IsotopeLounge

Cover of the Week

2010-03-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

We are huge fans of Mike Del Mundo's latest cover and also this Batman: Widening Gyle cover by by Bill Sienkiewicz... but really, who could deny yet another amazing cover by the incredible Dave Johnson?

You rock, Dave!

Punisher Max #5
cover by Reverend Dave Johnson
www.devilpig.deviantart.com

Cover of the Week

2010-03-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

it's another tough week for the staff to pick our most beloved comic cover, what with a killer J.G. Jones cover for First Wave, our absolute favorite True Story Swear to God cover, and this amazing Jonah Hex cover by Billy Tucci. But mmmm... Becky Cloonan gets our tastebuds tingling and delivers up another DEMO cover we adore!

DEMO 2 #2
cover by Becky Cloonan
www.estrigious.com/becky

Will Dinski from Top Shelf in August

2010-03-03T13:24:00.001-08:00

Could we be prouder?

Will Dinski, the talented and always affable winner winner (can you hear that echo in here?) of the 2009 Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics for his great work... is featured this week on Top Shelf Comix website's new 2010 Releases page for his first original graphic novel. We couldn't be happier to see our guy picked up by one of our favorite publishers and hitting the bigtime!

Fingerprints by Will Dinski
96 Pages of Full-Color Hardcover Graphic Novel Heaven
Click here to read all about it!

www.willdinski.com

foursquare4life

2010-03-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

Those among you who play foursquare will probably enjoy checking out this set of homegrown foursquare4life badges I made for February 2010.

See them here and if you've been to the store go ahead and award yourself an Isotope Badge, you deserve it!

Cover of the Week

2010-02-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

Some nice runners up this week, including an adorable Skottie Young's Marvelous Land of Oz and a jaw-dropping Popgun cover by Ben Templesmith (click the link to see how Templesmith works his magic). Love them... but there can only be one Cover of the Week!

Madame Xanadu #20
cover by Joëlle Jones
www.joellejones.com

World Record Sword Swallowing

2010-02-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

Step right up and bear witness to the show of a lifetime!

Straight from Philadelphia to before your very eyes the SQUIDLING BROS CIRCUS SIDESHOW invade Oakland to dazzle your senses with some of the most jaw dropping death defying feats ever performed before a live audience! See the unbelievably lovely BETTY BLOOMERZ swallow an impossibly large 28 inch sword to the hilt! Gasp in shock at the unbreakable skin that even shattered glass cannot penetrate of MATTER SQUIDLING! Witness the shock as JELLYBOY THE CLOWN performs the first-ever barside home brain surgery with a high powered electric drill... on himself! Knives, swords, broken glass, machetes, and yes even the legendary bed of nails, these twisted clowns are risking their very lives with horrific implements of pure pain to astound, shock, and amaze you!

These clowns will RISK THEIR VERY LIVES for YOUR ENTERTAINMENT!

Betty Bloomerz & The Squidling Brothers Circus Sideshow
Thursday, February 25th 9pm
@ Cafe Van Kleef
1621 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA
www.cafevankleef.com

Cover of the Week

2010-02-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

It was tough to pick favorites this week, especially with a great Tony Harris Starman Omnibus cover hitting the stands today too. But Black Widow in a Bubble-Helmet? How could we resist this?!

Black Widow: Deadly Origin #4
cover by Adi Granov
www.adigranov.net

Suggested Reading For Andy Ihnatko & For You Too!

2010-02-11T16:31:00.000-08:00

I noticed this morning that several kind folks on Twitter suggested to technology journalist Andy Ihnatko that he come visit the Isotope while he was in town for MacWorld. Well that was mighty nice of them, thanks to you all for the sweet words everyone!

I'm something of a fan of Mister Ihnatko's work and would certainly have a blast talking to him about comics and helping him find some mind-blowing reads... but alas, MacWorld happens to coincide with my annual trip to the land of snow this year. So while normally I like to make comic reading suggestions in the shop (playing funnybook tour guide is my absolute favorite part of my job, after all) since I won't get to do that I decided to give Mister Ihnatko some suggestions here.

Mister Ihnatko, if any of these sound good and you *do* happen by the Isotope, just tell my man Josh I set aside a couple books with you in mind and he will put them in your hands. Hope one or more sparkles your imagination!

