Author Archives: Brett

10 Questions with Jonathan Maberry


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Jonathan Maberry author photo with books 2010Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer.  His books have been sold to more than a dozen countries.

His novels include Pine Deep Trilogy: Ghost Road Blues, Dead Man’s Song, Bad Moon Risisng, Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, The King of Plagues, The Others, Visitors, The Wolfman, Rot & Ruin, Dust & Decay and Dead of Night.

His nonfiction works include Vampire Universe, The Cryptopedia, Zombie CSU: The Forensics of the Living, They Bite!, Wanted Undead or Alive, and The Vampire Slayers.

For Marvel, he’s worked on a variety of projects including Black Panther, DoomWar, Wolverine, Deadpool, Captain AmericaThe X-Men and The Marvel Universe vs. the Punisher.

He’s also written numerous short stories, he’s a prolific blogger and has television shows in development.  On top of all that he’s pretty into martial arts.

He’s a busy man, but he found time to sit down with Graphic Policy for Ten Questions.

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Review – Sparta U.S.A. #5


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Sparta USA 5It’s the second to last issue of this mishmash of fantasy and football and it looks like Sparta U.S.A. is going to come down to the last seconds to bring in the winning touchdown.

Much like the fourth issue of the series the pacing has picked up, with a lot going on and the issue comes off as fast paced and a little rushed.  But what David Lapham and Johnny Timmons pull off is still quite impressive.  There’s quite a few tips of the hat throughout this series including a lot having to do with politics and history.

This issue is also packed with tons of twists and turns and shocking moments that were totally out of the blue.  Here’s hoping this all leads up to a big payoff next issue.  In the end the entire series will be best judged as a whole, but each chapter so far is pretty damn solid.  Check out below before the full review.

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X-Men: A New Generation of Hope

Official Press Release

A New Generation of Hope

Don’t miss the stunning emergence of a new generation of heroes this July in Uncanny X-Men #526.

UNCANNY X-MEN #526 (MAY100634)

“THE FIVE LIGHTS” PART 1

Written by MATT FRACTION

Penciled by WHILCE PORTACIO

Cover by TERRY DODSON

Backup Story by ALLAN HEINBERG & OLIVIER COIPEL

Rated T+ …$3.99

FOC – 7/8/10, On Sale 7/28/10

Uncanny X-Men #526 Lights4Uncanny X-Men #526 Lights5

Preview – The Darkness #85

Official Press Release

THE DARKNESS #85

(W) Phil Hester  (A) Sheldon Mitchell  (Cov) Aaron Campbell

Alkonost, Part 1 of 2!
When Jackie’s mission to destroy all of the Sovereign’s host bodies brings him into the collection of an eccentric Russian crime boss, he and his crew are confronted with an evil that is all too human.

Top Cow Pit artist Sheldon Mitchell (Pilot Season: Stealth) joins regular writer Phil Hester (Gen13, The Anchor) for a sinister two-part story. Featuring a cover by Aaron Campbell (Sherlock Holmes, Green Hornet)!

32 pages   Full Color   $2.99

Darkness #85 Cover A Read more

The Heroic Age Takes Over The Marvel Comics App!

Official Press Release

The Heroic Age Takes Over The Marvel Comics App!

Marvel brings the excitement of the Heroic Age to the Marvel Comics app with the release of two critically-acclaimed new titles! First, ENTER THE HEROIC AGE with new stories from Marvel’s top creators featuring the Thunderbolts, Hawkeye & Mockingbird, the next generation of Avengers and more! Then, in YOUNG ALLIES #1 discover the dynamic new super hero team drawing acclaim from all corners courtesy of Sean McKeever & David Baldeon!

“Both of these issues present readers with a look at some of our most acclaimed series in this bold new era for Marvel,” said David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation. “Working with our retailer advisory committee, we believe introducing single issues of our acclaimed series to our Marvel Comics app users will encourage them to visit their local comic shops for the next chapters of these series. Whether you’re a long time fan or new to comics, there’s something here for everyone in the Heroic Age.”

Then, go in-depth with three stars of Young Allies in NOMAD: GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #1-4, GRAVITY #1-4 and FIRESTAR #1, all available today on the Marvel Comics app. These three young heroes form the core of Marvel’s most unpredictable new teen team-but where did they come from? The answers are here!

It’s time to celebrate the Heroic Age on the Marvel Comics app with the releases of ENTER THE HEROIC AGE and YOUNG ALLIES #1!

