Kibbles ‘n’ Bits has been away for a while because tasks. It was decided in a Beat executive meeting that I would bring it back only if I could do Upworthy style headlines. So now is the time to send in those link suggestions, people! The more uplifting the better.
§ Many people commented on this transcript of a panel with Howard Chaykin at a sparsely attended convention. Chaykin is most recently the creator of Black Kiss 2 and the artist on Satelite Sam, written by Matt Fraction. He also draw the very first Star Wars comic for Marvel, but was famously on an awful deadline and scribbled—but ARTFULLY—in a few places. Anyone who has ever spent much quality time with Mr. Chaykin knows that this panel is but a sampling of his tasty stylings.
The discussion then made the first of many detours when an insistent fan in the front row raised his hand and attempted to ask a question about Spider-Man. Chaykin immediately cut him off, saying he hadn’t read any Spider-Man comics in at least 20 years. “Anything after Ditko is not really Spider-Man, it’s somebody pretending to be Spider-Man,” he said. The fan kept his hand up for another five minutes to no avail, eventually leaving.
Although Saunders attempted to guide the panel through Chaykin’s career highlights chronologically, the creator frequently digressed, tackling whatever topic came to mind. On the subject of European graphic novels and their influence on his work, Chaykin was blunt. “The writing in those things was just as shitty as ours, but it was in French, so we didn’t know.”
Looking back on his stint drawing Marvel’s “Star Wars” series in the 1970s, Chaykin called it “the worst work I ever did in my life. I’d like to think if I knew it was going to be a bigger deal, I would have done a better job.” Chaykin mentioned that he had been approached by Marvel to work on the company’s upcoming “Star Wars” comics, but declined the offer.
Ladies and gentleman, Howard Chaykin!
§ Jim McLauchlin has a mild piece called Here’s Everything Wrong with ‘Comics Journalism’:
Professionalism tends to help any industry. Dentistry is now better with Novocain than it was in the days of bloody pliers and a shot of whiskey. With that in mind, here’s a quick guide to everything that’s wrong with “comics journalism,” with some hopefully helpful suggestions on how to make things a little better.
I have already taken his precepts to heart and have started by learning how to properly spell “McLauchlin.”
§ Today we’re recording a More to Come podcast for PW Comics World, and our proposed topic was catching up on all the comics-inspired TV shows this fall. That meant I had to watch back to back episodes of Gotham, Agents of SHIELD and Constantine. Which was…a lot of sinister industrialists and strong female characters. And in answer to your question, definitely Matt Ryan. Listen to the podcast to hear more of my thoughts.
§ This Gene Luen Yang about his daughter, Wonder Woman and Raina Telgemeier is worth a read.
§ I also had this link in my queue: Twenty Years Ago Today: Marvel Buys Malibu Comics both for being an interesting snapshot of where the industry once was, and also as a contrast to what is, all things considered, a pretty stable landscape right now. Oh there are a few companies on shaky ground, some slow payers, and some change to come, but when I started this site it seems like I was writing about some company going out of business every other month, and that hasn’t happened in a while.
§ Speaking of perspective, here’s a little piece on the recent Geek Girl Con
On the organization’s “About” page, the creators reference a panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, “Geek Girls Exist”, as a primary motivator for the invention of their event. This panel is a rhetorical variation on the now archetypal “Women in Comics” session that has become common place at conventions, both big and small.
It’s hard to believe that only four years ago, people had to be persuaded of the existence of geek girls. Oh lawdie how things change!
§ And speaking of the ladies, here a nice summation of some of the women who have won cartooning awards this year.
§ A man in prison sued to keep his copy of Art Model 7 which contains naked people which makes it porn even though it isn’t actually porn. However, maybe Milo Manara has seen this book too?
§ This is old, but Brian Cremins wrote a very good essay about “The Curse of the Werewolf”.
§ The great Juanjo Guarnido has directed an animated video for Freak Kitchen’s song “Freak of the Weak”. And it’s gawjus.
§ I had bookmarked this story about America’s slow internet and this one about high speed internet access because streaming is now such an important element of all entertainment. I recently got a high speed modem upgrade and it’s great when it isn’t getting knocked off line by some freak electrical current, which happens every other day or so. Also, BTW, Net Neutrality, yo. Although with streaming becoming so important, you can bet that removing net neutrality will be a priority of the job creators.
§ The Oatmeal has a cartoon about Net Neutrality spinning out of some comments by Rand Paul. I’m sure you’ve seen it but here’s a link in case you were in a coma.
§ There is this cosplay ripoff artist going around. The Mary Sue has his mug shot.
§ The Mary Sue also presented this How to Get Into Reading Comics piece, which is a pretty decent primer.
I think you meant Ted Cruz on that Oatmeal link. Great piece, though.
Thanks for doing this, I greatly appreciate it.
“My complaint is that I think 75 percent of quote-unquote ‘reviews’ are just synopses.”
This a THOUSAND times over.
I’m not sure what is actually expected out of the “comics media” or “games media” or any other press covering entertainment. Only real news is real news. Entertainment stuff is the enthusiast press. There’s little else to do besides puff pieces since, frankly, you could probably count the number of truly newsworthy events in comics per year on one hand.
Johnny, it’s all about ethic in comics journalism.
All 3 of those things Chaykin said are right.
Just remember, if you’re not writing a puff piece, you’re accused of bias. Both by the fans and the publishers.
Please correct that Rand Paul / Ted Cruz mix up. I don’t know why it bothers me so much, but it does. I guess because I want Cruz’s stupidity to be attached to his name only in case he runs in 2016.
Rand Paul opposes it, too, FWIW. He’s not a very principled man.
Sorry two people with four letter last names…so easily confused. I also get the names Tom and Steve mixed up, and Dave and Mike. I also confuse Blake Griffin and Blake Shelton.
I would say that Rand Paul is a principled man. It’s just that his principles are confused and he’s occasionally delusional. In my opinion, it’s better to have an occasional opportunist with a clear view of the world than a principled goon.
Regarding the McLauchlin piece, I also think it’s part of the broader problem of news and blogging bleeding together without much distinction in most people’s minds. In today’s world, anyone can hang up their shingle online and declare themselves a “journalist” or “reviewer” and the belief training isn’t needed for such endeavors. It’s not rocket science, but without standards, it’s irresponsible and hardly leads to an enlightened audience.