Vladimir Putin has been the subject of everything from pop songs to Chippendale-like wall calendars. Now his mock-heroics have become comic books, in the dangerous
Comics
Daily Proposition: Get a load of Kick-Ass the comic book
It’s a good time to be a comic books geek. Hollywood is regularly raiding the comics world for inspiration. If you enjoyed the superhero film Kick-Ass then try the comic book.
Daily Proposition: Talk politics to your toaster with the West Wing-like comic
Ex Machina is like The West Wing in comic book form; fun, exciting, and completely ludicrous in the way all great superhero comics should be, writes White Noise blogger Dan Barrett.
Dilbert does the leaked iPhone
Dilbert creator has inked an exclusive online-only strip about the Gizmodo iPhone 4 leak: “All it really needed was Wally”.
Archie gets a gay
Classic comic Archie may be over 60 years old, but it’s keeping up with the times: introducing an openly gay character to the series. No word on Jughead yet, though…
The evolution of comics
A fascinating essay by English Professor Brian Boyd on the evolution of comics from the late 19th Century into the form and style we’re familiar with today, and the profound influence of pioneers like Richard Outcault and Art Spiegelman.
Internet Explorer 6: The True Hollywood Story
Internet Explorer 6: The True Hollywood StorySmashing Magazine tells the story of the widely maligned Internet Explorer 6, in comic form: the epic rise to fame in 2001, and the big crash to earth when upstarts Firefox and Safari hit the scene. The big cliffhanger ending: when will it die?
Marvel editor: Why Captain America attacked the Tea Party
Marvel comics has recently come under attack from US conservatives, after the latest Captain America comic depicted the superhero making snide comments about a Tea Party protest. Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada explains it was simple the “perfect storm of screw-ups”. After all: they’re only human.
Asterix turns 50
French comic star Asterix has been battling the Roman Empire for 50 years now, and despite hitting middle age, the pint-sized Gaulish warrior, his friend Obelix and dog Dogmatix are about to embark on their 43th adventure.
Mein Kampf: the manga edition
A comic edition of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf has become a hit in Japan, with 45,000 copies being sold in six months. The manga editions of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Marx’s Das Kapital have been less popular.
Barack the Barbarian: comic book hero
Only nine months into President Obama’s term and the enthusiasm gap has gone the wrong way on the Democrats. Thank goodness one other American measure of public feeling is going his way.
Spiderman, Captain America… Ravana the 10-headed demon king?
Fresh from acquiring Marvel Comics, Disney is now eyeing off the lucrative market for Indian comic books and cartoons. Based on ancient Hindu mythology, the stories are apparently big business with the world’s 900-odd million Hindus.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a… comic book cash-cow
Warner Bros is looking to get more bang (Biff! Pow! Bort!) out of its subsidiary DC Comics, by spinning a host of its lesser-known characters into films, video games, Pez dispensers and, ultimately, brands.
Killing Spider-Man: Disney buys up Marvel Comics
While Marvel shareholders prepare their pockets for the $30 per share they’ll receive from the company’s acquisition of Marvel Entertainment, the most pressing issue for the Marvel minions is wondering exactly how Disney will abuse their beloved superheroes, writes Clem Bastow.
Archie comic fan gets mad, even over Veronica engagement
Comic book store owner Dave Luebke was a huge fan of the long-running Archie comic books — until he saw the latest edition, in which Archie proposes to Veronica! His revenge? Auctioning off his rare copy of the series’ first edition for $38,837. Yeah, that’ll learn em’…
Manga on your mobile: the future of comics?
Comic books made to be read on mobile phones, e-readers and iPods are big business in Japan, but will the take off with a western audience? Big comic publishing houses like DC and Dark Horse venture into the potential goldmine — or money pit — of digital comics.
Beyond Spiderman: Obama’s superhuman success
Since appearing in an edition of The Amazing Spider-Man, US President Barack Obama has become an unlikely star in the comic book world, with cameo stints in a number of titles.
What draws celebs to comic conventions?
There are four main types of Comic Con Celeb, explains Rich Johnston, from film stars to E-graders to genuine geeks.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles turn 25, plan new movie
Wouldya believe it — those gnarly, product-placed, mutant, crime fighting terrapins are a quarter of a century old. Time for another bad CGI movie!
Neil Gaiman writes a final ‘love letter to Batman’
Acclaimed comic-book writer Neil Gaiman is burying Batman, but not before he pens a final “love letter” to the Dark Knight.
