Tag Archives: Allison O’Toole

Exclusive Preview: Beneath the new US Mexico border horror ogn by filmmaker Steven DeKnight

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In Beneath, Deputy Sheriff Jess Delgado is tasked with transporting the sole survivor of a mysterious attack along the Texas-Mexico border to Core Civil, a for-profit immigration detention center that is about to be closed down due to wide-spread protests. Housing only a handful of remaining detainees and manned by a skeleton crew of disgruntled guards, the detention center becomes a desperate battle ground when something otherworldly emerges from deep below the earth. Deputy Delgado must pull together the guards and detainees – two groups that hate and fear each other – to survive the night or fall to the vengeance of the things that lurk beneath.

Beneath is from filmmaker Steven S. DeKnight is best known as the creator and head writer of the Starz series Spartacus and as the showrunner of Netflix’s Daredevil series. Having written comics for Marvel Comics, including Conan and Wastelanders: Wolverine, DeKnight makes his creator-owned comics debut with the original graphic novel Beneath, which features hauntingly terrifying art by acclaimed Alias artist and Jessica Jones co-creator Michael Gaydos. With Beneath, DeKnight and Gaydos head to the Texas-Mexico border for a supernatural horror story unlike any other. The book features graphic design by Cindy Leong, lettering by Toben Racicot, and was edited by Allison O’Toole; Kate Sánchez served as a cultural consultant and translator. Beneath is available now, from Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line.

We have an exclusive look at the graphic novel!

Beneath

Preview: The All-Nighter Season 3 #1

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The All-Nighter Season 3 #1

Story: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Jason Loo
Color: Paris Alleyne
Letterer; Frank Cvetkovic
Editor: Allison O’Toole
Purchase

Return to the diner—the only one in town open from sunset to sunrise and run by covert vampire superheroes—for the third and final season.

The staff at the All-Nighter are trying to piece their lives back together in the wake of Alex’s disappearance. Ian, Cynthia and Joy know that he would stop at nothing to get any of them back, so they have no choice: it’s time to bring the fight to The Takers. With unexpected new allies, the crew will have to live up to Alex’s dreams of being superheroes. If they want to rescue their friend and uncover the mystery of The Takers, they’ll have to do it as a team—or as a family.

The All-Nighter Season 3 #1

Kim-Joy explores baking, fitting in, and friendship in Turtle Bread

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Cookbook author and Great British Bake Off 2018 finalist Kim-Joy is writing her first graphic novel titled Turtle Bread: A Graphic Novel About Baking, Fitting In, and the Power of Friendship. The all-new book is inspired by Kim-Joy’s passion for baking and events from her life: working in the mental health field, her own mental health struggles, reading comics, and her desire to help others. Kim-Joy’s positive, empathetic, and vibrant personality comes through on every page and is enhanced by the inspiring illustrations of acclaimed Indonesian artist Alti Firmansyah who utilizes a black-and-white manga-influenced art style in her first full-length book. Together, with letterer Joamette Gil, designer Cindy Leong, and editors Felix Horne and Allison O’Toole, they create a powerful story that explores mental health, that feeling of not fitting in, community and, of course, baking. Turtle Bread will be released from Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line on May 2, 2023, in time for Mental Health Awareness Month.

In Turtle Bread, a young woman named Yan who has a passion for baking stumbles upon a local Baking Club on her way home from another unsuccessful job interview. Her social anxiety tries to keep her away but the bakers encourage her to come out of her shell, especially the caring and supportive Bea. As the club bakes together, Yan discovers that her new friends may need her too, more than she realizes…

Beatrice, Yan, Amit, Zara, and Geraint make for a motley cast, each with their own individual issues and life challenges they are trying to cope with–from death, to finding romantic partners, to cancer, to divorce, to children, to keeping a job. But when Bea abruptly leaves Baking Club without a trace, they must hold it together and head out in search of answers and closure.

Turtle Bread arrives digitally in May from Comixology and in print from Dark Horse Books this fall. Turtle Bread (160 pages / b/w / on sale October 3, 2023 in comic shops and everywhere books are sold / MSRP: $19.99/$25.99 pbk / ISBN 978-1-506730981 / Dark Horse Books)

Turtle Bread: A Graphic Novel About Baking, Fitting In, and the Power of Friendship

Preview: The All-Nighter #6

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The All-Nighter #6

Story: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Jason Loo
Color: Paris Alleyne
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Editor: Allison O’Toole
In Shops: May 17, 2022
SRP: $2.99
Purchase

In the wake of Ian’s disappearance, Alex and Joy are stuck covering shifts at the diner. With our heroes flipping burgers and cleaning tables, who will stop the super villains still active in the city–and who will save Ian?

