Tag Archives: the scumbag

A new Tokyo Ghost cover revealed as Rick Remender’s Giant Studios kicks off a line of reprints and collected editions

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Comics titan Rick Remender’s Giant Generator Studios line of bestsellers will see a number of exciting upcoming releases next year—including a long-anticipated reprint of the Tokyo Ghost hardcover co-created with artist Sean Gordon Murphy—all published by Image Comics. Image has revealed new cover art by Murphy to grace the upcoming Tokyo Ghost hardcover reprint which will land on shelves in April 2023.

Upcoming Giant Generator titles greenlit for publication include to following, with more to come:

  • 12/21—Seven To Eternity deluxe hardcover (co-created with artist Jerome Opeña)
  • 4/19/2023—Tokyo Ghost deluxe hardcover (co-created w/Murphy, featuring new cover art by Murphy)
  • 4/5/2023—Deadly Class Book One deluxe hardcover (co-created with artist Wes Craig)
  • 4/5/2023—Black Science: The Complete Story compendium trade paperback edition (co-created with artist Matteo Scalera featuring new cover art by Scalera)
  • 6/14/2023—The Scumbag: The Complete Story deluxe hardcover(featuring various collaborating artists, cover by Greg Tocchini)
  • 6/28/2023—Deadly Class Book Four deluxe hardcover (co-created with artist Craig)
  • 8/9/2023—A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance deluxe hardcover (co-created with André Lima Araújo)
  • 11/8/2023—Fear Agent Book One deluxe hardcover (co-created with artist Tony Moore & Opeña)
  • 11/15/2023—Fear Agent Book Two deluxe hardcover (co-created with artist Moore & Opeña)
Tokyo Ghost

Review: The Scumbag #1

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The Scumbag #1

Everyone wants to be a hero. Or at the very least, everyone loves to root for the hero. They’re good looking and they’re tough. They’re smooth and they’re smart. They may have a troubled past, but they always have a chance for redemption. Plus, they always get the girl. Ernie Ray Clementine, the hero of The Scumbag #1, is none of these things. Yet, he’s the only thing that can save the world from Armageddon in this new ongoing series from Image Comics.

This series, penned by Rick Remender, takes a crass, illiterate, drug addict, injects him with an experimental super serum, and throws him into the world of high stakes espionage. The first issue introduces us to Ernie and sets the stakes for the first arc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go much further than set up. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, except that everything in this first issue, and some of the best lines within the issue for that matter, were laid out in the synopsis to the comic book.

A character profile and introductory letter to the reader, written by Remender and included at the end of the issue, actually give us more of Ernie’s background than the comic does. Full disclosure, if you buy the first issue, maybe flip to the back and read the letter, as it gave me more of an appreciation for the type of character Ernie is supposed to be than the actual comic did.

The story does have a science-fiction element that I found surprising. Though, outrageous and fantastical as this comic’s premise is, the sci-fi element just seems like one story element too many. For a comic where the plot doesn’t move forward beyond the synopsis, there’s almost too much going on in this first issue. That all being said, one thing I did love about this issue was that the background characters break the fourth wall. As the narrator’s voice is introducing us to Ernie, these characters affirm or add to the details being shared.

Each issue of this series will be drawn by a different artist. In The Scumbag #1, Lewis LaRosa gets first dibs. LaRosa’s art style is like a cross between an impressionist painting and street graffiti. His line work is sparse, yet the images in each panel are always clear. The artwork really sells the locations of each scene and makes the one fight sequence in this first issue look amazing. The colors used by Moreno Dinisio are bright, but were obviously applied digitally. I’m not sure either of these details act as the best compliment to LaRosa’s illustrations. In addition to a rotation of main artists, each issue of this series will have will have multiple variant covers drawn by a string of A-List artists.

The Scumbag #1 is not for everyone. The first issue alone has blood, gore, diarrhea, masturbation, and heavy drug use. Fans of action movies and anti-heroes will surely find something to like about this series. Those who enjoy character development and complex plots should probably choose a different title. Honestly, considering the string of artists slated to draw covers for each issue, this might be the type of series a person buys just for the cover art. In any case, give this one a browse before you commit to purchasing it.

Story: Rick Remender Art: Lewis LaRosa
Colors: Moreno Dinisio Letters: Rus Wooton
Story: 3.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 5.8 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Batman #101

Wednesdays (and now Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.

Batman #101 (DC Comics) – The first two arcs of James Tynion IV’s run are over and now we’re getting to the meat of his vision and direction for the character. This is the fresh starting point for new readers as Batman lays out his vision of where things should go and faces new challenges in how to do it.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Presents: Madam Satan #1 (Archie Comics/Archie Horror) – Archie gets into the Halloween season with this one-shot comic where the Queen of Hell wants to prove herself to be the most powerful being in the Underworld!

