FOOD TV

mini-documentary about one of my role models, freelance artist jim mahfood aka FOOD ONE!
reckanize!
-ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

the cover pulled me in...

the sales pitch for Savage: "Peter is a shoe salesman desperate for a life transformation. Sam is a hunter of things that would scare the hell out of lesser men. These two will collide in the middle of an epic battle between vicious werewolves and the legendary Big Foot. And that’s just the beginning…" click the pic to read the whole first issue free. Savage #1 is in stores now...
uno.
-gM

Deviant of the Day

Plump Storm by Mainasha
my friend Arie Dee aka Mainasha drew this fly image of Storm... currently available for bids on Ebay, by the way... homegirl has mad drawing chops, so check her out, fam!
uno.
-ghettoManga.com

the Holla Days are UPON US!

hope everybody's having a good Turkey Day... so Thanksgiving Day means many things, but what it REALLY means is the hollaDays are upon us! i got a few variations of Christmas cards available, and more on the way, in singles and packs of 10 and 20. i got the Ya Better Watch Out and Be Cool available, right now... look for a few more next week.
holla!

-ghettoManga.com

Visit the Comic Shop TODAY!!!

Body Bags: One Shot by Jason Pearson hits comic shops TODAY, so cancel your plans for after work or school... swing by and grab that joint, because your comic shop WILL sell out and you're gonna miss one of the purest examples of what ghettoManga stands for, if you didn't pre-order! and i don't wanna hear any whining, ya dig?
COP IT!!!
uno.
-gM

-gM

RIP MC Breed

No Future In Your Frontin' by MC Breed (RIP)
Eric T. Breed, best known as MC Breed,passed away of Kidney Failure on Saturday, November 22, 2008, in Flint, Michigan.One of the first rappers to come out the Midwest in the early '90s, MC Breed experienced starts of success while based in Flint, MI, before leaving the Midwest to work with the D.O.C. in L.A. and Too $hort in Atlanta. Breed's debut album, MC Breed & DFC, was released on the independent label Ichiban Records. The album merged the East and West Coast sounds of the time, being both lyrical and funky. Breed's signature single, Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin' kept the album on Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop chart for a whopping 52 weeks. Following his initial success, unprecedented at the time for a Midwestern rap act, Breed, began working with the D.O.C, who helped write and produce some of the songs on Breed's upcoming albums...
"We are saddened by our great loss." said Breed's family and management in a press release... "More than just an artist, we mourn the loss of a beloved father, son, brother and friend. We are overwhelmed by the tremendous outpouring of love and support during this difficult time. We are thankful and blessed to have been in his presence and want him to be remembered for his creative, caring, talented and hard-working spirit."

Quote Of The Day

"I'm Lovin' my life, while you n*ggas is born losers/
when i perform, people will swarm like storm troopers..."
-Profound

May He Live Forever

Jax (RIP) and Flux of the Mighty BINKIS Recs.

beats from down under

long-time ghettoManga readers will remember when i couldn't stop talking about Dallas emcee/beatmaker Playdough. he's a record-breaking champion battle rhymer 'round these parts, more than competent maestro on beats, and as prolific as weezy f baby to boot! so why haven't we gotten a new record outta my man since 2006 masterpiece Don't Drink The Water? grindin' son...
while on tour in australia (see what i mean?), Playdough recorded Goodonya with aussie goodfellas like DJ Flagrant and Nill Void, plus the usual suspects like Pigeon John, Con Safos, Freddie Bruno and Sean P. Aussie's been bumpin' this EP for a minute, but now thanks to President Obama, you can preorder Goodonya at DUSTBRAND.COM and rock it too for twelve bucks! Goodonya drops in the YOU ESS AY December 17, fam... that's change i can believe in!
uno.
ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

good background music...

