A teaser trailer for a new project I've been collaborating on...
It's been weeks and I still can't get the donut taste out of my mouth.
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Current Soundtrack: Stone Roses station on Spotify
CAME BACK HAUNTED
NOW IN THEATERS...
* Adore. You heard of wife-swapping? How about son-swapping? Naomi Watts and Robin Wright are best friends who start having sex with each other's sons. It's all very literary.
* Short Term 12, one of the year's best. Brie Larson stars in this potent drama about counselors for troubled teens who find some of the kids' problems hit a little too close to home.
* And the Oregonian for 9/6: go on pilgrimage in the documentary Walking the Camino, see Richard Elfman introduce a colorized Forbidden Zone, and watch the Everything is Terrible! website come alive.
WATCH IT AT HOME...
* The Mindy Project: Season One, a funny and smart sitcom that sets up Mindy Kaling as a wonderful comic lead.
* To Be or Not to Be, Ernst Lubitsch's searing satire of the Nazis, with Jack Benny and Carole Lombard. (Cross-posted with DVD Talk.)
Current Soundtrack: Nine Inch Nails, Hesitation Marks
NEW ANGELS OF PROMISE
So, from what I was told yesterday, presses are about to run on A Boy and a Girl for an advance printing, ahead of its November release. Preorder it in comics shops with the Diamond Order Code: JUL131213 or in bookstores, ISBN: 978-1620100899.
Natalie Nourigat and I are very excited about it. She finished drawing the book in December, 2011, so it's been quite the wait for us. It's a tad bittersweet that she's overseas now and so we won't get to do any events together promoting the book, but so it goes. You should watch her site for info about appearances in France and England, including a Portland-centric gallery show curated by Orbital in London that will feature two pages from A Boy and a Girl.
In the meantime, a few kind words have already been lobbed our way, such as Casey Burchby including us in his round-up of the fall's big comic book releases for the SF Weekly . You can see all his picks online, but he calls A Boy and a Girl:
...a completely disarming take on the world's oldest storytelling trope.
The back cover will also feature a quote by the awesome and talented David Lafuente, whose work on Patsy Walker: Hellcat and Ultimate Spider-Man was a big inspiration to both Natalie and me.
Jamie and Natalie enter the sci-fi realm to tell a love story full of secrets that echoes Michael Winterbottom. Charming characters, tight plot and beautiful lines. A fantastic book, I couldn't put it down.
Other creator blurbs we've gotten so far include Ben Acker, co-creator of The Thrilling Adventure Hour:
A Boy and a Girl is a wonderful sci-fi romantic comedy, but not necessarily in that order. If you like people and/or things, this is the book for you.
And our pal Michael Allred had this to say:
I've been a huge fan of Jamie S. Rich's writing since day one and am always crazy excited to see each new project. That excitement is multiplied as he joins Natalie Nourigat's exploding artistic talents on A Boy and a Girl. This book is a beaut'! Incredibly clever and charming, it gets my highest recommendation!So, you don't have to take our word for it. Those are four big guns right there!
Current Soundtrack: Babyshambles, Sequel to the Prequel
A SIMPLE GAME OF GENIUS
NOW IN THEATERS...
* Ain't Them Bodies Saints, and wait, isn't another one of them Casey Affleck?
* Austenland, you don't want to go to there.
* The Grandmaster, Wong Kar-Wai's latest potential masterpiece, butchered for the Americas, and this one dude (me) just won't shut up about it.
Plus, the Oregonian for 8/30: Kristen Bell cries all over her swimsuit in The Lifeguard; Low create an art movie out of their old music videos; and two documentaries from Ondi Timoner, We Live in Public and Dig!
WATCH IT AT HOME...
* Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, featuring James Cagney's last gangster role. And one of his most despicable. So you're going to love it.
* Penny Serenade, this "marriage is hard" drama with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne will make you cry like a baby. Though hopefully not one of the ones that dies in the movie.
Current Soundtrack: The Orb, The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
LABOR DAY MOVING SALE
Hey, everyone.
We're having a sale!
Site-wide. My store and Natalie Nourigat's both. Books and art, all in.
15% off of everything. Enter the coupon code "movingvan" when prompted.
This sale is to celebrate Labor Day, but also to help Natalie and I both cover costs of separate moves. I am still in Portland, but I've changed apartments for the first time in 11 years.
Natalie has gone to France for the next 12 months.
Both endeavors are costly, so let our need for cash benefit you. Get a deal on comics and comic book art!
The code expires at 11:59 on Monday, so don't wait!
(Also, it's the first time I used a coupon here, so message me if something goes wrong.)
Clip art from http://terrigoldphoto.blogspot.com/
Current Soundtrack: Belle & Sebastian, The Third Eye Centre
THE CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD
NOW IN THEATERS...
* Blackfish, a chilling documentary about killer whales in captivity and how they turn into dangerous killers.
* The World's End, the new comedic apocalypse from the team behind Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead.
* You're Next, a decent slasher picture that entertains but lacks in real suspense.
