Love that name, and the cover too. Artist Stuart Immonen has done a bunch of comics over the years, including the awesome Nextwave (find out why it’s awesome right here) and now, thanks to the fine folks at AdHouse Books we can peek at his sketchbook. AdHouse have also published a similarly drool inducing approach with their James Jean sketchbooks. Below is a preview of Centifolia Volume II, which recently launched at the Toronto Comics Art Festival. Both volumes will be available for purchase this month.
Centifolia V2 marks Stuart Immonen’s return to his eclectic collection of work! Continuing where V1 left off, we find even more sketches, concept designs, illustrations and comics. Best known for his mainstream superhero work, Stuart is a multi-faceted creator and this publication proves it. Again, 32 of the 128 pages are full color, and Stuart’s attention to detail shows through in the publication’s design.
But wait! There’s more! AdHouse Books will also be bringing Centifolia V1 back in print! To help celebrate these two beautiful publications, there will even be a limited (100) slipcase edition created that includes a special S&N print and custom slipcase design.
Kaare Andrews seems to have changed his already awesome style, to something even more awesome for the Ultimate Comics relaunch.
Marvel Unveils New ULTIMATE COMICS UNIVERSE REBORN Covers
Acclaimed Artist Kaare Andrews Announced As Ultimate Comics Cover Artist
Prepare for Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn, signaling the biggest changes to ever hit the Ultimate Comics Universe! With all new titles and all new creative teams, fans new and old can’t miss out on this great entry point into the Ultimate Comics Universe. This August, following the traumatic events of Death of Spider-Man, Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn kicks off in August with Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1 & Ultimate Comics Hawkeye #1, and Ultimate Comics X-Men #1 & Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 in September – each featuring covers by superstar artist Kaare Andrews!
“Kaare is doing the best work of his career with these covers,” said Marvel Senior Editor Mark Paniccia. “With Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn, all of the titles will be tighter than ever, so when it came time to think up ideas and concepts for the covers – we wanted a sense of unity to tie the books together. At the same time we wanted striking covers that jump out at you on the stands. Kaare’s bold design sense made him a natural choice.”
A new era begins as our heroes struggle to find their place within the Ultimate Comics Universe so be the first to your comic shops this August to see what all the buzz is about in Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1 and Ultimate Comics Hawkeye #1.
Congrats to Top Cow! Witchblade is one of those series that sometimes gets a bad rap, but of the few issues I’ve read, it’s been consistently entertaining.
WITCHBLADE #144 STANDS ALONE
Anniversary Issue Includes Free Digital Download
Image Comics and Top Cow Productions are celebrating the 15th anniversary of WITCHBLADE with an oversized stand-alone issue by WITCHBLADE team Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic. To celebrate this landmark and usher the series into a new age of comics, Top Cow and Wowio have teamed up to offer a free digital copy of the 144th issue with each print copy. Participating retailers will receive cards with download codes to distribute with each copy sold which can then be downloaded at Wowio.com.
“The number of comic characters and properties outside of Marvel and DC that have been published uninterrupted for fifteen years is a very exclusive club,” Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik commented. “We’re incredibly proud of the legacy of WITCHBLADE as an independently published, strong female-driven series and couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate!”
This oversized issue contains a retelling of Sara Pezzini’s origin story for the first time in the series’ history since the iconic heroine was created more than fifteen years ago. WITCHBLADE #144 will also feature two spellbinding covers, including a wraparound retrospective by regular series artist Sejic and an iconic painting by fantasy illustrator Jean-Sebastien Rossbach (Magic: The Gathering). It will also include a backup story by writer and Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik and artist John Tyler Christopher that promises to reveal the origin of Sara’s partner Patrick Gleason.
WITCHBLADE #144 (OCT100521), a 48-page full color comic that includes a free digital download card will be available in a store near you May 18th for $4.99.
