Odd is on Our Side for Halloween

I read Odd Is on Our Side

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

Image Comics at New York Comic-Con the Programme

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

Image Comics heads east for New York Comic-Con, October 8-10, 2010

Image Comics is taking the show on the road this weekend, making its way across the country for New York Comic-Con 2010! Come by booth 1647 to pick up your favorite Image trades and exclusive merchandise for THE WALKING DEAD!

Visit Image Comics at booth 1647 to see your favorite Image creators! ROBERT KIRKMAN (Invincible, The Walking Dead, Haunt) and TODD McFARLANE (Spawn, Haunt) head up an all-star lineup that also includes ERIK LARSEN (Savage Dragon), DAVID HINE (The Bulletproof Coffin), JIM ZUBKAVICH (Skullkickers), ANDY KUHN and PHIL HESTER (Firebreather), BRYAN JL GLASS (The Mice Templar), TOMM COKER (Undying Love), and DAVE ELLIOTT (Benaroya Publishing)!

Line up to get autographs from KIRKMAN, McFARLANE, GREG CAPULLO (Spawn, Haunt), BEN McCOOL and BEN TEMPLESMITH (Choker), NICK SPENCER (Morning Glories), TIM SEELEY (Hack/Slash), MACON BLAIR and JOE FLOOD (Hellcity), RUFUS DAYGLO (Tank Girl), KIERON GILLEN and JAMIE McKELVIE (Phonogram), the creative team behind DAOMU, JOSH WAGNER and CAMILLA D'ERRICO (Sky Pirates of Neo Terra), JOE CASEY (Godland, Officer Downe), JOE KELLY (I Kill Giants), DUNCAN ROULEAU (The Great Unknown), STEVEN T. SEAGLE (The Crusades), and more!

Other Image creators attending NYCC include JIM VALENTINO (ShadowHawk), RON MARZ (Firebreather vs. Dragon Prince), RYAN BODENHEIM (Red Mass for Mars), AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI (The Pro), WHILCE PORTACIO (Darkness), CHRIS GIARRUSSO (G-Man), RICK REMENDER (Sea of Red), IVAN BRANDON (Viking), GREG HORN (The Art of Greg Horn), JOSH HOWARD (Dead@17), DAVID MACK (Kabuki), JIM MAHFOOD (Stupid Comics), Michael Broussard (Artifacts, The Darkness), and Nelson Blake II (Magdalena)!

PANELS

Friday
4:30-5:30pm, Room 1A14
Image Comics: The Writers

Some of Image Comics' favorite writers get together to describe the writing process for their books, from inception to publication. Join juggernauts Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Nick Spencer (Morning Glories), Ron Marz (Firebreather vs. Dragon Prince), and Steven T. Seagle (The Crusades) for a discussion about writing, followed by Q&A.

Saturday
12:15-1:15pm, Room 1A22
The Image Comics Show

Join Image Comics for exclusive announcements about upcoming projects, updates about ongoing projects, and a Q&A session with some of Image's best creators. Don't miss your chance to find out about what we're up to before anyone else does, get exclusive give-aways, and ask questions of your favorite creators! Panelists include Ron Marz (Firebreather vs. Dragon Prince), Nick Spencer (Morning Glories), Tomm Coker (Undying Love), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Ben McCool (Choker), and James Zhang (Daomu).

Sunday
12:00-1:00pm, Room 1A24
Creating Comics the Image Comics Way

How do Image Creators make the best books in the business? Join us for a roundtable discussion of creator-owned comics, with an insider's perspective on how ownership makes the creative process more fulfilling. Jim Valentino (ShadowHawk), Greg Capullo (Haunt), Marc Guggenheim (Halcyon), Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), Joe Casey (Officer Downe), and Ben Templesmith (Choker) share their thoughts on publishing with Image Comics.

AUTOGRAPHS

Friday
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo (Spawn)*
3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead)*
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Ben McCool & Ben Templesmith (Choker)
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash)

Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Macon Blair and Joe Flood (Hellcity)
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead)*
1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl)
2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie (Phonogram)
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Greg Capullo
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead)*
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Daomu

Sunday
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Josh Wagner & Camilla D'Errico (Sky Pirates of Neo Terra)
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead)*
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Greg Capullo
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau, & Steven T. Seagle
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl)
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nick Spencer (Morning Glories)

*Ticketed signings: Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at the beginning of each day.

Eva Ink Gang at New York ComicCon

NYCC is Back! Golden, Texeira and Scott Headline for Eva Ink Artist Group

Lead up to show with ongoing Illustration House Exhibition and Sale

New York ComiCon is back! This next weekend, Oct. 8-10th, and the Javits Center once again fills up with everything comics and anime! Joining the artistic line-up for the show will be comics creators Michael Golden, Mark Texeira, and Steve Scott, leading up to the big event with podcasts, gallery openings and more!

Michael Golden is known for many titles in his artistic legacy, notably as being co-creator of Rogue, Bucky O'Hare, Spartan X, Marionette, Bug, and more beloved characters. His storytelling work is touted in such books as "The 'Nam," "Doctor Strange," "Avengers," "G.I. Joe," and much more. You can see his recent work on covers for Marvel Comics, and more storytelling is in the works, starting off with pages inked over the legandary Neal Adams in their recent Batman collaboration. Michael will be located at table G-1 in Artist Alley.

Fine art painter and storyteller Mark Texeira is known for his stunning covers on so many Marvel comics, it would be hard to name them all. Titles routinely associated with his name include "Ghost Rider," "Black Panther," "Moonknight," and much more. Recently, Mark has just completed a Punisher mini-series that will hit stands soon, as well as a few other projects for the Big M. His covers have also recently appeared as frontage for Vampirella and numerous other titles. Mark will be located at table G-3 in Artist Alley.

