Busta Returns to Form...


Don't Touch Me (Throw The Water On 'Em) by Busta Rhymes.
(peep the Jungle 45 painting in the background!)

Chris Paul kills another Dallas Guard...

in a move that i doubt surprises anyone, Dallas gave Coach Avery Johnson the ax after the Mavs' 3-1 first round ouster to the Hornets. Avery's Mavs had NO answer for budding superstar guard Chris Paul or the schemes of Byron Scott, this season's Coach of the Year.
"Their Coach and point guard have great chemistry" said Johnson, who has been consistently disappointed with the guard play of these Mavericks, probably dating back to facing Miami's Dwayne Wade in the '06 NBA Finals. A former NBA Champion guard himself, Avery has probably felt inadequately equipped at the point in a division that includes Paul, Tony Parker and Tracy Mcgrady...
with Avery gone, Mavs owner Mark Cuban will have to hire a brand new skipper for the highest-paid, yet underachieving ball club. Larry Brown's off the table, but Mike D'antoni (who will likely be 86'ed by Phoenix), Jeff Van Gundy, and Rick Carlisle would all make good choices.
we'll see...
-gM

Downey and Favreu Deliver the Goods...

i'm warning you now: if you don't see Iron Man this weekend, someone's gonna tell you something about it that you don't wanna know. but here's what you DO wanna know: it's good. it has balance. it's funny, it's serious, it's beautifully shot, the effects are great. the dialogue is tight and natural. Downey owns Tony Stark. Jeff Bridges rocks hard as Obadiah Stane. Favreau gets the gold star and directs a great, great action flick!
oh yeah, and Ghostface is on the soundtrack!
i'm gonna stop now, 'cause i'm itchin'a give away the goods, but i'll wait... but don't count on me to wait too long...
jeauh!
-gM

what's yours is MINE!

as promised, here is the cover to Mine All Mine, the collection of one page tales of wanton theft, written by indie madman David Hopkins (Karma Incorporated, Antigone, Emily Edison) with each page drawn by a different artist. the book will debut from Antihero Comics on may 3rd (Free Comicbook Day for those keeping score at home).

each artist should have copies, and for those in Dallas, Dave and I (and many of the other contributors from the area) will be around at CAPE in Craddock Park this Saturday (go here for more CAPE info)!

here's a list of contributors:
Cover by Tania Kaufmann

Samax Amen ("The Plan")
Ryan Cody ("Long Walk Home")
David DeGrand ("Stealing Electricity")
Joe Eisma ("Lost Wallet")
Jake Ekiss ("Vending Machines")
Derrick Fish ("Misdirection")
John Gonzales ("My First Stolen Car")
Michael Lagocki ("Tools of the Trade")
Jim Lujan ("The Nigerian Scam")
Paul Milligan ("Kidnapping")
Wes Molebash ("I Found It")
Chad Sell ("Will Run for Food")
Cal Slayton ("Return Policy")
Justin Stewart ("Blanket Thief")
ZeeS ("Pickpocket")
Scott Zirkel ("The Oil Change")


holla!
-gM

this ain't no Alien Conspiracy theory, this s#!t is real...

indie comics writer David Hopkins (Karma Incorporated, Antigone, Emily Edison) invited me to participate in his new limited edition joint Mine All Mine, a collection of one-page shorts he wrote around the theme of theft, each page drawn by different comic book artist. i will post more info about the book when i have it, but part of David's crazy scheme is to give each artist copies of the book for the their free comic book day events... i'm not sure how many i will get, but i'll make 'em available for sale at CAPE. for those who just can't wait 'till then, here's my vignette, entitled The Plan.

enjoy!
-gM

the name you can trust...