* And for the Oregonian on 8/16: Adjust Your Tracking, a documentary about VHS collectors; a couple of Tarkovsky films; and the family comedy Papadopolous & Sons
Plus, the Oregonian 8/23: documentaries on photographer Gregory Crewdson and soul singer Charles Bradley; plus, Modest Reception, an absurdist Iranian drama
WATCH IT AT HOME...
* Angel and the Badman, a John Wayne western/romance from 1947.
* God's Little Acre, notable for being the film debut of Tina Louise, but kind of over-the-top and scattershot otherwise. Directed by Anthony Mann.
* Inescapable, the quiet and polite Canadian version of Taken . Not even Marisa Tomei can help this one.
* Reality, a surprising take on fame in the modern television age from the director of Gomorrah.
Current Soundtrack: Babyshambles, "Nothing Comes to Nothing;" Deltron 3030, "City Rising from the Ashes"
COUNTING BACKWARDS
I've been waiting to mention this, and it appears the news is now out: beginning in Dark Horse Presents #30, shipping in November, Brent Schoonover and I will be collaborating on a six-part Integer City serial, colored by Jean-Francois Beaulieu and lettered by Crank!
Dark Horse's website describes the series thusly:
Sixties sci-fi meets a hard-boiled detective mystery in Jamie S. Rich and Brent Schoonover’s Integer City!
You can see the full details of what will be in the issue on their site.
Here is the issue's cover:
I'm particularly excited to be in another comic with Stan Sakai!
Here's a sneak peek at a couple of finished pages.
It's kind of funny that November will be the month where both my story about youthful love in the future (A Boy and a Girl) and my comic about a grizzled old private detective dealing with too much change (Integer City) will debut.
By the way, some readers might remember Integer Cityas the comic book from Bobby Pins & Mary Janes. That is definitely where it began life, though this is a different tale than was described in the novel. (Which you can still read here.)
DHP #s30-35 will be available in comic book stores and via Dark Horse's digital app.
Current Soundtrack: Charles Bradley, Victim of Love; Valerie June, Pushin' Against a Stone
CHILD IS THE FATHER OF THE MAN
The last two pin-ups for It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat are a special duo, created by father and son.
Matt Wagner is, of course, one of mentors, and the creator of Grendel and Mage, as well as a ton of other great comics. He currently writes The Shadow: Year One for Dynamite and The Tower Chronicles for Legendary. Mike Allred asked him to do something sexy. He went ahead and did it.
His son, Brennan Wagner, colored his old man's piece, and he also drew his own. Brennan has been coloring things for Matt for a year or two now, and he also colors other books at Dynamite. He's a damn good artist in his own right, as you'll see.
Matt Wagner
Brennan Wagner
Current Soundtrack: A Tribe Called Kast - Outkast raps over A Tribe Called Quest beats
CHIN-UP PIN-UP
It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat is getting its final tune-up before heading to Image Comics and then the printers, and so the last of the pin-ups are coming in. There are two more that should be here later today, but how about waking up to these two lovely drawings first thing in the morning?
The first is by the awesome Ming Doyle, whose book Mara with Brian Wood is one of the years top new series.
The second is by George Kambadais, who has one of my favorite art blogs over at gkambadais.com . George and I are actually working on a project together that we'll be announcing very soon!
Ming Doyle
George Kambadais
Current Soundtrack: Random b-sides from Mansun
NOW IN STOCK: CUT MY HAIR
I just added three copies of the very first edition of Cut My Hair from 2000 to the store. It's the Crazyfish-MJ12 publication, before Oni Press took over.
Get 'em while they last!
EDIT: Never mind. You guys wasted no time at all! Thanks!
Current Soundtrack: Terry Reid, Superlungs
YOU DRIVE ME APE, YOU BIG CHURILLA
Another It Girl and the Atomics pin-up for the second trade, this one by the incredible Brian Churilla, creator of the super trippy The Secret History of D.B. Cooper and artist on The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun.
Check out all of his work. He's at brianchurilla.com .
Current Soundtrack: Blur, Leisure - Special Edition
BLUE IS THE COLOUR
NOW IN THEATERS...
* Blue Jasmine, the latest ethical drama from Woody Allen features two sisters on either side of the economic line. An excellent cast led by Cate Blanchett makes good use of a great Woody script.
* Elysium. Good action flick with noble intentions, or pretentious political fable full of gore? Both!
* We're the Millers, in which we finally see Jason Sudeikis break a comedic sweat. Also, it's Jennifer Aniston's third movie in a row where she strips so that other people can talk about how sexy she is. Is it a clause in her contract at this point? (See also: Horrible Bosses; Wanderlust)
Last week in the Oregonian: August 2, get In Bed With Ulysses and let James Joyce put you to sleep; or look at dramas based on real life, the human trafficking story Eden; and James Cromwell in Still Mine.
This week in the Oregonian: The remarkable Brazilian film Southwest; a film festival at the Columbia Gorge; and a bunch of music-related documentaries at the Hollywood Theatre.
WATCH IT AT HOME...
* The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, Luc Besson's botched adaptation of the beloved Jacques Tardi comic book.
* Niagara, featuring Marilyn Monroe's sole turn as a femme fatale.