Artist Steve Scott also just took part in a special podcast the Wednesday before the NYCC, Oct. 6th, on "Where Monsters Dwell." Go to wheremonstersdwell.ca to find out more(The interview is available there for listening any time), as Steve talked about his exciting new Batman project that should be hitting the stands just before the convention as well. Steve will be located at table G-4 in Artist Alley. Known for his work on "Indiana Jones," "She-Hulk," "Hulk," "JLA," and much more, you can see a preview of Steve's Batman project on newsarama at: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?gid=2549

Writer, editor and publisher Renee Witterstaetter will be joining the guys to sign copies of her new books "Excess: The Art of Michael Golden," and "Tex: The Art of Mark Texeira," both published by Vanguard Productions. She will also have copies of "Dying for Action: The Life and Films of Jackie Chan," as well as copies of her numerous comic book work to choose from. Stop by Renee's table as well to inquire about commissions from any of the fellas above. Renee will be located at table G-2 in Artist Alley.

All three artists are being honored at a gallery exhibition and sale in Manhattan, and YOU are invited. Eva Ink Artist Group and Illustration House hosted the opening for Golden, Texeira and Scott at Illustration House on Thursday night, Oct. 7th, but the pieces for sale are available for viewing on the Illustration House website for the next month!

With podcasts and gallery shows galore, what a great way to lead up to the NYCC. See you there!

Law and Order SVU's Christopher Meloni at New York Comic-Con

Law & Order SVU Star To Sign At Ape Entertainment Booth

Christopher Meloni on hand at NY Comic Con to support upcoming comic

October 7th, 2010: Christopher Meloni, star of Law & Order: SVU, OZ, and the Harold and Kumar movies, will be signing limited edition posters of his upcoming comic book, AvaTom, at the Ape Entertainment booth (#2105) on Saturday October 9th from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Writer Jason M. Burns will also be on hand.

Due in 2011, AvaTom is a dark and edgy thriller about a young software developer who creates a lifelike avatar system, only to realize that the avatar he created has made the conscious (and deadly) decision to take over the developer’s life. The series is written by Burns and drawn by Ramon Espinoza.

For more information on Ape Entertainment, visit http://www.ape-entertainment.com/.

20th Century Boys List of Ingredients

I read Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Vol. 11

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phone apps).

I Reads You Review: Ryder on the Storm #0

RYDER ON THE STORM No. 0

RADICAL PUBLISHING

WRITER: David Hine
ARTIST: Wayne Nichols
COLORS: Feigan Chong and Sansan Saw of Sixth Creation
LETTERS: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
COVER: Francesco “Matt” Mattina
16pp, Color, $1.00 U.S.

Ryder on the Storm is a supernatural-detective comic book from Radical Publishing. Written by David Hine and drawn by Wayne Nichols, the story focuses on Ryder. He is a private eye hired by mysterious beauty Katrina Petruska to investigate the horrifically bizarre suicide of her lover, Michael Hudson.

According to information provided by Radical, the case will lead Ryder to discovering that daemons walk among humanity. He will have to team up with the last daemon hunter, Charles Monk, to end the reign of ancient evil that rules over the city, while discovering terrifying truths about himself.

Ryder on the Storm #0 is a 16-page preview of the upcoming series, and there is just enough to remind the reader that the occult detective has been done to death. In fact, I can’t find anything in this preview to make me want to read more except…

I am a believer in David Hine, so I’m willing to read more before I get all judgmental. I do like the art by Wayne Nichols with colors by Feigan Chong and Sansan Saw of Sixth Creation. The art has a visual mode that is perfect for this occult detective tale and that would probably be perfect for DC Comics’ Hellblazer.

I Reads You Review: The Rising #0

RADICAL PUBLISHING

CREATOR/WRITER: E. Max Frye

ARTIST: J.P. Targete
LETTERS: John J. Hill
28pp, Color, $1.00 U.S.

The Rising is an upcoming science fiction miniseries from Radical Publishing. It is created and written by screenwriter E. Max Frye (who wrote an episode of HBO’s Band of Brothers) and artist J.P. Targete (who is apparently an illustrator and concept artist for Pixar’s John Carter of Mars film adaptation)

The Rising #0 is a $1.00-priced, 24-page introduction and launch of the upcoming miniseries. Based on how Radical has described the series, the story takes place in an indeterminate future, but that future takes place after years of war and economic chaos. When mankind was teetering on the verge of thermonuclear extinction, a militaristic alien force, the Drac, invades the planet. The release of a deadly virus apparently causes the Drac to destroy Earth’s defense forces and to massacre most of the human population. The Drac stabilize the planet, and some humans begin to see them as saviors, but those humans who do not rebel. One of them is Jarrett Jakes.

The Rising reminds me of the 1980s television science fiction franchise, V (which was revived by ABC in 2009). In a way, The Rising is standard alien armada invades Earth science fiction (think Independence Day), but its war on terror allusions give it relevance to current affairs. Perhaps, this series will be some metaphor or parable about imperialist ambitions, importing democracy on a gun barrel, and/or authoritarian and totalitarian governments. There is also a scene in this preview that reminds me of a scene in the Oscar-nominated film, Joyeux Noel, in which an Anglican bishop implores British soldiers to kill all Germans. The Rising has some good action scenes, so Frye may plan on it being as smart as it intends to be kick-ass.

As much as I like Frye’s concept and story, I am smitten with artist J.P. Targete’s lovely painted comic book art. First, his storytelling is as good as his composition, and as a painter creating comic book art, he is more in line with the artist I consider to be the gold standard in painting comic book art, Daniel Brereton, than he is with Alex Ross, whose work is beautiful, but is not really comic book art.

I look forward to the regular series, and I think readers who like science fiction comics would do well to look for this.

A-