IMAGE FANTOME: 12 REASONS FOR JOELLE'S BIRTHDAY

Today is the birthday of the most splendid Joëlle Jones. To commemorate, Nicolas Hitori de drew this lovely rendition of Gwen, the leading lady from mine and Joëlle's first book together, 12 Reasons Why I Love Her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOELLE! xoxo

Current Soundtrack: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Push the Sky Away

I'M YOUR FAN: New Spell Checkers Fan Art from SuperWhoLockian

I apologize, I don't know this person's real name, but whoever she is, she posted this great drawing to her "The Fangirls Have a Tardis" tumblr and Nico spotted it and reblogged it.

Current Soundtrack: Pulp, Separations

LOVE IS A LOSER: Spell Checkers Valentine's Day Cards!

Nico has posted some Spell Checkers Valentine's Day e-cards. There's still time to send them to someone you're kinda sorta okay with!

Current Soundtrack: The Jesus & Mary Chain, Darklands: Expanded Edition, disc 2

IMAGE FANTOME: Two CREEPY panels from Joëlle Jones

We're only a few weeks away from Dark Horse Comics releasing Creepy Comics #11. It's the Valentine's issue, and in amongst the other horrific love stories, Joëlle Jones and I have a little tale called "Someone To Watch."

We haven't shown any of the art anywhere, so here's a little tease for you. A panel from the story and one of her drawings of Uncle Creepy (a.k.a. my next author's photo).

Creepy Comics #11 is in stores on February 13. Behind the lovely Chrissie Zullo cover, you'll also find new material from J. Torres & Amy Reeder, Peter Bagge, and Gilbert Hernandez!

Current Soundtrack: Matmos, "Teen Paranormal Romance;" sampling various tracks from Beats Antique and Caravan Palace

IMAGE FANTOME: A Mike Norton IT GIRL teaser panel

A selected image from It Girl and the Atomics #7, on sale February 20.

Art and lettering is by the regular team: Mike Norton, Allen Passalaqua, and Crank!

This almost looks like it could be from a crossover with one of Mike's other books, Revival.

Speaking of Mike's other books, on sale right now is the first issue of The Answer, his creator-owned collaboration with writer Dennis Hopeless. Dark Horse Comics released it just yesterday, in comic book stores and via the Dark Horse digital app.

Here is a review of it at CBR.

By the way, It Girl #6 also got a great review from Greg at CBR.

"It Girl and the Atomics" #6 is a fun little side step away from the main action set back on Earth; if all the interludes are this enjoyable and well-put-together, I don't think anyone will complain too much about not getting another issue drawn handsomely by regular artist Mike Norton. Rich and Clugston Flores clearly had a good working relationship back when Rich was Clugston Flores' editor at Oni Press, and that has continued through to here. If you haven't tried out "It Girl and the Atomics" yet, this is a fun place to start.

Read the full review here.

Current Sountrack: Gaz Coombes, Here Come the Bombs

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2013 Jamie S. Rich

HOLLYWOOD GIRL ON THE FIRE ESCAPE: SIMON GANE

It's been a while since I got a new Audrey Hepburn*. I saw this on Simon Gane's excellent blog, and I had to have it. Luckily, it was not spoken for.

Simon has drawn many wonderful comics, including Paris, written by Andi Watson, which I blurbed once upon a time. His most recent assignments have been an arc of Brian Wood's Northlanders over at Vertigo and Godzilla for IDW. You should go out and find them.

* I actually have a Matt Wagner full-color Audrey that I've never shown. Someone scanned it for me and then never gave me the scan.

Current Soundtrack: A Girls related tracklist on Spotify.

IMAGE FANTOME: IT GIRLisms

Another new pin-up for the It Girl and the Atomics, Round One trade paperback. This time by my Love the Way You Love collaborator, creator of Ellerbisms and Chloe Noonan, and the other half of Great Beast: Marc Ellerby.

