Grumble #2 Indiegogo Updates for April 24 2014

Updated information on perks at my Grumble #2 Indiegogo campaign - Leroy:

Elizabeth Martel in the Grumble Indiegogo Zone

Elizabeth Martel gave to Grumble's Indiegogo campaign.  Now, you can, too:

John Ira Thomas of Candle Light Press Grumbles

John Ira Thomas of Candle Light Press contributed to the Indiegogo campaign for my comic book, Grumble.  Visit CLP's website to be introduced to some of the best graphic novels and books of the last two decades.

And you can give to Grumble, too:

2014 Eisner Award Nominees - Complete List

The 2014 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards will be given out in a gala ceremony on Friday, July 25, 2014 during Comic-Con International: San Diego.  Nominations were announced Tuesday, April 15, 2014.

Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees 2014:

Best Short Story
• “Go Owls,” by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #13 (Drawn & Quarterly)
• “Mars to Stay,” by Brett Lewis and Cliff Chiang, in Witching Hour (DC)
• “Seaside Home,” by Josh Simmons, in Habit #1 (Oily)
• “Untitled,” by Gilbert Hernandez, in Love and Rockets: New Stories #6 (Fantagraphics)
• “When Your House Is Burning Down, You Should Brush Your Teeth,” by Matthew Inman, theoatmeal.com/comics/house

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
• Demeter, by Becky Cloonan (self-published)
• Hawkeye #11: “Pizza Is My Business,” by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• Love and Rockets: New Stories #6, by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)
• Viewotron #2, by Sam Sharpe (self-published)
• Watson and Holmes #6, by Brandon Easton, and N. Steven Harris (New Paradigm Studios)

Best Continuing Series
• East of West, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta (Image)
• Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• Nowhere Men, by Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde (Image)
• Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
• Sex Criminals, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky (Image)

Best Limited Series
• The Black Beetle: No Way Out, by Francesco Francavilla (Dark Horse)
• Colder, by Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra (Dark Horse)
• 47 Ronin, by Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)
• Trillium, by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo/DC)
• The Wake, by Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy (Vertigo/DC)

Best New Series
• High Crimes, by Christopher Sebela and Ibrahim Moustafa (Monkeybrain)
• Lazarus, by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark (Image)
• Rat Queens, by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch (Image/Shadowline)
• Sex Criminals, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky (Image)
• Watson and Holmes, by Karl Bollers, Rick Leonardi, Paul Mendoza et al. (New Paradigm Studios)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)
• Benjamin Bear in Bright Ideas, by Philippe Coudray (TOON Books)
• The Big Wet Balloon, by Liniers (TOON Books)
• Itsy Bitsy Hellboy, by Art Baltazar and Franco (Dark Horse)
• Odd Duck, by Cecil Castellucci and Sara Varon  (First Second)
• Otto’s Backwards Day, by Frank Cammuso (with Jay Lynch) (TOON Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)
• The Adventures of Superhero Girl, by Faith Erin Hicks (Dark Horse)
• Hilda and the Bird Parade, by Luke Pearson (Nobrow)
• Jane, the Fox, and Me, by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault (Groundwood)
• The Lost Boy, by Greg Ruth (Graphix/Scholastic)
• Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, vol. 2, edited by David Petersen, Paul Morrissey, and Rebecca Taylor (Archaia/BOOM!)
• Star Wars: Jedi Academy, by Jeffrey Brown (Scholastic)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)
• Battling Boy, by Paul Pope (First Second)
• Bluffton: My Summers with Buster, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
• Boxers and Saints, by Gene Luen Yang (First Second)
• Dogs of War, by Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox (Graphix/Scholastic)
• March (Book One), by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
• Templar, by Jordan Mechner, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puviland (First Second)

Best Humor Publication
• The Adventures of Superhero Girl, by Faith Erin Hicks (Dark Horse)
• The Complete Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes and Rob Davis (SelfMadeHero)
• The (True!) History of Art, by Sylvain Coissard and Alexis Lemoine (SelfMadeHero)
• Vader’s Little Princess, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle)
• You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Anthology
• Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)
• Nobrow #8: Hysteria, edited by Sam Arthur and Alex Spiro (Nobrow)
• Outlaw Territory, edited by Michael Woods (Image)
• Smoke Signal, edited by Gabe Fowler (Desert Island)
• Thrilling Adventure Hour, by Ben Acker, Ben Blacker et al. (Archaia/BOOM!)

Best Digital/Webcomic
• As the Crow Flies, by Melanie Gillman, www.melaniegillman.com
• Failing Sky, by Dax Tran-Caffee, failingsky.com
• High Crimes, by Christopher Sebela and Ibrahim Moustafa (Monkeybrain), www.monkeybraincomics.com/titles/high-crimes/
• The Last Mechanical Monster, by Brian Fies, lastmechanicalmonster.blogspot.com
• The Oatmeal by Matthew Inman, theoatmeal.com

