Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. June 10, 2015

COMICS

The Second issue of Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century hits devices today on Comixology. The League’s own Matt Dursin’s reboot of the classic Robin Hood tale has Robin stealing from the doctors and giving to the sick! Both issues available today on Comixology’s Submit platform as well as Kindle and hard copy if you ask nice. Issue #2 Cover by Jaush Lingel! …Let’s Be Real with Ghostbusters Get Real #1 from IDW. Peter, Ray, Winston and Egon confront THE REAL Ghostbusters! … Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets, Bumperhead) drops a one-shot mostly wordless comic book Blubber #1 guaranteed to blow your mind (anytime)! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Get $1 off your purchase of 3 or more tickets to Jurassic World with promo code: TREX. Offer valid 6/2 - 6/14 11:59 PM PST or While Supplies Last. Terms Apply.

DC COMICS GUIDE TO WRITING COMICS By Dennis O'Neil (book review) at FORCES OF GEEK

I’ve been fascinated by the credits pages of comics for longer than I can remember, and the all important “Writer” title is the one I have aspired to.

Fortunately for you, dear readers, this eventually shifted to the comics critique and ‘reporting’ steadfastly disappointing you here each and every week! 

Writing is hard. Scripting is hard. You guessed it, making comics is hard work. Drawing comics is probably much harder than it looks.

As much as I thought my dogeared copy of How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way (1978) by Stan Lee and John Buscema would have me at the drawing board for 8 hours a day like an Extreme Studios understudy, that was not my path in life either.

I’m always up for a good challenge, though.

Upon urging from my colleague Matt Dursin (an actual published comics writer!) I have audited The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture MOOC with Stan Lee’s and Michael Uslan course of study. 


In preparation, I dusted off 2001’s The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by industry giant, and writer of my favorite Batman tales, Dennis (Denny) O’Neil.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

LEAGUE PODCAST AND DIGBOSTON COMICS PICKS OF THE WEEK WED. AUG 27, 2014

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks so much to Matt Dursin for writing up the picks this week! Check out his Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century comic book here! 

COMICS

Artist, writer and League pal Liz Prince brings us Tomboy, a graphic memoir of her struggles to find her place growing up, trying to “be a girl.” Liz will be signing copies and speaking today, WED August 27 at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA … Speaking of girls, Rachel of Rachel Rising fame sees the investigation of her own murder take a dramatic turn in Rachel Rising #28 by Terry Moore… Flip a patty and celebrate the comic debut of the Belcher family in Bob’s Burger’s #1, an in-canon comic take brought to you by the creators of the hit Fox TV series. Picks of the week brought to you by Leaguepodcast!  Listen to our milestone 200th episode here!

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THE 5 BEST LOCAL EVENTS FOR FREE COMIC BOOK DAY - at BDCWIRE with Jerard Fagerberg

Posted May 2, 2014

Since tomorrow is the annual nerdgasm known as Free Comic Book Day, we decided to tab local comic book expert Clay Fernald (AKA Clay N. Ferno) about which local shops should be hit up for the best events. Obviously, as the  host of League Podcast and chief scribe of all things comics, Fernald had a tough time choosing only five joints to pimp out, so he recommends using the store locator to select the best spots for freebies around your area. But, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to meet some of the city’s best graphic novel talent and swipe some gratis page-turners, they’ve got the hookup to make this year’s event the Best. Free Comic Book Day. Ever.

1.	New England Comics 316 Harvard St., Brookline

New England Comics is a Bay State institution and, of all the NEC locations,New England Comics Brookline boasts the best signee in attendance, League Podcast co-conspirator Matt Dursin, who will be John Hancocking his comic Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century. “When this is over, we go across the street to eat pizza,” says Fernald, “and you are welcome to come!”

2.	Jetpack Comics 37 N. Main St., Rochester, NH

Though Fernald is stretching the term “local” with this pick in the Land of No Seatbelts, the featured guests at Jetpack Comics are original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who are re-uniting for the first time in 20 years. But wait, there’s more. “Free Comic Book Day at Jetpack, if you can make the drive, will be like a mini-convention,” says Fernald, “Indie creator Tyler James is signing his popular The Red TenComiXTribe comic there as well.” So, yeah, get a Zipcar, and, as Fernald recommends, pick up Epic and Scam from ComiXTribe.

