[Press] Comics Fighting Cancer!

As some of you might know, I lost my brother Brian to cancer in 2002, so this is a cause close to my heart.  I have been asked to do a review of this when it comes out, and I will be honored to do so.

Comics Fighting Cancer is a new way to donate to fight cancer! All Profits will go towards The National Foundation for Cancer Research. What makes this project unique is the fact that our comic is completely donor funded. Every page of this comic was paid for by people wanting to create a change and find a cure for cancer. We hope you will join us in the fight against cancer.

How can you help?

You can help by buying our Comics Fighting Cancer products and spreading the word about this project. The number one thing is that we need people to get involved in this project. With more people talking about this project, we increase our chances of success.

Where can I purchase Comics Fighting Cancer products?

These products will be available in multiple retail outlets across the United States. These locations will be announced on our website. You may also purchase these products on our website and various outlets online. We will have both physical and digital copies available for sell of RIP #1.
Brief Summary Of RIP No.01

Two years ago he lost everything that he had ever loved. The vampires took her from him and he wants her back. It is their unusual appetite and uncontrollable cravings that set them apart from the ones that they hunt, but to the humans, they look somewhat normal. He knows better. With the help of high tech friend Chet and the curiously flawless and sexy Anaya, RIP will not stop until he gets his wife back, along with all of the missing. However, after RIP finds out that local doctors and scientists have become a few of the many that were taken, he begins to fear for the purity of the entire human race. With the motivation and power to kill any vampire that stands in his way, and the knowledge of exactly how to do it, RIP becomes an unstoppable force that not even the many faces of immortality can match.

More Information is available on our website

www.BlackSnakeStudios.com

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » No limits: J. Michael Straczynski on SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » No limits: J. Michael Straczynski on SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN

No limits: J. Michael Straczynski on SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN

Monday, March 8th, 2010

By Alex Segura

One of my very earliest memories as a child is of watching one of the Superman cartoons created by Max Fleischer. In particular, a scene where Superman puts his cape around Lois Lane to protect her from an incoming tide of molten metal. I imprinted on that image like a baby duck, and a lot of what I laughingly call my personality was formed in that moment (which is why a cel-recreation of that image is one of the first things you see upon entering my home, before you get to the row of wall after wall covered with artwork by Alex Ross, Curt Swan and others, as well as just about every bit of Superman memorabilia ever produced).

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As a kid growing up in the mean streets of New Jersey, Superman was an icon for me. It was a tough life: we moved about 21 times in my first 17 years, we didn’t have much money, and every day was a struggle. When I told grown-ups that I was going to be a writer someday, nobody listened, nobody thought I had a chance, because as far as teachers were concerned, kids like me who came from nowhere and nothing were dead-enders, destined to end up working at the gas station at best or in jail at worst. Writers were supposesd to be Ivory Tower guys with leather patches on the elbows of their smoking jackets, who went to the right schools and came from the right families. I lived in the world of No, a place populated by bullies and street fights and tenements, with no possibility of escape.

But Superman…see, Superman could do anything. If there was someplace he didn’t want to be, he could just fly away. And he couldn’t be hurt, which to a kid who got beat up pretty regularly in fights and elsewhere was a pretty attractive idea. Superman taught me the morals and ethics I draw up on to this day: to play fair, not to lie, and to be willing to put yourself between harm and those you care about.

If Superman could do anything, then maybe I had a chance. Maybe I could become a writer. Maybe I could even learn to fly. That symbol, the S, became a badge for me, and growing up I always made sure I had it somewhere on me, like a shaman’s charm. That may sound silly, and from a grown-up perspective it probably is silly, but as Henry Kissinger once said, it has the added benefit of being true. And it helped me get through the hard times, which is why I continue that practice to this day…right now it’s on a key-chain in my pocket.

For me, and I suspect for a lot of people, that symbol stands for the belief in our own potentiality, in what we think we can do, and try, and aspire to. I was watching the news recently, and they were showing Palistinian protests, followed by a story on the night life scene in LA, and later on, a live report from London about somethingorother…and in the background of each of those stories there was somebody wearing a Superman t-shirt or cap. It’s universal.

