By Jimmy Palmiotti

Its been a relatively quiet week and I was thinking I wouldn’t have much to write about and for the most part I was right, except this morning something happened that… well… was not a everyday thing to say the least.

For the past three days some giant Everglade-type bird has been sitting in one of my Florida home’s trees and it was acting the part of a rooster. As the sun came up each morning, this thing would screech on and off for the next few hours like someone got its nuts in a vice and was trying to extract information. Each morning it has done this and I was dealing with it like any Brooklyn boy would do… I would open up my window and yell at it to shut the hell up. Well, my neighbors found that very funny at least.

So, this morning, the bird is doing his usual “sun up” song and I go to close the windows thinking I might be able to reduce the shriek a tiny bit. I slid back into bed when suddenly I hear a loud thump on the roof of my home. At first, I thought it might be another drunk bird that had their flight path fatally interrupted by the location of my house, but this time it sounded a little bigger in density and I figured I would take a look and see if I could spot what was causing the disturbance.

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By Jimmy Palmiotti

First thing first…I want to talk about the JONAH HEX film.  I do know something about the behind the scenes of it all because, as I mentioned before, one of the producers, Andy Lazar, is actually an old friend of mine. Because of this, I actually get information on a regular basis that is filled with facts. First thing I want to clear up is this quote from the Hollywood Reporter.

“[Megan] Fox is in final negotiations to star opposite Josh Brolin and John Malkovich in ‘Jonah Hex,’ Warner Bros.’ action Western based on the DC Comics character. She also is attached to star and develop ‘Fathom,’ Fox Atomic’s comic book-based underwater adventure.

In “Hex,” being directed by Jimmy Hayward, Fox will play Leila, a gun-wielding beauty and love interest of Hex (Brolin), a scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner (Malkovich) who wants to raise an army of undead to liberate the South.”

OK, first thing we all know is that the cool dudes at Aspen Comics publish FATHOM , not Fox Atomic. And yes, we do know that Fox is going to make the film. Minor thing. Second, what I do know for sure is the casting of MEGAN FOX. This is true, she will be in the Hex movie and that along with the addition of John Malkovich playing Turnbull, well, it’s a pretty awesome thing. I can’t say enough how happy I am with the choices being made on this feature. So far, from producers to actors and now director, Justin and I couldn’t be happier. I think this will be a film we get to see Megan really break out as an actress.

What isn’t true and will probably make the fans of the character lose their lunch is the “voodoo practitioner raising an army of the undead” part. Not true on any level, so stop worrying. Really… you can all relax now.

AGAIN… there is no voodoo dude raising the dead to liberate the South kind of silliness going on at all in this film. I really wanted to clear this up because I spent the last few days at MegaCon being asked a million questions about the Hex movie and throwing this out in my column is a lot easier than losing my voice.

Anyway, stay tuned for more developments on the Hex front and go out today and pick up the second part of the Sawbones storyline illustrated beautifully by David Michael Beck.

MEGACON: The whole weekend was a blast. The show itself was packed each day, a good sign, and I got to hang out and meet a lot of awesome fans, so overall, it really was a big success. What was really nice was that Dan DiDio came to the show and I got to host a few panels with him. Anyone that has never been at these panels is truly missing a really insane time. Dan not only is a hyperactive host, but also regularly jumps off the stage and gets involved with the fans. I haven’t seen that kind of energy in a long time. It was also cool that the MegaCon people asked me to host the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA panel. I have to admit I was a little nervous at first, but the packed room and fantastic actors soon melted away any fears. I am a fan of the show, both the old and the new, so I kind of geeked out a bit doing this, and in doing so took a crappy photo with some of them on my iPhone…and yes, Dirk Benedict is the guy behind my head in the picture.

I GOT A COLD: Seriously, is there anyone you know this past few weeks that hasn’t gotten one cold or another? Everyone I talk to from Spain to California is complaining about the same runny nose/chest congestion/deep cough thing. If this is the lead in to the end of the world, someone please let me know so I can take all my money and go to hedonism in Jamaica for a month. I want to go out with a bang.

