NEWS & VIEWS

January 18th, 2006

By Alex Ness

MY FRIEND OVI NEDELCU SAID:

"My book "DESENE: Sketches & Scribbles" comes out this Today (January 18, 2006)."

I am fortunate to have interviewed Ovi, read his fine books, and met him at SDCCI. I know many talented people but Ovi Nedelcu is among my favorites. He combines fine artistry, family friendly work, with humility. Please buy the book. I am pretty certain that you will not regret it.

IT SUCKS GETTING OLDER.

I hate something. A great variety of people I know in comics have told me how small an industry comics have become, and how very extremely ageist it is. They have found no outlets for their creative work, and in some cases they are leaving the industry out of the necessity to invest themselves in a different creative industry so that they might possibly earn a living. There are famous cases, William Messner Loebs who lost his home, Dave Cockrum who lost his health, and many others. Comics might be able to help some people with great efforts to commemorate the careers of the people in question, but Loebs can certainly still write, and write well. Cockrum has faced all sorts of adversity health wise and yet, I suspect, he’d still wield an awesome pen and ink.

TONY CAPUTO RESPONDS TO MARC HANSEN

If you read my interview with Marc Hansen, cartoonist, you will have read some of his comments regarding NOW Comics in its present state. Tony Caputo publisher and talent at NOW had comments in response. I do not often engage in present dialogues between talents in conflict or disagreement, but in this case, I think it is worthwhile. I like both parties, and do not have a side in the disagreement.

"I've been publishing Ralph Snart Adventures since 1986, being supportive of Marc Hansen's creative genius, but I'm not losing money anymore on other people's intellectual properties. When I was able to throw it in with 11 other monthly titles that did sell, it made it financially possible to create some continuity and build an audience and fan-base for Marc. I've always said that I was Marc's biggest fan because I published his work, even when it lost money, and when NOW only published licensed titles. He's a prolific creator who always delivered on time, and he has Ralph Snart Adventures Trade Paperback Volume 2 and 3 completed and ready to go to press- available to anyone else willing to invest in Marc Hansen.

Also available are MirrorWalker, by Marv Wolfman and Barry Petersen, and Vinny the Bug Man, by Chet Spiewak. I gave all NOW's rights, title and interest in the Syphons Graphic Novel (published by Image Comics) to Mark Beachum.

I'm going to invest time, energy and money into my own creative products. It's much more fun that way."

Best, Tony

Tony C. Caputo NOW Comics My Books:
Visual Storytelling ||| Build Your Own Server ||| Vespers Graphic Novel


COMICSINTHECLASSROOM.NET

January 5, 2006, New Brunswick, Canada - Canadian elementary school teacher, Scott Tingley, has started a website designed to help fellow teachers and parents choose comics for both eager and reluctant readers K through 8.

Tingley, a parent, teacher and a longtime fan of the comics medium, is an early years teacher in the New Brunswick (Canada) public school system and the creator of Comics in the Classroom comicsintheclassroom.net. His goal with Comics in the Classroom is to share the positive experience that he's found using comics to help in the learning process.

"I am hoping that my knowledge of differentiated learning and my love of comics will help Comics in the Classroom visitors in the motivating and teaching of the children in your lives," said Tingley.

Tingley's selections run the gamut from Bob McLeod's Superhero ABC to the older skewing Zoom Suit, aimed squarely at the PSP and X-Box 360 crowd. Along with these two, selections include Marvel Entertainment's Franklin Richards, Lions, Tigers and Bears by Mike Bullock and the perennial seller, Jeff Smith's Bone. These and other selections are currently featured on the CITC homepage.

Some choices such as Superhero ABCs are simple. Others such as Lions, Tigers and Bears (an Image comic) or Zoom Suit may not be as obvious. Tingley explains, "The goal of the site is to get kids to read. Comics that have a film, television or video game look such as Lions, Tigers and Bears and Zoom Suit are great gateway books for reluctant readers."

Tingley expects the site to grow at a rapid pace. "I may be new and small, but I am one of the few sites of this type," he said. "The response has been very strong, but we are always looking to recommend publications that we believe are a good fit. But space is filling up. Creators or publishers that would like their books reviewed should send review copies as early as possible."

Tingley's next goal is to find a sponsor to help him spread the word. He plans to offer advertising space sometime during 2006. Parties interested in submitting review copies or sponsorship opportunities should contact Scott Tingley at comicsintheclassroom@gmail.com