And there’s a reason for that, a secret no one knows, but I’ll tell you, because of how long I’ve known you, and our longstanding friendship.

And the secret is this:

The Superman symbol is Kryptonian for No Limits.

And whether or not you speak Kryptonian (or Kryptonese), you know that…you know that deep inside, where even the cynicism of the world cannot reach.

I’ve told this story before in other places, so at risk of being redundant…back a few years ago, I was at the Chicago Comic Con when a guy in his 20s grabbed a bunch of expensive stuff off a table in the dealer’s room and made a run for it. The ownere ran after him down the aisle, yelling “stop him!” As he came in my direction, everybody parted like the Red Sea.

I brought him down like a gazelle, and we held him untnil the police showed up.

Afterward, one of the con organizers said to me, “Why’d you do that? He’s a big guy, you could’ve gotten hurt.”

And I pointed to where I’d been standing when it happened: right in front of a ten-foot-tall cutout of Superman. “How could I stand in front of that, in front of him,” I said, “and do nothing?”

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As Superman has been for me, so Wonder Woman has been for a lot of women readers, so the chance to dive into that character is something I’m eagerly anticipating. This is a strong, mythic, powerful character who for some time now has been kind of drowning under the weight of her own mythos, so I’m looking forward to paring away some of the layers of debris and undergrowth that have piled up around her in order to get to the core of the character. Coming from the world of TV and film, the first rule you learn is to service the main character more than anything else, so I’ll be writing with an eye firmly fixed on that rule.

As part of that process, we’re going to be looking more closely at how Wonder Woman appears, and functions, and her role in the DCU…and what we have planned will, we hope, come across as dynamic and powerful as she deserves to be.

Similarly, we plan to bring Superman back to his roots, to really explore who he is…how he sees us, and how we see him, in a much more personal way than we’ve seen in a while. This is part of a larger effort that will have national ramifications, but I can’t say much more about it than that for now. Keep an eye on this website for more information when the time is right…but for now, let’s just say that Superman may be a lot closer in proximity to you, the reader, than you ever guessed.

To kick off both efforts by appearing in the anniversary issues of these two characters is a great opportunity, and a good jumping-on point for readers.

If there’s any other message in this to readers, it’s in these two characters as icons of hope, that it doesn’t make any difference where you come from, or where you went to school, or who you are, there’s hope. That a kid from Jersey with Superman as the icon that kept him alive for years would one day end up writing the character is as absoutely unlikely as it is utterly inevitable. And if that’s true for me, it’s true for you, if you follow your dreams and your passions in full flight.

Don’t give up.

No Limits.

It’s never too late to learn to fly.

J. Michael Straczynski

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » SOURCE SPECIAL: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS THE FLASH, PART 2

Read the rest of the interview at the link below

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » SOURCE SPECIAL: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS THE FLASH, PART 2

Friday, March 5th, 2010

By Alex Segura

Yesterday, we talked to THE FLASH writer Geoff Johns about Barry Allen, his Rogues and what it means to be a hero. But there’s more to cover, folks, so why stop there?

We’re happy to present the conclusion of our two-part chat with Geoff, where we talk about his amazing artistic collaborator Francis Manapul, what’s coming with the new series and the one page that’ll keep you guessing.

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » SOURCE SPECIAL: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS THE FLASH, PART 1

Read the rest of the article at the link below

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » SOURCE SPECIAL: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS THE FLASH, PART 1

SOURCE SPECIAL: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS THE FLASH, PART 1

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

By Alex Segura

He didn’t have to come back.

I’m not talking about Barry Allen – readers have seen his rebirth and will learn more about his role in the DCU and Central City with the launch of THE FLASH #1 in April.

No, I’m talking about superstar writer Geoff Johns, who will be pairing with superstar artist Francis Manapul to put the Flash through the ringer on a monthly basis.

But as most fans know, Geoff left his mark on the Flash character and his universe not that long ago. So what is it that brings him back to the world of the Scarlet Speedster and his dastardly Rogues gallery after such a definitive and classic run?

