Will Pfeifer's Blog, page 19

Buy My Comics, Make Me Rich: TEEN TITANS #10

Latest issue of TEEN TITANS hits the stands Wednesday, featuring an all-out battle between the Titans and the Elite, with a small chunk of Chicago getting wiped out in the process. If you like hippos, property destruction and a handful of aliens (including one big red one with a fin on his head), this is the comic for you, friend-o.

Script by yours truly, pencils by Felipe Watanabe, inks by Trevor Scott, colors by Dan Brown, letters by John J. Hill and editing duties by Paul Kaminski, Mike Cotton and Eddie Berganza. It all comes wrapped up in this action-packed, vertigonous cover by Bengal...

Or, if you prefer, this rather more lighthearted TEEN TITANS GO! variant cover by Ben Caldwell...

Want to see more? Check out this preview from the fine folks at Nerdist.com.

A Tour Through the Art Gallery, Part 6: More Patrick Gleason

Over the years, I've accumulated a few pieces of original comic book-related art. Nothing compared to the collections of some of my friends, admittedly, but there's some interesting stuff in there nonetheless. So, in my constant (and constantly failing) effort to keep this blog updated on a semi-regular basis, I thought I'd share some of them with you. Join me, won't you?

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a page from the 2004 AQUAMAN run that I wrote, with pencils from Patrick Gleason (and inks from Christian Alamy). That was from issue 15, which was our first (of eight). Here's a page from a little later in the run, issue 17 to be exact (and page 11 to be even more exact).  No words on this original page, but what just happened is that Aquaman has revealed to all the former surface dwellers living in Sub Diego (formerly San Diego) that they now breathe via gills and can never go home again. His telepathic balloon says "I'm sorry," and everyone else's says "NO!" Sad scene, sure, but a beautiful splash page by Pat, with an insane amount of scene-setting detail rendered clearly and cleanly, adding to the power of the moment instead of distracting from it.
You can't have this page (Pat gave it to me, generous guy that he is), but you can have the colored and lettered version included in the just-released AQUAMAN: SUB DIEGO trade paperback that collects our entire run, including the Alan Davis covers and some pencil pages by Pat. Read more about it here. (How's that for a shameless plug?)

Movies I Watched in June, Part 2

I hadn't seen this movie since it hit theaters way back in 1994, when I was a mere four years into my newspaper career. Now, 21 years later, I've been out of the newspaper business for a few years now, and looking back at this pre-Internet, pre-cell phone, pre-9/11 movie, it's hard to believe things were ever remotely like this, even considering the healthy layer of bullshit Hollywood always spreads over any journalism stories. Taking place during a single day in the life of a fictional Manhattan tabloid, "The Paper" follows several storylines, most of them tying back in some way to a murder that two young African Americans have been (wrongly) accused of. The plot is beyond far-fetched and scattershot (reaching a low point when there's an actual physical fight in the pressroom between Michael Keaton and Glenn Close), but it's consistently entertaining, especially if you've logged any hours in a real newsroom. (As is usually the case with these sort of movies, it's the small moments that tend to ring true.) Plus, director Ron Howard admittedly gathered an amazing cast: Besides Keaton and Close, you've also got Robert Duvall, Marisa Tomei, pre-crazy Randy Quaid, Jason Robards, Jason Alexander, Catherine O'Hara, Spalding Gray, Jack McGee and, of course, Clint Howard. Not as good as Jack Webb's "-30-," but then again, few movies are.