Best Reality-Based Work
• A Bag of Marbles, by Joseph Joffo, Kris, and Vincent Bailly (Graphic Universe/Lerner)
• The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story, by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker (M Press/Dark Horse)
• Hip Hop Family Tree, vol. 1, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
• March (Book One), by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
• Today Is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life, by Ulli Lust (Fantagraphics)
• Woman Rebel: The Margaret Sanger Story, by Peter Bagge (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Graphic Album—New
• Bluffton: My Summers with Buster, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
• The Encyclopedia of Early Earth, by Isabel Greenberg (Little, Brown)
• Good Dog, by Graham Chaffee (Fantagraphics)
• Homesick by Jason Walz (Tinto Press)
• The Property, by Rutu Modan (Drawn & Quarterly)
• War Brothers, by Sharon McKay and Daniel LaFrance (Annick Press)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium
• The Castle, by Franz Kafka, adapted by David Zane Mairowitz and Jaromír 99 (SelfMadeHero)
• The Complete Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, adapted by by Rob Davis (SelfMadeHero)
• Django Unchained, adapted by Quentin Tarantino, Reginald Hudlin, R. M. Guéra et al. (DC/Vertigo)
• Richard Stark’s Parker: Slayground, by Donald Westlake, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
• The Strange Tale of Panorama Island, by Edogawa Rampo, adapted by Suehiro Maruo  (Last Gasp)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint
• The Creep, by John Arcudi and Jonathan Case (Dark Horse)
• Hand-Drying in America and Other Stories, by Ben Katchor (Pantheon)
• Heck, by Zander Cannon (Top Shelf)
• Julio’s Day, by Gilbert Hernandez  (Fantagraphics)
• RASL, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
• Solo: The Deluxe Edition, edited by Mark Chiarello (DC)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
• Barnaby, vol. 1, by Crockett Johnson, edited by Philip Nel and Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
• Percy Crosby’s Skippy Daily Comics, vol. 2: 1928–1930, edited by Jared Gardner and Dean Mullaney (LOAC/IDW)
• Prince Valiant vols. 6-7, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
• Society Is Nix: Gleeful Anarchy at the Dawn of the American Comic Strip, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)
• Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, vol. 1, edited by Dean Mullaney (LOAC/IDW)
• VIP: The Mad World of Virgil Partch, edited by Jonathan Barli (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
• Best of EC Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Canteen Kate, by Matt Baker (Canton Street Press)
• In the Days of the Mob, by Jack Kirby (DC)
• MAD Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Will Eisner’s The Spirit Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material
• Adventures of a Japanese Businessman, by Jose Domingo (Nobrow)
• Goddam This War! by Jacques Tardi and Jean-Pierre Verney (Fantagraphics)
• Incidents in the Night, Book One, by David B. (Uncivilized Books)
• Today Is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life, by Ulli Lust (Fantagraphics)
• When David Lost His Voice, by Judith Vanistendael (SelfMadeHero)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
• The Heart of Thomas, by Moto Hagio (Fantagraphics)
• The Mysterious Underground Men, by Osamu Tezuka (PictureBox)
• Showa: A History of Japan, 1926–1939, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Summit of the Gods, vol. 4, by Yemmakura Baku and Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
• Utsubora: The Story of a Novelist, by Asumiko Nakamura (Vertical)

Best Writer
• Kelly Sue DeConnick, Pretty Deadly (Image); Captain Marvel (Marvel)
• Matt Fraction, Sex Criminals (Image); Hawkeye, Fantastic Four, FF (Marvel)
• Jonathan Hickman, East of West, The Manhattan Projects (Image); Avengers, Infinity (Marvel)
• Scott Snyder, Batman (DC); American Vampire, The Wake (DC/Vertigo)
• Eric Stephenson, Nowhere Men (Image)
• Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)

Best Writer/Artist
• Isabel Greenberg, The Encyclopedia of Early Earth (Little, Brown)
• Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories #6 (Fantagraphics)
• Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)
• Luke Pearson, Hilda and the Bird Parade (Nobrow)
• Matt Phelan, Bluffton: My Summers with Buster (Candlewick)
• Judith Vanistendael, When David Lost His Voice (SelfMadeHero)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
• Nate Bellegarde, Nowhere Men (Image)
• Nick Dragotta, East of West (Image)
• Sean Murphy, The Wake (DC/Vertigo)
• Nate Powell, March (Book One) (Top Shelf)
• Emma Ríos, Pretty Deadly (Image)
• Thomas Yeates, Law of the Desert Born: A Graphic Novel (Bantam)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
• Andrew C. Robinson, The Fifth Beatle (Dark Horse)
• Sonia Sanchéz, Here I Am (Capstone)
• Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)
• Ive Svorcina, Thor (Marvel)
• Marguerite Van Cook, 7 Miles a Second (Fantagraphics)
• Judith Vanistendael, When David Lost His Voice (SelfMadeHero)

Best Cover Artist
• David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
• Mike Del Mundo, X-Men Legacy (Marvel)
• Sean Murphy/Jordie Belaire, The Wake (DC/Vertigo)
• Emma Ríos, Pretty Deadly (Image)
• Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel)
• Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)

Best Coloring
• Jordie Bellaire, The Manhattan Projects, Nowhere Men, Pretty Deadly, Zero (Image); The Massive (Dark Horse); Tom Strong (DC); X-Files Season 10  (IDW); Captain Marvel, Journey into Mystery (Marvel); Numbercruncher (Titan); Quantum and Woody (Valiant)
• Steve Hamaker, Mylo Xyloto (Bongo), Strangers in Paradise 20th Anniversary Issue 1 (Abstract Studio), RASL (Cartoon Books)
• Matt Hollingsworth, Hawkeye, Daredevil: End of Days (Marvel); The Wake (DC/Vertigo)
• Frank Martin, East of West (Image)
• Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, Baltimore: The Infernal Train, BPRD: Hell on Earth, Conan the Barbarian, Hellboy: Hell on Earth, The Massive, The Shaolin Cowboy, Sledgehammer 44 (Dark Horse)