PAINKILLER JANE IN GERMANY: I want to publicly thank Veronika Weiss at NBC/Universal in Deutschland for actually sending me a promo poster for the show that just started airing there last week. It is the only printed piece of art I have from the show, which has, to date, had a complete run in over a hundred markets… Pretty amazing if you think about it… Pretty sad if you think about the fact that we didn’t get a dime from any of that. Don’t worry; my lawyers are looking into it.

BACK TO BROOKLYN: Issue 4 is out this week and it features a scene that I think will leave a lasting impression on you. Its loosely based on something that happened to my mom a few years back. At the time, she was in a rehab hospital because of her walking and at the time she was 79 years old. When there, they would keep a patient in a wheelchair at all times for safety reasons and only let them walk when it was time for their therapy a few times a day. One nice sunny day, my mom who was also taking a lot of medication at the time, decided it would be a nice day to wheel herself out of the hospital and get some fresh air. Usually not a problem if you can get past the front desk and security, which was only possible when someone came for you. Well, somehow she managed to get out… go past the front of the building and on to the sidewalk. Let me take a second and set this part up. The hospital is on top of a hill that pretty much faces a 4-lane street and then the Atlantic Ocean across that street.

As you can imagine, she started giving into gravity and rolling down the hill…and fast. My mom’s life would have been cut short except for the kindness of a stranger driving by. He stopped his car, ran out and caught the speeding wheelchair before it hit the busy street and water. He then took her back to the hospital and wheeled her in and yelled at everyone. I got a phone call from the hospital that made no sense to me except for the part that “she is all right.” Well, once I got the full story, everyone got a good yell and really, at that point, my mom was safe.

Back to the comic. In issue 4 of back to Brooklyn, there is a scene with the main character, his mother in a wheelchair and a strip of highway in Brooklyn we call the Belt Parkway. It’s probably the sickest scene Garth and I came up with for the series and I wanted you all to know the inspiration so you understand the book better. That said, unlike the main character Bob, I love my mother like no other son has. Give it a shot. Attached is a special preview of issue 4 for those late to the game.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This preview is intended for mature audiences… more after the cut…

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By Jimmy Palmiotti

Just got back from the New York Comic Con [took some days off after] and had a blast. Want to say thanks to everyone that came by and said they read the blog and especially to the awesome fans at the show that made it all interesting for me. Did a few panels, a few hundred interviews and got to enjoy some decent warm weather while there, unlike the usual February weather that I am used to in N.Y.C.

Coming back to Florida was a mixed bag for me because I love seeing all my friends when in N.Y, but at the same time I couldn’t wait to get back to Florida and dig in to my work, especially since a lot of my projects are all hitting deadlines this week. Yes editors, I know you are reading this.

On with the headlines…

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By Jimmy Palmiotti

WARNING!: This week I say some really stupid shit, curse like a sailor and tell you a great way to get laid. If you are under age, print this out and read it with a flashlight under your covers.

This week sees Amanda Conner and I off to the New York Comic Con. We are excited as hell to see all of you there at the show. Got to be honest, the weather there is total shit… snow Thursday and staying below 30. Oh joy. Why in God’s name would anyone put a friggin’ con in February is beyond me, but we will be there nonetheless. Got a party Thursday night for the Heroes’ Initiative at Dave & Busters in Times Square from 5:30-7:30 .  It’s open to all attendees of the con and me, Joe Quesada, Amanda Conner and some other people I don’t care about will be there begging you to buy them a drink. It’s for a great cause and you should show if you are in the city. Really… its gonna be fun.

Now, about the con…what I think will be the hottest item at the con is the…

BACK TO BROOKLYN T-SHIRTS. Yes, I know it won’t be, but take a look at it! How cool is that and it says “Brooklyn” on it and in really small type it says Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. That has to mean something… right? I think wearing this shirt just about anywhere will automatically get you laid… and that goes for the ladies as well. Gals, put this shirt on and walk up to just about any guy and ask them to take you home and ride you like a circus horse. I bet more than 50% of the time you will score. Guys, I am betting about 4% for you… but honestly, those odds are better than most. Odds increase for men if they are also wearing a Ferrari and a three-piece suit. And yes, that’s Amanda giving everyone the big hello wearing one of these beauties. Anyway, its available for $17.95 at the GRAPHITTI booth at the con this week in New York…or order toll free at 1-800-699-0115.

http://www.graphittidesigns.com/

ME, ME, ME: learn more about me and what I really think. Great little interview here.

