Somebody Call Neil Gaiman, Miracleman Returns!

In the 1980's comic book author Alan Moore (best known for Watchmen and V for Vendetta) was pushing superhero stories to their existential and post modern limits. One of his projects was to take a classic 1950's superhero and modernize him (you know add sex and violence, the good stuff right?). The character used was called Marvelman in Britain, and (in order to avoid any legal problems from Marvel Comics) Miracleman in the United States. (Being here in Utah, I read the Miracleman versions so I'll refer to it by that title.)

The original Marvelman

Moore's violent update

Alan Moore wrote sixteen issues. He left the series to his friend and colleague Neil Gaiman. From a storytelling standpoint Alan Moore had seemingly painted the series into a corner. Miraclman had defeated his arch nemesis, conquered Earth, created a class of royalty superheroes, and forced peace upon mankind. Surprisingly Gaiman was able to continue the series, and some would even say that he topped Alan Moore's run.

Gaiman had three arcs planned to complete the series; The Golden Age, The Silver Age, and finally The Dark Age. Apparently because of publisher bankruptcy Miracleman ended abruptly at issue # 24, and Gaiman never finished the story.

Miracleman has become a legend and much sought after classic in the comic community. Because of other legal issues between certain parties the series couldn't be reprinted. Fans had to search out expensive back issues or download scans online in order to read the work- and still do to this day. It is a common held belief that comic-superstar Todd McFarlane is the guy stopping the series from currently being reprinted, but it's hard to tell the hearsay from the reality.

I personally found as many actual issues as I could and then read scans online. Alan Moore's work was dark, but very interesting. Gaiman's run was surprising and creative. I was really getting into his setup when the story just ended. Bummer.

Neil Gaiman's critically acclaimed run

Right now Comic-Con 2009 is underway and today Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada made a surprising announcement. Marvel Comics have purchased the rights to Marvelman (as he can be properly be called now) and they are making plans for his future! I guess they've figured out the legal mess and/or can afford better lawyers than everybody else. They're saying they purchased the rights from the original creator of the character. That sounds pretty solid.

So Marvel,

PLEASE CALL NEIL GAIMAN!

I want to read the rest of the story.

Joe Quesada's take on Marvelman

Dissonance

Crying on the couch and freckles are upside-down to me

I never could say it right the first time

Or fifteen times after

And you just refused.

Lying for truth of beauty

Lying for truth of pain

A single piano note awakens me

A frequency without dissonance

Oh your light wakes me from the dark

Oh your light wakes me from the dark

No dissonant distinction

Until,

Soul

Both pure and...

The Best Review Ever.

I got some nice reviews on King of Pain from my blog area at Game Trailers:

Here's a few:

FreeTheBeast

[5]

Posted 7-13-2009 9:19pm

[quote]

HOLY FU--!!
didn't see that coming! XD

vargen

[+5]

Posted 7-15-2009 1:03pm

[quote]

captain amazing pants stole my girlfriend.

AOD

[+5]

Posted 7-15-2009 4:38pm

[quote]

dude that fucking awesome

And the best review ever:

TheNebula

[5]

Posted 7-14-2009 4:37am

[quote]

Hello Nicholas,this was a good story. especially the end was surprising and fine also it's making the reader to wonder about continue of the story. drawings are great, as good as a professional's.

I'll recommend you that please add some goodness stuff in your stories to lead young ones for good habits like helping eachother, tolerance, being patience, helping poor people and being a nice person, this can be even do sports and eat less as low calorie diet.

thanks for reading and being patience. have a nice day.

King of Pain # 1 "Captain Amazing Pants Gets All the Chicks." (Preview)

Here's a preview! *(edited 10-28-2009)

King of Pain # 1 Copyright 2009, Nicholas James West, All Rights Reserved

Nicky and Zane

"Nicky and Zane #1- Use it to teach your children the joys of reading. *(Endorsed by Nicholas and Sam.)

