Archive Page 2133

July 6, 2022

North American Comic sales at $2 billion for 2021 – Forbes

New data shows that comics publishing in North America grew at an unprecedented 60% clip year-over-year between 2020 and 2021, according to data shared by third party industry-watchers ICv2 and Comichron. Sales leapt from an already record-setting 2020 total of $1.28 billion to approximately $2.075 billion. That’s the highest total ever measured for sales of periodical comics, graphic novels and digital comics, with just about every segment of the market showing enormous growth.

Fan Expo Boston coming August – Fan Expo Boston

Attracting thousands of visitors a year, Fan Expo Boston (formerly Boston Comic Con) is a playground for pop culture fans. The weekend-long event includes celebrity guests, panels, workshops, photo ops, cosplay, and a show floor for shopping. This summer’s event runs from Aug. 12-14 and takes place at the Boston Convention Center in the Seaport.

Tuttle bringing Philippines' comics to the world– Publishers Weekly

Comic books have been popular in the Philippines since the 1920s. That popularity increased after World War II, when members of the United States’ military brought American comics to the nation. A homegrown industry soon sprang up, driven by a popular interest in adventure, romance, and humor titles. However, during the regime of deposed former president Ferdinand Marcos, who declared martial law in the Philippines in 1972, heavy censorship and expensive permits for publishers effectively closed all but a single komiks publisher. This led to Filipino comics greats, such as Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, Tony de Zuniga, and Alex Niño, taking their talents to the United States.

Paramount and Warner Bros sell off 75% of CW network for "zero dollars" – Collider MSN News and Wall Street Journal

According to the Wall Street Journal, should the deal move to completion, Nexstar will have 75% control of The CW, with the remaining 25% stake of the network split evenly between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery at 12.5% each. Nexstar is the biggest owner of local television stations in the US, and the deal for The CW stake will not be one where cash changes hands in the normal sense. This deal will see Nexstar cover the network’s debts, which have risen to $100 million.

Mickey Mouse copyright approaching the end: "Disney could lose the exclusive rights to Mickey Mouse within two years" – UK Daily Mail

When he first appeared in 1928, Disney's copyright was protected for 56 years but as the beloved cartoon character approached the end of its copyright, Disney successfully lobbied for the Copyright Act of 1976 which extended protections to 75 years. And then in 1998, Disney lobbied for a further extension, giving it protection for 95 years.

It is unclear whether the entertainment giant plans to make another move before 2023 to prevent Mickey from being moved into the public domain. DailyMail.com has reached out for comment.

Batman-Catwoman title ending – "Batman/Catwoman #12 Review: Poorly Executed Fan Service Comes to an End" – Comicbook

Stage production of ‘Adventures of a Comic Book Artist’ – Coshocton Beacon Today

The Coshocton Footlight Players are rehearsing and preparing for their children’s play. This year, 17 children ages 8 to 17 have dedicated their summer to rehearsing and practicing in preparation for the production of “Adventures of a Comic Book Artist.” The play follows Stanley Leonardo Sappovitz who is a janitor at Wonder Comics. Stanley longs for the day when his boss, D.C. Wunderman notices his talent as a gifted comic book artist...

1952 Comic book sales – Multiversity Comics

The industry was changing fast, with a new title being created every three days on average.

Despite continuing criticism from handwringers in the media, the comic industry continued its upward momentum in 1952. Sales at the country’s 100,000 newsstands were somewhere between 60 and 80 million comics per month, up from 50 million just two years earlier. The largest publisher by volume was Marvel / Atlas, who accounted for a little over 15 million of those monthly copies. Dell, who had significantly fewer titles than Marvel, came in second with 10 million. The other major publishers were in the 6-7 million range, with newer publishers like Farrell Comic Group and Comics Media bringing up the rear. The industry was changing fast, with a new title being created every three days on average. Comic books were vastly outselling traditional children’s books, and Publisher Lev Gleason claimed that 75% of kids aged 4-19 read comics regularly.

Massive jump in graphic novel sales – Publishers Weekly

The jump in graphic novel sales was accompanied by a boom in sales through bookstores. According to the report, sales in the book channel, which includes book fairs, jumped 81%, to $1.16 billion. Sales through comics stores rose 60% over 2021, to $705 million. Sales through comics stores had fallen in 2020 because of widespread store closures and distribution disruptions.

The new Penguin Reprint collections of Spider-Man, Captain America and Black Panther – AV Club

July 6, 2022

One of the nice features of the new books is that, production wise, they pay attention to simple things like not sinking pages into the gutter of the book binding.