CONTESTS…YOU LIKE THEM: A buddy of mine put together a trivia contest of sorts where you can win a boatload of crap. It’s trivia about me and Justin Gray and its on our Paperfilms site. Come play or just check out the boards. They are a lot like this blog and we hit it all the time. Say hi to Patrick for us as well… and register, it will get you to all the boards that also feature people like J.G. Jones, Frank Tieri and Chris Gage to name a few.

PIZZA HUT COMMERCIALS: First, fuck you Pizza Hut. No one should be eating this crap if there is an actual pizzeria near your home… second, has anyone seen the uber-insulting commercials where they “go to Italy” and feed “real” Italians their new lasagna? Oh my God, it trumps the Olive Garden “we are bringing Uncle Don from the old country to taste real Italian food at the Olive Garden” commercials, and that’s not easy! To think that made-by-machine-layered-death would fool any Italian in Italy into thinking a top chef made it is an insult to all Italians, all cooks and especially to me because they run those pathetic commercials during prime time all week. Giving your Uncle Don from Italy that crap to eat will automatically get your name removed from the will instantly. The only thing that’s worse is Domino’s and their two cardboard pies for 10 bucks deals, but these commercials have put them in the same category. Hell, since when do we need a loaf of sticky cinnamon sticks with our pizza? They really are trying to kill everyone. That shit is toxic.

Darwyn Cooke makes fun of me for rating every pizza place here in Florida by comparing it to Spumoni Gardens or John’s back in NY, but I realize that I have been spoiled my entire life and it was not till I left the motherland of Brooklyn did I realize how badly the rest of he world had it. The only chain that seems to be trying these days is Carrabba’s Italian Grill. Order the specials when you go there to get the better dishes. So yeah… fuck you Pizza Hut and screw you Domino’s, you both need to focus on the only people buying your crap… college students and lazy people.

THEY BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH: I said last week that I would love to see a 3D porno movie and leave it to the Japanese to read my blog and run with the idea. I predict one messy theatre.

MOVIES: Saw THE WRESTLER and loved it. Always liked Mickey and still do. Less said about it the better, but there was a scene that Amanda and I were both totally frightened by. Not the deli one, but the scene where the older wrestlers did the comic convention thing and signed autographs. Amanda turned to me and asked “will that be us one day” and I told her never… because I would drive my car off a cliff before I let that happen. Also have to give kudos to Marisa Tomei for being 44 and looking as good as she does, naked and all. She is a fantastic actress in my eyes and a fellow Brooklynite and it’s funny that I know someone that used to be her “handler” and another guy whose brother used to date her. Small world.

Also saw the third UNDERWORLD film and I got to say, not my cup of tea. Some decent effects and a good scene here and there but overall, it was weak.  By the numbers story about people I didn’t care about. Biggest problem I had was I just didn’t find anything appealing about the story overall. Maybe the problem was that I didn’t see the second one… so maybe someone can fill me in on that. The three leads tried hard, but the script gave them no love or joy or any sense of being more than a cardboard cut out of hate and anger. In the future, I will suggest that people writing characters take a good look at the people they admire and try to use some of their traits… you will always find a sense of humor, used even in the slightest fashion, will make your characters something the audience can invest time in. I hate having to be negative about anything where a cool guy like Kevin Grevioux is involved, but I noticed he didn’t write the story. Even worse, his character was so cool in the flick but wasn’t able to do much but get orders barked at him by the main character. Another pet peeve of mine is swords that can cut through werewolves and bones like a hot butter knife. Because of stuff like this, the whole movie plays like a violent Saturday morning cartoon. Anyone else see this? Let me know what you thought… I’m interested.

