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The Isotope Communique
Daily news and updates by Proprietor James Sime & the Isotope Staff
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James Sime's Mobile Twitter Feed - click here for more
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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As you can probably guess, the Isotope staff are all a big bunch of nerds for the Iron Man movie. Cos, well, it was good! And while we might not be quite nerdy enough to have shelled out the 400 bucks for a movie replica prop helmet... but we did put our slurpee cups to good use pretending we did!
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Matt Silady - Creative Catalyst
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Invincible Iron Man #1
Secret Invasion #2
Mome Vol 11 TPB
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Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director
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Pretty Baby Machine #1
The Question Vol 2: Poisoned Ground TPB
House of Mystery #1 |
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James Sime - Proprietor
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Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas #1
Pretty Baby Machine #1
Aztek: The Ultimate Man TPB |
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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
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It's Free Comic Book Day at the Isotope!
Stop in and celebrate this international holiday with us. As is Isotope tradition, we're featuring the usual crop of FCBD books and also a bunch of special items from our coming creatoring and publishing amigos... stop on in and indulge yourself in the gift of free! |
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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In honor of the release of Dave Sim's new high-fashion comic Glamourpuss, our weekly staff photos celebrate this comic book cover.
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Matt Silady - Creative Catalyst
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New Avengers #40
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch HC
How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less
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Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director
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Tales of the Fear Agent TPB
Glamourpuss #1
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch HC |
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James Sime - Proprietor
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Glamourpuss #1
Thor Ages of Thunder One-Shot
Tales of the Fear Agent TPB
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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
This glorious original art by Becky Cloonan could be yours...

Our amigos at iFanboy are hosting a fundraiser to help out Michigan retailer David Pirkola who was shot during a robbery at his store this last weekend. As of Tuesday he was in stable but critical condition, but regretfully has no heath insurance to cover expenses.
When the iFanboys turned to us for some help I jumped at the chance. But rather than just blast entire my contact list I sent out just about 20 emails to the Isotope's friends and family, all folks who I think have had a significant impact on my business and people I came up with in this industry. And the response has been overwhelming!
In the next couple weeks they'll be putting up these fundraising auctions from kind hearted folks like Warren Ellis, Ed Brubaker, Jim Lee, Ben Templesmith, Eric Powell, Tom Beland, Darwyn Cooke and many more. But in the meantime... I just had to share this jaw-dropping piece the amazing Becky Cloonan donated for this cause.
If you'd like to drop a donation in Mister Pirkola's PayPal account you can do that at the following link (and I'll keep you posted when the fundraising auctions go live). Our hearts and prayers are with him.
Click here for more information |
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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Matt Scores a Huge Special Recognition Nomination
Join Us In Celebrating This Homegrown Hero
The Isotope's own Wednesday-man-of-the-hour Matt Silady has been nominated for the single most prestigious award in the comic industry! That's right, the 2008 Eisner Award nominations are out, and Matt is rocking the Special Recognition category for his fantastic original graphic novel THE HOMELESS CHANNEL.
Considering how many of the Isotope's regulars are new to the world of comics I realize there are probably quite a few of you who might not be aware of the Eisner Awards. |
The reason I'm so giddy about this news is this. there really is no higher honor that can be bestowed upon a creator. The Eisners are essentially the comic industry's Oscars complete with star-studded award ceremony full of comic rockstars, famous authors, and lots of comic-loving movie and television folks. Getting nominated for these awards is a career changing moment and it's pretty astounding for Matt to get nominated for one of these awards so early in his career.
But let me tell you, he deserves it.
I've been a huge fan of the man, and his work, for many years now and it's been a thing of beauty watching his career develop. From back when this book was just a single xeroxed chapter that Matt brought in to show me, to the painstaking months of refining his craft to make chapter two outshine the first, to the news his book was going to be getting picked up by publisher AIT/PlanetLar, to those days before he had an office and was diligently inking pages on the Isotope's drafting table trying to hit his self-imposed deadlines, to the weeks of tweaking and refining before it went off to press, to the books subsequent launch and packed after-party, to the excellent reviews and what seemed like weekly affection of both on-line and print press, to the joyous look on Matt's face when he said he was going to submit his book to the judges for Eisner consideration. It's really has been amazing to witness Matt's hard work, single-minded dedication, and raw talent make his dreams come true.
I've always felt a real kinship to his work ethic and his passionate devotion to bringing his vision to reality, and I also really like the guy, which is why I asked him if he wanted to come and work with me here at the Isotope six months ago. He's been a wonderful part of my family and a true comrade through both the hardships and the times of pure glory. One look at the events we've thrown the past few months and how smoothly it's all gone and you can clearly see what a great addition to our family he's been. But even so, both Matt and I want his first dedication to be following his dream of making comics. Because he's got the talent, and he's got the drive, he's got the momentum, and he's got a brain jam-packed with ideas for books I really want to read! The Isotope is just here to help lift him up and to be a place where he can have fun along the way. Like our staff members before him, we're going to treasure his contribution while we have him, and hope he can work us into his schedule for as long as possible.
But I digress..
