Jim Lee draws Batman on the iPad

How can you not love this man?  Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, Joker, etc. all on the iPad  for our viewing pleasure.  Well now Jim has provided us with a wonderful drawing of Batman, the iPad edition.

Here is what Jim Lee tweeted,

"This is a very sped up clip of me messing around on my iPad. Original video was 20 mins in length; it usually takes me about 60-80 mins to get one of these pieces done using @sketchbookpro. I prefer using my finger to a stylus of any sort--makes it more fun. I honestly have to say this piece was not going in the direction I wanted so I stopped and got back to real work : ) but you get a general sense of how I layer on colors and work positive and negative shapes back and forth to get edges...like in painting."

Jim Lee Admits That He Has Trouble Drawing Superman

Jim Lee and DC Comics have a new book coming out entitled the ICONS: The DC Comics and Wildstorm art of Jim Lee.  It looks like one heck of a cool book, and you should go buy it HERE. 

As part of the promotion surrounding the new book, Jim Lee is being asked all of the typical questions that you would suspect.  But he certainly surprised us with his answer to the question of which character he has had trouble drawing by answering Superman. 

LEE:  Superman is the hardest character to draw. There are a couple of things that make him difficult. He’s got a very simple costume, and doesn’t have the long cape like Batman. He’s not a character that is necessarily always in shadow, and he doesn’t have a mask. He has to be Superman. He has to be the most grand, the most idealized form at all times, so he has to look powerful, but he can’t look bloated. His face has to look noble and handsome and rugged. It’s a war of subtleties. Every little change on that character makes a big difference in how he finally looks.


I think that I erase that character more than I draw that character, to be honest. He’s a character that doesn’t have the gloves, and doesn’t have the big boots, so you're really drawing sort of an idealized human form with a very simple costume. He’s got to be in a pose that suggests nobility. It's got to be a pose that suggests his idealized form, and it's tricky to do. Batman hunches over. He’s crouched and he’s in the shadows, so he’s in slightly more dynamic poses. Superman tends to stand very upright and he’s very symmetrical, and those are actually the most difficult poses for me to draw.

Jim Lee's Superman drawing are nothing short of iconic, so it is a little more than surprising to hear him suggest that he struggles with him.  You certainly wouldn't have guessed that based on the final product. 

Getting a peek inside the mind of the greatest artist in comics today is always fascinating.  To see more of his interview with MTV, click HERE. 

DC Universe Online Character Creator Trailer is Simply Spectacular

Why DC and Sony do this to us is beyond me?  For the last few months they have plowed us with pictures and videos of this gorgeous game, but yet rip our heart out by delaying the release until 2011.  Today, they pull the most malicious move to date by releasing one of the best trailers for the game to date.  Enjoy the trailer for the character creator portion of DC Universe Online. Brainac, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, it doesn't get any better than this.  Enjoy! (via: Superhero Hype)

Jim Lee & Brian Azzarello Launch BATMAN: EUROPA Miniseries in 2011

Normally, I am the first to jump on the "too many batman title" bandwagon, but I am going to make an exception for this little miniseries.  The reasons why?  It's a miniseries and Jim Lee, Brian Azzarello, and many other top-notch writers and artists are involved on the project.   

From DC's The Source:

Coming in January BATMAN: EUROPA, a four-issue mini-series written to gritty perfection by FIRST WAVE’s Brian Azzarello and Matteo Casali with an all-star cast of artists, including Giuseppe Camuncoli (who is handling layouts for the entire series!), Diego Latorre and Jock. With a first issue painted over Cammo’s layouts by none other than superstar artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee, who as you know, is no stranger to Batman. And if it involves Jim, you can guarantee it’s a major Batman tale.

In the pages of BATMAN: EUROPA, the impossible has happened – the Batman is on the brink of defeat, at the hands of a virus with no cure. Surely there’s someone that can help him? Well, there is – the Joker. Who infected Batman with the virus? What does the Joker have to do to save him? And how can it all happen before the Dark Knight collapses? Together, the unlikely teammates and arch-foes travel through Europe cobbling together clues while the clock ticks down.