PAYBACK on Blu-Ray is a reworking of the original Mel Gibson movie re-cut and mastered by its director Brian Helgeland. Based on the Donald Westlake novel, the original version that made it to theatres with a softer, kinder cut of the movie. This version does away with that and is much more true to the book. I enjoyed both to tell you the truth, but die-hard fans will want to check this disc out. Got a ton of extras as well as a cool interview with Westlake before he passed away last month. P.S.: Lucy Liu never looked better.

QUICK PICKS: I AM LEGION, published by Devil’s Due and DARK IVORY, by Image. These are the only books that got my money this week.

FINAL PLUG: Out now is Jonah Hex #40 and Back to Brooklyn #3. Take a look and support my madness.

JIMMY P

Hey folks, this week will be a shorter than usual post because I have a number of jobs I am working on and have a guest at my house that gets my undivided attention before anything. Anyway, here we go…

MARK WAID: I think by now people know I am a huge fan of Mark Waid… the man and the author. At a time I totally lacked any confidence to start writing, mark was always around with advice, encouragement and compliments as well… something other writers tend not to do very much, especially since a lot of other writers looked at me as only an inker or someone that was connected with a lot of players and would just figure I got my work by schmoozing or blackmail. Mark was around when I would pitch a few books a week looking for work.

The funny and cool think about Mark is that one conversation with him about character development will make you a better writer instantly and one of the greatest things I have to look forward to, as a fan, for 2009 is the amount of new characters that Mark will be writing at Boom Studios where he also happens to be the Editor-in-Chief. On the Boom site, they have set up a special section of message boards for Mark and I have to tell you… get in there and have some fun and ask him questions and such, because this is a rare opportunity. When you go there you will notice a few other creators stopping by and throwing their weight around as well, so don’t delay… click on the link and tell them I sent you. Hopefully one day when they do a necessary book on Mark’s career, I will be allowed to contribute to the introduction. Until then, verbally volley with the man at: http://markwaid.boom-studios.net/ (more…)

By Jimmy Palmiotti
Been a busy week here working on my full time job and haven’t had a lot of time to run around and be crazy and gather crap for the blog, but I am going to give it my best.

A FEW FILMS:

SLUMDOG MILLIONARE earned their Golden Globes the hard way, by being one of the best movies of the year. Loved it and the energy on screen. Truly wonderful and made for all audiences. It’s a shame its rated R.

Saw REVOLUTIONARY ROAD as well this week and had a really hard time dealing with all the self –pitying of the two characters, and call it bad timing as well when people are losing their jobs and homes, we have to watch a movie about a couple that has both and still can’t act like grown-ups.  The screenplay was, I thought, weak in that it never fully introduced these two people as a family since the kids were really never in more than two quick scenes and the interaction was nil. The biggest problem I had was that I just didn’t get the feeling these two people really loved each other. That alone made it hard to follow them till the end.

Also checked out GRAN TORINO. It’s no secret I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood and this film once again proves how talented this man is. I thought it was funny and sweet and had some really great life lessons. It was a win-win for me.

Last, caught THE UNBORN, which was wonderful fun for the most part till the last 20 minutes when I figured out that they didn’t have all the details worked out where the film was going. It felt like a wish list of a lot of cool things and scenes and then they figured out a way to string them all together… except the end. I was hoping for a bit more from David Goyer since I am a fan and hoping for an R-rated horror show as well.  Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining and fun, but I think next time he should hit me up and let me look over the script. I think I can help… lol.

CONVENTION TIME:

Yeah, New York and Megacon are coming in a few weeks, and how we prepare around here is Amanda starts working till 4am every day to make up for the lost time and money the cons cost us and I just try to make her life easier by booking flights and hotels. We both love the cons for the same reasons… we get to meet and talk to the fans. Sometimes we make some cash selling prints, but usually it just about covers our expenses. Not a problem with Megacon really since they are taking good care of us. The N.Y. con this year was cool enough to give us a table and admission, but since we are not special guests, coming from Florida and staying near in a hotel, its going to cost us a bit to break even this year. This is true for most of the people in Artists’ Alley folks… remember, only a few people actually walk away with a profit and especially the case with the lesser-known pros and the people introducing their creator-owned books. As a rule I try to support them whenever possible.