More on the New Penguin Marvel Collection books

Amazon and Image Comics making a deal over Eight Billion Genies – Superherohype

Dr. Doom movie coming – Comicbookmovie

Lord Death Man from Batman Manga to DC Comics – MSN News

Adaptation of comic book 'Paper Girls' Sci-fi Series for Prime Video

Story at CNET

Christian Bale: If Nolan directs it, I'd do Batman again – Yahoo News

Comic books: Hobby or million-dollar business? – Fox46

July Movies coming out:

Superhero:

Thor Love and Thunder – July 8th, 2022

DC League of Super-Pets – July 29th, 2022

Animated:

Minions: The Rise of Gru – July 1st, 2022

The Sea Beast – July 8th, 2022

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hawk – July 16th, 2022

Elvis beats out Top Gun for number one weekend box office – comicbook

Warner, DC, Discovery inc list of programs for San Diego Comic-Con – Superherohype

DC Comics gets NO booth for San Diego Comic-Con – Hollywood Reporter

DC Comics modifying Black Adam as movie premiere approaches – polygon

Marvel announces plans for San Diego Comic-con this year – Vanity Fair

The rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is weaved into the fabric of the annual event, ever since the first Iron Man panel in 2007. The company has produced several exclusive sizzle reels just for the attendees, and there have been no shortage of stunts, like the first “Mercury 7”-esque reveal of the Avengers cast...

The Ezra Miller - Flash movie star scandals continue – Yahoo News

When the Hell's Angels made Marvel Comics change the name of one of their comic books – CBR-MSN News

The "Secret Crossover Between Batman and Daredevil" – MSN-CBR News

Chainsaw Man has got 13 million copies in sales and now an anime is coming – Comicbook

How the DC Comics' Earth Prime series impacts the TV shows – Games Radar

Natalie Portman profile and why she had to pick up the hammer - Variety

When Portman returns as Jane on July 8 in director Taika Waititi’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” however, the 41-year-old will not only be playing a superhero in her own right — the Mighty Thor, Jane’s persona once she comes into possession of the mystical hammer Mjolnir — but one who can stand toe-to-toe, and nearly eye-to-eye, with Hemsworth’s Thor.

The Batman Unburied Spotify show gets another season – Variety

And Detective Comics gets a new logo – Comicbook

Conan's new home

UK based Titan Comics to now publish Conan the Barbarian after Marvel loses license – Hollywood Reporter

The publisher (web site here) is planning to not only put out Conan the Barbarian in 2023, but also Kull the Conqueror and Solomon Kane books.

.... The comics deal between the two companies comes after last year’s book deal regarding Conan for all new novels, short stories and illustrated art books. The first project from that pact is the novel Conan: Blood of the Serpent, due to hit bookstores Oct. 18, followed by Conan the Barbarian: The Official Story of the Film, a behind-the-scenes hardback retrospective book due out Nov. 2.

Wonder Woman debut in All Star Comics #8 fetches $1.62 million at auction

Story at Yahoo News

Page of the item at Heritage Auctions

Despite more than seven decades having gone by, a lucky collector still had a copy of the book that earned a 9.4 CGC Universal Grade rating, and Heritage Auctions has now sold it at a staggering $1.62 million USD.

Artist Ron Cobb has died - well known for production work on films like Alien, Conan the Barbarian, etc – Hollywood Reporter

Chip Kidd's travelling Batman exhibit – Shreveport Times - Yahoo

Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns #1 cover auctions at $2.4 million

More Comic Book Money

See the image and info at Heritage Auctions

The cover art was a collaboration between Miller and his then-wife Lynn Varley, featuring Batman silhouetted against a sky split open by a lightning bolt. "It is easily one of the most famous comic-book covers from any era, and it defined the superhero genre from the 1980s to this very moment," says Todd Hignite, vice president at Heritage, which is based in Texas. The consignor acquired the original art directly from Varley “at some point,” Hignite says. Appearing at auction for the first time at Heritage’s four-day sale of comics and comic art from Thursday through Sunday, it attracted 90 bidders, on site or over the phone.

Numerous items sold for better-than-expected prices on the first day of the sale..."

News article about the auction online at Barrons Magazine

If you want to buy a copy of the first run of Dark Knight Returns, they're going to auction a 9.2 CGC copy here

Ezra Miller is Flash no longer? – Forbes

But regardless with what happens next both with Miller’s legal problems and The Flash movie itself, one thing seems pretty clear, that Miller will not be returning to the role past what he’s already filmed as Barry Allen

...

Why don't video game TV Show makers care about video game gamers? Question addressed at Flickering Myth

The hope that burns still: Henry Cavill as Superman and Zack Snyder directing – UK Express

Tim Sale has died

Obits and information

Original page May 18, 2022