From Chris Miskiewicz and Dean Haspiel comes this pretty straightforward webcomic on Act-i-vate.

You should head to the site to catch the explanation of the strip.

(via The Beat)

Keyleaf Comics has announced the release date for their first trade paperback under the Keyleaf Comics banner: The Undergrounds Vol. 2. This book will collect the second and final season of The Undergrounds webcomic, previously released weekly, for free, by Semantink Publishing. The Undergrounds was created by James Ninness, the second season was illustrated by Daniel Touchet, and written by Ryan Darrow, Shannon Forrey, Michael Drace Fountain, Eric Jennings, Marcel Losada, James Ninness and Joe Pezzula.

Preorders will be available August 15th for the month leading up to September 12th. All preorders will receive $2.00 off the cover price.

Written by RYAN DARROW, SHANNON FORREY, MICHAEL DRACE FOUNTAIN, ERIC JENNINGS, MARCEL LOSADA, JAMES NINNESS, and JOE PEZZULA.
Art by DANIEL TOUCHET
102 pg, FC, $19.99 US (PREORDER $17.99) – RATED 13+

Writer James Ninness explained:

The Undergrounds is some of the most fun I’ve had as a writer. Since we concluded Season Two I’ve had a great many people ask what is next for The Undergrounds. As before, there is no plan yet for a third season, but I am currently working with Ben and Keyleaf Comics to figure out if we can do something… For now, I’ll have to be vague and encourage everyone to pick up the second trade. Just know that nobody has forgotten about The Undergrounds.

It’s a new week and people are still recovering from San Diego Comic-Con. So, now all the events have settled in, what did everyone think of the show?

Around the Blogs:

Kotaku – Sunday Comics: Don’t Stand So Close to Me -Each week Kotaku posts some great web comics.

The Washington Times – Reading comic books doesn’t mean you are a loser -Good to know.

Culture Mob – Fandom Vs The Press Experience At Comic Con Intl. 2012 -A good read as to some of what it’s like to be press at shows.

Around the Tubes Reviews:

Think Hero – Comic Book Reviews – “ink Hero” Captain Marvel #1, Saga #5, Fantastic Four #608, Rachel Rising #9 (VIDEO)

Namco Bandai just announced during the ShiftyLook Panel at San Diego Comic-Con this week three new webcomics titles and its first two web animation series. Announcements coincide with the re-launch of the ShiftyLook website and new retro-inspired logo. New titles will join nearly a dozen webcomics already available through ShiftyLook, including Bravoman, Dig Dug and Wonder Momo. All ShiftyLook content can be accessed online, free of charge at shiftylook.com.

Web Animation:

Bravoman: Cartoon of Unequaled Excellence (Working Title)
Director: Jim Zub
Writers: Jim Zub & Matt Moylan
Starring: Rob Paulsen
Release Date: 2013

ShiftyLook’s #1 webcomic makes the leap to animation in this action-packed adventure! See your favorites characters including Bravoman, Alpha, Anti-Bravo and Waya now in animated form. Starring world famous voice actor Rob Paulsen (Animaniacs).

Mappy: The Beat (Working Title)
Director: Scott Kurtz
Writers: Scott Kurtz & Kris Straub
Starring: Scott Kurtz & Kris Straub
Release Date: Late 2012

Mappy is a cop on the beat, keeping tabs on deadbeat video game characters. It’s primetime crime drama meets late night cartoon in the style of Kris & Scott’s wildly popular Blamimations. Can Mappy keep the peace on the streets, or will the wacky cast of washed-up video game characters get the better of him? Featuring art by Mary Cagle (Kiwi Blitz) and voiced by Scott Kurtz (PvP Online) & Kris Straub (chainsawsuit).

Webcomics:

Dragon Spirit
Writer: Erik Ko & Jim Zub
Aritst: Steven Cummings
Release Date: September 2012

The 80′s vertical-scrolling arcade classic is back in this comedic sword & sorcery adventure.

Golly! Ghost!
Writer & Aritst: Chris “Elio” Eliopoulos
Release Date: July 2012

The 1990 cult classic arcade shooter gets revived in all-ages webcomic form by Chris “Elio” Eliopoulos.

Klonoa
Writer: Jim Zub
Aritst: Hitoshi Ariga
Release Date: August 2012

Klonoa, lead character from the classic platformer, makes his return as a webcomic by writer Jim Zub with world famous mangaka Hitoshi Ariga.

It’s a new week as we count down until San Diego Comic-Con! Lots of exciting things going on, so hope you’ll stick with us this week for all of the great news coming out of the convention.

Around the Blogs:

Kotaku – Sunday Comics: Cold Dead Hand – Each week, Kotaku posts some great web comics.

Around the Tubes Reviews:

Bleeding Cool – Bandette #1

Kiowa County Signal – Batman: Earth One

ScienceFiction.com – Detective Comics #11

Bleeding Cool – Lookouts #1

Talking Comics – Rust – Volume 2: Secrets of the Cell

Think Hero – “ink Hero” Earth 2 #3, Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1, The Cape: 1969 #1, Creator Owned Heroes #2 (VIDEO)

Mike Deodato‘s Jade Warriors returns to comics as a twice-weekly serialized adventure on Keenspot.com this month, courtesy of Glass House Graphics and Red Giant Entertainment.   It is co-written by Michael Buckley and David Campiti, and illustrated by Mike Deodato, with some inks by Emir Ribeiro. Four issues of the series were originally published by Image Comics.

