Tag Archives: lion forge comics

Lion Forge Announces Two Senior Editorial Hires

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Lion Forge has announced new hires in its editorial department, including industry veterans Amanda Meadows and Shawna Gore. These two join the rapidly growing publisher alongside multiple hires across the company’s operational staff, to be announced in the coming days.

Amanda Meadows is an editor and writer in Los Angeles working in the intersection of comics, geek culture, and comedy for almost ten years. She acted as publicity manager at Phoenix Books and Audio before going on to co-found The Devastator—the only all-humor press in the United States—with partner Geoffrey Golden. Meadows served as publisher and editor at Devastator Press, earning her a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honor in 2015. She and her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, A.V. Club, The Verge, and more. Meadows also makes a dope tagine and will tell you everything about her cat, Gilda, without provocation.

Shawna Gore is an Eisner Award–winning editor who has worked in the comics industry since 1997. She was the publicist at Dark Horse Comics for five years before becoming an editor there, and she has worked as a freelancer for multiple publishers, including IDW, BOOM! Studios, and Dynamite Entertainment. She is the co-author of the book Maximum Plunder: The Art of Mike King, and has worked as a consultant with the New York–based arts organization Artists Rights Society, helping comics artists learn about and protect their intellectual property rights.

Amanda Meadows begins with the publisher this week, with Gore coming aboard on April 9. Please join us congratulating these two exceptional editors in their newly appointed positions at Lion Forge Comics.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors are choosing up to five books and why they’re choosing the books. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Joe

Top Picks: The Mighty Thor #705 (Marvel) – To say I am looking forward to this may be a lie, but I am in a way. Jane has been an excellent Thor, and we see Odinson seems to be back in the mantle with Marvel’s Fresh Start announcement, but Aaron usually keeps us guessing. What an excellent run this has been.

The Avengers #685 (Marvel) – We are talking about Banner Hulk vs Red Hulk in Iron Patriot armor, or Iron Hulk. That sentence alone is enough to grab this issue.

Kill or Be Killed #17 (Image) – While I changed to trade in reading this series, this will always be a top pick for me. It is a great series full of intrigue and suspense, and Brubaker does that better than anyone.

Batman #43 (DC Comics) – I have enjoyed this arc with Ivy pulling her puppet strings like vines wrapped around Batman, Catwoman, The Justice League and more. I am excited to see how King ends this. Also, it’s drawn by Mikel Janin.

Doctor Strange: Damnation #3 (Marvel) – This has been off the wall craziness that I expected with this event/series, and I cannot wait to read and see more of it.

 

Alex

Top Pick: Ninja-K #5 (Valiant) – This sleek thriller is nigh on perfect in every way a comic should be; writing, art and general presentation. I can’t wait to read this again in print to see Tomas Giorello’s masterful artwork as it is supposed to be seen.

Batman #43 (DC Comics) – The last issue in this series was utter shite. This has to be better, right…? Honestly, I doubt it, but you gotta hope, right?

Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #1 (Dark Horse) – I’ve been meaning to check this series out for years because a friend of mine kept raving about it, but I was always waiting for a jumping on point – which I always seemed to miss. Not this time!

 

Brett

Top Pick: Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye #1 (DC’s Young Animal) – Pulp adventure is the best way to describe this series and this start to the second volume doesn’t disappoint. This really reminds me of the old serial pulp movies and comic strips and that’s just a whole lot of fun.

Deathbed #2 (Vertigo) – The first issue had me laughing out loud, so I’m in for the second.

Infinity 8 #1 (Lion Forge Comics) – A new sci-fi series from Lion Forge. The concept is intriguing, eight different 3 issue arcs explores an agents’ investigation into multiple plots that could lead to their space cruisers’ doom.

James Bond: The Body #3 (Dynamite Entertainment) – I’ve loved the first two issues which is a much grittier take on Bond than we’ve seen on film. Each issue is a standalone story that focuses on one aspect of Bond’s body and goes from there. The first explored all of the damage he’s experienced, the second his mind, the third? We’ll see!

Weapon H #1 (Marvel) – I’ll admit I’m skeptical about this series taking the character that’s a blend of Hulk and Wolverine. A whole story revolving just around him? So, we’ll see how this one goes and if it can beat my low expectations.