* Summer and Smoke, a minor adaptation of Tennessee Williams distinguished by a fantastic performance from Geraldine Page.
Current Soundtrack: Solange, True
LOOKS GOOD WITH TROUBLE
I was pretty worried about people being disappointed in It Girl and the Atomics #12, but so far the response has been very enthusiastic.
Robot 6 named the issue "Best of the Week."
Newsarama said: "Sadly though, this is the last issue of It Girl and The Atomics. Rich broke the news earlier in the year and here, he was given the chance to wrap everything up with his rotating team of artists - and is done oh so nicely."
And Comic Bastards maintained their awesome support: " Well it’s over…I’m bummed, but it was a hell of a ride."
The love the series has received over the last year has been nothing short of fantastic. I thank all of you who came along with us on our comic book adventure--and hope more will do the same. The trade is still in production and should be out late September. A few more pin-ups are set to roll in.
I got this amazing drawing from Christopher Mitten, an old and dear friend, today. So much pretty.
Current Soundtrack: Solange, "Looks Good With Trouble (feat. Kendrick Lamar);" BRMC, "Fire Walker;" Martin Rossiter, "Three Points on a Compass"
DIG IF YOU WILL SOME PICTURES
The Natalie Nourigat art store has been updated and revamped, with lots of new art added. You can now browse the main page and look at all the art, or scroll over the "NATALIE NOURIGAT" shop link in the top menu anywhere on the Confessions123 site and you can choose each book on its own.
Added to today's update, art from:
It Girl and the Atomics #12
Between Gears
My Boyfriend is a Monster: Wrapped Up In You
For both Between Gears and Wrapped Up In You, almost all of the art is available. If you don't see the page you want listed, drop a line!
Current Soundtrack: Lorde, "Tennis Court/Swingin' Party"
BEAUTIFUL FRIEND, THE END
Comicosity is running a sneak peek of It Girl and the Atomics #12, on sale tomorrow.
It's the opening six pages, drawn by Mike Norton with colors by Allen Passalaqua and lettering by Crank!
The cover, of course, is by Michael and Laura Allred.
I'm really proud of this book. Hopefully more of you will pick it up in trade. You can also get all the issues from my storefront.
Current Soundtrack: Bastille, Haunt EP
SHE IS THE HUNTER, YOU ARE THE HUNTED
Joe Bowen teased this bit of art last night, a little something he says is for a project we're doing. I think he's trustworthy, so I believe him.
Current Soundtrack: Ian McCulloch, Pro Patria Mori (a.k.a. disc 2 of Holy Ghosts)
FLAT OF THE BLADE
These movies, they keep releasing them. Another week down...
NOW IN THEATERS...
* I'm So Excited, a light-hearted trifle from Pedro Almodovar. As Duran Duran once said, "doesn't have to be serious."
* The Wolverine, just the kind of do-over we were hoping for. Go get 'em, bub!
* For the Oregonian: Hava Nagila: The Movie traces the history of the famous song; Men in Suits looks at the actors who dress as our favorite movie creatures; and the not-so-fantastic Fantastic World of Juan Orol is a biopic of the Mexican Ed Wood.
WATCH IT AT HOME
* Babette's Feast, the Danish drama about French food. (Also at DVD Talk.)
* Daisies, the 1966 anarchic comedy from Czechoslovakia. Portlanders can also see it his weekend at the NW Film Center.
* Twixt, Francis Ford Coppola's mess of a vampire movie.
Current Soundtrack: Skylar Grey, Don't Look Down (Deluxe Edition)
WYRD SISTERS
Spell Checkers vol. 3 is coming just before Halloween.
Nico is a nerdvert.
Result: The girls dressed in Hogwarts costumes.
Current Soundtrack: Ciara, self-titled
EVERYTHING MEANS SOMETHING
Just going to leave this here.
Current Soundtrack: Disco-Tex & the Sex-o-lettes, "Get Dancin'"
ONLY YEEZUS FORGETS
Another week at the movies...
NOW IN THEATERS...
* Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp, an interesting man overcomes the conflicting message of the commentary his profilers give him, proving personality always wins.
* Only God Forgives. Hey, Gosling, hurry up with my damn croissants.
* Red 2, the old men need some Viagra, but the ladies have a good time anyway.
* For the Oregonian: A documentary on Big Star, a tribute to Les Blank, and the Serbian gay rights comedy The Parade.
I also take a longer look at those Les Blank films at my Criterion blog, reviewing Burden of Dreams, Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers, and Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Read it right here.
WATCH IT AT HOME
* Foolish Wives, the silent classic from Erich von Stroheim, newly mastered in HD.
* Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, a 1950s love story that is starting to show its age. With William Holden and Jennifer Jones.
* Two versions of Mozart's The Magic Flute: a recent film production from Kenneth Branagh and a more accomplished 1975 adaptation helmed by Ingmar Bergman.
* Mayerling, the 1957 television production with Audrey Hepburn, long thought to be lost, finds its way into the world at last.
Current Soundtrack: Glasvegas, "I'd Rather Be Dead (Than Be With You);" Bob Dylan, Self Portrait