Want to be an editor at DC Comics? Want to work in beautiful Burbank, California?

Then Time Warner, DC’s parent company, has a job for you.

DC’s looking for a Content Editor, someone who is a “creative, digitally savvy, and strategic-minded individual” to join their Interactive Marketing team.

The Content Editor “will be responsible for leading the day-to-day planning, development, and execution of DC Entertainment’s digital content strategy across all platforms (online, mobile, social media, etc).”

Read More | Time Warner

Watchmen! Shazam! Archie! Oh my goodness! Could a weirder week get any weirder? Oh, it can. It’s only February.

Here’s a few things to read until the Super Bowl fever hits you and, oh, wait. No one reading this cares about sports!

Well, of course DC was going to do Watchmen prequels and create more Watchmen-related graphic novels. The series will never be considered out-of-print (and now with online availability, you can get it digitally 24/7/365 so it will truly be “in print” in perpetuity). Since it’s a thing that can’t be stopped, I wish the creators well and I wish the original creators well as well (and hope they’re being compensated for the reuse of their creations). Forbes, the journal of the 1% weighs in with the “It can’t be wrong if everyone’s doing it” argument. Although Before Watchmen has to be one of the least grabby titles in modern comics history.

Michael Cavna at Comic Riffs, the Washington Post blog, collects various opinions on the coming new era of Watchmen prequels.

Here’s the Daily Beast on the behind-the-scenes soap opera at Archie. Once you realize that this is all about controlling the privately-held company, it starts to fall into place.

So I’m watching the trailer for the new Ghost Rider movie, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance with Nic (”I’ll do anything!”) Cage and it dawns on me.

Nowhere in the trailer is there a mention of Marvel Comics. No attempt to tie it into the Marvel Universe.

No mention that it’s from the company that brought you Captain America, Iron Man and Fantastic Four. There’s a Marvel Knights logo that flashes oh-so-briefly onscreen at the beginning but that’s hardly the same.

Even the homepage for the Sony release doesn’t play up the Marvel connection.

It’s just a movie about a biker with a flaming head. Trying to help a woman and her little boy.

The same plot as Jean-Claude Van Damme's Nowhere To Run and dozens of other movies.

It’s no secret that being a freelance writer or artist (or letterer or colorist) is a risky business.

Aside from the variable availability of steady work, you have to find and pay for your own health insurance.

Some creators simply do without - they’re young, and they’re invincible of course, but more realistically, they just can’t afford it based on their freelancer income. It’s a risky strategy, though understandable.

I once went for a couple of years without health insurance and it was very stressful because I was always thinking about how not to get seriously sick or have some kind of accident. (It didn’t work out - I did end up in the local ER on a weekend and had to drop a few hundred bucks I nearly didn't have).

Read More | Robot 6

Do you know who's now drawing The Phantom on Sundays?

Terry Beatty (you might know him from Ms. Tree, or Batman Adventures or Return To Perdition or any number of cool things).

His first Sunday debuted on January 29th, written by Tony DePaul and colored beautifully by an old pal of mine, Tom Smith.

It's not yet a permanent gig, but Terry posted on his blog that King Features Syndicate "is quite pleased with my first five Sunday strips."

Good for Terry, good for The Phantom, and good for the fans. That first strip of his is killer.

[And, of course, if your newspaper doesn't carry The Phantom, please contact them and request that they sign up.]

[Artwork: The Phantom by Terry Beatty, © King Features Syndicate]

Last weekend in January, last weekend before the Super Bowl, which means there’s really nothing on TV this weekend. Fortunately, the internets provide:

Neal Adams is gunning for Marvel on behalf of Jack Kirby.

The Comic Book Insider is the new podcast from comic book writer and former DC Comics editor Brian Augustyn.

James Bond vs. Batman: Now there’s a team-up I’d really like to see. The HMSS blog looks at how both heroes have had to adapt to changing times.

One of my favorite movie blogs, Flick Attack, looks at an old film written by veteran DC writer Arnold Drake (Deadman; The Doom Patrol): The Flesh Eaters.

I've never been to the Angouleme International Comics Festival, aka Festival International de la Bande Dessinée.

But I've always wanted to go. It's been going on every year since 1974 and it's the largest comics festival in Europe, taking place in Angouleme, France.

The latest one is going on right now, through the 29th and it's an all-out event that involves the whole town. The Forbidden Planet blog has more.

Here's a history of the festival which makes it sound even more appealing, and includes a quote that the show draws 200,000 people each year. That's a sweet number and makes it bigger than the San Diego's Comic Con International.