Well, short answer: There’s a lot of story to be told when it comes to the Flash. Especially when we’re talking about the newly returned Barry Allen: A lot of surprises, a lot of villains and a lot of high-speed, high-stakes action.

Long answer? Well, that’s something special. As most of you may have noticed, it’s been a pretty FLASH-heavy week here at The Source, but we’ve saved the best bit for last. We sat down with Geoff for a lengthy, two-part discussion about all things FLASH, where we talk Barry, the Rogues, the new series and just why the character remains as vital today as he was when he first burst out of that film reel in SHOWCASE #4.

So, sit back and enjoy part one, and swing back to The Source tomorrow morning for the conclusion.

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Get a signed copy of THE FLASH #1 via TWITTER

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Get a signed copy of THE FLASH #1 via TWITTER

Get a signed copy of THE FLASH #1 via TWITTER

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

By Alex Segura

April 14 is a big day for fans of THE FLASH. How can The Source make it bigger, though?

Well, we’re hoping you’re as excited as we are about the launch of THE FLASH #1. Surely, you’ve seen the preview of THE FLASH #1 we ran on Monday and yesterday’s sneak peek into artist Francis Manapul’s concept art for the series? If not, they’re definitely worth a look.

But here at The Source, we’re always trying to brainstorm new and cool ways to make the comic reading experience a bit more fun. So what would be cooler than buying a copy of THE FLASH #1 — from the creative minds of Geoff Johns and artist Francis Manapul? How about getting a copy of the comic signed by some of the amazing talent involved in putting the issue together?

How can you swing that? Well, it’s easy. Starting 4/7 and continuing during the week leading up to the release of THE FLASH #1, DC NATION’s Twitter account will be asking one Flash-related question a day. The first five Flash fans who correctly answer the question will be eligible to win a signed copy of one of DC’s biggest new launches of 2010. Think you’re an expert in all things Flash? Well, get ready to have your Scarlet Speedster knowledge tested, pal. Not only will I be bringing my years of Flash fandom to the task at hand, but I’ve enlisted the writer of THE FLASH himself, Mr. Geoff Johns to help me in crafting questions that will will be far from simple.

We’ll announce all the legal goodies and rules on 4/7, the day before the contest actually launches. In the meantime, you can prep for the fun by signing up for a Twitter account if you don’t have one. Once that’s done, take a moment to start following DC NATION, THE FLASH writer Geoff Johns and artist Francis Manapul.

Good luck!

[Press] DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW STAR WARS™ SERIES, KNIGHT ERRANT!

AS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC DRAWS TO A CLOSE,

WRITER JOHN JACKSON MILLER MOVES TO AN UNCHARTED CORNER OF THE GALAXY!

FEBRUARY 11, MILWAUKIE, OR—Coming off the heels of penning the breakout hit Mass Effect: Redemption and the gripping finale of Knights of the Old Republic, writer John Jackson Miller introduces us to Kerra Holt, a young Jedi who’s about to realize that her role in the galaxy is far more important, and vastly different, than she could have ever imagined.

Set one thousand years before Episode I, in a time referred to as the “Dark Age of the Republic,” this story takes place in an era when the Sith were legion and the Republic was strained to the breaking point, leaving large swaths of the galaxy with no one to turn to. This pivotal time in the history of Star Wars has been largely unexplored, until now.

Additionally, for the first time ever, the writer of this new comics series will also be authoring a novel for Del Rey Books, set in the same era and involving the same cast of characters in an all-new adventure. It’s going to be a unique event for Star Wars, and one that will give fans a whole new perspective on the galaxy.

“There’s such wonderful chaos going on in the galaxy in this period,” said writer John Jackson Miller. “More than a generation before Darth Bane introduced the Rule of Two, Sith Lords are colliding not just with the Republic, but with each other. Kerra’s going to find that good intentions just may not be enough in a galaxy gone mad! This is a wide-open area to explore, and I’m thrilled that Dark Horse and Del Rey have given me this opportunity to do so.”

