Nick Davis's Blog, page 114

First Look – Full Cover Preview for the Graphic Novel Fabula Zero Exposition

For your viewing pleasure I am very happy to present to you the cover for Fabula Zero Exposition, my new graphic novel mash up of comic and prose storytelling. My artist Bill Young has done an amazing job bringing the Exposition characters to life and I'm looking forward to debuting this book at Baltimore Comic Con on August 20th,  you can check out a preview of the interior here.

New Release – The Wonder Tales #8 The Princess & the Serpent of Iron Mountain available on the Kindle, Nook & Smashwords

I am very happy to announce a brand new Wonder Tales Issue #8 The Princess & the Serpent of the Iron Mountain. This all ages fairy tale, written for my children for your children, follows the adventures of Princess Gwendolyn and her companions in the Land of the Sun as they try to find their way home.

The Princess & the Serpent of the Iron Mountain

by Nick Davis - The Wonder Tale #8

In a land far, far away travels the Princess Gwendolyn and her companions Kurt the werewolf and Will'O the Wisp all banished from their land by the Evil Witch Isabelle. As she begins her search to find her way home she encounters Tobisum, a Samurai who is one inch in stature, but is mighty in heart. Gwendolyn strikes a deal with him, in return for his help as a guide; she would aid him in his quest to rescue the Woodland Nymph from the Serpent of the Iron Mountain. An adventure that reveals that true courage comes from within.

The Princess & the Serpent of Iron Mountain available for $0.99 in eBook format on the Apple iBookstore, Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords Multi eReader Formats.

The legacy & tragedy of Jack Kirby and a boycott you should not take part in

Recently the heirs of Jack Kirby went after Marvel in the courts for the right to terminate Marvel's copyright of Jack's co-creations and to collect royalties they believe Jack was owed. After all Jack Kirby was one of the architects of Marvel's success and most likely responsible for the look of 80% of the current pantheon, (yes he was responsible for all the above pictured characters and much more) so it would be worth a good penny, and it would bring Jack the recognition the man does richly deserve.

They failed, because legally they really didn't have a leg to stand on and that is the tragedy of this story. Jack Kirby despite all his creativity was only considered a freelance and work-for-hire artist. Which means once he was compensated for his work anything he created was considered owned by the company that hired him. I know, I've worked under a work-for-hire contract and its horrible to see things you've created being exploited for further profit without having share in it; and you have zero claim on your creations.

Work-for-hire is what lost the Kirby heirs their case, legally they didn't stand a chance, morally the Kirby heirs had the high ground, but court cases are not decided on morals alone, they are decided on laws. I have to agree that Marvel have acted shamefully in this matter and could of easily tipped their hat towards Kirby's legacy, maybe one day they will… Maybe… 

Now we have Steve Bissette calling for a boycott of Marvel comics, to force their hand into recognizing Kirby's hard work and dedication. You can check out his manifesto for action at Bleedingcool at the link above. While it is noble, and I agree with many of his points including DC's retroactive changing of work-for-hire to pay out royalties. I cannot agree to the boycott for the very simple reason the only people it is going to hurt is the Local Comic Store, these guys at the end of the comic food chain often order 90 days ahead of current releases, which means it would be almost 120 days before Diamond feels the pinch, and 150+ days before Marvel notices anything. By that time the LCS would be out of business, and that is something I think Kirby would not like to see.