Part of the Comixology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on Comixology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to Comixology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via Comixology, Kindle and in print via Dark Horse Books.

The All-Nighter #6

Preview: The All-Nighter #6

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The All-Nighter #6

Story: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Jason Loo
Color: Paris Alleyne
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Editor: Allison O’Toole
In Shops: May 17, 2022
SRP: $2.99
Purchase

In the wake of Ian’s disappearance, Alex and Joy are stuck covering shifts at the diner. With our heroes flipping burgers and cleaning tables, who will stop the super villains still active in the city–and who will save Ian?

Part of the Comixology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on Comixology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to Comixology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via Comixology, Kindle and in print via Dark Horse Books.

The All-Nighter #6

Competitive Tug-of-War leads to Love and War

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Comixology Originals has announced Love and War, a new comic book series set in the competitive world of varsity Tug-of-War. Written by Andrew Wheeler and featuring art by Killian Ng and Guillermo Saavedra, letters by Aditya Bidikar and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, colors by C.R. Chua and edits by Allison O’Toole, Love and War issue #1 (of 5) debuts on April 12, 2022 from comixology Originals.

Welcome to the Aster Academy School for Arts and Sport, where Tug-of-War is the game of champions. This year the varsity Tug-of-War Team is determined to win against their rivals Kingdom College. Thanks to Coach Toth, whose motto is “Excellence, Commitment, Determination, Passion,” Domo, a shy, heavy-set boy, is named the new co-captain of the Aster Academy team. Can Domo help lead his team to victory while he struggles with his feelings for ambitious rival Gabriel and new recruit Emil? Will his co-captain, Jocasta, a serious athlete who will stop at nothing to prove she’s the best, help or hinder their chances? And in the end, will Domo rise to the challenge of captain, or do his real strengths lie elsewhere?

Dark Horse will publish Love and War in print for the first time this September. Love and War [Dark Horse Books / 136 pages / color / on sale September 20, 2022 / MSRP $19.99/$25.99 / ISBN 978 1 50672805-6]. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and your local comic shop.

Love and War 

Dark Horse Announces an Afterlift Comics Retailer Incentive

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Dark Horse has announced a new incentive for comic shops ordering the comiXology original series Afterlift. Shops that order 5 copies of the graphic novel by the final order cutoff of November 2 will receive 5 free book plates (a max of 20 per store) with original artwork by Jeff Lemire and signed by Chip Zdarsky and Jason Loo.

Arriving in print February 2021, Aferlift is colored by Paris Alleyne, lettered by Aditya Bidikar, and edited by Allison O’Toole, includes a Jason Loo Sketchbook with commentary by Chip Zdarsky as well as a process piece called Anatomy of a Page.

Afterlift is a fast-paced story about car chases, demon bounty hunters, and figuring out your place in this world and the next. Janice Chen recently quit her day job in finance and signs up to be a driver on a ride-sharing app. She has enough to deal with, from annoying passengers to overbearing parents. But what was at first a mundane yet enjoyable way to pass the time takes a terrible turn when she picks up a pair of mysterious passengers who are pursued by otherworldly forces, Janice realizes that her already-terrible day might be headed straight to hell.

Dark Horse and ComiXology Cut a Deal to Bring comiXology Originals to Print

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Dark Horse Comics and comiXology have announced that Dark Horse will distribute print editions of comiXology Originals graphic novels and collections. Select titles from the creator-owned line of comiXology Originals will be available in print for the first time for customers in comic shops, bookstores, and libraries. The program will commence in Spring 2021 with the release of paperback editions of the Eisner Award winner AFTERLIFT, Breaklands, YOUTH, and The Black Ghost.

When comiXology Originals was announced, print was a part of some of the releases through Amazon’s print on demand. While the digital program pressed on, the physical release of comics became few and far between to the complete lack of mention for numerous rounds of announcements.