Another movie I hadn't seen since it played in theaters (in 2002), and this time around, I was watching it specifically for an upcoming episode of our movie podcast Out of Theaters. It's good stuff -- smart, somber gangster tale beautifully directed by Sam Mendes and filmed by legendary cinematographer Conrad Hall. Nice to see Tom Hanks playing a badguy, too, though admittedly, he's not really that bad -- just a gangster's henchman caught up in a bad situation and forced to go on the run to save his kid. The real counter-casting here is Daniel Craig as gangster boss Paul Newman's craven, sniveling son, no match for the tougher, smarter and braver Tom Hanks. In a few years, Mendes would re-team with Craig for the James Bond movie "Skyfall" -- it's hard to imagine Hanks defeating that rather more formidable character. One more thing: Watching this away from the opening weekend hype, I couldn't help but notice a certain similarity with the Coen Brothers' 1990 film  "Miller's Crossing" -- somber mood, strong and silent lead, Irish and Italian gangsters, the works. Thing is, as good as "Road to Perdition" is -- and it's damned good -- it can't lay a finger on "Miller's Crossing." That movie is a stone-cold classic.
Though I've somehow managed to watch every season of "Downton Abbey," I can't say I'm much of a fan. You ask me, it's nothing more than a soap opera that wins critical raves by (a) saying everything in an English accent and (b) pandering to the well-heeled PBS donors by reassuring them that, yes indeed, the idle rich have problems just like the rest of us. The worst sin it commits, though, is that it's boring. Nothing much happens on the show, and when it accidentally does, it's more than likely something that has happened before (see, for example, anything involving Bates and Anna). So imagine my surprise when I watched "The Guest," a 2014 thriller starring Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley, "Downton Abbey's" tragically poor driver) and realized that not only is the guy a compelling actor, but he can be the center of a compelling story -- if he's got a solid script to back him up. Stevens plays "David," a veteran who stops by the home of the family of his army buddy and stays for a few days, getting involved in their lives in increasingly uncomfortable ways. It's a simple story, and it's nothing you haven't seen before, but Steven brings a fun intensity to the role (plus a spot-on American accent), and the ending -- which deliberately evokes the feel of an '80s slasher movie -- delivers some genuine jolts. The wife and I liked this one so much that we quickly watched "You're Next," the previous film by director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett -- and we got a kick out of that one, too. But that's a review that must wait until next month...

Buy My Comics, Make Me Rich: AQUAMAN: SUB DIEGO

Hitting the stands today is the collection of the 2004 AQUAMAN run by me, penciller Pat Gleason, inker Christian Alamy, colorist Nathan Eyring and letterer Jared K. Fletcher, known in its trade-paperback form as AQUAMAN: SUB DIEGO. Here's the collection's cover by Mr. Gleason...


One day, most of San Diego (including, yes, the convention center) plunges into the Pacific Ocean, and Aquaman has to (a) try and save anyone he can, (b) figure out what the hell happened, and (c) help the survivors adjust to their new lives as ... water breathers. It's a big, epic, superhero story that includes a trip to the Justice League headquarters on the moon, guest appearances by Batman and the Martian Manhunter and, to kick things off, this page featuring an adorable panda in a less-than-adorable situation ...


I never expected DC to collect this eight-issue run, so I'm damned happy to have this snazzy little trade paperback sitting on my shelf. You can pick up a copy at your local comic book store, from one of the many (many, many) dealers at this week's ComiCon (in the not-actually-submerged city of San Diego) or even via Amazon.com.

A Tour Through the Art Gallery, Part 5: Patrick Gleason

Over the years, I've accumulated a few pieces of original comic book-related art. Nothing compared to the collections of some of my friends, admittedly, but there's some interesting stuff in there nonetheless. So, in my constant (and constantly failing) effort to keep this blog updated on a semi-regular basis, I thought I'd share some of them with you. Join me, won't you?

One of my earlier comic book assignments was writing a short run of AQUAMAN back in 2004. After working with him for two issues of my last book, H.E.R.O. (more on that series in an upcoming post), I was lucky enough to be teamed up with artist extraordinaire Pat Gleason, who (along with the fine inking skills of Christian Alamy) brought the shattered city of Sub Diego to life. Here, for example, is a striking example from our first issue, AQUAMAN #15, when our hero leaves the waters (where the city of San Diego was plunged) to tell the surface people that everyone's dead. (Turns out he's wrong, by the way.) Trust me, this bargain-basement scan (I literally took the photo in my basement) doesn't do Pat's artwork justice....

Here's the good news, by the way: You can own this actual page (well, a full color, comic-book sized reproduction of it) this week, because DC is finally, after all these years, collecting the AQUAMAN run Pat and I did way back when. Issues 15-22 are all included, along with a few pages of Pat's original pencils and the beautiful Alan Davis covers that graced the original run.
Interested? Don't worry -- I'll be talking more about it in the blog this week, and the next entry will include another Pat Gleason AQUAMAN page from a bit later in the run.

