Tag Archives: todd klein

Colleen Doran, Greg Hildebrandt and Joe Jusko Join Comics for Ukraine

Last week, more than three dozen comic-book writers, artists, colorists, letterers, designers, and editors announced a collection of all-new comic-book stories to raise money to aid refugees in Ukraine. Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds, the benefit anthology edited by Scott Dunbier, with all proceeds going to Operation USA, surpassed an initial $35,000 funding goal just twelve hours after the campaign launched, with over $113,000 from over 900 contributors raised to date. The book will be full-color, 96 pages, 8 x 12 inches, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions, with hundreds of supporters on day one. As the campaign enters a second week of funding, it is announced that Eisner Award-winner Colleen Doran, legendary illustrator Greg Hildebrandt, and celebrated cover artist Joe Jusko have joined the project.

These three creators join the incredible roster of comics talent assembled for Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seedsunited under the mission of providing relief to a war-torn Ukraine, which has suffered attacks from neighboring Russia since late February. There will be multiple versions available: a hardcover with a painted cover by Alex Ross, and softcover versions by Arthur Adams, Dave Johnson, and Bill Sienkiewicz. At press time, stories will be created by a virtual who’s who of writers and artists, including Brent Anderson, Sergio Aragones, June Brigman, Kurt Busiek, Howard Chaykin, Joshua Dysart, Mark Evanier, Emil Ferris, Dave Gibbons, Rob Guillory, John Layman, Gabriel Rodriguez, Stan Sakai, Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, Chris Sprouse, Jill Thompson, Matt Wagner, Mark Waid, and more.

Apart from hard costs (printing, credit-card fees, marketing, etc.) all of the funds raised by Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds will benefit the relief efforts in Ukraine in partnership with Operation USA, so while the initial funding goal has been met, continued support will maximize the impact on the lives of those deeply affected by the ongoing war—improving conditions for Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries via the provision of emergency grants and in-kind material aid. 

Operation USA supports health and education programs to help children and families at home and abroad recover and thrive in the wake of disasters, disease, violence and endemic poverty.  Every day, they strive to meet the needs of under-served and overlooked populations so that future generations may have the tools they need to create meaningful change in their own communities and lives. Working with partners around the world, they empower communities to recover, build resiliency and thrive in the face of pervasive obstacles during a time of unprecedented global need. Since 1979, OpUSA has delivered $450 million in aid to 101 countries.

Comics for Ukraine

Disclosure: The site founder is a part of this project handling some of the marketing for Zoop

Comics for Ukraine Brings Comic Creators Together for a Cause

More than three dozen comic-book writers, artists, colorists, letterers, designers, and editors have announced a collection of all-new comic-book stories to raise money to aid refugees in Ukraine. Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds is a benefit anthology edited by Scott Dunbier, with all proceeds going to Operation USA. The 96 page graphic anthology will available in both hardcover and softcover editions with multiple cover choices.

The Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds anthology features an incredible roster of comics talent united under the mission of providing relief to the war-torn Ukraine, which has suffered attacks from neighboring Russia since late February. There will be multiple versions available.

Covers:

  • Alex Ross
  • Arthur Adams
  • Dave Johnson
  • Bill Sienkiewicz

Stories:

  • Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Wade Von Grawbadger, Alex Sinclair, Richard Starkings – New Astro City
  • John Layman, Rob Guillory – New Chew
  • Walter Simonson, Laura Martin, John Workman – New and Exclusive Star Slammers
  • Howard Chaykin, Nitro Yen, Ken Bruzenak – New and Exclusive American Flagg
  • Stan Sakai, Hi-Fi – New and Exclusive Usagi Yojimbo
  • Matt Wagner, Brennan Wagner – New and Exclusive Grendel
  • Mark Evanier, Sergio Aragones, Stan Sakai – New and Exclusive Groo
  • Jill Thompson – New and Exclusive Scary Godmother
  • Louise Simonson, June Brigman, Roy Richardson, Dave Stewart, John Workman – New and Exclusive short story “The Cost of War
  • Dave Gibbons, Chris Sprouse, Kevin Nowlan, Laura Martin, Todd Klein – New and Exclusive short story “Hardrada
  • Mark Waid, Gabriel Rodriguez, Dave Stewart, Todd Klein – A new and exclusive short story
  • Emil Ferris – New and Exclusive short story “Bombings

Additional material by:

  • Joshua Dysart
  • Pia Guerra
  • Peter Kuper

With the exception of hard costs (printing, credit-card fees, marketing, etc.) all of the funds raised by Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds will benefit the relief efforts in Ukraine in partnership with Operation USA.

