TX – Bedrock City Comics Signing

Phil Jimenez and Frank D’Armata appear at Bedrock City Comic Co. on Saturday November 30th from 2:00 till 6:00pm!

Bedrock City Comic Co.
6516 Westheimer, Suite D, Houston, TX 77057
(713) 780-0675

CA – Superman 75th Anniversary Signing

Writer Charles Soule (Superman/Wonder Woman) appears at Phat Collectibles on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at 2:00pm!

RSVP on Facebook!

Phat Collectibles
1201 S. Euclid Street, Anaheim, CA 92804

Epic Proportions Booth Schedule for NYCC 2013

New York Comic Con is just a few days away. And Epic Proportions/Secret Identities Universe has some GREAT signings scheduled at their booth (#2010) this year!

On Friday October 11, they will host Greg Pak, Bernard Chang, Cliff Chiang, and Walter Simonson!

And then not to be undone, on Saturday October 12, we’ll have Larry Hama, Bernard Chang, and Walter Simonson.

 

This year Epic Proportions boasts their biggest booth yet! A 10×20 corner booth! Booth 2010!

And to help celebrate this, they have once again partnered up with THE Walter Simonson (Thor, Batman, Fantastic Four, Beta Ray Bill, Archangel) to create one amazing contest!

The above image represents a 13×19 giclee print that 2 lucky winners will get for free!

All you have to do to enter is purchase one of the EP Comic Con Exclusive Ragnarok tees:

 

The Problem with Doubting Wonder Woman

By Leigh Wendinger at HalloweenCostumes.com

Batman and Superman have dominated the superhero films for years now, spending nearly $1 billion dollars for their production over the last eight years collectively [1].  The glaring question left in the shadow of their hulking success is why are superhero movies continuing to pop up like weeds while the Wonder Woman film idea shrivels in the darkness?

It goes without saying that Superman and Batman have gained raging popularity, but those films have not always had a solid history of success.  Consider Green Lantern, Hulk and Superman Returns – all flops!  Why did they get a second chance while Wonder Woman has yet to get her first? Good question.

Since movies like Catwoman and Elektra failed to bring the fan base creators were hoping for, an appalling misconception developed: female superhero movies would never succeed.  The myth clearly follows the wake of two of the most lackluster scripts in superhero film history.

This, in turn, has aided in the creation of the proverbial glass ceiling for female superheroes.  Now, those who would like a crack at making a dominating female picture are left to face a series of obstacles ahead.

Ludicrous?  Absolutely!

Here’s the scene.  Nearly every superhero movie made revolves around males while their female counterparts take a sheepish back seat.  Considering society’s need for a strong female character, this theory fails to make much sense, unless of course it is too hard for society to see a woman succeed without a man to guide her.  Ludicrous again!

So the question arises, why can’t women be the empowering main characters in movies instead of just a sexualized accessory to a male?

Well, there are a few reasons why Hollywood has been reluctant to create more movies where women take the lead and regrettably, that line of thinking has led to five myths:

1. 1.       Female superheroes don’t bring in revenue

Toy companies claim they cannot sell as many toys for female superheroes, but Wonder Woman products have the ability to sell to a diverse audience – gender and age included.

 

1. 2.       Female superhero movies always bomb at the box office

When the movie fails to break even with the production budget while it is in theatres, it is considered a box office bomb.  Of the two ‘legitimate’ female superhero movies made, only one tanked at the box office.  But how many male superhero movies bombed?  Far more than one and we’ll leave it at that.

 

The 1997 film Batman and Robin was not a fan favorite, but the prevailing Batman movies, The Dark Night and The Dark Night Rises, have been some of the highest grossing films to date.  So why can’t females have another shot?  What’s the harm?  We clearly know there is only room for improvement since the lukewarm reception of Catwoman!

 

1. 3.       There are no actresses who will play them or who are good enough to portray them

Scarlett Johansson definitely holds her own playing Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers – clearly it’s all about casting and script.

 

Bets are the male population would not mind watching Wonder Woman fight crime in her skin tight attire.  But again, that’s feeding into the very progression that’s made the glass ceiling bullet proof!

 

1. 4.       Women don’t read comics and the men don’t like female superheroes

Both assumptions are ridiculous and false, no need to elaborate there!

 

1. 5.       No female superhero is well known enough to attract a fan base

Wonder Woman, duh!

Even though a large fan base would disagree with some of these concepts, we still are left suspicious of Wonder Woman and her success in film.  Is it because of her confusing beginning in the comic book world, her character complexity, or one of the many myths that prompted the reluctance of success?  That is left for you to ponder.

In the meantime, consider that Wonder Woman has many components to her life and for those who have not followed her in comic book culture, she may appear extremely complex.  Followers of her comic introduction know her origins are comprised of an intricate weave intertwining the notions of female strength and obedience to a male – a web not easily untangled.