Movies I Watched in June, Part 1

Watched this Mel Brooks classic for an episode of the Out of Theaters podcast (listen to it here), and though I've seen it many times, what struck me was what a loving tribute it is to the Universal horror movies. "Blazing Saddles" (released earlier the same year -- 1974 -- believe it or not!) was a taboo-breaking riot, but "Young Frankenstein" is much gentler, a comedy that almost plays like a (lighthearted) drama at times. Gene Wilder, who co-wrote the film, makes Frederic Frankenstein a real character, at first shunning and then embracing his corpse-reviving heritage. The moment he loudly declares "My name is Frankenstein" (as opposed to "Fronk-en-stein") is genuinely exciting. But, of course, there are plenty of laughs, and the entire cast -- Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn and Kenneth Mars -- is top notch. Plus, the black-and-white cinematography (courtesy of Gerald Hirschfeld) is gorgeous -- almost as good as the originals, in fact.
I'd heard great things, but holy hell -- this movie exceeded all of my expectations, and then some. From the first moments, when Max eats a two-headed lizard then blazes off across the desert, the movie never lets up -- and it's great because of it. It's essentially a chase in one direction, a brief (but fascinating pause) then a race back to the original starting point. In the meantime, there are more stunts (genuine), crashes (jaw-dropping) and battles (mind-bending) for a dozen movies. The original "Road Warrior" (review here) is great, obviously, but somehow George Miller topped himself with this one. You've heard about the refreshing lack of CGI, the practical effects, the feminist themes and the wild worlding building -- and all of that is true -- but believe me, hearing about "Mad Max: Fury Road" can't convey how balls-out amazing it is. This is one you need to see to believe. If we judge movies on how much they flat-out move and how much they thrill us while doing so, this is the best movie I've seen in a long time. Honestly? I don't know if I'll see a better one this year. As a fan of sleazy 1970s horror -- and of the movies of Larry Cohen in particular -- I was eager to watch his 1974 killer baby bloodfest, which I'd somehow missed in all my years of plumbing the depths of horror cinema. Sadly, after catching in on TCM (of all places), I can report that's it a big step down from other Cohen films like "Q" and "God Told Me To." This one, about a couple whose baby escapes mom's womb, kills everyone in the delivery room and goes on a rampage, is too cheap and dull to generate any real thrills, and even the goofiness of a clawed, fanged killer baby is too poorly put on screen to have any darkly comedic effect. Plus, everyone seems oddly blase about the fact that there's a mutant infant on the loose, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. And if the characters don't care, why should you?
Up next: The death of newspapers, Tom Hanks as a badguy and a deadly killer from "Downton Abbey."

Buy My Comics, Make Me Rich: VERTIGO QUARTERLY SFX SLAM!

Though I got my first professional comics credit via Vertigo (FINALS, way back in 1999), I haven't written anything for DC's mature imprint since a short story for their horror anthology TWITCH that same year. But I'm happy to announce that I make my return to Vertigo in a book that hits the stands this Wednesday -- and it's in another anthology, SFX SLAM!

The quarterly anthology uses a sound effect as its focal point (in this case, obviously, SLAM!) and has creators build stories around said effect. My story, "Cellmates," is a twisty little prison thriller about a guy sealed up in solitary confinement who discovers he's far from alone. Art comes courtesy of Scott Hepburn, who I recently worked with on a couple issues of TEEN TITANS, with letters by Steve Wands and editing duties by Rowena Yow. Here are a few panels to whet your appetite:


Besides our story, SFX SLAM also includes work by Rob Davis, Meredith Gran, Mike Carey, Ted Naifeh, Tana Ford, Adam Cadwell, Garry Brown and many more (trust me, it's a thick book). If you're curious what I write when there's not a cape or super-powered teenager involved, pick this up. It's chock full of entertainment!

A Tour Through the Art Gallery, Part 4: More Jay Geldhof

Over the years, I've accumulated a few pieces of original comic book-related art. Nothing compared to the collections of some of my friends, admittedly, but there's some interesting stuff in there nonetheless. So, in my constant (and constantly failing) effort to keep this blog updated on a semi-regular basis, I thought I'd share some of them with you. Join me, won't you?

Here's another Grendel page by my pal Jay Geldhof, from a later run in the series. I'm pretty sure it's from issue 29 (cover date March 1989), and though this is when Jay and John K. Snyder were trading off penciling and inking duties, this issue was, I believe, an all-Geldhof production (with Grendel creator Matt Wagner writing, of course). Like all the art I'm showcasing here, this is a strictly pre-digital effort created with actual pen and ink, plus the occasional piece of pasted-down art (like the Bride of Frankenstein image in the top panel). 
Jay and I were both living in Kent, Ohio, when he was working on this issue, so I remember bits of behind-the-scenes info, including the fact that the mannequin was based on one Jay actually owned and that image on the right side of the top panel is Bob Mercenary, Jay's character that appeared in the Fantagraphics anthology THREAT.
What's more, because I was a college student with plenty of free time, Jay occasionally drafted me for modeling duty, and I'm pretty sure I posed for all the Grendel figures on this page. (Somewhere, deep in his archives, Jay may still have the original photos. Pray he never shares them on the web. I know I do.)