I Am by Novel (ft. Ben Folds, Talib Kweli & Spree Wilson)

copped this video (like a lotta the vids i post) offa NahRight.com
Produced by Novel featuring Ben Folds on the piano & hook. Off of The Audiobiography…, coming soon. Video directed By Philip Sportel.
uno.
ghettoManga.com

Deviant of the Day

i guess it's kinda unfair to use animation heavyweight LeSean Thomas (Boondocks, Ben 10, Street Fighter, Arkanium) as the Deviant of the Day, but he's one of the cats i lurk on at DeviantArt.com, so i'ma do it anyways! he's passionate about his craft and about the artform of comics (although he mostly reads foreign comics), and has the attitude and work ethic that all practioners of the ghettoManga arts oughta take to heart.
uno.
-gM

Vision was dope!

warriorQueenMother (v2) by samax Amen
Vision -the last ArtLoveMagic Show of 2008- was dope. each piece in the show sported a one-word title it exemplified. i hung 2 pieces in the gallery (my theme was Motherhood) and did sketches and brought greeting cards and postcards for the people. there were lots of other artists of all types on hand. all the ArtLoveMagic events i've done have been heavily attended and this one was no different. The exhibit (including the piece shown here-which has already sold) will be up through Thanksgiving Weekend at the Mokah Art Gallery just off Canton and Malcom X in Dallas.
-ghettoManga.com

half man, half Amazing...

one of my favorite writers (Mark Waid) is pitting my favorite superhero (Spiderman) against one of my favorite Spidey villains (The Shocker) in Amazing Spiderman 578-579. art by Marcos Martin.
jeauh!
-gM

Christos Gage talks Absolution...

CBR interviews comics writer Christos Gage (Avengers:The Initiative, StormWatch:PHD) about his new Avatar Press book, Absolution

Quote of the Day

"operate out of your imagination, not your memory..."
-Les Brown

The Eternal Trickin' Debate rages on...

listen... i know we can't settle this today, but it's important to get a dialogue started...

2008 ghettoManga Awards Nominees: Movie of the Year

movie of the Year rules: if it was out this year, it qualifies. look, i don't check release dates, and i have a tendancy to get to things late... so i don't worry about none o' that! if i geeked on it this year, it qualifies! so any movie (including animated features, if they are FLY enough!) that was out in theatres, on teevee, or on dvd qualifies...
anyways, here's the nominees:

i wrote a fairly well-received review of Kung-Fu Panda earlier this year, and upon re-reading it, i stand by what i wrote. this movie impressed me with its ability to entertain kids and adults simultaneously, and i enjoyed the comedic style more than previous Dreamworks animated films like Shrek. i have surprisingly little interest in the 3D animation explosion, but can put the cap on my Haterade long enough to acknowledge such a well-conceived and executed story.

Chris Nolan's original onscreen version of the world's greatest detective did what other superhero films WISH they could: Batman Begins actually added to the mystique of DC's line-walking vigilante! so when the Joker card was pulled at the end, the sequel buzz immediately began. The untimely death of Heathe Ledger only made it worse... his turn as the ultimate psycho clown prince of crime has fanboys and girls crying Oscar, so how could i pass by the record-smashing hero noir The Dark Knight?
before Lyndsy Lohan or Paris Hilton ever got their hands around a cold gold can, Robert Downey Jr brought addiction back in a big way, risking the ruin of a brilliant acting career on both the big and small screens, so who better to play the alcoholic thrill-seeking genius Tony Stark, the invincible Iron Man? Director John Favreau shocked the comics faniverse with the widescreen debut of everyone's favorite shell-head Avenger, not to mention more than a few easter-eggs that still have nerds buzzing!
unless you don't get out much, you've probably watched a movie where Chiwetel Ejiofor (Inside Man, American Gangster, Serenity, Talk To Me, Four Brothers, Children of Men) gave a stellar performance. but you haven't really seen what he's capable of until you've seen Redbelt.
Ejiofor deserves to be the next important black movie star. he is always believable, as a villain or a sidekick, or here, as a wise martial arts Sensei who seeks to teach his students how to turn any situation to their advantage. if you haven't seen this... SEE IT!
Marvel Comics has got it right: go get a good script. attach top-notch actors, and get out of the way! The Incredible Hulk, an apology to fans who really hated Ang Lee's psychological analysis of the gamma irradiated monster, served up more action and a decent love story, plus more of Hulk smashing people, places and things. Ed Norton and Tim Roth brought serious acting pedigree, and a quick cameo by Downey's Tony Stark helped continue the now-confirmed rumors that Marvel's building a full-blown Marvel Movie Universe (tee-hee!)...
don't let the box-office fool you: Speed Racer is the BOMB! those silly Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix trilogy) return to their director's chairs to bring us one of the best family movies that no families went and saw. a troublesome marketing program (or lack thereof...), confused fan and critical reaction, and the unexpected super-success of Iron Man contributed to serious tanking of this film. but believe me when i tell you, it is a visionary film! the Wachowskis do justice to the precursor to the anime invasion, creating a film that celebrates the best aspects, not only of the Speed Racer cartoon, but other 'toons like it.

