Daily news and updates by Proprietor James Sime & the Isotope Staff
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DASH SHAW at the Isotope! Join us and comic creating genius Dash Shaw in celebration of his latest book BODYWORLD from Pantheon April 27th 2010 (click here for more info) |
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The Isotope Communique
James Sime's Mobile Twitter Feed - click here for more Twitter Feed Loading... Jared Guenther - Enforcer
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
 The Isotope Gallery Proudly PresentsCasey & Adlard's Brilliant Rock Bottom What could be more exciting than seeing two favorite creators working together... and doing the best work of either of their lives? Because without a doubt, that is exactly what AIT/PlanetLar's Rock Bottom is! And the original pages from this book are now hanging in the Isotope gallery for all who walk in the front door to enjoy. Click the photos to see them in all their large-sized glory.         Combining one of the true voices of our time Joe Casey, the author behind the beloved Wildcats 3.0, and the Eisner-nominated artist Charlie Adlard who brings The Walking Dead to life... even we were surprised by how profoundly powerful this quiet little tale of a man turning to stone is. We encourage everyone to check out this book is, but you don't have to take our word for it, go ahead and check out all the great reviews and click the unlettered pages below for a preview.      More about Rock Bottom at the publisher's site. Labels: Charlie Adlard, comics, gallery
Monday, November 20, 2006
 Robertson Delivers The GoodsIn Sick Twisted Genius Fashion If you're anything like us here at the Isotope, one of the things you'd love to have more of in your life is Transmetropolitan. Although the series ended back in 2002, we still break out the Vertigo graphic novels for re-readings all the time. Yes, we'd simply love to have more Transmet... and now, my dear friends, that is exactly what we have! Allow me present without further ado the much-hoped-for next issue of the legendary Transmetropolitan series by the original creative team, Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson, which only exists as part of the Isotope's Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum. Mr. Robertson pulled out all the stops on this one, ladies and gentlemen, including "Spider's Live Feed Ass Cam," and splatter-marks in several nauseating shades under the lid. And, if you look closely you can see that, yes indeed, those are pills lodged in those dubious stains, true testaments to Darick's disgusting genius. Here's Darick's seat, and for your convenience, Warren Ellis' script as well. Click the photos to enlarge:   Wanna see the inside, in all its pill-packed excremental glory? Click if you dare! Labels: Comic Rockstars Toiletseat Museum, comics, gallery  Connecting You & Your ComicsAround Thanksgiving Holiday Thanksgiving. It's a time of family, friends, and a great big feast. A holiday all about good food and good company? You know we're definitely behind that! But if there's one thing we don't like about the holiday season, it's when those folks who distribute our weekly reads shift and shuffle our shipment days around to accomodate all that revelry. And we're certainly not alone, our phone's been ringing off the hook and our in-box is burning up with one question, "when are the new books coming in?" We're grinning from ear to ear that we get to give you some news to be truly thankful for... both this week and next, new sequential art entertainment will be flooding in the doors on and at our the regularly scheduled times! And with the exception of the day of Thanksgiving itself, the Isotope will be here for you during our regular hours to help make sure you have no problem at all getting the books you need. This Wednesday (Nov 22nd) sees a massive shipment including Hot Mexican Love Comics by Rafael Navarro, Mike Milo, Angry Bob Bowen, Albert Calleros, and many more. Allan Heinberg & Terry Dodson's brilliantly beautiful Wonder Woman #3. The I've-waited-so-long-it's-practically-killing-me Punisher War Journal #1. The outrageously offensive The Boys #5 by Darick Robertson & Garth Ennis. Another edition of the Isotopic favorite Dwight T. Albatross Presents: The Goon Noir. And, yes, Ferocious J, even that Y The Last Man Vol 8 you've been waiting for! Labels: schedule
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Isotope staff would like to apologize if we seem a little hard of hearing today. It's not that we're ignoring you, it's just that we were having one of our traditional "all staff meetings" in the pit at the Gwar show last night, and it was loud! As expected the scumdogs of the universe rocked our world... and killed Satan too!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
