Sam Johnson Comics

www.thealmighties.com is live!

2012-03-01T03:17:00.006-08:00

Our Avengers-parodying THE ALMIGHTIES comic's website is live! Check out www.thealmighties.com - where you can meet the whole gang including our mysterious fifth member, see Previews and Pre-order the comic and get it signed and the week before it goes on general release!

The Almighties - Meet Nite Fang!

2012-02-26T14:39:00.021-08:00

www.thealmighties.com is live!

Here's an early sketch and some finished panels from The Almighties #1. Nite Fang is 'our Hulk'--if Bruce Banner was a £#!^%. Phineus Clayworth is a scrawny, cocky British punk who transforms into a monstrous cocky British werewolf.

When he and his punk rocker friends were set upon by a bloodthirsty werewolf, the degenerate, debaucherous Clayworth was the only one to make it out alive. But surviving the wounds he sustained now meant Phineus had the curse of lycanthropy to add to his list of endearing traits.

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You can join The Almighties Facebook Group for all Almighties News & Previews--and if you didn't catch the First Look at the book, and our first three members, Ms. F, Maxi-Tron and Mason, you can check them out here.

www.thealmighties.com

Deadpool #51 Review

2012-02-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Having completed my 4-part Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death, I'm currently working on my next thing to showcase that I've got the skillz to write the Merc with a Mouth... Meanwhile, let's see what's going on in his book, in Deadpool #51: Part 2 of DEAD.

And if you weren't able to get hold of a copy of Deadpool #50, the recap page in Deadpool #51 tells you everything you missed from the issue--and more!

Writer Daniel Way is pulling threads together here; for one: revealed at the end of Deadpool #50, the guy with the serum that killed Evil Deadpool is stone-hard-skinned albino super-villain Tombstone--whom Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool was responsible for incarcerating back in the day.

Tombstone's had a scientist concoct a serum that can beat Deadpool's supercharged healing factor and kill him. There are only two samples of this serum, though (with one already having been used on Evilpool).

Deadpool doesn't know Tombstone's got the serum, so he's set about smoking out whoever has by manipulating various players--his team-mates X-Force (of whom Wolverine is a member), The Kingpin, and Wolverine's son Daken--setting them against each other. The only one (including us) that's--seemingly--fully in on Wade's 'game of Chess' is his sidekick Hydra Bob, who's too dim (or sane) to understand it.

With them having narrowed down Evil Deadpool's potential snipers to a list of two, we catch up with X-Force as they're paying one of these a visit--just as The Kingpin's right-hand woman Typhoid Mary and his ninja The Hand are, too--but they're all too late as Daken's already been there, offed that; Daken part of another thread Daniel Way's pulling together for this arc, Way having made his debut writing Deadpool in a Wolverine story arc that also featured Daken, and set up his antagonism towards Wade.

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With neither X-Force nor The Kingpin's people party to Daken's actions, it's X-Force versus Typhoid and The Hand--with the building they're in erupting in flames thanks to Typhoid's telekinetic firestorm--before Wolverine and Typhoid dramatically exit the burning building, followed by The Hand and Wolvey's team-mates making their separate exits.

With the businesses housed in the building all rumored to be owned by The Kingpin, the media jumps on the theory that what just happened was part of an erupting gang war. All part of Deadpool's plan; as--it would seem--was Daken beating his team-mates and The Kingpin's crew to the punch. Knowing Daken and his agenda as well as he does, Wolverine realizes that his son was responsible for killing the sniper X-Force sought before they got there and, seeing a news report about the blaze on TV, Wolvey initially reacts violently to Deadpool having started a gang war (another nice use of Logan's claws, following last issue's slashing-change-out-of-a-payphone). But Wolvey calms down when Wade explains it's all a smokescreen so the team can set about finding the remaining suspect-sniper.

Meanwhile, Tombstone is visited by/visits some of the other 'pieces' in Wade's game, and, attempting to retrieve the remaining death-serum, finds he may be out of his depth as Daken continues to make his presence felt.

Ale Garza & Sean Parsons do a nice job as guest-artists--filling in for the regular art team of Carlo Barberi & Walden Wong--aided by excellent colorist Dommo Amara. Storywise, a weakness in the plot is found in the ending: defying logic on the part of Tombstone when related to the beginning. The issue is short on humor for a Deadpool book--as was the first chapter of 'Dead'--the impetus here being on Wade's machinations picking up speed as writer Daniel Way brings us a fast-paced issue with multiple characters being played by the Merc with a Mouth.

With 'Dead' a 5-part arc, I hope it won't be too long before we get past everyone being played and get to the meat of the matter--Deadpool trying to get himself killed so he can be with lady Death--but with us not being fully privy to Wade's schemes, right now, we're just along for the ride.

The Almighties - Meet Mason!

2012-02-19T05:53:00.004-08:00

www.thealmighties.com is live!

"Okay, we're done unless we can bend that 'No Killing' rule." Mason.

Here're some finished panels from The Almighties #1 and a page and pin-up from a Mason solo outing. What if a merc-for-hire with no conscience joined a sanctioned super-team? Mason is our wildcard.

A top secret wet works operative. Highly trained in black ops. Experienced in every form of combat and man-made hell. Previous identity erased from history. Molded by the U.S. government to be a monster and a killing machine. 'What if The Punisher joined the Avengers?' No. Mason would give The Punisher nightmares that make him wake up, crying for his mommy.

Now for hire. You don't #*^% with Mason.

Although it seem's this punk's trying to!? Who's got the stones to twist our merc's melon? Meet the fourth member of The Almighties here next Monday.

You can join The Almighties Facebook Group for all Almighties News & Previews--and if you didn't catch the First Look at the book, and our first two members, Ms. F and Maxi-Tron, you can check them out here.

www.thealmighties.com

The Almighties - Meet Maxi-Tron!

2012-02-12T12:18:00.004-08:00

www.thealmighties.com is live!

"Too cool for the nerds, too smart for the jocks, I didn't fit in anywhere. I had to rise above them; show them I was better than them all." Maxi-Tron.

Here's a sketch, work-in-progress-panels, and finished panels from The Almighties #1--as we meet the team's Field Leader: 'our Iron Man'--if Tony Stark's arrogance was dialled up to 11--Maxi-Tron!

Combining his super-smarts and physical skills, Max Mitchell built super-tech armor and became 'career super-hero' Maxi-Tron!

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You can join The Almighties Facebook Group for all Almighties News & Previews--and if you didn't catch the First Look at the book, and our first member, Ms. F, you can check them out here. And, say--who's that fella in the sketch with Ms. F and Maxi? He's our wildcard, Mason--and you can meet him here!

www.thealmighties.com

Deadpool #50 Review

2012-02-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

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Congratulations to Mike Workman on winning the Deadpool/Death Caption Contest I've been holding here in the run-up to DEAD!

Mike, your little yellow & white boxes of craziness are now immortalized here and at my Deadpool Crew Facebook Group!

So here we are at Part 1 of the much-anticipated, much talked about DEAD arc--which comes with the tagline 'Watch him Croak'...

For some time now, Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool, the Merc with a Mouth, has had a death wish. After changing direction from badass merc to wannabe superhero and back and flying to outer space where he saved some planets, but felt alone and missed the pat on the back he would have gotten from friends--Deadpool returned home, only to be met by all his friends trying to kill him--and for a brief moment, succeeding.

But his supercharged healing factor kicked in and brought him back to life. However, in that brief moment, he was reunited with the love of his life, the female emobodiment of Death--and realized (or deluded himself into believing) that this was what his friends wanted for him. That this was what he wanted. To feel Death's embrace forever.

Since then, he's been on a mission to beat his healing factor and get himself killed for good, but has only wound up getting himself put in the nut house, thereupon meeting fellow fruitcake Dr. Ella Whitby--who was obsessed with him and had his old discarded body parts, lost in battles, in her freezer. Disgusted at this, Wade chucked the parts in the dumpster--but they thawed and formed the sentient Evil Deadpool... and Deadpool and Evil Deadpool went head-to-head--before 'Evil' was taken down by a sniper dart. And died.

Which brings us to now.