*"Nicky and Zane" is a parody.* Copyright: Nicholas West 2009, All Rights Reserved.

When EC Comics Told the Comics Code Authority to...

As a follow up to my post from yesterday about comic book racism: There is a cool CBR article about EC Comics and a black/white situation.

This is the proud comics tradition that I'm talking about. From the article:

"When the issue first came out in 1953, it was heavily lauded, including the following missive from a certain Mr. Bradbury…

However, when Gaines and Feldstein went to put it in place of the pulled story, they were told no, the story violated the Comics Code.

Judge Charles Murphy (administrator of the Code) said that they would have to change the astronaut from black to white if they wanted it to be included. This was not part of the Code at the time. Feldstein and Gaines felt that Murphy was just deliberately messing with them (again, Gaines felt that the Code was designed specifically to put him out of business).

After being told that, clearly, the color of the astronaut’s skin was practically the whole point of the story, Murphy backed down a bit, but said that they would at least have to get rid of the perspiration on his skin. It could possibly be that Murphy felt that it was exploitative. I do not know, and neither did Feldstein nor Gaines, who only had their suspicions that they were being screwed with.

Feldstein and Gaines both refused to comply (I believe the terms they used included at least one use of the word “fuck”), and Gaines threatened a lawsuit and/or a press conference to shine a light on why exactly the story was objected to.

The story ran as is."

Comic Book Racism

I've been reading comic books for most of my life. I was always proud of the progressive tradition of racial and gender equality being presented by said books. I remember being very young and getting warm fuzzies when I realized that "Storm," a black woman, was just as good a leader (and sometimes stronger and smarter) as her male counterpart "Cyclops," a white man.

Storm won this battle with Cyclops and became leader of the X-Men. The white man was just wasn't in the frame of mind to lead. The black woman was better fit to rally the troops- go X-Men!

I'm not discounting the chauvinistic and racist moments that do exist in comic history, but I thought that as a geek culture we'd moved past a lot of prejudices.

I guess not.

Dwayne McDuffie, a comic book author and a black man, recently posted a preview of one of his upcoming comics. It featured a few black characters as integral parts of the story line. Some of the "fan" responses were quite disturbing:

“…how many blacks did McDuffie manage to sneak onto the team this time–five? (I bet DC editorial gave him the same order as Burger King in that lawsuit–to “lighten things up around here.”)”

“Why don’t they call this the “Minority League”? ”

“I don’t think anyone will support an original black “mainstream” character. I know I won’t.”

“Couldn’t they get Static, Black Lightning, or one of his daughters instead of Dr. Light on the cover of BET League of America? Ha!”

“Maybe they should establish a separate league for all the negro superheroes. I’m not saying kick them ALL off. One would be okay. (Doesn’t Hollywood have some kind of law that says every movie has to have at least one black in it?) I just think they’re going overboard with all this diversity stuff. I mean, how many comics do minorities read anyway?”

Wow. Thanks for being progressive and accepting fanboys. Heaven forbid a black man writes black characters.

Apparently there's too many "minorities" on the cover...

Mymymyohmy!

This is another lyric post. It was the greatest song ever. It's about superheroes having sex. Sweet.

Mymymyohmy!

Mutant heat ray eyes

Ninja robot thighs

Hide your poison knives

Infinite gauntlet history

Feel my powers you cannot see.

Secret identity loving me

Super-baby killing me

Secret Identity loving me

Super-baby killing me

Mymymyohmy!

Superhero lies

Hundred million times

Through resurrected lives

Infinite gauntlet history

Feel my powers you cannot see.

Secret identity loving me

Super-baby killing me

Secret Identity loving me

Super-baby killing me

Mymymyohmy!

Superhero thighs

Mymymyohmy!

Hold the sweet surprise

Oh... Who will help me?

If it's a battle royale you want, you got it mister!

How shocking!

Even bone is turned to powder!