Northwest Press

The Power Within Reviewed at PostModernBarney

// July 28th, 2011 // // The Power Within

Dorian Wright at postmodernbarney.com has written a glowing review of the new Northwest Press book, The Power Within, written by Charles “Zan” Christensen with art by Mark Brill, and featuring a bunch of superstar special guests, including Gail Simone, Phil Jimenez and Greg Rucka.

The story exists strongly within the shadow of the recent media attention given to the high suicide rate in gay teens and the “It Gets Better” project, but successfully avoids any hints of maudlin emotion or preachiness. Instead the story feels very honest and is genuinely affecting. Christensen’s script deserves credit here, but so does Brill’s art, which has an approachable, cartoony feel that still allows for very expressive characters.

Read the whole review of The Power Within here! And make sure to request a copy from your local comics shop!

Buffy Panel Wrap-Up!

// July 22nd, 2011 // // Misc

The first “real” day of Comic-Con after Preview Night was capped off with the opportunity to chat with some of the most fun and interesting people involved with Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, including Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, writer extraordinaire Jane Espenson, and Andrew himself, Tom Lenk.

I had worked up a bunch of starter questions to get the ball rolling, and roll, it did! We talked about how the feminist core of the series spurs writers involved with it to be more inclusive of other sexualities. We talked about Andrew’s character and how it grew organically once Tom was cast and the writers started writing the part for him. Scott talked about the non-reaction that the powers that be at Fox had to Buffy’s tryst with fellow female Slayer Satsu in the comics series. In response to a question about who from the Buffy series would have been a good choice to be an LGBT character, the response from Jane was, essentially, anyone. There isn’t anything to prevent a character from evolving and changing or revealing things about her or himself, and it wouldn’t be any more or less surprising or out-of-the-ordinary than the way things work in real life.

There were some great questions from the audience, including one about trans inclusivity in the Buffyverse (currently none, as far as the panelists were aware.) I mused about whether a person whose soul was female but whose body was male could be chosen as a Slayer?

A few questions touched on vampire sexuality, and how likely it would be that most vampires had experienced same-sex relationships and sex, given that they have hundreds of years to kill. Jane recalled a quote from Joss Whedon that was meant to be attributed to Spike or Angel (not sure which) that went something like, “I’ve lived for over a hundred years, don’t you think I’ve tried just about everything?” So all those fantasies about Spike and Angel pairings might not be completely out of the question!

Tom’s comedic chops were on full display, and he brought the house down several times. He’s currently filming a documentary about the making of his one-person show, Nerdgasm, and about bringing it to the Edinburgh Fringe Fest this August. If you see the show’s headed to your neck of the woods, you should check it out!

The panelists were great, the audience was fantastic, and it was a really great way to spend an hour at Comic-Con. Thanks to everyone who came and shared the experience with us!

Comic-Con International 2011

// July 20th, 2011 // // Events, Teleny and Camille, The Power Within

Northwest Press will be one of the dozen talented comics creators and publishers joining Prism Comics at their deluxe triple booth at Comic-Con this year! The fabulous Jon Macy will be on hand to sign copies of Teleny and Camille, and our brand-new anti-bullying comic, The Power Within, will be available for the very first time!

Support “Feast of Fun”, Feast on Northwest Press Books!

// July 13th, 2011 // // Glamazonia, Rainy Day Recess, Teleny and Camille

The fabulous boys over at Feast of Fun, the internet’s most delicious queer podcast, are running a fundraising drive right now to pay for the operating costs of producing a popular podcast (hosting costs, apparently, are through the roof!)

Northwest Press is pitching in and offering a set of the three current Northwest Press books—Teleny and Camille, Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super-Tranny, and Rainy Day Recess: The Complete Steven’s Comics—if you donate $103 dollars to Feast of Fun.

There’s a limited number of book sets available, so hurry over there and pledge your support right now! (Don’t let the $103 number hold you back; give as much as you can to help keep Fausto and Marc on the air. But if you give more than $103, make sure to mention that you want the books, though!)

Read a preview of “The Power Within”!

