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The Slayer Returns With New Comics, Graphic Novels and More at the Award-Winning Publisher

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LOS ANGELES, CA (September 20, 2018) – BOOM! Studios today announced it has acquired the comic book and graphic novel publishing license to Joss Whedon’s BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, the groundbreaking pop culture phenomenon. BOOM! Studios will release new monthly comic book series, limited series, original graphic novels and more that officially expand the rich mythology created in television, novels and beyond, in partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products.

Created by visionary writer and director Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers film franchise), Buffy The Vampire Slayer premiered on the WB Network on March 10th, 1997. The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series, which ran for seven seasons from 1997-2003, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as “Buffy Summers.” Chosen to battle vampires, demons and other forces of darkness, Buffy is aided by a Watcher who guides and teaches her as she surrounds herself with a circle of friends called the “Scooby Gang.”

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to a world-class group of licensed comic book series and ambitious original series, including Joss Whedon’s Firefly, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Planet of the Apes, Abbott, Mech Cadet Yu, Grass Kings, and Klaus.

“I remember watching the premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer over twenty years ago, and the feeling of empowerment that came with seeing a girl get to kick ass and have flaws at the same time, and to not apologize for who she was. It’s an honor to oversee that world for a new generation and to bring them that same feeling of knowing your greatest power comes from being true to who you are,” said Jeanine Schaefer, Executive Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Buffy is about love at its core, love for your friends and yourself. The characters are allowed to be equal parts human and monster, and seeing them struggle to balance those parts of themselves, the same parts we all struggle with, is why it still resonates with audiences of all ages and backgrounds today.”

Discover The Journey To Find Hope in February 2019

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 21, 2018) – BOOM! Studios today announcedWAVES, a new hardcover original graphic novel on-sale in February 2019 that poignantly captures a woman’s exploration of her pain in order to rediscover hope.WAVES is a deeply moving story based on author Ingrid Chabbert’s (The Day I Became a Bird) own experiences trying to conceive, with art by Carole Maurel (Luisa: Now and Then).

After years of difficulty trying to have children, a young couple finally announces their pregnancy, only to have the most joyous day of their lives replaced with one of unexpected heartbreak. Their relationship is put to the test as they forge ahead, working together to rebuild themselves amidst the churning tumult of devastating loss, and ultimately facing the soul-crushing reality that they may never conceive a child of their own.

Making her graphic novel debut with WAVES, Ingrid Chabbert is the author of nearly sixty children’s books and continues to excite audiences of all ages worldwide. Artist Carole Maurel first worked in animation before devoting herself to comics full-time, drawing critical acclaim for her 2018 graphic novel Luisa: Now and Then.

“WAVES is a powerfully understated exploration of one couple’s heartbreaking loss of a baby and, perhaps, their dream of ever conceiving,” said Executive Editor Sierra Hahn. “Chabbert and Maurel use the very creation of this book to explore the journey of healing through self-acceptance, forgiveness, and the act of creating art that channels such pain into stories that rebuild, revive, and remember.”

WAVES is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ ambitious Archaia imprint, home to graphic novels such as Mouse Guard by David Petersen; Rust by Royden Lepp;Bolivar by Sean Rubin; Jane by Aline Brosh McKenna and Ramón Pérez; About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau; and licensed series like Jim Henson’s The Power of the Dark Crystal and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Coronation.

Print copies of WAVES will be available for sale on February 27th, 2019 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) and March 5th, 2019 at bookstores or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

I've been thinking of maybe doing a series of posts on re-imagings of old TSR settings. First up is this admittedly not fully formed idea about Ravenloft.

I think it might be cool to make Ravenloft a little more Gormenghast: the castle is bigger and more dilapidated (visual reference: the castle in The Fearless Vampire Killers) and becomes more central to shrunken Barovia, which is maybe no more than a valley. The castle and environs would be a bit like Dark Shadow's Collinsport. There would be a lot of weird doings in just the house and area. Strahd would be perhaps a bit toned down in villainy, more like early, non-protagonized Barnabas Collins. Strahd should probably have some bickering, eccentric, and likely inbred human family inhabiting the castle as well.

The outside world would exist, but necessarily be vaguely defined. Barovia would be a hard to get to place, somewhat isolated from the rest of the world. The strange doors of Castle Ravenloft would open onto other Domains of Dread, though.

The play of the Gothic horror, I feel like it would work better with a funnel type situation, where characters of humble backgrounds either work at the castle and discover it's horrors or are visitors to Barovia.

This 2015 post was a follow-up to my recently ressurrected post about Zonal Anomalies.