Through this deal, Dark Horse Comics will be responsible for distribution and fulfillment for the titles through Diamond Comic Distributors for comic shops and Penguin Random House for bookstores around the world. ComiXology Originals will remain available to be read digitally for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited and for purchase on Kindle and comiXology.

ComiXology Originals’ exclusive content line debuted in 2017, and in their first year garnered an Eisner Award for Harvey Kurtzman’s Marley’s Ghost. The next year saw an Eisner Award nomination for The Stone King by Kel McDonald and Tyler Crook, and in 2020 an Eisner Award win for AFTERLIFT. In addition to the creator-owned line of exclusive content, comiXology Originals, through a partnership with Kodansha Comics, has re-released and newly translated manga such as BECK, Initial D and The Drops of God.

The comiXology Originals making their print debut in 2021 include:

AFTERLIFT, collecting the Eisner Award-winning issues #1-5 – For the first time in print!

  • Written by Eisner Award winner Chip Zdarsky, best known for his work on Sex Criminals and Marvel Comics, with art by Jason Loo, the acclaimed artist of The Pitiful Human-Lizard, colors by Paris Alleyne, letters by Aditya Bidikar and edited by Allison O’Toole.
  • AFTERLIFT is a 2020 Eisner Award winning series.
  • In AFTERLIFT, Janice Chen is adrift. She quits her day job in finance and signs up to be a driver on a ride-sharing app. But what was at first a mundane but enjoyable way to pass the time takes a terrible turn when a mysterious passenger updates his ride with a very final destination: Hell.
  • 136 pages / color / on sale February 2 in bookstores and everywhere books are sold and February 3 in comic shops / MSRP $19.99/$25.99 pbk / ISBN: 978-1-5067-2440-9
AFTERLIFT

Breaklands Volume One, collecting issues #1-5 – For the first time in print!

  • Written by Justin Jordan, the co-creator and writer of The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, with art by acclaimed artist Tyasseta, colors by Sarah Stern, and letters by Rachel Deering.
  • Set 150 years after humanity developed psychic powers and ended the world as we know it, a new world has emerged. Everyone has powers. Some powers, like the ability to light a match, are modest. But some powers—like the ability to reshape the world—are both vast and dangerous. Kasa Fain is different. She doesn’t possess powers. Kasa is an outsider, a teenager who has been in hiding, until the day her younger brother is kidnapped and everything changes.
  • 152 pages / color / on sale March 2 in bookstores and everywhere books are sold and March 3 in comic shops / MSRP  $19.99/$25.99 pbk / ISBN: 978-1-5067-2441-6
Breaklands Volume One

YOUTH Volume One, collecting issues #1-4–For the first time in print!

  • Written by visionary writer Curt Pires with art by Alex Diotto, the co-creators of the acclaimed comic Olympia, and features colors by Dee Cunniffe, and lettering by Micah Myers.
  • In YOUTH, Franklin and River struggle to navigate family, friends, high school, work, drugs, and all the pressures of growing up. As a queer couple, they yearn to escape their lives in a small, bigoted Midwest town. They steal River’s stepfather’s Mustang and hit the road. Their destination? California. But along the way, the car breaks down. They meet some kids who are travelling the country, partying, and attempting to find themselves. They party some more. . . . And soon everything changes.
  • A sequel to YOUTH is underway and the comic series is in development as an original TV show with Amazon Studios.
  • 136 pages / color / on sale on sale April 6 in bookstores and everywhere books are sold and April 7 in comic shops / MSRP $19.99/$25.99 pbk / ISBN: 978-1-5067-2461-4
YOUTH Volume One

The Black Ghost Volume One, collecting issues #1-5–For the first time in print!

  • Co-written by Anthony Award-Nominated Novelist Alex Segura and acclaimed writer Monica Gallagher, with art by George Kambadais, colors by Ellie Wright, lettering by Taylor Esposito and edited by Greg Lockard.
  • The Black Ghost is a modern take on the urban vigilante story. Lara Dominguez is a journalist chasing that one, big story. After a stint in the Middle East, the alcoholic reporter moves from her hometown of Miami to Creighton – a mid-Atlantic city that’s seen better days. She needs a huge, viral scoop that’ll send her into the journalistic stratosphere. Her target? Uncovering the identity of The Black Ghost – a masked vigilante trying to take down the wealthy oligarchs carving up the fading metropolis. But as she searches for the breakthrough story she desperately needs, Lara will have to navigate the corruption of her adopted city, the uncertainties of virtue, and her own personal demons.
  • 136 pages / color / on sale May 4 in bookstores and everywhere books are sold and May 5 in comic shops / MSRP $19.99/$25.99 pbk / ISBN: 978-1-50672-446-1
The Black Ghost Volume One

More comiXology Originals print editions will be announced at a later date.