Operation USA supports health and education programs to help children and families at home and abroad recover and thrive in the wake of disasters, disease, violence and endemic poverty.  Every day, we strive to meet the needs of under-served and overlooked populations so that future generations may have the tools they need to create meaningful change in their own communities and lives. Working with partners around the world, we empower communities to recover, build resiliency and thrive in the face of pervasive obstacles during a time of unprecedented global need. Since 1979, OpUSA has delivered $450 million in aid to 101 countries.

Check out the cover by Alex Ross below.

Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds

Disclosure: I am a part of this project and act as the marketing director for Zoop.

Echolands #2 Heads Back to Print

The eye popping new release to hit shelves—Echolands #2 by J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Todd Klein—has hit big with readers and sold out completely at the distributor level. Image will fast-track the issue for a reprint in order to keep up with growing customer demand.

In Echolands #2, Hope Redhood and her companions, Cor, Caniff, Castrum, Dena, Rabbit, and Rosa, are on the run from the Wizard, Teros Demond, and his terrifying daughter. Why is the Wizard willing to kill to regain his stolen gem? Can Hope and her crew escape the strange robots lurking in the tunnels beneath San Francisco? And will they survive a betrayal by the pirate captain, Bloody Gums?

This breathtaking series defies comic book medium expectations and provides an unforgettable feast-for-the-eyes in a sprawling landscape format. Each spread page expertly showcases the artwork and the unique reading experience instantly sent fans abuzz with excitement for its mesmerizing story.

Set in a bizarre future world that has forgotten its history, Echolands follows reckless thief Hope Redhood. Hope holds the key to excavating a strange, dark past—but only if she and her crew can escape a tyrannical wizard and his unstoppable daughter. But fate will send them all on a path leading to a war between worlds.

Echolands is a mythic fiction epic where anything is possible; a fast-paced genre mashup adventure that combines everything from horror movie vampires to classic mobsters and cyborg elves, to Roman demigods and retro rocket ships. It’s going to be a helluva ride!

Echolands #2, second printing Cover A (Diamond Code AUG218991) and Echolands #2, second printing Cover B 1:25 copy incentive (Diamond Code AUG218992) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 17.

Echolands #1 Sells Out and Gets a New Printing

The highly anticipated Echolands #1 by J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Todd Klein launched to immense critical acclaim and has sold out completely at the distributor level. The debut issue is being rushed back to print in order to keep up with escalating demand.

This breathtaking launch defies comic book medium expectations and provides an unforgettable feast-for-the-eyes in a sprawling landscape format. Each spread page expertly showcases the artwork and the unique reading experience instantly sent fans abuzz with excitement for its mesmerizing story.  

Set in a bizarre future world that has forgotten its history, Echolands follows reckless thief Hope Redhood. Hope holds the key to excavating a strange, dark past—but only if she and her crew can escape a tyrannical wizard and his unstoppable daughter. But fate will send them all on a path leading to a war between worlds.

Echolands is a mythic fiction epic where anything is possible; a fast-paced genre mashup adventure that combines everything from horror movie vampires to classic mobsters and cyborg elves, to Roman demigods and retro rocket ships. It’s going to be a helluva ride!

Echolands #1, second printing Cover A (Diamond Code JUN219179) and Echolands #1, second printing Cover B 1:25 copy incentive (Diamond Code JUN219180) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 6.