Aberrations (not to be confused with the D&D monster type) are a type of hazard encountered in zones. The resemble mobile anomalies in some ways, but they exhibit wider patterns of behavior, resembling (at least in limited observation) living things. They are abiologic, however; their tissues (if they have them at all) appear undifferentiated to close inspection, or they may have simulacra of organs that are clear nonfunctional. They do not appear to eat, grow, or reproduce, though they sometimes mimic behaviors associated with these activities. They can not be destroyed or driven off by "wounding" them (in most cases, it's unclear if they can be wounded) but must be completely destroyed.

Aberrations have a substance (similar to the manifestations of anomalies), a behavior pattern, and effects/abilities. A lot of D&D monsters would make good inspiration for aberrations. So are some paranormal or folkloric entities but keep in mind in their game usage they are more like obstacles or traps than monsters to be fought. Slimes and oozes are good models. You could destroy them, but it's generally more fruitful to just avoid them.

Unlike most anomalies, aberrations can spot/notice things approaching them as well as being noticed themselves--though the sensory modality by which they do this isn't clear. They are not usually as tied to as specific an area as anomalies, but most will have a specific territory, in the way an animal might.

Substance
1  Apparition
2  Construct
3  Crystalline/Mineral
4  Flesh
5  Fluid
6  Gas
7  Growth
8  Light
9  Ooze/Slime/Gelatinous
10 Shadow

Behavior
1  Ambusher. Lies in wait, sometimes in a dormant or indolent state, until approached.
2  Builder. Involved in some sort of construction project like a nest or nonrepresentational sculpture.3  Chaser. After detecting target, follows targets at a high rate of speed.4  Collector. Forages for particular objects or objects with particular characteristics.5  Follower. Loosely joins with the target, following at a respectful distance without overt hostility.
6  Guard. Only active in a certain area. Patrols and menaces those who enter.7  Harbinger. Appearance precedes some other event.8  Lurker. Follows targets, but furtively, as if shy.9  Mimic. Seems to repeat the actions or behaviors of a target.10 Ritualist. Performs certain fairly complicated but perhaps mundane actions over and over.11 Swarm. Smaller entities surround targets.12 Snooper. Curious, possibly annoyingly and intrusively so, but not threatening.13 Stalker. After detecting target, hunts it over distances.14 Watcher. Stays in plan view, but at some remove as if only there to observe. No direct interaction.
Effects: Use the table for Zonal Anomalies--or borrow from a monster.


Examples:
chasing shadow: Too thick and deep black to be natural, the chasing shadow is nevertheless able to lurk unseen in normal darkness. It slides out of hiding when a living thing draws near, and if not stopped, attaches itself to them at their feet like a normal shadow--though does not also flow out in the same direction as the natural one. It slowly begins to crawl up the victims body and if not stopped, will cover a person complete in darkness in 20-30 hours. Over the next 30-45 minutes it will contort and collapse their body until only the flat shadow remains. What happens to the victim is unknown. If caught early, the shadow can be removed but only if the victim is surrounded by bright light and a small laser (like a laser pointer, for example) is used carefully "cut" away from the chasing shadow.

grim: Something like the featureless, white quadrupedal shape, surrounded by blotchy redness, like the silhouette of a large dog outlined in red spray paint. Grims simply appear on high ground, never approaching, and retreating if they are approached. They usual appear after someone has been seriously wounded, and Zone hunters fear them as a harbinger of death.

memory flashes: Groups of will-o'-the-wisp-like flashes of light with colorful after-images. They move quickly to swarm around a person, typically for no more than a minute. After the flashes pass, a person so caught will have one or more new memories of things that happened to someone else instead of them. They will also likely notice at some point that one or more of their own memories are missing--always small, discrete things, but perhaps important (like a telephone number of the location of something).

Atomahawk by Donny Cates (script) and Ian Bederman (art) was first serialized in Heavy Metal, but has been collected by Image into a volume numbered "0" for some reason. Atomahawk is a very metal story, in fact it is more metal than story. This panel is representative:


I kind of goes on like that. I lot of threats with the evocation of Masters of the Universe or Kirby Cosmicism as interpreted in an Iron Maiden concept album. It tells the story (or part of the story) of a warrior of flesh and blood (perhaps a Neanderthal, but the story is set "millions of years ago") resurrected in a robotic body by a futuristic god. Now known as Cyberzerker, he wields the intelligent axe known as Atomahawk, powered by crystals left over from the war of the gods.

Cyberzerker goes through the story slicing away and robots and people who get in his way in an over-the-top way until the ride ends, with teh story unfinished. Hopefully, there will a a 1 to follow the 0.