TRANSHUMAN by Jonathan Hickman

Hickman is the best new science fiction author the comics industry has seen in many, many years. If you're not already reading his comics you should be. I had a hard time choosing between this and Hickman's The Nightly News, as they are both pretty amazing, so I flipped a coin (laugh)!

Transhuman is a documentary style tale of two rival corporations on the brink of something amazing, the next step of human evolution. And it can all be bought and sold thanks to genetic humanoid engineering. Corporate espionage abounds, venture capitalists circle, and everyone is out to make a fast forced evolution buck by being first to corner the market.

But in the quest to rush to market, can overworked scientists keep this emerging technology from over-running even their near endless ambitions?

SUPER SPY by Matt Kindt

I suggest this book to a lot of different people and have found it to be universally loved around the Isotope.

The book itself is a series of snapshots into 52 peoples lives who get mixed up in the world of espionage in the 40's. Filled with cyanide pills, pen-guns, double crosses and betrayal Super Spy asks the question "what would it do to you to tell lies to everyone around you every day of your life?" There's a really amazing moment when all those stories click together.

It is one of my favorite books of the last decade and anyone who reads it can tell you why.

FREAK ANGELS by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield

A great steampunk action adventure with smart writing and jaw-droppingly gorgeous art.

Although I run a bit hot and cold with Ellis' writing (for example, Hot: Planetary Cold: Switchblade Honey) over all I think he is a really amazing author. I find him best when he slings mad ideas around like a monkey does feces and in that capacity the past few years of Ellis has been pretty stellar. Ellis put out a lot of books but his recent must-haves include Ignition City (collection due in March) and Freak Angels. Go ahead and take a read of the online version you'll be glad you did!

CHEW by John Layman and Rob Guillory

One of the strangest, most brilliant books of 2009. Trust me on this one.

Chew takes place in a world where the FDA has outlawed chicken in fear of avian flu outbreaks. The people, of course, still want their Chicken Alfredo and Chicken Piccata which leads to a whole new world of chicken related organized crime. Enter Tony Chu, a special unit detective, to solve the murders no one else can by using his secret ability to psychically read the past of anything he eats.

A odd, twisted, hilarious and disturbingly finger-lickin' tale of clairvoyants, crime, and cannibalism! What could be better?!

Hellblazer: Pandemonium by Jamie Delano and Jock

I don't know about you, but I have a real soft spot for DC Vertigo's long running Hellblazer series, which has played host to just about every great Vertigo writer and artist of the last 25 years.

Returning to the helm is original author, Jamie Delano, for a dark tale of corrupt magic, Iraq war, strange Sumerian artifacts, mythological horrors, London museum bombings, and lots of bad bad people with extremely bad intentions. Drawn in beautifully visceral panels by artist Jock, who is known for his stellar work on another fave series The Losers.

Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyoza by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki

Yes, you read that right... this is a comic book about *ramen*!

Tremendously fact filled, astoundingly Japanese, and incredibly fun to read. There really is nothing else like it out there. The perfect noodle house companion for you or your best foodie friend.

Paul Guinan + Lid

2010-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Author/artist Paul Guinan delivers an awesome steampunky lid for the Isotope's Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum.

Paul also dropped off signed copes of his and Anina Bennett's Boilerplate and Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate. Grab 'em while you're in, they're sure to disappear quickly!

See the rest of this museum featuring art on toilet seats by comic creators like Darwyn Cooke, Warren Ellis, Ed Brubaker, Jim Lee, Eric Powell, Darick Robertson and many, many more hanging in the Isotope... or at Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum

Update Your Pull List On Your Sexy Mobile Device

2010-02-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you wonderful people who have regular pull-lists here at the Isotope and are walking around with sexy mobile devices in your pockets... go ahead and update those lists to your heart's content with Comixology. This is something I wanted to have made for our customers for years!

Long before it was a reality I asked Diamond Comics and several software developers to make a website and a program that would make managing your subscriptions effortless for you folks, but none had the vision to see how this could benefit the entire comic industry... that is until I found the folks from Comixology. These people not only "got it" and built us something beautiful but they've also managed to carve quite a nice high tech comic industry niche for themselves in the process. Bravo, guys!

So don't be shy, start using their great site. And if you have an iPhone, grab yourself the app here. Blackberry user? There's an app for you too!

Find out more here: www.comixology.com

Lost Clown Nose in Gutter

2010-02-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

Seen in Hayes Valley. I love San Francisco.