This is another comic I’ve been sitting on for far too long, so it’s about time I mention it. Anthology comics are rare these days, although it’s great to see Dark Horse Presents back on the shelves, but indie books like these are are a good way to view some up and coming talents. From Visionary Comics, the fourth issue is out now and is free on Wowio. Yep, free.
The first of the three stories here is from Sam Johnson and Brunio Letizia. Entitled Voodoo Trespass, it follows Cabra Cini, who is a “Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman.”What a combo. Cabra’s latest case involves a dopey young man who killed his girlfriend while the pair were playing vampires. He took neck biting too far and ended up a murderer. Now the victim’s parents want revenge. We soon learn that Cabra swapped her cocaine addiction for voodoo and over the years has become rather adept, using “The Infinity” to teleport, which she does so to hunt down the vamp lover/ killer Tom Spelling.
On the way however, she runs into The Rook, the guardian of this secret dimension, as well as her abusive ex-boyfriend (who claims he’s currently in a coma in our world). With a brief battle and a hasty escape, Cabra meets Tom, and that’s where the story ends.
Johnson has done well to set up all that we need to know about the titular character in the first few pages. With her tough exterior , yet troubled past, and hints at a larger mythology, Cabra’s adventures are off to an intriguing start. Leitizi’a art is simple, but shows promise and the bold colour choices work well, especially when the black magic begins.
Gangland Avalon also mixes magic with action, and although this is the second part of the story, the opening page brings the reader up to speed. In short, a recent gathering of mob families ended badly, with main character “Stab Happy” Pelago earning his name. His narration guides us through the set up, with several characters (all of whom are tough killers), though it appears the action will kick in in the next instalment, with some discussion and a poisoning occuring in a restaurant making up the bulk of the story here. Writer A. David Lewis is perhaps the best known creator in this anthology, and his streamlined work with Michael Angelo Lee generates an interesting tale, with the focus on the gangster elements rather than the use of magic.
Finally, Deity: The Darkness and the Light centres on young blonde Jamie and her recent discovery that she’s a goddess and an alien race known as Ma’Shiva are trying to kill her. Thankfully, she has three protectors, but isn’t taking the threat seriously. There’s a lot of expository narration, from Jamie and her immense trust in herself (which you know can’t end well), the alien Valmek as he approaches his Lord Ogden and also Jamie’s boyfriend Zig. The script, dialogue and art all have a mid-90s approach that doesn’t scream originality and seems unnecessarily wordy. With a greater focus on action and some surprising character developments, creators Karl Altstaetter and Robert Lapton could be on to something.
If you’re curious about this Thor fella, Marvel’s here to help with a 30% off sale on an annual subscription to their digital comics service, until the end of the month. Sign up right here.
ShadowlineOnline and Tales of Mr. Rhee Debut Today
Shadowline, LLC, Jim Valentino’s partner studio at Image Comics, home of such hits as MORNING GLORIES, GREEN WAKE, THE INFINITE VACATION, BOMB QUEEN and many more, has announced their new website at www.ShadowlineOnline.com will go live today.
“We felt the website needed a complete overhaul,” said Shadowline President/Publisher, Jim Valentino. “We wanted a site that was easy to navigate, one where it would be easy to purchase our books, with all the latest news and other fun stuff. Our new site, designed by D.C. McQueen, has given us all that and more! We’re very excited to show it to the world!”
The launch will also debut Dirk Manning’s latest web-comic, TALES OF MR. RHEE, which will upload a new page every Tuesday and Thursday.
Valentino continued, “Dirk gave us NIGHTMARE WORLD (now collected in two print volumes with a third set for an October release) and this is his latest venture. This brand new horror series is an excellent addition to our web-comics feature on the site.”
Dark Horse are giving away digital copies of their Free Comic Book day offerings from the weekend. Yay!
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY COMICS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FOR LIMITED TIME!
If you missed out on picking up your Free Comic Book Day comics at your local comic-book store, you can get them from Dark Horse Digital for a limited time!
Downloads will be available starting Wednesday, May 11, and run through the end of the month!