Title: Compu-M.E.C.H. # 5
Publisher: Monolith Comics
Writer/Artist/Letters/Colors: Theodore Raymond Riddle
Cover: Eli Jansen
Editor Monolith Comics: Richard Vasseur
Assistant Editor: Melissa Riddle
Price: $ 7.99 US
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Website: www.monolithcomics.com
Comments: “War Against Illegal Arms!” The colors are eye-popping here. They really do jump out at you. The coloring on Lesa Mace’s hair is stunning.
Tommy is in a situation that affects not just him but others. Others threaten those close to him and with Dr. Green’s support he acts.
M.E.C.H. is drawn in some hard-hitting action as he takes on the military. M.E.C.H. comes into this battle knowing what to do and how to win. It is great to see him so prepared.
A doctor works hard to cure his son and you get a sense of the love he has for him. Here we see the creation of a new villain the Death Shroud. He has a maniacal presence. When M.E.C.H. engages him it is different and more difficult fighting a man with superpowers. This battle ends differently than you would expect. Death Shroud is a villain that you will want to see again.
As M.E.C.H. teleports something different happens and he finds himself back in prehistory time. The animals are large and rough looking. M.E.C.H. is looking rough in how he is drawn as well. The Wooly Mammoths now these are so well drawn you need to see these. The story throws in an interesting twist just for fun.
Tommy and his using the M.E.C.H. unit are all about helping others. As you read about M.E.C.H. you will find your respect for this hero growing. He is all about caring about and helping others.

All-new stories from all three Star Wars trilogies, starting in December!

 

teaser art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Elia Bonetti

 

For more information, be sure to check out the Disney-Lucasfilm Publishing panel at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 5th at 3pm E.T. in Room 1A10!

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 17, 2018) –  BOOM! Studios today announced KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN #1, the next chapter in the Eisner Award-nominated bold reimagining of the Santa Claus mythology for modern audiences from visionary writer Grant Morrison (Green Lantern, All Star Superman) and superstar artist Dan Mora (Power Rangers: Shattered Grid), debuting in December 2018.

Santa Claus is  a myth. He’s a legend. He’s loved worldwide by children and adults alike . . . but does anyone truly know his origin and greatest adventures? Launching in 2015, Klaus has revealed this hidden history, from a dark fantastic past of myth and magic, to modern stories of holiday cheer and terror.

KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN #1 continues the annual holiday tradition of new Klaus comic book releases, dating back to the franchise launch. Now, Klaus must help an absentee dad-turned-snowman make amends before melting away for good. And probably before he’s defeated by a pantheon of Norse Gods and their minions.

All in a day’s work for Santa Claus, right?

“’It’s beginning to look a lot like doomsday… in the 2018 Klaus Christmas special!” said writer Grant Morrison. “Working with Dan Mora and BOOM! Studios on these annual adventures of everyone’s favorite sword-slinging immortal gift-giver is more fun than a flying sleigh ride through the Aurora Borealis! Dan has rapidly established himself as one of my all-time favorite collaborators and this year he excels himself yet again as Klaus and his allies face the apocalyptic return of the beings who destroyed the Norse Gods! Can Klaus, his white wolf Lilli, and superhuman comrades including the Romanian Communist Santa Claus Mos Gerila, prevent the end of days and the ultimate destruction of Christmas as a concept? What do you think?”

“It’s that time of the year, another Klaus Christmas Special that will allow you to experience the Santa Claus story in different and mysterious ways,” said artist Dan Mora. “This is the fourth year we’ve been working on the series, and returning each year to work with Grant and the team is an honor and a pleasure. Grant has created another crazy, amazing story this year for the demigod Klaus and his wolf sidekick, and it’s a rewarding, never-ending challenge to try and keep up with Grant’s imagination as I visually bring this world to life!”

KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN #1 features a main cover and a variant cover both illustrated by Mora.

“It wouldn’t be the holidays without some snow, good cheer…and a brand-new Klaus story that will blow you away,” said Eric Harburn, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios. “This year, Grant and Dan pull out all the stops with a sci-fi/fantasy adventure that takes Klaus from Ragnarok all the way to the outer rings of Saturn, facing his biggest threat yet.”

KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to a world-class group of licensed comic book series and ambitious original series, including Joss Whedon’s Firefly, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, WWE, Planet of the Apes, Abbott, Mech Cadet Yu, Grass Kings, and Bone Parish.

Print copies of KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN #1 will be available for sale in December 2018 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

Additionally, KLAUS: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS, an all new hardcover collection of the titular hero’s acclaimed holiday specials, will be available for sale in comic shops on September 26th and in bookstores on October 2nd. KLAUS: HOW SANTA CLAUS BEGAN, the hardcover collection of the original award-winning series, is currently available everywhere books are sold.

