2 Interesting Bits of Comic News From Today: A New, "Nacelleverse," and Millarworld Moves Publishers

Two things in the realm of comics caught my eye today and I thought I'd discuss them in one big combo post. Let's begin...

First, I got a press release from my friend Hanna Bahedry which discussed a new comic universe being launched by Oni/Lion Forge. Called the, "Nacelleverse," it will feature an assortment of series all taking place in the same universe with past characters being brought back in a new form such as Biker Mice From Mars, the Great Galoo, and more. This will tie in with the animated series, "Robo Force," as well which is being worked on by Seven Bucks Production--the company with the rights to all these IPs that has partnered with Oni/Lion Forge. Bleedingcool wrote a bit about this too and with some pretty big names attached in some fashion--Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds--my interest is piqued. The #0 issue reintroducing all the characters drops in early 2024 and will be followed by individual series.

The other interesting comic news I saw today is about Mark Millar and his Millarworld imprint. For quite a while it has been a part of Image comics, but Millar announced today it is moving to Dark Horse. It will remain creator-owned (mainly by him as the big creator) and be an imprint at Dark Horse as well. I honestly haven't liked much of anything Millar's written lately (the last thing he did I genuinely liked was, "Superior,) but adaptations of his works seem to happen a lot and some make serious bank even if others falter. He's had more hits than misses when his work gets optioned, I suppose, so Millarworld moving to Dark Horse is a nice feather in the cap of a company that for a while was unfortunately hemorrhaging many good series to other publishers. I imagine Image is none too pleased, however. That's what was intriguing to me today, I hope you thought it was useful information too!

Oni Lion Forge Press Seems to Be Rebuilding and Recovering From Past Concerns

It's been a rough time for a lot of comic-book publishers. I'm worried about IDW based on their money issues, AfterShock is going through bankruptcy, and Heavy Metal was acquired by Whatnot's publishing division or else it might have folded. Oni Lion Forge seemed to be laying off a ton of people and there were rumblings about if that publisher was in danger of closing up shop. However, it seems to be recovering and rebuilding, interestingly enough. 

There was the merger some years ago between Oni Press and Lion Forge which caused some drama, and then 2022 had essentially a total staff change. However, in December of 2022, Hunter Gorinson joined as President and now it was announced today that Sierra Hahn will be the Editor-in-Chief. Hahn's been in comics for over a decade in various important roles and is a great addition to any comic company. I don't think Oni Lion Forge would be adding some cool folks if it were truly a sinking ship as opposed to one trying to adjust course. My sympathy extends to everyone who was impacted by the massive lay-offs Oni Press Lion Forge had and I hope Oni Press Lion Forge itself can continue to grow and succeed,

Oni Press--We All Seem to Have Questions With No Answers

Oni Press puts out some cool comics. I remember when they acquired Lion Forge and seemed to be doing well. Now, there seem to be some troubled waters. Multiple sites are asking what is going on with Oni Press? We've got multiple executives leaving, accusations of not paying creators their full royalties, and statements that titles weren't adequately advertised. At least, things weren't promoted beyond the inadvertent help provided to the title, "Genderqueer," when Republicans in Virginia complained it was obscene (because discussing anything beyond cisgender hetero lives is horrific in their eyes). Oni Press has remained relatively tight-lipped about any inner drama and it is worrisome. Oni Press/Lion Forge has given us some great comics. I hope everything gets worked out.

The Lion Forge and Oni Press Merger News Inspires Mixed Emotions

Lion Forge was a small publisher that grew impressively. Based here in Saint Louis it at first focused mostly on digital content but then expanded into all kinds of cool and exciting published works that gave it a great, "Voice," of not quite being a super artsy-publisher or simply another offshoot super-hero label, it was just full of great stuff. Back in 2015 I was writing about my enjoyment of the publisher and since then have often said glowing things. I mean, it is a highly-respected comic publisher based here in Saint Louis, how awesome is that? Well, I read the news today which seemed to be reported all over with slightly differing tones how Lion Forge was going to be merging with another popular publisher of comics--Oni Press. As a result of this a number of employees may be let-go from each company and Lion Forge is going to move much (if not all) of their resources to Portland, Oregon (a city that is known for having a chunk of publishers).

I'm happy for Lion Forge and Oni Press, it is great they have been able to reach a deal that will hopefully assist both soon-to-be-merged publishers in generating further success with their great comics. That said, I am sad that this Saint Louis-based publisher is going to be leaving as it was something I felt very proud we had. I also have some friends/associates who have worked for Lion Forge in the past or actively are working for it and some may be impacted by this merger while others will have their positions be less affected. They all are in my thoughts as a merger is stressful for everyone involved in the numerous complicated aspects. I am clearly feeling a mixture of emotions, but in the end I just want everyone from both companies have everything work out for the best--and even more splendid comics to be made.

A Chunk of News and Links to Kick-Off December 2018

December Has Arrived

It is now officially the last month of the year. Big winter holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the like are rapidly approaching. Let's relax with some news and links before things get too crazy, shall we?

Knowledge to Absorb (As Well as Useless Stuff)

When I was a young pre-teen I had not yet really started feeling much in the way of attraction to females, but as puberty started to hit certain things would trigger me feeling fluttery and weird in my stomach. One of those things that left me all confused about being hot-and-bothered was Ivy Valentine from the first, "Soul Calibur," game and its sequels. I knew the outfit was exploitative and tacky, yet my hormone-addled self couldn't quit staring. I appreciated this article by Maddy Myers where she shares how she had much of the same sensations as a teen too, "I have felt every possible feeling about character Ivy Valentine’s tits and ass. Alienated. Angry. Sad. Jealous. Embarrassed. Bored. Horny. Amused. Jaded," and how she came to a terms of sorts about the character.

A new version of, "Batman and the Outsiders," had been solicited with two creators I enjoyed working on it--Bryan Hill as well as Dexter Soy--but has suddenly been canceled before even the first issue had a chance to be released. It seems it may be solicited again in the near future, but this is just odd.

My friends at Comics Heating Up have an article discussing virtual reality technology from the angle of how it could impact comic-culture, for example chilling in Bruce Wayne's mansion, or helping the Avengers fight Thanos. I myself have never been a big fan of VR as it makes me sick to my stomach wearing those headsets. Perhaps in a another decade or two the technology will advance further to where I'm more of a fan.