If you're in Angouleme, have a great time!

[Artwork: Angouleme International Comics Festival mascot]

It’s “The Super-Hero Housewives Of Gotham City!”

Ever since Astro City and Powers, I’ve loved super-hero comics that fiddle around with the standard tropes of television drama.

Take a medical, cop, reality show format and apply it to the cape crowd. I’m always going to give something like that a look.

That’s why I’m also a fan of Batton Lash’s Supernatural Law - it’s like L.A. Law, but with monsters and supernatural goings-on. I like creators who think like that.

Now in March from Boom! Studios comes Supurbia #1 by writer Grace Randolph (Marvel’s Nation-X) and a new artist Russell Dauterman.

Nope, that’s not the title of a great lost 1980s private eye TV series.

It’s part of a new thing that my pal Danny Fingeroth has organized with the Society of Illustrators called Comics Out Loud.

Here’s the skinny straight from Danny: “Top comic book creators - one from each discipline of the medium - demonstrating and discussing their work processes as attendees circulate around the room and watch the process of ‘sequential art’ (as the great Will Eisner dubbed it) being made.”

So what does that really mean? It means you get to watch (and interact) as Louise Simonson writes, Walt Simonson pencils, Bob Wiacek inks, Chris Sotomayor colors and John Workman letters, each working on a current assignment.

Read More | Comics Out Loud

Daniel Best at 20th Century Danny Boy has an update on the health of legendary comic book colorist Tom Ziuko. If you have a little something to spare, please consider helping Tom out.

[Artwork: A nice example of Tom's coloring, taken from Daniel Best's blog post, © DC Comics]

One of the great, eclectic masters of comic book art is P. Craig Russell.

Since he burst on the scene in the Marvel comics of the 1970s (Killraven), then jumped to projects like Night Music, Michael Moorcock’s Elric, Sandman, Fables and so many others.

He's worked with everyone from Roy Thomas and Don McGregor to Neil Gaiman and Mike Mignola.

And along the way, he’s collected Kirby and Eisner awards and an army of fans.

Now, thanks to Kickstarter, he’s getting ready to launch P. Craig Russell’s Guide to Graphic Storytelling, a “a web series (and companion DVD) consisting of educational videos that teach the art of graphic storytelling, also known as ‘Comics.’”

Here’s the coolness from their Kickstarter pitch:

Greetings, Weekenders! Still up in arms about DC’s new logo? The wrongness of SOPA/PIPA? Forget it. Let’s just enjoy the internets while they’re still free:

The John Carter Files poses some questions about the upcoming John Carter movie.

Two new Captain Underpants books by Dav Pilkey are coming in 2012.

Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is getting the graphic novel treatment via DC Comics (and their Vertigo imprint). Denise Mina - no slouch as a mystery novelist - is writing with Leonardo Manco, art is by Andrea Mutti, but just check out the kick-ass cover by Lee Bermejo. Omnimystery has all the deets.

This was posted by WaRP Graphics employee “Wendy Masque,” on Elfquest’s official Facebook page:

“After close to four years of suspense - and longer than four years of your much-appreciated interest and support - the word has come down from Warner Bros. And the word is ‘no.’ Their simple explanation is that they don't want to compete with The Hobbit. This was a possibility, among several, that we were prepared for. It is a relief, at last, to know.”

Sad news for fans.

Movie studios make similarly-themed competing movies all the time (Armageddon and Deep Impact, anyone?) so that can’t be the real reason. In fact, it sounds like movie studio bs.

Economics professors and Psych teachers are no longer needed. Full Sail University, “an innovative educational leader” located just outside of Orlando, FL is accepting applications for a new teaching position: “Course Director of Developing New Worlds position in its Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program.”

And what’s a Course Director then?

“Course Directors are instructors who ensure excellence in teaching skills and classroom content. They develop curriculum, teach, and oversee the integrity of their classes.”

But what’s all that about “Developing New Worlds”?

Read More | Full Sail University

Creator Jim Starlin just posted this on Facebook, so I'm believing it to be fair game.

It's a piece from an original illustrated novel that he's currently working on. He'll reveal more details as his plans are finalized, but for now I think one word will suffice: Want!

[Artwork: Mindgames by and © Jim Starlin]

Apple One is an employment agency and as such - at least in the era of the internets - they’re being cagey about one of their more interesting job offerings.They’re representing a “large entertainment client” who needs an “experienced editor, specifically for children’s magazines.”