Best Lettering
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: Slayground (IDW)
• Carla Speed McNeil, Bad Houses; “Finder” in Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse)
• Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)
• Ed Piskor, Hip Hop Family Tree (Fantagraphics)
• Britt Wilson, Adventure Time with Fiona and Cake (kaBOOM!)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
• Comic Book Resources, produced by Jonah Weiland, www.comicbookresources.com
• The Comics Journal #302, edited by Gary Groth and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
• Comics and Cola, by Zainab Akhtar, www.comicsandcola.com
• Multiversity Comics, edited by Matthew Meylikhov, www.multiversitycomics.com
• tcj.com, edited by Dan Nadel and Timothy Hodler (Fantagrapahics), www.tcj.com

Best Comics-Related Book
• Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary, by Michael Schumacher and Denis Kitchen (Bloomsbury)
• The Art of Rube Goldberg, selected by Jennifer George (Abrams ComicArts)
• Co-Mix: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics, and Scraps, by Art Spiegelman (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Genius, Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth,  by Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell (LOAC/IDW)
• The Love and Rockets Companion, edited by Marc Sobel and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)

Best Scholarly/Academic Work
• Anti-Foreign Imagery in American Pulps and Comic Books, 1920–1960, by Nathan Vernon Madison (McFarland)
• Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation, edited by Sheena C. Howard and Ronald L. Jackson II (Bloomsbury)
• Drawing from Life: Memory and Subjectivity in Comic Art, edited by Jane Tolmie (University Press of Mississippi)
• International Journal of Comic Art, edited by John A. Lent
• The Superhero Reader, edited by Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer, and Ken Worcester (University Press of Mississippi)

Best Publication Design
• The Art of Rube Goldberg, designed by Chad W. Beckerman (Abrams ComicArts)
• Beta Testing the Apocalypse, designed by Tom Kaczynski (Fantagraphics)
• Genius, Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (LOAC/IDW)
• The Great War: July 1, 1916: The First Day of the Battle of the Somme: A Panorama, by Joe Sacco, designed by Chin-Yee Lai (Norton)
• Little Tommy Lost, Book 1, designed by Cole Closser (Koyama)

Grumble #2 Indiegogo Campaign Reminder for Sunday, April 13 2014

Delivered more script pages to Diego Candia.  Now, I hope someone will deliver some cashola.  Much love to you for any support money or otherwise that you can give:

I Reads You Launches Indiegogo Campaign for "Grumble #2"

I guess I need to post more about my comic book here:

I Reads February 2014

It's February 2014.  Welcome to I Reads You, a ComicBookBin web and sister publication (www.comicbookbin.com).  The ComicBookBin has free smart phone apps and comics.  We write about the things we read:  mostly comic books, comics, and related books.  Sometimes, we’ll write about or link to other topics:  typically books, politics, and entertainment.

All images and text appearing on this publication are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

This is my comic book of the month:

Happy New I Reads You Year

Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2014 and welcome to I Reads You, a ComicBookBin blog and sister publication (www.comicbookbin.com).  We write about the things we read:  mostly comic books, comics, and related books.  Sometimes, we’ll write about or link to other topics:  typically books, politics, and entertainment.

Stick around for news about new comics and offers.  Thanks for stopping by and please, come again.

All images and text appearing on this publication are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

DC Comics and Madefire Team on Batman Digital Graphic Novel

Batman Arrives on the App Store in Epic New Interactive Graphic Novel ‘BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS – A DC2 MULTIVERSE GRAPHIC NOVEL’

Groundbreaking Storytelling Experience Created by DC Entertainment and Madefire Based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s New Game BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS

Blockbuster Digital First Comic INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US Also Re-mastered for Madefire Platform with new Motion and Sound Elements

BURBANK, Calif. & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment, the most prolific digital comic book publisher, and cutting edge digital studio Madefire unveil a new partnership today that will take digital comics to the next level of interactivity through a new app, BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS – A DC2 MULTIVERSE GRAPHIC NOVEL. The new iOS app is the first DC2 MultiVerse title featuring a multi-path reading experience. The graphic novel tells the prequel story to the recently released game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS – A DC2 MULTIVERSE GRAPHIC NOVEL immerses readers into the world of Batman through dynamic artwork and action sounds integrated with a full soundtrack. The graphic novel is divided into eight chapters available for individual purchase or as an entire series. A new chapter will arrive every two weeks and each will offer dozens of possible story outcomes, with multiple story branches. Some choices will successfully lead to Batman’s next mission and carry through to the following week’s episode. Other choices could have deadly consequences. Readers who complete the series will be rewarded with two skins for the BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS game: Injustice Batman and the exclusive New 52 Metallic Batman. Or, customers can purchase a series pass in advance and be rewarded with both skins upfront.

“DC2 MultiVerse is the latest in a series of innovations that demonstrates how we work with digital partners like Madefire to organically enhance comics and the digital storytelling art form,” stated Jim Lee, Co-Publisher, DC Entertainment. “With the launch of the BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS – A DC2 MULTIVERSE GRAPHIC NOVEL app, fans can choose the destiny of their characters – and follow both Batman or his rogues gallery of Super-Villains, all within an immersive reading experience tied to the actual game through prequel storylines and an exclusive skin.”

“We have supercomputers in our pockets – we should expect more than just scanned in print,” stated Ben Wolstenholme, Madefire CEO. “It is immense to have DC Entertainment bring Batman and Superman onto the Madefire platform.”