Just hop on any computer or Mac iOS device (iPod, iPad, iPhone), go to Digital.DarkHorse.com, or the iTunes app store and download the free Dark Horse Comics bookshelf app!
Both Criminal Macabre/Baltimore and Avatar: The Last Airbender/Star Wars: The Clone Wars will be available for free download!
Make sure you check out these awesome titles from Dark Horse and support Free Comic Book Day! Ten years in the running!
Swallow Me Whole is one of the best OGNs I’ve ever read and a testament to the emotional power that comics can contain, just like any other medium. Now, its creator Nate Powell is back with his new book. It’s also black and white and it’s also from the same publisher – Top Shelf. Official details below and a preview here.
Nate Powell, hailed by the London Times as “a writer-artist of genius,” is back.
His new book, Any Empire, is a vivid examination of war and violence, and their trickle-down effects on middle America. First, a group of small-town kids find themselves bound together by geography, boredom, and a string of mysterious turtle mutilations. Years later, with Army tanks rolling through the streets of their hometown, these young adults are forced to confront painful questions of privilege, duty, betrayal, and courage.
Any Empire recalls aimless summers of Nancy Drew and GI Joe, treehouses and army surplus stores… but when fantasy starts to bleed into reality, whose mission will be accomplished? — a 304-page deluxe hardcover graphic novel, 6.5″ x 9.5″
ENLIST TODAY IN THE NEXT GREAT BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR OFSWALLOW ME WHOLE, 2009 EISNER AWARD WINNER FOR BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL!
Dc’s The Source blog is letting newbies, and those who need a refresher, know a few important things about the ever growing Green Lantern mythos, just in time for next month’s film. Every Monday to Thursday until the film’s premiere you can get the lowdown on the history and characters. First up is a quick look at the oath, the batteries and the ring. Handy.
It was another great Free Comic Book Day in my neck of the woods this year. I started the day at Comic Zone, who were taking part for the 2nd year running and although I was there only minutes after opening, there were quite a few other customers already there. The bevy of freebies were displayed in an “U” shape on their generous counter so everyone could easily see what was on offer.
Next up was Quality Comics who have taken part for a few years now. With their nifty sign out the front (created by one of their talented staff members I believe) showing Superman and Deadpool in the gear of their opposing publishers, and plenty of people inside, it looked to be another success. With staff wearing hats and this year’s cool FCBD shirts from artist Darwyn Cooke, there was quite the crowd, and lots of parents bringing their kids (some of whom even dressed up as their fave superheroes). The freebies were all displayed on a large board behind the counter, and QC even had people dressed up and promoting the event with flyers in the streets of Perth. Passers by seemed to dig this and take a few photos with them. I saw a few teens dressed up as anime characters and also ran in to Batman and Batgirl.
Last on my journey was Empire Toys. This marks their 4th FCBD and their first in their swanky new location (only metres from their old place, but a lot better). Again, there were heaps of people and a few youngens. Their freebies were wisely numbered and displayed on the counter, so instead of asking, “Can I please have the Super Dinosaur Origin Special?”, they can just ask, “Number 8 please.” Makes sense.
I already had quite a few of the almost 40 (!) freebies on offer this year, but still picked up another 7 new ones today, such as DC’s Young Justice/ Batman: Brave and the Bold, and the all-ages issues from both Oni Press and Top Shelf, all for my nephew. Free Comic Book Day is such an awesome idea and it’s great to see retailers and publishers embracing it. It’s events like this that get the comic curious in to their nearest comic shop, some perhaps for the first time. Hopefully those newbies will become dedicated comics readers, well on their way to discovering the joys of sequential art. Thankfully, all 3 shops mentioned above are all on Hay Street in Perth, Western Australia and although I went to all of them early this morning, they all had more people in them than I usually see. High fives all round!
As if it wasn’t obvious from the podcast post below, it’s the 1oth annual Free Comic Book Day tomorrow – a perfect time to bring a friend or comics newbies to your LCS (local comic shop) to see what freebies are on offer. Bleeding Cool has a handy post on some of the LCSs around the world that are taking part this year, including signings from various creators.