There aren’t many company’s who meet that description - Disney (their Consumer Products division) is certainly one, and Time Warner to a certain degree (but I checked the Time Warner website and nothing similar to this job pops). Marvel doesn’t have it listed.

But the contact info at Apple One lists the local office in Glendale, California, which is right next to Burbank. So, go play detective and see what you find.

Read More | Apple One

“I had also the advantage of a movie sale of my first book (Strangers On A Train) to Alfred Hitchcock, though for a sum so small no one believes it when I quote it, so I won’t here. My life was all right for about a year and a half; I went to Europe in a modest way, and began a second book on a freighter on the way back. But the going was very rough for three years after that; I did not have the comforts I had grown used to while doing hack work...”

From Plotting And Writing Suspense Fiction by Patricia Highsmith (1966).

Hack work? While it’s not often discussed, before Strangers On A Train propelled her career as a novelist, Highsmith used to write comic books back in the 1940s sweatshop days.

Cartoon Network, the home of Adventure Time, Ben 10, and Scooby Doo, is looking for some helping for the Spring.

It’s all part of their Spring 2012 Intern Program. It’s 12 weeks, 15-20 hours per week. No money, and course credit is optional (it helps if you’re somehow majoring in Animation or a related field).

You’ll be doing all the usual (and occasionally horrible) intern tasks, but you’ll be jumping into the deep end of the animation pool. Cartoon Network’s Internship Program “exposes students to a variety of duties and provides valuable knowledge of the industry. Students may have the opportunity to learn and observe a number of functions within the production department. They will be exposed to all aspects of a traditionally animated series.

Read More | Cartoon Network

Are you a designer with comic book and graphic novel experience? You could put that to good use in the world of traditional book publishing. Penguin Books is looking for a designer for their five (5!) Young Readers’ imprints (that includes Grosset & Dunlap and Price-Stern-Sloan).

You’ll be expected “to design and manage all stages of book production (covers, interiors, novelty) for 25-30 children’s books per year.” It includes a variety of different books - novelty, paperbacks, sticker and board books.

You’ll need all the usual design requirements for experience, software aptitude, plus multitasking and interpersonal skills.

And here’s the kicker: “comic book/graphic novel experience a plus” and “enthusiasm for media tie-in and licensing genre preferred.”

Good luck, job seekers!

[Artwork: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a Penguin licensed book]

Read More | Penguin Jobs

The Adventures of Tintin won the Golden Globe award for Best Animated Feature Film.

You know who didn’t get thanked in Steven Spielberg’s acceptance speech for Tintin at the award ceremony Sunday night? The guy who created Tintin: Herge.

Spielberg did say that Hollywood gave him (and Peter Jackson) a chance to turn this “80 year old series of wonderful books into a motion picture.”

It’s hard to be too critical. He had less than a minute to thank people and it probably is prudent politically, socially and financially to thank the people who actually greenlight movies first.

But it would’ve been nice of him to slip in a little Herge mention with all the bankers and executives.

[Artwork: Tintin by Herge]

Read More | Spielberg's Speech

As regular readers know, I love the Craigslist. It’s like walking into a strange house - you never know what you’re going to find.

A New York High School Drama/Performing Arts Instructor needs someone who can make 3 superhero capes.

An indie filmmaker in New York is looking for “legitimate producers” for their movie that’s described as “a blend of Martial arts and comic book mythology and deep character development/plot set in a realistic urban setting.”

A studio in Santa Clarita, CA is looking for a character designer.

And, finally, a summer camp in Portland, Oregon is looking for a Lead Outdoor Education Instructor. You will “join a guild, learning and working in a community that teaches wilderness survival, homesteading and traditional skills. Plus, you become part of a league of comic book, sci-fi, fantasy and pop culture nerds who love the outdoors (we see no dichotomy).” And they’re paying money, too.

Good luck, job seekers!

[Artwork: Capes by Robert Kirkman and Mark Englert]

Word raging through the internets - Bleeding Cool, Comics Beat, Comics Alliance - has it that DC is going through a new logo design, replacing the one they just redesigned a few years ago.

I think the new peel-back design looks great, and a very good idea if DC’s finally getting serious about the appliance business.

[Artwork: New DC Logo, © DC Entertainment]

I’ve been fans of Jan Strnad and Richard Corben for years. They do great work separately, but the times that they’ve teamed up (like say, Mutant World, Jeremy Brood, Arabian Nights) it’s like funnybook magic.

