Art and commentary site-complex portal. http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:10:38 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/318/81/ Clifford Meth (http://www.thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/) {Click image for larger version). Additional image details at the Gene Colan Tribute (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/319/87/) gallery page. The art is produced digitally and the figures are all new inkings/renditions from well known covers that can be seen at Gene Colan's official web site (http://www.genecolan.com/). Only 5 special prints, 11" X 17", signed and numbered with an additional small hand drawn image to round out the original art value, will be produced for the auction. An inspiring coalition of the comics community is coming together, with an outpouring of awe and reverence for Gene Colan, the artist and the man who has bestowed much grace unto the comics form. Keep an eye out for the Gene Colan benefit auction at Clifford Meth's blog (http://www.thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/), and help the comics community help out one of our creator giants by participating and contributing to the effort. Living tributes to Gene can also be seen at Daniel Best's blog (http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/), also compiled at the Adelaide Comics & Books (http://www.adelaidecomicsandbooks.com/) web site. Front & Center - Comics Wed, 14 May 2008 23:02:03 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/317/81/ Two auction items removed from Thomas Denton's Candlelighter's Charity listing, due to a complaint by Warners, snowball into shutting down charity drive and threaten to end Denton's SAY IT BACKWARDS blog. SAY IT BACKWARDS (http://sayitbackwards.blogspot.com/) sees it, is that it was his fault for not realizing how strict Warners can be about unauthorized DC Comics properties that come under their radar (follow above link for details). The Candlelighter's auction covered here recently (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/314/1/), (to which I contributed a Supergirl original sketch), was progressing nicely until someone at Warner's noticed several DC properties in the original art auction and lodged a complaint with Ebay, who promptly removed them. The affair snowballed into Denton canceling the entire auction and now considering to shut down his Superman family blog, for not wanting much to promote Warners properties anymore. Thomas simply wanted to help out Candlelighter's, a charity helping his family cope with the exorbitant costs of his cousin's cancer treatments. He began talking about it at his blog and found his friends and readers enthusiastic about helping out. Thomas solicited art donations from close fan and professional circles and opened up an auction at Ebay. Thomas Denton understands the problem. We all do. Warners is legally justified in doing what it did... but like almost everyone else in our morally questionable and economically driven capitalist business world, Warner Bros appears to have stumbled upon its own protective quagmire of corporate greed, run amok with excessive application of its power, driven by a false sense of judicial self-righteousness. It's not enough that hundreds of professional artists sell original art commissions depicting DC characters, all over the internet, and there appears to be little that can be done to halt the trend. It is a sort of poetic justice because many of the artists selling such commissions openly have been disenfranchised from the companies they gave the best creative years of their careers to. Most comics artists selling commissions today do so because it is a primary source of income for the basic survial of the artists and their families. Warner's can't go after all of them, really. They're too many and it just wouldn't look good for them pursue such a witch hunt... so they simply look the other way. In this case, someone at Warner's legal department apparently saw the Ebay auction and thought they were being the corporate hero by removing the pieces. No brains and no heart really needed to be a corporate hero these days. Just heartless and mindless robotic idiots, doing the bidding of the big money that charges their batteries. Big heroes, indeed. Shutting down a $2,000 achievement of a cancer charity auction, intended to help people suffering from the financial burden of medical treatments needed for their survival, in this heartless economic jungle that our world has become. If they'd had any real brains and the slightest bit of heart, they should have kept looking the other way. As it stands, they've lost a good fan and big supporter of the Superman family... and have self-inflicted a rather undesired public relations situation, which could also itself snowball into very bad publicity for corporate Warners who would look like the brainless and heartless morally corrupt judicial bullies that they've become. I realize this is not a very diplomatic tone to take if we'd hope to see a change in such corporate behavior. But I have become rather tired of being a diplomat when it's proven to be useless with such people, time and time again. I would simply rather speak my mind right now and allow the more diplomatic amongst us to do their job. Let's also hope this doesn't discourage Thomas Denton from continuing to do good things such as he did with this auction. The idiot fools who shut it down shouldn't really be given such an easy victory, after all. Front & Center - Comics Wed, 14 May 2008 22:34:54 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/316/81/ Gene Colan (http://www.genecolan.com/) were of the few that were arranged by artists, rather than by the series titles, which most of my comics collection was. That's how it was for an aspiring artist such as I who differentiated between the conventional comics and those which stood out in craftsmanship and style. Gene's work always struck me as being accomplished art, as relative to much of what the comics industry was producing... and only a handful of artists impressed me as such at that young age. Which wasn't to diminish from the work of anyone else who didn't receive this special attention. It was rather a distinction made in order to more easily reference the type of art that I sought to influence my own during this primordial stage of self-training, on the road to perhaps