Pretty cute, huh?

The full list of pin-ups in the trade, in addition to all the covers (including Darwyn Cooke's), in alphabetical order: Terry Blas, Adam Cadwell, Marc Ellerby, Nicolas Hitori De, and Natalie Nourigat.

It Girl and the Atomics, Round One: Dark Streets, Snap City will be released in March.

Current Soundtrack: My Chemical Romance, Conventional Weapons #4; The Indelicates, Diseases of England: Part One


  

QUE EN ESA NINA, WHO'S THAT IT GIRL?

Comics are a funny business. I received advance copies of It Girl and the Atomics #6 in the mail today, the same day Crank! and I sent #7 to Image Comics and also I am writing the solicitation copy for #10, the issue coming out in May.

#10 and #11 have a special surprise artist that we haven't announced yet.

This is a panel from the tenth issue. Who do you all think is responsible?

Current Soundtrack: Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man soundtrack compilation

IMAGE FANTOME: Adam Cadwell draws some Atomic ladies

Adam Cadwell, cartoonist behind The Everyday and Blood Blokes, and a major component of the Great Beast publishing collective, did this awesome pin-up for the first trade paperback collection of It Girl and the Atomics, coming out this March.

Visit Adam at his website: adamcadwell.com.

And don't forget to order It Girl & the Atomics, Round One: Dark Streets, Snap City.

Current Soundtrack: Cooler than Ice: Arctic Records and the Rise of Philly Soul, discs 11 & 12

 

IF YOU'RE LONELY IN YOUR NIGHTMARE, LET ME IN

Work is continuing apace on my Oni Press graphic novel with Dan Christensen, and he posted another tease on his Facebook today.

It should be noted, these are four random panels, not an actual page. Like a cut-and-paste trailer. But to get a sense of how far along we are, my inbox had a pdf of pages 128 through 132 this morning. So, we're really close to the final chapter. I expect you'll start seeing more of this sometime next year.

Current Soundtrack: Rolling Stones, Live in England '65



e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2012 Jamie S. Rich

THIS IS HALLOWEEN [Image Fantome]

Happy Halloween everybody!

Nico continues his tradition of drawing a new Spell Checkers pin-up for the holiday. This should tide you over while we all anxiously await vol. 3's release. (It's in the can, we're just waiting for Oni Press to schedule it -- you have the first two, yes?)

You can also listen to my "Haunted Jukebox 2012" mix on Spotify. Get yourself in the mood.

Also, check out the costume Joëlle and I wore for a Halloween party this past weekend, in a little photo I like to call "Death Comes to Ned Flanders." (picture by Jeremy Pool)

Current Soundtrack: The Sonics, "The Witch"

THE SLEEP OF THE JUST

I wanted to write a quick post thanking everyone who came out to see The Big Sleep last night, and to the Hollywood Theatre and Oni Press for putting the whole thing together. It was really crazy to see my name on the marquee and to sit in front of the movie screen and talk shop with Tom Shimmin. They even let me run the before-screening music. We used my Spotify playlist "Torch Songs/Jazzy Ladies."

Turnout was pretty great. I got to even see someone I went to high school with (hi, Heather!) that I haven't talked to face to face since, well, probably since high school. Joëlle and I signed books before and after, and people seemed generally enthused by The Big Sleep. Seeing it twice in two days did nothing to dull the film for me. It was amazing seeing it projected large, and the disc the studio sent looked remarkable.

Interesting programming note: we weren't aware of it, but the cut we received was actually the rare "preview version." This was the one shown when the film was first completed in 1944, but then was later re-edited and had scenes removed and added for the 1946 theatrical release. It was previously available on the DVD that was released over a decade ago as a bonus. Not sure why they sent that one, and I am kind of surprised there is such a clean print of it to send out. If you're curious about the differences, IMDB has a comprehensive rundown of the changes.