“With John writing both the comics and the novel, Knight Errant will be a Star Wars story on a scale we’ve never undertaken before,” said comic-series editor Dave Marshall. “This will be a first-of-its-kind opportunity to introduce the Expanded Universe of the Dark Horse comics to the fans of the Del Rey novels and vice versa!”

With more news in the coming months, look for Star Wars: Knight Errant to arrive on shelves later this fall!

About Dark Horse

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, and Serenity. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the third-largest comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.

Star Wars and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd.

All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010 | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

This is long overdue in my opinion

Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010 | Marvel.com News | Marvel.com

Marvel: The Heroic Age
Marvel Begins Exciting New Direction in May 2010

Posted: 2010-01-27 Updated: 2010-02-02 10:57:58

Marvel Comics is proud to announce The Heroic Age, the dawn of an exciting new era of heroism in the Marvel Universe! Beginning in May 2010 with the release of AVENGERS #1, The Heroic Age ushers in a brighter Marvel Universe and a bold new era for the world’s greatest super heroes as they emerge from darkness with a renewed sense of hope and optimism, leading to the formation of all new teams with new members…and brand new characters! Titles branded with the Heroic Age banner offer a perfect jumping on point for readers new and old alike, as the top comic book creators in the world deliver a Marvel Universe like you’ve never seen before!

Over the past few years, the Marvel Universe and its citizens have found themselves living in a dark age of despair. Beginning with the disbanding of the Avengers, the heroes of the Marvel Universe have been caught in a demoralizing downward spiral that has included the genocide of the mutant population, a divisive civil war between heroes, the assassination of Captain America, a worldwide subversive alien infiltration and invasion, and the media-fueled and publicly-supported ascension of the Green Goblin’s civilian identity, Norman Osborn, to power and control of the United States. Now, the heroes have united once again, stronger than ever and are prepared to face the dangers that lie ahead.

“Our heroes have experienced some of their greatest trials and tribulations recently, but now there’s going to be a renewed hope among their ranks,” said Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer & Editor-in-Chief Marvel Entertainment LLC. “As our heroes emerge from the darkness, the Marvel Universe is going to be a more optimistic place than we’ve seen in a quite awhile. But that doesn’t mean we’re making things easy for our characters!”

From the tone of the storylines, to the stunning new artistic look, The Heroic Age ushers in a dramatic new vision of the Marvel Universe. Marvel’s most elite characters will be at the center of The Heroic Age, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and more!

David Gabriel, Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation, Marvel Entertainment LLC. added “We’ve been working out the details of THE HEROIC AGE for about a year now. The plan is to give old and new fans alike the perfect place to jump into the Marvel Universe without feeling like they’ve missed out on anything that’s come before. If there’s a Heroic Age banner on one of the books, we’re serious when we say ‘the Marvel Universe Starts Here!”

A new Age of Heroes dawns this May as THE HEROIC AGE begins and changes the face of comics as you know them! Join Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, John Romita Jr, and more of the industry’s hottest creators as they bring a bold new era for the world’s greatest super heroes, with a stunning new look for the Marvel Universe!

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Breaking: Dan DiDio and Philip Tan the new creative team on OUTSIDERS

I totally missed this news.  That will be the end of the book for me.

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Breaking: Dan DiDio and Philip Tan the new creative team on OUTSIDERS

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

By Austin

Announced today at the Long Beach Comic Con, DC’s Executive Editor Dan DiDio will be taking over the reigns of The Outsiders with star artist Philip Tan on pencils.

Here are a few words from Dan himself:

“This is an exciting time for me both personally and professionally. I have been a fan of The Outsiders since their inception and with Pete Tomasi moving on to some very exciting projects in 2010, I have been afforded the opportunity to work with some of my favorite characters. Most importantly, this also gives me the chance to work with the immensely talented Philip Tan, and together I hope we can meet and exceed all expectations for this series.”

And what does Philip Tan have to say?

“I have orders from Dan to hunt down and skewer anyone who buys comics and doesn’t pick this up in January.

