Monthly Archives: March 2011

On press now: Draw #20 with Walter Simonson

Walter Simonson’s been a big favorite of mine, even since I first discovered his Manhunter series with Archie Goodwin back in my teens. So naturally I’m pumped to present Mike Manley’s interview with him in Draw #20, due out April 20. The issue also features Danny Fingeroth interviewing writer/artist Al Jaffee (another fave of my formative years, reading MAD magazine), Bob McLeod critiquing a newcomer’s work, a demo by Tracy Butler of the strip “Lackadaisy”, plus Manley and Bret Blevins in another Comic Art Bootcamp installment.

Check out the FREE PDF PREVIEW of the issue, or if you’re already sold on DRAW, you can order the issue HERE in either print (with free digital edition) or digital-only for a measly $2.95.

Jim Starlin talks Dead Heroes in Back Issue #48

BACK ISSUE #48 digs up the dirt on “Dead Heroes” and features an extensive interview with and cover by JIM STARLIN! For a free preview of what editor MICHAEL EURY has on tap for this issue, you can download a free PDF preview here.

Or heck, just go ahead and order it at this link (and see a FLASH preview of the issue). It’s a doozie!

New designer needed for Alter Ego

After over 100 issues doing a stellar job as the designer on Roy Thomas’ mag ALTER EGO, Chris Day is retiring from the job. Thanks for all the fantastic work, Chris!

This leaves TwoMorrows with an opening for a new Alter Ego designer. So if you’re experienced in Quark Xpress (or InDesign, but we prefer Quark), are interested in working with Roy Thomas to further document the history of comics, know how to meet a deadline, and are Mac-based, you can email a resume to me (John Morrow) at:

twomorrow@aol.com

Kirby’s unfinished business

I just wrapped up Jack Kirby Collector #56, and it’s off to the printer. What a fun issue! It focuses on Jack’s “unfinished sagas”—all those ideas and series that either never got produced, or that he never got to complete properly.

Some would say concepts like his SOUL LOVE blaxsploitation magazine deserve to remain unfinished; we’ve got a complete story from it in the issue, so you can judge for yourself. Me? I think, once you get past the need for supposedly “hip” dialogue, it’s actually pretty solid romance comics (by the guy who co-pioneered the genre, so no one should really be surprised).

There’s a free preview available now in both PDF or FLASH format, so check it out. The issue ships March 30.

A double Eagle for TwoMorrows

The Eagle Awards, Britain’s answer to the Eisners, has just given TwoMorrows two—count ’em, two—nominations in the category of Favorite magazine about comics”. Both ALTER EGO and BACK ISSUE are up for the honor (and unlike the Eisners, the Eagles are break websites and magazines into two different categories—cause, c’mon, they’re entirely different animals).

Congratulations to both editor ROY THOMAS and MICHAEL EURY for the recognition of their stellar work on their respective mags! I just hope they don’t split the vote… (and don’t ask me which one I’ve voting for, Sophie!).

But you can vote here.

The art of LEGO animated “Brickfilms” is examined in BrickJournal #14 (free preview available)

BrickJournal #14 takes you into the world of stop-motion LEGO films, and is guest-edited by renowned brickfilmer David Pagano, who’s also our Special Guest at the BrickMagic LEGO Festival here in Raleigh, NC over Mother’s Day Weekend this May. (That’s David in the shadows on the cover.) If you’ve ever been curious how they make all those wonderful LEGO films you see all over the Internet, and on the LEGO Club show and on LEGO.com, check out our free PDF preview of the issue:

http://www.twomorrows.com/media/BrickJournal14Preview.pdf
The issue will be available on March 23 in both Print and Digital Editions (print customers will receive a free link to the digital edition), and you can pre-order here:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=962

And for those of you who are really into brickfilming, you’ll want to check out our BrickFlix Film Festival, held the day before the BrickMagic festival on May 4 in Durham, NC at the historic Carolina Theater. David’ll be on hand to offer commentary on some of the films at BrickFlix, and taking a Q&A after each showing, as well as hosting a panel at BrickMagic.

Alter Ego #101 is priced wrong in PREVIEWS

Diamond inadvertently listed the wrong price for ALTER EGO #101 in the new issue of their PREVIEWS catalog. The correct price is the usual $7.95, and that’s what you’ll be charged if you order it through your local comics shop. Retailers have been notified by Diamond of the mix-up.

(The problem happened because issue #100, a.k.a. ALTER EGO: CENTENNIAL, which is due out in two weeks, is a double-size $19.95 book instead of the usual $7.95 mag, and the one-time price increase accidentally got carried over in their system.)

Our new catalog is here!

Our 2011-2012 catalog is now available in both Digital and Print versions! You can download the interactive Digital version right now at:

http://www.twomorrows.com/media/2011DigitalCatalog.pdf

Once you download it, just click on any item, and you’ll automatically be taken to the correct page on our webstore to order it.

If you’d prefer we mail you a free copy of the Print edition, just go to this link:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=370

Add it to your shopping cart and checkout, and it’ll be on its way to you shortly.

Help us save paper, the environment, and postage: If you’re getting a copy of BACK ISSUE #47, ALTER EGO #101, DRAW #20, or JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #56 by subscription or at your local comic book shop, DON’T ORDER AN EXTRA PRINTED CATALOG! You’ll already be getting a copy of the catalog included with those issues, so no need to order another one. But go ahead and get the Digital version right now if you just can’t wait to see what we’ve got cookin’ for 2011!

TwoMorrows prepping another BrickMagic LEGO Festival

Yep, our BrickMagic LEGO Festival here in Raleigh, NC last year was such a big hit, we’re organizing it again this year over Mother’s Day Weekend (May 5-8)! You can find all the details at www.brickmagic.org, but we’ve just confirmed what our Guest of Honor will be building.

Sean Kenny is a Certified Professional LEGO Builder, of which there are only a handful in the world. He’s also a big supporter and advocate for transportation alternatives—he doesn’t own a car, and he rides a bike to work every day in New York City. As part of his goal of reducing traffic and making streets much safer and more enjoyable for everyone, at BrickMagic he’ll be letting fans of all ages use LEGO bricks to build the gnarliest, worst, clogged up traffic jam in the world, while he adds a FULL-SIZE BICYCLE towering over it, made entirely of LEGO bricks!

I can’t wait to see this thing completed, especially since he only has two days to do it. And based on last year’s “group build”, I think the “traffic jam” that kids will help build may be even more amazing than the bike!