Tag Archives: joel rodriguez

AMP Comics Launches with partnerships with The Op, Script2Comic, and Kodansha

Posted on by
AMP Comics

AMP Comics has announced its planned launch in 2025 with distribution through Diamond in the direct market and Simon & Schuster in the bookstore market. AMP brings together several film and comic industry veterans to establish a sustainable, creator-first publishing model. With a focus on quality over quantity and effective marketing, AMP is dedicated to benefiting both creators and readers alike.

AMP has secured a first-look deal with The Op aka USAopoly, giving the board game giant the first opportunity to create games based on AMP’s books. Additionally, AMP is now the official publisher of the Script2Comic Contest, with the 2024 winner’s work set to be financed and published in partnership with Kodansha Japan.

Leading AMP Comics as CEO is Don Handfield, a seasoned comic creator whose first book, The Rift, was adapted for television by Steven Spielberg for the Amazing Stories reboot on Apple+. Handfield is also a successful film producer and TV creator. His extensive entertainment industry experience, combined with his roles as a partner in comic financier Thunder and former board member of Scout Comics, uniquely position him to guide AMP Comics into board games, videogames, film, television, and other mediums.

Joshua Starnes, a founding partner of Red 5 Comics, takes on the role of President. David Byrne, creator of indie hits such as Stake and former co-publisher at Scout Comics, will oversee release and development strategy as Publisher. Joining them are Joel Rodriguez as Design Director, Joshua Malkin as Editor-in-Chief, and Jordan Moore as Director of Development. Additional partners and advisory board members will be announced in the coming weeks.

AMP Comics will operate as a boutique creator-based label, focusing on a select number of high-quality titles that are marketed effectively and provide transparent and timely royalties to creators. Among its exciting lineup of launch titles, MC Foley’s LoveStruck has already been picked up for development as a television series by Ryan Reynolds’ production company Maximum Effort.

Other AMP launch titles include House of Lowther by writer-artist K Lynn Smith, Lost Boy: The Origin of Peter Pan, Kronos, a sci-fi thriller by Alain Soussokho, and Saving Santa, a Christmas story by Arun Narayanan.

Additionally, Honour Bound, an origin story of Robin Hood by Omri Rose, Ambergris, a World War II historical epic by Jacobo Fe Gismera, and the recent Horror2Comic winner Hillbillies vs. Alien Chickens from Nicholas Tana will be featured. Indie hit She Bites will also see all future volumes published by the new label.

The Elizabeth Báthory biopic comic Vanity returns

Posted on by

Vanity—a gothic tragedy in nine acts—is based on the life of Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560–1614), listed in The Guinness Book of Records as the greatest murderess in the history of mankind. According to legend, she was convinced that drinking and bathing in the blood of young virgin girls would preserve her youth and beauty. However, the historical documents tell us a slightly different yet far more mysterious and sinister story.

Vanity is written by Jurii Kirnev, with art by Natalia Tsarevnikova, colors by Anna Gushchina, an lettering by Joel Rodriguez and Eltorres. It features covers by Joe Bocardo, Abagail Larson and Joseph Schmalke, and an introduction by Mark Rein-Hagen creator of Vampire: The Masquerade.

Vanity #3 continues the interesting historical lesson

Posted on by

I know absolutely nothing about Elizabeth Bathory. Vanity #3 takes us to the witch burnings of the 15th century and their impact on Elizabeth.

Story: Jurii Kirnev
Art: Natalia Tsarevnikova
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
Scout Comics

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: Vanity #2

Posted on by

I know absolutely nothing about Elizabeth Bathory. Vanity #2 explores her teen years as we see her assert herself a bit more.

Story: Jurii Kirnev
Art: Natalia Tsarevnikova
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
Scout Comics
Amazon

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: Canceled

Posted on by

I’m not a big horror fan. My enjoyment is pretty limited to styles and what I do like is pretty specific. Over the top gore is out and torture gore definitely isn’t my thing. So, there’s a balance for films, television, and comics as far as what I enjoy. David Byrne’s Canceled #1 nails my type of horror with scares and gore that’s just the right amount and mixing in a nice amount of humor as well.

