The White Shadow (1923), The New 52, and Women Comic Book Readers Day

Last night was the U.S. debut of a lost, found, restored, yet incomplete print of one of Alfred Hitchcock's first credited (not directed) features, The White Shadow (1923).  Initially a six-reeler, three reels of the film were recently found in New Zealand and sent to the United States for restoration.  The film, directed by early collaborator Graham Cutts, was adapted by twenty-four year old Hitchcock from a novel by Michael Morton (no relation) and featured Hitchcock in several other significant roles including assistant director, editor, art director, set director, production designer.  It featured Betty Compson in a dual role as a set of twins - one socially "evil" (she drinks, smokes, and gambles!) and one her complete opposite - who fall in love with Clive Brook's American. 

Women Comic Book Reader's Day: Reader Submission #1

Hey all!  Just a reminder that September 21st is Women Comic Book Reader's Day.  In order to trumpet the movement, I've put out a call for women readers to share their experiences with the form.  Here is the first profile to run.  Thanks for sharing, Meg!  I am still accepting submissions at damorton@ucla.edu.  Tweet it up at #womenlovecomix2!  

The Outrageous Origins of the Motion Comic and Women Comic Book Readers Day

In Media Res ran my short piece on the history of the motion comic today.  I'm curious to see what fans and readers have to say about this formal phenomenon.  Do you purchase them?  Do you know about them?  Do you like them?  Essentially, my initial impressions have been that the American comic book industry sees a bright future ahead for motion comics while readers downright loathe them.  I'll let you weigh in by following the link here.  

For more on Women Comic Book Readers Day, my grassroots campaign to make the industry notice the female consumer demographic, proceed after the jump.  

September 21st 2011: Women Comic Book Readers Day!

Comic book fans have displayed mixed emotions at the announcement that DC would be essentially "rebooting" their entire universe come September.  The move by DC is undoubtedly an attempt to gain new readers, considering the stagnation comic book sales (complex continuities can be intimidating to newbies, as are the glut of titles being offered).  Concurrently, women comic book fans have been taking DC to task for a lack of gender diversity behind the page.  This gave me an idea:  I want more gender diversity in the bullpens (racial diversity is hopefully on the way with the new Spider-Man) and I want more people to fall in love with comics, a form that means a lot to me.  My idea is to bring the two together and to make September 21st 2011 (the launch date of Wonder Woman #1) Women Comic Book Readers Day.  Essentially, if we want more people to read comics and greater diversity, let's show the industry that women matter.  

My argument is that writing editorials and grilling personnel about the lack of gender diversity simply isn't enough.  In order to get a profit industry to adopt radical change, they need to be affected where it really matters:  their finances.