Review: Black Comix Returns

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The world of comic books has always spoke to part of everyone who has picked up a comic or has been drawn to its characters through television or the movies. As children of color looks to the world and to media, for reflections of themselves, for my generation and ones before, this was a hopeless venture. This has changed for children born in the new millennia as the times have become increasingly progressive yet somewhat backwards at times.  As shows like Black Lightning, and The Runaways, gave viewers, a more realistic view of the world, this need to find images that looks like their audience has never gone way.

When I read the first Black Comix, back in 2010, I was excited to find all those new artists and follow their careers. Since I have been writing at Graphicpolicy.com, I have and many of fellow contributors devoted many of my reviews to finding artists who would otherwise not be seen by the mainstream media and that book embodied one of our goals, to highlight indie creators and publishers. In the sequel, Black Comix Returns, which was released this year, and Kickstarted last year, the reader gets a more comprehensive overview of the artists that have sprung since .One of the first creators, that caught my eye, Paris Alleyne, whose aesthetic has a serious Anime influence, and writes a book called Haven, one he works on with Kevin Parnell.

Enrique Carrion’s essay, Comics as Hip Hop, draws an interesting parallel between the evolution of hip hop music and how black comic book artists/writers, are injecting their aesthetics into mainstream comics. Shawnee & Shawnelle Gibbs‘ book, The Invention of E.J. Whitaker, mixes steampunk with alternate history and actual historical figures like Nikola Tesla into something pretty cool. In “The Room”, Joseph Illidge talks about breaking into what some consider success, and how important it is to have a minority voice in these places. The books also highlight one of my favorite creators of all time, one whose comic book series, Blackjack, rarely gets the love it deserves, but swash buckles with the best of them.

Overall, an excellent resource to find the independent black voices that comprise what is not only considered “black comics” but what is art of the ever-changing comics landscape. This helps the reader in where you have seen each artist before and where you can find them now. This books also gives fans a list of comic book conventions where you can find most of these creators gathered together in one place. Altogether, as both a fan and a comic beat writer, this book more than suffices my need to find new creators and creators that speaks to my experience.

Edited by Damian Duffy and John Jennings
Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Lion Forge is Partnering with the United Way of Puerto Rico for their Puerto Rico Strong Anthology Fundraiser

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Just under six months since Hurricane Maria plowed through Puerto Rico with a destructive force that left island residents desperate for survival or forced to flee to the U.S. mainland, the island is still struggling to rebound. Today, Lion Forge Comics has announced their commitment to relief efforts in a partnership with United Way of Puerto Rico, in conjunction with the release of Puerto Rico Strong, a charity comics anthology from some of today’s top talent!

All Lion Forge profits from the sales of Puerto Rico Strong will go to the Early Childhood Relief program. These specific initiatives in Puerto Rico to help the children and families and provide hope include:

  • Early Childhood Centers: Creation of Reading Corners
  • Early Childhood Centers: Psychological Support for traumatic stress after a natural disaster
  • Early Childhood Centers: Re-establishment of non-profit childcare facilities (Furniture, Materials, Equipment, Structure)
  • Community Schools and Health Care Centers

In addition, Lion Forge will match $25,000 of all profits from the sales of Puerto Rico Strong, and Diamond Comic Distributors will donate 5 percent of retail sales to United Way of Puerto Rico. 100 percent of the books profits are being donated to the ongoing relief efforts.

Puerto Rico Strong is a comics anthology that explores what it means to be Puerto Rican and the diversity that exists within that concept, from today’s most exciting Puerto Rican comics creators. All profits will go toward disaster relief and recovery programs to support Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Strong is co-edited by Lion Forge’s own Desiree Rodriguez and Hazel Newlevant, alongside Marco Lopez, Neil Schwartz, and Derek Ruiz.

Puerto Rico Strong features art and writing by Rosa Colón (Soda Pop Comics), Vita Ayala (Bitch Planet), Naomi Franquiz (Misfit City), Javier Cruz Winnik (A Reason to Smile!), Sabrina Cintron (La Borinquena), Tristan Tarwater (Hen & Chick), Fabian Nicieza (co-creator of Deadpool), Joamette Gil (Power & Magic), and many more!