Here is the first cover from the series, by Jim Lee, and it is beautiful.  I cannot wait to read this tale. 

DC Universe Online Director’s Cut Video With Jim Lee & Tim Miller

Jim Lee sits down with Tim Miller of Blur Studio, the company who created the awesome DC Universe Online trailer that debuted at the San Diego Comic Con.  This is a rather long video but very interesting tidbits about the game, characters, story, etc.

DC Ends WildStorm Comics, Kills ZUDA & Pledges Enhanced Digital Publishing

Today has been a very busy day for DC comics and Warner Brothers. As reportedly earlier, DC Entertainment will move it's offices from New York to Burbank, California. Now, DC is reporting that the WildStorm Comics will end in December 2010 and Zuda Comics will cease to exist.

WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999. The WildStorm imprint remains editorially separate from its DC parent, with its main studio located on the West Coast. The imprint takes its name from the combining the titles of the Jim Lee comic series WildC.A.T.S. and Stormwatch.

"After taking the comics scene by storm nearly 20 years ago, the WildStorm Universe titles will end this December. In this soft marketplace, these characters need a break to regroup and redefine what made them once unique and cutting edge. While these will be the final issues published under the WildStorm imprint, it will not be the last we will see of many of these heroes. We, along with Geoff Johns, have a lot of exciting plans for these amazing characters, so stay tuned. Going forward, WildStorm’s licensed titles and kids comics will now be published under the DC banner."

 

Zuda Comics was DC Comics' webcomics imprint from 2007 until 2010. It featured comics for Flash player instead of in a web page. Announced in a press release on July 9, 2007 and the first ongoing series and competing comic entries went live October 30, 2007. Zuda comics series have won awards and nominations from comic industry's Glyph Comics Awards and Harvey Awards. Bayou, Volume 1 was also named one of the 2010 Great Graphic Novels for Teens by the American Library Association.

"After this week, we will cease to publish new material under the ZUDA banner. The material that was to have been published as part of ZUDA this year will now be published under the DC banner. The official closing of ZUDA ends one chapter of DC’s digital history, but we will continue to find new ways to innovate with digital, incorporating much of the experience and knowledge that ZUDA brought into DC. "

"We could not be more excited by the successful launch of our Digital Publishing products in June, which exceeded all sales forecasts and will be building on our early success with new applications for DC material on all major formats and hardware, partnering with Warner Bros Digital Distribution"

It's been a very busy day in DC Comic and Warner Brothers land.  What do you think of all these moves and decisions that were announced today?  Do you think it poised DC and Warner Brothers to continue to be a dominate player in the entertainment industry?  Can DC keep-up with Marvel or even surpass them?  Let us know!

Zuda Image via Rich Lovatt

DC Comics/Entertainment Moving to West Coast

Holy Sh*t Batman!  DC Comics is moving to the West Coast... Some of it, at any rate. The publisher is moving a significant portion of its staff to Burbank, California (home of Warner Bros. Entertainment) while keeping its core comics publishing unit in New York.

From an announcement released this morning, DC will "relocate its business functions related to and supporting multi-media and digital content production." That is later clarified to encompass all of DC Entertainment's work in film, television, videogames, digital media, consumer products as well as administrative functions. The move is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

"These organizational changes reinforce the strengths of DC's greatest legacies – most importantly its people and its creative talent – and offer greater opportunity for maximum growth, success and efficiency in the future," said Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment (DCE). "Our two offices will stretch and build their respective areas of focus, while prioritizing and aggressively striving to connect and cooperate more strongly than ever before between them and with their colleagues at Warner Bros." 

I know this is not a BIG surprise it has been rumored to happen since the formation of the DCE entity last year.   Diane Nelson, DCE Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee and DCE Executive VP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development John Rood are all based out West, so some shift to California seem likely.

I like this move and hope it boosters (gold) DC's entertainment arm.  We will hopefully continue to see more DC character movies, animation, video games and other entertainment projects in future. 

Lastly, the farther away any portion od DC can get from Dan Didio the better. 

What do you think?

