Tag Archives: andy schmidt

Comic Industry Veterans Launch Comics Connection

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Comics Connection

Comics Connection is now available to provide educational services, professional expertise, and community support for comic book creators at every level. The new service is led by Andy Schmidt and Gamal Hennessy.

Comics Connection combines the artistic education and creative community of the Comics Experience Creators Workshop with the business and legal education of the Comics Publishing Institute to create a comprehensive offering to anyone in the business of publishing comics.

Comics Connection will provide three levels of service. The first level is free to everyone in the comic book community. It will include both The Comics Connection Podcast and a complimentary newsletter and will discuss the latest news and topics in the comic book industry. The second level is reserved for Comics Connection subscribers who will gain access to the Comics Connection Discord, weekly live question and answer sessions, monthly educational classes, interviews with industry figures, and other resources to help creators navigate their comic careers. There is also a level of optional premium packages that include creative services, professional critiques, business development, legal services, printing, distribution, and publication of finished comics.

Andy began his comics career at Marvel as an editor and in his twenty-year career, he has worked as an editor, writer, and publisher for companies including IDW, Hasbro, DC, Boom, and CEX Publishing. He is the founder of the Comics Experience educational program that has run since 2007 and author of The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels (2008) and The Comics Experience Guide to Writing Comics: Scripting Your Story Ideas from Start to Finish (2018). Gamal is an attorney, author, and business consultant who has specialized in the comic book industry since 1996 and released The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing in 2020. Comics Connection will tap into their combined forty years of industry experience and insight.

Preview: Crime Syndicate #6

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Crime Syndicate #6

Written by: Andy Schmidt
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Kieran McKeown

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Ultragirl? That’s right, folks, Kara Zor-El of Earth-3 arrives, and it’s far from a happy family reunion! Can Ultraman take his cousin down and reclaim his place as the true last survivor of Krypton? Meanwhile, on a hidden island in the Pacific, Emerald Knight must finally decide: Will he stand with the Legion of Justice? Or will he give in to the Crime Syndicate? Don’t miss out on the shocking finale that shakes Earth-3 to its core!

Crime Syndicate #6

Preview: Crime Syndicate #4

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Crime Syndicate #4

Written by: Andy Schmidt
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Kieran McKeown

The world has been saved by the…Crime Syndicate?! With the Starro invaders vanquished, what’s next for Earth-3’s most notorious saviors? Can loose cannons Emerald Knight, Quick, and Atomica keep their cool? Will Ultraman accept Superwoman and Owlman’s tantalizing offer? And what is Alexander Luthor plotting as all these metahuman menaces run amok? Here’s the REAL question of the month: Which heroes will join the LEGION OF JUSTICE? In this issue’s backup story, witness the origin of the Emerald Knight, illustrated by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

Crime Syndicate #4

Preview: Crime Syndicate #3

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Crime Syndicate #3

Written by: Andy Schmidt
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Kieran McKeown

With the Crime Syndicate’s forces combined for the first time, seeds are sown to change the world forever. But before that can happen, Ultraman, Superia, Johnny Quick, Atomica, and Emerald Knight must survive a final battle with the biggest Starro of them all-and each other! Plus: Earth-3’s Alexander Luthor makes his debut! Question of the month: On Earth-3, are Starros friends or foes? And in the backup story, witness the origin of Superwoman in tale illustrated by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

Crime Syndicate #3

Preview: Crime Syndicate #2

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Crime Syndicate #2

Written by: Andy Schmidt
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Kieran McKeown

With Starro ravaging the planet and controlling superheroes and villains alike, the fate of the world rests in the hands of Ultraman, Superia, and Owlman-in other words, win or lose, humanity is doomed! Question of the month: What famous Gotham foes are held in Owlman’s cave? Plus, in the backup story, witness the origin of Owlman in a tale illustrated by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

Crime Syndicate #2

Review: Crime Syndicate #1

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Crime Syndicate #1

Crime Syndicate #1 takes us to Earth-3 where “evil” version of our known superheroes rule. The issue is an interesting one presenting the group it would seem before they’ve come together and instead giving us a tease of each. Some of it works and some of it doesn’t with an issue that’s a bit choppy in quality.

Written by Andy Schmidt, the comic re-introduces us to the various members. It has them plant their flags in their own ways. All of the members are horrible individuals in their own special way. This isn’t a team or “heroes” to be rooting for, Schmidt nails that aspect down. But, the tone of the comic still feels a bit “light’ for such evil individuals. There’s a pulp vibe to it in some ways with a dose of humor thrown in which feels a bit off.

Schmidt has some fun with that “pulp” aspect though referencing comics that don’t exist and haven’t happened. It delivers a wink a nod to the history all of these characters have.

But, what’s odd is that this feels a bit of an echo to the Justice League relaunch with the New 52 bringing the team together. There’s both history and newness to it all. It doesn’t pack the punch when it the Crime Syndicate was revealed years ago as to the evil that lurked in the DC Universe and sparked “Trinity War”.

