Neilalien : A Doctor Strange Fansite : A Comic Book Weblog  

From DC May 02007: Action Heroes Archives Volume 2, including Ditko's Charlton work on Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and The Question [Ditko Looked Up]

High praise for Amazing Spider-Man #25 [Fred Hembeck, with Hembeckized Ditko cover]

The Oath #1 over 40K direct-market sales, in at #42 [Marvel October 02006 Month-to-Month Sales at the Beat] [ICv2 Top 300 October 02006] ([DC, others])

Original 01970's Night Nurse #1-4 online in CBR format [X-Y-Z-Cosmonaut's CosmoBlog]
Get your research for The Oath before it's gone.

Artist Dave Gutierrez inks a Gene Colan Doc sketch [Abstract Reality Studios] [original pencils]

Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) nominated as potential Dr. Strange movie director [Ryanetics]

Cartoonist Steve Willhite re-imagines Dr. Strange as Pestilence of the Four Horsemen [Stevecomix Sketchblog]

Doctor Strange #1 by Brunner a favorite comic book cover [A Month of Fundays]

DC announces Minx original graphic novel imprint for the teen female reader [Newsarama] [Karen Berger interview at Newsarama] [Karen Berger interview at ICv2] [Permanent Damage weigh-in]
Big exciting move, although some reservations remain about implementation, the number of creators involved who are actually female, creator ownership, and what the name "Minx" conveys.
For Graphic Novels, a New Frontier: Teenage Girls [New York Times]
Update: The Beat weighs in; big discussion in comments
Update: DC, Marvel and the Female Reader: good insight into the different approaches of Marvel and DC re: female readers based on the different nature of the respective companies [Return To Comics]

Comics Are In Everything: Burtin vs. Ellis/Williams re: page layout [Pulse Laser] [via Waxy]

If you only buy the comics you want to buy, and are too closed-minded to ask your retailer for Bomb Queen, then you're not helping The Comics Art Medium [Comics Should Be Good]

When Jughead went undercover to check out Riverdale's punk rock scene [Progressive Ruin]

Tony Stark breaks into the Forbes Fictional 15 [MSNBC] [thanks Richard!]

Tomorrow night at Rocketship! Big Fat Little Lit signing and reception!

Posted 30 November 02006 - Permalink

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Legend Dave Cockrum has died [Comic Book Resources] [News From ME] [Neil Gaiman]
Update: New York Times obituary
Update: Erik Larsen remembers Cockrum [One Fan's Opinion]

Posted 27 November 02006 - Permalink

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Dr. Jerry Bails, "The Father of Comic Book Fandom" and Alter Ego, has died [Comics Reporter] [Mark Evanier] ["The Birth of Alter-Ego" at BillSchelly.com]

Dave Sim discusses Ditko, 160 Page Package [Dave Sim's Blogandmail #73, #74] [thanks Mike!]
Update: #75: Sim contacts Robin Snyder; includes how to order Ditko stuff

Goodbye To Comics: Former editor's incredible "theoretical" (in the same way OJ Simpson's If I Did It was theoretical?) tell-all memoir about a woman working in comics [jump to the bottom of the above link for the #0 start and read up; previous Occasional Superheroine comicsblogging at link nuked]
#7 relates internal decision at DC to make their comics more "badass" with Identity Crisis' Sue Dibny rape/murder
Further commentary on #7: [Comics Worth Reading] [Comics Reporter]

Posted 24 November 02006 - Permalink

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Galactus Is Coming: Stan Lee Meets... Jack Chick [Your Mom's Basement] [thanks John!]

Grant Morrison interviewed post-Seven Soldiers [Newsarama]
Lots there, including:

That's the great strength of superhero comics - internal psychological conflicts can become actualized. Inner dramas can be played out as literal, world-shaking battles. Impersonal forces like Greed and Guilt can be personified and metaphors can stalk the land wreaking havoc...
Remember the first time you picked up an X-Men or Avengers book and it was stuffed to the staples with parallel universes, clones, alternate future versions of characters, and a continuity so dense you could stand a spoon in it? The chaos, confusion and excitement of being thrown without a guidebook into a new world was intoxicating to me and it seems that superhero comics only start to get boring when that sense of anything-can-or-can't-happen is replaced by familiarity.