Available on Wednesday, September 29:

  • Echolands #2 Cover A by Williams III – Diamond Code JUL210225
  • Echolands #2 Cover B by Sampson – Diamond Code JUL210226
  • Echolands Raw Cut Edition #1 Cover A by Williams III – Diamond Code JUL210058
  • Echolands Raw Cut Edition #1 Cover B by Williams III – Diamond Code JUL210059

Fables Returns with Fables #151 and Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham

Once upon a time, fans met the characters of Fabletown, the hidden city populated by legendary heroes and villains of fairy tales and folklore. Now, in celebration of its upcoming 20th anniversary, the bestselling series Fables is picking up where it left off—and expanding into the DC Universe. To celebrate 20 years, two new releases featuring the Fables world has been announced.

First, on sale in September, Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham sees Fables’s infamous sleuth Bigby Wolf go head-to-head with the world’s greatest detective, Batman, in this six-issue spinoff miniseries from DC Black Label. Written by Bill Willingham with pencils by Brian Level, inks by Jay Leisten, and colors by Lee Loughridge, this crossover detective story will delight fans of both Batman and Fables—or fans who just love a good noir mystery.

Then, on sale the first week of May 2022, the main story line continues with Fables #151—just in time for the 20th anniversary of Fables #1. Fables #151 is the first installment of “The Black Forest,” a 12-issue arc that picks up where the story left off in Fables #150, and is also a perfect jumping-on point for new readers. The series also reunites the core creative team, with pencils by Mark Buckingham, inks by Steve Leialoha, colors by Lee Loughridge, and letters by Todd Klein.

Bill Willingham’s return to DC will also include Cursemas, a 48-page standalone holiday special featuring the Justice League. 

J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, Dave Stewart, and Todd Klein Launch Echolands in August

Image has revealed the anticipated Echolands series by J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Todd Klein. This long-awaited comic book event from the multiple award-winning Batwoman creative team will launch from Image Comics in August and push the boundaries of storytelling to its limits.

The new series will present a sprawling, eye-popping tale and feature lush, career-defining artwork and a mesmerizing story in a unique landscape format. Each issue of the series will offer a Raw Cut edition, featuring the art from J.H. Williams III as it looked when leaving his work studio.

Set in a bizarre future world that has forgotten its history, Echolands follows a reckless thief Hope Redhood. Hope holds the key to excavating a strange, dark past—but only if she and her crew can escape a tyrannical wizard and his unstoppable daughter. But fate will send them all on a path leading to a war between worlds. 

Echolands is a mythic fiction epic where anything is possible; a fast-paced genre mashup adventure that combines everything from horror movie vampires to classic mobsters and cyborg elves, to Roman demigods and retro rocket ships. It’s going to be a helluva ride!

Echolands #1 Cover A (Diamond Code JUN210009) and Echolands #1 Cover B (Diamond Code JUN210010) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, August 25.

Review: Batman: Black & White #1

Batman: Black & White #1

Anthology series are always something I enjoy to read in comics. In a comic, you get varied voices and styles, getting to see what creators you might not read would do with characters. It’s also a chance to see what different creators would do in the same sandbox. That often results in a lot of variation showing how versatile comics and their characters can be. Batman: Black & White #1 kicks off a new series with one hell of a start.

Batman: Black & White #1 is one of the best anthologies I’ve read in some time. While the stories are varied and interesting, this debut issue’s art is what really stands out. There’s a common theme, beyond Batman, of artists breaking the mold delivering visuals that “break the page”.

With five stories, Batman: Black & White #1 gives us variation not just in styles but the perspectives and subjects. There’s some “traditional” Batman focused stories but others come from different perspectives. The opening for example is told from the perspective of a member of the League of Assassins.

Each story is entertaining in their own way. They are varied in pacing, tone, and focus, keeping things interesting. Some keep things more traditional in the narrative while others are presented in a more poetic style. The dialogue and types of stories alone are worth picking up the issue. But, it’s the art that really stands out in this issue.

