Tag Archives: frank forte

Exclusive Preview: Get a sneak peek at Asylum Press’ Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1

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The skin-crawling, flesh-eating anthology is back – just in time for the chilly winter season. With Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1, Asylum Press unearths a fresh quartet of stories from an international pool of talent pool for a truly satisfying feast of the flesh.

  • In Bloody Good Time, an undercover cop finds himself desperate and alone while trying to make his way out of a cursed biker club. Definitely not the ‘groovy night’ he was looking for. Based on a story by Mark Kidwell (‘68, Frazetta’s Dark Kingdom), with script by Jeff Vigil and art by the legendary Tim Vigil (Faust, Gothic Knights).
  • Meanwhile, over in Cellar Dwellers, a serial killer receives his just desserts when the bodies of his victims buried in the cellar start to rise again with murderous intent. Written and illustrated by Dwayne Harris (Heavy Metal, Warlash).
  • Continuing the blood-soaked horror, Cosplay Sacrifice, a group of fanboys have to defend themselves against a horde of cosplay zombies – dressed as their favorite comic book heroes! Written and illustrated by Asylum press founder, Frank Forte (Vampire Macabre, Heavy Metal).
  • And finally, Survival tells the story of cynical family of madmen doing whatever it takes to survive in an agonizing world full of rampaging zombies. Written by Pablo Barbieri with art by Carlos Vega.

Fans of horror and zombies will find themselves recoiling in delight at this unholy anthology of flesh-eating terror!

Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1 (one-shot) was previously solicited for release before production delays put the project on hold and the Diamond bankruptcy delayed printing and distribution even further. The one-shot is now available to comic shops via Lunar Distribution with an in-store date of December 10, 2025. Fans are encouraged to place pre-orders in comic shops before the Lunar Final Order Cutoff date of November 10, 2025.

The issue features four blood-soaked variant covers, including Asylum’s own Frank Forte, Steve Mannion, a Blank Sketch Cover edition, and a NSFW Risque cover by Tim Vigil.

  • COVER A Frank Forte: $4.99 (Lunar order code: 1025AY0490)
  • COVER B Steve Mannion:  $4.99 (Lunar order code: 1025AY0491)
  • COVER C Blank Sketch Cover: $4.99 (Lunar order code: 1025AY0492)
  • COVER D Tim Vigil Risque: $9.99 (Lunar order code: 1025AY0493)
Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1
EPSON MFP image

Exclusive Preview: Get a look at “Taarna” from Heavy Metal #1

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This week, Heavy Metal returns to comic shops with Heavy Metal #1! After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the magazine is back with the editorial team of Frank Forte, Dave Kelly and Chris Thompson.

Within this anticipated relaunch you’ll find Sergio Gerasi’s gorgeous revitalization of Guido Crepax’s seminal character, Valentina. This new vision of the femme fatale, which is fully authorized by the Crepax estate, was first published by Feltrinelli Editions in late 2024 and will be making its English language debut.

On the original comics front, Michael Conrad will be teaming up with Greek comics legend, Ilias Kyriazis, and letterer Simon Bowland, for an all-new series entitled Millstone. This dark and twisted fantasy tale fully embraces Heavy Metal’s bold, unrestricted style, and is sure to excite readers with its potent storytelling and immersive worldbuilding.

These new titles complement the previously announced line-up, starting with one of the magazine’s original legends, Enki Bilal, who returns for the English language adaptation of his acclaimed BUG series. He’s joined on the European front by previously unseen instalments of Burton & Cyb by Antonio Segura and Jose Ortiz, as well as Vicente Segrelles’ The Mercenary. And, in the spirit of introducing American audiences to the freshest European talent, issue #1 will present the English-language debut of Janevsky’s cult sci-fi heroine, Sixella, in an original story, The Last Roots.

This special collector’s edition release of Heavy Metal #1 also comes with a variety of cover options, including the standard Greg Hildebrandt and Frank Frazetta covers – as well as a handy Blank Sketch edition to commission your favorite artist – plus three brand new covers created exclusively for the direct market. These covers shine a spotlight on some of the interior stories, including Taarna by Tula Lotay, Grimaldi by Keron Grant, and Sixella by hot French newcomer Janevsky!

For those who love the 1981 cult classic animated film, Heavy Metal will showcase some of their most famous faces in a series of new stories. There will be special one-shot tales of Cold Dead War by Craig Wilson, Grimaldi by Keron Grant, and Legends of Taarna by Joseph Michael Linsner – as well as the debut of Taarna’s ongoing adventures, which will continue in each issue. Written by Leah Moore and John Reppion, with art by rising star Anna Morozova, colors by Ellie Wright, and letters by Tom Napolitano, this will be the definitive take on Taarna, which sets and establishes her character beyond the film and going forward. Forget what came before, here is your chance to get in on the ground floor.