This week, Quality Comics in my hometown of Perth, Western Australia was featured in a local community newspaper about the event, and Comic Zone, and Empire Toys in Perth will also be taking part, and they all happen to be on Hay Street. How convenient! Make sure to drop by.
67 mins. In honour of the awesome annual tradition of Free Comic Book Day around the world, we discuss some of our faves – what you should definitely pick up and what you should avoid. Also, our usual rambling shenanigans.
FCBD is on Saturday May 8. Yay! We read a whole bunch of the many free comics on offer this year and give a rundown of what we like and don’t like this year.
SOME PRETTY GOOD FREEBIES
Bongo Comics’ Bongo Free-For-All, featuring a few The Simpsons stories, including cool ones by Evan Dorkin and Sergio Aragones
Dark Horse’s Avatar: The Last Airbender/ Star Wars: The Clone Wars flip book
Ape Entertainment’s Richie Rich/ Kung-Fu Panda flip book. This ain’t your daddy’s Richie Rich!
Bluewater’s The Misadventures of Adam West (the actor who played Batman in the ‘60s TV series)
FREEBIES THAT ARE OK, BUT NOT AWESOME
2000AD. The classic U.K magazine style format with a bunch of sci-fi stories inside, including a great Judge Dredd tale
Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man is good for fans who may have been away from the web slinger for a while and want to know what he’s up to these days
DC Comics’ Green Lantern Special Edition. Same as above, except for Green Lantern AKA Hal Jordan
OUR TOP PICKS (GET THESE IF YOU SEE THEM!)
Fantagraphics’ Walt Disney Mickey Mouse. A dog walking a dog. Yes, that’s right. Floyd Gotfredson’s rascally Mickey.
Archaia’s Mouse Guard/ Dark Crystal flip book, with mature fantasy stories and also Season of the Dapper Men and A Tale of Sand by the legendary Jim Henson
Marvel’s Captain America/ Thor: The Mighty Fighting Avengers! A fun, time travelling adventure featuring the two cinematic superheroes in ye olde Camelot
Super Dinosaur Origin Special from Image. Another fun adventure for kids and adults with a kid, his heroic T-Rex, a secret base and evil mutant dinosaurs
Jake the Dreaming from Radical. An illustrated novel, not a comic. Like most Radical books, it looks superb. For fans of Narnia and Harry Potter
Red 5 bring us the always amusing Atomic Robo at the National Science Fair. Also previews of ’50s heroine Moon Girl, and Foster Broussard: Demons of the Gold Rush
Elric: The Balance Lost #1 from BOOM! Studios. Michael Moorcock’s pale swordsman returns to comic. I liked it much more than Mladen though
CHECK OUT PREVIEWS OF ALL THESE FREEBIES AND MORE, RIGHT HERE AND THE EXCELLENT ROMBIES IS NOW ONLINE FOR FREE FROM GESTALT COMICS. YAY!
I noticed in the last Previews catalogue how many titles Rob Williams was writing, such as Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force, Skaar: King of the Savage Land and Daken: ark Wolverine. He seems to have come from nowhere to be Marvel’s new go-to-guy, and I’m sure he deserves it, with the more responsibilities he’s being given, the latest of which is Ghost Rider. Text-free preview pages for this new series debut below.
POINT ONE Races GHOST RIDER #0.1
New readers, hold on tight – a bold new beginning for Ghost Rider begins amidst the chaos of Fear Itself as Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Ghost Rider #0.1! From the newly exclusive creative team of writer Rob Williams and artist Matthew Clark, Johnny Blaze has finally found a way to defeat the demon within and undo his pact for power. But can he allow himself to ‘Give Up The Ghost’? Find out in this special POINT ONE issue as Vengeance rides in a new direction and scorches the Marvel Universe like never before this June, only in Ghost Rider #0.1!
comicbookjesus 