Buy My Comics, Make Me Rich: TEEN TITANS #9

Thanks to the break DC titles took during the Convergence event, it's been awhile since I've been hyping my comics here, but since a new issue of TEEN TITANS hits the stands Wednesday, I figured it was time to take out my horn and toot it.

The issue in question is TEEN TITANS #9, which is titled "Rogue Targets, Part 1" and follows our heroes as they try to clear the name of their old friend Superboy, who killed a bunch of innocent aliens in the recent TEEN TITANS ANNUAL -- or at least appeared to kill them. TT#9 is brought to you by the regular team -- script by me, art by Kenneth Rocafort, colors by Dan Brown, letters by John J. Hill, associate edits by Paul Kaminski, edits by Mike Cotton and group edits by Eddie Berganza. This issue gets a "special thanks" to my pal Tom King, who wrote the majority of the annual that set all this craziness in motion, and it has two covers. This one, by Bengal...


And this Joker-riffic variant by Scott McDaniel and Tanya Horie....

The story features shape-shifting, Windy City locations, Gar as a Chicago Cub, autograph seekers bugging Raven and a last-second rescue by Superboy. Speaking of Superboy, it also features this amazing two-page spread showing our hero soaring over downtown Chicago, courtesy of Mr. Rocafort. Trust me, this is one you have to see for yourself, full size. I promise, it's worth the cover price all by itself...

Want to see more? There's a preview over at Comic Book Resources (among other sites). And, as always, if you have any comments, feel free to share them right here.

Movies I Watched in May, Part 2

Gonna whip though this second set of May movies quickly, folks -- mostly because pretty soon, it's going to be July. So here goes...
Seen it a million times, watched it again for the Out of Theaters podcast, and I'm happy to say it holds up beautifully. What struck me this time around was how well it flows, despite the fact that it ignores that sacred three act structure, jumping around from flash forward to fantasy sequence to flash back -- and back again. I know it was originally much longer, much less focused on the Alvy-Annie relationship and much more focused on fantasy sequences (including a trip to hell), but it's hard to imagine that long-lost version working better than this one. As it stands, it's damn near perfect. (If you want to hear the podcast discussion, go here.)
My strange, largely unexplained (and unexplainable) fascination with the late Mickey Rooney continues with this movie, the final film in his fabled "Andy Hardy" series of family comedies. This one, released in 1958, catches Andy returning home to the mythical Midwestern town of Carvel to help his company building a missile parts factory there. (No, really.) Naturally, everything gets all screwed up, but just as naturally, everything is smoothed over in the end, all the folks remain friends and the missile parts factory finds a new home in Carvel. By the way, despite the prominence of Rooney's own kid, Teddy, on that poster, he's barely in the movie. Apparently he wasn't a screen presence anywhere near the order of his old man. Looked eerily like him, though.

It was ... fine. Good cast, solid action, enough humor and heart to make it worth catching again sometime during an inevitable marathon on ABC Family. But somehow, even though it was basically the same movie as its predecessor, it just didn't feel the same. Am I crazy, or as soon as this opened in theaters, did everyone seem ready for this chunk of superhero films to be over? It's strange -- I've never seen a wave crest so suddenly. Still, it did make a fortune, and there are plenty more on the way. (Be interesting to see how the buzz feels for the next one, though.) Best part? The scene with the Vision and Thor's hammer. Worst? The beyond obvious CGI in that opening fight. Yeesh.

One of those classics that, alas, I'm not just that big a fan of. Maybe it's because musicals, bless their heart, really aren't my thing. Or maybe because this one, bless its heart, stops every so often to bask in the genius of Gene Kelly a little too much. Don't get me wrong, the guy is amazing -- but that endless Broadway-themed musical number at the end has, as far as I can tell, nothing to do with the rest of the movie. Sorry about that, "Rain" fans. You can listen to our discussion of it on the podcast here, if you're so inclined.
Like "Annie Hall," I've watched this one a million times, and I've written about it almost as often - usually on this very blog. We watched it for the podcast this time around, and you can listen to the discussion here. In fact, please do. I love this movie dearly, but I'm sort of tired of talking about it.