by A.J. Focht

Before the final batch of DC’s New 52 hit stores, every issue had officially sold out at the distribution level. The order for a second printing of all 52 titles was given before the latest batch had even gone on sale. Justice League #1 remains the best selling comic of the year. Nearly a dozen comics have sold over 100,000, while Batman #1 and Action Comics #1 have broken 200,000.

This last batch of the New 52 garnered quite a bit of controversy. Most of the comics once again met with mixed reviews. The big names all held up: Batman #1 was fantastic, and Wonder Woman #1 gained quite a bit of positive attention for a change. Some of the other DC females also caused quite a stir – specifically there has been a lot of outrage about Catwoman #1 and Starfire from Red Hood and the Outlaws #1.

Catwoman was a very sexually driven piece, ending with a splash page of Batman and Catwoman mid-intercourse. Some have called it amazing and artful, most are calling it an attack on feminism and females in comics. More outrage came from Red Hood because Starfire was changed into a busty nymphomaniac with little regard for individual humans, a major change from her past character. I enjoyed Catwoman, and sit on the artful side of the argument. I also highly enjoyed Red Hood, but I’m not sure how approving I am of Starfire’s changes. Hopefully they will be part of what has been promised to be explained in issue #2.

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by Daniel Robert Epstein

With the creation of his character, Hellboy, Mike Mignola has spawned a world of projects including animated and live action movies, as well as a wealth of brilliant merchandising. Mignola first broke into the business over 20 years ago doing comic books, which will always be his first love. He has been crafting Hellboy stories for over ten years and is just now reaching the middle part of Hellboy’’s life. Hellboy continually evolves into a more complex and interesting character, and Mignola’s infinite ideas are highlighted in the new trade paperback that offers the collection of the Hellboy miniseries “The Third Wish” and “The Island.”

Read our exclusive interview with Mike Mignola on SuicideGirls.com.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

I love talking to guys like Paul Lieberstein. Currently he is a writer/producer/actor on the hit NBC sitcom The Office. As Toby, the laconic and divorced human resources director of Dunder Mifflin he is constantly butting heads with the idiotic Dunder Mifflin Regional Manager Michael Scott [played by Steve Carell]. Lieberstein is already responsible for many of the series’ best episodes such as “Dwight’s Speech” which includes Dwight’s Hitleresque rant and “The Client” where the office workers have a table read of Michael’’s secret screenplay. But I first saw Lieberstein’’s name as a writer/producer on the primetime cartoon series King of the Hill which is one of the greatest shows ever on television.

Read our exclusive interview with Paul Lieberstein on SuicideGirls.com.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

Joan Jett is the ultimate leather-clad, punk-rock icon. Her early hits were instrumental to the evolution of punk rock, and especially to its crossover into mainstream music. After over 25 years in the business, this bad ass composer is still rocking out with her band, The Blackhearts. I got a chance to talk with Jett about their latest album, Sinner, while she was out on the road with the Warped Tour.

Read our exclusive interview with Joan Jett on SuicideGirls.com.

by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman)

Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse), it offers a terrifying postmodern vision in the tradition of Blade Runner and Brave New World…

By the year 2156, stem cell therapy has triumphed over aging and disease, extending the human lifespan indefinitely. But only for those who have achieved Conscientious Citizen Status. To combat overpopulation, the U.S. has sealed its borders, instituted compulsory contraception and a strict one child per couple policy for those who are permitted to breed, and made technology-assisted suicide readily available. But in a world where the old can remain vital forever, America’s youth have little hope of prosperity.

Jason Haggerty is an investigator for Black Buttons Inc, the government agency responsible for dispensing personal handheld Kevorkian devices, which afford the only legal form of suicide. An armed “Killswitch” monitors and records a citizen’s final moments — up to the point where they press a button and peacefully die. Post-press review agents — “button collectors” — are dispatched to review and judge these final recordings to rule out foul play.

When three teens stage an illegal public suicide, Haggerty suspects their deaths may have been murders. Now his race is on to uncover proof and prevent a nationwide epidemic of copycat suicides. Trouble is, for the first time in history, an entire generation might just decide they’re better off dead.

(Catch up with the previous installments of Killswitch – see parts ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, and SEVEN – then continue reading after the jump…)

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by Savana Delacroix

I’ve had more Moby in my life in the past two weeks than I seemingly have in years. It started with a trip to the musician’s Destroyed photo show at the Kopeikin Gallery in Culver City. A collection of large format audience shots taken from the stage, each print captured the sweaty, ecstatic and sometimes confused (or perhaps just high) expressions of concert goers under a kaleidoscope of lighting. The almost fish eye effect to each photo gave the prints a surreal aesthetic. As we carefully studied each giant print, my friend and I developed a very fun game called, “Where is this audience from?” As usual, the Americans seemed to be the easiest to spot.

Moby, part deux came courtesy of Peter Hook’s show at the El Rey. Performing with his band Peter Hook and the Light, the former Joy Division and New Order bassist tackled the entire Unknown Pleasures album with aplomb. Joy Division are truly one of the rare holy grails in music, a band everyone tries to sound like but few can truly do justice to. I’ll be honest, my expectations going into the show weren’t exactly high and thankfully, they were far exceeded.

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by Daniel Robert Epstein

I may have interviewed The Residents the other day, but one can never be sure. I spoke to Hardy Fox who is a founding member of The Cryptic Corporation, a company created in 1976 to help the band. He may or may not be a member of The Residents, but the people of earth will never know. One thing we do know is that the Residents have always broken new ground and continue to do the same in the 21st century with podcasting. You can now purchase The Residents serial radio drama, called River of Crime, on CD.

Read our exclusive interview with Hardy Fox on SuicideGirls.com.