Seriously though, I can’t be more excited! Batman and the Outsiders is actually the first DC book I ever bought (and got stolen)! It will be a challenge to pick it up after Peter and Fernando’s run and continue to entertain, but Dan and I are extremely confident that we will be able to create some very exciting visual stories! There are tons of ideas that we want to play with! It is not only a huge honor for me to work on Dan’s first monthly book, but I’m also insanely giddy about being able to be creatively involved on a whole new level with this project, a level that I have never experienced!”

Check out the inks for the cover below, and check back here later this month to see it in color.

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Dan DiDio Goes Monthly – Aaron’s Comic Books Blog

Well this is bad news, I really like Outsiders and I will definitively drop the book when he takes over.  I thought his Metal Men story was horrible

Dan DiDio Goes Monthly

Dan DiDio Goes Monthly
Monday October 5, 2009

Well one of the announcements from the Long Beach Comic-Con was that Dan DiDio is taking over the monthly writing chores of The Outsiders. DiDio is fresh off of his run of The Metal Men from Wednesday Comics, and a solid run at that. One might say that editor in chiefs should stick to running the business and that being a part of a comic will only take away from their duties, but I say it is refreshing to see editors like DiDio writing scripts and artists like Quesada jump into the day to day chores of creating comic books. It will surely give them perspective when dealing with creators on projects or at least remind them of their passion for the comic book world. Keeping things fresh is a big part of their job and they have both, for better or worse, tried to accomplish that. Go get em Dan.

[Press] MST3K ALUM MARY JO PEHL JOINS BLUEWATER’S CAST OF COMIC CREATORS

MST3K ALUM MARY JO PEHL JOINS BLUEWATER’S CAST OF COMIC CREATORS

For four years she was part of a cruel cabal subjecting a lone astronaut and his robot buddies to a series of tortuously bad B-movies, but now Mary Jo Pehl is sharpening her wit for a new comic book project with Bluewater Productions.

Pehl, best known as a writer and character Pearl Forrester from the cult show Mystery Science Theater 3000, is penning an original limited series comic entitled “Jailbait.”

Written as a tongue-in-cheek B-movie serial, “Jailbait” follows the adventures of an all-female undercover organization looking to hunt down predatory perverts by any means necessary and prevent children from becoming targets. It has been described as “To Catch a Predator” meets “Charlie’s Angels” meets Ed Wood’s “The Violent Years.”

“The story may be firmly rooted in satire and Mary Jo’s unique humor will be keep you laughing, but it has a serious message about keeping kids safe from predators, both online and off,” said Bluewater president and title creator Darren G. Davis.  “In each issue we will provide information on important resources parents and children need to know; phone numbers of organizations and law enforcement.”

Slated for a first-quarter 2010 release, this four-issue mini-series, pairs Pehl with artist Alejandro Figueroa (Watchmen spoof “Whatmen?”) and cover artist Azim Akberal.

“There’s a great story there to be told, and I hope to do it with honesty, accuracy and humor, and well-rounded characterizations.” Said Pehl, who is currently a writer/producer for the direct-to-DVD comedy series, Cinematic Titanic, which takes on badmovies in the same spirit as MST3K.

Pehl has also written numerous magazines and newspapers, and has appeared in several anthologies, including “Life’s A Stitch: The Best of Contemporary Women’s Humor,” and “Travelers’ Tales: The Thong Also Rises.” In addition, her commentaries have aired on NPR’s “All Things Considered” and “Weekend America.”

And yes, in case it has been nagging you for 4 years, her name was the answer to 2 across in the April 18, 2005 issue of the TV Guide crossword puzzle.

About Bluewater Productions

Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis.” Bluewater publishes comic books with legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen and have recently launched a series in partnership with sci-fi icon William Shatner.

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry’s top artists and writers.

Following its commitment to green publishing, Bluewater comic books are printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. FSC certification guarantees that the paper used in Bluewater books contains fiber from well-managed and responsibility harvested forests that meet strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.

For more information, visit www.bluewaterprod.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jason Schultz, Bluewater Productions
(360) 828-1696
jason.schultz@bluewaterprod.com

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