This week, I can feel the loss of Wonder Woman #200 stories already. Brubaker needs to hurry up and start making news again, because it seems like no one else wants to. This time around we have just three articles, including one about DC owning super heroes. No, not in the way you think. Plus, a couple of art changes on the horizon.
DC, Marvel Put the Two Person Clothesline on GeekPunk
Dan Taylor, creator of the critically acclaimed Super Hero Happy Hour comic, published by GeekPunk has announced that the name of his series has had to change, due to Marvel and DC co-owning the term “Super Hero.†It’s just Hero Happy Hour from here on out.
The series had found fans in Brian Bendis, Gail Simone, and Mark Waid (and was named “Concept We Wish We’d Thought Of†by Wizard Magazine in their Best of 2003 listing), thanks to its offbeat style and humor, and saw its first trade collection hit stores on December 10th.
See DC and his favorite tag team partner throw their weight around at Newsarama
Explore the legality of it all more in depth with Todd VerBeek here
I thought this was all pretty silly until I read the VerBeek article. It is amazing what being informed will do for your opinion.
I should point out that I wish the VerBeek article didn’t make sense. I do think it would be nice if DC and Marvel could let this little trademark violation go because obviously it is not hurting anyone and GeekPunk did not do it with any sort of malicious intent to hurt Marvel or DC. However, as VerBeek points out, the two giants do not get to decide that. To let a violation go unchallenged undermines any case they might have if they really had to pursue a serious or malicious violation of it.
That being said, I still do think it was a little silly that it was registered as trademark in the first place. Businesses wise, a good decision on both companies part, but it strikes me as a little like filing a trademark for using the word “romance†or “horror†commercially. I think of super heroes as a sort of genre and thus open to anyone. On the other hand, that is because I grew up in a time when the term “super hero†was always around. I imagine it was a mite different when the term was new to the world.
The real question here is what do all of you think? Fair, foul, or maybe just a little silly?
I pretty much completely agree with you. I understand from a legal standpoint why they had to go after Dan, or thereby set a precedent, but the fact that they copyrighted the term Super Hero at all is ridiculous. Ah but such is the world we live. Once I’ve conquered it I swear this will be the first thing I change… –The Overlord
Van Sciver Returns to Iron Heights…Sort of
Artist Ethan Van Sciver has announced at Millarworld that he is the new Flash cover artist after Michael Turner starting with issue # 212.
Dig that crazy cover man at The Pulse
And the full post at MillarWorld
Wow…The Flash is becoming the place for some great art these days. Between Porter, Turner, and now Van Sciver, this is all very exciting. Anyone who doubts Van Sciver’s ability to capture the Scarlet Speedster or the Rogues (although I am not sure who would) need only check out Flash: Iron Heights to see how wrongly placed those doubts are. Trust me, these covers are going to be excellent.
Changing the ‘Watch
At his Delphi Forum, StormWatch: Team Achilles writer Micah Wright has announced that current series’ artist C.P. Smith will be departing the book, with new artist Clement (Human Defense Corps) Suave picking up the series with issue #21.
Read about the artist with the greatest name ever at Newsarama
Good for Smith, getting to be exposed to an audience five times (?!) as large. Damn, that is a big number. With comics in the state they are sales wise (in comparison with the Golden, Silver or Speculator’s Age of sales) it is hard to believe that the average Marvel book would sell five times as much as any book still being published by a large company. I am glad that it is the case though. Good for DC/Wildstorm supporting a title because they see promise in it.
And because it cannot be stated enough: Clement Suave? Can you imagine growing up with that name? He must be the coolest guy ever to have lived with that sort of expectation and survived. Also, any relation, do you expect, to Rico Suave? Cause I miss him.
COMIC BOOK CONTEST TIME-WHEEE!
Alright, here it is, contest time. Starting today and running through the end of February, I want your best stories about comics. I don’t want you to just write and tell me your favorite character or favorite issue. Instead, I want a real tale from your life about an event involving comics. It can be funny, touching, heartbreaking, sensual, or deeply deeply disturbing. It can be about the first time you ever discovered comics, how they helped you make friends, what you had to go through to obtain them. Eseentially, it has to be a story involving comics in some significant way. It all works, just as long as it is real and it is good.
At the end of February I will choose my five favorites (and a few runners up) to run in my column. Then, I will mail the five winners…ready?…wait for it…FREE COMICS! I can’t promise they’ll be good. I can’t promise they won’t be things you don’t already have. I can promise that they will be free, they will be comics, and hopefully, they will make you smirk or, perhaps, chortle.
All should be sent to me at parallax2@juno.com. All are invited to participate even Overlord’s who are busy with “side project†comics strips. Try not to run over 700 words if you could and they should probably bemore than say, six. Let the games begin!
Was that a que for a shamless plug? Yes, no? Too late…
If you haven’t check out 144anima.com shame on you. As of this Sunday 2/8/04 144anima.com the comic strip will be live. Make sure to check it out, I’ll know if you don’t! –The Overlord