Rare image of the Sentinelese.

There has been a lot of controversy and discussion relating to a self-declared missionary of Christianity who a number of times tried to interact with one of the last remaining isolated cultures in the World--the Sentinelese--and ended up killed. They've been contacted before by anthropologists so they aren't completely without outside-world interaction, but the small tribe has repeatedly made clear it desires nothing more than to be left alone. There has been outrage from some organizations that feel the man--who was breaking multiple laws contacting the tribe--was wrongfully murdered, and others point-out it was self-defense but feel we somehow, "Owe," it to these remote tribes to modernize them. I personally think we should leave them alone, not because I am against modernizing them or for any fancy philosophical reason like Survival International discusses in its preference for allowing the tribe to remain isolated--I simply think it is wise because they literally have immunity to nothing and further contact with the outside world could utterly wipe them out. They apparently are recognized as their own sovereign location, so unless someone from there tries to contact the outside world, leave them alone.

Anytime in the future I see a white person comment how, "Slavery/Segregation/etc." was a long time ago and black people should get over it, they have the same opportunities as everyone else now," I'll point them to this article that breaks-down the economics of our nation's long history of institutional racism through discussing a big study on said topic. Hopefully once someone sees these facts they'll shut-up with their, "Racism is over," shit that it still astounds me to hear people say with a straight-face.

I've been playing, "Red Dead Redemption 2," and shared some thoughts on it recently. I enjoyed this article observing how there is so much to do in the game, yet nothing feels forced or rushed, something I loved as well.

I am a big fan of Lion Forge comics, a publisher based here in Saint Louis. Hearing they are doing some restructuring just makes me hope everything is okay and that whatever changes they make allow them to have continued success.

Plenty of folk observed that the, "Venom," movie (which I still need to eventually force myself to see) was in a way a romance movie about Eddie Brock and his Symbiote. Sony seems to be leaning-in to this, with an official promo-ad for the upcoming DVD (and Blu-Ray) release really playing-up that angle.

Finally, I always thought the, “Star Wars,” prequels were silly, not just because an evil wannabe dictator ascended to power, but because so many ignorant people in the movies supported the Empire despite the fact it was essentially telegraphing how evil it was, basically screaming, “We are the bad guys, persecuting anyone different!” Then I read the latest example of Trump supporters so blindly in love with him they are cheering the tear-gassing of children whose families are trying to seek safety in America (A nation whose own leader is treating them like inferior beings) and I realize we were all a little too hard on George Lucas back then. Jar Jar Binks still sucked though.

Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con 2018 is Done. Here is Some News From It

As a Con Ends, I Have Mixed Emotions
Comic-Con International AKA San Diego Comic-Con is, "In the books." As happens whenever a huge comic-con concludes, I have mixed emotions. I am both exhausted from the deluge of news, toys, trailers, cosplay, and general stuff that occurs during a con but also enjoy how something that might be big news any other day is just a drop in the bucket of all the mayhem that occurs during something like San Diego Comic-Con (there was a lot of news). Plus, it can be exciting how busy I get between reading all the announcements, trying to get exclusive toys (I was busy every morning on the Funko Pop Up Shop website) and living everyday life too. That said, it is quiet and calm now, we can rest and reflect, and that is a good thing too. I get as excited for big cons (whether I attend them or just follow news about them) as I do about kicking-back once they are done, so yeah, its a mixture of emotions. Let's discuss some of the big news to come out of CCI/SDCC though, shall we?

News of the (Pop-Culture) World

Out of everything at the show, the most buzz seems to be dedicated to the unveiling of the trailers for two upcoming DC films, "Aquaman," and, "Shazam!," with folk surprised at the flicks look like they might actually have a solid dose of humor, something mostly unheard of in DC flicks unless you hire Joss Whedon to finish your movie. I myself am all for an action-packed production starring Aquaman, and have zero issues with Captain Marvel/Shazam being a heroic comedy. Also, the new, "Godzilla: King of Monsters," seems promising, speaking of other big trailers, albeit one without super-heroes.

Funko had yet another fantastic year at the show, selling tons of products both there and online. They also had their, "Fundays," event where fans who manage to get an exclusive ticket are treated to announcements, food, and of course free Funko-goodies!

Marvel is bringing back their, "Uncanny X-Men," comic which is fine news that doesn't really get my blood pumping, but hearing that Chelsea Cain will be writing a new mini-series focused on The Vision perks me right up!

"Black Lightning," had a panel at the show, and I for one can't wait for season 2.

Grant Morrison will be writing and Liam Sharp will be illustrating a new, "Green Lantern," series, and have it be like a procedural as mysteries are investigated. The creative team alone piques my interest enough I'll be reading it for sure!

As I talked about in a post dedicated to the subject yesterday, one of the biggest news stories that occurred about CCI/SDCC didn't directly involve it, with James Gunn getting fired for some decades old jokes he tweeted that an alt-right foe of his dug-up.

I'm fond of local publisher Lion Forge, and hearing that the talented Gail Simone will be spearheading a bunch of comic-books for the company is stellar news for sure!

One of the main actors on the television adaptation of, "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln (who plays Rick) confirmed that the rumors were true and he is leaving the show. How it will work without him shall be seen.

There was new footage of the, "Venom," movie and it was confirmed the bad-guy was a lesser-known character named Riot. I like Tom Hardy despite all the hate he gets, so I hope this movie is good.

"The Batman Who Laughs," will be getting a mini-series written by Scott Snyder, which is something I normally would not care about as I feel, "Meh," about this character. However, the amazing artist known as Jock is illustrating it so now I feel like I have to read it and observe his brilliant illustrations.

The next season of, "American Horror Story," seems to be a bit of a crossover concerning the first and third season...so one of the best and one of the worst, I guess?

The cult-favorite show set in the Star Wars-universe known as, "The Clone Wars," will be back for a surprise new season. I never watched it, but know some fans who are screaming with glee.

