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Today at AiT/Planet Lar

August 25, 2006
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An excellent interview with Charlie Adlard at Comic Gate with Björn Wederhake. I particularly liked this one: "(Larry)’s a great friend, yeah. Because he’s reprinted all my creator owned projects, I’ve got more books in print in his company than any other creator. By far. I’ve got all the Astronauts in Trouble stuff, White Death, Codeflesh, Nobody and I’ve just finished a new book for Larry.

"And he’s such a great guy. About six months ago there was something I couldn’t believe... and he didn’t even tell me he did this. It’s only because my local comic shop guy reads Previews and he said to me: 'Have you seen this?' – 'What?' And he said: 'Open this page.'

"And Larry had taken up a full page ad just to advertise me. It said: Buy these books from Charlie Adlard. And what did he call me... um... something very complimentary. I can’t remember what it was now. I should have that in brackets between my name. [It was: Master Illustrator ... props to Larry, who answered that question within five minutes after receiving my e-mail and even sent us the ad.]

"That was fantastic. And I hadn’t even finished Rock Bottom, which is this thing I was doing for Larry. And he’s saying: Coming soon, and it had some pages from it, so I was like: Uh, I better finish it now."

Charlie Adlard: Top Gent.

August 23, 2006
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Our good pals Adrienne Rappaport and Jim Cox sent this photo over from San Diego 2002. That's Steven Grant, Izzy, Charlie Adlard, Jim, and me before we got those awesome AiT banners and were still setting up what we called "the astronauts' locker" with the costume spacesuits you can barely see in this pic. People still ask us each year where the spacesuits are...

Speaking of other things you can't see in the photo, know that this is a snap of endcap #2001, our regular digs at the anchor of the Independent Pavilion. Look across the top: no banners, no flying jet bikes from The Island, no Hasbro signs, no SciFi Channel blob. Not only has AiT/Planet Lar got a little slicker, but so has the SD show. Nice work, everyone!

...and speaking of Steven Grant: "SHATTER's main claim to fame, aside from being one of the earliest comics to tap into the whole cyberpunk future thing, was being the first comic produced on computer, via a Macintosh and a dot matrix printer, which makes this volume of some historical importance. For the most part, artistically, it's pretty standard comics stuff, though the work doesn't age as badly as you might expect and in some ways it's strangely attractive. The story remains what it always was: a fairly rambling, disjoint compendium of private eye clichés translated into science fiction, but, again, that becomes oddly appealing. Even the book simply closing rather than wrapping anything up somehow adds to it. It's a bizarre case where the whole manages to surmount the individual elements, though you may need a sense of the absurd to catch that."

August 22, 2006
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Sean Fahey likes True Facts: "But what sets True Facts apart is the tone. Gone is the mealy-mouthed and pessimistic nay-saying subtext about creating comics that you get from too many creators. Instead, Young’s philosophy is more focused – if you’re professional and hard working anyone can create a comic, everything from that point is just a matter of scale. No one’s stopping you. I dig that kind of directness and realistic optimism... I can’t recommend this book enough, and my copy sits prominently on my desk along aside a couple of comic book scripts that I feel confident will soon see the light of day. Five out of five."

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Andy Khouri talks with Charlie and Joe and pretty much defines the way we like to do business: "Perhaps paradoxically, Rock Bottom showcases two creators at the top of their games by way of both doing things they're not particularly known for doing."

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Publishers Weekly has a nine page preview of Alexander Grecian and Riley Rossmo's Seven Sons. Boy, that sure is some pretty stuff.

August 21, 2006
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Ol' Chris Brown pulled double-duty over the weekend. First, he showed the love to The Black Diamond (coming soon to a shop near you): "Last year AiT/Planet Lar released an early look at the series that was like giving readers a tiny sample of cake, and then telling us to wait for the wedding. The preview featured some really amazing art from Jon Proctor, and I should add that the coloring in the preview is the secret ingredient in this mix. Larry Young provides the story that just scratches the surface of a much wider four-lane story. I really can't wait for this series."

Then, he got me to answer five quick ones, which I of course used immediately as a platform to wildly pontificate. Spurg blogged that "Larry Young Thinks You'll Like Answers #2 and #4," but, honestly, I only thought that Tom might. You may very well like the answers to #1 and to #5, as far as I know. Although it's a safe bet that if you are Jon Proctor, you'll like #3.

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The original art to Wally Wood's 22 Panels That Always Work has surfaced, and folks are weighing in. Me? I merely point you to the December 21, 2001 "Loose Cannon" article I wrote, taking advantage of the opportunity for synergy.

Find any AiT/Planet Lar publication at your nearest comic store.

Can't find it at your local retailer? Get it online at Khepri.com