Q101 The Alternative
Q101 (formerly on Chicago radio @ 101.1 FM) The Alternative - Chicago's New Rock Alternative - Everything Alternative - Chicago's Alternative - Gen X - Generation X
A weekend of human density, popular culture, digital, print, and toy entertainment came to a close on Sunday April 15th with the McCormick Place north building lights dimming at 5pm to signal it’s time to get out, but the love and excitement of what was in this massive building continues every day in the fans, and companies that buy and create the entertainment that has become mainstream like a blur.
Q101′s presence & table shocked, and excited a lot of people at the convention. The fans and support poured in non-stop through the entire weekend, with supporters normal, and super-hero alike. We traversed the show floor and beyond, reaching every man, woman, child, and cape we saw to remind them that Q101 is as strong as ever.
The Incredible Hulk, as you can see here, couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw the Q101 table.
The Q101 puppet kept showing up in the darndest places! Like here
And here
And here.
The response, support, and feeling of camaraderie during the convention was amazing, and we thank all the fans that came out to see us, and also enjoyed the convention!
Q101 also got into the John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood) Q & A, and he delighted the crowd, leaving everyone in stitches with his frank and honest answers, stories, and singing.
And no Q101 appearance would be complete without our mascot, the endearing Mr. Bananas who came to say hi to the kids!
Q101 was the perfect description of divide & conquer, we had the convention covered on all fronts, with more than enough to go around! Q101 is popular culture, Q101 is Chicago’s Alternative, WE ARE Q101!!
All photos care of Nina Andorf
ninaa37@gmail.com
Digital comics have been as lucrative as the paper issue business model the last few years, with the convenience of staying home, and taking 60 seconds out of your day to buy, and download the books that you love straight to your computer, Android phone, iPad, or iPhone. Saving space for those that have a 200 square foot Manhattan apartment, or a “green” conscious personality, digital comic downloads, just like digital novels or newspapers have been a smack in the face to print media as a whole. Comics however, are going strong on both ends. Diamond Distribution, the “go to” company for national distribution to comic stores, showed numbers last year that people were buying paper books from the brick-and-mortar stores will continue to do so, with some in the mix that will buy both.
Part of the focus of the DC’s “New 52”, also known as re-launch for their continuity, had a large focus on same day digital with their new series, with great success. Marvel’s “Ultimate” line, which is set apart from the Marvel universe continuity is a more contemporary universe, featuring real places, and people, and more of a connection to today’s reader, have been same day digital since early 2011, and their first experiment with the same day digital was with Invincible Iron Man Annual #1 in June of 2010.
Archie Comics was the initial leader in the digital comics market, going same day digital for their entire line in January of 2011, making a real mark by offering them for a dollar less than their print counterparts. If Marvel wants to really take a step forward, that’s the first thing they need to do once their full line goes to the web.
Keep a watch out toward mid-March to start seeing download options for your favorite Marvel characters, or series.
Comicbookjockey is a guy with too many opinions, and too little time. He’s crass and articulate, always has on headphones, talks about nerdy stuff, and cleaning up after himself. Too see and hear more:
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Joe Simon was born Hymie Simon on October 11th, 1913 in New York, and became the co-creator of Captain America, along with another golden age icon, Jack Kirby. His career in art started when he was the art director for his high school newspaper, progressing afterwards to be an editorial cartoonist all over the state of New York, finally landing in New York City in the later part of the 1930’s.
His first comic industry creation was the superhero called “The Fiery Mask” that was published by Marvel Comics’ predecessor, Timely Comics. Soon after, Simon and Kirby crossed paths, and first collaborated together on “Blue Bolt” #2. Following that, in 1941, they created the iconic Marvel character, Captain America, Featuring their character’s heroic debut in “Captain America Comics” #1, where the cover depicted Captain America hitting Adolf Hitler in the face with quite a swing on Cap’s part.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s works were recognized, and known for being dynamic and ingenious, which helped the industry begin to take advantage of comic books and their larger pages, forsaking the small newspaper comics, with numerous different strips jammed onto each page. However, they had to put their careers on the back burner for the service to their country during World War II.
Returning from the war working on titles in the late 40’s/early 50’s, they struggled to become publishers themselves, but never succeeded, being kept down by those that already had the money an means to print and publish. Tired of not getting what was felt to be their due, Joe Simon went after Marvel Comics in court to get his rights for the character he helped create, Captain America. The case was settled out of court in 1969, but Simon went after his character again in 1999, but eventually losing the battle as a result of the 1969 deal.
Simon stayed with his craft for many years, in positions such as editor in chief for his father in law’s comics company, to working for DC Comics.
The story of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby fighting for the rights to the character they created almost parallels that of Jerry Siegel, and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman. Artist/writer/creator owned property was unheard of back then, and had no precedent to favor them, so a lot of the golden agers got a raw deal. However, the fights that Joe Simon and these men started paved the way for the comic industry to make sweeping changes in how things are done, with things like creator-owned property, and making money on public appearances, and signings. Joe Simon toured conventions with his son in the early 90’s with books that he wrote about his life in comics, and was seen as recent as comic cons in 2006, taking pictures with fans, and people dressed up as Captain America. Joe Simon lived to almost 100 years old, and in that time, he may not have won rights to the character he helped create, but he got to see the results of the groundwork him and his peers laid.
Catwoman: a.k.a. Selina Kyle, has had a few of her own “runs” in the DC universe, and they didn’t always stand alone very well, without the aid of a tie-in to Batman, or some of his own villains. Always the seductive, stealthy thief with an obsession with cats, and a certain bat, you can always look to artistic renditions of Catwoman to see the sensuality that is almost non-existent in comics. You’ll find it in a handful of titles on a regular basis, but its more T & A written into the story, than a whole character. Since her first appearance in 1940, she’s given Bruce Wayne more than just “something” to think about.
Judd Winick writes our “heroine” with aloofness, like the new girl at school that’s choke an ox gorgeous, but nobody knows anything about her. But they want to. She’s still her own woman, as she always is, but now she’s her own woman with a relaunched regular monthly series.
A peek into her “personal” life gives us a portrait of the only real friendship she has, and “work” still manages to be a part of it. With lucky worthless paintings, outstanding cleavage, drunk Russians with guns, and hookers, This series would cause the old Comic Code Authority to explode in shock, and sheer terror and arousal.
Selina Kyle is a character that has a lot of depth that’s been explored over the years. The trouble with giving a character depth is that it’s pertinent to keep that depth. What with this restructuring of the universe, and having a set creative team for every book, this will give Catwoman an opportunity to be more than a “B” card character.
We see it here, in full force, being taken in to her world that you can certainly see teenage boys getting a kick out of right away as you turn the first page. Comics are very much escapism, and getting away with Catwoman sure sounds like a good idea.
Catwoman #1 Is published by DC Comics, and is available now for $2.99 USD
By Q101.com Blogga “Comicbookjockey“, a guy with too many opinions, and too little time. He’s crass and articulate, and enjoys hot sauce, talking about nerdy stuff, and cleaning up after himself. Too see and hear more: The Twitters, The Website,The Blog, The Email
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