Enter the Heroic Age

Walking Dead News


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The Walking Dead Zombie Teaser 2All kinds of news came out about the AMC television series based off of the excellent comic series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman.

USA Today ran an interview with Kirkman about the comic book series as well as the television spin-off.  When asked about how long he expected a television series to go, Kirkman had high hopes:

I’m hoping we blow past M*A*S*H. M*A*S*H, The Simpsons, Bonanza— I want 27 years of The Walking Dead!” However, as much as producers offer him cameos as a zombie in the show, there will be no shambling in his future.

The series sees it’s 74th issue hit comic shelves this month.  If you look at each arc being a season you’re looking at 14 or so seasons worth of material.

JoBlo.com brought the news that Michelle MacLaren, former X-Files producer and director of several Breaking Bad episodes, is going to direct an episode of the comic-turned-series from a script by show creator Frank Darabont.

AMC continues their fantastic behind the scenes updates, this time with an interview with production designer Greg Melton.  It’s a very interesting read as to how Melton used the comic series as a jumping off point to guide some of the direction and some subtle differences between the two.

Archaia Panels at Comic-Con

Official Press Release

ARCHAIA GRANTED FIVE PANELS FOR SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

FEATURED GUESTS INCLUDE BRIAN FROUD, ZACHARY QUINTO, MICHAEL McMILLIAN, DAN FOGLER, DAVID PETERSEN OF ‘MOUSE GUARD’, TOM SIDDELL OF ‘GUNNERKRIGG COURT,’ MATZ OF ‘THE KILLER’ AND PHIL HESTER OF ‘DAYS MISSING: KESTUS’

Los Angeles, CA (July 8, 2010) – Looking to deliver the best experience for their fans attending Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif. and to capture an even larger audience of its high-quality line of publications, the show organizers granted Archaia Entertainment five diverse panels at the convention, loaded with special guests, exclusive sneak peeks and advance information on upcoming titles.

Over a dozen projects and up to 20 creators will be highlighted during Archaia’s panels. Guests of special note include Brian Froud, a veteran of The Jim Henson Company who will be on hand to discuss his involvement in the forthcoming Dark Crystal and Labyrinth comics; actor/producer Zachary Quinto (“Star Trek, “Heroes”) and actor/writer Michael McMillian (“True Blood”), who will speak about Lucid, the first comic to come from the partnership between Quinto’s company, Before the Door, and Archaia; actor/writer/producer/director Dan Fogler (“Fanboys,” “Balls of Fury”), who will unveil a sneak peek of the upcoming Moon Lake, a hardcover anthology of comedic horror stories; Eisner Award-winning creator David Petersen, who’ll be on hand to talk about the current Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard series and preview the upcoming Mouse Guard: The Black Axe; Tom Siddell, creator of the popular Gunnerkrigg Court Web comic and books; Matz, the Eisner Award-nominated writer of The Killer, a popular series originally published in France that has captivated American readers; and Eisner Award-nominated writer Phil Hester, who will talk about his involvement with the sequel to the critically acclaimed Archaia and Roddenberry Productions series, Days Missing: Kestus.

“I’m super stoked that Archaia is able to bring all these talented individuals together and have them speak to their fans, as well as help make new ones,” exclaimed Archaia Marketing Manager Mel Caylo. “I’d like to thank Comic-Con International for being very gracious in granting us five panels so that we’re able to give all our creators an opportunity to speak about their projects.”

Here’s a detailed look at the five panels Archaia will host during Comic-Con International, which takes place July 22-25, 2010 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, Calif.:

Thursday, July 22, 6-7 p.m., Room 9
Archaia: BLACK LABEL — The new Archaia Black Label specializes in co-developing intellectual properties with prestigious partners who are seeking to realize their ideas through the use of Archaia’s resources. Join us as we show exclusive preview images and discuss the first of the Archaia Black Label titles, including: Days Missing: Kestus with Roddenberry Productions’ Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, writer Phil Hester (Days Missing) and artist David Marquez (Syndrome); Moon Lake with creator Dan Fogler (“Fanboys,” “Balls of Fury”), writer R.H. Stavis (Demons of Mercy) and artist Robbi Rodriguez (Hazed); and Syndrome with Fantasy Prone’s Blake Leibel (United Free Worlds), writers Daniel Quantz (Marvel Age: Spider-Man) and R.J. Ryan (Marvel Studios), and artist David Marquez.

