Ghost dinosaurs, Eisner Nominations, etc.

Now back to comics-related matters! Readers who missed last week’s thrilling installments should be made aware that I have started a webcomic of sorts, “Squid and Owl”, which I am updating weekdays as a Flickr set and at J&B. Naturally, I crave your attention. Today, for example, I make an Anthony Powell joke.

In other webcomics news, the first two chapters of Chris “the ISB” Sims’ “The Chronicles of Solomon Stone” are up. Half-vampire skate detective, with unsteadily Cockney sidekick/love interest vs. volcano island lair dinosaur ghost witches. I would say it is quite amusing.

In actual whatchamacallit comicscomics news, the Eisner nominees have been announced. I’ve praised Scott Morse’s art before around here, so I’m happy to report that Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! [amazon] is nominated in the ‘best painter/multimedia artist category. But if Eddie Campbell wins, fair’s fair.

Congratulatons as well to my friend, Jonathan Lethem, nominated for best limited series for Omega: The Unknown [amazon]. I haven’t read it yet but am looking forward. (I am reliably informed that there’s a Watcher-like character in it named the Overthinker. That’s a good one.)

You know what I really enjoyed this year? The Umbrella Academy, vol. 1 [amazon] – that’s what. Nominated in a couple categories. It’s written by Gerard Way, lead singer for My Chemical Romance, a band I hate. I’ll just transcribe the opening. It’s supposed to have pictures, of course. But maybe you can get a sense of its nice, deadpan riproaringness, as it does it’s ‘what if Prof. X were a complete jerk’ meets League of Extraordinary Orphans thing.

It was the same year “Tusslin’ Tom” Gurney knocked out the spacesquid from Rigel X-9. It happened at 9:38 p.m. It came from an atomic flying elbow. And in that moment … without warning … and in an occurrence of complete coincidence … forty-three extraordinary children were born … to mostly single women who had shown no signs of pregnancy in seemingly random locations around the world. The children were either abandoned or put up for adoption … the ones who survived. Enter, Sir Reginald Hargeeves, a.k.a. The Monacle. World-renowned scientist and wealthy entrepreneur. Inventor of The Televator, The Levitator, The Mobile Umbrella Communicator, and Clever Crisp Cereal. Olympic Gold medalist and recipient of the Nobel Prize for his work in the cerebral advancement of the chimpanzee. Space alien.

He adopts the children to save the world. From what, the world asks?

It’s not as though affectionately ironic send-ups of superhero comics are exactly a new thing. But I found this to be a highly commendable addition to that ever-lengthening shelf.

The art is by Gabriel Bá. It’s very nice. Probably that’s why he’s nominated for an Eisner.

Discuss.