I actually got into an internet argument over this early today; I pointed out that Jack most likely for family reasons made a decision to sign a work-for-hire contract over 30 years ago based on need, and verbal agreements that soured; remember verbal agreements are not worth the paper they are written on. As sad as the situation is the LCS should not pay for Jack's adult decision 30+ years later. I was told the LCS's would survive selling indie titles in place of the Marvel book, and I pointed out that indies do not have the same mainstream appeal and would not fill the 60% income gap that Marvel represents every week for these stores. Now I could be wrong, but cutting off a income stream is hard on any business. At this point I was told I didn't know anything, and my LCS was worthless compared to this persons LCS which sells nothing but indie titles (something smells like a bull in that statement). I even got the amazing argument winning point of you don't live in this country so you don't know what it is like for the LCS here . At that point I was reminded of this article I posted a few weeks ago about the total pointlessness of arguing on the Internet. Yep, eleven years in the USA and twenty years in the publishing industry, yet I know nothing… Ugh…

Seriously though I urge you not to boycott your Marvel titles over this, send letters or packets shelled peanuts to Marvel HQ and make your voice heard at convention panels, but don't hurt your LCS. One fan can make a difference, shouting loud and you could be that fan. After all we all know what one Batgirl did at SDCC this year you can do the same.

On a personal note I do find the entire situation with Jack Kirby distasteful, nothing more than a tragic legacy and a fair warning to all up and coming artists to not get trapped within a work-for-hire contract. Sure build your name with one of the big two, but keep your characters for you're creator owned titles, or wait until you're in a position where you can negotiate good terms for yourself.

Anyone who wants to help the heirs of Kirby, pick up the excellently illustrated Kirby Genesis by Dynamite Entertainment, which features Kirby's portfolio of unseen creations and is a pretty good read too. Remember it wont be too long until all Kirby's creations become public domain for us all to enjoy, thank you for the memories Jack

Sorry the Alt-World website is not a gateway to the Ghost Whisperer Altworld2 game

The past few weeks I've been baffled by a sudden upturn in registrations for my website, after all I generally post comic related news that I find cool, and talk about my life, books, and the occasional opinion piece about the current state of the world.

It wasn't until last night after a bizarre email exchange with a newly registered user the reason why I've been getting this storm of new users dawned on me and why I'm experiencing so many sign-ups. Here is the email exchange below, with New User identity protected of course.

New User -
Have a few ?'s

1. Is this safe? and 2. Is it free? 3.Can i change my password please???
 
Me  -

1. It is as safe but this is the internet so don't share your password.

2. Yes it is free.

3. You can change your password in your profile when you login.

Odd exchange, maybe this new user is a fan of my books? Or has followed me over here from my Games Workshop days? The return email was extremely enlightening.

New User -
okay but is it like the one on ghost whisperer or am i just insane

can you basically play games
 
Me -
Sorry this is a common mistake. My website has nothing to do with the Ghost Whisperer TV show as this previously posted article explains. While you are here though please takes a look around

So there you have it, I'm still be haunted (no pun intended… Honest) by the Ghost Whisperer Altworld2 episode. It has been about two-three years since the original episode aired on CBS so I guess I'm finally getting the traffic from syndication and re-runs.

Yes I feel kind of deflated that it wasn't my work that got the glut of these new registrants over here. I am happy that it was no intention of deception or SEO trafficking on my part, although the Jennifer Love Hewitt pic should get some more hits… Cue cynical Bwah ha!  I've owned and operated this domain for over seven years now, and it has always been a catalog (although evolving one) of all my endeavors both on and offline.

I am sorry to everyone who signed up expecting something and the website not delivering on it. Alt-World is not affiliated, nor has anything to do with the Altworld2 game as featured on the Ghost Whisperer; although with all the traffic spikes and interesting email it generates I should at least got a free Jennifer Love Hewitt autograph picture by now!!! (You reading this Jenn?) I'm just indie author, web designer and struggling traditional games designer. Now you are here though please explore my website, check out my stories, buy a t-shirt and read the upcoming Exposition mash-up preview.

I'll finish with this final statement; the Altword2 game was just a made up online universe for a TV show and does not exist in any form beyond that TV show, sorry… Now be gentle with the Earth and have a good one

Sigmartyr – Volume Three of the Epic Stikfas action webcomic begins now!

Volume Three of Sigmartyr the Stikfas Action Web Comic begins

Click here to view to view this epic story.

