The News Blog of Comics Culture
Yes, the world is a little stunned by the announcement of Matt Groening quitting Life In Hell. It isn’t like this hasn’t been threatened though. Back in November of 2009, roughly two and a half years ago, the Chicago Humanities Festival had a panel on the declining market for Alt Weekly comics. Groening was there. Lynda Barry was there. Chris Ware was there. Jules Feiffer was even there. And back then, Groening was already talking about quitting.
Even comics news is coming out in advance of Comic-Con—in this case, new HEROIC SCALED booth art for Image (#2729).
As past con-goers may be aware, Image’s booth is anchored by a huge 16′ x 32′ “Wall of Art” which now features more of the new mega-creator themed stuff like SAGA, MIND THE GAP, AMERICA’S GOT POWERS, and something called THE WALKING DEAD.
Now this is sad and yet it is part of life. Matt Groening has announced that on June 15th he ended his long-running Life in Hell weekly comic strip, which has run in alternative newspapers for 32 years. Reprints will run until Friday, July 13th, (during SDCC) and then it will fade away.
“I love the characters, I love doing it, but it was just time,” he told USA Today. “Life in Hell prevented me from doing other projects, because every week I had to go back to the same drawing table. Quitting will open me up to new things, more animation, more stuff. I may just sit and stare into space.”
This past weekend’s CAKE show in Chicago was important for a few reasons, but mostly because CHicago has a rich vibrant indie/mainstream comics scene, and having an event to take advantage of it is a boon to the entire Midwest. The show had a stellar guest list, so we’ve been eagerly awaiting word on how it did.
So, from reading a few reports the word seems to be: great show, so-so sales but awesome atmosphere.
It’s not exactly a classic comic in that it ponders the meaning of life and death….but Jean Claude Forest’s BARBARELLA is still one of those iconic Franco-Belgian titles that brings a smile to the face. If the Mad Men-era politics of the original strip won’t do it, young Jane Fonda as the original movie version is guaranteed to do the same.
Valiant has released the following line with this image: “Are you different? Meet Faith Herbert this September, only in Harbinger #4.”
TweetPEOPLE IN THE NEWS § City Paper profiles alumnus Tim Kreider and his new book: Former City Paper contributor Tim Kreider has published three cartoon anthologies and has written essays regularly for The New York Times since 2009. Now comes his first book of both, We Learn Nothing: Essays and Cartoons (Free Press, hardcover). Essay [...]
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