Posted 21 November 02006 - Permalink

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Very Short Stories: Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Frank Miller among writers of six-word stories [Wired] [via 3quarksdaily]

Posted 19 November 02006 - Permalink

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Gordon Lee motions denied, CBLDF proceeds to trial [Comic Book Legal Defense Fund]

Marvel February 02007 solicits include Doctor Strange: The Oath #5 finale [cover image] [Comic Book Resources]

Tom Brevoort using Marcos Martin's work on The Oath for comics tutorial series [Brevoort's Marvel.com Blog: Part 1] [Part 2]
Update: [Part 3] [Part 4]

Joey Q's design notes for JMS' Dr. Strange, included in the Strange TPB, are posted online [Defenders Message Board]

Secrets Kept No Longer: Bendis talks December's Illuminati miniseries; Jimmy Cheung art preview [Newsarama]

The text-panel-climax rip-off that is Doctor Strange #41 [Lady, That's My Skull]

Bullpen Bulletins feature from Strange Tales #139 advertised Dr. Strange's bong [Lady, That's My Skull]

Praise for The Oath; "it will certainly re-launch a monthly Doctor Strange comic" [Stevereads]

Ditko tribute illo by Russ Maheras [via VicSage.com]

Dr. Strange sketch by Jake Kalsbeek [for Comic Geek Speak Forums' Magical Characters Artist Challenge]

"Dumb Magician" one of top five nicknames Hulk has given people [Comics Should Be Good]

MoCCA's "Stan Lee: A Retrospective" exhibition opening February 02007 [Newsarama]

The Comic Book Renaissance: "Have you noticed all the comic book references creeping up in our daily lives lately?" [Online Spin] [via Blog@Newsarama]

How to sell comics to civilians with Sandman [Brian Hibbs Tilting At Windmills at Newsarama]
Also, three problems with the huge number of ads in Marvel's recent comics (including The Oath): books now have more pages than solicited, retailers paying the extra freight, affects readability.

Nexus returning! Go Steve Rude! [Newsarama]

Interview with HERO Initiative (was ACTOR) President Jim McLauchlin includes peek behind the curtain, tales of helpage [Tales Of Wonder] [via The Beat]

Fave comicsblogger Kevin Church (BeaucoupKevin) makin' comics, interviewin' [Newsarama]

Birds of Prey hitting issue #100 with non-A-list all-female cast "proves all sorts of comic mythology wrong" [Gail Simone interview at Newsarama]

A Quirky Superhero of the Comics Trade [New York Times lovenote to Dark Horse Comics]

Marvel reports 3Q 02006 earnings [Newsarama]
Publishing up $5.1m (or 20%) to $30.9 million due to Civil War, and TPB's and hardcovers in direct and bookstore markets.
Marvel's Profits Fall, Stock Rises; Publishing Revenues Top Licensing [ICv2]
Marvel navigating a tough 02006 adequately (or investors' expectations anyway) without a big movie release and having to do its own toys.

Marvel Explains Its Sweet Movie Deal At Merrill Lynch Conference [ICv2]
Better movies than Elektra of second-tier characters expected because Marvel now has say in creative decisions.
Marvel's Super Powers: Report from Marvel's presentation at the Media and Entertainment Conference [Motley Fool]
Six essential stages to making money from intellectual property were outlined.

Alan Moore to appear on The Simpsons [Newsarama]

Dennis The Menace/Fight Club mashup

Posted 17 November 02006 - Permalink

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Starlog #17 Dr. Strange TV movie article Dr. Strange TV movie article from Starlog #17, October 01978

Thanks to Progressive Ruin for handing this off!

Posted 12 November 02006 - Permalink

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Universal encouraged Firefly/Serenity fans (Browncoats) to do its viral marketing (like creating bumper stickers); now it sends cease-and-desists, bill for "retroactive licensing fees" [Techdirt]
In response, the Browncoats muse about billing Universal for their marketing efforts.