BLAIR BUTLER:

For those of you that watch G4, you already know why I consider Blair one of the coolest people inside and outside of comics. Enough cant be said about her, so give her a watch here.

Thanks again for the props, Blair.

VOTE:

Go to the CBG Fan Awards page and vote. Vote for your favorites and while I am here with you, don’t forget everyone’s favorite scarred western star. I know it’s a shameless plug, but think of it as a reminder while all you are thinking about are men in tights. Jonah Hex would shoot them all given the chance.

PLUG FOR A GOOD CAUSE:

The Hero Initiative has announced that annual memberships for the organization are now available for purchase. There are four levels of membership: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Excelsior!

A Bronze membership costs $29 and includes: a personalized membership card, a quarterly newsletter, and a Hero Initiative sketch card from a randomly selected artist.

A Silver membership costs $99 and includes: all of the Bronze perks, plus a Hero Initiative T-shirt (your choice of Dawn or Hero Hand), a copy of the Marvel Then and Now DVD, and a copy of The Unusual Suspects graphic novel.

A Gold membership costs $250 and includes: all of the Silver perks, plus invitations to Hero Initiative VIP Members-Only parties at 2009’s Wizard World Los Angeles and Wizard World Chicago.

An Excelsior! membership costs $500 and includes: all of the Gold perks, plus your flat item (maximum size 11” x 17”), signed and personalized by the one and only Stan Lee.

To become a member of The Hero Initiative, fans can click here or sign up on-site at The Hero Initiative booth at the following upcoming comic book conventions: Phoenix Cactus Comic-Con, Jan. 23-25; New York Comic Con, Feb. 6-8; WonderCon, Feb. 27 - March 1; Orlando MegaCon, Feb. 27 - March 1; and Wizard World Los Angeles, March 13-15.

SETH KUSHNER AND CHRISTOPHER IRVING:

I thank God Amanda thinks I am attractive, but honestly I don’t feel like a prince away from her, but I got to hand it to a photographer friend of mine named Seth Kushner. Check out his work and the cool photos he has taken of a lot of the N.Y. area creators. The man is brilliant at his craft and a super nice guy. Seth has a skill that I think people seem to take for granted these days and it’s on display on his NYC GRAPHIC blog site.

Go take a look here.

See Paul Pope taking it easy at a burlesque show, marvel at Howard Chaykin’s stern expression… and enjoy a well-written blog by Christopher Irving.

THE GOLDEN GLOBES:

I watched them and it was OK. a lot of the usual B.S. and ass-kissing like all award shows and that’s cool as well. Glad Slumdog, Mickey Rourke, and a few others won, as well as Kate Winslet for THE READER. The thing that really got my attention was Salma Hayek.

I actually met Mickey for a minute in a club in New York in the early nineties and he was pretty cool. He was decked out all in white and so was his lady. I was a huge fan of his YEAR OF THE DRAGON, ANGEL HEART, POPE OF GREENICH VILLAGE, and NINE AND A HALF WEEKS.  Something stuck in my brain about Year of the Dragon back then… the movie focused on a guy that everyone hated and I found it left a lasting impression on me. Anyway, back to Salma… Amanda and I actually had the pleasure of meeting her years ago on Kevin Smith’s set while he was filming DOGMA in Jersey. We took some photos with her and hung around the set and we did what you usually do around Kevin… listen to him talk. Anyway, she was super cool and beautiful and I wanted to post a picture of her NOT from the Golden Globes because we all have seen that this week. I found this photo online and figured I would share.

LINKS OF THE WEEK:

Well, the first is to another comic site… and it features a review of a book I co-write. Still… he makes some good points, lol…

The next link is something you will thank me for. It’s the mother of all links to everything you will ever need. Don’t believe me? Then click here.

At last , an excellent “how to” site for illustrators created by Von. R. Glitschka… check it out. I learned a lot on this and you will too.

That’s it for now folks, more to come next week.

JIMMY P

Welcome to this week’s blog. Lots of random stuff here as expected, so sit back, crack open a cold one, keep a loaded pistol by your side and enjoy. 

