First off, my apologies. I got sick a few weeks ago, and somehow completely forgot about this newsletter. The last time we spoke, I was gearing up for Free Comic Book Day; and I'm pleased to say it was a success! Not only did I get to play Comic Store Clerk for a day, but the content of the books was actually really good this year. Jeremy Adams and Will Conrad's Flash Gordon is my runaway favorite, but I'm also really excited about The Ultimates as previewed by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri. If you missed out on Free Comic Book Day this year, most of the offerings can be had via Marvel Unlimited, DC Universe Infinite, ComiXology or (my favorite newcomer) Omnibus. It'll take a little digging, as each publisher titled theirs a bit differently. But a search for Free Comic Book Day or FCBD should send you in the right direction. Congrats Are in Order! Eisner award nominations dropped last week, and I have to shout out a few recent guests on their noms! Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley were nominated for Best New Series for their work on Local Man. The best interviewer in comics (and mentor in my head) David Harper was nominated for Best Comics-Related Journalism for his work on SKTCHD. I'm also rooting for Chris Robinson's All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary reprint to win Best Archival Collection/Project. Congrats and good luck to all the nominees! On The Podcast Speaking of past guests, I had an awesome conversation with comic writer Greg Burnham last week. We talked about crowdfunding, staying profitable at conventions, and weaving history into stories without being dull or preachy. Check it out if you haven't already, and be sure to subscribe on your favorite pod-catcher. Tomorrow, I'm following up with Greg's business partner and frequent collaborator Marcus Williams. His Eye Lie Popeye feature was one of my other favorites from Free Comic Book Day, and we talk all about it and much more. The podcast is quickly becoming my favorite part of the Comics Are Dope media library, and I really hope you're enjoying the conversations we have. HeroesCon 2024 is Almost Here! Next month I'm making my third annual appearance in Charlotte, NC; for HeroesCon! I'm not a featured guest or anything, but I'm hoping to sneak in a few in-person interviews and catch up with some past guests on the channel. The guest list is MASSIVE as always, but I'm on a mission to get a signed Murder Falcon hardcover from Daniel Warren Johnson this year in memory of my brother Skipntosh. If you're at the con, feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram, as Twitter seems to hide my notifications at times. Whenever I have downtime, I'll likely be hanging out with my guy Wolly McNair in Artist Alley. Come take a picture, and buy a few comics! That's enough updates for now. It's New Comic Book Day. Head to your Local Shop and grab some reading material! There's plenty of good stuff out this week. Read Something Dope Today, BJ KICKS |
Celebrating everything Dope about comics. Curated by BJ KICKS.
It’s 10pm on Wednesday night. I’m sitting in my car, periodically checking to make sure the battery charger I bought from Amazon isn’t frying anything. What better time to start tapping out this email? This week seems chock full of those little hiccups. All the car trouble has me a full day behind on my production schedule. The Marvel showcase that should’ve been out today? Not even filmed. I’m almost certainly not going to have tomorrow’s Podcast episode up on time. Lunar was late with their...
In high school, I had an unhealthy relationship with 90s R&B and early 2000s era Neo-Soul. Kids with unregulated hormones probably shouldn't be listening to back-to-back ballads about love, heartbreak, and well.. other things. But as I recover from missing yet another 'weekly' newsletter, Musiq Soulchild just keeps taunting me. It's busy season in the Kicks household. Church responsibilities are picking up. School is back in session, morning routines feel everything but, and I'm probably in...
It’s been a busy week! My cushy Work-From-Home job became a Work-From-the-Office job on Wednesday. But it wasn’t all bad news, as it meant I was in close proximity to an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet I’d never been to before. I ended up coming up on a mother load of action figures at a great price! Check out the video to see what I grabbed. My Latest Ollie’s Haul is Live on the Channel Now! Click the photo to watch. Speaking of things at a great price, did you catch the trailer DC put out for their...