Deadpool wants what he had. He wants to find that sniper and get a dose of what killed Evil Deadpool. But with 'every cop in the world out to get him,' drawing attention to himself isn't gonna be the way to go as it'll only end up with him put away again--where he can't reach the serum. He's gonna have to 'use pawns to do it.' And so Deadpool begins putting the pieces in place for his own inimitable 'Game of Chess.'

'The Horse Heads.'

Telling them the serum nullifies mutations and hiding his true motivations from them, Deadpool convinces his X-Force team-mates that The Kingpin has it and gets them to help him try and find the sniper The Kingpin 'hired,' that took out Evil Deadpool, believing this to be the smarter way to go than aiming directly at The Kingpin, as he'd quickly cover his tracks.

Deadpool also meets up with Wolverine's son Daken...

'The Shooter.'

...and invites Daken to accompany him on the search for the serum (Daken, also possessing a super-charged healing factor, having a vested interest)--and then kill him with it. But Daken turns down the offer, believing it too good to be true.

Meanwhile, Wade sends his sometime sidekick Hydra Bob...

'The Wheelbarrow.'

...to visit The Kingpin, asking for the big guy's help in finding the serum. Bemused by this, The Kingpin's tolerance for Bob rapidly erodes before he forcefully shows him the door and sets his right-hand woman Typhoid Mary (who had a 'thing' with Wade in the past)--together with his Ninja lackeys The Hand--about finding the serum for his own gain.

'The One That Goes Diagonally.'

All this plus an inventive use of Wolverine's claws to get change for a payphone, double-crossing, and some intrigue involving a 'Baby's First...' book that begins and ends Deadpool #50--and you have a solid, extra-sized set-up issue for the 'Dead' arc. We're not privy to exactly what Wade's trying to pull off here, and though we don't have the full picture, there's also a piece in Deadpool's chess game that he isn't aware of--a 'Wildcard' introduced at the end of the book.

Returning art team Carlo Barberi & Walden Wong deliver some of their best work yet, aided by excellent new colorist Dommo.

There's been much talk about this hyped-up arc, which seems as though it may be writer Daniel Way's swansong on the volume of Deadpool that he's been with since the start. Way's also revealed that this mysterious serum that the Merc is searching for dates back to the start. A signature of Way's run on Deadpool has been the Merc 'playing' people and things not being as they appear; this looks set to be the grandest example of such yet--and one with the highest of stakes--the life of Deadpool himself.

I'm intrigued to see where this is gonna go...

The Almighties - Meet Ms. F!

2012-02-06T13:07:00.004-08:00

www.thealmighties.com is live!

Art by Eleonora Kortsarz.

“What does the ‘F’ stand for? Well--to me it means ‘Ms. Free’ or ‘Ms. Fun’--but to the public, for my powers, it could stand for ‘Ms. Fabulous,’ although that might sound a little conceited >heh<.”
Ms. F.

Here's an early sketch, work-in-progress-page, and finished piece of artwork from The Almighties #1--as we meet the first member of the team: 'our Ms. Marvel'--if Ms. Marvel was unhinged--Ms. F!

Bitten by a radioactive dust mite, downtrodden Canadian housewife Katie Graeme threw off the shackles of her oppressive husband and donned a mask and cape. Ms. F has issues and she’s gonna take them out on crime!

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You can join The Almighties Facebook Group for all Almighties News & Previews--and if you didn't catch the First Look at the book, you can find that and meet two more members of the team--Maxi-Tron and Mason--here!

www.thealmighties.com

DEADPOOL #50 Preview

2012-02-03T11:11:00.001-08:00

Here's a 4-page Preview of Deadpool #50: 'DEAD' Part 1...

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The Deadpool/Death Caption Contest is open 'til Tuesday, you can check out all four episodes of my unofficial 'Dead' prequel Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death below--and join me back here on Wednesday for my Deadpool #50 Review!

Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death #4

2012-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

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Awww... Wade does love her, after all. And he reckons he's found a way to beat his healing factor and be with her--

Join me here next Wednesday for my Deadpool #50 Review - 'Dead' Part 1 - the story where we're going to "Watch him Croak"?!?

The Almighties

2012-01-31T07:19:00.013-08:00

[UPDATE:] THE ALMIGHTIES website is live! Check out www.thealmighties.com - where you can meet the whole gang including our mysterious fifth member, see Previews and Pre-order the comic and get it signed and a week before it goes on general release!

I spent much of last year working with a big creative team, putting together my major comic. There was a bunch of red tape to take care of before I could reveal what it is, but with that done, now I can...

Say, doesn't that logo look a lot like the Avengers' logo? Hmmm...

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You can join the brand spankin' new Almighties Facebook Group to get all Almighties News & Previews as they hit--and meet the first three members of the team--Ms. F here, Maxi-Tron here, and Mason here!

www.thealmighties.com

Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death #3 + Daniel Way interview and more 'Dead' Preview art

2012-01-25T05:17:00.000-08:00

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You can check out an interview with Deadpool writer Daniel Way @ WatchPlayRead.com here--in which Way gets questions such as "President Obama is strapped to a nuclear missile, on a submarine, in space, with genetically enhanced space sharks protecting the submarine. How would Deadpool save him?" thrown at him--and here's some more 'Dead' Preview art:

You can find the concluding Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death here!

RSS (Random Superhero Shizzle) Feed

2012-01-23T07:09:00.001-08:00

Wanting to cover some stuff that isn't just about me or my pal Deadpool, this is Random Superhero Shizzle--new superhero stuff that's caught my eye:

(1) FANBABES: Former FANBABE of the YEAR Ana Aesthetic is smokin' as Emma Frost the White Queen in her new shoot, and you can check out more of it here (the guy in the video isn't doing what he looks as though he is).

(2) The acerbic Charlie Brooker, Guardian columnist and writer of Big Brother gets zombified comedy-drama Dead Set, responds to David Cameron's recent call for British films to be more commercial by offering some suggestions (with tongue firmly in cheek) for British-made superhero movies:

"Superhero films are guaranteed box-office gold – so let's make a British one: a Dark Knight facsimile about a vigilante Beefeater in a rubberised outfit who lives in the Tower of London with an army of ravens.

"Also, how about Paddington Bear as a wisecracking CGI hero? The marmalade sandwiches he enjoys won't 'read' overseas, so we'll replace those with peanut butter and jelly, but otherwise he's exactly the same loveable British Paddington Bear, minus the bit about him being an immigrant from darkest Peru. Also, he wears sunglasses and says 'Woah, THAT's godda hurt!' and is voiced by Ashton Kutcher."

(3) THE STARS #1 written & pencilled by Kurt Belcher, inked by Stuart Berryhill, published by Earthbound Comics.

A super-team of yesteryear, The Stars have been put back together--with their number depleted--following a hiatus resulting from a mission gone wrong.

In a gesture of 'good faith,' the President of isolationist republic Um-Kulthoum has brought The Stars in to take down a resident terrorist sect--though the President's 'bread-breaking' doesn't extend as far as allowing the team to search for Weapons of Mass Destruction while they're at it, as a supervillain team are sent in to intervene when they do.

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From here we jump over to the super-heroics of some new would-be Stars members--and the taking down of whitebread armored hero Panzermannen by a shadowy group of supervillains who have designs on influencing just who is going to be joining The Stars...

Steeped in superhero comic-influences spanning Lee & Kirby to Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, The Stars is kind of a more traditional The Authority that borrows liberally from other superhero books--one of the team, Grand Britannia, resembling Captain Britain somewhat, and their 'eye in the sky' Dr. Mole pretty similar to Fantastic Four villain the Mole Man. And btw, Dr. Mole, you'd do well to be less concerned with your 'P's and 'Q's--preceding every critical warning to the team (such as when they're about to get obliterated) with a "Pardon" or "Don't mean to interrupt." There's a time and place for politeness and it isn't when you've got a nuke up yer ass.

The book's quite raw, particularly in the art department, and the narrative could flow and hang together a bit better--and having British members among a team called 'The Stars' doesn't seem the most natural fit--the name evoking, to me at least, 'stars 'n' stripes.' But if you enjoy a traditional superhero comic that does also have moments of edge and originality stemming from its influences (a giant Japanese breakdancing robot super-villain), you can check this first of a 6-issue mini-series out at Earthboundcomics.com where it's available to buy in print and digitally, and comes with two cover variants--one by Belcher and one (pictured) by Top Cow & Zenescope artist Martin Montiel.