// July 10th, 2011 // // Misc, The Power Within

Check out this 10-page preview of Charles “Zan” Christensen and Mark Brill’s The Power Within right here on Northwestpress.com, thanks to an embedded Google Docs viewer. The book is available to order through Diamond Comic Distributors using item #JUL111189. Ask for it at your local comics shop!
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Gays in Comics: Year 24!

// July 9th, 2011 // // Events, Teleny and Camille

As mainstream companies DC and Marvel continue to frontline gay characters such as Batwoman and Northstar and hire top-level gay or gay-friendly creators, independent publishers and creators are publishing unequivocal content spotlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered characters, to the cheers of the thousands of fans who are out of the comic book closet. Founding moderator Andy Mangels (USA Today bestselling author of Star Trek novels and Iron Man: Beneath The Armor) hosts Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, head of Image Comics’s Skybound imprint), Chip Kidd (author, editor and designer, Bat-Manga, Rough Justice), Dan Parent (writer/artist, Archie, Betty & Veronica, creator of Archie’s new gay character and series, Kevin Keller), Jon Macy (writer/artist Teleny and Camille and Prism Queer Press grant recipient for Fearful Hunter), Paul Cornell (writer, TV’s Doctor Who and DC Comics’s upcoming Stormwatch and Demon Knights), and Greg Pak (writer, Incredible Hulks, co-writer, Alpha Flight, Herc). Plus a special video appearance by J. H. Williams III (co-writer/artist, Batwoman). And there’s always a surprise or two. Afterward, stick around for the hour-long gay comics fan mixer/social, hosted by Prism Comics, with prizes and surprise special guests!

Publishing Queer: Producing LGBT Comics and Graphic Novels

// July 9th, 2011 // // Events, Glamazonia

Queer-themed comics, once solely the domain of the gay press, are breaking into the mainstream. What are the challenges and rewards of producing this work and getting it in front of an audience hungry for the material? How can it be marketed and publicized, both to an LGBT readership and beyond? Should queer cartoonists self-publish or look to established publishers? Moderator Justin Hall (Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super-Tranny, Prism Comics Talent Chair) leads a spirited conversation with a diverse panel of publishing pros: Brian Andersen (self-publisher, So Super Duper), Charles “Zan” Christensen (publisher, Northwest Press), Jacquelene Cohen (publicist, Fantagraphics), Shannon O’Leary (comics editor and journalist), Bob Schreck (editor-in-chief, Legendary Pictures), and Tony Valenzuela (executive director, Lambda Literary Foundation).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and LGBT Comics Fandom

// July 9th, 2011 // // Events

LGBT fans hailed the revelation in the long-running television hit that one of its main characters, Willow, had fallen in love with another female character, Tara. This groundbreaking depiction of queer love in the TV show has been built upon in the Buffy comic books published by Dark Horse Comics, and Buffy remains one of the most queer-friendly properties in pop culture. Moderator Charles “Zan” Christensen (Northwest Press publisher and Prism Comics president) discusses the special relationship between the Buffyverse and LGBT comic book fans with Buffy creators and actors, including Scott Allie, Andrew Chambliss, Jane Espenson, Drew Greenberg, Tom Lenk, and a special guest!

Part Two of Periwinkle Journal’s Interview with Jon Macy

// July 8th, 2011 // // Teleny and Camille

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“Teleny and Camille” Reviewed at Giant Fire Breathing Robot

// June 28th, 2011 // // Teleny and Camille

Ashley Cook from Giant Fire Breathing Robot has reviewed Jon Macy’s masterpiece Teleny and Camille and gives it high marks:

Overall, this is an excellent adaptation; Macy’s visual interpretation fits the style of the original perfectly. The panels flow like stream of consciousness prose, with surreal pictoral representations of a love that words cannot adequately express. If one of Oscar Wilde’s ilk had been a visual artist, we might perhaps have been treated to something like Jon Macy’s vision. As it is, there is no doubt that this beautiful, sumptuous work is clearly an accomplished adaptation as well as a masterpiece of erotic fiction in its own right.

Check out the entire review of Teleny and Camille on gfbrobot.com!