Indigene

For those of you who are interested in the historical aspect of comics the Smithsonian will be hosting a gallery all about Native American comics.

"Comic Art Indigène examines how storytelling has been used through comics and comic-inspired art to express the contemporary Native American experience. Under the larger definition of narrative art, comic art is more related to Native American art traditions than one might expect. The earliest surviving example of such narrative art is rock art. The historic examples used in the exhibition, such as photographs of rock art, ledger art, and ceramics, are meant to link Native American art traditions with contemporary voices.

Making comics and producing art inspired by them is a method of reclaiming the narrative art form of comics and Native American culture from those who would dismiss an art for the masses. Stories of humor, adventure and the fantastic depicted through pictures have always been an indigenous practice, and Native American scribes today grapple with the same topics emboldened with millennia-old cultural traditions, blended with new methods of expression and life in the 21st Century."

The gallery will be hosted March 6, 2009–May 31, 2009 NMAI on the National Mall, Washington, DC.

New Releases for Friday, January 2nd

Lots of cool stuff coming out this upcoming FRIDAY.

Yes.

I said Friday, and I won't feel bad for you if you come in Wednesday looking for new books.

Okay, maybe a little. BUT, its only because I want to read Wolverine #70 just as bad you do.

Also on Friday we get Captain America #45, Green Lantern#36, Ed Brubaker's newest book, Incognito #1, JSA #22 and JLA #28.

Also, prepare yourselves...

KICK-ASS #5
(You May Now Please Stop Bothering Me About This Book.)

&

A WINTERMEN SPECIAL (Does Anyone Even Remember What Happened In This Series.)

Check It All Here.

Congratulations Image...

It took me awhile, but thanks to Ryan Ottley's amazing cover to Invincible #60 I now know something about Image Comics.

IMAGE HAS A SUPERHERO UNIVERSE

You remember having debates in your local comic book shop about if all the Image characters existed in one universe? I certainly do. If Image United wasn't a hint, this cover and this issue (which promises a universe encompassing one-shot story) is the Robert Kirkman, in the study, with the candelabra kind of proof you need to prove that all these characters hail from the same place.

Now you may be saying "JORDAN, of course they do! We've seen them interact before." But just LOOK at that picture. EVERYONE is there. Even Ultra, the Dynamo 5, and Madman. I recall Spawn in Youngblood and, I'm certain Dragon has been in Invincible, but it just puts my mind at ease that a cover like this has been made. In fact, I'm going to laminate just so when someone asks me, "Who's in the Image U?" I can say, "All these dudes. All these dudes right here."

&

This got me thinking. I would love to see a monthly "Avengers/JLA" title from Image.

Now employee Nikolai said he's seen such a thing, but since Nikolai wasn't even alive when Image was made, I don't believe him. Wouldn't it be great to have Invincible (Young angsty Superman), Brit (Captain America/Wolverine), Ultra, Superpatriot, Savage Dragon, and like the Dynamo 5 on a team.

Man that would be sweet.

New Releases for Wednesday, December 17th

Before I get to this weeks new releases, I just wanted to update everyone on the Fantom Body Slam post prior to this one. After telling that story to my brother he went and saw the WWE perform in Baghdad a few weeks ago.

EXTREME!

On to the goods.

So cool stuff coming out this week. Fables #79, Invincible Iron Man #8, Mighty Avengers #20, Spider-Man Noir #1, Walking Dead #56, and the DCU Holiday Special.

Not a lot of graphic novels, but some cool stuff. Make sure to check out Superman Past & Future which contains the stellar, "Superman Under the Red Sun" story. Also take a look at the The Boys HC Definitive Edition especially if you've liked other Garth Ennis projects like The Pro or his Punisher stuff.

New Comics on sale: 12.17.08

(Click link above for this weeks new releases!)

Fantom Body Slam

Last week I was working at our store in NW DC (Tenleytown) when I received a phone call from a guy named Phil. Phil asked me if we had the last three volumes of the popular and best selling, Y: The Last Man series. I told him we did, and he said he would be in shortly to pick them up.

Pretty normal, people do it all the time right. I mean, why make the trip if we don't have the goods?