Dark Nights: Death Metal Robin King #1 (DC Comics) – The issue is a lot of fun showing us more about Robin King and continuing the streak that the Death Metal one-shots are more entertaining than the event itself.

Dead Day #4 (AfterShock) – The series has been amazing so far not just telling a story but really creating a whole world for readers to think about and explore the impact of the concept. This issue continues the series’ excellent run really bringing the action and plot points together. And there’s a reveal we were not expecting.

Dune: House Atreides #1 (BOOM! Studios) – With the movie delayed, fans of Dune will just have this prequel comic series to enjoy for a while. We have an early review that loved the story and chess game of the characters.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #1 (AHOY Comics) – It’s more snarky tales of terror with a whole new title from the folks at AHOY! Add some laughs to your Halloween horrors!

Electric Black Presents #1 (Scout Comics/Black Caravan) – Two chilling tales of cosmic horror, madness, and wartime revenge as Scout launches their Black Caravan imprint!

Fantastic Four #25 (Marvel) – This is setting the Fantastic Four up for their next adventure! If you’re looking for a spot to start reading Marvel’s First Family, this is it.

History Comics: Challenger Disaster (First Second) – The first releases for the “History Comics” line-up were fantastic. They’re both entertaining and educational, perfect for young kids who want to learn and adults who want to brush up on history.

Juggernaut #2 (Marvel) – We didn’t know we needed this series. The first issue was fantastic and the second is just as solid. This is not what we thought it’d be and a story of redemption and reflection like this is just a gripping and touching read.

King Tank Girl #1 (Albatross Funnybooks) – Tank Girl moves to Albatross and we’re expecting the usual fun insanity the character and series bring.

Phantom Starkiller #1 (Scout Comics/Black Caravan) – Sci-fi trippy action that has a Kirby vibe about it. We really want to check this out after only really seeing the cover for the series. A very 70s vibe about it, we really want to find out more about one of the launch titles from Scout’s Black Caravan imprint.

Phantom of the Opera (A Wave Blue World) – An adaptation of the classic story. The visuals are amazing. Check out our review and make sure to pick it up!

The Scumbag #1 (Image Comics) – A new series from Rick Remender is always something to check out. With a rotating line of amazing artists, this is a series to check out and is intriguing. We have an early review to check out and decide if it’s for you!

Stillwater by Zdarsky & Perez #2 (Image Comics) – A mystery with horror tinge, the first issue was a solid slow build with one hell of an ending. We’re excited to see where this series goes. The idea is familiar but we’re expecting it to take us in a new and exciting direction.

Werewolf By Night #1 (Marvel) – While the first issue doesn’t hook us as much as we’d hope, there’s a lot here to like and it’s something new and different. It’s sort of tied to the “Outlawed” event impacting Marvel’s younger heroes and has a nice throwback aspect to it in many ways. There’s a lot of potential in this series.

Early Review: The Scumbag #1

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The Scumbag #1

Everyone wants to be a hero. Or at the very least, everyone loves to root for the hero. They’re good looking and they’re tough. They’re smooth and they’re smart. They may have a troubled past, but they always have a chance for redemption. Plus, they always get the girl. Ernie Ray Clementine, the hero of The Scumbag #1, is none of these things. Yet, he’s the only thing that can save the world from Armageddon in this new ongoing series from Image Comics.

This series, penned by Rick Remender, takes a crass, illiterate, drug addict, injects him with an experimental super serum, and throws him into the world of high stakes espionage. The first issue introduces us to Ernie and sets the stakes for the first arc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go much further than set up. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, except that everything in this first issue, and some of the best lines within the issue for that matter, were laid out in the synopsis to the comic book.

A character profile and introductory letter to the reader, written by Remender and included at the end of the issue, actually give us more of Ernie’s background than the comic does. Full disclosure, if you buy the first issue, maybe flip to the back and read the letter, as it gave me more of an appreciation for the type of character Ernie is supposed to be than the actual comic did.

The story does have a science-fiction element that I found surprising. Though, outrageous and fantastical as this comic’s premise is, the sci-fi element just seems like one story element too many. For a comic where the plot doesn’t move forward beyond the synopsis, there’s almost too much going on in this first issue. That all being said, one thing I did love about this issue was that the background characters break the fourth wall. As the narrator’s voice is introducing us to Ernie, these characters affirm or add to the details being shared.

Each issue of this series will be drawn by a different artist. In The Scumbag #1, Lewis LaRosa gets first dibs. LaRosa’s art style is like a cross between an impressionist painting and street graffiti. His line work is sparse, yet the images in each panel are always clear. The artwork really sells the locations of each scene and makes the one fight sequence in this first issue look amazing. The colors used by Moreno Dinisio are bright, but were obviously applied digitally. I’m not sure either of these details act as the best compliment to LaRosa’s illustrations. In addition to a rotation of main artists, each issue of this series will have will have multiple variant covers drawn by a string of A-List artists.