Parker Jane @ Isotope w/ Her New Art Spiegelman Book

2010-02-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

Parker Jane loves the Isotope and she knows the good stuff!

Our resident paparazzi snapped this picture of her kicking back on the Isotope's sofa for a leisurely afternoon of reading enjoyment with her bottle and a newly acquired a copy of Jack And The Box by Pulitzer Prize winning author/artist Art Spiegelman.

See more adventures of Parker Jane here:
parkerjane.com

foursquare4life

2010-02-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

Those among you who play foursquare will probably enjoy checking out this set of homegrown foursquare4life badges I made for January 2010.

See them here and if you've been to the store go ahead and award yourself an Isotope Badge, you deserve it!

Thanks For Making Our Year A Magical One

2009-12-31T14:51:00.000-08:00

If there was ever a time when balloons were needed, today is the day!

Thank you to each and every one of you out there for making all our dreams come true in 2009. I hope you don't mind me gushing a bit, but it was really an amazing year for the Isotope family both personally and professionally. To me '09 has been particularly special as my staff and I met so many really nice people, and became even closer with so many of you who we have known for years. Perhaps I shouldn't speak for the others 'round here but I will anyway... my staff and I are truly blessed to have such great people like you all in our lives.

I hope you all have a happy and joyous New Years and that even the very best parts of 2009 are out-shined in each and every way in 2010. I've got a good feeling about this one, don't you? I made you a little holiday card full of balloons and thought I'd write you fine folks a little thank you. At midnight tonight I will be raising my glass high thinking about how much I love you all.

- James

A Fresh New Radioactive Flavor!

2009-12-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

It's almost "fresh new radioactive flavor" time here at the Isotope, where we once again don our lab coats and mix up all our favorite unstable elements that make up what we do and how we do it... and produce something strangely stronger and amazingly tastier than the sum of it's parts.

Watch this space for the long-awaited re-alignment of atomic nuclei we've had quietly percolating in our laboratory with fellow technicians Dexsy Repuyan, Arik Devens and Dyami Serna while the other scientists were snoozing.

2010 is going to rock.

Will Dinski's Lid

2009-11-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Will Dinski, the winner of the 2009 Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics for his amazing mini COVERED IN CONFUSION, delivers a truly jaw-dropping addition to the Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum.

Silkscreened.

The bar has been truly raised.

willdinski.com

HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever met a member of the Isotope staff can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that we take our Halloween partying seriously. Which is why each year we hold our annual bash with the glam rock gods and goddesses of TRIPLE COBRA.

Who, or what is Triple Cobra? The biggest, the best, the most incredible pure sex confetti cannon blasting white leather and feather be-dazzled "Best Discovery At SXSW 2009" spectacle you may ever see! Click here and agree, the whole world should be this beautiful.

So once again we invite you to join us for a night of truly bringing the fun back to All-Hallow's Eve.

Thanks to costume designing skills of our very own Kirsten Baldock the Isotope staff continues to rock the San Francisco nightlife with an assortment of awesomely nerdy costumes year in and year out. And this year will be no different, this year we will be recreating in costume form the pride of comics' Silver Age... the single greatest comic book panel ever printed. You read that right... the single greatest comic book panel ever printed!

Be there.

Isotope, B-Minus, Triple Cobra & Jameson present: Halloween Monster Mosh '09
The Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St @ Van Ness
Saturday, Oct 31st
More info & advance tickets here

Surprise Visit From KING CITY's Brandon Graham

2009-10-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Brandon Graham, the author/artist of one of the Isotope's favorite comics KING CITY, popped in today and delivered a truly gorgeous addition to our Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum!

Not reading KING CITY?! Well, pardon us for saying, but that's crazy talk!

Check out a KING CITY preview here

PHOTOS: Isotope Presents: James Robinson @ Bloomingdale's

2009-10-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Indulge in this slideshow of amazing photos by the even-more-amazing Dyami Serna! Or click on through to see these gorgeous pictures fullscreeen here:

James Robinson & Isotope invade Bloomingdale's

TONIGHT: We Raise the Roof w/ Dino!

2009-10-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the Alternative Press Expo the Isotope proudly presents a rare west coast appearance by Dean Haspiel!