Friday, July 23, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Room 25ABC
Archaia: LUCID — Lucid, the first comic book project from Archaia’s partnership with Before the Door, arrives in stores in August! Join Lucid creator and writer Michael McMillian (“True Blood”) and BTD partners Zachary Quinto (“Star Trek,” “Heroes”), Neal Dodson and Corey Moosa as they share cool behind-the-scenes info and other interesting tidbits about the making of the comic. Moderated by Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy.

Friday, July 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Room 9
Archaia: ALL ACCESS — Get updates and new information on a host of Archaia titles, including: Awakening with writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn; Critical Millennium: The Dark Frontier with writer Andrew E. C. Gaska and artist Daniel Dussault; Feeding Ground with creators Chris Mangun, Swifty Lang and Michael Lapinksi; The God Machine with creator Chandra Free; Gunnerkrigg Court with creator Tom Siddell; Hybrid Bastards! with writer Tom Pinchuk; The Killer with writer Matz; Killing Pickman with writer Jason Becker; Starkweather: Immortal with writer David Rodriguez and artist Patrick McEvoy; and Titanium Rain with writer/artist Josh Finney and artist Kat Rocha.

Sunday, July 25, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 25ABC
Archaia: THE JIM HENSON COMPANY — The first series of Fraggle Rock comics was a rousing success, so what does Archaia and The Jim Henson Company have in store next? Find out exclusive information on upcoming Archaia/Henson comic book and graphic novel ventures from Archaia Editor-in Chief Stephen Christy and special guest Brian Froud, who worked closely with Jim Henson on “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth” movies as a concept artist. Joining them will be The Jim Henson Company Senior Vice President of Marketing and Publicity Nicole Goldman, Fraggle Rock comic book editors Tim Beedle, Paul Morrissey and Joe LeFavi, plus Fraggle Rock comic book writers Heather White and Sam Humphries, and artist Heidi Arnhold!

Sunday, July 25, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Room 3
Archaia: ALL AGES — All ages books are not necessarily children’s books—they’re books that readers of all ages can enjoy! Join Archaia for updates, previews and exciting new information on several of its All Ages titles, including: Berona’s War with creators Jesse Labbé and Anthony Coffey; Fraggle Rock with The Jim Henson Company; Gunnerkrigg Court; Mouse Guard: The Black Axe and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard with creator David Petersen and contributors Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Katie Cook (Fraggle Rock) and Karl Kerschl (The Abominable Charles Christopher); and Return of the Dapper Men with artist Janet Lee. Moderated by Archaia’s Mel Caylo.

Many of the creators listed above will also be available at the Archaia booth at Comic-Con International (#2635) for autograph signings. A schedule will be distributed and posted on the Archaia website soon.

About Archaia

Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds. Archaia is: An Elegy for Amelia Johnson, Artesia, Awakening, Beautiful Scars, Berona’s War, The Black Knight, Critical Millennium, Cyclops, The Dark Crystal, Dark Fall, Days Missing, The Devil’s Handshake, The Engineer, Everlast, Feeding Ground, Fraggle Rock, God Machine, The Grave Doug Freshley, Gunnerkrigg Court, Hybrid Bastards!, Inanna’s Tears, The Killer, Killing Pickman, Labyrinth, The Lone and Level Sands, Lucid, Miranda Mercury, Moon Lake, Mouse Guard, Mr. Murder Is Dead, Okko, One in a Million, Primordia, The Return of the Dapper Men, Robotika, Saga, The Secret History, Some New Kind of Slaughter, Starkweather: Immortal, Syndrome, Titanium Rain, Trial By Fire, Tumor and 10 more new titles in 2010.

For more information on Archaia or any Archaia titles please visit www.Archaia.com. Archaia can also be found on Facebook (facebook.com/archaiacomics) and Twitter (twitter.com/archaiacomics).

Solipsist Films Options Atomik Mike for Animated Feature Film Development

Official Press Release

Comic Book Content Boom Explodes Into Animation
Independent Movie Studio Solipsist Films Options Atomik Mike
for Animated Feature Film Development

[July 7, 2010 – Port St. Lucie, FL] Independent creators are proving that it doesn’t take a large studio to come up with a money making idea.  The summer 2008 blockbuster Wanted started life as an independent comic book by Top Cow.  Since release, the movie has raked in more than $340 million worldwide.  Before Wanted, there was Dark Horse Comics’ Hellboy, which captured $260 million worldwide between two films.  Now, the indies are taking their next step, into animation, as Frozen Beach Studios announces that the comic book series Atomik Mike has been optioned by Solipsist Films for animated feature film development.