Photo by Tom Shimmin

Photo by Me

Photo by Robert Fortney

In preparation for the show, Joëlle Jones and Terry Blas both did drawings of characters from The Big Sleep, with Joëlle drawing her own version of Philip Marlowe and Terry giving us a lovely Lauren Bacall.

Again, a great night with so many great people. I feel humbled and blessed.

Now it's back to the real world for me. I've got laundry to do.

Current Soundtrack: Grimes, Visions

 

IMAGE FANTOME: Terry Blas draws It Girl!

My friend Terry Blas has drawn this super cool rendition of It Girl. I love the pose and how she's interacting with the logo.

Terry does a webcomic called Briar Hollow that you should bookmark and read. It updates weekly.

Also, here's a few more reviews from the last week:

* Chopping Block Review over at Pastrami Nation...which is really the best nation to be a part of. I mean, come on! There is no better sandwich meat.

* International House of Geek

* A second one from Newsarama

Current Soundtrack: Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color

IMAGE FANTOME: L' IT GIRL

My pal Nicolas Hitori de has done a piece of fan art for It Girl and the Atomics, featuring our heroine in repose.

Diamond Comics also has a "Prevue" of the book. Check it out here.

And buy the book tomorrow!

Current Soundtrack: Pet Shop Boys, "Winner" EP

YOU LOOK SO FINE, I WANT TO BREAK YOUR HEART

It's been almost a whole month since the Bobby Pins and Mary Janes project wrapped. I had been meaning to post a round-up of all the chapter links closer to the August 5th anniversary, but last night the above drawing showed up on Megan Levens' blog, and though she hasn't said it was a drawing of Parker from the novel, the Garbage quote she uses for a headline makes me suspicious. Regardless, I'll take it!

And if you're looking for handy way to download all of Bobby Pins and Mary Janes, look no further: 

Part 1 * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4

Part 5 * Part 6 * Part 7 * Part 8

Part 9 * Part 10 * Part 11

I am currently working on another novel and developing some other things, including a couple of comics projects with Megan, but I still plan to put this book out in some form or other, something complete and separate from this, hopefully with another copyedit.

Current Soundtrack: Blur, Leisure (Bonus Disc)

I'M YOUR FAN: MORSKIE

A young artist named Morskie is the lastest to contribute a drawing of the girls from Spell Checkers.

Pretty cool, huh?

Current Soundtrack: Spotify playlist of songs from Treme

I'M YOUR FAN: Kimmie by Yllya

Lots of great French artists keep drawing the girls from Spell Checkers. Today, it's Yllya drawing Kimmie.

Check out Yllya's daily blog for more of her wonderful drawings.

Current Soundtrack: El-P, Cancer for Cure

IMAGE FANTOME: THE GIRL THAT I KNEW SOMEWHERE

My friend and collaborator Megan Levens drew this picture of Joan from Mad Men for me for my recent birthday. Please visit Megan's website and look at more of her work. Maybe commission her for a piece of your own. Also, be sure to wish her a happy birthday tomorrow, June 19.

Current Soundtrack: Jonsi, We Bought a Zoo

IMAGE FANTOME: DRAWING RINGS AROUND THE GIRL

When Nico was in Amiens this past weekend for the comics festival, he got French cartoonist to draw Kimmie from Spell Checkers!

I like the Boulet comics I've read a lot, so you should check them out. http://english.bouletcorp.com/

Current Soundtrack: This Mortal Coil, "Strength of Strings" in the Arbiters of Taste room on Turtable.fm

GINGER SNAPS

It's week 4 of Bobby Pins and Mary Janes, and the next section will go live tonight after midnight, PST.

In the meantime, you have to check out this unbelievable drawing Chynna Clugston Flores did for the book. I literally had tears in my eyes when I saw this the first time earlier this week. It's a knock-out.

Click on the teaser image to see the whole thing.

Current Soundtrack: Gene, "A Town Called Malice;" Dean & Britta, "Ginger Snaps"