For continuing news on KLAUS AND THE CRYING SNOWMAN and more from BOOM! Studios,  stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

 

Graham McTavish, Richard Rankin, Sophie Skelton and Author Diana Gabaldon To Headline Ninth Wizard World New Orleans At Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

 

NEW ORLEANS, September 18, 2018 – Fans won’t have to travel back to the 18th century to see the stars of the popular drama series “Outlander”—just to the Big Easy—as Wizard World kicks off its 2019 schedule with a gathering of Richard Rankin (“Roger Wakefield”), Sophie Skelton(“Brianna Randall Fraser”) and Graham McTavish  (“Dougal MacKenzie”), as well as the best-selling author Diana Gabaldon at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. They are the first celebrities announced as Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) opens its 2019 calendar with its ninth trip to New Orleans for the comic convention and pop culture extravaganza, January 4-6. The four will appear on Saturday and Sunday, January 5-6, when they will greet fans, sign autographs, pose for group and solo photo ops and conduct Q&A panels discussing the hit show and their respective careers. VIP Packages and general admission tickets are available now at http://wizd.me/NewOrleansPRAdmission. They were huge hits in their first appearance together at Wizard World Chicago in August. McTavish began his acting career performing Shakespeare on stage in several amateur and professional productions. He made his screen debut as an extra in Tobe Hooper’s sci-fi horror film Lifeforce (1986) and celebrated his screen credit in an episode of the British television show “Return to Treasure Island.” McTavish played the character Warden Ackerman in five episodes of Season 8 of “Red Dwarf” and has also had many supporting roles in British dramas and films such as Casualty, Jekyll, The Bill, Taggart and Sisterhood. After beginning his career by starring alongside Robert Florence in “VideoGaiden,” Rankin made appearances on episodic Scottish television programs “Legit” and “The Old Guys” for the BBC and “Taggart” for STV. He later joined the casts of the BBC One crime drama series “Silent Witness” and the anthology drama “The Syndicate,” plus the film Burnt opposite Bradley Cooper before landing the Outlander role. The Cheshire, England-born Skelton gained her first professional role in 2012 in the British crime drama “DCI Banks.” She then guest starred in children’s dramas “The Dumping Ground” and “Waterloo Road” before being cast in the feature film The War I Knew. After several notable TV roles and the lead in the fantasy-horror film Blackbird, Skelton joined the “Outlander” cast as “Brianna Randall Fraser.” Gabaldon is the author of the award-winning, #1 NYT-bestselling Outlander novels, described by Salon magazine as “the smartest historical sci-fi adventure-romance story ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting “Scrooge McDuck” comics.” A scientist with a Ph.D. in Quantitative Behavioral Ecology and a specialty in scientific computation, Gabaldon jumped the academic rails in 1991, when the adventure began with the classic Outlander, and has continued through seven more New York Times-bestselling novels, with twenty-eight million copies in print worldwide, in 43 countries and 39 languages. Additional celebrities to attend Wizard World New Orleans will be announced closer to the event. Wizard World New Orleans will also feature non-stop live entertainment, gaming, exclusive Q&A sessions with top celebrities, movie screenings hosted by stars and directors and more. Details to follow soon. Wizard World events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The first event scheduled on the 2019 Wizard World calendar, New Orleans show hours are Friday, January 4, 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, January 5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, January 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult. Wizard World New Orleans is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday evening. For more on the 2019 Wizard World New Orleans, visit http://wizd.me/NewOrleansPR

Premiering today on Good Morning America, we had our first look at “Captain Marvel” starring Brie Larson. Captain Marvel will be flying into theaters March 8, 2019.

Official Synopsis:

Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.

The New Headquarters of the Fantastic Four
Featuring a new cover from Valerio Schiti!

New York, NY—September 17, 2018—The First Family has returned to the pages of Marvel Comics, with critics raving that FANTASTIC FOUR is “once again the world’s greatest comic magazine!” (Comicbook.com).

Today, Marvel is excited to debut an all-new variant cover by superstar artist Valerio Schiti (Tony Stark: Iron Man), featuring the debut of the new headquarters of Johnny, Ben, Sue and Reed!

Don’t miss your chance to dive into August’s best-selling comic, and the story that Monkeys Fighting Robots calls “what’s been missing in super hero comic books” – check out issues #1 and #2 of FANTASTIC FOUR, on sale now, and look for FANTASTIC FOUR #4 in your local comic shops November 28th!

FANTASTIC FOUR #4
Written by DAN SLOTT
Art by STEFANO CASELLI
Covers by ESAD RIBIC
On Sale 11/28/18

PORTLAND, OR, 09/17/2018 — Andy Diggle (THIEF OF THIEVES, Losers) and Alessandro Vitti (Secret Warriors) team up to bring Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri’s sci-fi/action series HARDCORE to life—coming this December from Image/Skybound. The series will feature cover art by award-winning artist Dan Panosian (SLOTS, Conan/Red Sonja).

“Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri’s action-packed concept immediately appealed to me,” said Diggle. “It’s been a pleasure to write and expand upon this idea, and I can’t wait for comic book readers to see where HARDCORE goes.”

Imagine being able to take over the body of anyone on Earth in order to track down a rogue nuke or assassinate a dictator. Sound crazy? Not for Agent Drake and the Hardcore Program. They can turn anyone—your neighbor, your co-worker, your spouse—into a human drone to get to targets that normal soldiers can’t.

Drake is the best soldier Hardcore has to offer. But when the Program itself gets hijacked, he finds himself stranded in a body—with only 72 hours to neutralize the threat. But who can he trust when his enemy can change their appearance as easily as the rest of us changes a shirt?

“I’m very happy and honored to have worked on HARDCORE,” added Vitti. “Seeing my name next to Andy Diggle for this project is fantastic. I’m thankful to Jon Moisan and his colleagues at Skybound, and Image, for giving me this opportunity. I can’t wait to share this project with readers!”

HARDCORE #1 (Diamond code: OCT180031) hits stores on Wednesday, December 19th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, November 26th.

PORTLAND, OR, 09/17/2018 — Writer Dan Wickline (30 Days of Night, SHADOWHAWK) and artist Phillip Sevy (Tomb Raider, THE TITHE) team up for THE FREEZE, an all-new science fiction series coming this December from Image/Top Cow.

The entire human population is frozen by a mysterious global event…all except Ray, and only he has the power to unfreeze them. Now—with the fate of the world in his hands—he must figure out what is going on, how to set things right again, and answer the question: does everyone deserve to be saved?

“THE FREEZE is a post-apocalyptic survival story where the biggest danger is man’s true nature,” said Wickline. “We strip the world down to one decent person and then give him the power to rebuild society from scratch, not knowing if those he awakens will benefit the new world or indulge their darkest inclinations. It’s an intriguing concept to explore as a writer, and Phillip is just hitting it out of the park with his art.”

“Great sci-fi is about taking a cool concept and using it as a vehicle to examine the choices,
attitudes, thoughts, and prejudices we, as people, have,” added Sevy. “The premise and its execution in THE FREEZE is what drew me to the project and keeps me fueled as I work on it. I can’t wait for people to read it—Dan’s written a great book!”

THE FREEZE #1 (Diamond code: OCT180028) hits stores on Wednesday, December 5th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, November 12th.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – September 17, 2018 – AHOY Comics — the startup publisher that has been asking readers to “expect more” from its comic book magazine format — is making its first ever appearance at Baltimore Comic-Con to promote the upcoming anthology series Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror and its new publishing initiative that features traditional, full-length comic book stories accompanied by extra material, including prose fiction, poetry, cartoon gags, and traditional comic book back-up stories. The startup company is the brainchild of Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio; two original editors of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, Tom Peyer and Stuart Moore; and Chief Creative Officer Frank Cammuso. The company is publishing two titles this month, The Wrong Earth and High Heaven, followed by Captain Ginger and Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror in October. Baltimore Comic-Con will be the new company’s first ever convention appearance.

“Baltimore Comic-Con is one of the best comic book conventions in the country,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer, the writer of The Wrong Earth and High Heaven, and who also contributes a story to the highly anticipated Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror anthology. “It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate place for AHOY Comics to make its first ever ever convention appearance and introduce readers to our unusual tribute to Baltimore’s literary icon. But, first, a word of caution. This series is a cross between Drunk History and Tales from the Crypt! If you’re a member of the literati, you might need an extra glass of sherry before you feast your eyes on the iconic Poe covers by MAD Magazine cartoonist Richard Williams, nevermind Hunt Emerson’s irreverent take on The Black Cat.” Peyer will be joined at the convention by AHOY Comics “Dark Ops” Manager and Captain Ginger co-creator Stuart Moore, artist Jamal Igle of The Wrong Earth, and June Brigman and Roy Richardson, the artists of Captain Ginger, the upcoming space odyssey in which the human race has died out and cats have inherited the Earth (or, well, at least one starship). “One of our goals is to bring a sense of humor to the comics,” said Stuart Moore. “Tom Peyer is writing THE WRONG EARTH, which parodies superhero tropes, and HIGH HEAVEN, in which a chronic malcontent dies and goes to Heaven. The series I’m writing is a space opera with cats! And don’t even get me started on our reinvention of Poe. I don’t think we are going to get any speaking requests from the Poe Museum.” Fans who want to meet the AHOY Comics founders “in the inevitably disappointing flesh” can attend their panel and visit the AHOY Comics booth (#2017): Friday, September 28th to Sunday September 30th. Panel: Saturday 4-5PM ET AHOY Comics launches in Sept/Oct with an impressive list of creators, a sharp sense of humor, and some unexpected extras: prose fiction, poetry and satire! Now meet the AHOY crew in the *shudder* flesh! Writer/editors Tom Peyer and Stuart Moore join artists Jamal Igle, June Brigman, and Roy Richardson, plus designer/letterer Todd Klein and cartoonist Frank Cammuso. Preview the twisted afterlife of High Heaven, the space-cats of Captain Ginger, the jumbled heroes of The Wrong Earth, and Baltimore’s own Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror! “Some people think that Edgar Allan Poe once said, ‘The best things in life make you sweaty’ but he never said that,” said AHOY Comics Publisher Hart Seely. “What he said was, “I hope that someday my writing will be parodied by a comic book magazine publisher.” For more updates on AHOY Comics on Twitter and Facebook. For additional information and interview requests, contact: David Hyde Superfan Promotions LLC 917-803-6684; david.hyde@superfanpromotions.com TICKETS General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale, as are Fan Packages and tickets to the comic book industry’s Ringo Awards! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult admission!

