A Banner Day

Plus: interrupting the DC Film road map

It was embarrassing, but there I was this week, on hands and knees, begging with my shockingly weak and nasally voice at the DC office.

“I … I have no r-releases this week. But … I need CONTENT!”

The head of DC (James Gunn?) looked down at me like the worm I am and said, “I’m busy creating the road map for the future of DC Films.”

“What, like, a cohesive universe where you introduce characters in stand-alone films but there’s a larger storyline that runs through all of them until they come together to fight some sort of cosmic entity that threatens everything?”

“Probably.”

“Well, I write Batman—”

“Holy shit! You?!”

“The comic.”

“Ah.”

“And I need to put something in my newsletter, which is the future of conveying information directly to the fans without having to use social media.”

“How do you get them to your newsletter?”

“Social media.”

And with that, the DC man shook his head in dismay, snapped his fingers, and a marketing person gave me the cover to my first Batman hardcover collection, out March 23, 2023:

NOW THAT’S QUALITY CONTENT

Thank you!

In other news, Tom Brevoort has a really nice write-up about Carlos Pacheco, a world-class artist, gone too soon. As always, I suggest you not only read the write-up but also subscribe to the newsletter because it’s a joy to read every Sunday.

In the post, Tom says that he keeps most of the people he works with at arm’s length and I can attest to that fact. I have often tried to engage Tom in “small talk” and he continually insists the “small” isn’t small enough for his liking. One day I’ll crack through his shell!

NO YOU WON’T

Y’know, sometimes I think this voice isn’t ME, but actually TOM.

MAKES SENSE TBH

Except Tom wouldn’t use “TBH.”

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Lately I’ve been missing comic cons. Or at least I miss them while they’re happening and stop missing them when I see all the photos afterward with the dreaded double red line. But I’ve been thinking about my favourite part of the shows. No, not the fans. THE BANNER OPPORTUNITIES.

My first banner was right after SEX CRIMINALS started coming out, back when I was young and free with no idea that I’d write Batman one day.

After I’d written a few more series I made this bad boy, again, not understanding that I might write Batman one day.

And finally, my last convention appearance in 2019, I debuted what I feel is the pinnacle of banner design.

Many people told me that it was very helpful for figuring out where I was. Good design is about problem solving. Maybe one day I’ll do a show again. Wouldn’t that be nice?

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Love,
Chip!

Chip’s Funtime Substack couldn’t exist without you! I mean, it could, but it would absolutely suck and be incredibly lonely. Your subscription enables me to make fun stuff, hire fun creators, and give you comics with the Zdarsky Touch™. So, thanks!