Although the life of Wonder Woman is complicated, it is not convoluted to the point where followers will fail to understand her character progression.  If anything, a great plot will keep viewers on the edge of their seats as the predictable nature of many scripts is circumvented.

Finding Cracks in the Ceiling

Perhaps the true question here is whether the uncertainty is placed in Wonder Woman as a character or the inability to create a script that portrays her in a deserving light?  Undoubtedly, it will be hard to find the aspect of her existence that is the most appealing to viewers, especially males.  But it has to be done!  Indeed, the presence of strong female characters in lead roles may very well depend upon the ability to get Wonder Woman “right”.

Variance from original story lines may also deter comic book fans from watching her in film; simply because that is not the Wonder Woman they know.  Ill logic aside; she has to be perfect otherwise the doubts in all the skeptic’s minds will be solidified.  In other words, Hollywood only gets one shot to do this right!

Many cynics have questioned the potential success of a Wonder Woman film for years and lack of faith in an original Joss Whedon script didn’t defend her case much either.  While Wonder Woman, and other female superheroes for that matter, has been pigeon-holed to lack the ability to create a good film, numerous flaws lie in doubting her capabilities and her popularity.

Wonder Woman is recognized by a large demographic whether it is because of her presence in comic books or because she is a popular cultural icon.  Superhero hero movies attract a large following that do not stem from comic books, so why wouldn’t Wonder Woman be able to do the same?

A male superhero story may have an intricate story line, but the characters generally encompass one main detail – they fight crime.  The problem with doubting Wonder Woman quite possibly lies in the misconception that a female heroine movie would do the same while lacking the same success.

Female characters are much more diversified and Wonder Woman would have the ability to play on the inherent value of female empowerment.  Although Wonder Woman doesn’t represent all women, her idiosyncrasies will help develop the strength of future female characters.

Shattering Boundaries

Wonder Woman’s bravery and strength are enviable traits for women as well as men.  Not only is Wonder Woman an inspiration to women, she truly is a woman with no fear.  She is a strong warrior who encompasses the loving aspect of life, but isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.  In the eyes of women, there is not much better than seeing a woman who can stand up for peace, love, justice, and sexual equality.

Obviously, the problem with a Wonder Woman movie is that writers have still failed to come up with a film representation that will do her justice.  Conceivably the problem with doubting the potential success of Wonder Woman is that no male superhero movie to date has embraced the entirety of their existence.  Many fans enjoy the movies that are highly favored to the action aspects, but Wonder Woman is fighting for more than just peace.

The true concern is whether disbelief in the success of Wonder Woman compromises our societal evolvement.

Times are changing and the world is ready for female heroines to shatter tired 20^th century boundaries and make the long overdue gender shift in the superhero movie genre.  Despite uncertainties of her ability to succeed in film, Wonder Woman is the perfect character to bridge that gap and extinguish the erroneous hesitations.

Source

[1] Gray, B. (2013) Box Office Mojo. IMDb.com, Inc. [permalink]

Enter Our Contest to Win a Wonder Woman Costume!

Still hunting for a Halloween costume? Convention Scene and HalloweenCostumes.com are teaming up to give away one adult Wonder Woman costume! Look below for lots of ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hero Initiative Brings Sal Buscema, George Perez & More to Baltimore Comic-Con 2013

Press Release:

Hero Initiative will hit the Baltimore Comic Con on September 7-8 in a MASSIVE way with exclusive appearances by several comic book legends.

Hero Board member George Pérez of Avengers and Teen Titans fame will be at the Hero Initiative booth, #1501-#1502 all weekend. This will be the ONLY place you’ll be able to get autographs and sketches from George! He’ll be joined all weekend by artist Ron Frenz (Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Girl) exclusively at the Hero booth!

Saturday only, writer Tom DeFalco (Fantastic Four, Spider-Girl) and artist Brett Breeding (Superman) will also be on hand at the Hero booth to help raise money for comic creators in medical and financial need.

And perhaps most importantly, Incredible Hulk and Avengers artistic legend Sal Buscema will be at the Hero Initiative booth on Saturday only from 1-4 p.m. Sal is 77 years old, and does very few public appearances. This will likely be his last. Sal will be signing autographs for $5 each or 3 for $10. This may be your last chance to get Sal to sign your books, so bring ’em on!

In addition, creators across the con floor will be taking donations for signatures at their own booths! We thank these artists and hope you stop and contribute to our cause! These creators include:

Mark Buckingham, Jim Calafiore, Cliff Chiang, Amanda Conner, Chris Giarrusso, Joe Hill, Roger Landridge, Joe Linsner, Laura Martin, Ron Marz, Jimmy Palmiotti. Andrew Pepoy, Brian Pulido, Tom Raney, Craig Rousseau, Chris Samnee, Alex Saviuk, Joe Staton, Bill Willingham, Chrissie Zullo, and many more.