Rant-Reviews: All Indie Comics

Smaller Press, But Not Smaller Fun
I enjoy reading comics from the big two (Marvel and DC) as well as other larger comic-book publishers such as Image, IDW, Boom, Dyanmite--you know, all the, "Premier," publishers you find listed at the Previewsworld website or in Previews catalog. That said, I continue to have a great affinity for the smaller, "indie," comic-book publishers (and micro-press too). With that in mind I thought I'd discuss an assortment of works from publishers that might not be as known as the, "Big dogs," but still make some cool works.

Getting Indie With It!
Daygloayhole  #1
Published by Silver Sprocket (who also published the awesome, "No Better Words," book I loved), "Daygloayhole," is going to becoming out quarterly and collects this work of Ben Passmore as he published the comic over time. Set in the world after its end due to an unclear cataclysm, the idea of a post-apocalypse is actually more-so used as a metaphor to discuss concepts as wide-ranging as police brutality, concepts of family, the ethical and financial considerations of the commercialization of sex via pornography, and gentrification. It's a fascinatingly weird comic, prone to random asides and just as likely to make a deep statement about humanity as it is to tell a dirty joke or show some wanton violence. The comic will be coming-out quarterly so I have to wait until July to read more, which feels like a long time to have to be patient as I loved this quirky book. The wait will just make it even more fun once I get to read the next issue, right?
5 out of 5 stars.

Infinity 8 #2
I have a soft spot for the publisher Lion Forge. Part of this is because they are based in the Saint Louis region, and because I've seen them grow from a smaller publisher who I enjoyed speaking with previously, to a quite notable presence in the field of comics. The latest series, "Infinity 8," will have a number of comics set in its weird space-world with each three-issue arc self-contained, and I believe the 3rd issue is already out. I haven't been able to pick it up yet though, so I thought I'd discuss the second. Basically the first issue did a lot of introducing us to a universe of aliens and agents who keep order on spaceships. At the end of the first issue things went haywire and now we get to witness all kinds of madness and danger. The book has a real Euro-comic feel--in a good way--with a mixture of sharply striking artwork and enjoyably dry humor. Even if this issue is mostly one big action-scene it is a fun one, and I'm eager to get to the comic-shop and grab myself a copy of issue #3 as soon as possible.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Jazz Legend #1
SCOUT Comics makes a number of stellar books, from, "Stabbity Bunny," to upcoming release, "Zinnober." Their latest new series is, "Jazz Legend," and it is an interesting mesh of fantastical horror and hints of meta-ness. The comic seems to be about an amazing jazz performer but it becomes clear that he may in some ways be suffering from having his life be a story created by a writer who is himself amazed what he records comes true. At least, that is what I took from it, with other reviews online seeming pretty befuddled too by the story but loving the bizarre tone and imagery. Just how real some people are and how much they are surreal creations is unclear, but this has piqued my interest enough I for sure want to keep reading the book. It's confusing and messy, but I think intentionally so. Plus, it discusses Jazz, a beautiful artform, so that element alone makes this a keeper.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Wasted Space #1
VAULT is a newer publisher who has already been a solid job carving-out a name for themselves as putting-out interesting and surreal works. "Wasted Space," fits that bill for sure, featuring a wild mixture of ideas in a futuristic time full of space travel, religion, political intrigue, and "Fuq" bots. This is just a single issue--and a first one at that--so all these ideas at times threaten to make the story feel a bit overloaded and almost too packed with fun ideas. Thankfully things seem to balance out for the most part and by this issue's end we have a good handle on who the main characters are and what they'll be up to in future issues (taking down a corrupt politician abusing people's beliefs for his own gain seems to be the upcoming focus). It's a fun read and promising, I just hope it can deliver.
3 out of 5 stars.

Hidden Blood One-Shot
Amigo has been around for a bit and released a number of cool comics. This one-shot by the writer-artist known simply as, "Massacre," is a fun read in the style of an old-school grind-house flick. Focused on a former boxer named Clarice who has resorted to stripping since getting suspended due to her extreme methods of fighting, the book has the aforementioned strippers facing-off against a vampire, a Nazi-hunter confronted with evil robots, tons of nudity, heaping amounts of gore, and just enough knowing winks to the reader to make it clear the book is quite self-aware at its absurdity. The variety of corny plots sync-up and separate enough to make it clear care was put into the story no matter how silly it is, and Massacre's artwork is appropriately sexy or horrifying as the comic calls for it. Delightfully cheeky stuff.
5 out of 5 stars.

Galaktikon #6
Published by Albatross Funnybooks, the finale issue of this series comes from the talented Brendon Small (of "Home Movies," and "Metalocalypse," fame) where he has taken his musical albums that tell the story of flawed space-hero Galaktikon and has made it into a solidly interesting yarn about a how our idols often can be flawed and troubled jerks. It sounds depressing, but, "Galaktikon," was actually quite the darkly funny series and this final issue ends in a way that leaves the door open for more albums/comics as Galaktikon conquers some of his own personal demons and fells a longtime enemy, but still clearly needs a lot more personal growth before approaching anything resembling a functional adult. It's bleak-yet-fun stuff. I liked it a lot.
4 out of 5 stars.

There's Always Good Stuff Hiding Out There
If you ever find yourself getting tired of the kind of books put out by bigger publishers just remember there is always some good stuff hiding out there that you just might have to look a little bit for, checking out all the less-known publishers for some quality books. Also, I am aware how half the books I reviewed interestingly seemed to involve outer-space to some degree. I guess I know what I like!

January 2018 Links for the Middle of the Cold, Cold Month

So Cold, So Very Cold

It is the middle of January, and therefore many of us toward the North of the globe are cold and surrounded by anywhere from a dusting to foot-upon-foot of snow. Let's try and distract ourselves from icicles forming on our face with some links, shall we?

Stuff to Read

I'm always intrigued by stuff that is super-popular regionally but unheard of or basically ignored outside of the place where said thing is super popular. Like, how Football is huge in the United States and of almost zero interest to the rest of the world. With that in mind, I was fascinated by this article about an iconic anime that never gained popularity outside Japan known as, "Sazae-san," but still is huge there.

I loved this article about diversity in comics which features interviews with cool publishers like Saint Louis' own Lion Forge.