(4) Remi Nicole is the worst superheroine ever. She can't even fly and all she does is get arrested.

(5) RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #5: written by Scott Lobdell & illustrated by Kenneth Rocafort.

One of the unholy trinity of perceived audience-alienating DC New 52 launches, along with Catwoman and Voodoo (with honorable mention going to Batgirl), Red Hood and The Outlaws copped a lot of flack for its rebooted Princess Koriand'r a.k.a. Starfire seemingly being portrayed as something along the lines of a lobotomized sexbot, as parodied here by Auggie18:

I didn't pick up the first issue of the book, but I saw and heard enough to make me want to check out issue #4--which one of my Twitter pals Jesse Robels described as "very different [from previous issues] and crazy" (which sounds good to me)--and what I found was an offbeat book with flawed, conflicted characters, and I liked the feel of it. Rocafort's art is very nice and his Starfire is hot, but things have definitely moved away from how she was coming across at first--apparently, issue #3 having revealed that her overt lack of memory and emotion were in fact defensive facades, as she isn't able to come to terms with her past. And rendered 'human' and vulnerable in issue #5--her bond with team-mate Roy Harper a.k.a. Arsenal developing, Starfire's emotions begin to come to the surface.

Former Robin, Jason Todd a.k.a. the Red Hood is also struggling with issues of the past--having been killed by the Joker (before he "got better" due to Superboy Prime having altered reality--or whatever reason the New 52 universe holds for his resurrection) and Batman having failed to avenge him; and former Green Arrow protégé Arsenal is billed as a "recovering superhero" (whatever that means--perhaps it was explained in the first ish).

The main 'villain' of the peace, Crux, is also flawed--this time detrimentally--carrying something of a hokey spin on Batman's origin wherein a spacecraft belonging to Starfire's race accidentally crashed on his family, killing them, and he's gone a bit mental and turned himself into a kind of alien and dedicated his life to wiping out all alien life. As you would. There's more alien threat in the form of The Untitled, a race that have infiltrated the US, and whom Red Hood holds responsible for slaughtering his former post-Batman mentor and crew, the All-Caste. Though, in battle with a female Untitled member, it turns out the Red Hood may not have his facts straight.

I found the All-Caste/Untitled stuff somewhat confusing (though I assume would have less so if I'd been in from the beginning) but in some ways that fits the book, which is largely told from the not-necessarily-accurate perspective of its conflicted male protagonists. Red Hood and The Outlaws is a book that's flawed and misunderstood, but with an intriguing humanity to it.

Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death #2 + 'Dead' Preview art!

2012-01-18T02:31:00.001-08:00

Well the first installment of Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death went down well on the Deadpool fanpages, with one of the Facebook ones saying, "Pretty awesome stuff," among the great comments it received. Here's the next one for your Pool-o-Vision pleasure...

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Btw, if you'd like to check out the Deadpool fanpages on Facebook, here're links to a whole mess of 'em:

Deadpool "THE PLACE TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH DEADPOOL!"
Deadpool "Welcome, be sure to check out the links page for great Deadpool sites."
Deadpool "DEADPOOL!!! 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR, NON-STOP DEADPOOL!!!"
Deadpool (runs 'Fan of the Week' and ting.)
Deadpool Rockz "I Like Guns..."
And my own Deadpool Crew Group which has lots of active members, posting about all kinds of Deadpool shizzle.

Now, as we continue to countdown to Deadpool #50's landmark 'Dead' arc--for which Marvel have now released the tagline "Watch him Croak"--here's some tasty-looking Carlo Barberi & Walden Wong Preview Art from it:

[UPDATE:] You can now find the next Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death plus a Daniel Way interview here!

Rob Liefeld talks Deadpool Movie test footage - maybe.

2012-01-13T10:48:00.000-08:00

There's been much talk of the proposed Deadpool movie, a number of fanmade promos out there, such as the one above by EditNinja, and great word of mouth about the script, but things had appeared to have stalled, seemingly partly due to Ryan Reynolds (slated to play 'Pool)'s other commitments. Well, at the recent Amazing Arizona Comic Con, Rob Liefeld let something slip...

It's a fun chat with Liefeld and the current writer of DC's Superboy, Teen Titans and (the controversial) Red Hood and the Outlaws, Scott Lobdell--but if you want to jump to what Liefeld may or may not have seen about the Deadpool movie, it's 39:40 in. ;)

UPDATE 1/19:

The Geek Files have reported that the Deadpool movie is now likely to go into production this year, with Ryan Reynolds still attached to star as Deadpool.

David Bentley reports for The Geek Files: "Those involved with the 20th Century Fox project are hopeful that Deadpool will film this year.

"Fan favorite Deadpool, the name used by smart-mouth mercenary Wade Wilson, was introduced in X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Reynolds in the role but the new film will reboot the concept so it's far closer to the comics. There has been talk that the script even sees Deadpool poking fun at his initial big-screen appearance, which will be portrayed as a work of fiction that isn't part of the film's own reality.

"Although there's been no official news about Deadpool since Tim Miller joined as director last April, I have been hearing it's on the front burner and still viable, with Reynolds still attached to star. Reynolds has been actively involved in the script for what he regards as a personal passion project.

"The actor has been filming another comic book adaptation, R.I.P.D, about an afterlife police department for dead cops, and then has a voice role in DreamWorks animated feature Turbo about a garden snail whose dreams come true after a freak accident.

"Fox is also developing a sequel to X-Men: First Class as well as rebooting its Daredevil and Fantastic Four franchises. It recently emerged that Chronicle director Josh Trank is in line to helm the next Fantastic Four film.

The Geek Files also reports that Hugh Jackman's The Wolverine will definitely go into production this year.

The X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel sees Logan travel to Japan to train with a Samurai warrior - whereupon he discovers his new love.

Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death #1

2012-01-11T05:09:00.000-08:00

Deadpool is going to die (?). In Deadpool's 'Dead' arc, kicking off in February, Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool: The Merc with a Mouth has finally found a way to beat his supercharged healing feeling factor and be with the love of his life, the female embodiment of Death.

Wanting to have a little fun in the build-up to that, I've taken an existing Deadpool/Death fantasy scene and broken it up into short funnies with all-new dialogue...

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Join me here every Wednesday for more Deadpool/Death shenanigans as we countdown to 'Dead', on which writer Daniel Way has recently shed more light in an interview with Marvel.com:

"Despite his miraculous healing abilities, there’s been something out there since the very beginning of the character that can kill him, or at least make it possible for him to die—permanently. The real deal.

"And that’s great news for Deadpool, as that’s been his new obsession. Deadpool’s the type of character that’s always obsessed with the things he couldn’t have or couldn’t do. The best way to motivate him to do something is to have as many people as possible tell him he can’t. For this particular goal, Deadpool hasn’t really sat down and thought out the implications of dying; to him it’s just a goal, not a destination. He hasn’t figured out that dying would be the end of the line for him. He just wants to do it. With his manic personality, he hasn’t considered the ramifications of what that means."

Way continues, "Now with the news that there’s something out there that could actually kill him, it becomes a kind of mystery where he has to find out who has it and get them to use it. At first you’d think it’s just a matter of him going out into the public and making himself as visible as possible, but at this point he’s wanted by Interpol, the N.Y.P.D. and every international law enforcement agency out there. If they grab him, they’ll lock him up and he won’t be able to get to this thing that could kill him. For “Dead,” he has to figure out a Rube Goldberg-style plan to flush out this thing while still maintaining cover from his pursuers. That means sucking in all of these different parties after him to get them to do what he wants them to do. No one knows they’ve been drafted into Deadpool’s plans until it’s too late. This arc has a very big cast."

And that 'big cast' includes The Kingpin, Typhoid Mary, Nick Fury, Wolverine's son Daken, Deadpool's teammates X-Force, and his sometime sidekick Hydra Bob--whom it doesn't appear as though things are going to go well for...