  Exploring Ghettoized Psychosis& Speculative Mental Treatments Here at the Isotope we always watch out for any book with author/artist Dan Schaffer's name on it. From the bad mojo B-movie romp Dogwitch to the abstract beauty of Indigo Vertigo, Schaffer always delivers something utterly unique and jam-packed with strange and compelling personalities. And true to form in his latest original graphic novel, Scribbler, Schaffer puts his protagonists through the psychological wringer. Suki lives in a world where recovering psychiatric patients are housed together in a sixteen story tower block far from the view of normal people, where physicians try to erase the unwanted multiple personalities that lurk in the corners of Suki's fractured mind with “Siamese Burn Therapy” on an experimental medical machine. That alone is enough to sell us on the strength of Mister Shaffer's latest narrative. But just for good measure he throws in enough compulsive pushers stalking the stairways, murderers hiding in the shadows, and trips to the edge of madness to keep us on the edge of our seats wondering if Suki can survive a Cabrini-Green of concentrated psychosis where the suicide rate is higher than the recovery rate.  For a further examination into the depths of Scribbler, point your browsers over towards this great interview with Mister Schaffer at the Pulse Scribbler by Dan Schaffer 96 Black & White Pages for $7.99 From Image on November 15th Download and enjoy a 13 page preview here  It's a Jetsons World All Around Us...The Isotope Plugs You Into "The New" It's no secret that we here at the Isotope are excited about new. Our hunger for learning the secrets of untested waters, birthing fresh ideas, consuming new devourables, and exploring the unusual modernistic world around us can only be considered "unquenchable." Perhaps it is the result of being born in the tail end of the last millennium when world-wide change occurred with increased frequency... or maybe it's just the result of too much sugar in our diets. In honor of a world where space tourism is a reality we're going to place tongue firmly in the Isotope cheek and share with you a variety of strange and unusual only-real-life-could-be-this-ridiculous new products that remind us how great it is to be living in the 21st century. Enjoy!  Liquid BreakfastForget those lame kids of the 70's and 80's who thought having cookies for breakfast was so cool, we're talking about Liquid Cereal here! No doubt these things have plenty of those vitamins and minerals your mother would want you to be starting your day off with. So go ahead plug your nose and dive into a dairy-based canned breakfast in one of four varieties: Apple & Cinnamon Liquid Cereal, Chocolate Liquid Cereal, Peanut Butter Liquid Cereal, and the frighteningly named Fruit Liquid Cereal. What a treat! Liquid Cereal @ Bevnet  Season ShotGood gods above, could anything be cooler than shotgun shells filled with meat seasoning? Game hunters who are sick and tired of having to pick buckshot out of their freshly killed dinners are going to love this. Live ammo containing a specially formulated buckshot loaded with your choice of Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Garlic, Teriyaki, or Honey Mustard seasonings. Bag that pheasant and get delicious meat seasoning into that carcass at the same time! More at SeasonShot.com  Hulk Doll w/ Monster WillyWorld-famous for traumatizing British schoolgirls, it's the amazing Incredible Hulk doll with something a little... extra. Found lurking in the prize stacks at Brighton Pier Fair, this superhero with more ended up going home with six year old Leah Lowland who won the green goliath after successfully knocking down all sorts of cans by tossing bean bags. Leah's mum said "A hulk with a bulk like this just shouldn’t be allowed." Well said, Mrs. Lowland, well said! Hulk Doll's Monster Willy  Go Wodka Extreme!Three cheers for vodka in a tube! You might have problems getting these babies through airline security, but those suckers at the movie theater won't bat an eye when they see you fooling with the top of some stupid looking tube. They pack 10.5% alcohol by volume and come in Cranberry, Lemon, and even "Energy" flavor. Just imagine how much fun you'll have switching one of these with your half-asleep room-mate's toothpaste! Also, you gotta love these things for the name alone. Genius! Go Wodka Extreme @ Strange New Products  Dwight Yoakam's Chicken Lickin's Chicken RingsImagine if you will no one's favorite country music star combining the great taste of chicken fingers with the even greater shape of onion rings. Now imagine it's all true and you could actually eat