I adored the video-game, "Theme Hospital," so much back in the day and now there are two different developers working on spiritual sequels! I most likely will want to try both Project Hospital as well as Two Point Hospital.

John Ridley is a stellar creator--be it comic-books or film--so I'm eager for his, "Other history of the DC Universe," which will focus on minority characters and not shy away from less admirable moments of history.

Due to not having a bottomless amount of free time I've missed out on all of the generally well-reviewed DC superhero television shows. I've heard so much positive buzz about the new, "Black Lightning," show however I made sure to DVR it and plan to carve out an hour to give it a viewing. I mean, even The AV Club loved it, and pleasing them can be a hard feat to pull-off.

Image's Skybound sent retailers a preview copy of the upcoming comic, "Oblivion Song," but it is actually the entire first six issues in a trade paperback form--so like 8 months before that would normally hit market. This is either an ingenious way to show retailers what kind of comic they are in for so they can recommend it to readers, or could really back-fire.

C.B. Cebulski

Marvel's new Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski raised a lot of ire when he admitted that while working at Marvel in one position he also submitted work under an alias of Akira Yoshida. So he lied, and basically used an Asian name to sound more, "Exotic." Folk were upset but it seems to have mostly blown-over much to Marvel's delight. However, he recently tweeted out advice for artists who want to get noticed by publishers and advised them to always use their real name. That's some irony right there.

I do not like Taylor Swift, at all, having stated she is in fact a bully. Therefore, I appreciate this article about 10 female artists you can like instead of Taylor Swift with the bonus element that they are not terrible people!

Lastly, I just wanted to remind everyone that in the past two weeks it has come-out our President paid a porn star hush-money and called other nations made-up of black people a, "Shit-hole." One of these two things alone would have taken down any other President, but we clearly live in an alternate reality now where this is just a normal month in an America, "Led," by Donald Trump.

Nice and Toasty

Hopefully my assortment of interesting things from around the internet helped you no longer feel so chilly. If not, go sit by a space heater so that you can keep your thermostat at a reasonable level but make whatever room you are currently in feel warm. It both saves energy and money, plus you won't freeze to death!

Rant-Reviews: A Smorgasbord of First (and one Zero) Issues!

You Know The Routine By Now...
Seriously, you know how this goes at this point. I do all kinds of capsule/rant-reviews but keep going back to that well of discussing debut issues of titles because while many comics may not even get to a tenth issue, they all have a first (or a zero issue, which is the case with one book I'm going to discuss). I've got a veritable ton of first/zero issues I've been able to sample lately so it is time to dive-in...

Many New Books
Redlands #1
I talked about how this title was getting very hot in The Hot Comics Revue and it is nice to see when a book is both popular and very, very good. Written and colored by Jordie Bellaire (whom I've recognized as a stellar colorist before but haven't seen as a writer previously) with art by Vanessa Del Rey, this is a first issue that is clearly setting-up a lot without revealing too much at the same time. We see how it is about a corrupt town being overtaken by supernatural forces that also have a moral agenda of giving power to the disenfranchised--so horror with a social message, which is my favorite kind of horror. It's grim, violent, and I really enjoyed reading it. Redlands will have a second printing soon but until then your best bet for getting a copy is eBay or MyComicShop.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Mister Miracle #1
Another title featured in my first Hot Comics Revue, this book is written by the talented Tom King with Mitch Gerards providing the artwork. People are absolutely fawning over this book and I thought it was pretty good but don't quite see why people are going crazy about it. It's weird and off-kilter, has a real ominous feel, and Gerards artwork is amazing, but I don't really feel myself hooked-in yet. I'm willing to be patient however because while, "The Vision," grabbed me right away King's, "Omega Men," took a bit to really get going, but once it did that was a stellar book. As this puppy is so hot until there is a new printing you're going to need to do eBay or MyComicShop to get any copies, or find a shop that inexplicably isn't sold out.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Galaktikon #1
I am a fan of Brendon Small's work from Adult Swim's shows, "Home Movies, " and, "Metalocalypse," so when I heard he had a comic coming out I was excited to read it! I then learned the comic is actually an adaptation of sorts of a music album which has a sequel album coming-out soon as well--so that's interesting! Having read this first issue I now am actually a bit interested in checking-out the music as this was a oddly enjoyable title. Equal parts funny and depressing, watching a once-beloved hero of space deal with the difficulties of life via a ton of alcohol is sad, but the book's dark sense of humor carries it through pretty nicely. I liked it a lot and look forward to the next issue as well as giving Small's album a listen whilst I wait in the meantime. You can currently grab copies of the first issue of, "Galaktikon," on eBay or at MyComicShop.
4 out of 5 stars.

Danger Doll Squad #0
I've read the, "Dollface," comic before and this title brings her, the cult-hit Zombie Tramp, and another solo-character known as Vampblade together to form a team/squad. As is the trend with any comics featuring these characters there is a lot of humor, a lot of violence, and a whole lot of variant covers (with some featuring plenty of nudity). I was honestly a little disappointed in this zero issue as it does introduce us to all the characters and makes us aware of who they are, but does little else. After one big prologue we basically jump right into the action briefly before being told to pick-up the official #1 issue in October as well as future issues of, "Vampblade," for more set-up. It's a decent primer on all the characters, but that's about it. You can still find some of the zero-issue covers at Things From Another World and eBay is of course a great resource as well should you want to grab all the assorted covers!
2.5 out of 5 stars.

Ghost Money #1
I've enjoyed speaking with publisher Lion Forge before and they always put out an interesting assortment of books. This new series continues that trend with a yarn about terrorism, money, and politics. Starting in the past before moving about ten-ish years into a potential future, the book imagines a world full of hateful Neo-Cons, rampant Global Warming, and abject poverty...so basically what the world is like now but with slightly more advanced cars and even more drones clogging-up the sky. It's a dark and ominous book, and I quite liked it although the first issue just seems to kind of suddenly-stop as opposed to ending on a solid cliff-hanger or making it clear what the next issue might hold. It's a solid read though and as the story is further fleshed-out I bet things will only get more fascinating and depressing. You can find the first issue of, "Ghost Money," on eBay or at MyComicShop.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Dead of Winter #1

The third book in this review-segment which also was mentioned in The Hot Comics Revue with this discussed as a title that might get pretty steamy/popular if fans of the game are into it. Based on the tabletop game of the same name, the first issue of, "Dead of Winter," is a fine read. For a comic set in a winter-filled zombie apocalypse there is actually a good deal of humor, but I found most of the characters were pretty paper-thin in terms of personality outside of the start of the comic, a dog named Sparky. It feels like he get the most character development of anyone and he can't even talk! I still enjoyed reading the comic however and imagine if I were well-versed in the game I might have gotten a bunch of references and enjoyed it even more. You can still buy copies at Things From Another World as of this posting should you desire!