Meeting the Baroness, Photo shoots and Baltimore Comic Con

Been a bit of a weekend were everything I attempted to do didn't quite work out the way it was planned starting with a total epic fail to raise an interest in an Otakon Photo Flash Mob. From that point the weekend did get better and I have two pieces of news for you all.

First off today I met the Baroness and did a photoshoot for her, the Baroness being Screamers aka Rose from RetroScreamers and I did two cosplay shoots, one in her Bellatrix outfit and one in her much improved Baroness outfit. The results of this shoot I will post in the few days once the post-production work on them is done. I have posted four out take pictures with Rose.

Second piece of news, I have the official confirmation that I have my table at Baltimore Comic Con which is great news, and means all the hard work in getting Fabula Zero Exposition ready will not be naught. Joining me this year will be the BCC Exclusive Exposition Broadsheet Artist Asher Humm. I will post more details as I get them including my table location, sneak peaks and what I will be bringing to this huge celebration of all things comics.

 

Yay! Otakon Photo Flash Mob of Two total fail but in a fun way :)

Well I did say the success or failure of this impromptu event would fall on the participants spreading the word, sadly the 2011 Otakon Photo Flash Mob was a sum total of two people who I thanked  very much for turning up, because it did go stupidly hot out there. So we can discount this as an Epic Fail. Oh well… Always next year, right? Or try one for Baltimore Comic Con? Anyhow, the last picture in the small gallery below is of the flash mob participants, the remaining shots I took while waiting for something big to happen before I retreated back to delights of AC, enjoy

 

Join me at the Otakon Photo Flash Mob Friday 29th July 11.30am at the Sunken Auditorium in the Baltimore Inner Harbor

Otakon is this weekend, the huge animefest here on the East Coast set in Baltimore at the convention center. This is a mega-event full to the brim with anime fans and famous for the huge amount of Cosplayers it attracts. This year I thought it would be really cool to commemoration this event by trying to organize a huge crowd source photo flash mob. Join me at the Sunken Audiotorium in the Baltimore Inner Harbor (between the food court and Nina's the Irish restaurant) this Friday (tomorrow) at 11.30am and lets put together the largest Photo Flash Mob ever for Otakon 2011. Full details after the jump or here at the Facebook event. Please attend, share this event and share the word. The success of the event is all up to you.

Ever wanted to take part in one of those huge group pictures you see at Comic Con's? Animation fans do your hobby proud and take part in an amazing Otakon event and join the Otakon Photo flash mob on Friday 29th July 11.30am at the Baltimore Inner Harbor at the Sunken Auditorium (between the Food Court and the Irish Restaurant). Come in costume and get ready to pose with your fellow anime/cos-play maniacs in a huge photo flash mob gathering. I will be there with camera and tripod to capture this event for you to share with everyone!

Please attend pass this on, forward, invite and get the word out and lets make the biggest photo flash mob ever… See you all on Friday at 11.30am at the Sunken Auditorium I will be the one in the Captain America shirt, looking frazzled and carrying a camera and tripod.

Fabula Zero – The rough pencil cover for exposition by Bill Young

As Baltimore Comic Con rushes towards us Fabula Zero Exposition is turning into a heckuva a book. Work still continues on lettering and laying out this mash-up of comic/prose story telling and Bill Young the Exposition book artist has sent me the rough pencil concept for the cover. Looks pretty cool, we have Captain Avenger, Spik & Spak, Doctor Dark and the Ninjas for the Bloody Left Metacarpal all giving the stare down to Jack… A good potent of the story that this cover will contain Thoughts?

First Look – The Avengers outfit concepts pt2 – Hulk, Ironman, Thor, Nick Fury & the full Avengers Assmbled Image

I got the full set, I got the full set! Seriously this is the last set of The Avengers Concepts with Hulk, Ironman, Nick Fury with Maria Hill and Agent Coulson. I also have the full The Avengers Assembled image too, you can can check out the full images after the jump.