JONAH HEX: Pulled this info from a few places today…

“Jimmy Hayward, who directed the animated “Horton Hears a Who!” will make his live-action debut with “Jonah Hex,” the Warner Bros. western based on the DC Comics character. Josh Brolin is attached to star in the film. The character of Hex, known for having the right side of his face disfigured and wearing a Confederate army uniform, was a rough-and-tumble gunslinger and part-time bounty hunter whose adventures always ended in blood. One incarnation of his comic book series saw the Western genre combined with supernatural elements, and it’s this aspect that was featured in Neveldine and Taylor’s script. The studio will likely keep the script, though it’s expected that Hayward will put his stamp on it. “

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By Jimmy Palmiotti

I know, you may hate the name I picked, but honestly, Jacob Becher made a good point in his response last week. His comment:

“I dunno, why not keep it just “Jimmy Palmiotti’s Blog @ Newsarama”?
Your name. Your blog’s web host. Brand recognition.. Nuff said. You’re a household name now. I mean, look at you, I knew the day would come when you’d be picking and choosing what projects to ink. Now you don’t have to ink anything. You always seemed the busiest guy in comics. Why take the focus and attention off yourself and/or Newsarama?”

So it made sense, but I got to say that there were some really fun ones mentioned so I also am going to award a second and third price for my other favorites. Lou Pereira came up with “ Jimmy’s junk” and Stephen Brock came up with “ jimmy’s random crap” an instant classic as well. The post by “BRUCE” came up with the winner though. Simple, has the full name and its easy to translate into several languages. That all said, Bruce, Stephen Brock, Lou Pereira and Jacob Becher, send your mailing address to PALMIO@AOL.COM and I will make sure each of you gets some cool stuff lying around my house that I don’t think anyone will recycle. Thanks for everyone’s posts, even the evil-as-shit ones that called me gay and fruitcake and all that. Hey, I’m the first guy that appreciates funny.

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JIMMY PALMIOTTI: Let me get this out of the way…I need a name for my blog. Palmiotti’s Playhouse sounds too pasta/twisted and Jimmy’s Box, well, Amanda took offense to that. Post your ideas and if I use one, I will load up a box of comics and anything I can find in my house and send it to you. I guarantee it will have some cool crap…and some total head scratches as well…but nothing is more fun than getting a mystery box in the mail…unless you are a politician.

Just got back from a week in Los Angeles that was interesting and funny and as usual, loaded with a lot of quick visits, meetings during meals and strange going on.  I usually take a trip to L.A. around five times a year for one reason or another and this trip was no different.  I always have fun, get to see some old friends and attend at least one movie event and some otherworld party. Amanda tells me I am lucky to have more than five people I like living in that town…she knows more about that place because she was born there. Anyway…

THE PUNISHER WAR ZONE: Saw it with Noah Danby, a great friend of mine I met on the Painkiller show that played Conner King. Noah and I share a very deep love of comics and he is also married to the lovely Kristanna Loken. Anyway, we met up and caught an early show of the Punisher move. Simply put, it was exciting to see the Marvel Knights logo Joe and I were so proud of displayed on the big screen and it went downhill from there. Rather than pick on the movie, which has many flaws, I just want to say that it wasn’t what I was hoping for. Of all the Marvel properties, this one is so deeply grounded in reality, but every time they shoot a new one it gets more and move over the top. Anyone that saw this knows what I am talking about. Long story short, its opening weekend was a disaster, but the character lives on in comics each and every month. At the very least, Noah and I had a good laugh and went for a few beers after to discuss what we would have done.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS: Well, my friend Brandon said it looks too depressing and Amanda didn’t really want to see something so sad and at the end of the day, I NEEDED to see it for a couple of reasons, one being Justin and I are writing something that deals with the exact subject matter, German concentration camps. Anyway, it was worlds above the crap I have seen this week, beautifully done and in the end, heartbreaking as hell. I went by myself and was kind of glad I did. This was a story told about a soldier’s family and how the war and the horrors of it were taking the family apart. Anyway, without giving up too much, it was wonderful and I recommend it if you need to have a good cry.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL: We saw this in IMAX, which means it saddened me twice as much. OK, going in to see this, I thought the screenwriters were going to make a respectable argument to why an alien race shouldn’t wipe us all out and start again. Disappointed again. Didn’t work for me…and no amount of special effects could save it. Sure, there are a few decent scenes here and there, but as a movie, it was a one-time watch. I do recommend that Will Smith’s kid should only take parts where he isn’t annoying as hell. If you saw this, you will understand that comment.

