Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Anyone who has read the news item over at COMICBOOKRESOURCES.COM already knows that there will be a hardcover collection of the 10-issue original TELLOS series Todd and I produced as well as the one-shots and the 5-page bit from the back of SECTION ZERO back when GORILLA COMICS was launching. All the variant covers and sketchbook material will be included as well– and if I’m not mistaken, some new sketch and design material that hasn’t been printed before. A lot of it is stuff I’ve posted here from time to time, but there will also be stuff that’s not been seen before anywhere. It’s tentatively scheduled for a late-spring release.

The thing that’s most exciting for me (and there’s a LOT I’m excited about with this project) is that it will be an “Omnibus”– or oversized– format when released. I’ve had this treatment with a couple of other books I’ve worked on– most notably FANTASTIC FOUR and the ‘OTHER’ issues I did of FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN. Those were a real treat for me to see… having my work printed in that larger format was wonderful– but this is so much more special in that I co-own these characters. TELLOS is still the achievement I’m most proud of in my career… the nearest and dearest to my heart– and to have this oversized hardcover coming out is absolutely thrilling. So– it’s in honor of the release of this news that I produced today’s sketch.

This is Entry 303.

Mike

Has anyone seen much of the animated LEGION OF SUPERHEROES series that just started recently? I’ve been wanting to check it out– but I keep forgetting to look for it on KIDS WB until it’s too late each Saturday, which results in a firm whack to my forehead with the heel of my palm. Being the big LEGION fan that I am, I’ve been very curious to see it. I was finally able to catch the last 5 minutes of this past Saturday’s episode, but that was just by accident. I just happened to be scrolling through the channels while drinking my morning coffee and stumbled on the end of an episode where the LEION were taking on the FATAL FIVE in an arena. I really liked the animation and the design work. I think it’s very, very cool. I couldn’t judge too much of the story since I didn’t get to see much– but it certainly looked cool.

I haven’t heard much about fan reaction to the show– but the little I have has been relatively negative. But that’s the same majority of reaction I heard to the TEEN TITANS cartoon series— and I love that cartoon as well.

So– anyone else seen the LEGION series? If so, what’s your impression of it?

OK… that’s if for today.

This is Entry 302.

Mike

I got an email yesterday from my brother to tell me that Basil Poledouris has passed away. His CONAN soundtrack was, I believe, the first CD of movie music that I ever bought. I remember going to see the movie– and while sitting in the theater, I was completely caught up in the film as the images….. and more importantly, the MUSIC… washed over me. His dramatic use of drums, strings and horns was so thrilling and powerful– and the choral infusions were stirring to the soul. The score literally sent chills up my spine– it’s that good. I had to rush out and buy a copy of the music immediately upon leaving the theater. And Poledouris’s CONAN soundtrack has seen me through so many pages of artwork over the years, it’s incredible. Any time I’ve ever needed a kick in the rear to get going, all I have to do is put that disc in the player, and I’m immediately inspired. His music for every scene of the film is so perfect… so evocative. As someone pointed out in the AICN talkback thread, CONAN was a good movie– but it was Poledouris’s score that made it GREAT.

Poledouris had an amazing career and leaves a wonderful body of work. His scores for such other films as ROBOCOP, STARSHIP TROOPERS and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER are great achievements. But it’s his moving and absolutely inspired music for CONAN that will always live in my heart– and still, every time I listen to it, gives me those very same chills I felt the first time I heard it.

Thank you, Basil Poledouris, for so much wonderful music. You may be gone– but your work will live and inspire forever.

This is Entry 301.

Mike

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It’s hard to believe that I’ve been maintaining this blog for over 3 years now– and I’ve come to the 300th post. I was looking at the archived posts on BLOGGER, and they only allow for viewing 300 total posts, so I can’t really tell when I started the blog, exactly. But the exact date I started this thing isn’t really important. What is important is that I’ve really enjoyed maintaining it up to this point. It’s been very therapeutic at times– and it has been fun and gratifying to watch the stats of how many folks that visit here day to day grow so much over the years. I want to thank all of you for taking the time out of your day to stop by and see what little trifles I might post 3 times per week. With so much that’s offered on the web vying for attention every day, I’m grateful that you make this one of your stops.