And of course, the highlight of Saturday evening is the Harvey Awards, featuring the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award and the Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award. Stop by to see who wins the hardware this year!

You can still buy your tickets at www.baltimorecomiccon.com for the weekend! See you there!

About The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $500,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

NYC – Dare2Draw w/ Phil Jimenez

Artist Phil Jimenez appears at Society of Illustrators on Thursday, August 15, 2013 from 6:00pm until 9:30pm!

RSVP on Facebook!

About Phil Jimenez:

At an early age, Phil Jimenez learned of the world of comics through his love of Star Wars, leading him into Marvel Comics series based on the film. In addition, he was a big fan of the Super Friends and Wonder Woman TV show (soon to become a big fan of her comic version, thanks to George Perez’s post-crisis re-launch).

Attending Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts, Phil developed the skills he needed to become a comic book artist, being picked by Neal Pozner to draw a two-part Cyborg story in Showcase Œ93. A few of Phil’s more well known works are Fairest, Team Titans, Tempest, Guy Gardner: Warrior, Robin, Invisibles, New X-Men, and is very well known for his work on Wonder Woman, JLA/Titans: Technis Imperative, and his many pin-ups (notably: numerous Secret Files and Origins) and group splashes including the Justice League, Legion of Super-Heroes, and DC One-Million. Jimenez is currently at work on a creator-owned DC title for their Vertigo line called “Otherworld.”

Phil would also act as the stand-in for Tobey Maguire during the costume-designing scene in the 2002 Spider-Man feature film. But, in addition to his excellent talent for visual art, Phil is an accomplished writer as well thanks in large part to the man who not only hired him, but also taught him to write, draw, and love passionately, Neal Pozner. Unfortunately, Neal passed away in 1994 after contracting the HIV virus.

Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street, New York, NY 10065

CA – Lazarus Signing

Writer Greg Rucka appears at Beach Ball Comics on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 Wednesday, September 18, 2013 beginning at 5:00pm to sign LAZARUS, the new creator-owned series from Image Comics!

RSVP on Facebook!

Please note: artist Michael Lark will not appear as previously announced.

Beach Ball Comics
3024 W Ball Rd Ste G, Anaheim, CA 92804

OR – Lazarus Signing

Greg Rucka signs at Bridge City Comics on Friday, July 5, 2013 from 6pm – 9pm!

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

Bridge City Comics will have copies of Lazarus #1 available for purchase for Greg to sign, as well as special limited variant editions of the comic. Refreshments will be served free of charge! This event is free to the public.

About Lazarus:
In a dystopian near-future government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and posession is 100% of the law. A handful of Families rule, jealously guarding what they have and exploiting the Waste who struggle to survive in their domains. Forever Carlyle defends her family’s holdings through deception and force as their protector, their Lazarus. Shot dead defending the family home, Forever’s day goes downhill from there….

About Greg Rucka:
Greg Rucka is the author of nearly a dozen novels, six featuring bodyguard Atticus Kodiak, and two featuring Tara Chace, the protagonist of his Queen & Country series. Additionally, he has penned several short-stories, countless comics, and the occasional non-fiction essay. In comics, he has had the opportunity to write stories featuring some of the world’s best-known characters Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman as well as penning several creator-owned properties himself, such as Whiteout and Queen & Country, both published by Oni Press. His work has been optioned several times over, and his services are in high-demand in a variety of creative fields as a story-doctor and creative consultant. Greg resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, author Jennifer Van Meter, and his two children.

Bridge City Comics
3725 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227

CA – Image Writers Sign

J. Michael Straczynski and Kurtis Wiebe, in town for Image Expo on July 2nd at the Yerba Buena Center, are signing at the Escapist Comic Bookstore on Wednesday, July 3rd.

Straczynski is a comics icon. His 7 year run on Spider-Man was hailed for being both great and controversial, His other comics work includes Thor, Wonder Woman, Superman, Teen Titans, Brave and the Bold, Before Watchmen (Night Owl and Dr. Manhattan) and Superman Earth One. His own line of Joe’s Comics published by Top Cow and now Image include Rising Stars, Midnight Nation and his current title Ten Grand (with artist Ben Templesmith). There is more to come from Joe’s Comics in the coming months. In his TV career he was executive producer and writer for Babylon 5, its spin-off Crusade, and Jeremiah.

Kurtis Wiebe has written many comics for Image. His credits include the Intrepids, Green Wake (for which he won a Shuster award), and Debris. His current comic, Peter Panzerfaust is also printed by Image. It is being made into a motion comic with voices supplied by Elijah Wood and Ron Perlman. There is also a TV show in the works. His new comic, Rat Queens has been announced.

signing schedule:

• Wiebe – 3:30 pm to (aprox.) 5 pm
• Straczynski – 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Don’t come late. Mr. Straczynski has to be whisked off to catch a plane after the event. If traffic is bad, he could be a whirlwind.

Escapist Comics
3090 Claremont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705

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