting theaters. And it’s because of that squandered promise that many – including Fox’s creative consultant Mark Millar – have expressed regret over the final product.
In an interview with IGN, Millar talked about Fantastic Four‘s shortcomings, while also hinting that it could have been a very good film:
“It’s a shame because I think elements of it were good. Some bits were good. I remember the first half in particular works well. [Josh Trank] is brilliant. Chronicle was my favorite superhero movie in 2012 — and be reminded Avengers was out that year. I really love Chronicle. It’s just a shame sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Nobody goes in hoping it’s not going to work out. Everybody is trying their best and those guys worked their asses off. It didn’t quite come together as well as they hoped, which is a shame.”
Millar’s comments echo the sentiments of several who saw the film; the film’s first act is generally believed to be an intriguing piece of sci-fi drama, before the story completely derails after the main characters all get their powers. Millar seems to be offering a great deal of support for Trank (who claimed his original vision would have been better received), but he’s not exactly pointing the finger at Fox at the same time. He seems to just be disappointed in the end result instead of looking for someone to blame.
Despite Fantastic Four performing so poorly, Fox remains committed to figuring out a way to do a sequel. Given that the studio has lost close to $100 million on their investment, Fox might be better served rethinking those plans. Millar addressed the franchise’s future by saying it’s a fluid situation:
“I think everything’s open to discussion. No decision I think has been made on anything yet like that. There’s chats everyone’s going to have on the phone at some point, but the Marvel brand is such a powerful brand. Marvel doesn’t always work out great — Thor 2 didn’t work out especially well, Iron Man 2 didn’t work. But then Iron Man 3 comes along and it’s great. These things can be uneven sometimes. Avengers 2 is nowhere near as good as Avengers 1.”
Millar may be right in stating that Iron Man 2 wasn’t as good as the first Iron Man, but his comparison to Marvel Studios’ “inferior” films is simply apples and oranges. Thor: The Dark World grossed $644.7 million worldwide from a $170 million production budget and Iron Man 2 made $626.9 million globally (without 3D) on a $200 million budget. Those figures blow Fantastic Four‘s $164 million worldwide intake out of the water. Yes, some Marvel movies aren’t considered to be great films, but they still make large amounts of money – and Marvel has never put something out that got as bad reviews as Fantastic Four.
Finally, Millar chimed in on the future of the superhero genre, which has been a hot talking point among Hollywood big shots recently. Specifically, he offered a response to Steven Spielberg’s belief that comic book movies will eventually go the way of the Western:
“The human race will go the way of the Western. Everything has to end at some point. [Laughs] We’re just going to be atoms. It’s inevitable. I think [the superhero movie genre has] got at least another good five years. The stuff that’s coming up is so strong.”
Spielberg may have rattled some cages when he said superheroes’ popularity will eventually die out, but he did make a valid point. There will be a time (just like every other big genre in movie history) where comic book films are usurped by a different kind of movie at the top of the food chain. It’s true these projects can be a little more flexible in their tone and adapt to different genres, but chances are it can’t go on forever. And if Millar’s right and we “only” get five more good years of this, that means we’ll have three complete phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (culminating in a two-part Infinity War event) and two Justice League flicks. Fifteen years ago, comic book fans would have happily signed up for that.
Fantastic Four is currently in theaters. Deadpool opens February 12, 2016; X-Men: Apocalypse on May 27, 2016; Gambit on October 7, 2016; Wolverine 3 on March 3, 2017; Fantastic Four 2 (probably not anymore) on June 9, 2017; and some as-yet unspecified X-Men film on July 13, 2018. The New Mutantsis also in development.
Source: IGN
So, yes, we sense that the message here is “Only Mark Millar can save super hero movies!” And if you draw long hair and a beard onto the photo below I think you’ll find we have “The next Alan Moore”, not that the first is doing too much of anything really other than spouting the usual shit.
All precious little darlings.
A Victorian Mystery & Suspense Double (or Triple) Header!
Two Great Books: The Adventures Of Chung Ling Soo and Wilberforce -A Jack’s Lot Is Not A Happy One
Writer -Terry Hooper-Scharf Artist -Gavin Stuart Ross
A4 Comic Album
Black and white
84 pages
Price: £6.00
Ships in 3–5 business days
To many he was simply a stage magician.
Others knew the truth –such as Scotland Yard and the very secret Q Bureau.
From a seemingly cursed jade statue bringing gruesome death to those who found it to a plot by a Chinese supremacist group hoping to strike terror and destruction at the heart of the British Empire and even more seemingly unstoppable Tong assassins –Chung Ling Soo was there.
Sergeant Wilberforce of Scotland Yard was the closest thing to a friend the Magician had yet even he was perpetually stumped by him…and his deaths!
Collecting together Chung Ling Soo And The Curse Of The Jade Dragon And Chung Ling Soo The Case Of The Thames Serpent By Terry Hooper-Scarf and Gavin Stuart Ross
And, as Amazon always adds, “to compliment your purchase”…..and in his very own book….
Wilberforce
Ben R. Dilworth
A4 Comic Album
28 pages
Black and white.
Price: £4.00
Ships in 3–5 business days
Wilberforce—a Sergeant on the Metropolitan Police Detective Force.
But Wilberforce was no common “Jack” (police officer).
Even before working with the famous Chung Ling Soo (The Case Of The Thames Serpent), Wilberforce had “tasted the chin strap” on many tough cases –even a stint in the Army saw him used because of his detective skills.
Here, Ben R. Dilworth, gives us a sneak peek into Wilberforce’s Case Notes for 1896. “A Jack’s lot is not a happy one” and Wilberforce was not just dealing with the ordinary criminals such as the nobblers, rampsmen, smashers, mobsmen, snoozers and skinners….
…there were the spectres, the satanic followers, vampires and other monsters —things the ordinary copper never usually encountered and often scoffed at the stories of. Wilberforce knew better.
Wilberforce was “all piss and vinegar”!
“Ripper Street” was never like this!
Comic Bits 20 