Since 1979 Mixtape, by DJ Nemeses. click the pic to download FREE or just listen...
uno.
-gM

X (to the Z) Files

straight from the "he usedta rap, right?" files, the mighty Xzibit is gettin' tranfserred to the X-Files. yup, one of the most promising in-your-face battle rappers of the nineties, X to the Z is confirmed as part of the cast of X Files 2, the sequel to the movie based on the cult classic teevee show.
yeah, that's nice... but Xzibit's best onscreen performance so far remains his game-changin' video What You See Is What You Get... one of my favorite joints EVER, seen?
peep:

What You See Is What You Get by Xzibit.
uno.
-gM

CAPE is coming...

the comic book industry has branded the first saturday in May as "Free Comic Book Day", best observed in the city of Dallas at CAPE, the comics and pop-culture expo. CAPE 4 (peep www.CapeDay.com) takes place on Saturday May 3rd at Craddock Park from 10am-6pm in the heart of Dallas. This festival of comic and comic art includes more than 80 comic book writers and artists for a free afternoon in the park. With several thousand attendees and over seven thousand free comics, CAPE has grown to be the world's largest Free Comic Book Day event.

"It's an incredible honor for my hometown to recognize my work and the work of my peers while we reach out to the community for CAPE," said Scott Kurtz, CAPE host and creator of the web strip PVP, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at CAPE. The marriage of the two prominent PVP characters will be marked at the event by a wedding guest's registry book. "I would like to invite all of my fans and the CAPE attendees to sign the guest book for Brent and Jade," said Kurtz.

This year's list of CAPE guest comic book artists and writers includes new additions Daniel Way, (Wolverine Origins and Ghost Rider) and Andy Kuhn (Firebreather and Marvel Team-Up). They join industry giants Mark Waid, Chynna Clugston, Robert Kirkman, Greg Pak, Jason Pearson, Gail Simone and David Mack. With over 80 guests, CAPE! just keeps getting bigger and bigger! i'll definitely be there this year, peddling my new book, Spontaneous. mention this blog and i'll hook you up with a free sketch! For a complete list of guests and to view the proclamation go to capeday.com or call Zeus comics at 214-219-TOYS.
holla!
samax.
-gM

Straaaaaange (and I like it!)


Strange by the Boogie Monsters.
i been reading a lotta books about Cryptozoology (the study of unconfirmed species like bigfoot and chupacabras...), thanks to comics like Proof and the Perhapanauts. all that made me think of Boogie Monsters, the very real, but sorely missed crew of rhymers based outta the Bronx. more on them later, but right now, enjoy classic video, Strange.
uno.
-gM

a definite maybe...

"There are places in this world where the fabric of reality has worn thin, where strange and terrible creatures have crossed over to lurk in the shadows and the night... There is an organization dedicated to finding these creatures and sending them back whence they came, sealing the rift behind them, and maintaining the integrity of those borders... The organization is called BEDLAM. Its agents are...The PERHAPANAUTS!"

The Perhapanauts is the brainchild of Todd Dezago (Spiderman, Tellos) and Craig Rousseau. i actually bought the new #1 thinking it was the debut of the concept... but it has actually had two minis (now collected in TPB format) under its belt, and the new issue is a continuation from a prior story, and the beginning of the 'Nauts' monthly adventures at Image Comics. my misunderstanding of this made the issue a little confusing, but decent enough to send me looking for more info... you should peep it too!

holla!

-gM

Let the GAMES begin!

Cavs beat Wizards, Spurs beat Suns in double OT, Chris Paul gets loose on Mavericks
for those who didn't notice, the NBA Playoffs started with a sonic BOOM saturday...
the first round matchup of the last three years set it off: Cleveland hosted the Washington Wizards in what will probably be a barn-burner of a series between teams that know each other well, with two of the best stars in the league Lebron "King" James, and Gilbert "Agent Zero" Arenas.
the Cavs won game 1 the way i expected: they leaned heavily on Lebron. conversely, Washington did what i thought they would do to lose it: they leaned on Arenas a little too much. Arenas missed most of the season with an injury, and during that time Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler held it down just fine. it would be stretching it to say they are better without Arenas, but they certainly play better! the Wizards are gonna hafta learn to gel as a team to beat Lebron and company, which i think can, and will happen. if Arenas can accept that Lebron is better than him, but that his Wizards are better than Lebron's Cavaliers, he will lead Washington into the second round. but he didn't find that truth in game 1... so they lost. so anyways, it starts with a very good, close game...
now, i would have called the east opener between the Cavs and Wizards a great game, if it wasn't for the Suns trip to San Antonio... a double-overtime nail-biter that probably caused heart attacks in the greater San Antonio AND Phoenix viewing areas! there were too many big shots in this game (including when Tim Duncan spotted up for a 3 point bomb to send it into a 2nd overtime!) from both teams, but when the smoke cleared, it was Ginobli's slashing layup that sealed the two point win for the Spurs, in what was EASILY the day's best game. Phoenix coach, Mike D'antoni said "if all the games go like this, people will definitely get their money's worth!"
moving along, Chris Paul gets the Grown Man Award for his 35 point, 10 dime smashin' of the Mavericks, at one point beating his chest and proclaiming "He can't guard me!" repeatedly... this was the first time many people in America got to see the 3rd year point guard really play (the all-star game doesn't really show it), and i think it's safe to say, a star is born! if ESPN radio is any indication, he's a lock for MVP. cats are not ready for the way this cat handles the ball!
so far, the NBA playoffs have been SCORCHING, and that's just the first day!!!
holla!
samax.
-gM

