Press Releases

Free Comic!

Yes it's happened again...

Promethian Productions is pleased to release Pocket Gods Number 1!

And you can get it free! Send one stamp to:

"Pocket Gods" marks the beginning for a long range comic book project, spinning tales about the street, vigilance, love, and hate, all the while giving tips on Malt Liqour! This mini-comic series features the tale of the company's premiere characters such as Meathook, Mime, Snakeboy and the Pug, all underground favorites now making the jump to you all. Get your @#$% in gear for this unique and FREE comic, written and drawn by Juan Navarro.

Our current websites for info and other cool stuff is:

http://www.crosswinds.net/members/~promethian/

and

http://www.videogamers.com/telepathy

PS: If your a reviewer, just e-mail us at this address to get a free copy

PSS: If you're a distirbuter or comic book shops just send us an e-mail and we can send you a bunch for free! OY!

HARVEY AWARDS MOVE TO PITTSBURGH!

Northampton, MA, January 7, 2000

The comic industry’s venerable HARVEY AWARDS, named after the late comics genius Harvey Kurtzman, have a new home at the PITTSBURGH COMICON. The 15th annual Harvey Awards will take place on Saturday evening, April 29, 2000. A new team has been convened to oversee the awards ceremony and balloting, including long-time Harvey Award administrator PAUL MCSPADDEN.

The Harvey Awards are one of the comics industry’s oldest and most respected awards. The Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in 24 categories, ranging from Best Artist to the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame. They are the only industry awards both nominated by and selected by the full body of comics professionals. Beginning in 1986 at the Chicago Comic-Con, the Harveys enjoyed long runs at the Dallas Fantasy Fair and, most recently, at Oakland’s Wondercon. The Pittsburgh Comicon is the fourth venue for the awards.

ADELE KURTZMAN, Harvey’s widow, selected Pittsburgh Comicon as the site for the 2000 and 2001 Harvey Awards after careful consideration of several sites. "I felt it was time to make a change," Mrs. Kurtzman said. "The annual award banquet in Dallas was a wonderful event for Harvey, our family, and the many professionals and fans who supported and attended it. I want to return to that special feeling. I’ve always like the city of Pittsburgh, and my daughter Nellie and I are very much looking forward to being there in April."

The Pittsburgh Comicon is run by Michael and Renee George and has a reputation as one of the best organized comic conventions in the country. In 1999, the show’s attendance topped 7,500 and attracted more than 300 comics and media professionals. Pittsburgh is also known for its good works: the convention raised more than $55,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation over its first six years, and last year alone Pittsburgh raised in excess of $5,000 for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Pittsburgh Comicon was also the host of the CBLDF’s 1999 Defender of Liberty Award. This year’s Defender of Liberty Award ceremony will follow the Harvey Awards on Saturday night.

"We’re thrilled to be given the opportunity to host the Harveys," said Renee George. "We want Pittsburgh to become a ‘must-attend’ convention. These prestigious awards are a major step in that direction. My husband and I and our staff will support this program to the very best of our abilities."

Adele Kurtzman also named a new administrative team to oversee the details of the balloting process and the awards ceremony. As Harvey Awards Administrator, Paul McSpadden spearheads a volunteer committee consisting of Denis Kitchen, Chris Oarr, Chris Bleistein, and Nellie Kurtzman.

Paul McSpadden, who works at the Head Start program in Dallas, was the individual most responsible for the Harvey Awards during its Dallas period. He and his wife Connie accept the thankless task of hand counting many thousands of individual category nomination ballots, as well as the final winning ballots. "It’s an honor to be back," said McSpadden. "I have the utmost respect for Harvey, both as a person and creator, and want that same dignity he personified to carry over into the awards." He added that initial nomination ballots would be mailed to qualified professionals in mid-January. (Note: Any industry professional who does not receive a ballot should contact the e-mail address listed below.)

Denis Kitchen, under his former Kitchen Sink Press imprint, published several collections of Harvey Kurtzman’s work, including Goodman Beaver, From Aargh! To Zap!, Hey Look!, and Harvey Kurtzman’s Jungle Book. He also serves as the literary and art agent for the Kurtzman estate. "I'm very happy to become involved in the Harvey Awards," Kitchen said. "When I was at Kitchen Sink Press it was one of my favorite events of the year. It is the intention of the committee to make this award and presentation better than ever, in honor of Harvey Kurtzman and the pinnacle of quality and creativity he represents."

"I'm delighted that Paul McSpadden is willing to become involved again," said Mrs. Kurtzman. "And Harvey and I have had a long and warm history with Denis." The announcement of the master of ceremonies and guest speaker for the Harvey Awards banquet will be made at a later date.

PLOP!

Blue Moon Comics wishes to congratulate its own Steve Skeates for his work in PLOP! #1 winning its round in DC's Millennium Edition voting. The PLOP! #1 Millennium Edition will go on sale in May. In July, a brand new "PLOP!-ish" story by Steve will appear in our own INFINITE TALES #4. Fans of Collector Times, you'll be happy to note that Johnny "Gonzo" Gonzales (Starr & Roarke and Mi Vida Loca) will be doing the artistic honors for this made-for-BLUE MOON strip! For ordering information, contact us at:

http://bluemooncomics.tsx.org

Best,

    Lloyd Smith, Publisher
    Blue Moon Comics

LADY DEATH PINUP BOOK BY STEVEN HUGHES

January 25, 2000 - Scottsdale, AZ

This May, Chaos! Comics will bring fans what they've longed for - a Lady Death pinup book with artwork by Steven Hughes.

