Ski Beatz is taking you to SCHOOL!

I'm just about as excited as possible about the upcoming Ski Beatz mixtape 24 Hour Karate School... as much as I've been about any record in a while. You may have already heard this track, but yo, it's got Jean Grae, Mos Def, Jay Electronica, and Joell Ortiz on it... Listen to it again!

FREE COMICBOOK DAY is this SATURDAY!

Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE* to anyone who comes into their stores...

Mega...

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone's feeling good... I woke up this morning humming the hook to Believe, a stand out track from Vordul Mega's 2004ish solo album The Revolution of Yung Havoks, so I figured if it helped me get my day started, it might help you, too...

Start the day off RIGHT------->

I don't have much to tell you about Hasan Salaam. I heard his music on mySpace or something and became an instant fan. peep via the widget below...

Um... I don't think that's "Steve" Cullen...

Herman Heed pg 19 by Samax

like a Rock Star

photo from The Rock's next film, Faster

Start the Day off RIGHT------>

Stay Funky, my friends...

I Finally Watched the "Hulk Vs" Joint...

I watched the Hulk Vs joint at my man Khalid's crib. For some reason, I wasn't all that interested in watching it when it came out last year (despite all the fanfare), but blessed with a few hours to burn yesterday, I decided to give the jolly green giant a spin, once Khalid mentioned that he had this on tap...

A Convicted Felon near the Kids?

"I thought about asking a guy who snorted cocaine and got arrested for DUI when he was 30 to come and speak to our kids, but President George W. Bush was not available."
- Dr. Terry Oatts, Principal of Woodland Middle School in Henry County, GA.

Mos Def + Max Tannone = FIYAH!!! #downloadThis

WHOA! Just copped this off'a RappersIknow... this is just what the doctor ordered! the mighty Mos Def on some fresh Dub samples? Dante never sounded so good...

Yes, DC's "Young Justice" Cartoon (with black 'Aqualad') will debut this fall on CN

Cartoon Network and DC's blog the Source have (finally) confirmed all the rumors. Young Justice will follow the exploits of teenage superheroes looking to prove themselves worthy to join the ranks of their better-known elders in what will be (i'm sure) a more angsty take on teen heroics than Teen Titans Go.

(you know you want it)

I believe every comicbook dude secretly wants to watch his girl kick someone's ass (perhaps you would like her to kick your own ass, but that's a whole 'nother thing). Many of my own pieces are piled up in the corner under the tag "exhibit A"... but my MetroSketchual homie Vinh-Luan Luu has built a second income around capturing the allure of the armed and dangerous female.

start the Day off RIGHT------>

 NEW RULES! No one is allowed to complain about the state of hip hop UNLESS they have every dope record that comes out within 6 months of release. That's more than enough time to save up via lemonade stand, so you won't have to download EVERY record illegally...

preview that NEW Charlie Goubile sketchbook!

eff what you heard: This is a pretty good time to be a comicbook fan! There's so many dope artists out there on a Get 'Er Done mission, putting it down on two dimensions, and less obstacles between you as a fan and the artist... for example, if you're a fan of that dude Charlie "Fab" Goubile, you need to go ahead and cop his new artbook Soul Kinetic and see what he's been up to. Peep:

Herman Heed is now 75% complete!

Herman Heed pg 18. by Samax Amen.

Deviant of the Day # 105 Knows Her Tacos!

Taco Magic by Basalt

420 All Day...

happy April 20th to all the smokers out there. My homeboy Josh Boulet has pretty much made it so that I can't think about the big 4-2-0 without thinking about his hilarious  stoner comic, The Green Reefer.

Above the Clouds...

The hip hop world paused today to mourn the passing of Keith Elam, known around the world as Guru, the rhyming half of GangStarr, one of the most venerated rap duos of all time.

Start the day off RIGHT----->

every now and then, because of the nature of my blog, my magazine and the art I make, someone approaches me and questions the connection between comics and hip hop... some even going so far as suggesting the artforms and subcultures cross very rarely, if at all.  To my credit, I haven't laughed in anyone's face over this in a long time, as it's a form of ignorance that makes more sense as time goes by. After all, I am (like all real hip hoppers) a frequent consumer of underground media, where there is less pressure to be trendy and repetitive... where you might find a cat like Breez Evahflowin...

OGN Review: The Apocalipstix

There is a growing trend in indie comics for what I call "band comics"... for the most part, they take another genre or two (superhero comics, fight comics, romantic comedy, etc) and throw in a band as their protagonists. Enter The Apocalipstix, the 144 page original graphic novel by Ray Fawkes and Cameron Stewart (Seven Soldiers: Manhattan Gaurdian, Seaguy, Batman and Robin) about a girl band so righteous they survived mutual assured destruction!...

Hang Ten Herman?

Herman Heed pg 17 by Samax Amen...  

Start the Day Off Right ------->

"Now I might be buggin', but it seem to me that cartoon's be realer than reality teevee. They inspired my decision to be open and listen, but folks got it all twisted like a yoga position..."
- Talib Kweli (off that joint Old School )

Start the Day off RIGHT!

yeah, so lately whenever I get together with my man Corance and we start talking about dope rhymers (which we always are), Elzhi's name keeps popping up. Yeah, Elzhi from the Detroit crew Slum Village, that Elzhi...