Valiant is proud to announce that longtime actor, screenwriter, and Eisner Award-nominated comics scribe Kevin Grevioux (Underworld, Odyssey of the Amazons) has joined the BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT creative team of rising stars Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson (Cable) and legendary artist Ken Lashley (Black Panther). Grevioux comes on board to script and co-write the series, which hits comic shops everywhere on November 14th.

“This is one of Valiant’s quintessential characters, flagship-type characters that really carries the essence of the franchise,” Writer Kevin Grevioux said. “We hope to bring truly what fans are used to. A lot of bold, exciting action with a twist of fun. That’s always a great combination.”

Grevioux reunites with Lashley and editor Karl Bollers on the project, all of whom have worked on various projects together for over a dozen years throughout their careers in the comic book industry, including Marvel’s What If? and Underworld: Blood Wars.

“Very few times in your career do you get a chance to work with a creative team that gets what your strengths are. That’s what this is about. I know that my strength is energy and power and this kind of stuff,” Artist Ken Lashley also told Comicbook.com. “Every artist, what we really want to do is we want to draw exciting things. That’s what this is about.'”

“This is our opportunity to tell the definitive Bloodshot origin, which we’ve hinted at,” Editor Karl Bollers added. “I think that that’s really going to excite people who may not be that familiar with the character.”

In the early days of the private military contractor Project Rising Spirit, the nanite-infused super-soldier who would one day become their most violent and valuable asset was a resource to be mined – and it was up to an enterprising team of scientists to ensure he did what he was told. But a memory is a tricky thing…and the man Bloodshot used to be won’t let go of his past so easily…

On November 14th, celebrated writer Kevin Grevioux (New Warriors) teams up with the incomparable writing duo of Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson (The Dregs) and comics legend Ken Lashley (X-Men) for an unforgettable journey into the mind of Valiant’s most unrelenting hero in BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – featuring covers by Felipe Massafera (Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors), David Mack (Kabuki), and Staz Johnson (Robin)!

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 will also launch Valiant’s Glass Series, a cutting-edge concept in which strictly limited runs of upcoming first issue variant covers will be printed via a special multi-colored process on a carefully devised pane of glass, each featuring artwork by superstar creator Doug Braithwaite (Justice, SHADOWMAN)!

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1

Story by LONNIE NADLER & ZAC THOMPSON
Written by KEVIN GREVIOUX
Art by KEN LASHLEY
Colors by DIEGO RODRIGUEZ
Cover A by FELIPE MASSAFERA
Cover B by DAVID MACK
Variant Cover by STAZ JOHNSON
Glass Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Blank Cover Also Available
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale NOVEMBER 14th (FOC – 10/22/18)

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1
Story by LONNIE NADLER & ZAC THOMPSON
Written by KEVIN GREVIOUX
Art by KEN LASHLEY
Covers by KEN LASHLEY
$3.99 Each (8 issues) | 32 pgs. | T+ | Issue #1 On Sale NOVEMBER 14th

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Cover A by Felipe Massafera

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Cover B by David Mack

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Interior Art by Ken Lashley with Diego Rodriguez

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Interior Art by Ken Lashley with Diego Rodriguez

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Interior Art by Ken Lashley with Diego Rodriguez

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Interior Art by Ken Lashley with Diego Rodriguez

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Interior Art by Ken Lashley with Diego Rodriguez

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Variant Cover by Staz Johnson

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Glass Cover Variant by Doug Braithwaite

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 – Pre-Order Edition by Ken Lashley

BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1-8 PRE-ORDER EDITION COUPON

a Hardcover Graphic Novel Releasing October 2018

–“Brawny-not-brainy private investigator, Frank N. Stein, uncovers the dirty little secrets of Monstertown, one classic short story at a time.”–

 

Los Angeles, CA (September 17th, 2018) – Frank N. Stein: Private Eye is an all-new, 64 page hardcover graphic novel scheduled to drop on Halloween (October 31st), 2018, courtesy of Darby Pop Publishing. This collection of short stories filled with horror and humor was written by Keith Champagne (Superman, JSA, Green Lantern), with interior and cover art by Dev Madan (Batman & Robin Adventures, Plastic Man, Zombie Camp).