The Diva of Death's first artist, and artist on such Lady Death classics as The Reckoning, The Crucible and The Odyssey, Hughes has generated a huge fan following due to his provocative and powerful images of the First Lady of Chaos!

"We wanted to gather Steven's images of Lady Death together under one cover to allow his fans to have them all in one collection," says Chaos! President and Lady Death creator Brian Pulido. "It's going to be a real treat to get all of these gorgeous images back out in the public's eye again, and show just what a phenomenal talent Steven is."

What better way to celebrate Lady Death's new adventures in the new Dark Millennium than to enjoy some of the finest images from her past, present and future?

The Lady Death Pinup Book is a full color, 32-page comic shipping in May from Chaos! Comics that retails for $2.95. For more information on the Lady Death Pinup Book and other Chaos! products, check out the official Chaos! website at www.chaoscomics.com. For further information please contact Chaos! Comics' Director of Marketing, Adam Goldfine at 1-888-CHAOS13 extension 546.

1999 SQUIDDY AWARDS

USENET--MARCH 13TH, 2000--Marvel's AVENGERS, DC/Wildstorm's THE AUTHORITY, DC/Vertigo's TRANSMETROPOLITAN, and Alan Moore's America's Best Comics dominated the list of winners of the 1999 Internet rec.arts.comics "Squiddy" Awards.

"Best Creative Team" honors went to the AVENGERS' team of Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (penciller), Al Vey (inker), and Tom Smith (colorist). AVENGERS also took the "Best Story" and "Best Limited Series" awards, winning with "Ultron Unlimited" (AVENGERS 19-22) and the AVENGERS FOREVER limited series (Busiek/Stern/Pacheo/Merino/Oliff).

Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson's TRANSMETROPOLITAN won for "Best Ongoing Series," while TRANSMET lead, Spider Jerusalem was selected as "Best Character," and his action figure tied for first place in the "Best Merchandise Adaptation" category.

Squiddy voters also paid their respects to DC/Wildstorm's AUTHORITY--and to colorist Laura DePuy. DePuy dominated the "Best Colorist" category, scoring 36% of the total votes cast--more than anyone else, in any other category. AUTHORITY inker Paul Neary took the "Best Inker" award, and "THE AUTHORITY" was voted "Best Character Team."
Writer Warren Ellis also scored two Squiddies in his own right--"Best Writer" for his 1999 work on TRANSMETROPOLITAN, AUTHORITY, PLANETARY, and HELLBLAZER, and "Best Focused Website" for www.warrenellis.com.

Finally, Alan Moore's America's Best Comics line ran off with a sizeable chunk of the remaining awards, including the "Best Company/Imprint" prize. ABC letterer and logo designer, Todd Klein, won as "Best Letterer" and TOP TEN (Alan Moore/Gene Ha/Zandar Cannon/Todd Klein) scored the "Best New Series" honors. ABC anthology TOMORROW STORIES won "Best Anthology" and TOMORROW STORIES #2 tied with DORK #7 for "Best Single Comic."

A complete list of the 1999 Squiddy winners appears below. Detailed results are available on Usenet from rec.arts.comics.misc, and rec.arts.comics.info, and on the web at www.squiddies.org/1837.html (for 1999 Squiddies) and www.squiddies.org/2070's.html (for Best of the 90s awards).

    Best Writer--Warren Ellis
    Best Penciller--George Perez
    Best Inker--Paul Neary
    Best Painter--Alex Ross
    Best Letterer--Todd Klein
    Best Colorist--Laura DePuy
    Best Creative Team--Busiek/Perez/Vey/Comicraft/Smith (Avengers)
    Best Cover Artist--Brian Bolland
    Best Editor--Tom Brevoort
    Best Political Cartoonist--Garry Trudeau

    Best Story--Avengers 19-22 (Ultron Unlimited)
    Best Ongoing Series--Transmetropolitan
    Best New Series--Top Ten
    Best Limited Series--Avengers Forever
    Best Single Comic--Dork 7, Tomorrow Stories 2 (tie)
    Best Graphic Novel--JLA: Earth 2
    Best Reprint Book--From Hell
    Best Anthology--Tomorrow Stories
    Best Comic Strip--Peanuts
    Best Web Comic--Astounding Space Thrills

    Best Company/Imprint--America's Best Comics
    Best Character--Spider Jerusalem (Transmetropolitan)
    Best Character Team--The Authority
    Best Dramatic Adaptation--Mystery Men
    Best Text Adaptation--No Award
    Best Merchandise Adaptation--Spider Jerusalem action figure, No Award (tie)
    Best Publication--Comics Journal
    Best Focused Website--WarrenEllis.com
    Best General Website--Comic Book Resources

