This may not last long on-line, as it’s currently only available to US residents, but here’s the trailer for the rest of us. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is the latest Warner Bros. direct to DVD animated film. Based on the first few action packed issues of the series by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness, it seems to follow the story, and art style, quite closely. Plus, there’s guest stars galore. See it below, or here.
We Kill Monsters #1 Review
This new series was previewed in Red 5’s recent Free Comic Book Day offering, but if you didn’t pick it up – fear not! It’s available here, and it’s still free.
This six issue mini-series is off to a good start. From Red 5, the fine folks who have given us Atomic Robo and Neozoic, We Kill Monsters tells the story of two brothers and their extracurricular activities, as summed up in the title.
Jake and Drew are mechanics at the Basher Bros. Auto Repair and Body Shop. After another day fixing cars, they head to their usual haunt for a few drinks. The brothers lives are soon interrupted by more than Vanessa, the pretty barmaid however. After calling it a night, the somewhat sullen Drew is faced with two horrors – Vanessa’s new boyfriend and a terrifying beast leaping from the shadows. Thankfully, his bro’s got his back, and with a shovel to the face and some blood loss on both sides, the brothers emerge victorious, but not unchanged. They drag the horned corpse to their shop after seeing another creature following them and soon realize that their problems are just beginning.
I wasn’t expecting much from this book. It’s not a revolutionary concept or anything. However, I liked what I read. The cartoony art may be too jarring for some, considering its forlorn characters and such, but Brian Churilla (The Engineer from Archaia) conveys the inner feelings of the characters well, considering the few lines he uses. Christopher Leone’s script moves things along at a brisk pace, but it never feels like its rushing to get all the talking out of the way until the monster shows his face. He shows the awkward concern that the brothers have for one another, and how that affects the relationships around them. I expect a war between Drew and Jake on one side, with their handy skills and new abilities and knowledge and a horde of ugly creatures on the other, but six issues is a long tale to tell, so there may yet be further surprises in store. Hopefully they’ll come from the brothers and how they interact with each other while battling baddies. I think that a family drama in the midst of invading evil will set this series apart from just another ‘average guy saves world from aliens’ type adventure. Hopefully I’m right.
Be A Hero
I’ll definitely be picking one of these up at Comic-Con. Press release below.
Hero Initiative is very proud to announce the release of Hero Comics. The 32-page, no-ads comic, edited and produced by Scott Dunbier, special projects editor at IDW Publishing, will be released in late July with two covers, Eve by J. Scott Campbell, and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The fundraising book will contain great, all-new content including an original American Flagg! story by Howard Chaykin, and original stories by Gene Ha, Bill Willingham, David Lloyd, and Kaare Andrews.( See attachment for cover art)
In addition, Arthur Adams will recreate three classic Marvel Comics covers, and Hero Initiative beneficiaries such as Gene Colan, Bill Messner-Loebs and Josh Medors will tell their own personal stories, detailing their severe struggles, and Hero’s involvement.
An excerpt from Josh Medors’ story reads:
“When I am feeling almost ready to give in to my cancer, ready to throw my hands in the air and say ‘I quit!,’ I get a call from the Initiative. ‘Just wanted to see how you are doing.’ It may not seem like much, but let me assure you—When the monster bites and the pain pills aren’t working, a call like that is more effective than a Super-Soaker filled with holy water against the ol’ Count.”
This special edition comic retails for $3.99, and will be on sale at comic stores worldwide on July 29, 2009. It’s available in the DiamondPreviews catalog for August-shipping items in the IDW section, order code JUN090950 .
“I’ve been an active supporter of the Hero Initiative since I was first asked to help out,” stated Howard Chaykin. “It’s particularly important in this volatile era that we remember the men and women who made our industry, and make certain that they have the happy endings they richly deserve.”
Fans will be able to get their hands on this epic treasure early at the San Diego Comic-Con, July 23-26, 2009 as well. Copies will be on-sale at the Hero Initiative booth, #907.
“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work on a book like Hero Comics. The job that the Hero Initiative does, helping comics creators in need, is a noble endeavor, one all of us should get behind,” said Dunbier.