Preview: Afterlift #1 (of 5)

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Afterlift #1 (of 5)

Written by: Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Jason Loo
Colored by: Paris Alleyne
Lettered by: Aditya Bidikar
Edited by: Allison O’Toole
$2.99

Ride-share driver Janice Chen has enough to deal with, from annoying passengers to overbearing parents. But when she picks up a pair of mysterious passengers who are pursued by otherworldly forces, Janice realizes that her already-terrible day might be headed straight to hell. From CHIP ZDARSKY (Sex Criminals, Daredevil) and JASON LOO (The Pitiful Human-Lizard) comes a new series featuring car chases, demon bounty hunters, and figuring out your place in this world and the next.

Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on comiXology and Kindle. This title is available as part of comiXology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading.

Afterlift #1 (of 5)

Review: Wayward Sisters: An Anthology of Monstrous Women

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Wayward Sisters coverMany have felt awkward as they grow into themselves and the pressure, from person experience, can be even higher when you’re visibly femme in any way. Wayward Sister: An Anthology of Monstrous Women seeks to capture that awkwardness and make it a source of power. After an incredibly successful Kickstarter by TO Comix Press, Wayward Sisters is available for pre-order now.

As this is an anthology featuring a long list of female-identifying and non-binary creators, it can sometimes be a little harder to keep the themes consistent but has a strain running through almost every story that keeps everything together: equal parts mysterious, adorable, melancholy, sweet, musing, and most importantly hopeful. That tone is established from the outset with a foreward by Faith Erin Hicks (The War at Ellsemere, Friends with Boys, The Last of Us: American Dreams) speaking about her own experiences.

Tinseltown - Allison O'Toole & Emmanuelle Chateauneuf

“Tinseltown” by Allison O’Toole & Emmanuelle Chateauneuf

The majority of the short comics and stories told delve deep into the metaphor of monstrosity to attack it from every angle possible. Some miss the mark a bit, like “Miss Monster” by Stephanie Cooke and Cara McGee, and can be a bit jarring. But others, like “Low Tide” by M. Blankier and Helen Robinson and “Solid Shadows” by Rachel Simons and K. Guillory, drag you right back into the mood flowing through the pages.

The art, writing, coloring, and lettering rarely feels misplaced or a wrong fit with the others here, even on “Date Night” by Allison Bannister, Ronnie Ritchie, Meaghan Carter, and Nikki Powers with a different person on each. It’s obvious a lot of care was put into every bit of this anthology from start to finish to make it as harmonious as (more or less) humanly possible.

This collection of short comics were something I wasn’t expecting to hit me as hard as they did but I’m glad I found and was able to read them. Make sure to pick up a copy for yourself through TO Comix Press or one of their retail partners listed on their site. If you’re not sold, check out a preview with “Zira and the Little Fire” by Katie Shanahan or the full comic “Light Pollution” by iguanamouth.

Story and Art: Aimee Lim, Sam Beck, Megan Kearney, Casandra Grullon, iguanamouth, Saffron Aurora, Elodie Chen, Rachel Simon, K. Guillory, Janice Liu, Cassandra Khaw, C. Ann Gordon, Allison O’Toole, Emmanuelle Chateauneuf, Katie Shanahan, Stephanie Cooke, Cara McGee, Allison Bannister, Ronnie Ritchie, Xavière Daumarie, Michelle Gruppetta, Fleur Sciortino, ZAVKA, Lorena Torres Loaiza, Sabaa Bismil, gillian blekkenhorst, H. Pueyo, Dante L., Laura Neubert, Lea Shepherd, Zoe Maeve, BC Holmes, DEE Williams, Xia Gordon, M. Blankier, Helen Robinson, Mandy James
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0
Recommendation: Perfect for a fan of the supernatural and things that go bump in the night that relates more to the monsters than the would-be heroes, especially if they’re a teen or young adult.