Bumblebee vs Optimus


Bumblebee vs Optimus Prime by Werewolf Movie Maker
-gM

fox News gets the GAS FACE!


i love it when these Fox News reporters get broke off somethin' proper...

106 and Panther?

i found out on Variety that Marvel has inked a deal to turn the first black superhero into the star of a primetime animated show on BET next year. BET made the announcement at its upfront presentation in New York as the highlight of a batch of new series being readied for the 2008-09 season, under the supervision of Reginald Hudlin (who currently writes the Black Panther comic book for Marvel), who didn't say how involved he'd be with the production.
we'll see what they do with it...
-gM

signs of the End...

one of the signs of the end has come... i'm interested to read a Rob Liefeld project. yeah, you might wanna sit down for this! Armageddon Now: World War 3 is a new, original 120-page graphic novel planned for release this summer from Rob's new company, 12 Gates. AN:WW came about when Rob attended a conference on Biblical prophecy at his local church. among Rob's most well-known gifts his his ability to talk people into stuff, and before long he had roped his pastor and a ton of investors into creating an OGN series (slated for 7 books) laying out a scenario for what we Christians call "The End Times"...
anyways, it will involve "Four Horseman, Rapture, World War 3, Armageddon, Valley of Megiddo, Anti-Christ, False Prophet, all that stuff..." as Rob so eloquently put it. i am naturally skeptical of anything Rob is involved in, but this looks pretty interesting. he will draw it (d'oh!), but the art will be finished by digital artists Mike Capprotti, Emily Warren, and Matt Yackey (whew!), so maybe it won't be too bad... but i admit, i am interested so far...
peace,
-gM

It's a Black Thing pt. 2

read part 1 here
in the forward to How To Draw Noir Comics, Eisner Award winning writer Greg Rucka says of the book's author "Shawn Martinbrough has put in his hours... he's a master...what he offers here is a masters course..." and he's right! How To Draw Noir Comics addresses the very technical and often philosophical business of creating Noir storytelling for comics, but with a disarming, conversational tone.
Noir, by the way, is French for Black... hence the the blog series title. "Noir has come to reflect a mood, a tone, or most appropriately, a style" says Martinbrough, after making the humble confession that his favorite color is black (which some don't consider a color at all).
the Chapters:
  1. THE TOOLS
  2. THE BASICS
  3. CREATING MOOD WITH SHADOWS AND LIGHT
  4. VISUALIZING THE SCRIPT
  5. PAGE LAYOUT
  6. STAGING ACTION
  7. CREATING DRAMA
  8. DESIGNING COVERS
  9. GRAPHIC NOVELLA The Truce (a 16 page original comic)
i'll review each chapter in some detail... but for real, don't wait! go out and COP How To Draw Noir Comics by Shawn Martinbrough!
holla!
-gM

Atmosphere is back!

Atmosphere (the prolific indie rap duo of Slug and Ant) returns with that highly anticipated 6th studio album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. storytelling, song-writing and hip hop musicality at it's finest.
COP IT HERE
for now, peep the track Should'a Known courtesy o' Rymesayers, homie!
holla!
-gM

ah, Controversy...


trailer to Expelled, a documentary narrated by Ben Stein.
in theaters April 18th
let the debating begin...
-gM

Eisner Nominees Announced...