becoming a comic book artist myself one day. Clifford (http://www.thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/) Meth (http://thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/2008/05/gene-colan-call-for-action.html)'s and Daniel (http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/) Best (http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2008/05/original-art-stories-gene-colan-part-ii.html)'s blogs for more information. Let's help give a hand, to the best of our ability. GENE COLAN Portraits of the Creators (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/33/87/) Front & Center - Comics Sun, 11 May 2008 11:10:04 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/315/80/ A collection of images added recently to our galleries (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/category/6/27/87/). Some, relatively new and others, dating back since the mid-1970's. Gathered from various web sources and art collectors. Batman About - Briefs Wed, 07 May 2008 17:37:24 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/314/81/ From the desk of Thomas Denton: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Say It Backwards (http://sayitbackwards.blogspot.com/) is proud to announce the launch of "Ben's Charity Art Auction," a series of auctions featuring original work from many artists (pro, amateur and in between), benefiting the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation (http://www.candlelighters.org/ (http://www.candlelighters.org/)). The first round of auctions start Saturday, May 3, 2008 on Ebay under the user name MisterMxy, with a second series beginning Saturday, May 10, 2008. Front & Center - Comics Mon, 05 May 2008 00:19:31 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/312/113/ Long live J'Onn J'Onzz in the hearts of comics fandom, new bearers of truth and justice. While we were away over the last couple of months, news of DC Comics' Final Crisis confirming that J'Onn J'Onzz Manhunter from Mars will be shipped off to the graveyard of comic book characters, broke first with Rich Johnston's report last week (belated congrats for the birth of Alice), and at the NYCC, as covered by Frank Lee Delano at The Idol-Head of Diabolu: News You Can Lose, exemplary essays for J'Onn J'Onzz enthusiasts. Though this seems that our campaign to save the Martian Manhunter has failed, in reality the opposite is true. The unprecedented support and coverage seen in the 125 petition comments and 70 comics media reports on this campaign from news sites, blogs and forums around the world, tell of the more heartfelt voice of comics fandom that publishers do not appear to truly fathom, though they pretend to ignore. 125 petition comments and 70 comics media reports and commentaries attest to the fact that J'Onn lives within the hearts of the comics readership, regardless of the sensationalist, overused and frankly mundane story device that DC will milk, by killing the Martian Manhunter in Final Crisis. Front & Center - J\'Onn Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:58:50 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/311/80/ SAY (http://sayitbackwards.blogspot.com/2008/04/metropolis-mailbag-3.html) IT (http://sayitbackwards.blogspot.com/2007/11/word-association-game-and-more-michael.html) BACKWARDS. (http://sayitbackwards.blogspot.com/2008/02/folks-who-know-score-michael-netzer.html) About - Briefs Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:57:55 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/310/114/ Mike Burkey, comic book original art trader and proprietor of comic book cover galleries (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/106/87/). Unique about this art is its experimental value and the massive use of white paint as a drawing medium along with the inking, transforming the process into more of a black and white painting, relative to traditional inking techniques, as can be seen in the enlargement of the images below. Mike has also placed a relatively handsome price on the art. Click the solicited prices below for each issue, to view his solicitation pages. $1,800 (http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=4558&ArtistId=1448&Details=1&From=Room) $2,200 (http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=4559&ArtistId=1448&Details=1&From=Room) $1,700 (http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=4560&ArtistId=1448&Details=1&From=Room) $1,600 (http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=4561&ArtistId=1448&Details=1&From=Room) This is an encouraging indication when considering that the original agent whom I gave these pages to in the mid-1990's, valued the covers at between $300 to $500 each. About - Art for Sale Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:16:52 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/309/81/ Greg Theakston and Tony Isabella join Portraits of the Creators. (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/33/87/) I've known Green Arrow story (http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=30926) of the Green Arrow & Black Canary series I penciled for World's Finest Dollar Comics, circa 1976/77. He went on to create Black Lightning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lightning), one of the first major black American comic book characters, for DC. Like most comics creations, and pursuant to publishers' tendencies to take unfair legal advantage of comics creators in order to wrest away their intellectual property rights, Black Lightning remains an issue of contention for Tony ( http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/back20080424.shtml), regarding the manner in which DC Comics attempts to distance him from his creation in order to deny him due recompense as the character's creator. Portraits of the Creators (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/33/87/) Front & Center - Comics Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:29:50 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/308/80/ This has apparently been on YouTube for some time. Madison Square Garden Network news report on the November 2007, NY Big Apple Comics Convention. Includes a Michael Netzer appearance commenting on the Superhero mythology in American culture. Neatly nestled into the middle of the news item, giving plenty of airtime. About - Briefs Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:40:18 