Friday Links

• Not sure when this was updated, but DC Jefe Dan Didio’s MySpace page says his interests include “all things comic book related, I mean real comics, you know the ones with staples.” Any chance that’s a snarky little bite at Marvel starting an online back issue subscription service?

• The international retail ban on League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier claims a new victim: Kiwis. According to this article, the middlemen stand to make a bit of a profit off markups.

• Lots of stuff from MTV on possible adaptations of Stephen King material, most notably the Dark Tower series. Apparently the comic book version was enough to convince King to option the film rights to JJ Abrams for all of $19.

• I’d be interested in reading a copy of this. An artist living in East Austin (Texas) has created a comic book about a superhero fighting the forces of gentrification in East Austin (from Austin 360). Tales of the Really White Vigilante is the title.

• Stuart Immonen hasn’t been blogging much lately, and he explains the absence by saying he’s trying to spend more time earning a living as an artist. On that note, he chastises comics folks who think it’s ok to illegally download movies and music, since it’s the same as illegally downloading comics. And he addresses the size disparity of creators’ names on the new Wonder Woman collection (The Comics Reporter). Lots of good stuff to read.

• Batman meets Project Runway, as only Kevin Church could imagine.

• Cool Mouse Guard sketches on David Petersen’s blog. Without the coloring, it’s easier to see just how much detail work he does with ink. (via Newsarama)

• In a bit of a comeback, Jon Reed wins Comic Idol (via Comic Book Resources). Congrats to him. Great art from both the finalists.

• Coolest comic myth revealed yet over at CBR? Gil Kane once did a cover featuring Aliens without knowing what they looked like.

• Blankets is being released in China, says creator Craig Thompson. I know the book doesn’t espouse Christianity or anything close to it, but I can’t help but wonder if the subject matter, which is still somewhat taboo in the country, raised any red flags. (Yes, that’s a joke.)

• A heaping helping of interesting stuff regarding Alan Moore and copyright can be found at Journalista, The Comics Journal blog. And no, I’m not referring to the links they kindly listed of yours truly.

• Tried to check Marvel’s web site for news, but it was dead. Any answers?

• A very dangerous discussion cropped up at Progressive Ruin: Was Jack Kirby the Rob Liefeld of his generation. People will be throwing Galactus figurines around before that’s settled.

• Occasional Superheroine notes the one year anniversary of leaving mainstream comics. She notes that happiness and success have come after she started pursuing what she really wants in life. Good to hear.

• Advice for freelance illustrators from a Nickelodeon editor. (via The Beat)

• Jake over at Ye Olde Comic Blogge has the goods from Adam Beechen: Yes, the writers of DC’s Countdown are pained by the series name change to Countdown to Final Crisis. Why? ”How often do the creative folk on ‘Countdown to Final Crisis’ hear the song ‘The Final Countdown’ by Europe in their heads? All. The. Freaking. Time.”

• Lastly, something from the paging Warren Ellis department. A surfer dude/physicist has come up with a theory of everything (Telegraph, UK).