(with Jerard Fagerberg) 

[READ MORE AT BDCWIRE.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for March 19, 2014

COMICS

New York Times best-selling scribe Scott Snyder (Batman, Superman Unchained) and Animal Man artist Rafael Albuquerque return to bring their blood-spattered book American Vampire: Second Cycle into the 1960’s, a perfect jumping on point for new readers… Marvel keeps the #1 hits coming with Daredevil #1, as Mark Waid and Chris Samnee move the Man Without Fear out west for new adventures in San Francisco… While you’re at it, why not dip into the indie bag and check out Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century #1, a modern update of the classic Robin Hood legend in which the bold outlaw steals medical supplies and gives them to those in need… Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

2013 YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 10 EARTH PRIME TIME INTERVIEWS

Taking a look at last year’s list proves that there are no shortage of favorites here, in fact there were some great columns like my Man of Steel review I didn’t get to include. One thing is for sure, it really was an honor to speak with and hang out with some of my childhood heroes for DigBoston’s Earth Prime Time this year.

1. EARTH PRIME TIME: BABYLON CONFIDENTIAL WITH CLAUDIA CHRISTIAN (PARTS 1and 2)
Babylon 5 Actress Claudia Christian talks JMS, getting Clean and Sober and her tales in Hollywood as a young actress.

2. EARTH PRIME TIME: G.I. JOE #1 WITH FRED VAN LENTE Fred Van Lente talks his run onG.I. Joe – the most important comic book being published today!

3. EARTH PRIME TIME: BOSTON COMIC CON WITH NICK KANIEFF (PARTS 1 and 2)
A major terrorist attack stuns and locks down the City of Boston. Nick and Boston Comic Con proved everything will be OK with a change in date and venue combined with an outpouring of supportfrom creators and fans from across the country.

4. EARTH PRIME TIME: INTERVIEW WITH PETER BAGGE (PARTS 1 and 2)
Peter Bagge of Hate takes on the biography of one of history’s greatest controversial feminists. And I got to grab a burger with the guy.

Robin Hood – Outlaw of 21st Century – Variant by Clay N. Ferno and colors by Stacey B. Rizoli

5. EARTH PRIME TIME: ROBIN HOOD: OUTLAW OF THE 21ST CENTURY WITH MATT DURSIN 
The bandleader of LeaguePodcast, Matt Dursin launches a Kickstarter and gets it funded. ThinkSherlock (BBC) for Robin Hood. His concept predates Sherlock, so “Patent Pending!” Thanks to him!

6. EARTH PRIME TIME: PRIMATES INTERVIEW WITH MARIS WICKS & JIM OTTAVIANI 
Maris Wicks and Jim Ottoviani educate, preen and eat bananas in the jungle with this great First Second book.

7. EARTH PRIME TIME: MOTH CITY INTERVIEW WITH TIM GIBSON 
New Zealander Tim Gibson creates a tablet ready comic that is “genre spanning… an instinctual approach to digital-native comics”.

8. EARTH PRIME TIME: MARA INTERVIEW WITH MING DOYLE 
Mara was one of the most praised mini-series of the year from Image Comics. Local comic superstar Ming Doyle gave us a preview of this strong female sports super hero.

9. EARTH PRIME TIME: MIRIAM KATIN ON ‘LETTING IT GO’ AT BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH 3.19.13 
Miriam was so sweet at Brookline Booksmith, I thought I’d cry. Thanks Miriam! This is a story about New York and visiting the home country as well as relationships with your family. A great book or gift for family this year.

10. EARTH PRIME TIME: NATHAN EDMONDSON OF THE ACTIVITY AND WHERE IS JAKE ELLIS?
Two great spy-fi books covered in this interview from Nathan Edmondson, writer of the upcomingPunisher and Black Widow series for Marvel.

Have a Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks again for checking in with us at EPT!