Favorite RACer--Non-Creator (top 5)

    Paul O'Brien
    Dave Van Domelen
    Johanna Draper Carlson
    Todd VerBeek
    Tom Galloway

Favorite RACer--Creator (top 5)

    Christopher Priest
    Kurt Busiek
    Warren Ellis
    Tom Brevoort
    Peter David, Dan Curtis Johnson (tie)

    Best 90s Writer--Neil Gaiman
    Best 90s Artist--Alex Ross
    Best 90s Story--Marvels
    Best 90s Ongoing--Sandman
    Best 90s Limited--From Hell
    Best 90s Characters--Invisibles, Kurt Busiek's Astro City cast, Thunderbolts (tie)

The Internet rec.arts.comics Awards ("the Squiddies") are the annual comics' industry awards given out by Usenet's rec.arts.comics community. As always, voting was open to all participants in the rec.arts.comics newsgroups.

Except for the CBG awards, no still-existing industry award is older. Known originally as "the Great Usenet Comics Poll", the Squiddies have been awarded every year since the mid-1980's. The Squiddies were named after Suicide Squid--rec.arts.comics' mascot--a mythical comicbook character accidentally created in April 1991 when Mitsuhiro Sakai wanted to ask about developments in the series SUICIDE SQUAD, but typed "i" instead of "a".

INFINITY COMICS

PRODUCTS SHIPPING IN JULY 2000

COUNTER-STRIKE #2 (of 4) ITEM # ICS20

Written by Len Kaminski. Penciled by Ivan Reis. Inked by Joe Pimentel and colored by Jason Jensen

Trapped in a life and death ambush, Robin and Matt face Macroware¹s Hardesty Quick and her league of cybernetically enhanced security agents. Is even their bold cunning a match for the immense resources commanded by the ruthless worldwide monopoly, Macroware Incorporated? Who tipped them off and how? The stakes just got a lot higher in the stunning second issue of this breakthrough series from Infinity Comics! Intrigue, espionage and double-crossing are all part of the deadly game as our modern day Robin Hood heroes fight for the little guy in a world run by mega-corporations and corrupt governments.

    Full Color, 32 pages, $2.50 U.S.
    Distributor discount: 60.75% off for pick up / 60% off shipped
    Ships 7/14

THE COMICS INTERPRETER #4

NOW IN STANDARD MAGAZINE-SIZED FORMAT.

64-PAGES (smaller print)! NO ADS!

TCI #4 explodes into Spring. Not in recent memory has the comics community seen two more raucous, controversial, honest and hilarious interviews. TCI is proud to deliver them both to you in the same issue. First budding indy comics superstar DAVID CHOE raps at length about cartooning, art, porn, vandalism, the Xeric Grant, Wizard, suicide, Marvel, how he became a Supergirl villain, and just why Adrian Tomine and Jim Lee are "sellouts." Loads of rare illustrations by CHOE. Guaranteed you've never read an interview quite like it.

Then TED RALL is unleashed once more on an unsuspecting comics industry at large. Rall blasts Art Spiegelman, Carol Lay, Tony Millionaire, Joe Sacco, and of course Danny Hellman. And if that weren't enough Ted also turns his sights on The Comics Journal, Details magazine, and the prospect of Senator Hillary. Why is Ted Rall shopping for a gun? Why is he afraid to attend conventions? Why does he abhor the term "comix"? How does he expect his million dollar lawsuit against Danny Hellman to be resolved? You'll find all of the answers here as the Pulitzer Prize nominated cartoonist cuts loose in this fascinating Q&A.

It's not hyperbole to say that both of these interviews will be talked about for years to come.

Sure that'd be enough to sate any true comics fan's appetite for destruction, but since this is the INTERPRETER, of course we've got much more... Former Comics Journal scribe Gene Phillips takes a Jungian scalpel to Grant Morrison's run on the JLA and the results are both gutbusting and insightful. An unforgettable essay.

Chad Parenteau takes a look at the minicomics of Ben Jones and the amusing "Consumer Poetry" of The Reverend Richard Mackin. Plus: Pyrric Victories extensively reviews Jaime Hernandez' PENNY CENTURY, Nei l Gaiman's GODS & TULIPS, Vertigo's STRANGE ADVENTURES, Paul Pope's BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, and Dan Souder's LEGENDS OF CAMELOT.

And finally...Not one but two full-page, beautifully illustrated, typically bizarre, COWBOY HENK strips by European RAW alums KAMAGURKA & SEELE.

Oh and did I forget a new Editorial, the star-studded Letter's pages and Words Unspoken?

All under our best and funniest cover yet.

TCI #4 is the magazine comics fans have been clamoring for. Don't be the only one left out in the cold. What? Were you planning on blowing that $5 bucks on WIZARD again this month? Skip it and sink your teeth into something substantial. You'll be able to live with yourself a little better in the morning.

Send: $4 (plus $1 postage) Checks payable to ROBERT YOUNG Cash or MO preferred

    The Comics Interpreter
    5820 N. Murray Ave. D-12
    Charleston, SC 29406
    e-mail: creednail@aol.com

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Copyright © 2000 Sheryl Roberts, Editor