This Brooklyn-based author, artist, and rockstar in cartoonist's clothing behind Eisner and Ignatz Award celebrated works like THE QUITTER, OPPOSABLE THUMBS, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, and THE ALCOHOLIC makes a rare West Coast appearance in honor of IDW Publishing's hotly anticipated ACT-I-VATE PRIMER hardcover, a collection of some of the best strips from the ACT-I-VATE webcomix collective. Come and meet the man... and witness live art as the one and only Dino can serve up!

See more Dean here: www.deanhaspiel.com

Alternative Press Expo - Dean Haspiel @ Isotope
Friday October 16, 2009 at 7:00pm
Isotope Comics
326 Fell St. @ Gough
San Francisco

Isotope Presents: James Robinson @ Bloomingdale's

2009-10-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

In honor of James Robinson and Mark Bagley's up-coming run on JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, the Isotope, along with our friends at Details Magazine and Warner Brothers, are taking over the entire second floor of San Francisco's legendary Bloomingdale's for a massive bash of truly monolithic proportions. Yes... you read that correctly!

Join us for an evening of cocktails, DJs, gourmet finger foods, and fabulous high fashion. Witness Christopher Nolan's screen-used Batman suit as well as the Catwoman, and Two-Face costumes straight from the silver screen. And best of all...

... come meet James Robinson, author of SUPERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE, NEW WORLD OF KRYPTON, and STARMAN! And don't forget to pick up James and Mark Bagley's first issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA the very next week!

Isotope & Details Magazine Present:
James Robinson @ Bloomingdale's
Wednesday, October 14th 2009
San Francisco
www.bloomingdales.com

6pm - 8pm
845 Market Street

Alternative Press Expo Weekend

2009-10-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

The Alternative Press Expo is coming... make your plans now for the most fun weekend of the entire year!

It's our biggest, it's our best, and it most certainly is our favorite. The can't-miss annual APE afterparty tradition with the Isotope and 1000 of your closest amigos!

Along with the Isotope's planetarily famous after-APE hospitality, we will once again be featuring the TOP SHELF HAPPY HOUR w/ Top Shelf Productions co-publisher Brett Warnock and his surprise variety of brilliant Top Shelf special guest stars from 8 to 9pm.

And let's not forget the single best reason to leave the house all year long, the awarding of the seventh annual ISOTOPE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MINI-COMICS at 10pm! This year's celebration will be featuring 2008's grand prize champion and rising mini-comics star Jonas Madden-Conner. Who will take home the most sexy (and dangerous) prize in all of comics?!

The Isotope's biggest and best party of the year with body-grooving tunes spun by one of SF's finest maestros on the wheels of steel, DJ Bearzbub. This party gets insanely crazy, but don't just take my word for it witness it for yourself, true believers. Bring your spare liver!

APE AFTERMATH 09 @ Isotope
326 Fell St @ Gough
8pm - 2am
Never a cover
21 and over after 11pm, please

Check Out That Lid from Jonas Madden-Connor!

2009-10-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

The latest addition to the Isotope's Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum is this glorious lid from Jonas Madden-Connor, the comic creating juggernaut who brought home last year's Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics.

Along with this great lid, Jonas has been hard at work on his latest Ochre Ellipse #3 (now in stock at your friendly neighborhood Isotope), stop in and check it out. In the meantime, point your browsers this direction for more Jonas:

http://www.family-style.com/mumblingmynah
http://twitter.com/mumblingmynah

It Has Arrived: REFRESH REFRESH

2009-09-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here at the Isotope, there are few graphic novels that have been more hotly anticipated than the latest book by Danica Novgorodoff. She blew our minds with A LATE FREEZE, the winning entry for the Isotope Award For Excellence In Mini-Comics back in 2006. Dropped our jaws designing some of the most applauded comics of recent memory for First Second Books. And, truly, dazzled us with her first full-length graphic novel SLOW STORM.

Her latest punch-to-the-heart has arrived in the form of REFRESH REFRESH. Read an interview about it here. See a sneak peek here. Read even more about it here. And get yourself a copy squirreled away for you and only you here.

Trust me, you are going to want this one.

Last Night's Derby Event - A Huge Success

2009-09-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

On behalf the Bay Area Derby Girls, our Whip It friends, and the entire Isotope staff... thanks to everyone who came out for last night's amazing bash. So, so much fun!

We had a trio of great photographers documenting the bash, so expect to see tons of photos to come!