Archive - Jun 2008
June 30th
Espana Es El Champions!!! And now the news...
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 30, 2008 - 09:54
TOOLS (update)
Google Trends now has specific results for individual URLs so you can track things like what other websites visitors to PVP like to go to.
META
Steve Frug thinks through what length should mean when talking about graphic novels (hint: it's not the same as a text-only novel). (h/t Journalista!)
INTERVIEWS
Tom Spurgeon interviews alt-comix star Lynda Barry.
(not comics but what the hey) ComixMix interviews World War Z author Max Brooks.
CONVENTIONS
Webcomic creators: you're not invited to Okaton this year but hey feature the con in our contest and win something... (that's what this press release read like to me anyway...)
Posting may get light through the July 4th weekend but be sure to check out the reader talk posts while I'm being lazy...
Platinum In Negotiations To Purchase WOWIO
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 30, 2008 - 09:19
Okay I didn't see that one coming... Journalista! links to a Platinum Studios news release that they are in negotiations to buy WOWIO. Wowio is a website in a state of suspended animation right now -- and was the subject of lots of speculation last week.
June 29th
Blue’s Dead, Baby, Blue’s Dead.
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 30, 2008 - 01:00
Know Your References!
June 27th
What's In Your Copyright?
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 27, 2008 - 09:22
Newsarama interviewed some of the creators, including Park and Barbara Lien-Cooper, who entered Tokyopop's comics contest. Heidi MacDonald comments on the ongoing Platinum and Tokyopop stories and Lea Hernandez weighs in again on the Tokyopop contracts.
While I'll admit I do get annoyed at the more judgmental commentators on these stories, I do think that work-for-hire contracts giving the publisher the copyright to original material is horribly horribly wrong for comics. It's great for companies interested in amassing IP for sales to Hollywood. But that IP-centric model -- especially when such companies don't really get around to publishing comics -- somedays it seems a lot like the company that buys up a lot of patents without any intent to actually manufacture anything.
Platinum Pays DJ Coffman
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 27, 2008 - 09:10
DJ Coffman blogs again about his ongoing issues with Platinum over the Hero By Night comic. Coffman states that he's now paid in full and that Platinum has terminated his consultant contract with them. Final results? Coffman paid what he's owed; Platinum boxing up Hero By Night like the Ark of the Covenant. Platinum owns the copyright on it so it can do what it wants, including never doing anything with it again.
June 26th
Diesel Sweeties To Leave Newspapers
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 26, 2008 - 12:18
FLEEN has an interview with Rich Stevens on his recent announcement that he'll stop production of the newspaper version of Diesel Sweeties later this year. Stevens has been maintaining both the web version and a second newspaper version since striking a syndication deal with United Features. Stevens notes that Diesel Sweeties appeared in about 50 papers at its height, but that "My website and merch were a little over 90% of my gross income last year."
Also Stevens slips that he and Meredith Gran spoke at the Googleplex recently and their talk should be online some time soon.
June 25th
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 26, 2008 - 00:53
I kept coming up with ideas for comics that were too complicated and too ambitious for my meager writing and drahering skills so finally I hit on that ol’ standby: the journal comic. No need for plot — just write down what happens to me everyday. Something interesting is bound to happen right? Er or [...]
The Totally True Tales of the Fictional Life of Xaviar X. Xerexes
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 26, 2008 - 00:44
So let’s see how this goes.
Little Gamers Game on X-Box
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on June 25, 2008 - 22:40
Another webcomic inspired game -- Wired reports on user-created games appearing on X-Box's portal:
Another game shown off by Microsoft at GDC, Little Gamers is based on the webcomic of the same name. The adorable drawings belie the gruesome violence; most of the gameplay consists of hacking people to death with a surprisingly large variety of guns and melee weapons.
