I'm very sick today, and only posting to break the monotony of being flat on my back in bed, so all you get is some quick linkage to here, where pal Ian points out Marvel's latest bad idea.

posted by Mikester  @ 17:06 |

Many years ago, Eclipse Comics released a regular-sized issue of mini-comics mainstay The Amazing Cynicalman by Matt Feazell. In the text pages of this comic, Feazell made readers an offer (no longer good, I am guessing) to send a free mini-comic to anyone who sent in their own drawing of the title stick-figure character, along with an SASE.

Well, I took him up on that offer, sending in my illustration of "The Amazing Cynicalman in 3-D" (yes, in red and blue ink) along with my SASE. Some time later, I came back from my first day of college to find two envelopes from Mr. Feazell! As it turns out, the SASE I used was too small, so Feazell used another envelope to send me my mini-comic. The envelope I did send he filled with photocopies of sketchbook material and a personal letter (mostly just to explain why he had to send another envelope!). Well, that was very cool, I thought, and even though I had been a fan before, I was even more of a fan now...and even 16 years later(!), he's still one of my favorites.

Anyway, I found out just recently that he has a new book out, and I placed an order for it late Sunday evening. Today, Friday, I have it in my hands. Now that's some fast shipping, especially for Christmastime! And it's even signed, with a Cynicalman pencil sketch.

He's still a cool guy, and I recommend that everyone visit his website and buy his stuff.

Two true stories:

1. When I first joined AOL (way back in the dark ages) I almost used "cynicalman" as my username...good thing I didn't, because Feazell is using it now!

2. The very first issue of Scott McCloud's Zot! I bought was the mini-comic Zot! in Dimension 10 1/2 drawn by Feazell in the stick-man style. That got me to read the regular Zot! comics and become a McCloud fan...so I have Feazell to thank for that as well.

posted by Mikester  @ 19:51 |

illustration by Mike Carlin

posted by Mikester  @ 02:36 |

Don't end your Hulk comic (that's based on a video game) with a quote from Robert Louis Stevenson.

I mean, honestly:

posted by Mikester  @ 19:20 |

No matter what you think of Cerebus, its 300-issue run is certainly an achievement...though creator Dave Sim encouraged some small amount of consternation with his attitudes on gender relations (among other things), it's hard to ignore his commitment to telling the life of his lead character for the last quarter of a century. Sim gives his goodbyes to his life's project here. (His regards to Jeff Smith did strike me as a little odd...wasn't Dave challenging Jeff to a fight at one point?)

Other good Cerebus links and info can be found at the Cerebus Fangirl site...one of my favorites is this one, providing early fan-produced radio show adaptations of the first six issues.

posted by Mikester  @ 22:30 |

Former Swamp Thing artist and Taboo mastermind Steve Bissette moderates his own message board, and unlike most comic creator boards, it's readable, enjoyable, and informative. Most of the discussion centers around Bissette's passion for horror movies, but comics do get brought up once in a while as well.

posted by Mikester  @ 22:30 |

I've been seeing references to it on various comic sites, but it took an e-mail from pal John to finally get me to take a look at it.

Doomworld...featuring artwork by Tom "Gallows" Grindberg. It is quite possibly the most brain-damaging comic you'll ever read.

The first word balloon on page two is almost like poetry.

posted by Mikester  @ 13:16 |

Supertalk: The Movie - superheroes (and their loved ones) call in to radio psychologist "Dr. Flora" for help with their special problems. Downloadable in Window Media Format and Quicktime here.

(thanks to JP)

posted by Mikester  @ 13:07 |

This is a great site for scans of old crime comics...I hadn't visited in a while, so imagine my surprise when I finally went to the site again and found a notice that all the comics on this site are going up on eBay!

Here's another gallery, not quite as polished -- it's a tribute to the Silver Surfer, Green Lantern, and the Green Goblin! Aside from having colors in their names, I'm not sure what they all have in common, and this page hasn't been updated in a couple years (having achieved perfection on August 13, 2001), but there are some neat things to be found in the nooks and crannies. (Warning...Tripod pop-ups on every page.)

Marie's Cows is a site collecting all the cow drawings Marie Javins gathered during her Marvel Comics editing career.

However, my favorite comics gallery site is this one...comic artists drawing characters on cliffs. Or drawing things in jars. The whole darn site is fantastic.

posted by Mikester  @ 20:06 |