3 out of 5 stars.

Tales of Science Fiction: Vault #1
Published by a comic-company--Storm King--that seems to release titles related-to or supervised by John Carpenter, their latest mini-series, "Vault," is a horror-influenced sci-fi tale with a first issue that frankly is a bit of a mess. The back of the comic explains the plot more clearly than the inside of the comic as the plot jumps all around in time, too many characters pop-up only to be easily confused with other characters in bland space-suits, and random stuff about space-fungus or monsters occurs...or something? It's really quite bad besides some decent artwork and I can't exactly recommend it, but should you want a copy MyComicShop or eBay are as always good places to buy from.
1 out of 5 stars.

Grumpy Cat/Garfield #1
I of course have a soft-spot for Grumpy Cat ever since it was the first book to, "Blurb," me on the back-cover as a reviewer. I also enjoyed reading old Garfield newspaper comic-strips when growing-up and have at times perused his comic-book. Considering how both cats are full of attitude, it makes sense for them to meet--and why not have them meet in a format they both excel in, comics? It is a little disappointing that our two stars don't meet until the end of the first issue (so the second issue will be fun for sure), but plenty of plot and funny jokes occur in this issue to make it well worth picking-up. Basically an evil CEO has a way to make cats behave more like dogs and needs some of the most difficult cats in the World to test his program before he sells it to the general populace in the hopes of making major moolah. Therefore, we witness in this issue Garfield and Grumpy being stolen through some clever methods. It's great silly fun and I would recommend it if you want to have a good laugh! Copies of one cover can still be bought at Things From Another World and eBay is a great site if you're after the assortment of variants.
5 out of 5 stars.

I Need a Break!
After reviewing eight new books I need to sit-down and take a breather. I hope you enjoyed reading my meandering thoughts on these assorted new comics and were inspired to check at least one or two of them out (or now know what to avoid if it isn't for you). I'd get up and shake your hand to thank-you for reading all this, but I'm a little winded so, let's just nod and I'll lie down here for a moment till the hurting stops.

NYCC Thoughts and Observations Based on What I've Heard/Read

It is Done!

New York Comic-Con has come and gone. I would love to get to it some year but for now I can just observe all the news that occurred and comment on it, as I am wont to do.

Things that Happened

First some good news about Marvel, Miss America is getting her own series and it is about fucking time. I've been a fan of hers since she debuted in often-overlooked gem, "Vengeance," that Joe Casey did a great job writing and Nick Dragotta illustrated wonderfully. It is worth pointing out that the original creators are making their own pseudo-continuation featuring a character a lot like her so it is funny how it almost seems like Marvel is now ripping-off Image.

Some less-pleasing stuff in relation to Marvel occurred too; I always have been a big fan of Peter David (especially his  more recent Marvel work) but he really made an ass of himself at a panel where he insulted Romani/gypsy individuals. Axel Alonso also said how he was, "The furthest thing from an SJW [Social Justice Warrior]," using the phrase in a manner that is insulting and which even in context as this link from Bleeding Cool presents, rubs me the wrong way. Note that both of those links are Bleeding Cool and they seem very supportive of the creators. I guess Rich Johnson is trying to suck-up to Marvel after pissing them off. Other websites have pointed out that Peter David is looking pretty hateful, which sucks as I've loved much of his work and had a lot of respect for him. But wait, right before I posted this I saw that Peter David has full-on apologized and admitted he feels ashamed of himself. Can we find it in our hearts to forgive him? Maybe if he makes some more good comics with Madrox and X-Factor?

The folk at Saint Louis-based publisher Lion Forge have been quite busy between acquiring Magnetic Press and now announcing they will be launching a younger-readers imprint known as Cubhouse!

Batwoman will be getting her own solo book again. Most stuff featuring her I've ever read tends to be at least good and often great (thanks to some stellar creative teams) so this is cool news, especially with some great creators involved such as Marguerite Bennett on writing and art by Steve Epting.

I'm excited for the really cool-looking new show, "Legion," being made in a partnership with Marvel and Fox. I'm not that pumped that it actually ties-in with the X-Men movies, with David being Xavier's son. I would kind of prefer it is just completely separate.

The chances of, "Hellboy 3," ever happening continue to sadly disappear.

I like a lot of the stuff that comes out from BOOM! Studios and their panel sounds like it was cool, even if Frank Cho had to throw a fit.

Another panel that sounds like it was great? The, "Race and Sexuality," one with such great guests as Ta-Nehisi Coates, Steve Orlando, Roxane Gay, and more.

Black Mask will be publishing more interesting-looking books, including a 2nd volume of, "Space Riders," so that's good news.

NYCC of course had some amazing cosplay.

SCOUT Comics publishes some quality books and hearing they've got more coming makes me excited!

Frank Miller surprised people by signing comics for a very-costly $40, but all of it went to the honorable Hero Initiative, so that is admittedly a nice thing he did even though he's caused a lot of controversy in the recent years with some of his political comments.

Hearing that Sigourney Weaver will be the, "Big bad," for the Netflix, "Defenders," series is awesomesauce, as the kids say.

Apparently footage was shown of such films as, "John Wick 2," and the latest, "Power Rangers," reboot. I feel more comfortable getting excited for the former than the latter, at this moment in time.

Dark Horse will be putting-out more books involving, "Alien," as they have been doing for quite some time now. The handful of comics I've read with the infamous Xenomorphs weren't bad.

Good Times
That's what I found notable about NYCC. I hope anyone who attended had lots of fun!

The 2nd Annual, "Mini Comic-Con," Held by the Saint Louis Public Library Was Great!