The styles of art vary but they all have one thing in common. Each story breaks traditional page layouts and panels. The opening story uses Batman’s cape to break up the sequences, another is laid out like poem flowing across the page. Another story uses the pearls of Bruce Wayne’s mother to break up the page. In an amazing visual, art from throughout the years is laid out on page like a collage of Batman’s history. You’ll linger on every page in awe as to what’s been laid out. Every inch of the page is used and used well. Only one of the stories comes close to expected page layouts and even then, that tale delivers a lot for Batman fans in the background.

All of that is delivered in black and white.

Batman: Black & White #1 is a hell of a start to the series. It had me lingering on pages in awe of what was before me and wanting more. It shows off some amazing art and will have you longing for more of this and fewer boxes on the page. This is a fantastic issue for Batman fans and fans of beautiful art. It also creates a high bar for future issues to reach.

Story: James Tynion IV, J.H. Williams III, G. Willow Wilson, Emma Rios, Paul Dini
Art: Tradd Moore, J.H. Williams III, Greg Smallwood, Emma Rios, Andy Kubert, Dexter Soy
Letterer: Clayton Cowles, Todd Klein, Clem Robins, Steve Wands, Rob Leigh
Story 8.45 Art: 10 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: comiXologyKindleZeus Comics

Preview: Batman Giant #4

Batman Giant #4

Story: Mark Russell, Steve Orlando, Scott Snyder, Greg Rucka, Tim Seeley
Art: Ryan Benjamin, Tom Lyle, Greg Capullo, JH Williams III, Javier Fernandez
Ink Richard Friend, Jonathan Glapion
Color: Alex Sinclair, Jeromy Cox, FCO, Dave Stewart, Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: Troy Peteri, Jimmy Betancourt, Todd Klein, Carlos M. Mangual
On Sale Date: April 28, 2020

Classic stories from the world of The Dark Knight, plus an all-new chapter of the original story “Concrete Jungle,” by Mark Russell (Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles) and Ryan Benjamin!

Batman Giant #4

A First Look at Hill House Comics; The Dollhouse Family #1

The Dollhouse Family #1

Written by M.R. Carey
Art by Peter Gross and Vince Locke
Colors by Cris Peter
Lettering by Todd Klein
Cover by Jessica Dalva
Variant Cover by Jay Anacleto
In Shops: Nov 13, 2019
Final Orders Due: Oct 21, 2019
SRP: $3.99

Playtime Never Ends.

Hill House Comics welcomes its deeply disturbing second series, The Dollhouse Family! On Alice’s sixth birthday, her dying great-aunt sent her the birthday gift she didn’t know she always wanted: a big, beautiful 19th-century dollhouse, complete with a family of antique dolls. In no time at all, the dollhouse isn’t just Alice’s favorite toy…it’s her whole world. And soon, young Alice learns she can enter the house to visit a new group of friends, straight out of a heartwarming children’s novel: the Dollhouse family. But while the Dollhouse family welcome her with open arms, in the real world, her family life is becoming much more complicated…and deep within the Dollhouse’s twisting halls, the black room waits, with an offer to Alice. The house can fix all this, the black room says. All she has to do is say the words… 

Longtime collaborators Mike Carey and Peter Gross (LuciferThe Unwritten) are joined by Vince Locke (The Sandman), to bring their most horrifying vision yet to the Joe Hill-curated Hill House Comics pop-up—a story that echoes into centuries past, into Alice’s tormented future, and into the beating heart of the madness that makes up our world…literally. 

Plus, in chapter two of the “Sea Dogs” backup story (continued from Basketful of Heads #1) written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Dan McDaid, spymaster Benjamin Tallmadge’s monstrous scheme is underway as his coerced crew of bloodthirsty colonial lycanthropes prepare to gut the Royal Navy from within!

The Dollhouse Family #1

Review: Books of Magic #1

The Sandman Universe is back with brand new series and new creative teams. Books of Magic #1 follows a young magician who is destined for greatness – though whether he will be a force for good or evil has yet to be determined.

Books of Magic #1 is written by Kat Howard, with art by Tom Fowler, color by Jordan Boyd, and lettering by Todd Klein.

Get your copy in comic shops today. To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Amazon/Kindle/comiXology or TFAW

 

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review
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