Atomik Mike was originally released as a comic book with Alias Entertainment in May 2006.  The second series and two trade paperbacks were released by Desperado Publishing. The comic book series follows the misadventures of Mike Connors and his salvage company crew as they pursue Captain Tariq and Mr. Peck, the two men responsible for transforming Mike into a monkey.

Atomik Mike is a wonderful creation by the guys at Frozen Beach.  Great story telling and we cannot wait to bring Atomik Mike and this world to life, “said the President of Solipsist Films, Stephen L’Heureux.  Solipsist Films tapped into the entrepreneurial studio Root Films to lead the production process.  Root Films will be writing, directing and overseeing design and animation with creative input from Frozen Beach throughout the process. “”The opportunity to work with Zack and Ed on our second collaboration with such a rich brand and layered characters was something we could not pass up,” L’Heureux remarked.

Stephan Nilson, president of Frozen Beach Studios, started his work with comics in 2001 with a limited budget, a small pool of independent readers and fierce competition.   Today, Nilson has optioned several of his titles.  In addition to Atomik Mike, Solipsist has optioned the Frozen Beach Studios title UpgradedThe Pound, scheduled for comic book release in Fall 2010, is optioned for theatrical development by Kevin Spacey’s production company, Trigger Street.  Government Bodies, originally released under the Across the Pond Studios imprint, is optioned with Nu Image for television development with Nilson attached to write the pilot.

Nilson readily offers advice to would-be creators.  “I guess the best advice I could give is to make sure your work is professional. Whether it’s a comic or script, TV or movie, honestly compare it to other works in the market. You have to be honest with yourself. Does it truly stack up to what people are paying to read and watch? If it doesn’t go back and fix it, and never go with your first draft no matter how awesome you think it is. There will always be something to tighten up.”

Nilson is represented by William Morris Endeavor. Visit Frozen Beach Studios at San Diego Comic Con 2010, Booth #2107.

About Frozen Beach Studios

Frozen Beach Studios was established in 2009 by Stephan Nilson, Charles Pritchett and Wesley Gunn, as a studio which produces comics, graphic novels, television series and movies. Together the three creators have over thirty years experience in writing, print production, animation and film making. Their combined skill set results in a perfect balance of talent and experience required to create and produce any project from start to finish.  The name Frozen Beach Studios is a homage to the creators’ home bases in sunny Florida, the seasonal New York and the frozen coast of Prince Edward Island. Visit Frozen Beach Studios online at www.frozenbeachstudios.com/ to view a complete list of published titles.

About Solipsist Films

Solipsist Films is live action feature film, television and animation production company. Originally established in 2005 to service the feature film, feature animation, high quality television and video game markets by producer Stephen L’Heureux, Solipsist is one of a very select few with a successful production background in all media of entertainment production.  The studio is known for its particular expertise in developing and producing theatrical films and television programming based upon comic books and graphic novels.  Solipsist Films is currently in production on the animated feature The Inventors and preparing to begin Frank Miller’s Sin City 2 with Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez in the fall of 2010.

About Root Films

Root Films is a creative partnership launched by Zack Keller and Ed Skudder with the goal of telling engaging and imaginative stories across all mediums. After breaking ground with commercials, music videos and short films, the pair is currently directing their first feature film, The Inventors.

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Review – Angelus #4


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Angelus #4 Cover ASo Angelus #4 gets the distinction of being the first full comic book I’ve read on my iPad (which should up the productivity when it comes to reviews).  I can already tell the new medium will impact how I read, and review as you get the whole view of the page (though two page spreads don’t quite work) and the colors pop.  But enough about my technology geeking out, on to the review.

Angelus #4 picks up right where the last issue left off with Angelus fighting the Darkness and some nefarious dealings with Angelus’s nemesis Sabine.  Much like the last issue (the first I’ve read of the series) a lot works and a lot doesn’t.

Casting The Darkness behind her, Dani moves further into the Light to accept her new role as The Angelus. But a familiar adversary is not about to let her and her companion Finch settle into New Orleans without incident! Will Dani see the vipers in her midst before it’s too late?

The bad I’ll get out there right away, there’s a lot of fighting going on which is all for nothing (though with writer Ron Marz you can never be too sure of that).  The battle with the Darkness feels like filler and isn’t anything special.

What really works is the relationship between Dani and Finch.  The great is here’s two strong women who like each other.  So, you can actually make that two strong gay women who like each other.  The relationship angle is the strongest thing the series has going for it.  Especially since Dani is still closeted to her father.  That plot line alone could make this series a contender for an award from GLAAD.

Check out our extended review below.

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