The art by Kieran McKeown is ok but doesn’t quite fit the tone of the characters. With ink by Dexter Vines, color by Steve Oliff, and lettering by Rob Leigh there’s a bit of a classic feel to the art. It matches the comedic aspects of the comic but the style doesn’t quite match that “evil” and “dark” aspect of the team I was expecting. The art is a bit to bright and light to fit well with these characters.

Schmidt is also joined by Bryan Hitch, Alex Sinclair, and Leigh in an origin story for Ultraman. The back-up story is more of what I was expecting with the main story. It’s a bit darker in tone and shows more of the torture and twisted nature of these characters. Juxtaposed with the main story, the tone issues are more apparent.

Crime Syndicate #1 is a bit too much of a fresh start with an unexpected tone that doesn’t quite fit. These were brutally evil characters who were always plotting. Here we’re presented with more goofy mirror images of heroes we know. There’s potential for the series as it goes on with more interactions but as is, the comic is a bit choppy in its presentation getting them to that point.

Story: Andy Schmidt Art: Kieran McKeown, Bryan Hitch
Ink: Dexter Vines Color: Steve Oliff, Alex Sinclair Letterer: Rob Leigh
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Preview: Crime Syndicate #1

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Crime Syndicate #1

Written by: Andy Schmidt
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Kieran McKeown

Spinning out of Dark Nights: Death Metal, the Multiverse is reborn-and Earth-3 with it! In this six-issue miniseries, witness the true origins of the malevolent makers of mayhem known as the Crime Syndicate as a common foe unites them! But how long can alliances last between villains like these? Also in this issue, it’s the origin of Ultraman in our special backup story drawn by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

Crime Syndicate #1

Preview: Generations Forged #1

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Generations Forged #1

Written by: Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, Robert Venditti
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Dan Jurgens, Mike Perkins, Bernard Chang

Dispersed through time by the villain Dominus, our ragtag team of generational heroes-featuring 1939 Batman, Kamandi, Superboy, Steel, Starfire, Sinestro, Booster Gold, and Dr. Light-must find a way to restore the timeline…and what they ultimately discover is something far, far greater. You’ll have to read it to believe it as time dies…and generations rise!

Generations Forged #1

Review: Generations Shattered #1

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Generations Shattered #1

Generations Shattered #1 is an interesting comic. As a standalone miniseries, the story would be quite compelling and engaging. But, with its release of “Future State”, the comic isn’t released in a vacuum. Spinning out of Dark Nights: Death Metal, the story involves a villain using the messed up time and history to shape their own. A group of heroes throughout time are gathered to save the day.

The concept of Generations Shattered #1 and where it goes would be an event miniseries I’d take a lot of interest in normally. But, it’s a bit of an oddity with the release of all of the other “Future State” comics. While they focus on possible future events, this one features a villain attempting to shape a new reality and history. Where it fits into this reshaping of the DC Universe and history is a bit of a headscratcher. While time seems to have mended as per other comics, maybe not? It’s a little unclear how this fits into what’s going on.

Written by Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, and Robert Venditti, Generations Shattered #1 brings the heroes together in an oversized first issue. Dragged out feels like a better way to describe it. The issue is mostly the heroes being gathered as time is erased as it’s being rewritten. Over 45 pages are dedicated to this creating a slow build and long way to get to the point. Other comics have done the “gathering of characters” and their introduction quicker and in a much more entertaining way.

What this does though is give a massive amount of artists to stretch their legs. Each segment is handled by a different team giving the comic a jam-session sort of feel. That could be interesting as well if any of the art really popped. There’s not bad but there’s little that’s exciting either. Still, it’s fun to see the different styles and takes on the characters from so many artists.

Generations Shattered #1 is an oddity of a comic. It’s hampered by its release along “Future State” making its story a bit confusing. The concept is quite good and entertaining, especially where it leaves things. But, it takes forever to get to the interesting part. It’s a comic I both felt like a chore to read but at the same time I want to see where it goes.

Story: Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, Robert Venditti
Art: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Scott Hanna, Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan, Emanuela Lupacchino, Wade Von Grawbadger, Bernard Chang, Yanick Paquette, Kevin Nowlan, Dan Jurgens, Klaus Janson, Paul Pelletier, Sandra Hope, John Romita, Jr., Danny Miki, Doug Braithwaite, Rags Morales, Klaus Janson, Mike Perkins
Color: Hi-Fi Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Story: 6.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 6.0 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics

Preview: Generations Shattered #1

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Generations Shattered #1

Written by: Andy Schmidt, Robert Venditti, Dan Jurgens
Art by: Paul Pelletier, Kevin Nowlan, Fernando Pasarin

A threat of cosmic proportion to DC’s newest (and oldest) universe compels one of the most unusual groups of heroes ever assembled to take on the most mysterious foe they have ever encountered. What started in Detective Comics #1027 explodes out of Dark Nights: Death Metal to tell the story of the generations-spanning history of the DC Universe! Join the original Batman, Kamandi, Starfire, Sinestro, Booster Gold, Dr. Light, Steel, and Sinestro in their quest to save the universe before time runs out…

Generations Shattered #1
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