Batman image courtesy of Jerahu

Jim Lee's Designs Yet Another Wonder Woman Costume

Now THIS is the Jim Lee we all know and love.  Let's all just forget about the recent Wonder Woman in pants design he rolled out.  Everyone has a bad day now and then.

But here we see Jim Lee's designs for Wonder Woman in the upcomming DC Universe Online game coming this fall.  This is classic Wonder Woman, and classic Jim Lee. 

DC Releases huge BRIGHTEST DAY Cover Montage. Can You Spot the Hints?

In an effort to pump some life into an otherwise boring and incoherent story DC unveiled this beautiful BRIGHTEST DAY cover montage featuring all the key players in this "saga."  The covers fit together into this massive piece of art that teases what may come out of this story.  Click the image above to see it in all it's glory.

I could care less about the events that may or may not unfold in this series since to date it has been painfully underwhelming, but the art of this HUGE cover montage is wonderful.  This colossal spread features figures by the very talented Ryan Sook, with additional artistry from Fernando Pasarin and Joel Gomez (and a guiding hand from Co-Publisher Jim Lee, natch)

DC's the Source teases, "what does it all mean? Too early to tell, but all the more reason to spend a few more minutes enlarging the image below."  Do you care?

New DCU Online Trailer Demonstrates the Beauty of Custom Storylines

Everyday, I wake up and count the days until the new DCU online game will be released.  We've had discussions, teasers, pictures, videos, etc. and I cannot take it anymore.  I want this game.  No, I need this game.  You can sing the praises of all the other massive online games that are currently available or will be available soon, but none of them will hold a candle Jim Lee's baby.

The new trailer shows off brand new in-game footage demonstrating how every player can immerse themselves in a custom storyline defined by their character choice and decisions made within the game. A few armored villain characters are depicted clashing with members of the JLA (with pretty impressive force) in and around sprawling locations rooted in DC lore, while opposing heroic characters seem to aid champions like Wonder Woman in their respective fights against injustice.


Source Comics Alliance

First Trailer for SECRET ORIGIN: THE STORY OF DC COMICS

On November 9, Warner Home Video will be releasing a very cool documentary called Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics and it’s going to be narrated by Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern). As the press release says:

Warner Bros. Pictures presents an enthralling examination of the creative forces behind the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics, an all-new documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes of the iconic company with unprecedented access to the Warner Bros. and DC Comics archives. Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics will be distributed by Warner Home Video on November 9, 2010 on DVD for $24.98 (SRP). Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics will also be available On Demand and for Download.

Behind the amazing tales of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of other well-known characters is the equally impressive story of the challenges, creativity and triumphs of the company that brought those characters to life. Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is both a celebration of the best writers and artists in comics and a thoughtful exploration of 75 years of DC Comics history.

Produced by the Academy Award ® -nominated team behind Spellbound (Feature Documentary), Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics combines excerpts from comics, films and television series with the insight of some of history’s most influential comic book creators and editors, among them Neal Adams, Karen Berger, Mike Carlin, Dan DiDio, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Paul Levitz, Dwayne McDuffie, Grant Morrison, Dennis O’Neil, Paul Pope, Louise Simonson, Mark Waid, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman.

Source: Collider & DC

One Sharpie to Rule the Comic/Animated World

If you're Jim Lee, Frank Quietly, Ivan Reis, David Finch, Robert Kirkman, Alex Ross, Doug Mahnke, Tony Daniels, I could go on and on, what's better than drawing and sketching with a Sharpie?  Drawing and Sketching with a Stainless Steel Sharpie.

This fine-tipped permanent marker features a stainless steel barrel with a laser-etched Sharpie logo, a replaceable ink cartridge, and a matching cap.

Next time you are at a Con or some place where you're fortunate enough to see one of your favorite illustrators or cartoonist, I bet they will be using this classy little beauty.

Like Gollum, if you can't live without this pen, that looks like it may have been born from the fires of of Mt. Dooms, head over to the Sharpie site: Stainless Steel Sharpie ($8) and buy your precious.