Today I went to the 2nd annual, "Mini Comic-Con," held by the Saint Louis Public Library system at their location on Olive Street in downtown Saint Louis. It was the 2nd year this smaller comic-convention was held and my first time attending. True to its name, the mini-con had a smaller assortment of guests and vendors, but that didn't  mean the attendance was miniature--quite a large crowd showed up!

There were a number of comic-makers in attendance from the publisher Lion Forge (whom I've spoken with and enjoyed the works of before), to a creator and her husband I met at a previous Project Comic-Con, Lindsay Hornsby and James Hornsby, and a very nice creator with a cool art-styel, Coyote G. Bynum. I bought some comics from Ms. Hornbsy (a cute comic about princess puppies I plan to review in the future) and a fun comic about a vicious robot from comic-maker Jeff Elden.

It wasn't just comics at the con however, the 501st Legion were there promoting, "Star Wars," cosplay as well as the Hand Painted Nerd AKA Ashley Dunning, who had a variety of neat ceramic stuff. I had the pleasure of meeting with, "Game Night Gear," who are a monthly subscription box (like some of the ones I've discussed before on the blog) that send out exciting board games, "Blind-box," style where you get to be surprised every month by what you receive!

I had a fun time checking-out the 2nd annual mini-con and want to thank librarian and comic-maker Christina, "Steenz," Stewart for organizing such a stellar mini-con! I had a wonderful time attending it and look forward to many other successful future ones!

The "Madballs" Comic--Review of the New Series

Back in the 1980's there was a popular toy/ball/fascinating and hideous fad known as, "Madballs."A funny collectible, they actually had a multi-media impact, appearing in cartoons, comic books, and otherwise filling the market with their trademark ugly mugs and pun-based humor. I recently found a copy of one of the comics, and it was moderately funny if definitely a product of its time with some really racially insensitive jokes about Asian-Americans in a story that involves a Chinese restaurant being tormented by a gangster to change their fortune cookies for...some reason. The lead story with the evil Dr. Frankenbeans making a female Madball to try and trick the other ones into killing themselves for her affection was cute though.

The old series, has not aged that well.

Anyways, thanks to Roar Comics (an imprint of the previously discussed Lion Forge) the series of, "Madballs," is coming back with a new comic available this April 20th! I had the chance to read a preview copy which featured the start of a few stories. As this preview discusses, there is the tale of an Intergalactic Bizarro Bowl where the Madballs compete in various challenges, as well as some other cool stories.

The new series, pretty funny.

I'm happy to say that if you are familiar with the Madballs and liked them due to the puns and gross-out humor, you will be quite happy with this re-launch. I mean, just look at that cover up above! That is disgusting and also illustrated extremely well (and a bit funny). The contents of the comic follow that routine, with a variety of solid drawing, gross-yet-funny jokes, and a great deal of creativity (seemingly nice-yet-possibly-evil Madballs found via time-travel, anyone?)

Even if someone doesn't know the Madballs--I only had some familiarity with them before seeking out the old comics and reading the new one--if you like good art and are either a kid or have a youthful sense of humor (yeah, my humor can be a bit immature and gross) this should be a title you quite enjoy. I would recommend picking-up a copy of, "Madballs," first issue this Wednesday, April 20th for sure!
4 out of 5 stars.

Note: A digital copy of this comic was provided for the purposes of review; I'm on a press-list so I get promotional emails and such, it seems.

Mother's Day Rant Reviews--Drugs, Viruses,Jokers, and Squirrel Girls

A Holiday For Mom, A Bunch of Comics For Me

It's Mother's Day! What better way to spend the holiday than by reading some comics and discussing them? To tie-in with the holiday I'll have my usual stars I reward a comic, but then add a thought on what kind of mom would enjoy such a comic!

Good Reading
Miami Vice: Remix #2
Joe Casey is a stellar writer and makes stuff I often love, but the real draw for this comic being published in a partnership between IDW and Lion Forge Comics is the incredible art of Jim Mahfood. Thanks to Mahfood's artwork Miami Vice is looking even more like a neon-drenched acid-trip than it ever has. Plus, tying-into that whole media-sensation of "Bath Salts" and how it made some people attack others, we get to see voodoo-zombies tripping on "Miami Bath Salts" and attacking our famous heroes, Crockett and Tubbs. It's all very silly, but self-aware enough to know you're reading for a good time, not a serious exploration of the morality of police-work and undercover life. Thanks to Casey turning in a wild script and Mahfood providing pitch-perfect art, a solidly entertaining time will be had by anyone who reads this comic.
4 out of 5 stars.
Give this comic to your mom if--She still fondly talks about watching "Miami Vice" back when it was the hottest thing on T.V.

Zero #16 and Dead Drop #1
Both of these comics are written by Ales Kot, a writer I have been excitedly following the works of ("Zero" was in fact one of my favorite comics of 2014). I'm noticing certain themes popping-up in his books that make it interesting how even if the things he writes are in different comic-universes certain concepts keep popping-up that make it apparent Kot has a bit of a thematic-link between titles. Whether it is how "Zero" makes mention of mental holograms (a concept discussed in Kot's comic, "The Surface," or how issues of "Zero" have focused on a mushroom spore that spreads in a viral way whilst meanwhile the first issue of "Dead Drop" touches upon a viral entity with a consciousness that terrorist-styled anarchists want to use, Kot is making different comics, but in some ways is creating his own multi-line singular piece of work with ruminations on the mind along with literal and figurative viruses. It helps that each of his works are all very strong, thanks to his unique writing-voice and the solid art turned-in by his contributors.

Upon my hearing that "Zero" was ending with its 18th issue I felt sad, but as this 16th issue makes clear, Kot is clearly building up to something epic, with what started as a simple future-spy story morphing into a treatsie on how we perceive reality, the meaning of life, and lots of really gross mushrooms. Meanwhile it appears that "Dead Drop" will incorporate various characters of the Valiant comic-universe in fun ways, as everyone heroic in that world works to keep the utter destruction of Earth from happening. It sounds dreary, but "Dead Drop" is actually written with a fun and humorous tone that makes all talk about how "This virus will destroy our planet!"not as dramatic and upsetting as things would seem. With both comics we have something good--an intriguing nearing of the end with one, and a solid start with the other. Kot is definitely a writer to keep watching, as his output should only grow more and more interesting.
Zero #16: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dead Drop #1: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Give these comics to your mom If--She likes deep explorations of what it means to be human ("Zero), or just enjoys a good chase-scene ("Dead Drop").

