Press Release
The original cover art for Watchmen #1 – the issue that began the most influential graphic novel series of the 1980s – is expected to bring $100,000+ as part of Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction Feb. 21-22 in New York. The cover art for issues #2 and #3, along with a color cover guide for issue #1, are also featured in the grouping, which comes to auction from The Shamus Modern Masterworks Collection.
Have you ever wanted to own the iconic cover from Watchmen #1? Well that piece and more from Dave Gibbon’s work on Alan Moore’s Watchmen could soon be hanging in your Nerd Room of Doom if you come out on top of a bidding war.
Press Release
The Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to announce the next group of confirmed guest for the 2013 show, taking place the weekend of September 7-8, 2013. Mark Buckingham, Dave Gibbons, Adam Hughes, Paul Levitz, George Perez, Walter Simonson, Louise Simonson, and Allison Sohn will all be attending our 14th Annual show !
Press Release
Following their Comic-Con announcement of the new ongoing JUDGE DREDD comic’s creative team, IDW Publishing is proud to announce expanded and refined plans to offer new editions of beloved Judge Dredd material as well.
Or – “The Vicissitudes Of The Reviewing Game…”
One of the great disappointments of doing reviews for Major Spoilers comes when I anticipate a book’s release, then miss the actual review when the comic comes out. When Secret Service was announced back in 2011, I mentally earmarked it for consumption, then totally bobbled it upon the book’s release. Though we sold out of #1, I managed to get my hands on a copy of #2, and we can all just pretend that I never missed the other issue in the first place. Sound like a plan? Excellent! Are you sitting comfortably?
Press Release
JIM LEE, the fan favorite artist of Batman, X-Men & WildC.A.T.s, provides the Image Comics published Comic Book Legal Defense Fund benefit anthology, LIBERTY COMICS #2 with an all-new, limited edition 1-in-25Â variant cover based off his collaboration with Sandman writer NEIL GAIMAN.
Press Release
BOOM! Studios announced today that Jenny Christopher will be joining the BOOM! Studios team as their new Sales Director. In the position, Ms. Christopher will oversee BOOM!’s just announced mass market distribution relationships with Simon & Schuster and HarperCollinsCanada. Christopher will also oversee BOOM!’s burgeoning newsstand distribution through Kable Distribution Services, Inc.
Press Release
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will give fans the ultimate inside track on two landmark releases at Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 25 with a Live Community Screening of Watchmen: Director’s Cut via BD-Live, and a first-look panel for the breakout Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment game, Batman: Arkham Asylum.
The event begins at 8:30 p.m. in Room 6BCF of the San Diego Convention Center.
In this issue: The Major Spoilers Crew reflect on the week’s news, offer up a few reviews, let the Iron Man and the Iron Fist battle it out, and take a peek under the cover of The Last Iron Fist Story from Marvel.
Show Notes after the Jump!
The Source posted this Kamandi page from the upcoming Wednesday Comics series. I really like how Ryan Sook’s art and style, along with Dave Gibbons writing gives this page the look and feel of the Prince Valiant strips from the Sunday comics section in the newspaper.
(click for larger image)
As much as I was going to try and avoid this series, I think this page finally sold it for me.
As expected, the Zack Snyder adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ masterpiece Watchmen was the top movie this past weekend bringing in $55.7 million domestically and $83.2 million worldwide. As great as that news is, Watchmen didn’t open as high as some had expected, not even meeting Zack Snyder’s last film, 300, which brought in $70.9 million domestically.
As hyped as audiences were after seeing the trailer that was tacked on to the Dark Knight Returns movie, I wonder what could be the reason for the lower than expected numbers? Fans loyal to Alan Moore, boycotting the film? Too much hype that overloaded and turned off potential audience? Those waiting until next weekend to see the film in hopes of avoiding the large crowds this past weekend? The R rating and two hour forty minute run time? Or is it the economy?
Those expressing caution turned out to have been right, so Warners had to manage expectations after the fact.
A substantial roadblock was “Watchmen’s” running time of 2:40. At that length, theaters couldn’t play as many runs of the pic as they did “300,” which ran under two hours.
“It truly makes a huge difference. Every studio wanted to attach their trailer to ‘Watchmen,’ so it ended up being more like three hours. When a movie is 2:40, there’s only one main show a day,” Warners prexy of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said. “We’re pleased with the opening.”
I went and saw the movie on Sunday, and there were less than a dozen people in the theater; great for me as I didn’t have to worry about all the talkers as I spilled nacho cheese everywhere, but not so good for those hoping comic book movies will remain strong draws at the box office.
Don’t forget, for those that did see the movie, we do have a talk back post for you to weigh in your thoughts.
Nothing like jumping on the bandwagon late. The New York Times has unveiled a new feature for the Arts section that offers up a Graphic Novel Best Seller List.
And today The Times introduces three separate lists of the best-selling graphic books in the country: hardcover, softcover, and manga. We’ll update those lists weekly in this space, and offer a few observations along the way.
Take the jump for the Graphic Books Best Seller List (hardcover), then head over to the NY Times site to see where the Watchmen ranked.