Bridging the gap between European and American audiences is DC Comics superstar, Fernando Dagnino Guerra, who brings a new series of interconnected, yet stand-alone, cyberpunk shorts to the magazine – starting with Lester, That Old Feeling. Dagnino’s sci-fi splendor has most recently been seen within the pages of Blade Runner for Titan Comics, and these new stories represent a major leap forward in his futuristic storytelling abilities. Alongside these European classics and recognizable Heavy Metal characters, issue #1 will also feature the return of classic strips such as The Bus by Paul Kirchner and June 2050 by John Workman – plus a brand-new horror short, Transcendestiny, by acclaimed masters of horror, David Quinn and Tim Vigil; a tale of the Kecksburg UFO by Jim Rugg and a new story by Jonathan Wayshak.

All of that is in addition to a host of great editorial features, interviews, and coverage!

We have an  exclusive six-page preview of Taarna that you can check out below. Then, head to your local comic shop so you don’t miss the return of Heavy Metal!

Heavy Metal #1

Heavy Metal returns in the new year

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Heavy Metal #1

After months of hushed rumors and backroom whispers, Heavy Metal International has announced the official relaunch of its eponymously-titled flagship publication, Heavy Metal magazine, in the new year!

With a rich history dating back to 1977, Heavy Metal began by featuring work by greats such as Enki Bilal, Richard Corben, Guido Crepax, Philippe Druillet, Caza, Jean-Claude Forest, Jean “Moebius” Giraud, and Milo Manara.

Since that time, the magazine has passed through many hands, and faced many challenges, but is returning with a dedicated new team led by Chief Executive Officer Marshall Lees.

Returning to the helm, this time as Editor-in-Chief, is Frank Forte. With over 30 years of publishing experience running Asylum Press, as well as serving with Heavy Metal for parts of the last two decades, Frank brings a wealth of knowledge and connections to the role.

Joining Frank are two new faces to Heavy Metal, though definitely not strangers to the comics industry or brand, as they’ve been vocal proponents for many years.

Dave Kelly has previously enjoyed success with the Ringo-nominated Tales of the Night Watchman through his own So What? Press, but his love of Heavy Metal dates back over twenty years to his high school days, when he began buying back issues at used bookstores across his native Kansas. He joins the team now as Executive Editor.

And former Eisner Award-winning retailer, Chris Thompson—who helped to launch the Statix Press line and other initiatives with Titan Comics before doing the same with other publishers—rounds out the oversight team as Editorial Manager. He read his first issue of Heavy Metal at far too young an age in 1985, thanks to a wayward but influential friend, and immediately became a Philippe Druillet devotee, whom he eventually met and spent time with in his Paris studio.

The super-sized Issue 1 is already well underway, and the first round of pre-orders will be taken via Kickstarter early next month where fans will be able to grab some amazing limited-edition covers and collectibles. With a stellar line up of writers and artists contributing including mind-blowing new cover art from the incredible Greg Hildebrandt, this is set to be the best Heavy Metal magazine in many, many years!

Further details about the triumphant return of Heavy Metal will be shared over the coming weeks.

Crowdfunding Corner: Asylum Press’ Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1

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Backer Beware: Crowdfunding projects are not guaranteed to be delivered and/or delivered when promised. We always recommend to do your research before backing.

Asylum Press has launched Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1 on Kickstarter. Featuring a creative cast of incredible international talent. In ‘Bloody Good Time’ Desperate and alone, an undercover cop tries to make his way out of a biker club. Definitely not the groovy night he was looking for. Story by Mark Kidwell, Script by Jeff Vigil, art by Tim Vigil. In ‘Cellar Dwellers’ A serial killer gets his just desserts when the bodies buried in his cellar rise again, written and illustrated by Dwayne Harris . In ‘Cosplay Sacrifice’ a group of fanboys has to fight against a horde of cosplay zombies who are dressed as their comic book heroes written and illustrated by Frank Forte. In “Survival” A cynical family of mad men doing what it takes to survive in an agonizing zombie world– written by Pablo Barbieri and art by Carlos Vera.

The Kickstarter campaign features Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1 features covers #1A-#1D which were offered through Diamond. Covers #E-#1J are special NSFW, metal, and glow in the dark metal variants that are only available though Kickstarter.

The Kickstarter campaign for Zombie Terrors: Undead Special #1 ends Sun, January 21 2024 11:59 PM PST.