Jim Lee's 10 minute iPad Batman Sketch

If you didn't already know that Jim Lee was a talented artist, then you have no real business being on this site.  But this is pretty amazing, even for Jim Lee.  He did this sweet Batman sketch for a reporter at a panel during Comic Con International.  And it only took him 10 minutes!  That is an amazing amount of talent. 

Jim clearly loves his iPad.  If you haven't seen his other ipad sketches, then check out his iPad Catwoman,iPad Joker, iPad Wonder Woman, and the one he did of his wife. 

Dan Didio Needs to Keep His Word and Fire Himself

In January of this year, recently demoted co-publisher of DC Comics Dan Didio took over as writer of The Outsiders series, a team of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League of America. But with half a year behind us, it's hard to categorize his efforts as anything but a failure. Just look at the numbers:


In March 2009, The Outsiders had monthly sales of roughly 28,000 copies, which was a typical sales figure for the title.

In the wake of Batman's apparent death in Final Crisis, a new team of Outsiders was created, and the title was "relaunched" to great success. Sales for the November release jumped to roughly 51,000.

Fast forward to June 2010, and Dan Didio's version of the book saw sales of a mere 18,000 copies.

So Didio not only lost every single one of the new readers who jumped on board for the post Final Crisis reboot, he's almost lost half of the traditional fan base as well, who you used to able to count on to pick up the title month in and month out.

When Didio was doing his press tour in November regarding his taking over of The Outsiders title he said "If I felt that the book was not achieving, I would not be on that book. As simple as that. I'd cancel myself."

Since it seems that once again, Dan Didio has lied to the loyal fans of the DC Universe. The only question left is will it be Jim Lee or Geoff Johns who has to go in and tell him he's fired.

What Wonder Woman's New Costume Should Look Like

The whole world seems to have an opinion on Wonder Woman's new costume redesign which debuted in Wonder Woman #600.  Most people's opinion is that it sucks.  Gfest happens to agree. 

But on a positive note it lead our friends at Worth1000 to hold a contest to allow their graphic designer followers to redesign the costume the way they wished it would look. 

Our favorites are here, but if you want to check out the rest of the entries, you can see them HERE. 

Jim Lee's X-MEN Toilet

We at Gfest love comic book art in all forms. That goes double when you're talking about the art of Jim Lee. ONe of the fine members of eBay shares our love and has decorated a toilet of all things with art from Jim Lee's X-Men #1.  Surprisingly, the results were pretty awesome.


X-Men #1 (1991) is the number one selling comic book of all time, selling over 7 MILLION copies. It was released with 4 variant covers and a "deluxe" edition with a gatefold cover and glossy pages.  One of each of the variants along with a deluxe, gave their lives to decorate this '70s era Standard American toilet.

The issues were deconstructed, panel by panel, cover by cover using scissors and X-Acto blades. Hundreds of separate images were glued to every square inch (other than water holes) of the bowl, tank, seat, and lids.
Bidding starts at only $400! 

DC Comics Announces Comic Con Panels

DC Entertainment has announced its complete schedule for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con.  There’s a lot to take in but well worth it.

THURSDAY, JULY 22

10:15-11:15 DC Writers
With Winick, O’Neill, JMS, Simone; hosted by James Robinson. Room 6DE

11:30-12:30 DC NATION Convention Kickoff!

The DC NATION invades San Diego — and you’re invited along for the ride! Come celebrate the start of what promises to be an unforgettable convention experience! Your hosts, DC Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, get the party started here! The NATION welcomes all. Room 6DE

12:30-1:30 Batman: The Widening Gyre
As Bat-fans know, Batman: The Widening Gyre revealed a previously untold period in Batman’s life. Join DC Group Editor Michael Marts, series artist Walt Flanagan (Batman: The Widening Gyre) and inker Art Thibert (Batman: The Widening Gyre) as they reveal secrets behind the highly anticipated conclusion. Room 4

2:00-3:00 DC Focus: Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns’ storytelling and creativity fueled event blockblusters Blackest Night, the new Brightest Day and the character rebirths of Green Lantern and The Flash. As the new Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment, you can expect Geoff to deliver even more thrills and excitement as his focus shifts to bringing the DCU to life outside of the comics starting with the Green Lantern film and many other surprises! Don’t miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, Group Editor, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in comics. Room 6DE