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/305/81/ First annual voting for the comics' best inkers awards begins on April 1st, 2008. THE INKWELL AWARDS WEBSITE (http://www.inkwellawards.com/index.html) NOMINEES (http://www.inkwellawards.com/nominees.html) VOTING INSTRUCTIONS (http://www.inkwellawards.com/letter.html) PRESS RELEASE (PDF) (http://www.michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/images/stories/comics/inkwell_pr.pdf) ADVERTISE (http://www.inkwellawards.com/advertise.html) DONATE (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=bob%40almondink%2ecom&item_name=The%20Inkwell%20Awards&item_number=InkwellAwards%20donation&no_shipping=1&return=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2einkwellawards%2ecom%2fthanks%2ehtml&cancel_return=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2einkwellawards%2ecom&tax=0&currency_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8) Proceeds from advertising revenue and donations will be used to fund the site and awards expenses. Surplus funds will be donated to The Hero Initiative (Formerly The Actor Comics Fund). Front & Center - Comics Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:09:09 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/304/81/ From Mark Evanier (http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2008_02_11.html#014809): Steve Gerber died last night in Las Vegas after a long, painful illness. For the last year or so, he was in and out of hospitals there and had just become a "candidate" for a lung transplant. He had pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that literally turns the lungs to scar tissue and steadily reduces their ability to function. ... Stephen Ross Gerber was born in St. Louis on September 20, 1947. A longtime fan of comic books, he was involved in the ditto/mimeo days of fanzine publishing in the sixties, publishing one called Headline at age 14. He had a by-mail friendship with Roy Thomas, who was responsible for the most noteworthy fanzine of that era, Alter Ego. Years later when Roy was the editor at Marvel Comics, he rescued Steve from a crippling career writing advertising copy, bringing him into Marvel as a writer and assistant editor. Steve soon distinguished himself as one of the firm's best writers, handling many of their major titles at one time or another but especially shining on The Defenders, Man-Thing, Omega the Unknown, Morbius the Living Vampire, a special publication about the rock group Kiss...and of course, Howard the Duck. Front & Center - Comics Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:27:43 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/289/113/ THE MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE MANHUNTER FROM MARS Updated Resources for J'Onn J'Onzz fans and supporters calling for DC Comics to avert a decision to kill The Martian Manhunter Click here forThe Save J'Onn J'Onzz Archives THE BANNERS Help spread the word by displaying a banner at your site or on forum signatures. The banner comes in animated and still versions. Standard size, 468x60 - and leaderboard, 728 x 90. Save the images below and link them to this page: http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/289/113/ animated banner Click Here for Wide Leaderboard Version, 728 x 90 still banner Click Here for Wide Leaderboard Version, 728 x 90 still banner Click Here for Wide Leaderboard Version, 728 x 90 THE PETITION TO SAVE J'ONN J'ONZZ If you've liked The Martian Manuhunter, and his presence in the DC Universe, and agree there's a better way to utilize him than to kill him in Final Crisis, then leave a comment below and let's help DC Comics know how we feel. Sign the Petition to Save J'Onn J'OnzzUse the comments form below to leave a comment and add a voice of support in the petition. Front & Center - J\'Onn Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:48:11 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/303/113/ The Indomitable Voice of Comics Fandom Though the massive initial interest in the campaign to save J'Onn J'Onzz has leveled out somewhat, the continued coverage and correspondence form comics fandom around the world simply necessitates including it all in the campaign archives for posterity. Many thanks to everyone continuing to carry banners and links to the petition... and especially everyone leaving the fabulous supportive comments there. We'll continue covering the campaign so long as comics fans continues to show the interest and concern that they do. Sign the Petition to Save J'Onn J'OnzzClick here to leave a comment and sign the Petitionand get banners to help promote the campaign. Click here to download and distribute theSave J'Onn and the SuperheoresPRESS RELEASE Click here for the Save J'Onn J'Onzz ARCHIVES Like a Body Without a Heart John Mundt, Esq., comics artist, comics workshop instructor and all around great guy who gave us Crusty Bunker Month at his WoMP Blog several months ago, popped by to sign the Petition to Save J'Onn J'Onzz. J'Onn J'Onzz Saved My Marriage OK...so it might be a bit of an exaggeration to say that the Martian Manhunter saved my marriage, but it is true that he is the character that brought my non-comics-reading wife into my comic-book-geek world. Until recently, she'd always looked upon my interest in comics with a bemused detachment. Then she happened to read her first comics since any she might have read as a little kid. They were based on the animated Justice League series, from both of which she gained a deep appreciation for J'onn, whom I've loved since I first saw Mr. Netzer's back-up stories in Adventure Comics decades ago. Front & Center - J\'Onn Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:00:00 +0100 http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/content/view/302/81/ Saying It Backwards looks back at an adventurous Monel story. here (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=255&Itemid=81) as having inspired the re-inking of the Superman merchandising icon (http://michaelnetzer.com/rEvolution/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=87), has posted a few nice words with images of the Feb 1978 Superboy & the Legion of Superheroes #236 back-up solo Monel story I illutsrated of a Paul Levitz/Paul Kupperberg script, in Folks who know the score: Michael Netzer. Front & Center - Comics Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:09:57 +0100