Deviant of the Day #104: JangMarley will Draw for Food (but he only eats money!)

Gangster Glam by jangmarley

Comicbook World #43: Giant Fireball Lights Up Midwestern Sky

Is it ever good news when a giant fireball appears in the sky? Even when you can rule out missile attacks and nuclear bombs, there aren't too many explanations that feel good for those who are looking up at a giant sonic-boom-generating ball of light.  Well, in comics it sometimes results in spontaneous super-powers, but even that isn't universally a good thing...

Girls with Dreads get Plus 2 ♥ from Pope Phoenix!

Dreaded Pin-Up Girl by William Pope

Graphic Novel review of a Werewolf story done RIGHT!

Guts. Blood. Dismemberment. Entrails. Screaming. Tragedy. Death. If any of these words offend you... for God's sake, DON'T READ Josh Boulet's The Wrong Night in Texas, because it will only ruin your day! On the other hand, if you have been waiting on someone to drop a b.s. free werewolf tale that beats you down and doesn't run afterwords, you might wanna check this out...

wondering what Herman Heed is up to?

Herman Heed pg 16

Start the day off RIGHT----->

There's a pretty good chance you have never heard of Pigeon John and B-Twice, known collectively as Brainwash Projects, of the mighty LA Symphony rap collective. to my knowledge, the duo only released one full length album, aptly titled The Rise and Fall of Brainwash Projects, circa 1997 or so.

Old School hip hop interlude...

whaddup! hope everybody's having a good day, If not, I sure hope it helps to bump this Special Ed joint! Taxin' is my favorite song off Eddie's debut plate Youngest In Charge.

Quick Preview and Review: Indego Blue

I pro'lly wouldn't have bought Indego Blue #1 if I hadn't interacted with series artist Howard Russell on Twitter. Even after following a link from his Twitter to view the title's cover I wasn't interested in buying it. I took it for one of those boring anthro comics that are so popular among manga fans... Nothing wrong with that, I guess, but I myself am not into them. Luckily for me, I got a chance to thumb through #1 at my comic shop, because it's pretty dope...

Cullen's getting his Han Solo on...

Herman Heed pg 15 by Samax Amen

start the day off RIGHT ----->

good morning, fammo... here's a little youTube heat from Eric B and Rakim. In the Ghetto, from the classic record Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em.

PREVIEW: BRAND NEW KING CITY by Brandon Graham

For everybody that's been waiting for just the right time to jump on the King City bandwagon, wait no more. Don't let the lucky number 7 fool you on the new issue, cause this is the beginning of a new story arc! Issues 1-6 reprinted the story from the brain-melting King City Volume 1 OGN from Tokyopop, but starting with #7, this is the new-new, originally planned for the long-awaited  KingCity2.  get familiar via the whopping 10 page preview below...

SWEET Elektra Wallpaper by Arie Monroe!

One of our favorite artists around here is super-prolific illustrator/sketch card artist and cartoonist Arie Monroe (Mainasha). A couple of years ago, Arie drew this adorable fan art piece Plump Elektra for a commission. Now the piece has been colored and made into the wallpaper below.

this page brought to you by Chihuahuas!

Herman Heed pg 14 by Samax Amen.

Uncle Ruckus does NOT hate the game...

Uncle Ruckus jumps on his youTube to clear the air on this Tiger Woods controversy...

Start the day off RIGHT ------>

here's a nice posse cut to get the day off the ground. It's Boog Brown, Aarophat, and Small Eyez with Midwest Kids, off Boog's stellar showing, Grind Season, Volume 1.

Ninjasday Newsflash!!! NEW Gratuitous Ninja Website!

True to his promise last week, that dude Ron Wimberly has blessed us with a new episode of Gratuitous Ninja: Loan Sharks. This would be news enough for a quick post, but you will also be happy to know the creator has hooked up a little mini-site for GratNin, so  this would be a good time to bounce over there and check it out! So head over to the Gratuitous Ninja homepage (click here for the current episode or here for GN:LS episode one) and get acquainted! If you've already read this weeks ep, go here for more fawning over Ron's work.
Holla!
-samax
ghettoManga.com
comics.hipHop.news.art.culture

Book Review: Immortal Fantasy by Winston Blakely

I like anthologies. In the same way that a hip hop mixtape from a deejay you trust can turn you on to your next favorite emcee, a good anthology gives you a taste of several different worlds and concepts, any of which may really spark your imagination. Winston Blakely constructed his new anthology Immortal Fantasy Vol 1 around his obvious love for the much-neglected fantasy genre.

Don't make excuses, make comics!

Herman Heed, pg 13 by Samax Amen

cop that NEW RHYMEFEST mixtape!

In preparation for the May 18th release of his sophomore album El Che, (follow-up to his under-exposed debut plate, Blue Collar) your man Rhymefest dropped a new mixtape Dangerous: 5-18. peep the tracklist and download link below, plairs...