All proceeds from the book benefit Hero Initiative, as all creators involved have donated their services. IDW is donating its publishing services, Comicraft is donating lettering and book design, and Try Vision Company, Inc. of Los Angeles is donating printing.
The Blade of Dracula
I interviewed partners Leah Moore (yes, Alan’s daughter) and John Reppion regarding their great new Sherlock Holmes series from Dynamite. Now, from the same company and same creators is The Complete Dracula. It’s a very faithful retelling of Bram Stoker’s legendary horror novel for comic fans. My interview with the pair is here and my review of the latest issue of the impressive Witchblade monthly is here.
David Wohl Gets Radical
This is exciting news. Possibly spurred on by the success of fan fave writer Mark Waid’s appointment to Editor In Chief of BOOM! Studios all those months ago, long-time Top Cow creator and President David Wohl is now the EIC of Radical Publishing. I’m actually quite curious about what this means. Radical have had a lot of critical praise, and deservedly so, but have yet to truly break through into the hearts and minds of fanboys and girls. However, they’re only just over a year old and have already showed their daring mission with each new project. Stay tuned for further Radical greatness, I’d reckon. Press release below.
In a bold new shift in direction, Radical Comics has brought on former Top Cow President and Editor-In-Chief David Wohl as their new Editor-In-Chief. Wohl replaces former Radical Editor-In-Chief Dave Elliott, who will continue at Radical in the new position of Special Projects Editor.
With over twenty years of experience in the industry, David Wohl was responsible for bringing numerous fan-favorite Top Cow titles to the shelves, co-creating and writing The Darkness, Aphrodite IX as well as the critically acclaimed Witchblade franchise, even serving as the producer of the Witchblade television series. “Ever since Radical burst on the scene, I was instantly impressed by their talent roster, the consistent high level of quality and their commitment to putting out great comics. When the opportunity arose to come onboard, I didn’t even need to give it a second thought. From top to bottom, Radical Publishing is the class of the industry, and I’m proud to be part of the team.” stated Wohl.
Wohl’s enthusiasm for joining the Radical family was echoed by the company’s President and Publisher Barry Levine. “David brings a wealth of experience in the industry to our relatively new company and everyone here is very excited to have him on board,” remarked Levine. “With our recent Gem Award for ‘Best New Publisher’ and a lineup of upcoming titles featuring the likes of Rick Remender, David Hine and Nick Simmons for the year, David is the guy to help take Radical to that next level.”
As Wohl helps to continue Radical’s success by assuming the responsibilities of Editor-In-Chief, former Radical Editor-In-Chief Dave Elliott will be taking on the new position of Radical’s Special Projects editor. This integral new position will have Elliott applying his vast publishing experience and love of comics to both finding and developing new projects for Radical while working closely with existing key talent on current projects such as Steve Niles’ follow-up to City of Dust and the second chapter of Sam Sarkar’s Caliber.
“With Radical growing in leaps and bounds, I just couldn’t continue doing the job from New York any longer. We needed our man in Havana and I’m really happy it’s David,” says Elliott. “My focus will be to continue to bring in the best talent out there while also allowing me to get back to my creative roots. I’ll be co-writing CALIBER and the next PHILIP KHROME story with Sam Sarkar and Steve Niles. These are two worlds that I have gotten to know very well and am extremely happy to be allowed to further contribute to them.”
Marvel This Week
As always, there’s a bunch of new comics coming out from the House of Ideas on Wednesday (in America at least). Here’s a look at but some of them. The ones with the prettiest covers of course. For the full list of releases, see the link below.
Flinch Now
The new 120 page anthology from Perth publisher Gestalt has arrived. It’s described as “a collection of engaging stories by established and emerging creators, all playing on their interpretation of ‘flinch.'” The impressive creators involved include the likes of Shaun Tan, Justin Randall, Skye Ogden and Mel Tregonning. The trailer for Flinch is below and you can see a preview of some of the stories here. Flinch, and Gestalt in general, have been getting some pretty impressive mainstream news coverage as of late, and have some interesting books on the way. It’s great to see such talent coming from my humble home town.