HENSON STUDIOS: While in town I had lunch with two business friends of mine outside on the picnic tables located in the Henson studios. It’s a cool place where each building is a treasure trove of Hollywood history and at the same time working studios where they are filming and doing sound work. Both meetings were not really about work, but catch up lunches where we discussed movies, comics and what I was in town for. Its part of the Hollywood magic, being in places like this.

PHIL NOTO: The man is magic and one of my favorite people on Earth and we got to hang out for a bit in Hollywood and even grabbed some hot dogs at Pink’s after our signing at Golden Apple with Ryan Lebowitz, and my close friends Kim and Phil. Good hot dogs, but Nathan’s in Coney Island is better. Sorry. At least the line was small.

BLAIR BUTLER: Justin and I are big fans of this funny cool gal. If you watch G4, you know who she is already and for those not in the know; she covers comics for the news show and is a staple at any of the bigger cons. Anyway, I stopped in Golden Apple to pick up some books and there she was, shopping away. We got to talking, exchange war stories and really — it’s so nice to talk to someone who really understands the art form we are all so invested in. Yes, she is as cool as she seems on TV.

IN-N-OUT BURGER: While we are talking crap food… best fast food burger in L.A. is the In-N-Out Burger franchise.  I make it my business to go there when I get off the plane and once more before leaving. I wish to God they would sell me a franchise for the East Coast. I just know it would make millions.

CRYPTIC MESSAGE OF THE WEEK: My contract was one page long, you miserable no talent, and thinking you could hide up north, well, not a good idea. It’s bad karma to mess with people, especially flag wavers that supported you during their run, and all the failures you are having lately are a part of that. I look forward to seeing you humbled very soon. And no, this has nothing to do with comics folks. Back to business…

I READ A TRADE: I get a giant DC comp box every month. It’s an amazing gift for us freelancers. So, out of the DC box comes the trade book Northlanders: Book One: Sven the Returned. Great art first off, beautiful colors and clear storytelling…it’s partly why I grabbed this to read. Understand I have no time, so when I do read something to completion, I pick it for a reason. Now, the story: well, I love Brian Wood’s work and there are some really cool things about this book…but I just didn’t like the main character that much. A problem for me, especially since a part of me liked the HAKKAR character much more and well… maybe that what this was about and what Brian was putting forth.  Maybe we weren’t suppose to love the main character so much but understand what he had to get done. That all said, I still recommend this because on many levels because it really captured a time and place very well and again, better than most books out there.

BLU-RAY:  It all looks better in this format. Topless Jamie Lee in Trading Places looks 30% better in Blu-Ray. Deadspace: Downfall looked bloodier and eyes wide shut looked sexier. I picked up the Godfather collection for 44 bucks at Best Buy on sale and man, what a difference from my old copies. I think this format is around to stay. We play laser disc frisbee around here now because of it. The future is amazingly clear.

KATHIE OLIVAS AND BRANDT PETERS:
Once in a while I get an unexpected surprise. I was introduced to this wonderfully talented couple over a gallery /dinner invite from my Jonah Hex colorist Rob Schwager. Those not in the know, Rob is a multi-talented artist and he is one of the “in” crowd people here in Florida who was part of a multi-artist gallery show which featured T-shirt designs. Anyway, he introduced me to his friends Kathie and Brandt at the gallery and we all left for dinner in the town where the show was, St. Pete.  This was no ordinary couple…they’re elegant, charming and I soon learned, super-mega-talented painters and designers. They were kind enough to give me a signed copy of their book MARTYRS AND GHOSTS. Both of these spectacular hipsters are major parts of the “lowbrow” art movement; something I always enjoyed but didn’t realize it had a name. Check out their work here. Brandt’s work is there as well…and they have a show going on in Los Angeles as we speak. Moody, cool and creepy at the same time, their work is the work that has a hundred imitators out there trying to cash in on their creativity. I am the proud owner of a few of Kathie’s limited edition vinyl figures as well.   I was glad I got out of my house that day.