As part of its new partnership with Madefire, DC Entertainment’s blockbuster Digital First title INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US has been re-mastered and features new, innovative storytelling elements including dynamic artwork and sound effects. The newly re-imagined INJUSTICE comic provides the perfect opportunity for fans to revisit the record breaking series prior to its return in January 2014 with all new chapters written by red hot, up-and-coming scribe, Tom Taylor. INJUSTICE is available for download on the Madefire app as well as on deviantART.com, the largest creative community in the world.

About DC Digital:
In addition to offering its Same-Day-Digital print line-up, DC Entertainment’s unparalleled line-up of Digital First titles includes DC2 titles BATMAN ’66, and TEEN TITANS GO!, along with INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, SMALLVILLE, the BEYOND series, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, BATMAN: LI’L GOTHAM, and SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED: A CRISIS OF IMAGINATION. Additionally, DC Entertainment has the most expansive digital distribution of all comic publishers, including deals with comiXology, Kindle Store, iBookstore, Google Play, Nook Store and now Madefire.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

About Madefire
Founded in 2011 by Ben Wolstenholme, Liam Sharp and Eugene Walden, Madefire provides artists and writers a publishing solution for iOS and web reading allowing them to build their stories in an exciting new format called Motion Books. Madefire has signed with top publishers in the comics and graphic novel industry to create Motion Books with their top IP, including DC Comics, Dark Horse, IDW, Top Cow, Boom, and iTV Studios America. Madefire is backed by Toni Schneider at True Ventures, The CEO of Automattic makers of WordPress, with angel investors including Sina Tamaddon, former Senior Vice President of Applications for Apple Inc--both of whom are on Madefire’s Board of Advisors. The Advisory Board also includes industry leaders Mike McCue, CEO and Founder of Flipboard, Dave Gibbons, co-creator of Watchmen, the bestselling graphic novel of all time, and Bill Sienkiewicz, widely recognized as one of the greatest innovators of sequential art. For more information go to madefire.com.

About BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS Game
Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by WB Games Montréal, BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and introduces an original prequel storyline set several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, the first two critically acclaimed games of the franchise. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, the game showcases a young, unrefined Batman as he faces the defining moment of his early career and sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, players will meet many important characters for the first time and forge key relationships. The game is available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii U™ system and Windows PC.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS software © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Richard Sala's "Violenzia" a Digital Exclusive Comic from comiXology

Fantagraphics Books Partners With ComiXology to Debut Violenzia

Fantagraphics Books’ First Digital Exclusive Comic

Fantagraphics Books, publisher of the world’s greatest cartoonists, partners with comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform, to debut Fantagraphics’ first original, digital exclusive comic book: Violenzia. Written and illustrated by acclaimed creator Richard Sala (Delphine, Cat Burglar Black), Violenzia is an all-new, full-color, $5.99, 50-page one-shot exclusively available today across comiXology’s entire platform including iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and comiXology.com.

"Let there be no mercy or forgiveness for they have shown none." With these words, whispered into the wind, a mysterious young woman leaps into action with wild abandon, twin automatics blazing. Is she a brave and reckless heroine taking on a monstrous evil? Or is she a deranged angel of death? One thing is clear, whether she is dropping from a high window into a crowd of red-robed fanatical cultists, or facing down a horde of psychotic hillbillies, you don't want to get in Violenzia’s way.

"This is a new model for us," said Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds. "Not a better model, but a different model. Richard Sala is one of our most beloved authors, and recently he has built up a considerable and new following online, via his Tumblr and other social media, so when he proposed Violenzia it seemed like the perfect opportunity to experiment with a digital-only release."

"We’re thrilled that Fantagraphics partnered with us to bring Richard Sala's beautiful and hilarious Violenzia to comiXology and our worldwide audience," said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. "Readers and fans will also be treated to experiencing this amazing work in comiXology’s cinematic Guided View reading technology."

A fast moving, self-contained story, Violenzia is a blast of pulpy fun, told in scenes of audacious action and splashes of rich watercolors. With elements of golden age comics and old movies mixed with Sala's trademark humor and sense of the absurd, Violenzia is serious fun, a bloody enigma masked as eye candy, a puzzle box riddled with bullet holes.

Violenzia is the latest story by Sala featuring heroines (or anti-heroines) who are quirky, mysterious and unpredictable — such as Peculia (PECULIA , PECULIA AND THE GROON GROVE VAMPIRES), Judy Drood (MAD NIGHT, THE GRAVE ROBBER'S DAUGHTER), and K Westree (CAT BURGLAR BLACK), and features the same distinctive mixture of mystery, violence and humor as his books THE CHUCKLING WHATSIT, THE HIDDEN and DELPHINE.

Look for Violenzia out today on comiXology: http://www.comixology.com/Violenzia/digital-comic/50915?app=1

About Fantagraphics
Fantagraphics Books has been a leading proponent of comics as a legitimate form of art and literature since it began publishing the critical trade magazine The Comics Journal in 1976. By the early 1980s, Fantagraphics was at the forefront of the burgeoning movement to establish comics as a medium as eloquent and expressive as the more established popular arts of film, literature, poetry, et al. Fantagraphics quickly established a reputation as an advocacy publisher that specialized in seeking out and publishing the kind of innovative work that traditional comics corporations who dealt almost exclusively in super-heroes and fantasy either didn’t know existed or wouldn’t touch: serious, dramatic, historical, journalistic, political, and satirical work by a new generation of alternative cartoonists (including now-legends like Peter Bagge, Daniel Clowes, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, Joe Sacco and Jim Woodring) as well as many artists who gained prominence as part of the seminal underground comix movement of the '60s, such as R. Crumb and Kim Deitch. Fantagraphics has since gained an international reputation for its literate and audacious editorial standards in publishing the best cartooning from all eras and regions with exacting production values.