[UPDATE:] You can now find more on 'Dead' and episode 2 of Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death here!

Bootleg Deadpool Hearts Death

2012-01-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

After trying to get himself killed for much of last year--and failing, due to his supercharged healing factor--what's billed as "the biggest change in Deadpool’s life" kicks off in February's Deadpool #50, the first part of the 'Dead' story arc--where it appears Deadpool may finally have come up with a plan that can get him killed, so he can be with the love of his life, the female embodiment of Death.

Whether he dies or not, assuming 'Dead' doesn't mean the end of Wade Wilson, the Merc with a Mouth, some of you will know that I've been gunning to work on Deadpool for awhile, and this year I'm going to be making some big moves to try and pull that off.

As part of that, and having a little fun with the 'Dead' teasers along the way, I bring you my Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death. Tune in every Wednesday in the run up to 'Dead''s release for Deadpool 'n' Death shenanigans, with words by me! :)

COMICS 2012 launches on Facebook

2012-01-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

I've created a new comics community page on Facebook, where you can check out, post and comment on News, Collaborations Wanted, Reviews and Previews--anything comics!

The page has launched with links to news on Deadpooh(?!), Death of the Goon, the much-anticipated rebooting Prophet, and a Wolverine #300 Preview among other stuff, check it out and 'Like' it here!

Bootleg Deadpool hearts Death update

2012-01-04T05:19:00.000-08:00

For those of you that saw my original post about my 'Deadpool hearts Death' parody, I've developed my ideas further and things have gotten bigger and cooler but as a result will now need approval from more of the Deadpool creative team--so it's gonna have to go on hold while I wait on Yes's or No's. If any of them aren't happy for me to run it, that'll be completely fair and understandable, but if they don't object, things'll start rolling out here next Wednesday...

Geek girls!

2011-12-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

Sci-Fi Romance author Kaye Manro has written a piece about her identity as a 'geek girl,' invited other SFR writers to do the same, and used characters Deadpool-obsessed psychotic Dr. Ella Whitby and my own Ruby Kaye a.k.a. Geek-Girl to illustrate the piece in her new Blog.

For those not familiar with Dr. Whitby: In the current ongoing Deadpool series, Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool: the Merc with a Mouth was committed to a psychiatric institution after trying to get himself killed (something nigh-impossible because of his super-charged healing factor) so he could be with the love of his life, the female embodiment of Death--and Whitby was assigned to treat him. It gradually emerged that Whitby--in her own way--was as nutty as Deadpool, had been storing dismembered & discarded parts of his body (since replaced by his healing factor) in her fridge, dressing up in a Deadpool costume and killing people in his name--all for love.

When Wade told Whitby he was in love with someone else, she killed herself. And Deadpool's currently dealing with the body parts she had in storage, as they merged and took on their own consciousness--becoming Evil Deadpool!

Whitby wasn't a good role model for geek girls, but my Geek-Girl's image, however, has come to be regarded as a positive one.

For those not familiar with GG, here's the skinny on her:

When hot college chick, 'Little Miss Popular' Ruby Kaye lands a pair of super-tech glasses invented by brainiac college geek Trevor Goldstein in a game of Strip Poker, she's granted flight, super-strength, and--due to a flaw in the glasses' programming--super-klutziness.

That's the high concept. Something I had to field when the book came out was the argument that being a geek girl was about more than just wearing glasses and being klutzy. All I'll say about this is that the effects of the glasses aren't all immediately manifested. ;)

When we meet Ruby, she's got guys queueing up, but her circle of friends, or rather, clique--headed by the über-bitchy Karin Carpenter, are somewhat superficial--and they don't care for the transformation Ruby's tech-glasses bring about in her. Ruby, and her one true friend, Summer, however--are very excited about the powers they bring her!

I'm gratified that people dig Geek-Girl's look, I'm often coming across images of her randomly on people's Facebooks, and Geek-Girl #0 has gone down pretty well. Illustrated by Sally J. Thompson--who also did the gorgeous cover, the $1.99 #0 issue introduces Ruby to her powers, and we get to meet Karin, Summer and the rest of her clique--and a mysterious, and bizarre, villain. The book's still available to buy at the Geek-Girl website, where you'll also find a Preview; and if you'd like to check out a review, you'll find one at Comics Waiting Room here!

The Abnormals

2011-11-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

I've been invited by fellow Brit/comics creator Grant Springford to join a bunch of other British writers and artists in contributing to his new Abnormals anthology.

Springford and I share Grant Morrison's bizarre run on superhero/misfits Doom Patrol as one of our big influences--evident in The Abnormals--and the story I'll be working on will star The Ab's resident demon, Nasty--whom Springford describes as Howard the Duck meets Wolverine--a ferocious fighter with poisonous claws and the ability to vomit acid (nice) among his powers; and will take place in Springford's weird Subterranea, that exists beneath London.

Graham Pierce, creator of the acclaimed Sgt. Mike Battle, will be handling the art, and the story will be one of a bunch of strips spotlighting the team's members.

If you're not familiar with The Abnormals and would like to check them out, you can get in on the ground floor of their universe with The Abnormals Special--out now and available at the Abnormals website!

BIG DEADPOOL PREVIEW

2011-10-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

(Gold Town: 'A Whole Other Thing' from Pandemonium Spotlight #2. Right click then 'Open' to read up close).

As I continue to make moves to showcase to Marvel that I can write the Merc with a Mouth-- sending them my latest, in which white boy wannabe-gangsta Pete the Pimp goes to Gold Town in Twilight Star Productions' Pandemonium Spotlight #2, and working on my major Top Secret comic (sneak peak below this post and plenty more to come), which will be my biggest and best shot yet--there're big things happening for Deadpool in his ongoing book, with major story arc 'Dead' looming. Let's get up to speed and take a look at what's coming up for everyone's favorite wise-crackin' psychotic...

For any that haven't been following the Deadpool ongoing series: After taking down Numero Uno intergalactic merc Macho Gomez and stealing his spacecraft, Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool jetted off into outer space and took Gomez's mantle as the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter... But, disheartened by the non-reaction to this, "In space, no one can hear you win," Deadpool returned home to Earth--only to be confronted by the surviving Gomez and a bunch of Wade's supposed friends, who proceeded to try and kill him. And succeeded. Temporarily. And in that moment, Wade was reunited with the love of his life, the embodiment of Death--and realized this was what he wanted from his friends--to be reunited with her. To be dead.

And then Deadpool's super-healing factor kicked in.

Brought back to life, Wade embarked on an unhinged mission to annoy the hell out of The Hulk, believing 'Ol Green Skin the only one with enough muscle to smoosh him out of existence for good--and he succeeded--kind of.

The Hulk smashed him, but knew his healing factor would bring him back, and realizing the mental state Wade was in (bad--even for Deadpool), the Hulk's alter ego Bruce Banner had his cousin, lawyer Jennifer Walters a.k.a. She-Hulk fix it for Wade to be committed to Crossmore Institution for the criminally insane, in Britain.

There, Wade was helped by shrink Dr. Ella Whitby... helped to escape, that is--as Whitby was nuttier than Wade, crazy in love with him, offing people in Deadpool's name--and had even collected dismembered parts of Wade that he'd lost over time in battle and regenerated--stored in her freezer!

Heartbroken at the revelation that Deadpool was in love with someone else, the unhinged Whitby killed herself--and Wade, disgusted at his 'frozen bits', dumped them... following which, they merged to form Evil Deadpool. Which brings us to now.

Both 'good' Deadpool and Evil Deadpool are headed separately for New York city in a 5-part story arc beginning in Deadpool #45. "[With Deadpool,] every bad turn was always voluntary. He always had a choice. Either turn back or turn into it and he always took the wrong path. I don't think he intentionally did it, but I think that kind of informs his morality as it stands now," says Deadpool writer Daniel Way in an interview with Comic Book Resources. Way continues, "Evil Deadpool was born in a dumpster. He has no background and is not attached to anything. He's got some short term memories. There's no childhood there. He's never experienced love. He's never experienced loss. He's basically what Deadpool would be if he had never been one of us."