FRIDAY, JULY 23

12:30-1:30 DC Focus: Grant Morrison
The mastermind behind best-selling hits such as Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Joe the Barbarian, Final Crisis, Arkham Asylum, All-Star Superman and many more invite you to this rare sit-down. You won’t want to miss this candid chat about projects past, present and future, with glimpses into what goes on in the mind of Grant Morrison as he crafts some of the world’s most thought-provoking comics! Hosted by Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler. Room 6DE

1:45-2:45 Batman: The Return
As the Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne rages on, follow the Bat-Signal to this panel and uncover clues about the future of the Dark Knight from some of the A-list talent behind the publishing line. If you think you know where this story’s headed – THINK AGAIN! Hear it here from Group Editor Mike Marts, David Finch (Batman), Grant Morrison (Batman & Robin), Dustin Nguyen (Batman: Streets of Gotham) and others! Room 6DE

3:00-4:00 Superman: Man of Tomorrow
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s The Man of Steel - and he’s back on Earth and primed to take 2010 by storm! Don’t miss members of the exciting new Superman creative teams as they discuss their plans for Superman, Lex Luthor, Superboy, Supergirl and more led by DC Group Editor Matt Idelson with Paul Cornell (Action Comics), Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Jeff Lemire (Superboy), J. Michael Strazcynski (Superman: Earth One, Superman) and more! Room 6DE

4:15-5:15 DC NATION Special Edition
It’s the DC Nation State of the Union address as DC Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee join forces to give fans all the info they can handle! With those two leading the NATION, expect the unexpected! The NATION welcomes all! Room 6DE

6:30-7:30 Artist’s Choice: Drawing Batman
Superstar Batman artists share the secrets of drawing the Dark Knight with a special projector designed so you can see their every stroke. Check out this unique presentation that will surely blow your mind! Room 30CDE

SATURDAY, JULY 24

12:30-1:45 DC Universe: Event Horizon
Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor, and your favorite writers and artists are here for the main event: The DC Universe! What lies ahead for your favorite heroes and series? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6A

2:00-3:00 Green Lantern: Emerald Empire
No evil shall escape this panel’s sight as the top creative teams on the Green Lantern books drop hints on upcoming stories and take on your questions! Led by Group Editor Eddie Berganza with Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, The Flash), Tony Bedard (Green Lantern Corps), Joe Prado (Brightest Day) and Ivan Reis (Brightest Day). Room 6A

SUNDAY, JULY 25

11:00-12:00 DC Kids: Aww Yeah!
Don’t miss your chance to chat with Mike Norton, Art Baltazar and Franco, the creative team behind Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam and the best kid-friendly comic on the market, Tiny Titans! DC Co-Publisher Dan DiDio hosts what is sure to be entertaining discussion for the whole family! Room 4

2:00-3:00 DC Focus: Premiere Teams
DC Comics knows a thing or two about teams. From the company that brought you the first team in comics’ history (Justice Society of America) don’t miss this panel on the DCU’s top teams roaming Earth (JLA, JSA, Secret Six, Titans), the farthest reaches of space (R.E.B.E.L.S.) and even across time (Legion of Super-Heroes)! Senior Group Editor Mike Carlin is joined by Tony Bedard (R.E.B.E.L.S.), Marc Guggenheim (Flash), JT Krul (Teen Titans), Paul Levitz (Legion of Super-Heroes), James Robinson (Justice League of America), Matthew Sturges (JSA All-Stars) and others for this collaborative panel! Room 6A

3:00-4:00 DC Town Hall Meeting
All are welcome to join DC Co-Publishers Dan DiDio & Jim Lee for a relaxed Sunday afternoon discussion. Share your thoughts on what you love about comics now and what you hope to see in the future! Room25ABC

via The Source

JLA - Crisis on Infinite Runways

Shyeah! has put together a great comic strip that plays off DC's latest "big" announcement the redesign of wonder woman's costume.  The costume redesign by Jim Lee has not been well received by the comic book nation. Although, Gfest thinks Hal Jordan's new costume will be a big hit.