So I do a little writing. You may be the type who does a little reading. We should hang out sometime, and swap skills-
My first published work. Frank Quietly, or Vin Deighan if he likes you, was a phenomenal interview. It took a little time to get done, but as he consistently proves, quality can take time. I sorta flipped when it got linked to by The Beat. Shout out to DC/ Vertigo's Brandon Montclare for hooking up an intern with a big-shot.
My first batch of reviews for PopCultureShock. I worked with these guys for a while, and there was nothing like having a stack of eleven unread comics awaiting judgment. Adan and I would go on to debate the merits of Marvel's Civil War for, well, ever. I can't believe I held off without a Confession joke. I must have been nervous about first impressions. Well, these are my Confessions. Shout out to Laura Hudson for finding other stuff to do, and freeing up the roster spot.
Index of Brendan (formerly Laura) and Adan's Picks, Pans, and Scans. I had a lot of fun with the BAAPPAS gig. Holler if you hear me to Jon Haehnle, for hooking the gig up.
The stalled This is Why They're Hot series of articles, where I try and reverse engineer what makes comic writers successful based on their earliest, most complete work. I had really high hopes for this concept, and hope to find venues to continue the exploration. I started with the most mysterious man in comics not named Alan Moore, Warren Ellis. I also ended with Ellis. Again, look for this concept to be retooled and re-upped. Adan Jimenez gets the props here, for editing this document during rush hour at a comicbook store on a Wednesday.
We sent that series off in style with the massive and all encompassing BLAAPPAS Finale. This was all of our favorite comic of all time. You may have picked up, but I like telling people what I like, especially when its friggin' awesome.
Talk about the right book at the right time and you get quoted in press releases, like I did for Halo #1. As far as I'm concerned, if Marvel posts my writing on their website, then I have written for them. Don't argue semantics with me, Quesada, just CTC.
I'm going to be one of those "I was there when," guys and show my review for Red 5 Comics' Atomic Robo #1. Just a really good comic, and I'm glad it got the much earned recognition with their Eisner Nomination.
Same deal for Johnny Hiro #1. I'm not above wanting credit for being on the ground floor. Fred Chao also was kind enough to throw shout outs me and everybody else who wrote about him in the last issue of the series, so he and his 4X Eisner nominated-ass gets a certified BIG UPS.
My first exclusive! Matt Wagner's Madame Xanadu Vertigo series was announced at last year's San Diego Comic-Con. We did this over the phone, another first for me, and man was Matt Wagner awesome. We shot the shit, and he managed to convince me that somehow Madame Xanadu was, like, really cool. Thats a big deal. Big time shout out to Bob Schreck for introducing me to the comics' legend, and for being one in his own right.
A follow up with MX artist Amy Hadley. Her work is stunning, and soon everyone will know.
Cliff Chiang and Green Arrow/ Black Canary. I wish I would have talked to him more about Doctor 13, which is now one of my all-time favorite stories.
Shane Davis is as good a superhero penciler as there is right now. I think with his latest run on Superman/ Batman everyone is starting to figure that out.
Infinity Gauntlet #1 is the first comic cover that burned itself into my brain, so when I got the chance to talk to writer/ artist Jim Starlin for his work on Mystery in Space, I was pretty geeked. I later got a chance to double dip into the kings of the cosmos with artist Ron Lim.
A quickie with the legendary Neal Adams. Whenever DC does publish his collaboration with Frank Miller, it will be ON.
One of my first reviews for Newsarama and shotgunreviews Best Shots, Greg Pak's Warbound #1. I try pretty hard to give the high visibility comics every chance to sink or swim on their own. It bums me out how indy- cool- intellectual types shit on high-selling books just for the sake of doing it, and it bums me out equally when mainstream readers don't look critically at what makes their favorite books good, or when they just buy slavishly and bitch. The people who run the Big Two aren't idiots, so when they invest resources into stories, it is worth giving them a shot.
I also try and find books that I think have crossover appeal, mostly so my friends who don't read comics will read my reviews. That was the case with this Best Shots Extra for Virgin's Buddha #1. I might have been a little easy on this book just to try and encourage people to try it, but in retrospect the comment listed is right, they should just read Tezuka's version.
I love Elephantmen, and so should you. Pulpy sci-fi and talking animals in a dystopian future. Don't be stupid, read that book.
Again, telling everyone what my idea of awesome is, this time for the Best Shots' 2007 Year in Review-review. Notable is James Stokoe's Wonton Soup, a title that should pop-up on way more radars. The only problem is that when I read something this good, and when the creator is close enough to my age that I can identify his or her influences, I get very jealous. Then I cry myself to sleep. So thanks for being awesome, jerks.
Lastly, last week's Best Shots. My Amazing Spidey was done, in part, because the Newsarama boards can't help but get themselves intensely riled up whenever anyone discusses the recent shake-down to Spidey continuity. Sometimes you have to shake the jar of bees, or, if you prefer, kick the dog with bees in his mouth and when he barks he shoots bees at you. Either way, I think that Brand New Day has been a resounding success, and no matter what a married dude tells you, there is a shitload more hijinx when you're single. Sorry guys, thats the trade-off.
So I think thats most all of the good stuff, and, y'know, some of the okay stuff. Nice little handy list so you don't have to Google me, baby.
That is a lot of Nerd-words, so next time we'll discuss something truly gangsta-riffic, like the Muppets.
Not that comic's aren't gangsta. Or even, Gangsta Large.
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