them! Heavenly! Sure we think Purplos, the world's first purple-colored sausages, also sounds pretty nifty... but we've got to give it up to our man Dwight Yoakam and his amazing think-tank of food innovators. You guys are beyond brilliant. Hilarious Chicken Ring write-up @ Boing Boing  Hulk Hogan Energy DrinkWhile Hufu - the Human Meat Tasting Tofu might have been a scam, this The Hulkster can tell you, most definitely is not! Say your prayers hulkamaniacs and get a mainline shot of this medicinal tasting can of sweet vitamin B12 and all that other stuff that helped pump up the yellow and red ring warrior enough to body-slam Andre The Giant. Oh okay, that was actually steroids that did that... but don't let that stop you from swilling down a can of Hogan's energy drink! Hogan Energy Drink @ BevNet  Preserved Duck Liver SnacksTalk about mouth-watering! We had to end this post with a big gun, so we're pulling out all the stops and going to where snack food technology is surely the most advanced, China! And how can you deny the sheer snack-food power of what must be one of the yummiest snack foods ever invented, individually-wrapped Preserved Duck Liver Snacks? Just thinking of these babies makes our throats close up and stomachs churn with, um, delight. And no, Jared, these aren't for feeding to your cat... they're for you! Hooray! See more close-up pictures and other worldly delights here And for more wonders of the modern age, we suggest BevNet, and Strange New Products Labels: culture
Friday, November 10, 2006
 Hey, James, as cliche as it may sound, meeting you has changed all of our lives for the better. We hope you live forever! Happy birthday! Labels: staff
Thursday, November 09, 2006
 Legendary Comics Icon Does SpringfeildAlan Moore Gets Animated Up Here's some fun comic book and cartoon news for you, Alan Moore is going to appear on an up-coming episode of The Simpsons'.From the Northants News: NORTHAMPTON writer Alan Moore is to feature in a forthcoming episode of The Simpsons. Moore recorded his lines at The Lodge studios in Abington Square last month for an episode which will be called Husbands and Knives. The Simpsons' production team are long-time fans of Moore's, whose reputation in the world of graphic novels is legendary. We're particularly amused that Mister Moore will be starring in a story-line that's no doubt ripped from the fever dreams of the "other guys" out there. The Comic Book Guy trembles in fear when a slick new cool comic and graphic novel lounge opens up in Springfield... and throws a huge in-store event with comics superstar Alan Moore to celebrate. Sounds like a fun Simpson's episode to us! And while we're talking Alan Moore, be sure to mark your calendars for November 18th and Alan's 53rd birthday. For the five or six folks out there who aren't already fans of Alan Moore, we suggest V For Vendetta, Top 10, Watchmen, and the incredible Ballad of Halo Jones. Labels: Alan Moore, cartoons
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
 We Wouldn't Miss This for the World...All of Prince's Purple Rain on Ukulele It's a beautiful day here in San Francisco today. The weather is perfect, everyone who walks in the door has a big smile on their faces, there's a great new shipment of comic reads on the new arrivals rack... and tomorrow night we get to see Prince's musical masterpiece Purple Rain performed in it's entirety on ukulele! Kelly McCubbin, also known as Uke Apocalypse, and his mad band of four string strumming maestros who brought San Francisco the incredible Ukey Stardust and the Spiders From Mars are taking the uke-orchestra concept to it's penultimate purple peak, with orgasmic live renditions from Purple Rain. Catch this ridiculous musical extravaganza located just two blocks down the street from the Isotope at one of the SF Bay Area's hippest live music venues The Rickshaw Stop. The Isotope staff will definitely be in attendance at this show you won't want to miss! When Ukes Cry @ The Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell St Thursday, November 9th www.ukeapocalypse.com
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