About comiXology
ComiXology has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View™ reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become one of iTunes' top 10 grossing iPad apps in both 2011 and 2012. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, and including independent creators as well, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. A privately held company, comiXology is based in New York City. For more information visit www.comixology.com.

Dark Planet Comics Has "Silver #2" at comiXology

COMIXOLOGY RELEASES SECOND CHAPTER IN DARK PLANET COMICS'  ACCLAIMED “SILVER” MINISERIES 

Dark Planet Comics is happy to announce the wednesday 10/30/2013 ComiXology release of the second issue in writer/director/comic book creator Stephan Franck's acclaimed 12-issue mini-series SILVER.

SILVER, which extends the original Bram Stoker universe 50 years hence into the pulp era of the 1930’s, has been embraced by comics fans, pulp fans and die-hard Dracula fans alike… “My favorite fan letter in Silver #2 comes from the Count Dracula Fan Club,” says Franck, “and yes it is a real one, and yes, there is such a thing as a Count Dracula Fan Club--which is either awesome or terrifying.”

Introducing pulp-era master-thief James Finnigan, SILVER #1 was released in May 2013 to rave reviews. Ain't It Cool News wrote "Franck knows his customers, what they expect, and he gives it to them in spades." Studio System News named SILVER in its article: "Comic-Con and Trickster 2013: Top Picks For Movies and TV".

In Silver #2, the paradigm shift continues for Finn, as he seeks out Rosalynd "Sledge" Van Helsing, who he hopes might help him authenticate Jonathan Harker’s ledger. As it turns out, Rosalynd carries on her grandfather’s handy work, and could very well be too much woman for Finn to handle. "We basically spent the first issue showing-off Finn's nerves of steel, and establishing that he's a master manipulator," Franck says. "In SILVER #2, It’s a lot of fun watching him lose control of his reality--not to mention having to deal with a woman who's even more of a rebel than he is."

With SILVER, Franck brings the combination of light tone and character depth that has made him first-call in the animation industry. “Silver is about misfits;” Franck says, "people whose soul is broken, each in their own way. Some of them use irony as a coping mechanism. Others...well, they'll just drink your blood."

The ComiXology release of Silver #2 adds to a very productive year for Franck. THE SMURFS: THE LEGEND OF SMURFY HOLLOW, which he directed for Sony Pictures Animation, aired last weekend on ABC Family, as part of the “13 Nights Of Halloween” block, garnering excellent reviews, and earning him a mention in Animation Magazine as one of the current "Rising Stars In Animation".

SILVER #1 & #2 ComiXology link: http://www.comixology.com/Silver/comics-series/10508

Silver #1 and #2 are also available to order in print edition from the Dark Planet Comics website: http://www.darkplanetcomics.com/store

For additional contact and information, visit http://www.darkplanetcomics.com

Like our page of Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarkplanetComics

About Stephan Franck:
Stephan Franck is a writer/director/animator who has worked for Disney, Dreamworks, Warner Bros, Universal, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures Animation. He was a supervising animator on THE IRON GIANT, and contributed story to films such as DESPICABLE ME. He is the co-creator of the cult TV show CORNEIL & BERNIE (AKA WATCH MY CHOPS) (TF1, BBC, ABC Australia), that runs in over 60 countries and is in production on a second season. He’s had the giant out-of-body experience of being personally hired by George Lucas to direct a movie so cool and crazy it had to be abandoned, and just directed THE SMURFS: THE LEGEND OF SMURFY HOLLOW for Sony Pictures Animation, which was selected in official competition for the 2013 ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL in the Best TV Special category. He will be appearing November 1-3 at Stan Lee's Comikazee in Los Angeles and November 23-24 at the Long Beach Comic Book & Horror Convention.

About Dark Planet Comics:
Created in 2013, Dark Planet Comics is the home of Stephan Franck ’s original comic book properties. “Having a comic book imprint has been a dream of mine,” Franck says, “it’s about authorship. It’s about the commitment to put my stories out into the world in the way they were intended to be.”

www.darkplanetcomics.com

I Reads Thanksgiving 2013

It is November 2013.  Once again, we want to welcome you to I Reads You, a ComicBookBin web publication (www.comicbookbin.com).  We write about the things we read:  mostly comic books, comics, and related books.  Sometimes, we’ll write about or link to other topics:  typically books, politics, and entertainment.

All images and text appearing on this publication are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

DC Comics Announces New Titles on comiXology and Google Play

DC Entertainment Continues Digital Dominance with New Graphic Novel and Collected Edition Distribution on comiXology and Google Play

Publisher has Broadest Digital Distribution Reach in Comics Industry

Extensive Line of Bestselling Titles Including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Sandman and DC Comics – The New 52 Collections Available for Download Today

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment, the #1 comic book publisher in the U.S. and home to iconic Super Heroes including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, announced today an extensive line-up of graphic novels and collected editions are now available for download from comiXology and Google Play. This expansion in distribution brings bestselling DC Comics and Vertigo titles, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Sandman, Y the Last Man and an assortment of DC Comics – The New 52 collections, among many others, to an even broader audience of digital readers.


“This expanded distribution furthers DC Entertainment’s goal to offer our readers convenience and choice,” stated DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee. “ComiXology is a clear leader in delivering digital comics, while Google is one of the biggest mobile content brands in the world. We’re very excited to bring bestselling DC Comics and Vertigo graphic novels to their customers.”