Way has been doing 'big picture'/'pieces of the puzzle' work on the book, and speaking in interviews with Comic Book Resources and Newsarama recently, has revealed that Deadpool has by no means given up on his quest for death--and that the Evil Deadpool arc will provide Deadpool with his 'Krytonite;' something that goes back to the origins of the character. Something that will actually kill him.

The first issue alone of 'Dead' (Deadpool #50) will see the return of the Kingpin, Typhoid Mary and The Hand--tying into Joe Kelly's run on the previous Deadpool series--plus Wade's team-mates X-Force--as well as the return of regular Deadpool artist Carlo Barberi. But ahead of this issue, following the Evil Deadpool arc, we have Deadpool #49.1: 'Deadpool: The Musical,' which brings back some other old 'friends' and promises to bring readers up to speed ahead of 'Dead.'

I'm invested in what Way's bringing to the character, and looking forward to all of this stuff, 'Dead' in particular, though not sure what to expect from this much-teased arc--a feeling that is clearly deliberate on the part of Marvel and Way, as speaking with Newsarama, he says, "A lot of readers have become jaded with the whole, 'In this issue...a hero will fall' thing, and I don’t blame them. I’m one of them. That’s why 'Dead' is what it is; and it’s nothing like what you think it’ll be. Bluntly, I don’t think readers can prepare for this one."

TOP SECRET PROJECT: First Look!

2011-10-05T01:38:00.001-07:00

Art: Eleonora Kortsarz, colors: Mike Gagnon & Gulliver Silva (click pic to enlarge).

My major comics project is nearing completion and I'm starting rolling out sneak peaks and teasers here!

What is it? Who does that metal foot belong to and why are they smooshing that poor bunny rabbit?!

Stay tuned...

Top Secret Project

2011-09-04T06:09:00.001-07:00

Things have been pretty quiet on here for awhile because I've been working on my major Top Secret Project behind the scenes. I'm excited to start putting some stuff up here about it but there are a couple more things to put in place before I can do so. Stay tuned! ;)

Magic Hammer Fun Time

2011-06-12T03:39:00.000-07:00

As I gear up for my latest crack at trying to land a gig working on Deadpool (wish me luck), let's take a look at the new Deadpool book on the block...

Fear Itself: Deadpool #1 (of 3) Review:

Tying in to Marvel's current big crossover event, though you don't need to be following Fear Itself to get this, Wade Wilson's latest mini-series is written by newcomer to the Merc with a Mouth, Christopher Hastings (Dr. McNinja) and illustrated by regular Deadpool contributors Bong Dazo & Joe Pimentel.

This is fun. It kicks off with a nice Juggernaut joke (stemming from the page below), and it had me from there.

Deadpool's latest wheeze is installing supervillain-proof home security systems; only, they're not magical-hammer-wielding-supervillain-proof, so thanks to the Fear Itself event (in which various heavy hitters deemed 'The Chosen' have been awarded these power-augmenting weapons), his scheme is quickly blown apart, and his work-boys bail for a gig in New Mexico.

However, as they're making their exit, a mysterious wolf-man (reporting to an unseen master) blows their van up with a rocket launcher, scattering its contents--including a hammer: smacking Deadpool upside his skull and giving him and the voices in his head an idea...

"If 'A-rated' villain plus 'A-rated' hammer make 'A++' unbeatable villain... then 'F-rated' hammer plus..."

Forgetting all about the workmen (who survived the blast), Wade goes into his supervillain database in search of a sucker he can dupe into his new scheme--and hits 'F-list' gold in the shape of über-moron Walrus!

Wade decorates his hammer to make it look enchanted, tracks down Walrus to the monster trucks track he works at (where he's about to carry out a ridiculously over-elaborate plan to steal one of the drivers' wallets), and then drops the hammer in his path from overhead--strapped with explosives to make its 'falling from the heavens' effect convincing.

From there, super-chump Walrus tries out the hammer in idiotically impractical ways--but isn't sold on the idea that this (pimped-up but actually normal) hammer enhances his abilities.

So Deadpool steps in--in the shoddily put together guise of The Spectre of Mass Destruction--to convince Walrus of the hammer's power and complete his plan: to send the supervillain to New Mexico to wreak hammer-enhanced-havoc, so Wade can then waltz in and save its people from him--at a price.

But there's a twist.

The art team of Bong Dazo & Joe Pimentel do a nice job on this, Deadpool's first new series since Deadpool MAX, bringing the same comical style they instilled the Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth series with (and that they're also bringing to the current Hulk arc in the Deadpool ongoing).

Newcomer Chris Hastings writes Wade well (with the voices in his head even more schizo and fragmented than usual, here) and hits the right tone to carry the book through its comical plot, with some nice gags strewn throughout and Walrus fitting the schmuck-shaped hole Wade was looking to fill well; one of my favorite moments in the book is Walrus's demented power-trip monologue where he fantasizes about taking on Spider-Man with his magic hammer: "I could be like, 'Hey Spider-Man! Hey, don't take my hammer away!' And he'd be all, 'Yes I Will! I'm so clever! Thwip thwip thwip!' Then I'd let him web the hammer, and pull it out of my hands. But he'd just whip it into his stupid unfunny spider-face. And it would be magic, and blow up his head!"

I'm looking forward to more of this comedy double act in the two issues to come. ;)

Marvels

2011-06-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from writing Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman and trying to crack working on Deadpool, I'm the guest on the new episode of SciFi Pulse's Wayne's Comics show, talking some of my favorite new Marvel comics/comics I'm looking forward to--and there's also a teaser on what's coming up for Cabra.

You can listen to the show here! :)

New Interview!

2011-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Check out a fun new interview with me on the Discussions with Decapitated Dan show, where I talk Geek-Girl, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman (including what's coming up for her) and some of my favorite comics at the moment.

I'm on about an hour in, which you can jump to if you like, but if you listen from the start of the show you'll also catch an interview with acclaimed Mexican werewolf comic Feeding Ground creators Michael Lapinski & Chris Mangun.

Published by Archaia, here's the skinny on Feeding Ground:

A famine caused by Blackwell Industries drives Diego Busqueda, a lycanthropic “coyote,” to lead a band of Mexican border crossers across the unforgiving Devil’s Highway, a desert cursed with blistering days and deadly nights--while back home, Diego's daughter discovers that something hungrier prowls the factory fields.

You can listen to our interviews here! :)

Deadpool Wants Death

2011-04-29T05:52:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I'm gunning to work on Deadpool and if I'm able break the the door down, I'd love to play with some of Wade's friends (not it that way), so I was looking forward to the latest issue of Deadpool (#36) as it promised a tearful reunion with them...

After taking out the galaxy's Numero Uno merc Macho Gomez and stealing his space ship to fly off and take his status, too, Wade's trip to outer space concluded with his obliteration of Id the Selfish Moon--but--though successful--Wade was left feeling empty, "In space, no-one can hear you win."

So Deadpool's returned to Earth, looking for some love. Looking for his friends...

Crash-landing on the island he'd previously left Hydra Bob on--and inadvertently decimating the-world's-biggest-popcorn-kernel that Bob's just spent the last God-knows-how-long proudly creating, Wade seeks reaffirmation from his bud--but finds that, not only is it not forthcoming, but that Macho Gomez is still alive and has rounded up Wade's friends to take him out! And Bob's just alerted them.

What follows is an all-out fight as Gomez, Taskmaster, Weazel, Sluggo, The Great Lakes Avengers' Big Bertha, and Blind Al and her dog Deuce attempt to kill Deadpool--and for a moment there, they succeed. Deadpool dies and is briefly reunited with the love of his life, Death; whereupon, she informs him that this is what he's always wanted from his friends. To deliver him to her.

Then Wade's healing factor kicks and he's brought kicking and screaming back into the land of the living; his friends--except for Bob--having dispersed.

I'd hoped for more from Wade's reunion with his buddies--particularly from Blind Al, who I'm a big fan of from her days as Wade's roommate/hostage in Joe Kelly's seminal run on the book--and Al, and some of the others assembled, wanting to kill Deadpool is inconsistent with what's come before from them, which writer Daniel Way attempts to get past with the Death-love argument (the implication being that some of them want to kill him because they do care about him).

