Tag Archives: a wave blue world

Review: Broken Frontier Anthology

The overused term, “rules are made to be broken,” has been said repeatedly when it is thought that someone has gone against convention. As the world slowly embraces the diversity that surrounds it, so has popular media. Comics have always challenged type but has mostly been monochromatic. It has only recently been proactive about being diverse in not only race and sexuality, but also ability. Wave Blue World‘s Broken Frontier offers up stories where they do just that, break the rules.

In “Phantom Limb Ghost Puncher,” a police officer who loses his arm during a rescue, magically receives a mystical weapon which changes his life instantly. In “Stranger Than Fiction,” a clairvoyant helps out a murder suspect, by revisiting the day of the crime through his unconscious mind. In “Dark Dark World,” young imaginative writer plays out a scene for a story, all in her father’s work shed. In “The Wall,” set in a dystopian future, societies’ fortunes are separated only by allegiance.

In “Flyer,”  a elderly man, gives a prep talk to his adolescent granddaughter, as she prepares to engage in a dogfight by way of rocketpack. “In The Night, Mountains Grew,” a ranger’s gross miscalculation proves fatal for those she protects. In “The Beard,” a young woman uncontrollably grows a facial hair at a unusually rapid rate, something befuddles her day after day, until she realizes her greater destiny, one that would change her life forever. In “Purgatory,” a woman falls into a coma, and gets transported to a different world, where she gets to be her true self.

In “The Trip,” a rather routine start of a morning for a man and his daughter, becomes a lesson in realizing every day is precious. In “Its About Time,” a scientist uses his considerable powers to time travel before his wife died, but what he finds out changes his whole outlook on her. In “Inside Outside,” a woman coming off her meds is constantly irritated by “cute squishy monsters.” In “Last dance at Omega Point,” as a rocket heads to its firing point, a woman’s life unpacks in alternate reality.

Overall, an excellent comic anthology which explores what can be or what will be. The stories by all the writers pluck the emotions of the reader in the best way possible. The art by the creators are all beautiful. Altogether, a plus sized comic treat which entertains on every page and you will wish was longer.

Story: Greg Pak, Tyler Chin-Tanner,Cullen Bunn, Phil Hester, Robert Dammelin, Justin Zimmerman, A. David Lewis, Fred Van Lente, Carla Berrocal, Jamie Coe, Edie OP, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Merguerite Bennett,Frederik Hautain, Kurt Belcher,  Adam Egypt Mortimer, Karrie Fransman, David Hine, Noah Van Sciver, Sean Wang, Salgood Sam, Box Brown,  PJ Holden, Scott Ferguson, INJ Culbard, Steve Orlando, Steve Bryant
Art: Steve Bryant, INJ Culbard, Yaroslav Astapeev, PJ Holden, Salgood Sam, Sean Wang, Box Brown, Noah Van Sciver, Mark Stafford, Karrie Fransman, Jeff McComsey, Facundo Percio, Rob Croonenborghs, Varga Tomi, Ryan Kelly, Edie OP, Toby Cypress, Jamie Coe, Robert Sammelin, Carla Berrocal, Daniel Warren Johnson, Nathan Fox, Alison Sampson, Noel Tuazon, Aysegul Sinav, Mike Lawrence, Tom Raney, Simon Bowland, Taylor Esposito, Gina Going, Jason Wordie
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Kismet, the First Muslim Superhero, Returns

Having debuted in 1944’s Bomber Comics #1, “Kismet, Man of Fate” never had his own fate revealed despite being comic books’ first Muslim superhero. Over seventy years passed between his last adventure fighting Nazis behind the front lines in war-time Germany and just last year when he returned as part of The Broken Frontier Anthology, a successful Kickstarter campaign from publisher A Wave Blue World (AWBW). Now, the same Eisner Award-nominated team that brought back the character is continuing his modern-day adventures in the weekly Kismet, Man of Fate online feature as part of the AWBW’s Under Current imprint.

Writer A. David Lewis and artist Noel Tuazon are joined by colorist Rob Croonenborghs and Ghost Glyph Studios in bringing Kismet to the current day. Beginning May 2nd and running two pages per week for the next year, the storyline will pit Kismet against the climate of the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and its ensuing fallout in Boston and beyond. Additionally, the issues of LGBTQ rights, experimental science, and immigrant communities will feature prominently in the year-long storyline.

Lewis, who separately serves as the President of Comics for Youth Refugees Incorporated Collective (CYRIC), has no intention to fall into superhero conventions nor shy away from challenging, real-world conflicts. In the release, Lewis said:

Kismet was created at a moment where fascism was a real and present danger. With the political climate being what it is right now – with Islamophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and hate crimes all on the rise – there seems no better time to reengage the character.

Kismet, Man of Fate is available weekly with the initial pages already available for free viewing. The completed storyline will be available in print in 2018.

Preview: Ghastly Tales

Ghastly Tales

Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Varga Tomi
Publisher: A Wave Blue World
Release: 9/7/2016
Retail: $4.99

An Alaskan ranger, a maiden scorned, a family of bootleggers; all cling desperately to the things in life they hold most dear… and woe is the fate of those who mean it harm.

After their story “In the Night, Mountains Grew” (part of the Broken Frontier Anthology released earlier this year) received so much praise, Marguerite Bennett (Bombshells, Insexts) and artist Varga Tomi didn’t want their collaboration to end there. That’s why they teamed-up for 2 new stories, “Koi” and “Cider” to put alongside the re-presenting of “In the Night, Mountains Grew” in a brand new one-shot collection containing a trio of terrifyingly twisted tales.

While Ghastly Tales will have a worldwide digital release through ComiXology, the print run is limited to only 400 copies and was not solicited through the direct market. Instead, publisher A Wave Blue World worked with retailers who’ve supported their books in the past to make the one-shot available in select locations across the U.S.

Current retailers stocking Ghastly Tales include: Books With Pictures, Bridge City Comics, Cosmic Monkey, Excalibur Comics, Floating World and Future Dreams (all in Portland, OR), Mission: Comics & Art (San Francisco, CA), Twilite Comics (Baltimore, MD), East Side Mags (Montclaire, NJ), and Escape Pod Comics (Huntington, NY)

Copies of Ghastly Tales are also available through the publisher’s website, where signed copies by both Marguerite Bennett & Varga Tomi can be purchased as well. These come with a certificate of authenticity and are numbered to only 30 copies!

Ghastly Tales

ComiXology Announces More DRM Free Publishers

comixology drm free wave twoToday comiXology unveiled the latest group of publishers offering DRM-free backups, allowing comiXology customers to download and store copies of their books. ComiXology’s new DRM-free backup feature was announced this past July during San Diego Comic-Con.

The second wave of participating publishers include IDW Publishing, Valiant Entertainment, Oni Press, Fantagraphics Books, Aspen Comics, Action Lab Entertainment, Th3rd World Studios, A Wave Blue World, Blind Ferret Entertainment, Caliber Comics, Creative Impulse Entertainment, Devil’s Due Entertainment, GT Labs Comics and Kingstone Media. They join Image Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Zenescope Entertainment, MonkeyBrain Comics, Thrillbent, and Top Shelf Productions in offering this new option to customer. Creators using comiXology Submit also have the option to offer their comics, graphic novels, and manga as DRM-free backups. Some of the new publishers have previously announced going DRM free, or provide the option on other platforms.

To obtain the DRM-free backups of digital comics on comiXology, customers can go to the “My Books” section of comixology.com on their desktop computers and click the button that appears next to their books. Books and series from the second wave of participating publishers will be available for backup starting today. Backups from participating publishers can be downloaded in high definition PDF and CBZ.

Customers will continue to enjoy all their purchases – whether available as a DRM-free backup or not – on the comiXology platform in comiXology’s exclusive cinematic Guided View reading experience, anytime and anywhere.

Get Comics and Help a Charity With Groupees.com

Groupees.com is a website where they organize comic, game, and/or music and bundle them up to benefit charities. Similar to the video game focused Humble Bundle. They’ve launched a Indie Comic bundle with some killer titles including, !, American Terrorist, Evil Diva, Grimm Crew Presents: Dead Future, Grimm Crew Presents: Winter’s Eye, Myth, Smoke & Mirror, Spies, Swipe, The Deadbeat, and The Lexian Chronicles. That’s a whole lot of comics and you get to help a charity!

The platform is aimed at turning the digital download experience into a fun, social event. This campaign includes titles from Alterna, Markosia, Raven Warren, GrayHaven, Angry Viking, and A Wave Blue World. When people buy the bundle they can choose for part of their contribution to be donated to one of 3 wildlife charities, Wolf Haven International, Animal Welfare Institute, and Farm Sanctuary.

Having read a few of these comics, it’s well worth the money, even if it’s just a dollar (we encourage you to give more though). When certain goals are met, new comics unlock as well, this is a great idea and we encourage everyone to pitch in! The event runs until March 6.

NYCC 11 – American Terrorist Released at NYCC 2011

Official Press Release

American Terrorist Released at NYCC 2011

“We are all Americans, and we are all suffering under the same broken system.”

–Michael, American Terrorist

A Wave Blue World announces the release of their new graphic novel, American Terrorist, at the New York Comic Con this October 13-16 at Small Press table 2542.  Cover

American Terrorist is the story of average Americans who get fed up with the system and start their own revolution. It is a 214-page graphic novel written by Tyler & Wendy Chin-Tanner (Adrenaline) and drawn by Andy MacDonald (Punisher, Terminator)

The NYCC release will feature a limited run of the black and white edition. A full color version will be digitally released at the same time through online retailers such as Comics by Comixology. The color art was done by Matt Wilson (Wonder Woman, Wolverine) and Michael Wiggam (Star Wars).

A war has been waged against the American people. It’s a covert war, one that those in power hope will go unnoticed, but day by day, jobs, homes, pensions, healthcare coverage, quality of life, and civil liberties are taken away, while the gap between the haves and the have-nots grows wider and wider.

With no way out, four activists become fugitives from the law and go on the offensive against corruption and injustice. Sharing their story with the nation using social media, they inspire their followers to rise up and reclaim their country.

For more information on the release or on how to obtain a print copy of the graphic novel, please visit www.awaveblueworld.com.
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What’s going on at Small Press Expo This Weekend!

Official Press Release

What: SPX EXPO North America’s Premiere Independent Cartooning and Comic Arts Festival. http://www.spxpo.com/

When: September 10th and 11th 2011
Where: Bethesda North Marriot Convention Center

1. Jonathan Baylis and So Buttons #4 (C11a Booth Location) www.sobuttons.com 
 
So Buttons #4
is releasing AT SPX! Autobiographical story telling at it’s finest. With love, life and humor Baylis writes heartfelt stories and allows some of the best indy artists out there translate the story artistically.  The new issue contains artwork from Noah Van Sciver (Fantagraphics), Fred Hembeck (Marvel), Thomas Boatwright (Slave Labor Graphics), T.J. Kirsch (She Died in Terrebonne), and many others.
Cover

2. A Wave Blue World (F7 Booth Location)  www.awaveblueworld.com

American Terrorist will be debuting at the New York Comic Con in less then 2 months and they are giving fans a sneak peek of the book at Small Press Expo.  Sketchbooks will be on hand for purchase and the creators will be available for signings!

Description of book: Angered and frustrated with the current system, four American citizens adopt extreme tactics in order to expose and combat the injustices, corruption, greed, inequality they feel are ruining their nation. Investigative reported Owen Graham, public school teacher Hannah Bloom, civil rights lawyer Michael Clar, and EPA scientist Shannon Lim view themselves as activists, even patriots when they go to extreme measures to enact change in their country. They are labeled many things by others, including terrorists. A battle of perception is waged over the internet as they try to walk the line between political protest and violent uprising.

3. Red Stylo Media’s “Spot the Tee” Contest. (No booth floating the floor) www.redstylo.com 

Head of Red Stylo Media “Enrica Jang” will be walking the floor wearing a Red Stylo Media tshirt. Anyone who spots the Tee and tweets to @red_stylo will get a free AZTECA poster and a coupon for 25% off any Red Stylo Media title!

Logo

Support – American Terrorist: The Graphic Novel


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We’re going to start highlighting some of the various comic book projects currently seeking funding through Kickstarter.  Today’s spotlight is American Terrorist: The Graphic Novel (seemed like a good one to start with considering this blog’s subject matter).

Described as a story of “passion, activism, and political dissent” and is produced by the husband and wife team of Tyler and Wendy Chin-Tanner, art by Andy MacDonald, colors by Matt Wilson and published by A Wave Blue World.

Angered and frustrated with the current system, four American citizens adopt extreme tactics in order to expose and combat the injustices, corruption, greed, inequality they feel are ruining their nation.

Investigative reported Owen Graham, public school teacher Hannah Bloom, civil rights lawyer Michael Clar, and EPA scientist Shannon Lim view themselves as activists, even patriots when they go to extreme measures to enact change in their country. They are labeled many things by others, including terrorists. A battle of perception is waged over the internet as they try to walk the line between political protest and violent uprising.

You can actually read a preview and early chapters of the graphic novel before contributing.  The first full chapter is available at http://www.awaveblueworld.com/v03/AT01.pdf.

With your pledge you receive all kinds of different gifts from a behind the scenes making of blog to being a named character in the comic.  As of 11pm on June 15 they have raised $1,672 of their $6,000 goal from 24 backers.  Your ability to pledge ends on Sunday June 27 at 6:15 EDT.  Get your pledge in today!

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