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors are choosing up to five books and why they’re choosing the books. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Betrothed #1 (AfterShock Comics) – Sean Lewis and Steve Uy’s new series and those creators alone have us excited. The concept is out there involving two individuals who each lead an army at war with each other but when they turn eighteen they either need to get married or fight to the death.

Come Into Me #1 (Black Mask Studio) – A new horror series about body image, social media, and memory. Sounds interesting to us!

Eternity Girl #1 (DC Comics/DC’s Young Animal) – The teasers in “Milk Wars” got us amped up and we were already excited about this new series from Magdalene Visaggio and Sonny Liew.

Ghost Money #8 (Lion Forge Comics) – You probably have been missing this series about all of the money terrorists made from 9/11. Really interesting stuff that reads like the best thrillers.

Ghostbusters: Crossing Over #1 (IDW Publishing) – When the containment unit empties, who you gonna call? Every Ghostbuster in every dimension. Sounds like fun!

Infidel #1 (Image Comics) – Fantastic psychological horror with a religious twist.

Mister Miracle #7 (DC Comics) – A fantastic issue that picks up after the shocking end of the last one. Great humor to it as Mister Miracle and Barda have their kid!

New Mutants: Dead Souls #1 (Marvel) – New Mutants… we’re in.

Puerto Rico Strong (Lion Forge Comics) – A charity anthology to raise money for the people of Puerto Rico. A mix of education and entertainment and a must get.

Star Wars: Thrawn #2 (Marvel) – The rise of Thrawn!!! Adapting the books, it’s a must for Star Wars fans.

 

Lion Forge to Publish Gene Ha’s Mae

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Today at the annual ComicsPRO meeting in Portland, Lion Forge Comics announced the publication of Gene Ha’s Mae.

The book made its debut on Kickstarter in 2015, where the project surpassed its initial goal by over $50,000! Mae saw a second life serialized at Dark Horse, and will now be collected in an all-new edition in July!

Mae’s sister Abbie has been missing for seven years. So when she just shows up in a bar one night, Mae is more than a little shocked. Even more shocking is where Abbie has been–a parallel world in which she was queen of a cat army and battled monsters of seemingly infinite variety.

And this is just our story’s beginning. When monsters and other impossible creatures start making their way to our world, and abduct the girls’ father, Mae joins Abbie in a strange and fantastical universe in which everything they thought they knew–about themselves, their family, their world–is challenged.

Mae Volume 1 will be released in comic shops on June 20, 2018, and will continue in an all-new series launching the same day.

Review: Catalyst Prime: Superb #7

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Catalyst Prime: Superb #7 Cover

Where we last left our heroes, Amina and Cosmosis have rescued Corinna from Foresight all the while trying to rescue their parents and learn the secrets of Foresight but is all what it seems?

Superb comes from the recent superhero universe Catalyst Prime from Lion Forge Comics and seems to be slowly but surely developing a following. And that has piqued my interest in checking out the buzz. I decided to start with Superb since I thought that sounded like an appealing book. I’ve found recent superhero books with teenagers to be rather fun whether it’d be Ms. Marvel or Unstoppable Wasp as examples. And Superb, at least Catalyst Prime as a whole, seems to appeal to me as much as Marvel does since I do care about the characters and relate to their actions. It’s a simple superhero story right with a mysterious organization added to boot. Kayla Tate/Amina and Jonah Watkins/Cosmosis are very likeable leads. And hey, cool that Watkins is a superhero with Down syndrome.

You also have to remember, they are kids. Some actions they’ve committed simply seemed like a good idea at the time to them but they learn. And that’s very relatable to me.

Writers Sheena C. Howard and David F. Walker (Luke Cage) certainly nail the characters hard. Not one moment feels off, every action and every bit of dialogue feels natural coming from everyone and I like the structure of the whole mystery surrounding Foresight. Especially the introduction of what looks like some kind of injector device, I don’t know, it kind of looked like an oversized needle to me but while it’s still setup, it’s good setup that could come into play later.

And concerning a certain character, I admit I didn’t see coming so kudos to Howard and Walker for that especially given the cliffhanger sets up a new fight.

The art itself by Alitha Martinez is decent enough, nothing to write home about but I quite like the art anyway and fits the book itself. Then again, the book does look like it could fit in with the Marvel universe so maybe that’s part of why I like Superb thus far.