Comicon announced the Eisner Award nominees today (think Oscars, but for comics... kind of a big deal...). here are the nominees i was excited about:
Johnny Hiro #1, by Fred Chao (AdHouse) nominated for best humor publication, best single issue or one-shot, best new series, and best writer/artist, humor (good luck... competing in that category with master cartoonist Kyle Baker!). Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan, Jr. (Vertigo/DC) for best ongoing series. Atomic Robo, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5 Comics) for best limited series, but he's competing with The Umbrella Academy, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse) which gets MAD love here... Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow, by James Sturm and Rich Tommaso (Center for Cartoon Studies/Hyperion) for best publication for teens and best reality based work, alongside Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm, by Percy Carey and Ronald Wimberly (Vertigo/DC).

Six creators have 4 nominations each: writer/artists Fred Chao and Jimmy Gownley; writers James Sturm (3 of them for Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow), Brian K. Vaughan (for both Buffy and Y the Last Man), and Joss Whedon (for Buffy, Astonishing X-Men, and the online Sugarshock!); and the mutitalented Chris Ware (writer/artist and lettering for Acme Novelty Library #18, editing of Best American Comics 2007, and designing of Sundays with Walt & Skeezix).
peep the complete list of categories and nominees here.
-gM

It's a Black Thing, Pt 1

I've been sitting on this for a minute... virtuoso comic book artist and illustrator Shawn Martinbrough (Batman, Superman, King James) dropped a book in November 2007 called How To Draw Noir Comics (Watson-Guptill), and i got a review copy from the publisher...
the problem is, this book was so good, i couldn't review it! since this book was waaaay more than i could chew, i decided to review it in sections, so look for chapter-by-chapter reviews of this book, starting tomorrow. that said, this book gets my highest recommendation, top spot on the Spring '08 beg/borrow/steal list!
Shawn has the drawing chops and the communication skills to make this book worth the $19.95 cover price for experienced artists who wanna learn how to control mood with light and dark, newbies curious about comics theory, or anybody who wants an easy-to-digest, beautifully illustrated text on making comics. (read part 2 here)
holla!
-gM

i got that re-up

i got more copies of Spontaneous Spring 2008 last week, so i can hook ya'll up with signed copies if you need 'em. cop a signed joint for $30 by clicking the button below, or get it unsigned for twenty on the right.



if you'll be in Dallas next month, catch me at CAPE and i'll sign your book for FREE! i'm cool like that. all others, don't hate! tell your friends to order my book, and cities with high demand will get a visit from me for cons and signings... join the email list on the right or just keep checking back daily for updates on where i'll be...
holla!
-gM

the DIRTY Style!

Dirty Hands The Art of David Choe
(i stole this off Khalid's mySpace profile...)
-gM

new Gotham Knight trailer


new Trailer for that joint Gotham Knight
(remember? i told you about it here)
-gM
is everyone else geekin' as much as i am about this?

gM Mixtape anyone?

not quite, but i can dream, can't i?

Pepsi Si Commercial featuring Dallas Turntablist DJ Nemeses.

so as all my people know, i'm a total junkie for Deejays... in fact, you are reading this because one of my deejay friends suggested i start a blog back in 2006 (everybody say "thanks marcus!")! anyways, the humble (yet highly accomplished) DJ Nemeses dropped this new mixtape: Lucha Live. download that joint free by clickin' the pic, or just listen:

peace
-gM

SWEET!!!

whaddup Fam! you can catch Dangermouse and Cee-Lo better known as breakout music duo Gnarles Barkley on Saturday Night Live this week (or just do like me and scour YouTube for classic Gnarles performance on sunday)! anyways, you wanna check around and cop that new Gnarles joint, The Odd Couple... if you know what's good for you...
holla!
-gM

Hey, Laaaadies...


go check out Imara TV, the internet television channel for women of color. it's one of the many brainchildren of my client Kirk, who commissioned me for the logo (seen here). it's one of my favorite logo designs i've done!
holla!
-gM

peep this...