Last week I picked up a couple of self published mini comics that impressed me. A Bird With Crossed Wires by C.S. Markle was completed at the 24 Hour Comics Day in 2007 and features a crazed, car smashing bird who is offered friendship by one of his victims. It’s actually quite delightfully simple and mature with a touch of black comedy. Dead By 30 by Andrei S. Buters is a different affair. Artistically, its more complex and plays with rock, death, magic and friendship to great effect. Both black and white comics are well made and give me hope for the future of my little town. It’s already given the world Ben Templesmith, Ashley Wood and Shane McCarthy and I’m thankful that the two main comic shops in Perth (Quality Comics and Comic Zone) have shelves devoted to the work of local writers and artists.
Pencilling Opportunity
Consider this a community service announcement to all you budding artists out there. Jaran Studios, the company behind Dawn of the Dread Force (who featured on pages 26-31 of Extra Sequential #2) are looking for an artist for a potential new web comic. It doesn’t even have to be mech-related. Details are below and more info can be found at the Dread Force website. This is a great opportunity for artists looking for a break.
We’re currently looking for a talented penciller for a potentially upcoming DREAD FORCE web comic, so if you’ve got too much spare time on your hands and are looking for a very low-paying, but rewarding, job working with us, drop us a link to your sequential samples, and we’ll be in touch. Thanks in advance!
Comic Con-Test
Budding film-makers and fanboys or girl, sit up and pay attention! If you want to be a special correspondent at Comic-Con that is. Press release from Dark Horse below.
Beginning today, G4 and Dark Horse Comics are kicking off a search for the ultimate Comic-Con fan who will receive the opportunity of a lifetime — the chance to appear in G4’s special coverage of the year’s most buzzed about convention. One lucky winner will be selected as a “Special Correspondent” to G4 and join “Attack of the Show” hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira, as well as Comic Book Expert Blair Butler on the show floor. Dark Horse, one of the largest comic book publishers, with titles like Hellboy, Star Wars, Umbrella Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Alien will also welcome the winner as their “official guest,” granting access to their special events and more. To enter, fans are encouraged to create a video that demonstrates their pop culture knowledge and on-camera abilities, and submit to the official website. The “Con-Test” kicks off Friday, May 15, 2009, and closes at 11:59PM on June 22, 2009.
Once again, G4 will present special coverage of Comic-Con 2009 direct from the show floor. Last year’s attendance broke all records, topping 160,000 people and solidifying Comic-Con as the one of the biggest pop culture conventions in the world. G4 and Dark Horse Comics will bring one lucky fan to the heart of it all and put them in the spotlight at this massive event devoted to comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, movies, video games, TV and more. G4’s Kevin Pereira and Blair Butler will announce the winner live on “Attack of the Show” on June 29.
“Comic Con International has become the ultimate pop culture gathering for fans of almost any medium,” said Dark Horse President, Mike Richardson. “What better way to reward our fans than with a chance to appear on the ultimate pop culture television show with our creators and top talent. The winner of this contest is sure to have the time of their life!”
“G4 viewers are huge fans of Dark Horse Comics and Comic-Con is the perfect opportunity for us to team up,” said Neal Tiles, President, G4. “Comic-con is a major event for our audience and we are excited to reward the hard and true comic book fans with a chance to experience the phenomenon in person.”
Contest details:
*Fans must submit a video that demonstrates their knowledge and love of pop culture.
* Submission dates: May 15, 2009 – June 22, 2009.
* Winner will receive airfare and accommodations for themselves and 1 guest to Comic Con ’09
Winner will have an opportunity to act as “Special Correspondent” for G4 and appear on air.
* Winner and guest will each receive a Dark Horse grab bag valued at $600.
* Winner and guest will be given special access to all Dark Horse related events and signings.
Contestants will be judged on overall knowledge of all things pop culture, creativity and on-screen charisma demonstrated in their videos. G4 and Dark Horse Comics want to find the ultimate pop culture fanatic and stand-out personality who deserves this special Comic-Con opportunity. Videos must be at least 30 seconds in length and no longer than 10 minutes.