I'm sure that time will show that the Eisner nomination this morning will be a wonderful life-altering event for Matt, and will have a huge impact on his future in the comics industry. You can bet that right this minute an entire industry is sitting to take notice of his work, click through to his website, and order his wonderful book through their local comic shops and places like Boarders and Amazon.com. If you're thinking about doing the same, here's Matt's site which includes a first-chapter preview of THE HOMELESS CHANNEL as well as a bunch of other fun stuff (including a day-in-the-life of an Isotope employee!). Feel free to drop him a note of congradulations, knowing Matt he's probably sitting at his studio using the excitement of this great news to fuel his pen-to-paper on his next book (which looks gorgeous, by the way):
http://www.mattsilady.com
And, of course, the Isotope has plenty copies in stock!
So... who else thinks we should throw Matt an Eisner Nomination Bash?!

Matt Silady Eisner Nomination Bash
Wednesday, April 16th 2008
7pm - 11pm
Come out and show Matt some love this Wednesday, won't you? Personally, I'm so thrilled about this news I'll be coming out of a 7 year bartending retirement to sling cocktails in honor of Mister Silady's Eisner nomination with a full complement of Homeless Channel signature drinks... will I still have the mojo to rock the shakers like I used to? (crosses fingers) Oh, I hope so!
Hope to see many of you then!
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Yes we're huge gigantic nerds...

in celebration of the really fantastic SINESTRO CORPS WAR, the Isotope is giving out these awesome Lantern Corps pins to all our customers who buy GREEN LANTERN comics... while supplies last of course! |
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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This Just Isn't Working Out Anymore...
Yet Another 'Dear John Letter' to Blogger
Dear Blogger,
It was fun while it lasted, I suppose, but somehow I think we both always knew it just wasn't going to last. I'm not saying you weren't ever good to me, because we both know we had some great days over the years. But recently things have changed and I think you can probably feel it too. |
I know my friends weren't always kind to you or respectful of our relationship, everyone told me you were no good and that I could do better. That was cruel of them and I'm truly sorry they acted like that at you. It makes me sad to think about how much it probably tore you up inside when they'd try to set me up with WordPress or when TypePad came over that one time and told you she was going to "take great pleasure in stealing your man."
Despite it all, I stuck by you because I believed in you and that we could work through our problems together. But I gotta tell you, it wasn't always easy staying with you. For every one of the good times we had together, lately there have been more and more days and weeks when you erase my posts, revert my template changes, or just plain ignore me. And we haven't published even the simplest post together in weeks now.
I've always tried to overlook your faults and give you the room you needed to grow in both our lives and our relationship... but I think it's pretty clear that things have changed since March and that you and I just don't feel the same way about each other as we once did.
As you well know I've been planning on re-doing my website for a while now, and at one time I wouldn't have even thought of doing that with someone else. But the past month has really been incredibly frustrating to me and my customers. And I honestly can't think of a nice way to phrase this... but baby, your customer service has been just nonexistent.
We're two very different kinds of people, you and I, and we want different things in our lives. I want my blog to get updated... and I don't even know what you want these days. You just sit on the couch and do nothing. You don't even talk to me anymore except to say that my publish is taking longer than expected and that if I want to continue I should "click here." That's just not working for me anymore.
I know you're going through some tough times recently, and that a whole lot of people are upset with you, but it's like you just don't even care about FTP anymore.
I really do hope you can get your problems worked out and that you'll find someone who you can have a great life of daily updates with, but it's not going to be me. I'm respectfully returning the nice "Powered by Blogger" badge my website has worn since we started seeing each other.
And I'm moving on.
I'm really sorry things had to end this way. |
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Pictures of the IsoStaff from last weekend's in-store event with the terminally cute Whitney Matheson...
Matt Silady - Creative Catalyst click to enlarge
Al- Star Superman #10 That Salty Air TPB Flight Explorer Vol 1 TPB
Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director click to enlarge
Fritz Lang's M HC Transhuman #1 Dave Stewart's Zombie Broadway One-Shot
James Sime - Proprietor click to enlarge
Transhuman #1 All-Star Superman #10 Iron Man: Doomquest HC
Labels: comics, staff, Whitney Matheson
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
 Could any of us have asked for a better event last weekend than Whitney Matheson and Tim Sale's amazing Pop Candy Meet-Up?
This was an event we'll always remember, as we jam-packed the shop with a wild mash-up of super nice Pop Candy readers, Heroes fans, and our usual fare of local comic personalities and sexy nerds and nerdettes. Whitney turned on tons of folks who are new to the world of comics to armloads of great reads while Tim wowed the crowds with jaw-dropping original inkwash sketches. The event felt a bit like watching 4th of July fireworks as people let out the "oohs" and "ahs" at our gallery which was filled with 16 pages of original art from the Heroes tv show. And the big surprise hit of the night was these jaw-dropping souvenirs and the cocktails that came in them. I'll treasure mine forever!
