It’s last call in the Hamptons, so publishing is heading out the door for a long weekend, chucking some novel written by a guy on the cover of Time as they exit.

So, in the interest of making sure that I’m putting something up on this blog, I give to you this bit from io9, which lists Fantastic Scifi Graphic Novels (That Will Hook You For Life).

It’s a really good list, without any of the obvious contenders (Dark Knight Returns, Maus, and Sandman, I’m looking in your direction). I’m especially happy that both Charles Burns’ Black Hole, and Paul Pope’s Heavy Liquid (below) made the list.

I’m also really happy that somebody in the comments made a case for the Vertigo Crime graphic novels. Each is a stand-alone story, featuring writers from within the comics realm (BrianAzzarello) and without (Ian Rankin and Peter Straub). The ones I’ve read so far range from really good to awesome.

Azzarello

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AMC, the basic cable channel that brought us Mad Men, will tackle Robert Kirkman’s zombie comic The Walking Dead (published by Image Comics), turning it into a live-action series.

Yes, I am tired of all the zombie mash-ups, but this is a good old-fashioned hordes of undead trying to turn the survivors into Meow Mix.

Appropriate, the series will premiere on Halloween, which I guess will become National Speak Like a Zombie Day.

Fortunately, there’s enough time to stock up on the twelve volumes (so far) of Walking Dead graphic novels. They’re already selling like hotcakes, so it’s not hard to imagine their sales skyrocketing once these zombies star to strut their stuff.

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Last night I got to see an advance screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and, unlike certain adaptations of graphic novels I adore (*ahem * Watchmen), this just blew me away.

I don’t want to go into too much detail over it, but let’s just say that as these things go, it’s pitch perfect, and will play very well to the coveted 18-30 male demographic (although the women present were there enjoying themselves as well).

The advice I have to offer is this: no matter how many copies you have in stock of these books, it won’t be enough.  I had a chance to speak to somebody in the know, and he told me that the moment a 100k print run lands at Diamond Book Distributor (who distribute this Oni publication to the retail book trade), it’s already spoken for.

The movie opens up on Friday…order up while you can.

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Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour hit the streets (in most places) on Tuesday to the delight of legions of Scottaholics.

Check out the picture below at the release party held in Scott’s stomping ground of Toronto, where an estimated 2000 lined up to meet Scott Pilgrim’s creator, Bryan Lee O’Malley.

If you think it’s crazy now, wait until the movie comes out next month. O’Malley, on his blog, gives the soundtrack to the film a listen, comparing the cuts he suggested with those suggested by director Edgar Wright. I have to admit that Frank Blank’s I Heard Ramona Sing often popped into my head as I was reading this series.

Maybe, just maybe, this film will enthrall a tidal wave of girls into thinking that slacker boys who spend way too much time playing videogames are far more interesting than pigeon-chested vampires that sparkle in sunlight, sparking a new trend and making people forget ol’ whatshisname.

(Photo via radiomaru.com)

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Here’s a video primer to get you ready for both Tuesday’s release of the final volume in the series, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour (Oni PB 9781934964385 $11.99), and the film adaptation due August 13th. There are a few spoilers if you prefer to not know such intimate details of a movie before you see it, but if you’re clueless about the phenomenon (okay, that’s too strong of a word if you compare it to Twilight).

(via io9)

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I didn’t think I would ever have occasion to write about video games in this blog.

Taking advantage of the Pilgrimpalooza surrounding the release of both Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour and the film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Ubisoft has created a video game based on the popular graphic novel series.

This looks charming, and it could be a lot of fun. But, now that I can graphically decapitate zombies and destroy undersea cities, I’m uncertain how long I could endure this game’s retro-saccharine charms.

(via Topless Robot)

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It had been reported in several news outlets (most prominently the New York Times) that the publishers of an online comic adaptation of James Joyces’ Ulysses (called Ulysses Seen) were forced by Apple to censor the image of a naked woman before it allow it be an app for their iPad device.

As word of this spread, Apple had a change of heart and is now allowing the original art to go through, rather than the cropped image they had previously approved.

Comic Book Resources ran an interview with the comic’s co-creator Robert Berry, who sums things up nicely by saying:

Frankly, I think that’s quite an amazing story for all of us to carry into BloomsDay; the idea that artistic expression is continually reinvented and new ground is won through the way we view this one little blue book.

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Remember how, when the trailer for the film adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen started making the rounds, demand for it skyrocketed?

Well, it’s not quite of the same magnitude, but there are two graphic novels whose demand has spiked since the trailers debuted online. In fact, if you look up the bestselling graphic novels on Amazon, the ones that aren’t either Wimpy Kid or Twilight are these books.

To be fair, trailers for Kick-Ass, adapted from the graphic novel by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (Marvel HC 9780785134350 $24.99) have been floating around for a few months (and I think I’ve posted one of the cleaner ones, you can check out the film’s website for some of the more gleefully obscene trailers), but the book has only recently been released.

I spoke with somebody from Diamond Book Distribution last week, who told me that they are already sold out of the first and second printings of the book, which is great for a hardcover that I’ll wager most booksellers haven’t heard of. When the movie gets released April 16th, expect demand to increase even more.

I’ve been blathering on about the adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim with the fervor of a Jehovah’s Witness, and the trailer for it defied all expectations I had for it. Sorry, I’m an unapologetic Scott-aholic.

Needless to say, a film directed by a cult director based on a graphic novel with a cult following is only sure to raise the profile of this series.

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For Stephenie Meyer fans, it seems you can never have too many versions of the same book.

According to The Beat, the graphic novel adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (Yen Press HC 9780759529434 $19.99) has sold over 66,000 copies in its first week of release, making a record for US graphic novel sales.

While the cynic in me is seeing just another chance for Team Meyer to milk the cash cow, the optimist in me is seeing this as an opportunity to broaden the audience for graphic novels and manga.

If even a third of Twilight readers decide to pick up an extra graphic novel on their way to the point of sale, that would be good news for all concerned, and makes a good argument for shelving the Twilight graphic novel in both the graphic novel section of your stores as well as with the series proper in YA.

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I’m telling you now, this is going to be big. Okay, it may not be in the magnitude of a new Harry Potter, but for comics and video game geeks, this is Harry Potter, Twilight and Percy Jackson rolled into one.

The sixth and final volume of the Scott Pilgrim saga, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, is set to be released July 20th; timed to coincide with the premiere of the Edgar Wright (Shawn of the Dead) directed adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Come July, it’s going to be a Scott Pilgrim world. Don’t be caught short when the hype machine starts working overtime.

(via The Beat)

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