Broad digital distribution has remained a cornerstone of DC Entertainment’s business, leading to extensive growth in both digital and print sales over the past three years as digital availability attracts new readers and comic fans alike. DC Entertainment has the widest digital distribution of any comic book publisher and was the first publisher to make its entire line available same-day digitally with the launch of DC Comics – The New 52 in Sept. 2011. That launch is widely seen as reinvigorating the comic book industry.

Visit comiXology.com or Google Play to download the latest graphic novels and collected editions from DC Entertainment. The full list of graphic novel titles now available on comiXology and Google Play includes:

All Star Batman & Robin
All Star Superman
American Vampire Vol. 1-5
Animal Man Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Aquaman Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Batgirl Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Batman & Son
Batman and Robin Series
Batman Earth One
Batman Inc Vol. 1 (Deluxe)
Batman Inc. Vol. 1 (New 52)
Batman Knightfall 1-3
Batman RIP
Batman The Complete Hush
Batman Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Batman Year One Deluxe
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Batman: Night of the Owls (New 52)
Batman: The Black Mirror
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes
Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Long Halloween
Before Watchmen Series
Blackest Night
Catwoman Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Daytripper
Death of Superman
Dial H Vol. 1 (New 52)
Earth 2 Vol. 1 (New 52)
Fables Vol. 1-18
Fables: Werewolves in the Heartland
Final Crisis
Flash Rebirth
Flashpoint
Green Lantern Rebirth
Green Lantern Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Identity Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Justice League Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Kingdom Come
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1-2
Nightwing Vol.1- 2 (New 52)
Punk Rock Jesus
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Sandman Vol. 1-10
Superman Earth One (Vol. 1-2)
Superman Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Superman: Action Comics Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Superman: Birthright
Superman: For Tomorrow
Superman: Last Son of Krypton
Superman: Secret Identity
Swamp Thing Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Teen Titans Vol. 1-2
The Flash Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Vol. 1-2
The Joker
Unwritten Vol. 1-7
V for Vendetta New Edition
Watchmen
Wonder Woman Vol. 1-2 (New 52)
Y the Last Man Vol. 1-10

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes — a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes — to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

Reading September 2013

Welcome to I Reads You September 2013, a ComicBookBin blog (www.comicbookbin.com).  We blog about the things we read:  mostly comic books, comics, and related books.  Sometimes, we’ll write about or link to other topics:  typically books, politics, and entertainment.

All images and text appearing on this blog are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

Download the free digital comic book, Grumble #1.

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I Reads You Review: BATMAN: Li’l Gotham #2

BATMAN: LI’L GOTHAM #2
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITERS: Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs
ART/COVER: Dustin Nguyen
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2013)

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns was a critical and sales success, likely even beyond what anyone expected.  In response, DC Comics, in what can only be described as an unleashing, started releasing Batman publications that ran the gamut from new ongoing comic book series and miniseries to original graphics novels and special editions.  It also seemed as if anything about Batman that had once been fit to print was fit to be reprinted – sometimes in cheap editions and other times in expensive hardcover books and archival editions.

The year 1988 saw the publication of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s one-shot comic book/graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke, and also the formal announcement of a Batman movie scheduled to be released during the summer of 1989.  After that, DC Comics literally flooded the market with Batman publications, apparel, and assorted merchandise.  With limited capital, comic book shops chose Batman, but to do so, many apparently cut orders elsewhere.  In my experience, that elsewhere turned out to be fewer orders of comic books from independent, alternative, and small press publishers.

Fantagraphics Books co-publisher Gary Groth described, in The Comics Journal, all the Batman products as “bat guano.”  If I remember correctly, Groth wasn’t calling this Batman stuff “crap,” because it was necessarily awful in terms of quality.  Perhaps, he meant “crap,” as in “Look, at all this shit!”

So...

Batman: Li’l Gotham is another of DC Comics’ digital-first comics (read using an app on a PC, smart phone, tablet, or other hand-held device).  The series features diminutive or child-like versions of characters from the world of Batman comic books.

Batman: Li’l Gotham #2 collects Chapters 3 and 4 of the series.  The first story (Chapter 3) takes place during the Christmas season.  Batman and Nightwing team-up (1) to stop a well-intentioned, but misguided plot by Mr. Freeze and (2) to find the missing children’s choir of Saint Peter Academy.

Chapter 4 stars the Gotham City Sirens:  Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy.  After a rendezvous with Batman, Catwoman-Selina Kyle is ready to sit back and relax on New Year’s Eve.  Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, however, insist that Selina Kyle join them on a crime spree – that will be for the benefit of man and beast, of course.

Pretty art, pretty weird.  That’s the best way that I can describe what I read in Batman: Li’l Gotham #2.  Chapter 3 pulls off the unusual hat trick of being poignant, creepy, and well-intentioned.  I can’t figure out what is the intended audience for this story (or comic book).  Chapter 4 is just lame.

Co-writer and artist Dustin Nguyen pulls off the cute with his “chibi” versions of Batman characters.  But is this a kid’s comic book or just another way for DC Comics to exploit Batman and take cash from their suckas... I mean, customers?

I think there have been four issues of Batman: Li’l Gotham published as of this writing, and maybe, I would like them more than I do #2 if I had the chance to read them.  But either way, Batman: Li’l Gotham seems more Bat-crap – more Bat-guano.

C

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

GRUMBLE #1 PDF Now a Free Download

I am in the early stages of producing a horror comic book/graphic novel, entitled Grumble, which I have been releasing as a digital comic.  It is the story of Ava Benson, a young woman who returns to her hometown, Beechwood, for her uncle, Avner Benson’s funeral.  In addition to reuniting with her dysfunctional family, Ava learns that an old enemy is terrorizing the town and murdering her family and friends.