Batman #40
Well, here we are. Another issue of Batman, another "Final fight," against his greatest foe, the Joker, followed by another apparent death. I don't know, perhaps I'm a little cranky because I felt Morrison did it better with his run of Batman where he killed Bruce Wayne and then brought him back, and that was so recent. It just feels like this is recently-trodden territory with the only big shocking change being that apparently Jim Gordon is going to be the new Batman as DC's latest releases have made clear. Still, Snyder gives us a passably mediocre conclusion, Greg Capullo provides stellar art, and now we get to the play the betting-game of wagering how long it will be until Bruce Wayne returns to reclaim the mantle of Batman. I guess I just expected more than another apparent death of our hero and potential death of his villain. Sigh.
2.5 out of 5 stars (I would rate it lower, but Capullo really is a great artist).
Give this comic to your mom if--You want to show her an example of how comics are always killing off characters only to have them inevitably return some years (or even months) later.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #5
Just when I start to think "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl" can't get even more fun, it goes and does. This issue primarily involves our heroine's college roommate stuck in the head of the Statue of Liberty with a bunch of other hostages while they tell stories about her that seem quite similar to other heroic-yarns. Whether riffing on the Spider-Man of the 1990's and his clone wars, giving a shout-out to "The Dark Knight Returns," or touching upon the 2099 comic-Universe, each story is incredibly funny to witness, as it becomes more and more apparent that the people being held hostage either are making things up about Squirrel Girl, or just have a horrible memory in regards to their heroes. It is just super-awesome fun.
5 out of 5 stars.
Give this comic to your mom if--She has expressed interest in super-hero titles, but wants something more fun than grim.

Thanks to all the Moms!

That's my special Mother's Day-edition of my Rant-Reviews. I hope everyone has a great rest of their day!

Let's Do a Feature about Lion Forge and Their Comics!

It Dawned On Me One Day...

What comic-related goodness resides in our fair city?

I was sitting around thinking one day about how some cities really are hotbeds of comic activity. You have Portland, Oregon with its assorted publishers, I've been to shops in NYC full of locally-made mini-comics, and of course when someone hears the name, "San Diego," images of that huge comic-con enter their mind. As I continued thinking, I wondered what we have here in Saint Louis in terms of comic-delights. There are some small-press folk who put out titles, and that's cool, but we don't have any super-popular shops (well, we had the nationally-known Star Clipper, but yeah) even though I can recommend some cool places locally (Newcastle Comics is great).

Then I got to the question of if we have any comic-book publishers around here. At this moment it occurred to me that one publisher who has been growing in popularity with their digital releases and shift into some print releases too is in fact Saint Louis-based! Yes, I am referring to Lion Forge.

Some Background on Lion Forge

Launched four years ago in 2011, Lion Forge is a publisher which has primarily been involved in the digital space, but is in the process of getting more physical titles out via a deal made with IDW to assist with the print-side of things. One big release I am excited to read is, "Miami Vice: Remix" which will be available via Lion Forge and IDW with writing by the incredibly talented Joe Casey and art by the equally-amazing Jim Mahfood.

Lion Forge has an number of original titles, but many may know them for their licensed properties which they've made comics about, from NBC properties such as "Knight Rider" and "Saved By the Bell" to acquiring the license for The Care Bears thanks to their deal with American Greetings.

Lion Forge has some good comics and the intriguing way of how they went digital-first as a publisher and then added a print aspect made me  interested in talking to them. I was pleased that they were eager to speak with me too!

Talking To the Lion

I spoke with the CEO of Lion Forge, David Steward II, and the Chief Creative Officer, Carl Reed, about  Lion Forge as I was eager to learn about certain things. I wanted to know what had inspired them to do a focus on digital and David told me that back when they started in 2011 digital had not yet exploded to quite the degree it has now, but they saw how it was due to happen and wanted to, "Get ahead of the ball," in a way unlike how the music industry did (remember Napster?). As a group of professionals and friends who had experience in animation, graphic design, and the like, all the founders of Lion Forge were excited to do comics, but thought with how digital was going to grow massively it made sense to focus on that avenue.

Some of team Lion Forge, from left to right:
Carl Reed, Ike Reed, Lorenzo Lizana, David Steward II, and David Gorden

I asked David and Carl what they found most enjoyable about digital and they told me how it opens a lot of opportunities from a storytelling standpoint which may not be available in print. Bits of animation can occur, such as Kitt's headlights popping on in the "Knight Rider" comic, to give one example. Also, tricks of shading can occur which would require multiple panels in a comic but can be  handled easily through digital. That said, they do still love print and always were eager to start putting out comics through that method too once the chance arrived, which it has through their current deal with IDW.

When asked about titles they would recommend to folk who wanted to try Lion Forge, David said "Crystal Cadets" is a greatly enjoyable book focused on teenage girls who go on surreal journeys and Carl talked about how he was a fan of "Wonderous 2" which follows real-life cosplayer Yaya Han in unreal adventures.

Lion Forge has some great comics out and even more cool ones on the horizon. I greatly enjoyed talking with David & Carl and foresee an exciting future for Lion Forge!

Wizard World In Review Part One: The Comics and Art

Introduction
I attended Wizard World Saint Louis (WWSL) on Friday and Saturday (I was too exhausted to go Sunday) and met many, many, cool folk. In fact, there was so much I saw and so many interesting people I met I thought it would make sense to split my review of how the convention went for me into various segments. Therefore, first off I'm going to talk about people whom were there in a strictly comic-related/illustrated art-related capacity that I interacted with, followed by people who were there to promote other items such as movies, books, or a variety of intriguing crafts and jewelry. Lastly, I'll put up a third post where I plan to give a sort of wrap-up of my thoughts about WWSL.

The Comic-Makers and Art-Creators
To be fair and not appear to favor any creator over another I'm going in an alphabetical order by company/group name, a person's last name, or a creator's artistic pseudonym.