I can't really swallow what Way's selling here without there having been more exposition on the individual characters' motivations, but bringing Death, and Wade's feelings for her, back is consistent--and welcome--as are Wade's fun psychotic love/hate exchanges with Hydra Bob, bookending the issue, and the art from Sheldon Vella, which hits the right tone.

Introspective, following his meeting with Death, Wade has a dialogue with himself which runs: "Okay, so... what I'm looking for is friends--which I'll never have...that'll kill me--which'll never happen...because I want somebody to care about me. Except no-one ever will."

If Wade's head was a mess before, it's a huge mess now.

There's only one solution.

Death.

Things have taken a darker turn and from what I've seen of what's coming up for Deadpool, this isn't gonna go well for him...

Cabra Cini promos round-up

2011-04-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last three months promoting Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman's color debut in Visionary Comics' Digital Visions #4, the free download introduction to Cabra, ahead of more stuff that'll be coming for her; and here are some of the highlights of the promos...

I talk about Cabra, plus my other projects, including Gold Town, at Comic Book Interviews here. I went on podcasts Loud Idiots and SciFi Pulse, and you can listen to me talking about Digital Visions #4 and what's coming up for Cabra on the SciFi Pulse Podcast here.

Cabra's debut got some great reviews and you can check out one of the best here, and some of my favorite quotes from reviewers below. I've got big plans for Cabra, and if you'd like News & Previews, a good place to join is the Cabra Facebook Group, and if you haven't checked out her color debut in Digital Visions #4 yet, it's still available to Download or Read online FREE at the bottom of this post!

“Cabra Cini makes her debut with a bang. This is a perfect set up story.” James Ferguson, HorrorTalk.com

“The pacing’s fast, the art is moving, the surprises many. I applaud Cabra Cini for breaking the limits that female characters can play in comics.” Wayne Hall, SciFi Pulse.

“Smart, effective, and highly entertaining. This is a rising talent in the comics industry.” Steven Leitman, Reading with a Flight Ring.

“This is a great intro. There is a ton of promise here for a dark and rich storyline.” Tommy Young, The Devil’s Demons.

“This is something new altogether. I give it my recommendation. Strongly. You can and SHOULD go read this book.” Michael Wearden, Mike’s Comic Blog.

Cabra's color debut in Digital Visions #4 is available at WOWIO to Download or Read online FREE here! At the link, click Get eBook to Download (requires opening a WOWIO account) or Read Online (no account required).

Deadpool Preview

2011-04-02T14:06:00.001-07:00

Having spent the last three months promoting my Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman's color debut in Digital Visions #4--which is still available to download free at the post below--it's time to show my other favorite merc some love in a don't say 'finger-lickin' family bucket-sized Preview!

If you've been following Wade's adventures in the Deadpool ongoing you'll know that he kicked alien bounty hunter Macho Gomez's ass, ditched the idea of trying to be a hero, and jetted off into space, taking Gomez's job as top banana intergalactic merc.

Well, after his space adventures wrap up, Deadpool's back on Earth in Deadpool #36, and so's Gomez--and this time he's brought friends. Deadpool's friends.

One of these, I'd love to see brought back as a fixture. As some of you know, I'm gunning to work on Deadpool and have recently been developing my ideas--and those I've spoken to about this will know who I'm talking about--but right now I'm working on breaking that Merc-with-a-Mouth-shaped door down.

Which of Wade's buddies will feature in Gomez's 'kill Deadpool crew' has yet to be revealed, but all of those present have an axe to grind with Wade, and things seemingly don't go well because following this, Wade wants to die!... which, as any Deadpool fan will know, isn't an easy task because of his healing power... so he has to figure out a way...

"It has to be big. It has to be powerful beyond description. It has to be... green?..."

The Hulk also features in 3-part crossover event Identity Wars--running through the Amazing Spider-Man, Deadpool and Incredible Hulks annuals in April-June.

Written By John Layman (Marvel Zombies/Army of Darkness, Chew) and illustrated by Lee Garbett (Judge Dredd, Batgirl), this sees Spidey, Hulk and Deadpool thrown into an alternate reality, facing--and switching places with--alternate versions of themselves, where Spidey is the world's most popular and powerful hero, The Hulk wields magic, and Wade is a super-sane criminal mastermind!

Talking about the event at Marvel.com, Layman said the Deadpool Annual is "bonkers chaos;" "the great fun to the Deadpool story is pitting cold, calculating, ruthless sanity against Deadpool’s trademark goofy madness."

And speaking of 'goofy madness', in Marvel's big crossover Fear Itself, Wade gets his Hammer on.

Written by Christopher Hastings (the creator of webcomic Dr. McNinja) and illustrated by Merc with a Mouth's Bong Dazo, in 3-issue mini-series Fear Itself: Deadpool--coming in June--Deadpool decides the Marvel Universe being gripped by fear is a great way to make money--but when he's chosen as one of 'the worthy' and granted an enchanted hammer, fate may have other plans...

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman in Digital Visions #4

2010-12-29T10:34:00.001-08:00

No longer willing to let her boyfriend/pimp treat her like dirt, Cabra Cini got lethal payback with the help of voodoo magik--and liked it. Voodoo became her new addiction and Cabra has cleaned up her act and forged a deadly new vocation...

Cabra Cini makes her color debut--alongside Deity (on the cover) and Gangland Avalon--in Visionary Comics' Digital Visions #4 - out now! 30 pages. Suggested for mature readers.

You can download for FREE from Drive-Thru Comics (you'll need to open a Drive-Thru account, but it's quick and easy and you'll then be able to download all kinds of comics).

Or you can read it for FREE at WOWIO (no account needed).

And if you haven't seen the Preview yet, you can check it out in the post below!

Download Digital Visions #4 FREE at Drive-Thru here!

Read Digital Visions #4 FREE at WOWIO here!

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman in Digital Visions #4 - Press Release:

2010-12-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

“A hard hitting story with incredible artwork. I’m already a junkie and quite addicted to this character and can’t wait for more.” Bill Gladman, Comic Related.

“Cabra Cini is a pure delight. The art is flawless and moody. The story grabs, it leads you, it takes you to a satisfying (on multiple levels) conclusion.” Sebastian Piccione, Project Fanboy.

“A strong yet flawed female lead with a touch of mysticism and bad-assness, Cabra Cini is a character to watch out for; her debut raises eyebrows and pulses!” Avril Brown, Comics Waiting Room.

“Full of intrigue and excitement, this will most surely leave you wanting more. I recommend you pick this one up, it won’t disappoint.” Johnny 5, The Comic Impulse.

New up-and-coming writer Sam Johnson (Geek-Girl, Gold Town) and artist Bruno Letizia (CLiNT Mag, Interferenza) introduce us to a bizarre new world of horror!

“Cabra Cini is a character close to my heart, whom I have big plans for,” says Sam. “There’s a one-shot already in the can, illustrated by Fernando Melek & Gaston Zubeldia, but this story--‘Voodoo Trespass’--is where Cabra makes her debut--and we’re thrown headlong into her twisted world.”

A world where Cabra, an ex-crack whore, has cleaned up her act and, for horrific reasons--revealed in Digital Visions #4--become a hitwoman. “But not just any hitwoman,” Sam adds; “Voodoo is a weapon Cabra employs--along with her array of blades and guns--and she’s developed her own bastardized version of the art: which she uses to dramatic effect in carrying out her hits.

“One of the ways she uses it is to access a dimension known as ‘The Infinity’--Limbo’s ‘crazy cousin--locked away in the attic’--which can serve as a dimensional gateway between where you are and wherever you want to go. Though, with what the ruler of The Infinity throws at its trespassers, the journey can come at a monstrously high cost, as Cabra--hired by bereaved parents to take out the guy who killed their daughter,‘playing vampire’--is about to learn…”

Digital Visions #4 also features:

Deity: The Darkness and the Light #0 by Karl Altstaetter & Robert Napton. An interdimensional war wages for the very fate of reality. Our only hope? A sixteen-year-old Earth girl. Can she survive the dangers of 2027 Los Angeles and avoid vicious aliens long enough to fulfill her destiny? Picking up where the first Deity series left off, this ‘jump-on’ story will introduce newcomers to both old evils and brand new ones!