Lapse by Les Izmore.
nice!
-gM

speaking of the Roots...


75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction) by the Roots
If only ya'll were in on the secret email debates between me, khalid, Jamar and Tyrone... it's like an ongoing rap pHd class...
oh well...
holla!

-gM

King Me...

i'm feelin' this T.I. joint like BRAILLE!
by that kid GRANDCHAMP.
holla!

Quote of the Day...

"I'm kinda like W.E.B. Dubois meets Heavy D and the Boyz"
ghettoManga-Dice Raw, off that track Get Busy by the Roots

Knowledge (STILL) Reigns Supreme...


Criminal Minded 08 by KRS ONE and DJ Premier.
(thanks tyrone!)
-gM

Hector Plasm makes Wizards top 200!

Hector Plasm: De Mortuis by storytellers Benito Cereno (Tales from the Bully Pulpit) and Nate Bellegarde (Atome Eve), chronicles the adventures of Hector Plasm, a cat who roams the earth protecting the living from the dead and vice versa. De Mortuis collects Hector's previous appearances from Invincible and Western Tales Of Terror as well as over 30 pages of all-new spine-tingling adventures, and (oh by the way) was named to Wizard's "The 200 Greatest Comics in Wizard's History [July 1991 to Now]" which as Nate said is "kind of a big deal..." . for the record, De Mortuis was colored by Jacob Baake and Randall Whiteis with a snazzy cover by Cory Walker and Alex Stodolnik.
holla!
-gM

Classic Material: Fierce. by the Love Brothers.

created by Robert
and Jeremy Love

Jonathan Fierce, a profiler for the FBI gifted with psychic abilities, failed to stop an explosion which has just killed his team of fellow agents, the only real family he's ever had. The FBI wants to charge him with the crime. Now he's being hunted by the Feds and is on the run from the crime syndicate that killed his team. Miraculously, Fierce can hear the voices of his slain teammates, giving him the skills and abilities to become a one-man strike force. Now he's going deep under cover into the Jamaican underworld to strike at the heart of the syndicate and uncover the facts behind the conspiracy against him. you can buy Fierce the TPB Collecting the four-issue series at your local comic shop or bookstore.

Batman/Grendel Collected!

Complete in one volume for the first time, the acclaimed stories that pit Gotham's dark detective against the embodiment of evil, written and drawn by Grendel creator Matt Wagner! Collecting both Batman/Grendel miniseries co-published by Dark Horse and DC Comics, this volume presents material that's been out of print for over a decade, starring two comic-book icons!
COP IT!
Pub. Date: April 02, 2008
Format: Full color, 208 pages, TPB, 7" x 10"
Price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 1-59307-823-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59307-823-2

holla!
-gM

He is SOFA KING...

one of ghettoManga's favorite comics geniuses returns! Jim Mahfood (Clerks, Felt, Grrl Scouts) is dropping Stupid Comics: The Phoenix Edition next wednesday!
this collection of his infamous Stupid Comics strips from the weekly Phoenix New Times newspaper skewers government, war, pop culture, the entertainment industry, relationships, sex and technology, with the snarky wit you can only get from FOOD ONE!!!
save your pennies and COP IT wednesday!
-gM

Good Answer!

in an interview with CBR, Terrance Howard was asked if we would see the birth of War Machine. Howard's answer was:
"You read the comic book? If you read the comic book, then you know what happens. But you still have to wait, because y’all aren’t taking away my next two movies. I like y’all, but, man..."
now THAT is good answer!
-gM

New Voltron joint this summer!

Chi-based publisher Devil's Due Publishing is dropping a new Voltron miniseries: Voltron: A Legend Forged! in a press release they said "The pieces of Voltron’s history will finally come together this July in a brand new 5-issue miniseries from Devil’s Due Publishing. Voltron: A Legend Forged will bring the Voltron Force face to face with a spectacular quest, 1200 years into the past. Everything Voltron fans know about the iconic machine will be changed forever."

