My buddy's new comic will be appreciated by DUers

[Lorien]

OK, so I don't know much about the comic book industry outside of what my buddies Jeff Smith ("Bone") and Jose Marzan (inker of "Y-the last man") tell me. I've only ever really read Jeff's comic, and one by a friend of his named Terry Moore, so I'm kinda a comics virgin, lol! Anyway, I stayed with Jeff and his wife Vijaya last year while waiting out some hurricanes, and since Jeff was recovering from a hand injury, I was helping around the studio and using his office while I was there. He asked me to help him organize what he had written and drawn for his new rendition of "Shazam", and read to through it to check for continuity/ clarity. His wife accuses me (jokingly) of turning him into a wacko conspiracy theorist because I read DU to him late at night for years while he was working on "Bone". "Shazam" is full of references that DUers will understand and appreciate, probably more than the general public (which might not even notice some of them). It's written for kids, but adults will enjoy it too (kind of like "Bone"). I won't tell you too much, but please consider supporting a fellow liberal, and pick up a copy of "Shazam" when it's released later this year! :-)

[semillama]

1. Cool!

I just picked up the Complete BONE collection, and I love it. Tell him KUDOS from a comic book fan! I'll keep an eye out for Shazam.

"Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures!"

[dwckabal]

2. I met Jeff at ComiCon

this past July. A super-friendly, down-to-earth writer/artist. I bought the complete Bone as well (the hardback--#15 of 2000!) since I missed quite a few issues over the last three years or so. He was kind enough to sign it, as well as sketch a little Phoney Bone inside.

And speaking of Terry Moore, I met him also, and picked up the slipcase edition of Strangers In Paradise, which he signed for me as well.

I will certainly keep my eyes out for Shazam!

[Lorien]

3. Yeah, he is super friendly-and it's not an act!

Terry is too, as is his wife. Had a great dinner with them once at the National cartoonists society awards-we all laughed ourselves sick that night. Great folks!

The 2004 ComiCon nearly did him in! He says it was moving rocks from his small koi pond that stained his drawing arm, but I still think it was signing all those books before, during, and after San Diego that did it. I've never gone, but his assistant Kathleen says the lines he gets are fairly impressive. I hope he can get the first issue of Shazam finished soon; maybe he can help to nurture a whole new generation of liberals! ;-)

BTW- did you notice in the "dragonslayer" section of "Bone" that it's actually an allegory for the hunting of Pres. Clinton?

[semillama]

4. Really? I'll have to go back and re-read that part

Is he from Columbus, Ohio? I noted he thanked OSU and their student newspaper, as well as my friendly local comic book store, the Laughing Ogre, in his acknowledgements.

[Lorien]

5. Yes! I see that you live in my hometown, too.

He and Vijaya live and work in German Village. They both grew up in Worthington. I grew up in Clintonville (good place for a Dem, eh)? I was Jeff's first employee at Character Builders animation back in the mid '80s. I went on to work for Disney, and he left Character Builders in the early '90s.(I'm in his acknowledgments too-my first name is Jennifer, my last name is also the name of a popular musical. ;-) )

Glad to meet another Columbusite! What part of town are you from? Do you/ did you attend OSU? (I went to CCAD). Columbus use to be so liberal-now not so much, from what I can tell. :-(

[semillama]

6. Clintonville

The laughing ogre is just a few blocks away from where I live.

I work here, didn't go to school here.

[Lorien]

7. It's a small world indeed. n/t

[seemunkee]

8. Is the Bone animation dead?

Would love to see a movie/TV show of it. I read Bone to my kids when they were little.

[Lorien]

9. No, not quite...

Jeff is being courted by two studios at the moment, both with different ideas on how to bring the story to life. I can't say too much about it, but it's not a dead idea yet (Nickelodeon would have made it into a movie years ago if they haden't insisted on music by Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake)!

[Lorien]

10. i should also mention that

a group of ex-Lucasarts animators are putting together a "Bone" video game. Here's some more information: http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,492

[seemunkee]

11. Great, glad Jeff stuck to his guns on the music