 

Logline: In the city of Monstertown, private dick Frank N. Stein takes the cases no one else will while nursing both a broken heart and a tepid milkshake.

 

Series Synopsis: Frank N. Stein has the face of a monster, the brain of a stranger, and the soul of a poet. Currently, Frank ekes out a living as a private detective on the hardscrabble streets of Monstertown – a nexus where all the fictional characters in the world co-exist. Whether you’re a fairy tale princess, a superhero, or a mythical beast, everyone has a secret. And for a few dollars and a milkshake, Frank N. Stein just might be willing to uncover yours.

 

“Frank N. Stein: Private Eye is a comic fan’s dream as it drops one of the world’s most famous anti-heroes into various genres – noir, fairy tale, superhero, high school, and classic cartoon,” explained Jeff Kline, founder of Darby Pop Publishing. “And its creation was a true labor of love for Keith and Dev; this is the “alien baby” the two of them had been hoping to give birth to for years.”

 

The Frank N. Stein: Private Eye hardcover hits comic book stores, bookstores, and select online retailers on October 31st, 2018 and will be available for the suggested list price of $19.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond Code {AUG18 1807}.

 

For a listing of Frank N. Stein: Private Eye, visit

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/AUG181807

written by Aaron Dembski-Bowden!

Based on the popular Warhammer franchise, the Deathwatch stands guard as the last line of defense at the edge of the universe, defending Mankind from inhuman horrors!

The Deathwatch is made up of the best of all Space Marines, recruited from across all Chapters to serve as the last resort against the multiple hostile alien civilizations threatening humanity. To be chosen to serve in the Deathwatch is a great honor granted only to the most elite and experienced veterans, but the specifics of their sacred duty must remain secret!

Stranded and alone at the edge of the Calaphrax Cluster, one Deathwatch kill-team must hold the line against the xenos hordes that threaten to destroy humanity. Assailed on all sides, they alone have the strength of mind and body to act as humanity’s first, and only, line of defense!

Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch available in comic shops and bookstores – December 2018 Pre-order now: https://amzn.to/2OxlP8c

Valiant is proud to announce that it will be supporting Local Comic Shop Day® 2018 on November 17th, 2018 with a specially-numbered, limited-edition release of the X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT DELUXE EDITION BOOK 1 HC, available only at participating retailers!

New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (DIVINITY, Mind MGMT) is joined by an all-star cast of artists, including Tomás Giorello (BLOODSHOT REBORN), Doug Braithwaite (ARMOR HUNTERS), Clayton Crain (RAI), Ryan Bodenheim (The Dying & The Dead), and more for an oversized deluxe edition hardcover collection presenting the full first year of Valiant’s sold-out 2017 series, in complete chronological order for the very first time! This limited edition hardcover collects X-O MANOWAR (2017) issues #1-14, along with material from the Valiant Free Comic Book Day 2017 issue, “The Future” prelude short story from X-O MANOWAR #50, and more than 20 pages of rarely seen art and extras!

Limited to only 1,000 signed and numbered copies, the Local Comic Shop Day® 2018 edition will not be available for sale anywhere else, and features a unique cover treatment comprised of a die-cut dustjacket and gorgeously rendered virgin cover artwork by Lewis LaRosa (BLOODSHOT SALVATION)! Each hardcover retails for $49.99 and comes with a bound-in page signed by Matt Kindt, illustrated with a black-and-white print by Tomás Giorello!

Attention, retailers: Participating Local Comic Shop Day® 2018 stores can reserve their orders of the X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT DELUXE EDITION BOOK 1 HC LCSD EXCLUSIVE with the Diamond item code AUG188048.

Discover why fans and critics hail Matt Kindt’s X-O MANOWAR as an unstoppable conquering hero, whose epic adventure breaks new ground in the world of superhero science fiction.

Deep within the far reaches of space, the dogs of war have found Aric of Dacia. Conscripted into an alien army and forced into combat, Aric must enter an alien battlefield unlike any he’s faced before. His only hope for survival is also the source of his greatest rage – the living suit of armor known as X-O Manowar. With it, he will decimate armies, topple empires, and incite interplanetary warfare as he rises from soldier…to general…to emperor! They wanted a weapon. He will give them war!