Over the past few years, I have been posting pages from the comic book on this website.  Now, I am making a PDF of GRUMBLE the first issue/ first chapter (under a snazzy Bob McLeod cover) available for download, viewing, and reading by going to the COMIC BOOK BIN.

The original art for pages 12 through 24 are up for sale with the proceeds going into the continued production of Grumble.  Pages range in price from $160.00 to $200.00 U.S., but discounts are available for purchases of multiple pages – so please ask.

You may contact me via this blog.  Posting questions and comments in the “comments section” is welcomed.

I am going to sell signed and numbered hard copies of Grumble #1.  I am exploring a new printer as comiXpress punked out… I mean closed up shop… suddenly… with no warning.  But kitchen – heat, y’all know what I’m talking ‘bout.

Anyway, I’ll keep you updated, dear readers.  So right now: art is available; books coming soon.  Everything can be paid through a PayPal account, which will provide the buyer with protection from any shenanigans.  Hee hee.  More later.

Leroy Douresseaux

I Reads August 2013

It's August 2013.  Welcome to I Reads You, a ComicBookBin blog (www.comicbookbin.com).  We blog about the things we read:  mostly comic books, comics, and related books.  Sometimes, we’ll write about or link to other topics:  typically books, politics, and entertainment.

Go here for free comics.

We love donations, and every little bit will help:

All images and text appearing on this blog are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

I Reads You Review: BATMAN '66 #1

BATMAN ’66 #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Jeff Parker
ARTIST/COLORS: Jonathan Case
LETTERS: Wes Abbott
COVER: Michael Allred and Laura Allred
VARIANT COVER: Jonathan Case
36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2013)

Rated E (Everyone)

Batman ’66 is one of DC Comics’ digital-first comics.  These digital comics are initially released in a digital format to be read on computers, smart phones, and other handheld devices.  Print editions follow digital publication.

Batman ’66 is inspired by the classic American TV series, “Batman,” from 20th Century Fox Television and Greenway Productions.  Batman was a live action television series based on the DC Comics comic book character, Batman, and starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City.  “Batman’s” original run on television lasted for three seasons, from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968, for a total of 120 episodes.

Batman ’66 #1 is the print comic book edition of the opening story, “The Riddler’s Ruse,” from writer Jeff Parker and artist Jonathan Case.  The story opens in Gotham Park, where millionaire Bruce Wayne and his “youthful ward,” Dick Grayson, are on hand for the awarding of the Lady Gotham statuette to the Gotham Police Department.

The festivities are interrupted by The Riddler, who is determined to steal the Lady Gotham, professing a need to protect the work of the statuette’s creator, the late artist, Oskar Villkoop.  Is he really an art lover?  The Dynamic Duo will need the help of another arch-nemesis, the slinky Catwoman, to solve The Riddler’s latest baffling crime conundrum.  Holy Strange Bedfellows, Batman!

I first discovered the “Batman” TV series ages ago when a local television station began airing the show in syndication.  I instantly fell in love with the series, and that the show did not resemble the Batman comic books I was reading at the time did not bother me.  I was surprised to discover that quite a few comic book fans hated “Batman.”  The editors of the Comics Buyers Guide, a weekly publication of comic book news, features, and collectibles, once claimed that “Batman” was the primary reason the public at large did not take comic books seriously.

With DC Comics’ recent announcement of Batman ’66, a comic inspired by the series, I had the opportunity to discover that there are many comic book fans who loved the show.  And we have reason to cheer.  Batman ’66 is the decades-old TV show embodied in comic book form.

Batman ’66 is not a great work of comic book art, but it is a great comic book.  Please, allow me to explain.  Batman ’66 is not Batman: The Dark Knight Returns in terms of its impact on Batman the character and on superhero comics (as TDKR has been for the last quarter-century).  However, for me, Batman ’66 and TDKR are alike because the latter was the kind of comic book that was so much fun for me to read that I read it over and over again.  The first time I read TDKR, it so stunned me that I immediately read it again.  My copy could not be in “Mint” or “Near Mint” condition just from the wear I put on that comic book through repeated readings.

I can’t stop flipping through Batman ’66.  I had so much fun reading it.  That it is so much like the old TV show makes me think Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case are in need of an exorcism.  Surely, they made a deal with some kind of supernatural entity to pull this off.  The witty asides, the droll humor, the campy style, the colorful milieu, the corny moralizing, and Batman’s let’s-all-follow-the-rules approach to everything:  it’s all here; “Batman” is back.

I love Jonathan Case’s eye-popping, pop art aesthetic.  It references “Batman” without being slavish to it.  The composition and graphic design form a wild style that recalls Neal Adams and also the angular photography of the television show.  The art moves and grooves, and Case makes the coloring mimic an old-fashioned two or three-color 3D comic book.  Give that man an Eisner nod.

Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case have put fun first in this new comic.  Digital or print: Batman ’66 is a winner.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

DC Entertainment Unveils "DC2" and "DC2 Multiverse"

DC Entertainment Brings Digital Comics to the Next Level with New DC2 and DC2 Multiverse Innovations

Super Hero Worthy Digital Reading Enhancements Debut at Time Warner’s “Future of Storytelling” Exhibition

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment, the most prolific digital comic book publisher, unveiled two new digital innovations today that will take its comics to the next level of interactivity. DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson and Co-Publisher Jim Lee unveiled DC2 and DC2 Multiverse at the opening of Time Warner’s “The Future of Storytelling” exhibition at the Time Warner Medialab in New York.