The Scumbag #1 is not for everyone. The first issue alone has blood, gore, diarrhea, masturbation, and heavy drug use. Fans of action movies and anti-heroes will surely find something to like about this series. Those who enjoy character development and complex plots should probably choose a different title. Honestly, considering the string of artists slated to draw covers for each issue, this might be the type of series a person buys just for the cover art. In any case, give this one a browse before you commit to purchasing it.

Story: Rick Remender Art: Lewis LaRosa
Colors: Moreno Dinisio Letters: Rus Wooton
Story: 3.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 5.8 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics

Around the Tubes

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The Scumbag #1

It’s a new week! We’ve got lots on tap to bring you and we’re plugging away at it all. So, while you wait to read some awesome stuff… here’s some articles from around the web you might have missed.

Deadline – ‘The Magic Order’ Not Moving Forward; Netflix Series Was Based On Mark Millar Comic – That’s a shame…

Games Radar – Tom Taylor & Jon Sommariva re-imagine Peter Pan & Neverland in two-book series for Penguin Random House & Glenat – This should be interesting.

How to Love Comics – Amazing Spider-Man: Last Remains Reading Order Checklist – For those who are intersted…

Reviews

Monkeys Fighting Robots – Far Sector #8
How to Love Comics – My Riot
CBR – The Scumbag #1

Rick Remender’s Scumbag Gets Four Incentive Covers

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The forthcoming humor series The Scumbag by Rick Remender will feature four scumily rare incentive covers—a pretty scummy 1:10 by Tula Lotay, a scumtastic 1:25 by Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn, a 1:50 silver scum-foil by Jerome Opeña and colored by Moreno Dinisio, and an extra, super scumtacular 1:100 gold foil edition of the same Opeña cover, but GOLD like our hero Ernie Ray’s front tooth! All this stunning scumbaggery available this October from Image Comics. 

In addition to these highly collectible and totally scummy variants, The Scumbag will feature a murderers’ row of Rick’s favorite all-star artistic talent rotating interior art duties on each issue, with Punisher superstar artist Lewis LaRosa on deck for issue #1.

The Scumbag is the story of Ernie Ray Clementine, a profane, illiterate, drug addicted, biker, with a fifth-grade education and the only thing standing between us and total Armageddon because this dummy accidentally received a power-imbuing serum making him the world’s most powerful super spy.

Ernie is a relic of a bygone era, the living embodiment of sex, drugs and rock and roll—so, this doesn’t make things easy for the spy organization that needs his help as they bribe, cajole, and manipulate Ernie to choose between his own self-interests and doing what’s right.

The Scumbag will join Remender’s growing Giant Generator Studios empire, alongside such salesbeasts as Death Or Glory with Bengal, Seven to Eternity with Jerome Opeña, Low with Greg Tocchini, Fear Agent with Jerome Opeña and Tony Moore, Tokyo Ghost with Sean Gordon Murphy, Black Science with Matteo Scalera, Strange Girl with Eric Nguyen, Deadly Class with Wes Craig, and more.

The Scumbag #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 21st.

  • The Scumbag #1 Cover A LaRosa & Dinisio – Diamond Code AUG200010
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover B Robinson – Diamond Code AUG200011
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover C Blank Sketch – Diamond Code AUG208188
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover D Lotay 1:10 incentive – Diamond Code AUG208008
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover E Paquette 1:25 incentive – Diamond Code AUG208009
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover F Opeña & Dinisio 1:50 Silver Foil incentive – Diamond Code AUG208010
  • The Scumbag #1 Cover G Opeña & Dinisio 1:100 Gold Foil incentive – Diamond Code AUG208191

Rick Remender Introduces The Scumbag this October

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New York Times bestselling writer, showrunner, and terrific disco dancer Rick Remender launches an all-new comedy espionage series The Scumbag from Image Comics, set to hit shelves this October. This new ongoing series will feature a murderers’ row of all-star artistic talent rotating each issue. The first issue showcases the stunning work of Lewis LaRosa with subsequent chapters and covers by brilliant talents such as Andrew Robinson, Eric Powell, Tula Lotay, Wes Craig, Roland Boschi, Simone Di Meo, Duncan Fegredo, Yanick Paquette, Mike McKone, Dave Johnson, and Moreno Dinisio.

The Scumbag is the story of Ernie Ray Clementine, a profane, illiterate, drug addicted, biker, with a fifth-grade education and the only thing standing between us and total Armageddon because this dummy accidentally received a power-imbuing serum making him the world’s most powerful super spy.

Ernie is a relic of a bygone era, the living embodiment of sex, drugs, and rock and roll—so, this doesn’t make things easy for the spy organization that needs his help as they bribe, cajole, and manipulate Ernie to choose between his own self-interests and doing what’s right.

The Scumbag #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 21st.

The Scumbag #1