And now they’re back together again, this time for a new mini-series at Dark Horse called Ragemoor.

Here’s what Dark Horse has to say about it:

“Ragemoor! A living castle, nurtured on pagan blood, harborer to deadly monsters! A fortress possessed of its own will and ability to change itself, with the power to add and destroy rooms and to grow without the help of any human hand. Its owner is mad with jealously, its servants aren’t human, and its secret’s horrific!”

That sounds awesome, and I’m looking forward to it.

The first issue goes on sale at the end of March, which means you can pre-order now through your retailer.

Read More | Ragemoor

Welcome to the weekend! Let's see what the internets hold for us!

Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter speaks out against SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act. It really is a terrible bill that does more harm than good and Tom makes a strong case to do everything you can to stop it from being passed.

Mark Evanier doesn’t like the proposed law either.

If you’re an aspiring fantasy/sci-fi writer, the Clarion Workshop is accepting applications, according to Boing Boing. You can find a list of Clarion alumni here.

And award-winning sf writer John Scalzi provides even more details and words of encouragement about Clarion.

A small community hospital in Pennsylvania is seeking a doctor to join them.

“This location has a large assortment of shopping facilities including grocery stores, tee shirt design shops, comic book stores, and jewelry stores and is nestled in western portion of PA.”

If I were a doctor, I’d be enticed by comic book stores near my hospital!

Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!

[Artwork: Dr. Strange, by Steve Ditko © Marvel Comics]

Read More | MD Search

After a few months in the #2 slot, Marvel regained its long-standing #1 position, by a tiny margin. It pushed out DC Comics, which had been #1 since it's big reboot and launch of 52 #1's.

Now DC’s New 52 is changing.

Heidi at Comics Beat reports that the New 52 is about to become the "Recent 46 and the New 6" with the cancellation of 6 titles with issue #8, and 6 others coming in off the bench.

Plus the return of Earth 2 and crossovers.

If you had 8 months in the office pool, you're the winner. I had 10, so I have to cough it up.

Happy new year!

[Artwork: Men Of War #7, the penultimate, © DC Entertainment]

I’ve loved Norm Breyfogle’s art ever since I first saw it years ago when he was drawing Batman.

Later on, I got to meet him when he was drawing Prime for Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse (he designed the character and I was lucky enough to be around to see all his sketches).

Still later, I got to work with him directly when he did some character designs for a superhero project that Chris Ulm and I were pitching around.

Now, after some time working for Archie Comics, Norm is back on Batman in the newly relaunched Batman Beyond Unlimited title from DC, edited by another pal Jim Chadwick.

The first issue goes on sale in February, and Norm posted an interior page from it on Facebook (you can see it over there on your right).

Read More | The Morton Report

Ever wanted to work at a theme park and not dress up like Snow White or Garfield? Universal Studios, the Orlando one, is looking for a Painter.

This is not the kind of painter who makes the kitchen egg shell blue and the bathroom ivory (although you might do that at some point).

What they want is a painter who can “make sure our guests feel like they've just set foot inside the pages of a comic book or onto the set of their favorite movie.”

Skills needed include: “Problem solving, superior painting skills, attention to detail, and possessing the ability to use good judgment under pressure.

Read More | Universal Studios Orlando

"It should not be forgotten that nearly all thoughts of Peanuts, especially by those who love it, are viewed through the rose tinted bifocals of nostalgia. This was a good comic strip and it certainly had a following, but it wasn’t Watchmen."

-- Ryan K Lindsay

Wikipedia: “At its peak, Peanuts ran in over 2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages. It helped to cement the four-panel gag strip as the standard in the United States, and together with its merchandise earned Schulz more than $1 billion. Reprints of the strip are still syndicated and run in almost every U.S. newspaper.”

Thank goodness it wasn’t Watchmen! [I have my copy of Peanuts #1 and will post a review shortly.]

Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!

[Artwork: Peanuts #1 from kaboom!]

Read More | Comic Book Resources

What do you do when you’re trying to remember the name of a long-forgotten indy comic book from the 1970s and all you can remember is that the creator’s first name might be Kerry, and he might have been from either Seattle or Portland.

Or not.

It’s a puzzle, and without Google, I’d never have pieced it together. For a long time, I didn’t even remember the “Kerry” part.

I could picture the art style, but it never led me to the name of the comics or their creator. Fortunately, over time I pieced together fragments of my brain to come up with the guy’s first name, and then went hunting.

I figured he had to have a web presence - any cartoonist still working would have that. He didn't.