I honestly can't think of a better way we could have possibly celebrated two of my favorite comic people in the world. Both Mr. Sale and Ms. Matheson are two of the most fun and sincere people you could ever ask to meet and quite literally brought tears of joy to my eyes while I read their write-ups on their respective websites. Check them out:
Whitney Matheson's Event Photos & Write-Up #1 Whitney Matheson's Event Photos & Write-Up #2
Tim Sale's Event Write-Up
I want to express my thanks to the wonderful crowds of cool people who came out to the event. My staff and I met so many friendly new people and from the look of my in-box they had as much fun with us as we did had having them in. Thanks to one and all!
Want more?
Check out the Isotope's event photos c/o Matt Silady here
And for those of you who aren't subscribed to Twitter, you can check out the micro-blog of minutiae during Tim and Whitney's stay over the past weekend from my feed here:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
And you can read Whitney's micro-updates here:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Honestly, this year has been amazing so far... have I died and gone to heaven or what?Labels: events, photos, Tim Sale, Whitney Matheson
Saturday, March 22, 2008

 Labels: events, Tim Sale, Whitney Matheson
 Going up in the Isotope's gallery as we speak!Labels: events, gallery, Tim Sale
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Not a Pop Candy Addict Yet? Let Us Introduce You To Whitney
This Saturday night, the Isotope will be filled to the rafters with scores of comic book fans and friends all raising a glass to our favorite pop culture queen, Whitney Matheson. For those of you who are already addicted to her daily Pop Candy blog on USAToday, you know exactly why we're so thrilled to have her in. For those among you who are asking yourself "who is this person?" allow me to give you the 411.
Known for unwrapping pop culture’s hidden gems with a taste for Andy Warhol, Converse low-tops, Battlestar Galactica, documentary film fests, Y The Last Man, mustaches, weird places to go on vacation, Jane Birkin movies, the theme song to the Garry Shandling Show, Joss Whedon, and countless nifty new bands to get all obsessive over, Whitney always serves up the perfect daily dose of the eclectic and the sublime. Between her Pop Candy blog and her oh-so sexy book about modern living in the 1950's Atomic Home, Ms. Matheson helps direct her readers to all that which is truly tasty.
One of the things I like best about her blog is the fact that over the last couple years she's been subversively turning her massive fanbase into the next generation of comic book aficionados. This is undoubtedly why she was selected to be an Eisner Judge last year, where we first met. I was totally blown away by her excellent taste in funnybooks!
Want proof? Check out this awesome series of Comics Crash Course columns she wrote recently. Personally, I think this just might be the single best list of 100 suggested comics I have ever seen.
Part 1: Must-Reads
Part 2: Family Friendly
Part 3: Series
Part 4: Whitney's Favorites
Of course, this Saturday we'll be throwing a rollicking event with both Ms. Matheson and comics legend Tim Sale. Stop on in to say 'hi' and find out why everyone here at the Isotope adores her so much!
popcandy.usatoday.comLabels: events, Tim Sale, Whitney Matheson
It's new comics day, join the Isotope staff for breakfast and then stop on in for another week of wonderful comic reads!
Matt Silady - Creative Catalyst click to enlarge
War Is Hell #1 Wasteland #15 North World Vol 1 TPB
Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director click to enlarge
Fables #71 Fear Agent #19 Strangeways: Murder Moon TPB
James Sime - Proprietor click to enlarge
Captain America #36 Strangeways: Murder Moon TPB The Monster That Ate Stars Mini-Comic
Labels: comics, staff
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Always planning for the future, the IsoStaff starts gearing up for Saint Patty's Day a couple days early...
Matt Silady - Creative Catalyst click to enlarge
Serenity: Better Days #1 DMZ #29 Palookaville #19
Kirsten Baldock - Special Projects Director click to enlarge
Serenity: Better Days #1 BPRD: 1946 #3 DMZ vol 4: Friendly Fire TPB
James Sime - Proprietor click to enlarge
Fantastic Four #555 Gutsville #3 Showcase Presents: The Phantom Stranger vol 2 TPB
Labels: comics, staff
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
 Wow, what terrible news... one of the Isotope's most beloved comic artists has passed away. RIP Mister Stevens, you've brought a lot of joy to our lives over the years, here's hoping that heaven if full of days and nights like this for you.
www.davestevens.comLabels: Betty Page, Dave Stevens
Friday, March 07, 2008
Most of you have probably already heard about this event over at USAToday and Newsarama...
 USAToday's ultra-cool pop-culture goddess Whitney Matheson is bringing her popular Pop Candy Meet-Ups to San Francisco for the first time, and I'm just thrilled to get to play host to Ms. Matheson and her armies of super-friendly pop culture loving readers. If you aren't already a regular daily reader of Pop Candy like I am, you're definitely missing out.
And if that wasn't enough event to get pumped up about, we're also bringing in Ms. Matheson's person-she'd-most-like-to-meet artist Tim Sale! Mister Sale is the artist who did all the work on the Heroes tv show as well as a ton of some of the most beautiful comics I have ever seen like Batman: Long Halloween, Superman For All Seasons, and Daredevil Yellow,
It's a dream come true event. Honestly, what could be better?
Read more about this event hereLabels: events, Tim Sale, Whitney Matheson
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