Jade Warriors told the tale of Angel Sorayama, imbued with the power of a “Deathkiss” as part of a cult of female assassins fostered by the Yakuza for its own ends.  When she dared to escape this life, the hunter became the hunted.  One hell of an incentive package.  But that’s not all:  The Jade Warriors were originally a proud calling, one steeped in myth and tradition, preparing for the return of ancient Dragons imprisoned deep within the mountains of Japan.  And many myths are based in truth…as they discover when the Dragons return.

Keenspot pursued the project following the successful run of Exposure by David Campiti and the late Al Rio, which currently continues with new stories.

Glass House Graphics CEO David Campiti explained:

It’s been far too long since anyone had a chance to see this popular series back when Image published the first portion.  Deodato was working quite hard on a lot of things at the time, at the time, but he really wanted to see this book happen.  So he put in extra hours at the drawing board  to draw some stunning issues.  It was truly a labor of love produced under pressure-cooker circumstances.

Deodato commented:

This was right at the point where I began changing from my “old” style to my current style, and it gave me a chance to experiment with new techniques and lay the foundation for the way I draw today.  Since I’m under exclusive contract to Marvel, I can’t do any new pages, but there’s plenty of artwork  that nobody’s really seen yet, since the entire mini-series was never published.

Keenspot.com will not only publish the original work but also the remainder of the previously unpublished storyline.

You can read it at http://jadewarriors.keenspot.com

Devils Due Entertainment has announced they’re bringing K. Lynn Smith‘s hit webcomic Plume to comic shops as well as managing the licensing and crowd funding. The web comic hit last year and was well received online, rocketing to a readership of tens of thousands in a short time.

Plume is a Wild West adventure with a supernatural twist, centering around Vesper Grey, the defiant daughter of an eccentric archaeologist, and her ghostly (but handsome) guardian bound to her by a mystical necklace. www.PlumeComic.com

A series of prints and a t-shirt will be available for sale at San Diego’s Comic-Con International this year, at booth 2229, including a “jam print” featuring Smith’s characters, drawn by her, among other characters from the Devil’s Due brands. While Smith is not able to attend the show, her fans can also get the prints now on Kickstarter: http://kck.st/LB7iUV

Smith will continue to produce the web comic, while Devil’s Due will manage her future crowd funding efforts, film and media licensing, and distribute print editions of the books in comic book stores throughout North America. Devil’s Due Entertainment will also manage digital retail distribution through various outlets on iTunes, Kindle, and various app platforms.

New comics are tomorrow, what’s everyone getting?

Around the Blogs:

ICv2 – DC Reveals 4 More Cancelled Titles – Well, that’s three less comics for me to buy.

Bleeding Cool – “Courage, Bravery, Valor, Guts, Prowess, Spunk” – The New Green Lantern Tattoo – How long before we see this on comic fans’ arms?

The Beat – New Comic Rocket site indexes over 2,000 webcomics – I’ve been wanting to get more into webcomics.

The Mary Sue – Star Wars Fan Raises $12,000 To Save Luke Skywalker’s Home In Tunisia – Lucas doesn’t have this all locked down?

Around the Tubes Reviews:

CBR – Legends of the Dark Knight #1

Book Sake – Unwritten Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

Adolf Navarro and Izara Masie have released their first graphic novel called A Place Lost in Time.  The first of a larger story called The Zurvan Club.  The Zurvan Club is pitched as:

A group of young people join their skills in order to solve a mystery written in an old Sumerian carving that will lead them to amazing discoveries about our past that could change our future. So, join Alex, Julia and friends in their quest for the origins of Humankind and their great adventures in the most exotic and unexpected places.

Originally designed as webcomic to be read on smartphones, tablets and personal computers, the comic was initially released in English and Spanish.  What’s interesting is anyone can download it for free under a Creative Commons License from the official website www.zurvanclub.com.

The license allows you to:

• You can download and make copies of this work
• You may not use this work for commercial purposes
• You may not alter, transform or build upon this work

They’re already working on the second part called The Hidden Power and to decrease the wait for readers, each chapter will be posted on their website as they’re finished. Once the entire second part is completed, it will be also available for download.

The weekend is over, did everyone have fun?  Did you listen to our awesome interview with Ian Brill on Graphic Policy Radio last night?  Catch it now or later today when it’s posted.

Around the Blogs:

Bleeding Cool – Venom Movie Set To Cross Over With The Amazing Spider-Man – Not sure how this will turn out, could be interesting.

The Mary Sue – Chuck’s Zachary Levi Likely To Take Over The Role Of Fandral In Thor 2 – This could be good.

Metro News – Incarcerated teens’ graphic novel hopes to get message of reform out – Nice to see this.

Bleeding Cool – $275 Million For Tintin And Friends – Seems like a good deal.

Kotaku – Sunday Comics: What’s My Motivation? – Each week Kotaku posts some great web comics.

Kotaku – Why The Walking Dead Game Isn’t in Black and White – That’s a good question…

Around the Tubes Reviews:

BlogCritics – Archie’s Sunday Finest

Kansas City Star – Baby’s in Black

CBR – Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1

The Beat – Harbingers #1

Bleeding Cool – Sunday Reviews: Thief Of Thieves #5 And Dial H #2