SDCC 2023: Asylum Press announces its exclusives and booth signings

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Frank Forte will be signing all week at the Asylum Press/Frank Forte booth #1429.

“MOLLY’S NIGHTMARES IN BLUE”
Artist: Frank Forte
Limited to 50 signed copies
13×19 on 100lb. stock

“LUST DESIRE IN BLUE”
Artist: Frank Forte
Limited to 50 signed copies
13×19 on 100lb. stock

“CENTEPEDE TERRORS”
Artist: Frank Forte
Limited to 50 signed copies
13×19 on 100lb. stock

Frank Forte is an accomplished designer, storyboard artist and comic book artist. Frank’s film and TV credits include:Lovecraft Country, Fantasy Island, Solar Opposites, Dreamwork’s 3Below, Bob’s Burgers, Insidious 4, Lego: Guardians of the Galaxy, Despicable Me 2, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out, The Super Hero Squad Show, Marvel Heroes 4D, and Lego Hero Factory. Frank’s comic book credits include: Heavy Metal Magazine, Bob’s Burgers, Warlash, DTOX, Zombie Terrors and Chicken Soup For Satan among others.

In Frank’s spare time he paints.  Influenced by classic cartoons and comic books, Frank’s paintings are an assemblage of inspiration from what he grew up watching on TV and reading in comic books. Trying to capture the feeling and emotion of a moving cartoon on a flat canvas, Frank’s work incorporates horrific and twisted subjects in disturbingly bizarre situations.  His work has been exhibited at the La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Copro Gallery, Corey Helford Gallery, CASS Contemporary, Dark Art Emporium, Arch Enemy Arts, Phone Booth Gallery, Night Gallery Fine Arts, Cannibal Flower, LTD. Gallery and Hyaena Gallery.

Frank is also the publisher at Asylum Press, an indy graphic novel and comic book publisher. Asylum Press is a publishing company that produces premium comic books and graphic novels within the horror, science fiction, and action genres.

Tim Vigil (Faust, EO, Gothic Knights)
ASYLUM PRESS/FRANK FORTE BOOTH #1429
Wed. 6pm-9pm
Friday 1pm-3pm —with David Quinn (Faust)
Sat. 9:30am-7pm (All Day)
Sun. 9:30am-5pm (All Day)

SPLATTERGORE: The History of ’90s Horror, Underground and Outlaw Comics

Frank Forte (ADG 800, Asylum Press, Heavy Metal, Cry for Dawn), Tim Vigil (Faust, Gothic Nights, David Quinn (Faust, Dr. Strange), Christie Shinn (Demon Bitch, Personal Monsters, Sepulchre), Joshua Sky (Heavy Metal) discuss the history of 90s horror comics including the late 80s indie scene which led to the 90s black and white boom. Celebrating the release of Faust:Love of The Damned TPB Collection, Tim and David talk about the origins and long publishing history of Faust. Frank talks about Northstar Publications, Grips, Cry for Dawn, Faust, Lady Death, Verotik, Boneyard Press, Twisted Tales, From Beyonde, Taboo, Slow Death, Razor, Vamperotica, Tarot Witch of the Black Rose, NightCry, Marvel’s Hellraiser and more. Underground and “Outlaw” horror comics had an effect on the industry as a whole because they were doing huge print runs and there was a rabid fanbase for the genre. Some companies went too far and comics were banned, some stories led to police investigations and charges filed.  It was an interesting time to be reading comics, so come one come all and let’s relive it together. Slideshow with images will accompany the talk. More 90s comic creator guests to be announced.

Thursday, 7/20/23, 7:00PM – 8:00PM, Room: 25ABC 

EXHIBITOR BOOTH #1429
ASYLUM PRESS/FRANK FORTE

Artist and publisher Frank Forte (Heavy Metal, Warlash, Bob’s Burgers TV Show and comic book, La Luz de Jesus Gallery) will be signing comics, prints and original art all weekend.  Asylum Press will have new issues of Fearless Dawn, Vampire Macabre, Zombie Terrors and more including Comic Con Exclusive metal covers. New prints, stickers and enamel pins will also be available. Frank’s credits include Heavy Metal, Lego:Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Out, Zombie Terrors, Warlash and Despicable Me 2. The booth will be featuring exclusive convention multi-color silk screened prints, comic book pages, laser prints and original art.  Publisher Asylum Press will be featuring all new comics and merch as well as a backlist of comics and graphic novels including: EEEK!, Asylum of Horrors, Steve Mannion Sketchbooks, Warlash, Satan’s Circus of H$ll.  