Plus: Gangland Avalon by A. David Lewis, Michael Angelo Lee & Chuck Bordell. Sit in on a tense meeting with the Cavalieres and the Moores as they discuss control of the town. And this is a mob meeting with a difference, as both families aren’t just packing guns, they’re wielding magic!

Digital Visions #4 published by Visionary Comics. 30 pages. Suggested for Mature Readers. Available to download FREE soon! Join the Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Facebook Group here to get the link when it's out!

Marvel Fear Itself

2010-12-22T12:34:00.001-08:00

Marvel held a Press Conference earlier this week in which Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada and editors Tom Brevoort and Axel Alonso--with a special appearance from writer Matt Fraction holed up in a bunker ;)--talked about the Marvel Universe's next big event: Fear Itself.

You can check out the conference video here, as well as the Fear Itself trailer and Fraction's broadcast--both pulled from the half-hour-plus conference.

The conference event was designed just to light the touch paper for Fear Itself and understandably didn't give much away; the main thing I took away from it was just how many times they said 'Fear Itself;' there is no-one that watches that conference that will forget the name of the crossover; and in the spirit of that--and getting this blog high up in a Google search for Fear Itself--I'm gonna be slipping that name in as many times as I can here. ;)

So what did they give away in the Fear Itself Press Conference? Well, the crossover is going to tap into the anxieties felt in the current climate of the real world and is going to kick off with a Fear Itself Prologue one-shot in March, written by Ed Brubaker (Captain America) and illustrated by Scott Eaton (X-Men). Similarly to Secret Invasion's retcon wherein The Illuminati (a secret cabal of Marvel's big brains, including Mr. Fantastic and Professor X) pissed off the Skrulls and effectively caused the Invasion, here in Fear Itself Prologue, Captain America and The Invaders, back in the day, are going to do something that produces a dark secret and introduces a big gun character that will play a huge role in Fear Itself.

The main Fear Itself event will be a 7-issue mini-series written by Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man) and illustrated by Stuart Immonen (New Avengers), crossing over into a number of books but, like Civil War, you'll be able to comfortably enjoy Fear Itself from the main mini-series alone.

It was stated that all the Marvel big gun characters will be involved, with the X-Men playing a key role--and that a bunch of heroes will be chosen as 'The Worthy' to take on the main villain. The image above teases that Fear Itself will see some characters' worst fears become reality; whether the character that debuts in Fear Itself Prologue will cause this remains to be seen, but it was stated that the villain in Fear Itself will feed off--and become stronger from--fear (itself).

It's been awhile now since Marvel did a big crossover--though, as they stated in the Fear Itself conference, after going straight from Civil War to Secret Invasion to Dark Reign to SIEGE, we did need a break before having another one. Having said that, and much as many people, including my favorite podcasters Mike Hoffert Jnr. and friends (check out their always entertaining It Came From the Longbox podcast), have been digging the current Marvel Heroic Age, personally I've felt it to be lacklustre, and I'm looking forward to Fear Itself.

Also, though obviously he won't be the big bad, I hope Norman Osborn will have a role to play in Fear Itself; with his Richard Nixon-like qualities, he seems a shoe-in and I really dug him in Dark Reign--my favorite of Marvel's most recent crossovers--and I was disappointed with SIEGE when we didn't get to see him turning batshit-crazy Green Goblin--instead the climax becoming all about The Sentry.

Maybe Fear Itself will rectify that.

What are your thoughts on this one? A No-Prize for whoever mentions Fear Itself legitimately most--not just writing Fear Itself Fear Itself Fear Itself--in your comments.

;)

Cabra Cini: 'Voodoo Trespass' Preview Page 1

2010-12-17T12:21:00.001-08:00

(Click on to read.)

Cabra's debut color story - coming soon to Visionary Comics' Digital Visions #4! More news and Full Preview here soon!

Cabra Speaks!

2010-12-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

Click on the image to enlarge, and join the Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Facebook Group here for news and Previews of Cabra's color debut coming to Visionary Comics' Digital Visions #4.

What If Venom possessed Deadpool?

2010-12-03T10:47:00.000-08:00

As many of you are aware, I'm gunning to land a gig working on Deadpool, I've written some Deadpool Team-Up pitches and am trying to get Marvel to solicit a pitch from me by sending them published work. One of the Team-Up pitches I wrote was for Deadpool/Venom, which may or may not be nixed because of the 'What If Venom possessed Deadpool?' back-up series running through 4 issues of December's What If? So having written my own idea of a DP/Venom yarn, I was intrigued to see what the What If? story would be like...

Written by Rick Remender and illustrated by Shawn Moll & Mark Irwin, the story kicks off in the back of What If?: Iron Man - Demon in the Armor. In what looks set to somehow be a decades-spanning saga, The 'Boy George' Watcher of Earth 615.9 (who specializes in ropey reworkings of lyrics and mottos) introduces the tale in 1985: where we find Deadpool taking on one of the biggest cases of his career. He's hired by Galactus to off The Beyonder! ...But things are never gonna be straightforward with Deadpool.

What follows is the beginning of a Joe Kelly-influenced old-skool Deadpool tale in which Wade heads to a nightclub to take out the god-on-Earth Beyonder, but--taken with The Beyonder's charms and in awe of his '80s jheri curls--winds up becoming his new best bud.

Joining him--and Billy Ocean--on the party trail in The Beyonder's flying limo, everything's swell for Wade and his new '80s bud's--'til black costume Spider-Man shows up: blaming Beyondey for trapping him in the alien symbiote.

I won't give too much more away, but by the end of this first chapter, Wade's in the symbiote and we're off to the '90s as the story continues in What If?s Wolverine: Father and Spider-Man: Grim Hunt before concluding in What If?: Dark Reign. The story looks like it's gonna be a fun ride, and for those of you not picking up the What If? books, it's gonna be collected in a Venom/Deadpool one-shot in Feb.

If this story nixes my Deadpool/Venom Team-Up, I've got plenty more stories where it came from. As many of you know, as Marvel won't read unsolicited pitches, my main focus at the moment is my character Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman as she has similar sensibilities to Deadpool and--aside from the fact that I love writing her and have big plans for Cabra--her stuff showcases to Marvel that I could write Wade. Speaking of Cabra, her profile's about to be raised, as her debut story will be appearing in full color in Visionary Comics Digital's FREE Digital Visions #4 online soon.

You can join the Cabra Cini Facebook Group here to check out a Preview, and stay tuned for more news here!

2010-09-29T04:11:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a holiday for all ages, from kids to adults to those ancient ones who rule from their secret lairs deep within unhallowed soil. The new Halloween issue of H!M Comics' IF-X features a Vampire-run prison; the joy of a little girl's first Halloween--in stories written & illustrated by Brady Sullivan, Michele Witchipoo, Mike Bunt & Alex Kmeto--and Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman taking on the insane White Out in my story, illustrated by Nathan Ramirez!

You can check out a 3-Page Preview of Cabra Cini: 'White Out' below, a great review at Comic Related here, and you can see Cabra kicking ass in a further page at the H!M Comics site--where you can also buy the book--here!

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman in IF-X Halloween

2010-09-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Cabra Cini and her pet werewolf El Hombre Lobo will be taking on the mysterious (and insane) White Out and his lobotomized butler Chives in a 10-page story coming to the Halloween issue of H!M Comics' thematic anthology IF-X, and you can check out a Preview here. Click on pages to enlarge.

InterGALactic

2010-08-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

A soldier; a spy; an assassin; a shopaholic, Alyssia Sentropy is the best killing machine money can buy. The future is ugly, slimy, laden in advertising, and filled with scumbags. It's Alyssia's job to deal with the run of the mill space pirates, hover-bike gangs, and interdimensional flesh-eating carnival slugs, but her job just got more interesting. Now's she's faced with an ancient and supernatural cult of assassins as dark and powerful as the depths of a supermassive black hole, and they've got a thing for seeing her dead.

I was one of the winner's of InterGALactic's 'Your cameo in my silly web comic' competition, and as a result appear in the 2nd panel of Page 4 of the webcomic:

Thanks to writer/artist Matt Olson (who also did the first ever Geek-Girl Pin-Up). You can check out the rest of InterGAL's webcomic--plus videos--here!