Posted 11 November 02006 - Permalink

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Bollywood Superman and Spider-Woman revel in love and superspiderdance! [YouTube] [via Flabber]

Supervillain doesn't understand the ways of women, but sure groks his own "laser cannon" [Scans_daily panel from Avengers #35] [via LinkMachineGo]

List of Lamest Edit Wars on Wikipedia includes brouhaha re: if New Avengers should be included in the Avengers entry as simply the latest Avengers incarnation, or have its own entry as a distinct New Avengers entity [via LinkMachineGo] [Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics/editorial guidelines]

Comic book teaches you only how to pick locks that you own, or those to which you've been given explicit permission to pick by the rightful owner [PDF 22-page comic] [Locksport International] [MAKE Blog] [via Boing Boing]

Posted 9 November 02006 - Permalink

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Fred Van Lente interview includes info/art re: April's Super Villain Team-Up: Modok's 11 [Newsarama]
Action Philosophers #7: It's All Greek To You preview, out today.


The mood must be quite low this morning in the Sanctum Santorum...

Posted 8 November 02006 - Permalink

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Doctor Strange: The Oath #2 out tomorrow [Diamond Comics Shipping List]

Posted 7 November 02006 - Permalink

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Dr. Strange and daughter in Fantastic Four: The End #1

The above image is from this week's Fantastic Four: The End #1 by Alan Davis. It looks like the alt-future miniseries will include an Ancient Stephen Strange and a Clea-esque daughter! Developing...

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Doctor Strange: The Oath #2 Preview [PopCultureShock]

Doctor Strange's Massive Orgy in Shamballa [Photon Torpedoes]

The Dread Dormammu homemade Mego figure [thanks Howard!]

Creator Javier Hernandez wishes Ditko a Happy Birthday, relates anecdote of a letter received [Javzilla]

"There's a psychological and moral intensity to Ditko's work that no other comic book artist comes close to, and he's also the greatest surrealist ever to work in the mainstream comic medium - which is why no-one else has ever come close to his work on Dr. Strange, his most famous creation apart from the web-spinner." [A Run In My Unmentionables]

Ditko's Dr. Strange in Strange Tales #136 recapped, praised [Ditko Comics]

Satan and Comic Book Superheroes [Under God's Right Arm]
Superhero comic books, Dr. Strange, "are propaganda for an anti-Christian lifestyle".

Marvel Fanfare #21 praised as good stuff, included in top five Thing/Hulk fights [Comics Should Be Good]
Neilalien disagrees, as much now as he did four years ago ["putrid"].

When Marvel fooled the Feds during the early 70's wage-price freeze [News From ME]

Sequential art (American Born Chinese) "equal status" with "real" novels/nomination for a literature award (National Book Award) upset somebody [it's incongruous to Neilalien that Wired News would be the platform for this old-think] [Neil Gaiman best response]

Soap opera people think they're higher on the geek hierarchy than superhero comic books; they rant about event stunts just as well [soap opera message board negative reaction to Guiding Light/Marvel crossover] [via Progressive Ruin]
Superhero comic books must not have enough amnesia, comas, mindless adultery, etc., for them.

Posted 3 November 02006 - Permalink

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Happy Birthday to Steve Ditko!

Steve Ditko

From "How Stan Lee And Steve Ditko Create Spider-Man!" in Spider-Man Annual #1 (01964).

Posted 2 November 02006 - Permalink

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FYI Doc Fans: Turns out there's a bit of Doctor Strange in What If? Avengers Disassembled ("What If The Scarlet Witch Hadn't Acted Alone?"), out today, with a couple winks and nods our way (there is such a thing as chaos magic; the Doc who said there was no such thing is a Scarlet Witch illusion; Doc's international-sign-language "I Love You" hand gesture for casting spells (and Spidey's web-thwip hand gesture too) is called "Dt'Kho positioning"; and a very neat Eye of Agamotto panel. Even an interesting death-magic-power theory. The book can't help but feel morassy though, since it's based on the morass that was Bendis playing in the Avengers sandbox over the last couple years- but Doc fans might want to wade in for this isolated dose.

Posted 1 November 02006 - Permalink

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