I wanted to show you all this amazing piece. I woke up Sunday morning and checked my email first thing as I do every day. Imagine my surprise to find an email with this image of the DARE-GORILLA sketch I did inked by none other than PAUL SMITH….! I was absolutely blown away. Paul’s work has always been an inspiration to me since I first saw it on DOCTOR STRANGE and UNCANNY X-MEN at Marvel. Paul’s LEAVE IT TO CHANCE with writer James Robinson is one of my favorite comics of all time. It’s one of those books that I would give anyone as an example of how great and beautiful comic books can be– one of those shining representatives of comics at their best that can appeal to everyone. I’ve been honored to get to know Paul over the years, first meeting him at HEROES CON several years back. He’s a kind, gracious and wonderful fellow– as well as being one of the premiere artists in the comics world. The fact that he inked this just for fun and sent me a file of it is just so thrilling. Thanks, Paul…!

The organization HERO INITIATIVE — formerly known as ACTOR– is a non-profit that raises money to help older comic book creators who are in need. Comic book creators of today enjoy the rewards of a business built by the many that came before us– and I try –as often as I have time for– to contribute to this cause that helps these older creators who might not be getting the work they used to and are in need of some aid from time to time. Recently, Marvel celebrated the 100th issue of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, and they’re working with HERO INITIATIVE by printing up some blank ‘sketch cover’ editons. HI asked 100 folks who have worked on SPIDER-MAN over the years to contribute sketches on these– and they’ll be offered up for auction in the near future. I don’t have the details of the when and how– but I’m sure you’ll be hearing about it. I wanted to show you the sketch I did for the auction so that those of you who might be interested could get a ‘sneak peek’.

OK– that’s it for another post. Again, thank all of you so much for reading.

This is Entry 300.

Mike

About a month ago, I did a post about my love for the E-MAN comic and character… and my adoration for the work of Joe Staton. After writing about that, I decided to go try to buy a run of those original CHARLTON E-MAN books on eBay. I got a run of the original 10 issues. Although I already have them in my collection somewhere, as I’ve said, it would take an effort the equivalent of searching through the Amazon rain forest to find ’em, so I got a duplicate set. Most of my original copies are in a lot worse shape than the ones I just bought, so that’s another plus.

Looking through them, I was also pleasantly reminded of the fun and quirky back up stories that appeared in the book. There was a wonderful and enigmatic character called KILLJOY (I’ve always loved that name) that was created by the legendary Steve Ditko. These stories were very odd and bizarre and have a feeling (to me, anyway) or flavor of PLASTIC MAN or THE SPIRIT– only weirder. Ditko also worked on a LIBERTY BELLE backup story with writer Joe Gill. LB is more of a traditional, patriotic-styled superhero. It’s fun– but not nearly as much fun to read as KILLJOY. The crown jewel of these backup stories, though, was the ROG 2000 character by Nic Cuti and John Byrne. Anyone who’s a long-time Byrne fan knows ROG 2000 and still has a soft spot in their heart for the character. He was created during Byrne’s fanzine days, and made the jump to professional comics with Byrne. This was the beginning of some wonderful stuff from John Byrne at Charlton– books like DOOMSDAY +1 and SPACE 1999 were some of his more serious efforts at the company– but ROG 2000 was the most fun (at least for me). There are other backups in E-MAN, like Cuti and Tom Sutton on THE KNIGHT– a kind of superspy story– as well as a time travel story called TRAVIS by Cuti and Wayne Howard, who does a pretty decent Wally Wood riff. Those stories don’t appeal to me, however, as much as KILLJOY, LIBERTY BELLE and especially ROG 2000.

This is Entry 299.

Mike