WHY I AM NOT INKING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW:
The simple reasons are two. First, all the ink jobs I have been offered in the past six months are inking over artists I can either illustrate better than or I simply have no desire to have to go in and fix every single panel presented to me. I would love to ink something, but honestly, I got this far in my career…I don’t want to be Mr. Fix It anymore. That said I got a chance to ink a Darwyn Cooke cover and I jumped at it. See…someone whose work I enjoy.

The other reason as you may have guessed is the writing has seemed to take off pretty well and I am trying to make ach and every single thing I touch as good as humanly possible… which is not an easy chore when you have people hiring you that think they know better than you. Left to my own devices I can usually put together something fun and different and working on something with Justin, it’s always a bit better I think.

That said, if the editor fairies were to ask me who I would like to work with, I would love to ink me some JRJR, Jordi Bernet, Joe Kubert, Ryan Sook, Art Adams, more Darwyn Cooke and a bunch more. That’s my easy wish list right there.

FIRE!
I’m sitting here writing this when I hear a ton of sirens. Went out to check it out and the condos at the end of my street were on fire… looked like two of them. What a horrible thing to happen this time of year, or any time for that matter. They think a guy smoking caused it, but not sure. There is no better way to meet your neighbors than to watch someone’s home burn, I just learned… met an insurance agent, a hotel manager and a home repair dude and two gals that were just there to “ watch” the fire.  It was eerie to see the fire burning and all the X-mas lights still on at the same time. Everyone got out OK, thank God, but all this reminded me I have to dig my New Year’s fire pit a little deeper this year. Anyway, the smoke was making it hard to breathe so I came back in and continued the brain spill.

JONAH HEX: THE MOVIE: I know so much about what is going on with this movie and yet I really can’t say a single thing, except that…I know for a fact that some of the top directors out there are looking at the property and it’s in good hands with a producer that happens to be an old friend of mine and Joe’s from the Event Comics days, Andy Lazar. What I can say is Andy is a fan of our comic and gets it every month and understands how important a project like this is.  For Justin and I this is really exciting because we have a chance of maybe picking up a few new readers when the movie comes out. I am being realistic here and saying that even if a thousand new readers came along, it would make a major impact on the title. Anyway, more to come on Hex, but for now, know it’s in good hands.

And last, a tease page from the book Justin and I are working on called THE LAST RESORT for our good friends at I.D.W.  The artist is named Giancarlo Caracuzzo and we think he is a brilliant storyteller. It should ship this summer and at its most basic, it’s about a bunch of people from all walks of life dealing with a biological accident on a tropical island. Please excuse that it’s a low res scan, the originals are bright and tighter, but for now, just a tease. These are set up pages where we get to know the characters. Every book needs them.

Jimmy Palmiotti 12/16

PUT A LITTLE JIMMY IN YOUR SACK FOR THE HOLIDAYS
by Jimmy Palmiotti
(Photo by Seth Kushner)

This is going to be the place I come to ramble on and on about everything and anything going down around casa Palmiotti. As you all probably know, I can be a shameless self-promoter…you really have to be these days. My attitude with the books I work on is no one cares for them more than me [except for Justin and Amanda], so I have to go out and make some noise now and again…which leads us to this blog. By the time you finish reading this, some part of you will feel violated, and I apologize for that in advance. I personally don’t think my day-to-day activities are all that interesting. Example:

[Today Amanda and I worked on Power Girl, I went to the comic store and bought a Hellboy comic, had some lunch with Brandon Peterson, met with the roofers and talked about what needs to be done to the frame because of the new roof they put on. Worked some more, pulled some oranges from my tree in the back yard and ate one, got a call from a neighbor that said her husbands kidney transplant went well so far, went to dinner with a friend and her brother, came back, watched 30 rock and then got to work on this. See? ]

So what the plan is here is to hit you with highlights, ideas and strange stuff now and again that will make your few minutes reading this more interesting.

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