DDP President Josh Blaylock will write the series, taking the legend back into a fully imagined place in time, loaded with newly designed concepts by artist Mike Bear (G.I. Joe: America’s Elite). Issue #1 will also feature covers by Blaylock, Tim Seeley, Jenny Frison, and E.J. Su.

“As a longtime Voltron fan, this is exactly the kind of backstory I’ve always wanted to read, and I think it’s going to turn a lot of heads,” said Blaylock. “It’s true to the characters and the Voltron universe, and plays with the fantasy elements of this magic/sci-fi hybrid more than ever before.”
Voltron: A Legend Forged will take it back to the essence, starting in July.

-gM

this Apple fell pretty far from the tree...

Udon Entertainment- the creative services company responsible for producing comics, manga, and artbooks based on Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Okami and Mega Man- has now partnered with Seoul Visual Works to publish the English edition of APPLE, an all-new Korean illustration and comics anthology series.
Apple stands for “A Place for People who Love Entertainment”, and features the elite artists from the Korean video game industry.
you'll be able to cop the english edition of APPLE Volume 1 starting in May 2008, with future joints dropping every 6-8 months. to peep a special APPLE preview, head over to Udon's website.
holla!
samax.
-gM

Blessed Are The Poor... (yeah, right!)

THE TOP 20 WORST CITIES FOR THE HOMELESS!!!

By Michael E. Ross
Reporter
MSNBC
America’s harsh streets may be tougher for the homeless than they’ve ever been, according to two homeless-advocacy groups that on Wednesday released their survey of the nation’s 20 "meanest" cities for the poor.

The list, compiled by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, places Sarasota, Fla., at the top. But "mean" municipalities span the nation — from New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles to smaller cities like Flagstaff, Ariz., and Little Rock, Ark.

Four of the cities are in Texas, two are in California and two are in Arizona. All are locations that a report accompanying the list finds reflect a growing willingness over the past 25 years "to turn to the criminal justice system to respond to people living in public spaces."
Group’s list worst cities for homeless
Advocates say cities increasingly criminalize homeless people

1 Sarasota, Fla.
2 Lawrence, Kan.
3 Little Rock, Ark.
4 Atlanta, Ga.
5 Las Vegas, Nev.
6 Dallas, Texas
7 Houston, Texas
8 San Juan, P.R.
9 Santa Monica, Calif.
10 Flagstaff, Ariz.
11 San Francisco, Calif.
12 Chicago, Ill.
13 San Antonio, Texas
14 New York, N.Y.
15 Austin, Texas
16 Anchorage, Alaska
17 Phoenix, Ariz.
18 Los Angeles, Calif.
19 St. Louis, Mo.
20 Pittsburgh, Pa.

the Art of War

yo! you need to keep an eye on this emerging cartoonist Wardell Brown! i'm married now, so i don't need it, but you seriously need to check out his book The Nice Guy's Guide to Dating Women. as for me, i'm holdin' out for Brick Johnson: Private Dick (no, not like THAT, you degenerate!). you gotta LOVE blaxploitation concepts... they translate SO well to comics, but there's just NOT enough of 'em... anyways, holla at Wardell for me, and tell 'im to get crackin' on the Brick OGN (and tell 'im you heard about it on ghettoManga!)
-gM

Spontaneous Promo

Dencon went great! i sold out of Spontaneous, so i'ma re-up with the printer, to be ready for CAPE, and i met tons of cool. much love to my man David Hopkins (Karma Incorporated, Antigone, Emily Edison) for passin' that email along hippin' me to the show! Charlene and i had a blast revisitin' the alma mater and meeting and making fans!
speaking of fans, i promised i'd make this Spontaneous Sketchbook Poster available for purchase online, and i wanna keep my word! cop this 11x17 joint for the paltry sum of $10

dude is still the one...

Jason Pearson is everything i love and hate about comics. he works infrequently, not doing more than a few covers, switches his style a lot, making him hard to find and keep up with... but when you finally catch him, he is so DOPE, all is instantly forgiven!! i just found his 2007 sketchbook
Jason Pearson: Sketches and Other Shit
and Body Bags One-Shot
Preview at 12-gauge comics' online store... COP them joints IMMEDIATELY, fam!!!
holla!
-gM
p.s.