Asylum Press adds Comic Distro as a Distributor

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Comic Distro

Comic Distro has announced a distribution partnership with comic book publisher, Asylum Press to sell their comic books directly to stores.

Asylum Press is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1999 by Frank Forte. The company publishes books within the horror, fantasy, and action-adventure genres.

Comic Distro’s comic book distribution service connects retailers with a collection of Asylum Press’ comic book publications starting with Asylum Of Horrors, Beyond Doomsday: Illustrated Tales of the Apocalypse, Billy Boy, Vampire Macabre’, ‘Zombie Terrors, and others.

Asylum Press Comes to GlobalComix

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At the end of October, Frank Forte participated in GlobalComix‘s Halloween content series as a guest contributor. The digital comic platform had an opportunity to learn more about Frank and his publishing company, Asylum Press, and it was clear they’d be a fit for the platform.

Right now, you can read Asylum Press on GlobalComix. Founded in 1999, Frank and his team create a wide variety of titles within the horror, science fiction, and action genres, and you can read many of them right now on GlobalComix.

GlobalComix

Get a look at Vampire Macabre #1 from Asylum Press

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Asylum Press brings you a horrific blood thirsty collection of all-new vampire tales featuring an international cast of artistic talent in Vampire Macabre. Frank Forte and Edu Menna deliver “Blood Wine” where a con artist dealing in bootlegged vintage wine gets his comeuppance from an elder statesman of the sanguine. In “Red Moon” a young woman tests her desires against a hipster rock star who has a dark secret, illustrated by MoraMike. In “Marked by the Beast” we delve into the life of a vampire servant who desperately wants to be a creature of the night by Frank Forte. And lastly, we introduce “NOSFEROTIKA” – a vampire queen who’s lust for blood and the sins of the flesh knows no bounds. A must for all vampire fans! Pin-ups by Timothy E. Bacon and Frank Forte. The comic also features the art of Jethro Morales and covers by Aly Fell and Alex Chow.

A Few Days Remain for The Vampire Verses: Blood Rites Sketchbook and Art Book Kickstarter

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There are a few days remaining for the Asylum Press Kickstarter for a forthcoming book The Vampire Verses: Blood Rites Sketchbook / Artbook.

The Vampire Verses is a vampire/horror comic that Frank Forte created in 1994 and was published in 1995 by CFD productions (Formerly Cry For Dawn) and then Asylum Press in 1999. The series was inspired by many anime series at the time including Wicked City, Demon City Shinjuku and Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend. The Vampire Verses was also inspired by comic creators Berni Wrightson, Tim Vigil, Kelley Jones, Mike Mignola and others. Frank attempted to draw from these influences and create something unique. What erupted from his hand and mind was The Vampire Verses.

The debut issue introduces Angelika, an exotic dancer in the NYC club scene who is unwittingly turned into a creature of the night. As she tries to make sense of what she has become she learns of a bloody Vampire War that is being fought in the streets and subway tunnels of New York City. Slowly the truth unfolds as Angelika begins to realize she is a key part of an ancient scrolled prophecy known as The Vampire Verses.

The Vampire Verses: Blood Rites Sketchbook / Artbook is a 32 page saddle stitched comic that includes art and sketches from The Vampire Verses series by Frank Forte. The art ranges from 1995 to present day with character studies, cover studies, renders, creature design, environment design, pin-ups and more. The book hopes to reintroduce fans to the series and be a prelude to the continuation of The Vampire Verses #5-#12.

Digital copies are just $10 with other pledges including signed copies and levels for retailers. The project ends on February 18 at 1:02 pm ET.

SDCC 2020: Asylum Press announces Comic-Con At Home plans, Plus New Classic comics on Webtoon

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Asylum Press

Asylum Press takes on Comic-Con At Home this week, offering fans access to original sketches and commissions from founder and animation and storyboarding veteran Frank Forte.

Asylum Press, producer of premium comic books and graphic novels within the horror, science fiction, and action genres, looks to maximize the value of their branded properties by extending them across multiple media platforms, including movies, TV, and video games, often using transmedia storytelling techniques and social networking to reach a much broader audience than traditional comic book publishers do. Founder Forte believes that comic conventions are key to the survival of a small publisher, and the virtual experiences provided in the wake of a pandemic are no exception.

To that end, Forte will be available for art commissions through his Comic-Con At Home virtual exhibit and is keen on accommodating as many requests as possible. You can sign up for commissions.

His commitment to fan engagement goes beyond commissions, as Forte has curated a handful of Asylum Press classics on Webtoons.com for new fans to sample his product, and hopefully join the legion of Asylum die-hards in the future.

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