FANBABES: She-Hulks and Vampirella

2010-08-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

Dynamite Entertainment have taken on Vampirella and are launching a new, more 'street level' take on the character, with a J. Scott Campbell cover, and you can get the skinny at writer Eric Trautmann's Blog; and Marvel are launching a new She-Hulks series in November, pitting the gamma-fueled duo against Klaw, Mad Thinker, Red Ghost, Trapster, and Wizard, and you can check out a Preview and the Ed McGuinness variant cover at Comic Related.

COMIC PIMP - HOW IT WORKS

2010-07-19T10:33:00.001-07:00

Join the FACEBOOK GROUP and check out the comic goodness here!

COMIC PIMP

2010-07-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

My new Facebook Group! Plug/link to and check out Comics, Comic Previews, Reviews and Sites--your own or others that you think people should know about--here!

Join up and Invite your friends!

FANBABES: Kelly Brook

2010-07-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

Ahead of her new movie Piranha 3D, Brit uber-babe Kelly Brook pays homage to a series of iconic movie sirens in her new shoot for Total Film magazine, and you can check out some of the highlights, including Slavegirl Leia, below.

New Cabra Cini teaser

2010-06-23T09:57:00.001-07:00

With thanks to Al Nickerson for the template. For those that haven't seen the Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Preview yet, you can check it out at the bottom of this blog!

DEADPOOL

2010-06-14T02:45:00.000-07:00

As anyone that's in my DP facebook group knows, I'm jonesin' to write Deadpool and have two Team-Up pitches in the can. However, if I'm going to get my shot at Wade, I have to sell Marvel on my skillz with my published comics--which is where my Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman comes in (see Preview at the bottom of this Blog).

Meanwhile, what's going on--and what's coming up--in the Deadpool books?...

DEADPOOL: WADE WILSON'S WAR #1. Written by Duane Swierczynski, illustrated by Jason Pearson.

The Senate is investigating a massacre in Mexico that has left hundreds dead--including civilians, members of two drug cartels and a mercenary team that "no-one can quite explain." The official 'sole survivor' is Deadpool, who, in costume, is testifying in court (although Domino, held prisoner at a secret goverment 'Black Site,' is on her way to being escorted to the Senate, too).

This set-up is to be the basis for a series of flashbacks that will run through this 4-issue mini-series: kicking off with 'Team X'--Deadpool, Bullseye, Silver Sable and Domino--carrying out an assault on a Nicaraguan contra base in 1983.

The confusing narrative of this issue doesn't offer much new insight into Wade's origins, which is what I was hoping for from the series--though more of that looks to be coming later, with issue #2 promising "Weapon X--the version you've never seen."

Pearson's art is a good, comical-but-edgy fit for the book (though he sure do like to draw his chicks 'well-endowed'), but Swierczynski's Wade testifying in court so far comes across too one-note-cocky to be either particularly funny or engaging to the levels that would work well for this tale.

You can check out an interview with Swierczynski at Marvel.com--plus Preview art from Wade Wilson's War here.

In the interview, Swierczynski (man, I had to spell check that name a few times ;) says that Wade Wilson's War is "not so much about 'Wade Wilson Then' vs 'Wade Wilson Now.' It's more about 'Which Wade Wilson is Real,'" and that the fact that Wade is conscious that he's in a comic book is something that will be explored here. "This story's not as much about Wade's back story as you might think," explains the Swierczynski; "I'm doing that in X-MEN ORIGINS: DEADPOOL #1." Which leads us onto that one-shot, shipping in July.

Wade's heard there's a Deadpool movie in the works and he's determined to tell his story before Hollywood screws it up. He hires his own screenwriter, who manages to get Wade to open up like never before--revealing not only his origin story, but shocking details that have never previously been revealed.

If this 48-pager delivers on that promise, this book could be a big one.

You can check out Preview art here.

Meanwhile:

Deadpool & his alternate-Deadpools crew--charged with taking out monumental-threat-to-the universe The Awareness--are finally getting their asses in gear, after an amusing but meandering first couple of issues, in DEADPOOL CORPS #3.

We have the first decent issue in awhile of Deadpool Team-Up in Rob Williams & Matteo Scalera's US/ UK-relationship piss-take DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #893, teaming 'Pool with Captain Britain. And things look promising for the book now, with Satanna, Mr. X and Machine Man lined up for the next issues--all of which have the potential to play fun counterpoints to Wade.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH wraps up with a double-sized issue next month, Wade continues his inimitable take on trying to become a hero, with the aid of Weasel, in DEADPOOL--and just in case that wasn't enough 'Mr. Wilson' for you, August sees a stellar line-up of creators take him on in the 104-page DEADPOOL #1000.

You can check out a Preview of that here.

So; what're your thoughts on the Deadpool books?

FANBABES

2010-06-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't already know, I run MySpace's No.1 comics cheesecake site, www.myspace.com/FANBABES, which features cosplay/comic Pin-Ups, contests such as FANBABE of the YEAR, and News & Previews on babe-driven books.

www.myspace.com/natalie_lynn

www.edbenesart.com

Now, as we all know, MySpace isn't used like it used to be, so I'm considering moving FANBABES to this Blog.

So d'you wanna see FANBABES here or d'you think it should remain at MySpace? Comment and Vote 'YES' (move here) or 'NO' (stay at MySpace) in the Poll on the top-right.

-Sam

2010-06-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

Before we move onto future things, I thought it'd be cool to have links to all my existing comics on here. I was lucky enough to make my comics debut in the prestigious anthology Negative Burn a couple of years back. Negative Burn #20 features my first Gold Town story: which is about a like-Hollywood-but-more-fucked-up town steeped in urban legend, and is also the place where wannabe-actress 'Alexandria'--the bandaged chick in the post below--resides. This debut story--"Little Janice Wants to be a Star"--sees a father travelling to this messed-up place in search of his missing daughter, who moved there looking for fame and fortune as an actress.

H!M Comics' IF-X vol.1 #6 features Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman's b&w debut, ahead of the in-the-works colored version (see post below), and IF-X vol.1 #8 features a pre-Geek-Girl #0 appearance from GG villain Mr. Mash-Up, set on his homeworld--so if you're intrigued by his mysterious showing in GG, this is the place to see where he's come from. It also debuts his adventure-loving girlfriend Delfi Matrix!

IF-X vol.2 #3 features Cabra Cini's second story--which sees her taking on Spanish werewolf El Hombre Lobo--and also has a smokin' Cabra Pin-Up on the back cover; and for those that haven't already made her acquaintance, Geek-Girl is 'Little Miss Popular' Ruby Kaye: who lands a pair of super-tech glasses--invented by college geek Trevor Goldstein--in a game of Strip Poker, and is granted flight, super-strength, and--due to a flaw in the glasses' programming--super-klutziness.

If you click on the names of any of the comics above, they'll link you to Previews and/or sites where you can buy them (clicking on Geek-Girl will take you to Geek-Girl #0, where you'll also find an Indy Planet button which links to a 4-page Preview). :)

A new Gold Town story, a third Cabra Cini one, and a 4-issue Geek-Girl mini-series are all in the works. Watch this space. ;)

-Sam

2010-05-24T04:44:00.001-07:00

With a number of exciting comics projects in the works for me, I've started this Brand New Blog to cover them. 'Follow' for all News and Previews as they hit! :)

-Sam

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman

2010-05-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman stuff is currently in the works. Click on the page below to check out her origin!:

Ex-crack-whore Cabra Cini has cleaned up her act and, for horrific reasons, become a hitwoman. But not just any hitwoman, voodoo is a weapon Cabra employs--along with her array of blades and guns--and she’s developed her own bastardized version of the art: which she uses to dramatic effect in carrying out her hits.

One of the ways she uses it is to access a dimension known as ‘The Infinity’--Limbo’s ‘crazy cousin--locked away in the attic’--which can serve as a dimensional gateway between where you are and wherever you want to go. Though, with what the ruler of The Infinity throws at its trespassers, the journey can come at a monstrously high cost.

I have big plans for Cabra… Stay tuned. ;)

-Sam