any of these wold make great additions to your DVD collection, and you probably wanna see 'em all! that said, there can be only one winner... The 2008 ghettoManga Awards will jump off next month, so stay tuned for more nominees!
-ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

New Umbrella Academy mini starts Next Week!

"The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #1 (of 6)

Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá return with a story as American as semiautomatic weapons.
The Umbrella Academy has saved the world, but the house they were raised in is destroyed. One member is bedridden, the side of her head held together with tape; and another has lost her voice, the source of her power. Now that they’ve fulfilled their destiny, does the Umbrella Academy have any future at all?

The Umbrella Academy returns for a second six-issue series: The Umbrella Academy:Dallas, where we put the term-hero-to the test.
* Variant cover by Jim Lee!
* 32 pages, no ads!
* The acclaimed series from Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá returns! 2008 Eisner Award winner--Best Limited Series!

Price: $2.99"
click the pic to preview the book, then COP IT next wednesday!!!
ghettoManga.com

Ay Z brings BEEF like trucker to Fuddrucker

In a move worthy of hip hop mixtape beef, Bin Laden's number 2 man, Ayman al-Zawahri dropped a new tape dissin' the President Elect, callin' Obama a house nigga, along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice. Ay Z also said he invites America to bring beef to Afghanistan because "the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them..."
unfortunately, although he did claim to be down with The Ummah, al-Ziggedy didn't have a Dilla beat behind that, or he'd have a hit on his hands... so anyways, read the full story and watch Ay Z's killa tape here.
uno.
ghettoManga.com

Fresh Zion-I video...

Juicy Juice by Zion I
you're feelin' this, aren'tcha!?! cop the FREE mixtape here
uno.
ghettoManga.com

the Couple that Slays Together...

"No trials, no choices, and no questions. That’s what the U.S. government told Malcolm and Sierra Irons after they turned them into cybernetic assassins...Malcolm and Sierra Irons, a husband and wife team like no other... Without prior authorization, the government completely rebuilt the couple into the ultimate killing machines, code named Tangent and Stiletta. Their sole purpose is to eliminate our nation’s most dangerous and elusive criminal threats. Thrust into this impossible situation against their will, the Irons struggle with their new role, ultimately having only each other for support."
Deadly Artisans: The Cover Up is available as 4 individual comics, or you can dive into the 110 page Trade Paperback. preview and purchase it at Indy Planet.
uno.
ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

Heavy D Returns!

Long Distance Girlfriend by Heavy D
i'm diggin' the big boy irie steelo of ole Waterbed Heav... this joint is the lead-off for his new album Vibes, due out Dec 16.
-ghettoManga.com

JJ Abrams takes a crack at the Final Fronteir

Star Trek trailer.

slow and low, that is the tempo...

Liquor Store by Mikkey Halsted.