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: ROBIN HOOD: OUTLAW OF THE 21ST CENTURY WITH MATT DURSI

Matt Dursin is a comic book writer as well as the founder of the League of Ordinary Gentlemen Comic Book Podcast (LeaguePodcast). Dursin has written comics before, but taking the knowledge of his Comics Experience writing classes combined with his film-making degree from Emerson College has led him to applying himself to his latest project, green lit by Kickstarter: Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century #1. Fellow League member and Earth Prime Time comic book correspondent Clay N. Ferno interviews his close friend about his experience getting the project together, Robin Hood’s modern Merry Men, and the ridiculously high cost of medical expenses these days.

 
DIGBOSTON: Start with the origin of Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century!
DURSIN: This goes back to the Andy Schmidt (IDW, Hasbro) Comics Experience writing class I took in 2009. The first class assignment was to write a 5-page story with a beginning, middle, and end. I had this idea in my head because I wanted to make a screenplay out of it.

I had been writing scenes for the screenplay for many years. It was a classmate that suggested that we don’t know if they are good guys until the end … page 5.

Tell us about this Robin, the setting he is in. Does he use a bow and arrow? What is he stealing?
He doesn’t steal gold! I figured, “What do people need?” Because of my own health issues through the years, I always think of the cost of medications and medical supplies. “How would you even pay for this without insurance?”

What if this Robin Hood steals medicine and gives it to people that don’t have health insurance or can’t afford it or don’t have a job. That’s what people need these days.

In the traditional Robin Hood, he was just giving money to the poor. Now, who is richer than the pharmaceutical companies these days?

If you go back to serfdom and the knight class and the royal class of the medieval period, the gap is just about the same from the 99% to the 1% in modern times.
Spoiler here: in issue 2, he does actually steal money. Without giving away too much, there is someone that needs money and Robin Hood makes the decision to steal money, but it is a decent to a darker turn as he gets deeper into it. I was kind of inspired by Breaking Bad.

Every issue isn’t going to be a robbery; different things can happen.

Are there more characters from the old stories than the familiar Robin Hood who will show up in your comic?
There’s Robin Hood, The Merry Men, Little John, Will Scarlett, of course the Sheriff is the bad guy. Maid Marian of course—the lady friend of Robin Hood. She is not a maid, obviously. She’s a nurse and one of the people who knows where the medication needs to go, she knows where the supplies are that he can steal.

She’s the inside maid.

It’s basically Sherlock—not to compare my little comic book to one of the greatest shows ever!

Go for it!
That’s Sherlock Holmes in modern times.

Although when did Sherlock actually debut? I think I predate it with my 5 pages in 2009!

It’s the same idea. The character is one you know, and a story you can identify with. This Robin Hood uses a gun; it’s not bows and arrows.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

[Kickstarter page]

EARTH PRIME TIME: THE WATCHER’S LOOK AT BOSTON COMIC CON

This past weekend, citizens of Earth Prime finally got their Boston Comic Con at The Seaport World Trade Center. After much anticipation, the show was a glaring success for the fans, promoters, organizers and vendors. I am Uatu, The Watcher. I have taken an oath to aid humanity and monitor key points in human history without interfering. Here just some of the events happening at Boston on Saturday and Sunday, for us Watchers to study.

Boston Comic Con is angling to be a major independent comic book show in the country, and even after a reschedule and change of venue, founder Nick Kanieff has his target on being the number #3 show in the country behind touchstone San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic Con. If what I have seen from this past weekend is any indication, they may just make it. From the long entry lines, to the elaborate cosplay, to the amazing panel artists and guests the Beantown nerd and geek culture crowd uproariously rejoiced, seemingly forgetting about the unfortunate events of the Marathon Bombings in April that caused the show to move.

Observe! Boston Comic Con Fans Fanning Out on Fan Pier

As The Watcher, I’ve seen some things. but never have I seen a line for tickets in Boston for something other than October baseball.

Nick Kanieff’s initial attendance prediction of 12,000—15,000 people was exceeded, and with a venue three times the size of The Hynes, one wonders if this is the best spot for the convention in 2014.

But I am just an observer, sworn not in interfere with my cosmic juju.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]