 The Isotope's Bon Vivant Blasts OffTo Conquer the New Frontier It is always with a heavy heart that we let a member of our family leave the loving arms of the Isotope and go out into the cruel world, but at the same time we can't help but cheer when we think of the successes awaiting that individual. And so, my dear friends, it is both with a manly tear in our eye and a joyous raising of our collective glasses that we announce that our beloved Bon Vivant, Ian Yarborough, is leaving our nest and going out to conquer new horizons in his unmistakable style. As he goes, we'd all like to sincerely thank him for his years of tireless dedication to putting great books in the people's hands, dazzling us with his endless wit and wisdom, and working side-by-side with us through both the best of times and the back-breaking labor of constructing a truly beautiful Fell St. location. And throughout it all, making it more fun than work has any right to be thanks to his characteristic air of Southern charm. And now, Mister Yarborough will be applying that same hard work and loving attention to what can only be described as his dream job. Along with his roommates, Mark and Big Dan, our former Bon Vivant finally has a restaurant and club all of his own to craft however he chooses. Be sure to check out a whole new universe of cool concerts, fine foods, and endlessly hip happenings that Restaurant and Bar Manager Ian is helping bring to life at the 23 Club. We're sad to see him go... but we couldn't be happier for him. Best of luck, Ian! Labels: staff
Monday, November 06, 2006
 The Isotope Presents The Morrison MethodFor Optimal Seven Soldiers Enjoyment For those of you who have been experiencing increased mental muscle strain from the intense comic workout presented by Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory series, you are not alone. After hearing more and more about these minor aches and strains cropping up, we dedicated ourselves to discovering the proper posture for performing this heavy comics lifting. And now the Isotope is able to proudly share with you this handy visual guide for increasing maximum efficiency in your comic enjoyment workout.  clip and save And as you progress with the Method, you might want to try your hand at some of the advanced calisthenics found in these unbelievably great, utterly jaw-dropping annotations. Don't forget to supplement your Morrison Method activities with this interview with Grant featuring his original Seven Soldiers character designs drawn the man himself. Enjoy! Labels: comics, Grant Morrison
Friday, November 03, 2006
 More Jared Guenther on the Red Carpet& a Long-Awaited First Look @ Bad Penny This is what we here at the Isotope love to see: our friends and co-workers doing great and getting some glory too! A couple weekends back the Communique reported on one of the many movies Jared has done makeup and special effects for Fallen Angels getting the world-premiere treatment at the famous Mann's Chinese Theatre and now we've got pictures from his red carpet moment. But first, let's talk about another flick our amigo has worked on, because editing has just finished on Bad Penny and the first trailer is finally available. Even before Jared started working with him we were already fans of director Jesse Kerman's work on the black comedy shorts Night of the Living Lush and Working Stiff which is featured on Troma Entertainment's The Best of Tromadance Vol 3. So you can imagine how excited we've been to see what gloriousness is created with these two working together... (keep tabs on Bad Penny development here @ myspace) We've gotta say we definitely like what we see! We can't wait until 2007 to see more of what Jared and Mister Kerman have up their sleeves! And, as promised, we leave you with a couple pictures of Mister Guenther along with Chase Worthington and CJ Goodman on the red carpet for the Fallen Angels premiere, shamelessly pilferred from one of those big celebrity photo sites. Click over to filmmagic.com to see more.   Labels: glory, Jared Guenther, movies, video
Thursday, November 02, 2006
 On His 79th Birthday the Isotope Says"Steve Ditko, Could We Love You More?" No matter what book Steve Ditko put pen to paper to create, his unique art style with its uncluttered detailing, its surreal head-trip inspired visuals, and its moody portayals of dramatic tension can't help but capture every fans imagination everywhere. In fact, without Steve Ditko, there would be no Isotope! Because it's a true fact that each and every time a preteen James Sime tried to quit reading comics because "I'm too old to be reading funnybooks anymore," it was always a Ditko comic book that made that young James realize that no matter how many years he lived, he would never be too old to keep reading comics. Today this incredible man, whose creations include beloved comic greats like Spider-Man, The Question, Hawk and Dove, Mr A, Shade the Changing Man, The Creeper, Blue Beetle, and Dr. Strange, is turning 79. Happy Birthday, Mr. Ditko. And thank you. Labels: comics, Steve Ditko
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Jared Guenther - Enforcer (post-Gwar)
Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director (post-Gwar)
James Sime - Proprietor (post-Gwar)
Jared Guenther - Enforcer 
Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director
James Sime - Proprietor 
