The Four Color Media Monitor

KPBS wrote a list of artists and writers who've lived in the San Diego area, at a time when the SDCC takes place. They include:

Bestselling author and Eisner and Harvey award winner Ed Brubaker is one of the comic creators Jacobs said lived in San Diego at one point. His work includes collaborations with Sean Phillips on several graphic novels, including “Criminal,” “Incognito,” “Fatale,” “the Fade Out,” and “Velvet," on which he collaborated with Steve Epting.

Far as I'm concerned, based on his participation in the Batman: Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive crossover 2 decades ago, that's why he's one of the most unimpressive writers around, and even his bringing back Bucky Barnes in his Captain America run wasn't impressive either. And I'm saying that as somebody who doesn't think it's the worst thing that can happen if the good guys are resurrected. Maybe Brubaker's creator-owned comics have some worth, but if they're all just mainly noir-based, then IMO, that's a modern problem right there. Next:

Jim Lee — one of the biggest names in the comic book industry — is originally from Seoul, South Korea and has also called San Diego his hometown.

Lee has held several high-profile roles, from artist to writer to president, publisher and chief creative officer of DC Comics. His artistic credits include working as an illustrator on the “X-Men” series with Marvel during the '80s and early '90s.

There may have once been a time Lee was worth admiring as an artist, but he's long since thrown all that away as he became a DC executive, and participated in some of the worst directions ever taken by Dan DiDio, who's no longer with them. Oh yes, and I'm aware Lee is quite the leftist, so no surprise he's been failing upwards to boot, his having achieved the rank of president for the publisher. And then, look who comes up next:

Comic book writer and filmmaker Joseph Michael Straczynski has several ties to the San Diego community: He graduated from San Diego State University and attended Southwestern College.

Straczynski is the creator of the science fiction television series “Babylon 5” and its spinoff “Crusade.” He is also known for his writing contributions during 2001 to 2007 for Marvel Comics’ “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Thor,” “Fantastic Four,” as well as his own original comic book series. Straczynski also had a short stint with KPBS working on the television production project "Marty Sprinkle."

Straczynski will also be at this year’s Comic-Con.

Predictably, not a word mentioned about how horribly his Spider-Man run has aged, and long become an atrocious joke. I wouldn't recommend buying it any more than most of the rest of his resume since the turn of the century, recalling even his Thor and Superman runs were dreadful, and IIRC, he may have left the Man of Steel earlier than expected over creative disagreements. If so, it's funny how he never did the same when Joe Quesada allegedly forced Sins Past upon Spidey, along with Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson.

There's also one more creator I might as well add here, based on the genre he specializes in:

Known for nominations for the International Horror Guild Awards, writer and artist Ben Templesmith calls San Diego "home."

Templesmith co-created “30 Days of Night,” a three-issue horror comic book set in Alaska where the sun sets every year for at least one month of complete darkness. The book was so popular it was turned into a movie.

He’s also known for working on properties such as “Star Wars,” “GI Joe,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

And if he's wasting his time with overrated scribes like Joss Whedon, then I guess there's one more reason to feel discouraged by Templesmith's portfolio. In any event, somebody who believes horror themes are that great - which the news station conveniently glossed over - is only being a letdown in an era where comedy themes are being kicked to the curb, and no telling if the situation will ever improve.

The only creators on the list I consider worth mention are Kevin Eastman and the late Dave Stevens. I'm sure there are other independent creators who've lived in SD who're worth recommending more than the ones highlighted here, but these MSM outlets can never be expected to give them any real spotlight at all. And if JMS is attending this year's SDCC, then it's clear there's no point in going.

Labels: Batman, conventions, dc comics, Fantastic Four, indie publishers, licensed products, marvel comics, misogyny and racism, moonbat artists, moonbat writers, msm propaganda, Spider-Man, Superman, Thor, women of marvel