Cartoon Storm Poster

Storm Illustrated by Michael McElroy.
click the pic to preview and purchase it on IndyPlanet for $3.
uno.
ghettoManga.com

form follows FUNK-TION

The Love Below by Joseph R Wheeler III
concept artist, comics creator and all-around genius Joseph R Wheeler III created this ill joint for an exhibition entitled FUNK-TIONAL-ISM in Atlanta's SW Arts Center. Artists were tasked to ' interpret an album of choice sharing and clear overstanding of the album.' by exhibition curator Brian Hebert. obviously, Wheeler chose the Andre 3000 half of the ground-breaking double disk Speakerbox/The Love Below from the imitated-but-never-replicated Outcast.
peep more from Williams at The NAO (The New Art Order).
ghettoManga.com

FREE Zion-I Mixtape!

featuring:

Richie Cunning
C-Holiday
Deuce Eclipse
Bambu
Talib Kweli
Del the Funky Homosapien
The Grouch
Mickey Factz
Young Deuce
KFlay

on the low...

i already started on my Christmas gifts this year... my daughter's very first yuletide gift from Dad will be this fresh "My Big Sister is a Cockerspaniel" bodysuit, illuminating her relationship to my wife's beloved Cockerspaniel, Millie. they are available in white, pink and baby blue in the Ziontific online store. they also come in "My Big Brother..." and "My First Baby..." varieties for just $12.99, with other gifts for lovers of Cockerspaniels too, so happy shopping!
uno.
-gM

Fresh, Rhymes and Videotape

thanks Urb Magazine

Check out "Fresh Rhymes & Videotape Anthem," featuring Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88-Keys (prod by 88-Keys), from Decon's Fresh Rhymes & Videotape, Vol 1. It's a posse cut banger. And stay tuned for all sorts of secrets out of this camp, coming soon. Check out more info on the multimedia series below, as well as the download link for the single. From Decon:
download the MP3 here
uno!
-gM

the breaks...

trailer for Planet B-boy

still the greatest...

jeauh...

figure out your color scheme and prepare for that JFK tee...

i got $40 set aside already... just gotta decide which two i want. any Jax fan needs this.
stay tuned...
-gM

i'm Busy March 6th, so don't even ask...

the new trailer for Watchmen...
in theatres March 6th, 2009.
based on the greatest comic ever made: Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen certainly has its critics, but frankly they are wrong. it is on the level of any literary masterpiece, and Watchmen, along with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, made it harder to make a truly classic superhero comic and cast a shadow over the industry that creative people are still living under more than 20 years later. you probably wanna get that before the movie comes out... but maybe that's just the geek in me talkin'...
uno.
gM

Can I Kick It?

for some reason, the modern comic book has been running around in circles trying to make superhero comics more "realistic" for decades. and while i would argue that it has resulted in some pretty stupid comics, every now and then something truly awesome arrives on the scene. enter comics giants Mark Millar and John Romita Jr's straight-faced action comic, the aptly entitled Kick-Ass, the laugh-out-loud story of Dave, an extremely regular kid who becomes addicted to doling out ultra-violent, costumed vigilante justice.
which is not to say he's especially good at it! the kid who inadvertantly becomes the YouTube sensation called Kick-Ass takes as much and as good as he gives, but even when it lands him in the hospital, he just can't get enough!
the funniest thing about Kick-Ass is that it became so popular, so fast that the movie adaptation (did i mention they're making it a movie? oh... they are.) may come out before the book story it adapts is finished! isn't life something...
one.
-gM

"it happens when they change something..."

anybody into lyrics will appreciate Glitches, the album available for free download from motor city microphone mangler Tenacity. Glitches is a carefully blended mix of beats, rhymes, and life that will satiate the hunger head-nodding production and thoughtful, deliberate rhymes that mainstream hip hop has most likely left unsatisfied. anyways, click the pic to download that joint free, fam...
uno.
-ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

in Dog we Trust!

guest review by corance aka the Holy One

a singular comic, Dogby Walks Alone came to my attention through a preview in another Tokyopop book. It was basically the first few pages of the story, enough to get the gist. A Disneyesque theme park called Happy Place is invaded and robbed by mascots from a rival park, and Dogby must save the day. What surprised me was that the story is actually a noir detective plot with the skin of a comedic farce. This guy Wes Abbott really pulled something off here.