Story: David A. Byrne
Art: Pabliku Man, Renan Balmonte, MedManga, Nick Justus
Color: Renan Balmonte, Trevor Rubin
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Scout Comics
Zeus Comics

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: Vanity #1

Posted on by

I know absolutely nothing about Elizabeth Bathory. Going into Vanity #1, I didn’t know it was based on a true story at all. After reading a solid introduction and the comic, I immediately dove into searches to find out more and holy crap. Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory was accused of killing hundreds of women and children. Was it a witch hunt? Was she the inspiration for Dracula? Vanity #1 looks to explore the story of Bathory and the legend that she created.

Story: Jurii Kirnev
Art: Natalia Tsarevnikova
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Scout Comics
Amazon

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: Beyond the Beyond #2

Posted on by

Nova has escaped from her oppressive world and is now out exploring coming across an amazing alien world.

Story: Christian Tropeano
Art: Gian Fernando
Color: Beyond Colorlab
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Scout Comics
Zeus Comics

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: Beyond the Beyond #1

Posted on by

Meet Nova Vega, the teenage idealist who resides on a mining colony run by the oppressive Omni corporation. Nova is disenchanted by her prospects of entering the Omni Mining Academy, for she’d much rather be out exploring the stars like her parents before her.

Story: Christian Tropeano
Art: Gian Fernando
Color: Beyond Colorlab
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Scout Comics
Zeus Comics

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: The Recount: Preamble #1

Posted on by

Set years before the shocking events of The Recount, Preamble details the life of Phil Pontus, the tragic death of his mother, his military service and subsequent decision to enter politics, his assent to the office of Vice President, and the terrible events that culminated in his assumption of leadership of a terrorist group known only as “The Masses.”

Story: Jonathan Hedrick
Art: Rubén Gil
Color: Lorenzo Palombo
Letterer: Joel Rodriguez

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Scout Comics
Zeus Comics

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Review: David Byrne’s Canceled #1

Posted on by
David Byrne's Canceled #1

I’m not a big horror fan. My enjoyment is pretty limited to styles and what I do like is pretty specific. Over the top gore is out and torture gore definitely isn’t my thing. So, there’s a balance for films, television, and comics as far as what I enjoy. David Byrne’s Canceled #1 nails my type of horror with scares and gore that’s just the right amount and mixing in a nice amount of humor as well.

Written by David A. Byrne, Canceled #1 delivers a series of stories all tied together with different artists on each. The connection of all of the segments is fantastic and when it’s clear what’s going on, it all elevates the comic to a whole other level and feels a bit like dropping down the rabbit hole.

The comic kicks off with a story about a kids show entertainer being canceled. From there, it’s story after story with shock after shock. It’s nice twists and it’s hard to say what I really enjoyed without spoiling the fun of the issue. It’s just an entertaining comic with quick solid horror takes and how it ties together feels fresh in many ways.

The art is handled by a team of talent. Pabliku Man, Renan Balmonte, MedManga, and Nick Justus all handle the pencils while Balmonte also handles the color along with Trevor Rubin. Joel Rodriguez does the lettering. The art varies based on the artist but overall it’s really good. There’s something fun as the styles change and one story flows into the next. The different styles works in the comics’ favor in a way and for those that read it, hopefully you understand why I think that.

David Byrne’s Canceled #1 is a fun horror comic. The genre is sort of slasher and with stories intertwined flowing into each other it’s both an anthology and overarching story that plays throughout. It’s a fun comic for horror fans and one that should definitely be on the radar for fans of the genre.

Story: David A. Byrne Art: Pabliku Man, Renan Balmonte, MedManga, Nick Justus
Color: Renan Balmonte, Trevor Rubin Letterer: Joel Rodriguez
Story: 8.15 Art: 7.75 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Scout Comics

« Older Entries