This poor schlub in the pecker suit got busted for allegedly “disrupting” a graduation. You’d be excited too if you’d just earned an advanced degree in “Novelty Costume Theory.” 

Word on the street (specifically, on the corner of Press Release Road and Web Hype Boulevard) is that the Silent Devil himself, Christian Beranek, is part of the troika running the new Disney graphic novel division, Kingdom Comics. Check out the details here and here. 

I have only one question: Does this mean Division 18 is going to Disney World? There’s a certain pantsless duck the Union needs to have a few words with…

For some reason, dressing up kids in novelty costumes has been flagged as a “weird” new trend on Buzzfeed.com. Well, I call it smart parenting! It’s never too early to start training your younglings for a fruitful life in costumed entertainment.

(Division 18 publisher) Christian Beranek’s Willow Creek collaborator, artist Josh Medors, could use a little help from the greater comic book community, and the folks at Image Comics and Frazetta Comics are going to see that he gets that help at this year’s Emerald City Comic Con.

Full details below:

PRESS RELEASE

Unknown to the general public, FRANK FRAZETTA’S SWAMP DEMON, RUNES OF RAGNAN, WILLOW CREEK, GI JOE and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT artist Josh Medors has been fighting cancer for the past several months. In his time of need, Image Comics and Frazetta Comics have stepped in organize an auction with all proceeds going straight to Josh.

“Josh is a good friend, father and artist. With the support from the comic industry that he loves so dearly, we can all help with costly medical bills and ease his pain just a little would be most appreciated,” said Frazetta Comics Editor/Artist Jay Fotos. “We are under a crunch, for the show is just a few weeks away, so anyone that would like to donate please contact me as soon as you can so we can get your donations there for the auction in time, we are also taking PayPal donations as well that go directly to Josh.”

Many of the industry’s finest are donating items to auction, including Frank Frazetta himself. Any other creators interested in donating are encouraged to contact Jay Fotos at jayfotos@cox.net.

The Josh Medors Benefit Auction will take place Saturday, May 10th at the Emerald City Comic Con. If you would like to make a PayPal donation, please do so to jmedors1@insight.rr.com.

Contributors thus far:

Frank Frazetta
Jerry Beck
Brian Haberlin
Tom Beland
Mark Kidwell
Todd McFarlane
Nat Jones
Tony Moore
Peter Bergting
Richard Starkings
Steve Niles
Kody Chamberlin
Jay Fotos
Rick Remender
Christian Beranek
Ahmet Zappa
Image Comics
IDW Publishing
Zenescope Entertainment

Brett Edwards has the story over at FanHouse. All we can say here is that we could use a guy like Benny in River City!

An occasional Division 18 collaborator (you’ll see his back-cover pin-up on #2, and a few interior pages in #3) is making his webcomic debut just in time for next week’s New York Comic Con. He’ll be there. We’ll be there. Heck, maybe you’ll catch us there together!

Anyway, here’s the wunderkind’s PR:

A Second-Generation Adams Takes On Muhammad Ali 30 Years Later!

In his webcomic debut, The Greatest, Josh Adams tackles the boxing icon that his iconic artist father, Neal Adams, drew into comic book history three decades ago. 

It was 1978, when legend-in-the-making Neal Adams illustrated the giant-sized extravaganza, Superman vs Muhammad Ali, in which the greatest super hero in comics teamed up with the greatest athlete of the 20^th century. In 2008, Neal’s youngest son, Josh Adams, makes his comics debut with a more reality-based, but no-less-sequential, take on Ali. His historical story about the legendary fighter, aptly titled The Greatest, will debut on April 16, 2008 – the Wednesday prior to the New York Comic Con – at Adams’ official website, http://www.whatwouldjoshdo.com.   

“I knew my debut had to be about something I was passionate about, and I also wanted it to be grounded in reality,” said Adams, “So what better subject for my comics debut than a real man who, in the comic book world, has beaten up Superman?”

Since the announcement of Josh Adams’ entry into the comics field earlier this year in Rich Johnston’s column, Lying in the Gutters, fans have been clamoring to see the 20-year-old second-generation artist’s first works. Adams, who is also currently working on his printed debut, chose to make his initial offering to the industry via the webcomic revolution. His choice of subject for this debut was inspired by something deeper:

“I’m a competitive guy,” said Adams, “and having a father who has been praised for everything from defining Batman’s image to bringing the concept of ‘dynamic reality’ to comics really makes me feel like I have something to prove. So taking on Muhammad Ali, a subject my father has already famously illustrated, is my way of paying homage to my father’s legacy, while, at the same time, stepping out from his shadow.”

For more information about The Greatest, or to contact Josh Adams personally, visit http://www.whatwouldjoshdo.com or e-mail Josh directly at Josh@WhatWouldJoshDo.com.

Bio:  At just 20 years of age, Josh Adams has led the life many established artists dream of. Being the son of a bonafide comic book legend, Josh has worked his whole life to be the best he can at his chosen field. And he hasn’t learned his trade from only one master — as a student at the School of Visual Arts, in New York, Josh has learned from mainstream greats like Phil Jimenez, Klaus Janson and Joey Cavalieri, indie talents Jessica Abel and Matt Madden, and countless “friends of the family” whom he’s met over the years. At just 18 years of age, Josh was doing poster design and storyboarding commercials for the Sci Fi Channel, earning his first professional credits as an artist before even finishing high school.

My dad, Dave Donelson, just started a web site devoted to his gag cartoons…

Start tracing the DNA of Donelson cartooning here:

http://davedonelsontoonland.blogspot.com

I leave the place for 5 minutes, and this what happens. Huge Vag!nas. Monkey costume guy with his junk hanging out. Sigh.

So allow me to wash out your brain with some various stuff that I’ve seen on the comics interweb lately. These are things that have been inspiring me as I work on issue #3. We’ve already seen what’s inspiring Matt…

Evan Dorkin posted Jaime Hernandez con sketches from the early 80’s on his blog. Holy mother of cripes.

Michael Lark interviews Sean Phillips. Phillips is the artist on Criminal, which for my money is probably the best comic you’re going to find on the stands today (except for Division 18, natch). You probably also know his work from Marvel Zombies and Sleeper. You’ve seen Michael Lark’s art on Gotham Central, Daredevil and plenty of other projects.

What am I reading these days? I’ve been deep into Norton’s collections of Will Eisner’s graphic novels lately. While the case could of course be made that the stories are too melodramatic, I find them more readable and more graphically inventive than The Spirit. You can find a lot more examples as well as a deeper look at Eisner’s art at Warren Peace Sings the Blues.