I believe this book is an example of how good comics can be coming from a writer/artist that has chops in both areas. His art is crisp and expressive. He seems to have the ability to draw anything convincingly, which aids the fact that a lot of the humor comes from men dressed as mascots involved in the action. I'll stop there, so as not to give any spoilers, but Dogby Walks Alone will be a candidate for book of the year in '08. COP IT in the gM online store.

in addition to being one-fifth the mighty ghostWerks crew, Corance is a writer, stand-up philosopher, and co-creator of Champion of Children, the greatest Kids' Comic you've never heard of. now that we have a black president, he is running out of excuses and will probably blow up soon.
-ghettoManga.com

Iverson,Pistons get it together against Lakers

Pistons defeat Lakers 106-95 in Los Angeles
"I've never seen anything like it before..."
these were the words of my homeboy Mario describing the last undefeated team in the NBA, Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers, who've been beating teams by an average of over 17 points per game. "they 're straight destroying teams. if they keep playing like this, the Lakers are going back to the Finals." can't argue with that logic, can i? i mean, they were 7-0, and just came off'a smashing last year's sweatheart team, the New Orleans Hornets when Detroit came to town, running behind my favorite little big man and new Piston: Allen Iverson.
“We just played defense,” Iverson said. “We made them take tough, contested shots. When they missed, we got out and ran and took advantage. On the offensive end, we just attacked all night.” Rasheed Wallace had 25 points and 13 rebounds, Allen Iverson added 25 points and the Pistons handed the Lakers their first loss of the season, 106-95 Friday night. The win was the Pistons’ eighth in the last 10 meetings.

*The Pistons are 3-2 since the trade that brought Iverson to Detroit in exchange for All-Star point guard Chauncy Billups (Denver is 4-1 with Billups)
*Former Laker Kwame Brown had a double-double, with 10 rebounds and 10 points
(read more)
-gM

that new Ye

click the pic for the leak of the new Kanye joint.
uno.
-gM

Gather Your Dough for a good Cause

Mask of Red by Endling.
mind-numbingly dope concept artist/cartoonist Endling is in deep financial doo-doo from extensive medical expenses (thanks, capitalist health care system!)... refusing to take donations, he is going to be holding auctions of original art (and presumably prints as well) to keep his head above water. no dates have been announced, but be patient... when i know, you will too!
uno.
-gM

Artists Help Troops With Art

Artists from the Dallas area art massive ArtLoveMagic were among many local and national comic book artists that contributed to the Heroes 4 Heroes live art auction at Wizard World Texas last weekend. The event raised $24,000 to send care packages to troops overseas... for more pixs, clip Captain America piece above. to read more, go here or head over to ArtLoveMagic.com for more guerrilla art philanthropy!
uno.
-gM

Quote of the Day

"Young desperado straight out the grotto
I’m so bad my shadow chooses not to follow
Little nigga but see me as a fuckin’ rhino
Lil Weezy hit this bitch like Rocky Marciano
It’s a drought ain’t it? How the fuck would I know?
Nigga I been gettin’ my Cher [share] like Sonny Bono... "
-Weezy F Baby

Green-Eyed Bandit Sighting...

E Double freestyle on Westwood

from NYX to Africa

speaking of cover artists, the covers for the Vixen miniseries we immaculately painted by Josh Middleton (NYX), who also did cover art for that Next Avengers DVD. unfortunately, the interior art in Vixen didn't move me enough to buy it, so i have no review for you. hopefully, he'll do more comics interiors, 'cause he's ridiculous... here's more junk from the middle man...-gM