If you’re already a fan of this book or Catalyst Prime itself, the book’s energy and intrigue with its likeable leads is still going strong. If you want a superhero book that isn’t Marvel or DC, this is the book for you, check it out.

 

Lion Forge Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Lion Forge Will Publish Claytan Daniels’ Upgrade Soul in September

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In conjunction with the 2018 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics, this fall Lion Forge will publish Ezra Claytan Daniels’ moving work of interactive science fiction, Upgrade Soul, for which he was the recipient of the 2017 award. Lion Forge first announced this printed edition of the graphic novel at last year’s New York Comic Con, when the publication date had yet to be determined.

Upgrade Soul is the story of an elderly couple who become the guinea pigs of a visionary procedure that aims to revivify them by filtering toxins from their bodies on a molecular level. When the procedure experiences a fatal complication, the couple is faced with severely deformed, though intellectually superior, duplicates of themselves. Soon, it becomes clear that only one version of each individual can survive, and the psychological battle for dominance begins.

 

Upgrade Soul will be released at finer comic shops everywhere on September 5, and in bookstores on September 13, 2018.

 

 

Advance Review: Catalyst Prime: Superb #7

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Catalyst Prime: Superb #7 Cover

Where we last left our heroes, Amina and Cosmosis have rescued Corinna from Foresight all the while trying to rescue their parents and learn the secrets of Foresight but is all what it seems?

Superb comes from the recent superhero universe Catalyst Prime from Lion Forge Comics and seems to be slowly but surely developing a following. And that has piqued my interest in checking out the buzz. I decided to start with Superb since I thought that sounded like an appealing book. I’ve found recent superhero books with teenagers to be rather fun whether it’d be Ms. Marvel or Unstoppable Wasp as examples. And Superb, at least Catalyst Prime as a whole, seems to appeal to me as much as Marvel does since I do care about the characters and relate to their actions. It’s a simple superhero story right with a mysterious organization added to boot. Kayla Tate/Amina and Jonah Watkins/Cosmosis are very likeable leads. And hey, cool that Watkins is a superhero with Down syndrome.

You also have to remember, they are kids. Some actions they’ve committed simply seemed like a good idea at the time to them but they learn. And that’s very relatable to me.

Writers Sheena C. Howard and David F. Walker (Luke Cage) certainly nail the characters hard. Not one moment feels off, every action and every bit of dialogue feels natural coming from everyone and I like the structure of the whole mystery surrounding Foresight. Especially the introduction of what looks like some kind of injector device, I don’t know, it kind of looked like an oversized needle to me but while it’s still setup, it’s good setup that could come into play later.

And concerning a certain character, I admit I didn’t see coming so kudos to Howard and Walker for that especially given the cliffhanger sets up a new fight.

The art itself by Alitha Martinez is decent enough, nothing to write home about but I quite like the art anyway and fits the book itself. Then again, the book does look like it could fit in with the Marvel universe so maybe that’s part of why I like Superb thus far.

If you’re already a fan of this book or Catalyst Prime itself, the book’s energy and intrigue with its likeable leads is still going strong. If you want a superhero book that isn’t Marvel or DC, this is the book for you, check it out.

 

Lion Forge Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Lion Forge’s Christina “Steenz” Stewart Moves from Social Media & Community Manager to Associate Editor

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Lion Forge has announced a transition with valued staffer, Christina “Steenz” Stewart moving from Social Media & Community Manager to Associate Editor.

Steenz had been an admin of the Valkyries and its sister organization Valkyries Valhalla, an elite group of women in comic shops, bookstores, and libraries around the world. Upon joining the St. Louis-based publisher in late 2016, she further established the voice and following of the company, making Lion Forge one of the most vocal and active comic book publishers across social media platforms.

Christina ‘Steenz’ Stewart is also a St. Louis based cartoonist. She has illustrated Archival Quality from Oni Press among other short stories in anthologies such as Elements: Fire and Mine!. Steenz has a history of creating and running comics related programming from her time as a comic shop manager at an Eisner-winning retailer and a comics-focused librarian. She runs Comics University and represents the Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts at local colleges.

Congratulations to Christina “Steenz” Stewart in her newly appointed position at Lion Forge Comics, and the next step in her career in publishing.

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