About 30 minutes later Phil came through the door. I recognized him instantly. He's been around before. About my height, looks a little heavier than me, mid length dark hair, with a goatee and a lip piercing. Has a few tats as well.

In fact he looks just like this...

Hey! We even have the same Avengers t-shirt!

So he makes his way over to the "New Graphic Novel" shelf and picks up a few books. Apparently he's a big fan of the old Valiant Comics brand. You remember Valiant. X-O Manowar? Archer Armstrong? Classic 90's stuff. Also picked up some Avengers and Captain America stuff.

We talk comics and about whats good, and I hand him the three Y:The Last Man's I've been holding for him.

I go into a story about my brother and how I just sent him comics to keep him entertained while he is stationed in Iraq. Phil says, "I'm going to Iraq tonight."

Assuming he's also a soldier (because really, with all the tattoos what else could he be?) I immediately extend him the offer to send him comics while he's over there. You know, combine the load when I ship stuff to my brother.

He says he will be coming back soon, but thanks me for the offer. I ask him why he's going there if he's not in the military.

"I'm a wrestler," he responds. "We're doing some shows for the troops there."

Really? A wrestler?!

"Who for," I ask. I used to love wrestling and I still check it out every now and then. Suddenly it begins to click.

He responds, "The WWE."And by the time he finishes he has his books, and is out the door with a "Thanks!"

My minds on fire! Who was that guy. I've met "Phil" before. But I never put it all together.

Phil is professional WWE wrestler CM Punk.

THIS CM PUNK

Yeah. AWESOME.

And We're Back...

I want to thank the awesome Jim Dougan for telling me he liked the Fantom Blog and hated to see it go.

To be honest. So did I.

Also employee CC made a post LONG after I had closed the site down, therefore making me look really bad. But I envyed her post and thought, "Hey, I used to do that."

Also, sooo much cool shit has happened lately its hard not sharing it with my random fans in Germany and South America (Yes, I have "Hoff" appeal). So sit back and check back in with the Fantom Blog frequently for reviews, store stories, new releases and banter.

Plenty of professional banter.

Adapting to Comics

Adapting. It's what we humans do best. We evolve. We adapt. But what does that really mean? According to dictionary.com (my go-to on any term that is vague or used too generally) the sociological process of adaptation is "a slow, usually unconscious modification of individual and social activity in adjustment to cultural surroundings". How appropriate then that as comics take over the literature world, crowding out the romance novels in Barnes and Noble and edging out other winners on the New York Times Bestsellers list, we see classical literature being "modified" into comic form. And I'm NOT talking about the Classics Illustrated junk that is neither great art nor good editing.

After reading "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" by F. Scott Fitzgerald graphic novel (adapted by Nunzio Fillippis and Illustrated by Kevin Cornell) I believe that there are some stories that are being given new life and new eyes as we get to see art combined with what is already considered good literature. This particular book fit well with the medium since it is a book that solely focuses on the physical appearance of one Benjamin Button as he is born an 85 year-old man and becomes younger with each passing year. The art is truly fabulous, the watercolors evoking the time-period the book was set in, and the artist managed to catch each year very distinctively, a feat easier said than done. My one qualm with the book is that the speech bubbles are typed versus being lettered. I had no problem with the narration being typed, since I think it really helps cement F. Scott as still having a voice within his own story, but I would have preferred hand-lettered text in order to fit the beautiful images.

Before I am mistaken I have to say I am a literature major and am a huge advocator for reading the novel before seeing the movie or reading the comic book. I do not see comics as a kind of Cliff's Notes or dumbing down of the text, but rather ways for artists to take familiar and favorite stories and to put their own spin and outlook on them. I mainly say this since I am guilty of adapting of more than my fair share of favorite poems and short stories into comic format. That being said there's a lot of really great stuff going on out there. If you like this adaptation I suggest looking up Peter Kuper's "Metamorphosis", Posey Simmonds "Gemma Bovary" ("Madame Bovary") and "Tamara Drewe" ("Far From The Madding Crowd"), and Mazzuchelli's "Paul Auster's 'City of Glass'". I know I'm always looking for more great adaptations and encourage readers to be on the outlook (STILL waiting for a GOOD adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland"). But give these books a look over, you won't be disappointed!