Go here for official contest rules and to submit videos.
Terminator Game
Press release below for gamers on the go.
In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Terminator, Big Head Games and Dark Horse Comics are proud to release this heart-pounding, shoot-everything homage to the movie that started it all. The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is an explosive, top-down, all-action shooter game with an episodic Story Mode and endless Quick Play Mode.
Features:
Bigger and badder weapons, from Gatling guns to bazookas.
Two extreme game modes for a lasting game experience: In Quick Play Mode, rescue fallen soldiers. In Story Mode, play as Kyle Reese taking on challenging missions.
T-800s and Hunter Killer Tanks from the original movie along with an array of new foes.
Multiple control modes and autotargeting options to match game play to every skill level.
Pounding soundtrack and SFX—play this game with headphones for a film-like experience.
Two parts: look out for an imminent update taking you belowground to take on the machines in their home ground.
“From the very beginning, Dark Horse has provided fans with top-notch entertainment experiences, whether in comics, on screen, or, most recently, on the iPhone. We feel our relationship with Big Head Games will do just that for fans of both The Terminator and mobile gaming.”
Big Head’s business director, Dave Vout, states, “We are extremely excited to be bringing one of the world’s top movie and game franchises to the iPhone/iPod Touch. Combining Dark Horse Comics’ extensive catalog of material and our game-development expertise has been a great experience and opportunity that we hope to continue long into the future.”
The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is currently in submission with Apple and on release will be at a sale price of $0.99 for 72 hours.
For even more explosive adventures in the Terminator universe, check out The Terminator: Death Valley, a comic for the iPhone. To celebrate the release of the new game, Dark Horse is making the first issue of Death Valley available for a free download for a limited time. All four issues are available for download now.
The Unwritten Stuff
This new series from the Lucifer team of Mike Carey and Peter Gross is different in a number of ways. Firstly it stands out from the other “Un” series launching this month (Unknown and Unthinkable from BOOM! Studios) by being bigger. Not bigger in format, but bigger in its story and by its very approach to the concept of storytelling. This debut issue has extra story pages, so you can feel a little heft when picking it up from the shelf. It’s also only $1! Thanks Vertigo/DC. They’ve had success with similar cheap launches, such as the After Watchmen…What’s Next? series of re-prints. This is a wise marketing move, and will only help give this series the attention it deserves.
So ,what’s it all about then? Imagine Harry Potter was real. That’s the basic premise. Of course, it’s not as straightforward as that, but basically Tom Taylor is a grown man trying to live away from the shadow of the fictional boy wizard Tommy Taylor, the hero of a series of much loved books by Tom’s father, who has been missing for a decade. It’s a very well constructed first issue and barrels along at a nice pace. It takes itself seriously but isn’t melodramatic about it. With clever use of web-site comments, news casts and journal excerpts it becomes obvious that this creative duo have thought long and hard about the story they’re building. There’s an insightful interview with the creators at Broken Frontier and you can also find Carey’s commentary on the issue at the same site.
If you’re looking for something fresh, with just enough nods to pop culture to make you feel smart, then pick up this ish.
Spawn: Endgame TPB
Todd McFarlane’s return to his signature creation appears to have paid off. Press release below.
SPAWN ‘Endgame’ storyline reaches the halfway point with a complete distributor-level sell out!
SPAWN, the long-running superhero saga recently relaunched by series creator Todd McFarlane and fellow Image Founder Whilce Portacio, kicks off the second half of its series altering storyline ‘Endgame’ with a distribution-level sell out making way for the upcoming collection.“Our goal is to slowly build up momentum and the sellout of issue #191 is another indication that we’re accomplishing that goal,” McFarlane said. “With a majority of our single issues out of print, the release of the first Endgame collection couldn’t be more timely.”