DC2 is a new initiative that layers dynamic artwork onto digital comic panels, adding a new level of dimension to digital storytelling. DC2 Multiverse technology allows readers to determine a specific story outcome by selecting individual characters, storylines and plot developments while reading the comic, meaning one chapter of a digital comic has dozens of possible story outcomes.

“Since we made the game changing decision to go Same-Day-Digital with the launch of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52, we very strategically built our digital business to have the broadest distribution and most extensive Digital-First content line-up, and now we’re at the forefront of innovation,” stated Nelson. “DC2 and DC2 Multiverse leverages technology to make iconic characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Green Lantern even more relevant through highly interactive storytelling.”

DC2 will first appear in the highly anticipated new Digital-First title BATMAN ’66, based on the popular 1960s television show, and the dynamic artwork features will bring the show’s action and retro attitude to life for comic readers. Readers will experience an expanded storytelling canvas as each comic panel tells a multi-dimensional story through layered artwork and sequences.

Digital-First title BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS, based on the upcoming video game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be the first to showcase DC2 Multiverse. DC2 Multiverse features dynamic artwork, along with action sounds and the ability to integrate a soundtrack – all while allowing readers to determine the fate of each storyline and character, including Super Heroes and Super Villains, with multiple options and end results available in each comic chapter. Only with DC Comics’ compelling rogues gallery will fans be just as excited to see what happens to Black Mask as they are to follow Batman’s adventures.

“Digital comics have proven to be a driving force in attracting new readers; in fact, since the onset of Same-Day-Digital, our print and digital sales have both risen by double and triple digits, respectively,” stated Lee. “With Digital-First titles we’ve created a successful formula of pairing comics with other media forms like TV shows and video games. Today’s announcements demonstrate how we can tie innovations that organically fit and enhance comics – for example with BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS you can choose the destiny of your character by playing the game and reading the comic.”

In addition to offering its Same-Day-Digital print line-up, DC Entertainment’s unparalleled line-up of Digital-First titles includes INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, ARROW, LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, SMALLVILLE: SEASON 11, the BEYOND series, BATMAN: LIL’ GOTHAM and upcoming titles BATMAN ’66 and BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS. Additionally, last year DC Entertainment secured the most expansive digital distribution of all comic publishers by forging new deals with Kindle Store, iBookstore and Nook Store, in addition to its previous distribution on all comiXology platforms.


About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS software © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Dark Planet Comics' "Silver #1" at ComiXology

COMIXOLOGY PICKS UP “SILVER”, ANIMATION VETERAN’S COMIC BOOK DEBUT

DARK PLANET COMICS is proud to announce the digital release of its very first title: SILVER #1, now available for download on ComiXology. Silver, a 12-issue miniseries, marks the comic book debut from animation veteran Stephan Franck (The Iron Giant, Despicable Me).

Set in a direct 1930’s extension of Bram Stoker’s universe, and steeped up to its eyeballs in the pulp tradition, SILVER introduces James Finnigan, a witty but (figuratively) soulless con man, who sets out to separate the living-dead from their silver. As Finnigan assembles the crew of talented but broken misfits needed to pull off the heist of the last ten centuries, personality conflicts, emotional entanglements and character comedy abound.

With SILVER, Franck brings the combination of light tone and character depth that has made him first-call in the animation industry. “Silver is about fathers;” Franck says; “It’s about sons. Sons who had bad fathers, and who carry the fear of not knowing how to be good into manhood. Ultimately, it’s about greed and emptiness versus the elusiveness of feeling alive.”

Comic book luminaries have been enjoying Franck’s debut comic:

“With SILVER, Stephan Franck shows how much excitement can be packed into a fast-moving, thrill-filled story...dynamic, unfussy, black and white art, all in the service of speed and momentum...a really, really fun ride.” — Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween; Batman Dark Victory; Superman For All Seasons)

“A beautifully drawn and masterfully told noir/heist story with a teasing side of the supernatural that constantly kept me surprised with it’s reveals. I was particularly taken aback by the creative camera angles and use of shadows. I was kinda blown away, really.” — Takeshi Miyazawa (Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane; X-Men Unlimited; Runaways)


ABOUT STEPHAN FRANCK:
Stephan Franck is a writer/director/animator who has worked for Disney, Dreamworks, Warner Bros, Universal, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures Animation. He was a supervising animator on The Iron Giant, and contributed story to films such as Despicable Me. He is the co-creator of the cult TV show, Corniel & Bernie (ADA Watch My Chops) (TF1, BBC, ABC Australia), that runs in over 60 countries and just got picked up for a second season. He’s had the giant out-of-body experience of being personally hired by George Lucas to direct a movie so cool and crazy it had to be abandoned, and just directed THE SMURFS: THE LEGEND OF SMURFY HOLLOW for Sony Pictures Animation, which is selected in official competition for the 2013 ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL in the Best TV Special category.

ABOUT DARK PLANET COMICS
Created in 2013, Dark Planet Comics is the home of Stephan Franck’s original comic book properties. “Having a comic book imprint has been a dream of mine,” Franck says, “it’s about authorship. It’s about the commitment to put my stories out into the world in the way they were intended to be. ComiXology’s amazing platform makes this kind of independence possible.”

Silver #1 on ComiXology: http://www.comixology.com/Silver/comics-series/10508

In addition to digital downloads, Silver #1’s print edition is available on the Dark Planet Comics website: www.darkplanetcomics.com