Comic book news

[fizz]

The Eisner awards were announced a few days ago (*ahem*, the Oscars of the comic world)

To find out what Alan Moore won for this year, click here.

[kaytee]

Shekhar Kapur seems to have his finger in different pies! He is currently working on a couple of film projects, although nothing has been confirmed, on that front. That apart, he has come up with a new idea. The talented film maker has come up with mythological comic books. They have been titled Devi, Sadhu, Snake Woman and Ramayana 3392 AD.

They are being created by Kapur, Virgin Comics and Gotham Entertainment Group, collectively. The Devi comic, based on an Indian Goddess has taken the fancy of the American readers, as soon as it was launched there. It deals with the two aspects of the woman, i.e. the one which creates and the one which destroys. The other three comics have also got good feedback.

The comics were launched in India, recently. Kapur was present at the event. The books will be priced between Rs 10-15. At a later stage, they will also be translated into Indian regional languages.

[fizz]

Shekar Kapur along with author Deepak Chopra and his son, own India's Gotham comics who reprint and publish both Marvel and DC comics for India. They have done a great job since they started - I myself have been able to get access to a lot of popular titles not sold in Dubai due to Gotham comics reprinting them and selling them cheap here. They have also published 'Indianised' versions of Spider man where Peter Parker is a guy with mystical spider like powers who lives in Bombay. These guys are big in India and have really revolutionized comics there. Their tie up with Virgin comics is just the next planned step.

[kaytee]

I would like to give the Ramayana 3392 AD comic a try. I have never seen the TV series in its entirety. Will try to get my hands on them when I go to India next week.

[shariqq]

Kaytee - the TV series are not any good. They are a BIG hit coz of the religious value attached to it, but are nothing in terms of art.

If you want to give it a try, I have Ashok Banker's Ramayana - novels in 6 parts written in modern sci-fi/fantasy format. Really well written for fans of the genre. The seven parts he has written are:
1) Prince of Ayodhya
2) Siege of Mithila
3) Demons of Chitrakut
4) Armies of Hanuman
5) Bridge of Rama
6) King of Ayodhya

I'm waiting for delivery of Books 5 & 6. I've got the rest.

Coming back to Comic Books - I'd love to read Ramayna 3392AD too. Fizz, Any idea we can get them here? or maybe kaytee can get them for us when he travels to Mumbai...

[fizz]

Coming back to Comic Books - I'd love to read Ramayna 3392AD too. Fizz, Any idea we can get them here? or maybe kaytee can get them for us when he travels to Mumbai...

Gotham comics aren't available in any particular store though you can find random copies in book stores across the country. Owing to the diversity of titles available (both DC and Marvel) you might try your luck and browse around town. I will act as your eyes and pick up anything to do with this title if I come across it.

[shariqq]

Thanks, bud 

[kaytee]

Couldnt find it at the best of locations in Mumbai.

[fizz]

ALAN MOORE TO APPEAR IN THE SIMPSONS

It’s only natural really, though it may sound odd-ish. Alan Moore is going to guest star on an episode of The Simpsons.

According to Nothants News.com, the ball began rolling last summer when Melinda Gebbie, Moore’s collaborator on Lost Girls and fiancée was in the US for Comic-Con and to promote Lost Girls. As the paper reports, Moore is a long-time fan of The Simpsons, and was thrilled with the idea when it was pitched to him after a producer from the series approached Gebbie.

"I was happy to do it. I'm a big fan of The Simpsons." Moore told the paper. And – for those keeping track of Moore’s affection for US-produced animation, the writer has revealed to Newsarama and other outlets that he’s also a huge fan of South Park.

As for Moore’s storyline, he will voice a character in a subplot which sees a new “cool” comic shop opening in Springfield, in competition with Android’s Dungeon (operated by wince-inducing Comic Book Guy). No air date for the episode, entitled "Husbands and Knives" has been announced.

[fizz]

Superman's debut comic book issue sells for $1M

NEW YORK – A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman sold Monday for $1 million, smashing the previous record price for a comic book.

A 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, widely considered the Holy Grail of comic books, was sold from a private seller to a private buyer, neither of whom released their names. The issue features Superman lifting a car on its cover and originally cost 10 cents.
The transaction was conducted by the auction site ComicConnect.com. Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the site and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles, orchestrated the sale.

Fishler said it transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale at around 10:30 a.m. Eastern time (1530 GMT). He said that the seller was a "well known individual" in New York with a pedigree collection, and that the buyer was a known customer who previously bought an Action Comics No. 1 of lesser grade.

"It's considered by most people as the most important book," said John Dolmayan, a comic book enthusiast and dealer best known as the drummer for System of a Down. "It kind of ushered in the age of the superheroes."

Dolmayan, who owns Torpedo Comics, last year paid $317,000 for an Action Comics No. 1 issue for a client. Others have sold for more than $400,000, he said, but this copy fetched a much higher price because it's in better condition. It's rated an "8.0 grade," or "very fine."

Dolmayan said he didn't buy this copy but he wishes he could have.
"The fact that this book is completely un-restored and still has an 8.0 grade, it's kind of like a diamond or a precious stone. It's very rare," he said.

There are only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 believed to be in existence, and only a handful have been rated so highly. It's rarer still for those copies to be made available for sale.

"The opportunity to buy an un-restored, high-grade Action One comes along once every two decades," Fishler said. "It's certainly a milestone."
The sticker shock was astounding to Fishler, nevertheless.

"It is still a little stunning to see 'a comic book' and '$1 million' in the same sentence," Fishler said. "There's only one time a collectible hits the $1 million threshold."

[shariqq]

Here, the infamous cover: