Tag Archives: ben caldwell

More Variant Covers Revealed For Hanna-Barbera’s Future Quest and Scooby Apocalypse

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In January, DC Entertainment announced the return of the beloved characters from Hanna-Barbera in all new stories—and this lineup wouldn’t be complete without Jonny Quest and Scooby and the gang! Here, DC Entertainment is officially adding more variant covers from some of DC’s favorite artists!

Future Quest, due out first on May 18, will ship with a total of four variant covers (in addition to the standard cover) and here they are:

DC revealed the standard cover by series artist Evan “Doc” Shaner, Steve Rude‘s fantastic interpretation of Jonny Quest and his pal Hadji, as well as Bill Sienkiewicz‘s awesome rendition of Space Ghost.

And now Aaron Lopresti’s epic depiction of the Herculoids and Joe Quinones’ Action Heroes variants can be added to that lineup!

Next up is Scooby Apocalypse, out on May 25, which will ship with a total of five variant covers (in addition to the standard cover) and here they are:

DC revealed the standard cover by veteran artist Jim Lee, a tech-savvy Scooby-Doo (complete with Scooby Snack) by Howard Porter, and the mystery hunter Fred Jones from artist Neal Adams.

And now, Dan Panosian delivers the dynamic-duo of Shaggy and Scooby, we see an eerie look at super-sleuth Daphne from Joelle Jones, and Ben Caldwell gives us the coolest techy girl around, Velma (complete with her own drone!)

Future Quest will feature stories by Jeff Parker with art by Evan “Doc” Shaner, and Scooby Apocalypse comes from co-writers Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis.

She’s Back! A First Look at The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1!

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New series. New Avenger (!!!). Still eats nuts. Still kicks butts. Not even Secret Wars can stop Marvel’s most unbeatable heroine! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 – the new series from the creative team of Ryan North and Erica Henderson!

Galactus. Thanos. M.O.D.O.K. With her unique combination of wit, empathy, and kick-butt squirrel powers, Doreen Green has taken ALL these chumps down. Now it’s time for her next challenge – balancing college life and being a full-time New Avenger! Alongside her friends Tippy Toe (a squirrel) and Nancy (a human), Squirrel Girl is all that stands between Earth and total annihilation! Sometimes. Other times there’s nothing world ending going on and she’s a normal college student. But that’s an adventure too! Now is your chance to jump on board the series that has the whole world talking!

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #1 (AUG150821)
Written by RYAN NORTH
Art & Cover by ERICA HENDERSON
Variant Cover by BEN CALDWELL (AUG150823)
Hip-Hop Variant by PHIL NOTO (AUG150822)
Kirby Monster Variant by CHRIS BACHALO (AUG150824)
FOC – 10/05/15, On-Sale – 10/28/15

The_Unbeatable_Squirrel_Girl_1_Cover

Preview: Archie #3

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ARCHIE #3

Script: Mark Waid
Art: Fiona Staples, Andre Szymanowicz with Jen Vaughn, Jack Morelli
Cover: Fiona Staples
Variant Covers: Ben Caldwell, Cliff Chiang, Stuart Immonen, Andrew Robinson
On Sale Date: 9/30
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

COMIC SUPERSTARS MARK WAID AND FIONA STAPLES ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF THEIR REMARKABLE REIMAGINING OF AN ICON! Something strange is looming over Riverdale—and it’s taking the shape of a giant mega-mansion owned by an elusive mogul. Why has he chosen the quaint town of Riverdale, USA as his base of operations? And how is he going to use the teens of Riverdale High to further his political aspirations? Big questions and challenges await the teens and townsfolk—meanwhile, a new student has graced the halls of Riverdale High and she’s turning heads in a BIG way! Find out all the answers to these important questions in the third issue of the biggest comics sensation of the season!

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Preview: Archie #3

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ARCHIE #3

Script: Mark Waid
Art: Fiona Staples, Andre Szymanowicz with Jen Vaughn, Jack Morelli
Cover: Fiona Staples
Variant Covers: Ben Caldwell, Cliff Chiang, Stuart Immonen, Andrew Robinson
On Sale Date: 9/30
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

COMIC SUPERSTARS MARK WAID AND FIONA STAPLES ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF THEIR REMARKABLE REIMAGINING OF AN ICON! Something strange is looming over Riverdale—and it’s taking the shape of a giant mega-mansion owned by an elusive mogul. Why has he chosen the quaint town of Riverdale, USA as his base of operations? And how is he going to use the teens of Riverdale High to further his political aspirations? Big questions and challenges await the teens and townsfolk—meanwhile, a new student has graced the halls of Riverdale High and she’s turning heads in a BIG way! Find out all the answers to these important questions in the third issue of the biggest comics sensation of the season!

Archie#3CaldwellVar

Kickstarter Spotlight: Hugo Broyler: a fast-paced future-noir thriller

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hugo boyler bookby Mike Kennedy
Publisher/President
Magnetic Press

Hugo Broyler: a fast-paced future-noir thriller on Kickstarter, featuring a murderer’s row of top comic industry artists from around the world.

Nearly two dozen comic industry super-stars have joined writer Mike Kennedy (Star Wars: Underworld, Superman: Infinite City, Lone Wolf 2100, Dead to Rights, Bleedout) and illustrator Francisco Paronzini (Stormwatch PHD, The Immortal Iron Fist, Dead to Rights, Star Wars Tales) in the launch of a Kickstarter campaign for the original graphic novel Hugo Broyler, a fast-paced future-noir thriller, where smart cars roam the streets and hacking is indistinguishable from possession and insanity.

This stylish, full-color blockbuster is packed full of high-speed action and psychological intrigue, and is brought to life by a killer lineup of top comic industry artists contributing pieces from around the world, including cover art by Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets), and pieces fan-favorites such as Bengal (Batgirl, Naja), Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Wormwood, Squidder), Zach Howard (Wild Blue Yonder, The Cape), DJet (Poet Anderson), Matteo De Longis (VOX), Francisco Ruiz Velasco (Pacific Rim, Hellboy), Nathan Fox (DMZ, Haunt, Blue Estate), Ben Caldwell (Prez, Dare Detectives), Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire, Blue Beetle), Leandro Fernandez (Punisher, Hulk, The Names), Marcelo Frusin (Hellblazer, Loveless), German Peralta (Moon Knight, Axis: Carnage), Max Fiumara (BPRD, Abe Sapien), and Renato Guedes (Wolverine, Superman), Caio Oliveira (Super-Ego, No More Heroes), Daniel Warren Johnson (Ghost Fleet, Space Mullet), and Brydon Everett (The World of Cassyno).

Billed as a high-speed, sci-fi, grindhouse graphic novel, this breakneck thriller paints a future world where frictionless autos careen a ludicrous speeds in the popular sport of Static Velocity Levitation Racing, and international mega-corporations sponsor fearless racing teams who risk life and limb for fame and fortune. When former champ Hugo Broyler wipes out in the final lap of the latest championship, he’s left with little choice but to take wheel work for cash from a local crimelord. But the crash left him with more than just a few scars and a bad attitude – now he’s hearing voices, specifically the ghost of his former, deceased rival. Or maybe someone’s hacking his brain. Or maybe he’s just crazy…

Kennedy and Paronzini seek to raise funds to colorize, re-letter, and print the completed graphic novel, which will be supplemented with an additional 20 pages of world-building story material illustrated by the collection of guest contributors. This extra content will further flesh out the intricate world of cyber-crime, psychological manipulation, and levitation racing revealed in the main storyline.

The campaign offers copies of the book itself in soft- or hard-cover, original artwork, in-world artifacts and merchandise, as well as a mix of 70s/80s style paraphernalia that evokes a retro grindhouse flavor, with a future-sci-fi twist. This is just the first glimpse into the world of Hugo Broyler, says Kennedy, with future chapters, tabletop games, and interactive plans in the works.

Check out HUGO BROYLER today, and help them reach the finish line!

 

 

 

While we’re no longer picking crowd funding projects to spotlight on our site, we’re allowing project creators to make their case for their project on our platform. We remind individuals, we don’t endorse any of these projects, and that by supporting any crowd funding project, you’re taking any risks associated with doing so. – the Management

Review: Prez #2

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Prez #2With the election in chaos and a Congress mired in corruption, Twitter sensation @corndoggirl becomes the first teenaged President of the United States!

I really liked the first issue of Prez. I officially fell in love with the series reading the second. Writer Mark Russell has put out a comic that had me laughing throughout by depicting a political reality that’s so ludicrous, but at the same time there’s a touch of reality. Russell is brutal in his satire, taking us on a whirlwind tour of political maneuvering where all of the elected officials are just looking for a handout, and none of them are too bright.

It’s post-election and the vote has moved to Congress, so there’s all sorts of jockeying to try to get their (piss poor) candidate elected. How that all goes down is just too funny, and had me laughing (seriously most of the issue had me laughing).

Artist Ben Caldwell adds so much detail that you’ll linger on each page seeing what he’s added. The jokes are as much visual as they are written, and they’re seriously funny. There’s an almost cartoonish quality to the art that gives it a manic/chaotic vibe. That’s a good thing as it ups the fun of the series.

With a real Presidential election going on that seems more and more like the world Russell is depicting, you have to wonder is he actually writing thoughtful satire, or is he just ahead of the times? A great read for those who care even a little about the political world around them.

Story: Mark Russell Art: Ben Caldwell
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Prez #1

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Prez 1 CoverMeet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn’t whether she’s ready for politics – it’s whether politics is ready for her.

This twelve part miniseries is written by Mark Russell, the rather brilliant satirist behind God is Disappointed in You. Russell is now setting his sights on politics with this series set in the future that still nails many of the issues that we deal with today. He rips on internet celebrity, Anonymous, corporations… the general political process. As someone who works in politics, it all hits a bit close to home.

There’s just so much here, and so much to discuss, I could dissect the issue piece by piece… I really should probably do just that. The series is truly fantastic, and in a year that’s seeing the 2016 Presidential race begin, it’s a series that’s a bit of fresh air.

Russell is joined by Ben Caldwell whose style nails down the hyperactive future. It looks like the future, but not so much we can’t relate. Also great is the small details Caldwell puts in throughout every single page. You have to linger and read all the small items, and look at the various items added. The first issue is a great read, and great to look at.

This is me, is there any shock that I wouldn’t enjoy the series? So far, out of all of the new DC series I’ve read, this one is my favorite, and thankfully we have a year to enjoy it.

Story: Mark Russell Art: Ben Caldwell
Story: 10 Art: 9 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

 

Archaia and Macrocosm Bring Steampunk to Monthly Comics with Lantern City

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Archaia, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, and Macrocosm Entertainment have announced the May debut of Lantern City, a new ongoing comic series created by Trevor Crafts, Bruce Boxleitner, and Matthew Daley. Written by Daley and Paul Jenkins, and illustrated by Carlos Magno, Lantern City combines the imagination-rich world of steampunk with an espionage thriller, while posing the question: How far will a person go to protect the ones they love? The series marks Archaia’s first ongoing series since the debut of The Secret History in 2007.

The Lantern City comic series is the newest extension of a larger transmedia universe. An illustrated novel, Rise (also available as an app), was published, and a television show is in active development. Lantern City combines the epic scope of the Star Wars series with the street-level intensity and attention to detail of The Wire. The series blends action, romance, unique sci-fi, and political upheaval in an engaging narrative.

In the Lantern City comic series, Sander Jorve just wants to keep his wife and son safe. Living in the brutalized lower class of Lantern City means living in near constant darkness, the enormous walls of the city always looming overhead, while the upper class enjoys the elevated, interconnected towers and airships above. When Sander’s brother-in-law, the persuasive activist Kendal, convinces him to infiltrate the brutal ranks of the Guard, he’s set on a dangerous path that will test his abilities and beliefs, all in the name of making a difference for his family and his caste.

Lantern City #1 arrives in comic shops on May 13th with a main cover by Benjamin Carré for the price of $3.99 under Diamond order code MAR151070. Also available in a limited quantity are a Jackpot Variant by series artist Carlos Magno (1 in 100 intermix), a 10 Years Anniversary incentive cover by Ben Caldwell (1 for every 10 copies ordered), and a retailer incentive cover by Dave Dorman (1 for every 20 copies ordered). Also just added are a 10K Variant cover by Bagus Hutomo (1 in 10 intermix), and a FOC variant cover by Brett Weldele, which can be ordered in any quantity by the FOC date.

Lantern City #1 10 Years Cover by Ben Caldwell (full wraparound image shown) Lantern City #1 10K Variant Cover by Bagus Hutomo Lantern City #1 Cover by Benjamin Carré Lantern City #1 FOC Variant Cover by Brett Weldele Lantern City #1 Jackpot Variant Cover by Carlos Magno Lantern City #1 Variant Cover by Dave Dorman

Preview: Archie #664

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ARCHIE #664

Script: Angelo DeCesare
Art: Fernando Ruiz
Cover: Dan Parent
Variant Cover: Ben Caldwell
On Sale Date: 2/11
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

Archie in “Game of Phones”: Winter is coming… a ten-year long winter—which means ten years of school WITHOUT summer vacation! In a world of many kingdoms, the noble Archie Starch lives with his family and his pal Snowhead in the Kingdom of Riveros. Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Lodgister, the wealthy princess Veronica Lodgister’s greatest desire is to be this year’s Prom Queen. Her main rival for the throne is a new girl in school, Princess Betty Cooparian. In yet another kingdom dwell the Braggians, with the pompous, sneaky Prince Reggie who is determined to do whatever it takes to become Prom King—even if that means faking his way to the top. Archie is ready to call his bluff and challenges him to a battle of the kingdoms on the Riveros High Football field. Which Kingdom will preside over all?

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Review: Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, V.2 #1

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mar130802There’s something about mice with swords, fighting battles, living lives in complex, visibly-medieval societies in a world full of other rodents and creatures with similar societies that is charmingly appealing, if not downright awesome. Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, Volume 2 #1 is just such a comic, following in a long tradition of rodents in literature, comics, and film, from Stuart Little (1945) and its movie (1999), to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971), its movie version (1982), to the Redwall series (1986), Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo (1984), and to Image’s The Mice Templar comics (2007). Rodents seems to be culturally recognized around the world in mythology and folklore, partly because some of them learn quickly and can be trained, so they make great pets and cuddly companions (and the most vicious guardians, as Monty Python taught us). Wikipedia even has lists of fictional rodents in literature, comics, and animation!

Mouse Guard is a comic series begun in 2006 by David Petersen, who both writes and illustrates the series for Archaia Studios, and is an Eisner Award-winning publication. The Legends of the Guard imprint is an anthology series based in the Mouse Guard world, which allows other authors and illustrators to tell their own stories with Petersen’s creation.

This issue is the first in the second volume, and features stories by Stan Sakai (“Autumn Tale”), Alex Eckman-Lawn and Nick Tapalansky (“Leviathan”), and Ben Caldwell (“A Bone to Pick”). These three stories are embedded rather sweetly within a larger narrative drawn and written by Petersen himself. The premise: a bunch of mice have been lodging at a tavern, all of them racking up large debts to the owner, who offers that whoever tells the best story will have their debts cleared. This provides an easy entre into the Mouse Guard world, and though I’ve never read a single Mouse Guard issue before I felt right at home with the tales, each of which was tenderly written and could easily be understood by children but which are still mature enough in thematic content (or cute silliness, as with “A Bone to Pick”) to be appealing to adults.

The art for each of the three stories differs from beautiful watercolor-esque panels by Stan Sakai (47 Ronin, Usagi Yojimbo) to the more sketched, ethereal look of Eckman-Lawn’s illustrations, and finally Caldwell’s very fun, yet still complex art in the final story (reminiscent of The Secret of NIMH animation, actually). The pacing between stories and in the Petersen interludes allows for each story to be satisfactorily told, with enough interest created to desire just a little (or a lot!) more from each story-teller.

This is my first experience with Mouse Guard, but I have to say that I’m not only looking forward to delving into Petersen’s rodent world, but I’ll for sure put the next issue of this anthology, Legends of the Guard, Volume 2 on my pull-list. If you’re a fan of any of these artist, love rodent stories, or just want something fun to read and beautiful to look at, then this is the book for you.

Story: David Petersen, Stan Sakai, Nick Tapalansky, Ben Caldwell  Art: David Petersen, Stan Sakai, Alex Eckman-Lawn
Story: 8  Art: 9  Overall: 8  Recommendation: Read

Archaia provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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