About Local Comic Shop Day® 2018

Local Comic Shop Day® is a four-year old event conceived and implemented by ComicsPRO comic book specialty retailers to call attention to locally owned independent comic book specialty stores, celebrating their vital role in being the primary fire-starters of pop culture

This year, Local Comic Shop Day®  is on November 17, 2018. Please stop by a participating local comic shop to join in the celebration. Publishers are supporting local comic shops by offering UNIQUE and LIMITED items.

About Valiant Entertainment

Valiant Entertainment, a subsidiary of DMG Entertainment, is a leading character-based entertainment company that owns and controls the largest independent superhero universe in comics. With more than 80 million issues sold and a library of over 2,000 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong, and many more, Valiant is one of the most successful publishers in the history of the comic book medium. Valiant consistently produces some of the most critically acclaimed comics in the industry and has received numerous industry awards and accolades, including a Diamond Gem Award for Comic Book Publisher of the Year.  For more information, visit Valiant on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and ValiantEntertainment.com. For Valiant merchandise and more, visit ValiantStore.com.

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT DELUXE EDITION BOOK 1 HC – Cover by Lewis LaRosa

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

X-O MANOWAR by MATT KINDT – Interior Art by Tomás Giorello with Diego Rodriguez

PWG BOLA 2018 Quarterfinals

• Trevor Lee defeats Brody King
• Jeff Cobb defeats Rey Horus
• Shingo Takagi defeats Robbie Eagles
• Joey Janela defeats CIMA
• WALTER defeats Jonah Rock
• Bandido defeats Flamita
• PWG  Tag Team Champions The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) defeat The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix)

PWG BOLA 2018 Semi-finals

• Jeff Cobb defeats Trevor Lee
• Bandido defeats Joey Janela
• Shingo Takagi defeats WALTER
• In a non-tournament tag team match, Dan Barry, Darby Allin, Jody Fleisch, PCO & Puma King defeat Adam Brooks, David Starr, DJ Z, T-Hawk & Timothy Thatcher

PWG BOLA 2018 Finals

• Jeff Cobb defeats Bandido and Shingo Takagi to win the BOLA tournament in a three-way elimination match.

A publisher known for resurrecting characters that deserve new stories, Pro Se Productions announces that it has licensed three comic characters, two from the 1940s and one from the 1950s, from Ronald Frantz.  Author of FANDOM: CONFIDENTIAL, Frantz is also the Founder and Publisher of ACE Comics and the rights holder to the original Skyman and The Face, both characters originally published by Columbia Comics, and Nature Boy, originally published by Charlton Comics in 1956-57.  Pro Se will publish prose anthologies, digest novels, and full length novels that feature the three characters individually, with at least one of the characters interacting in a shared universe setting.

“After working with the greats of the comics industry,” says Frantz, “such as Ditko, Boyette, Toth, Gill, Defuccio, and more, I’m happy to see The Original Skyman, The Face, and Nature Boy in the care of Tommy Hancock and Pro Se Press.”
All three characters will be presented in their original context, time periods, and characterizations.  This means that the adventures of each will take place either during the period in which they were originally published or immediately after their publishing dates, as if the stories simply continued.

“It’s one of the best things,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions, “about being a part of Pro Se.  We have worked hard to build a reputation as a good keeper of legacies already established by characters of the past.  All three of these heroes have so many more stories that are possible and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tickled to death that we are going to get to tell them.  The Face is one of my personal favorites from the Golden Age of Comics and being able to add my name to his history in some way is a personal win.  The original Skyman has so many fans that we hope will follow him into prose, and then to have a character as cool as Nature Boy with so much left to explore, it’s all just exciting.  Both as a fan and as a Publisher, I am more than honored to be given the chance by Ron to carry these characters into a new medium and into the future.”

The Face will be introduced in an anthology that is a part of Pro Se’s PULP OBSCURA imprint.  Although he will appear in solo stories at least in the first collection, The Face will be inserted into a world where public domain characters and licensed characters from various mediums co exist, so guest stars from Pulp magazines, old time radio, and more may cross paths with Tony Trent and his horrific, heroic alter ego.

Nature Boy and the original Skyman will appear within the next year in their own individual books and one or both may also be included as a part of PULP OBSCURA.

Frantz says, “I am pleased to entrust the creative fate of The Original Skyman, The Face, and Nature Boy to Tommy Hancock. I’ve seen his publications and I’m glad to be associated with Pro Se Press.”

Submission Calls will be posted for all three characters in the coming days.