SPAWN’s current storyarc, ‘Endgame’, has seen the original Hellspawn, Al Simmons, end his life as the amnesiac Patient 47 awakens with Al’s powers. Soon after, new horrors and allies have come into play with familiar faces, including Al’s widow, Wanda and his worst enemy, The Violator. The next several issues promise to conclude Patient 47’s transformation into SPAWN as the truth about his identity is finally revealed. Readers eager to read the entire first half of ‘Endgame’ can do so in the June-shipping tradepaperback. All fans are advised to check in with their local comic book store to see if copies of SPAWN #191 are still available.
SPAWN #192 (MAR092463), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.95, will be in-stores June 3rd, 2009. SPAWN, VOL. 1: ENDGAME PART 1 (APR090346), a 160-page full color tradepaperback for $14.99, will be in-stores June 24th, 2009.
Fusion #1 Review
It’s been a while since the comics biz had had a good x-over. In the 90s we couldn’t get enough of them. Batman teamed up with everyone. Spider-Man teamed up with everyone. Punisher and Archie teamed up with each other.
Now the concept is back. In grand fashion. Two teams from Marvel and two teams from Top Cow in the same book is a great way to start. Of course, Top Cow artists have been doing cover and interior work for the House of Ideas recently, so this is no big stretch. Fusion debuts spectacularly, with plenty of cool costumes and powers to please any fan of superheroes. This issue primarily focuses on the Mighty Avengers and Ripclaw, but with two more issues to come, the balance should be restored.
It begins with a lone man named Ellis (from Hunter-Killer) sitting at the ancestral home of Ripclaw (from Cyberforce) before taking us to the Quinjet where we meet the Mighty Avengers, who in this time frame, have only been together for a week. Setting this between Civil War and Dark Reign was a smart move on the part of frequent writing partners Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Out of the four teams in this series, The Avengers have the most complicated recent history. They wisely steer away from assuming readers are familiar with the happenings of this assortment of characters, and the two page intro for each costumed character is a welcome aid.
In the Quinjet, where the word “celebritard” is introduced, Wonder Man, Ms. Marvel, Wasp and Black Widow of the Mighty Avengers get attacked by a mad Ripclaw before leading them to an investigation focused on the who and why.
Not much happens in this issue, but it’s impressive that for a series that will contain over 20 characters, this first ish isn’t complicated or overbearing. Abnett and Lanning keep things simple. After the fight with Ripclaw, the Thunderbolts watch the aftermath from a distance, before attacking Ripclaw after another Hulk-out. Then the Mighty Avengers venture to a lighthouse that isn’t what it appears to be before seeing Ripclaw again. I can only assume that there’s more than one crazy Ripclaw out there, due to the absence of time and place transitions, and I guess the Hunter/Killer crew is involved in that.
As is to be expected, the fighting begins right away as the heroes – or at least Ripclaw, isn’t his usual self. Perhaps the two of the teams will join up and fight the other two, or all four teams will become allies and take the battle to a new enemy.
The book looks suitably fast paced and daring. Tyler Kirkham’s style may have early “Image house style” written all over it, but it works, and the use of three different inkers doesn’t show. There’s also no desperate attempt at trying to explain away how these teams meet through a parallel universe or some such, so ths story can focus on lots more pummelling. For fans of any of these teams, or those who know none of them, this superhero smorgasbord is a good entry into two vibrant companies properties.
Two Surrogates Trailers
I actually picked up The Surrogates TPB at the Top Shelf booth at Comic-Con last year. I’d heard good things about its sci-fi tale, with a philosophical bent, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s also a perfect gateway book for comic book newbies. The prequel to the tale, Flesh and Bone from the same talented creators (writer Robert Venditti and artist Brett Weldele) is out in July. One of the great things about the first series was the fact that it totally immersed the reader in its believable world. A world where most people are reliant on living their lives via robotic avatars. Wisely littered throughout the book are realistically crafted adverts for the modern surrogate user. The trailer for the prequel is below.
Coming soon is a film based on the original mini-series. Starring Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell it opens on September 25 and is directed by Jonathan Mostow (the excellent Breakdown, U-571 and Terminator 3:Rise of the Machines). Below is a brief look at the film’s production.
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