Neal Adams
I saw Neal at last year's Wizard World and he was as energetic and friendly as ever at this show too. I wasn't able to chat with him as much as last year because he was always so busy interacting with fans who came up to talk to him--often about his work on Batman over all the years. His website can be found here.

Brian Atkins
I've discussed "Gargoyle by Moonlight" before and how I greatly enjoyed reading it. Well, Brian Atkins was the artist for that comic and it was fun to see him at WWSL and chat with him about upcoming adventures of the titular hero. I look forward to more "Gargoyle by Moonlight" in the near future! Find him here.

Big Dog Ink
I've talked about Big Dog Ink's works before and it was fun to see them at the convention again and hear about their upcoming projects. See more of their work here.

Gerimi Burleigh
Mr. Burleigh was one of the coolest folk I met for the first time at WWSL, as not only was his artwork quite good but he also was extremely friendly and clearly excited to talk about his work and inspirations. I picked up some of his work and will get a review up sooner than later about it. I highly recommend you check out his website here, as the art is as delightful as he was.

Aaron Campbell
I first discovered Campbell's work pretty recently on the popular Dynamite comic, "Uncanny" he illustrates with writer Andy Diggle. We spoke at length about "Uncanny", his work on "The Shadow", and comics in general. Campbell was very pleasant and fun to talk with, perhaps an interview for the blog is in order? We shall see! Find his website here.

Greg Capullo
Mr. Capullo is of course currently known for his long-running work with Scott Snyder on DC's Batman. Capullo was eager to sign folk's comics and very cordial to everyone, despite quite a line forming of people who wanted to get an issue of "Batman" signed or purchase a print. Follow him on Twitter here.

Capybara Ink
Capybara Ink is an entity founded by Matthew Miller that specializes in a variety of comic art put on coasters, bookmarks, art prints and more. Plus, the mascot is a capybara, which is just awesome as those animals are cool. Learn more about Capybara Ink here.

Comic Creator's Coffee Club/C4
The Comic Creator's Coffee Club is a group of comic fans and makers who gather on a monthly basis to discuss comics and show off their work. They are a nice bunch. Learn more about them here.

Andrew Day
Mr. Day is comic artist and illustrator I met at WWSL who had some great-looking art on display and for sale. You can see more of his stuff here.

Athena Finger
The granddaughter of Bill Finger, the often unaccredited (at least by DC) co-creator of Batman, Athena Finger was at WWSL to raise awareness about her grandfather and the general need for creator's to receive the recognition they deserve for their work. Follow her on Twitter here.

Danny Fingeroth
Danny Fingeroth has worked on and edited a variety of Marvel comics throughout time and has more recently been creating a variety of interesting books about comics. Find out more about him here.

Anthony Fowler
A local artist in the Saint Louis area, Anthony was very friendly and had some cool artwork. See more of his stuff here.

Bryan Fyffe
Bryan Fyffe is an artist who makes some pretty cool-looking pieces. He was at WWSL to sell his artwork and crafts, so I could have put him in either category for my review of this convention, but because I was so impressed with his artwork I thought it made sense to put him in this category. You can see his work at this website.

Danny Haas
Danny Haas had some really fantastic-looking art at WWSL, especially his stuff that takes two related characters or a character and their alter-ego and puts them together in a half-and-half image. You can see more of his stuff here.

H-eri
H-eri is an artist who creates works that I would say are both beautiful and a bit sad-feeling at the same time. You can view her work here.

Terry Huddleston
I met Mr. Huddleston for the first time at this WWSL and found his artwork quite good-looking. He does these cool portrait-style drawings of various comic characters or other celebrities that are fun and you can find his stuff here.

Ink and Drink Comics
A comic collective of sorts, Ink and Drink comics puts out a themed anthology every six months and has been doing so for four years now. A variety of talented local artists contribute to it and I would definitely recommend picking up an issue. Find out more about them here.

Matt Kindt
Matt Kindt has been behind a variety of popular independent comics and works from DC. He had a lot of his work for sale at the convention and I would recommend checking out his work that he has either just written, or both written and illustrated. Learn more about him here.

Caleb King
Caleb King was at the convention to promote his works such as the webcomic "Surreality" with Carla Wyzgala and  "Past Tense" with Andrew Day. Surreality can be found here and Past Tense here.

"Kitties with Pottymouths"
Steve Higgins is behind this concept that is both at once adorable and offensive. Namely, it is  drawings and images of cats that may look cute, but which don't hesitate to swear up a storm. I love it and bet you will too, so check it out at this website.

Andy Kluthe
Mr. Kluthe is the man behind "Nerd Rage" a popular web-comic that is pretty funny from what I have seen of it. You can check out "Nerd Rage" at this website.

Jeremiah Lambert
Mr. Lambert was at WWSL showing off his assorted artworks and illustrated work. You can see more of his stuff here.

Salvador Larroca
I met Salvador Larroca at WWSL and told him how much I enjoyed his work on "Invincible Iron Man" with Matt Fraction back when they did that comic a few years back. He was very appreciative. Here is a wiki about him.

Megan Levens
Megan Levens is one of the creators behind the upcoming Image comic "Madame Frankenstein". She showed me some preview artwork and it looks like it is going to be a pretty cool comic--one that I'll be sure to check out! Find her here.

Lion Forge Comics
Lion Forge Comics was at WWSL last year and returned to this convention to promote their assorted intersting works, from licensed comics such as "Miami Vice" and "Knight Rider" to their other works with celebrities such as "Rampage" Jackson. They have a variety of interesting things coming out soon. Read more about Lion Forge here.

David Mack
Mr. Mack is an incredible artist who has done some amazing work on comics featuring Daredevil, along with his own work on "Kabuki". He also was extremely nice and very excited to talk about his work. Another person I need to work at doing an interview with! Check him out here.

Chelsea Mann
Chelsea Mann is an artist and illustrator who has been working at her webcomic, "Son of the Philosopher". She also had an incredibly cool Iron Man watercolor I bought. Observe:

Yeah, that's pretty awesome. Learn more about her here.

"Martian"
Jake Bonebrake is the man behind "Martian". He and some friends were at the convention and their excitement at talking about the comic had me wanting to grab a copy. It's interesting with its mixture of stylized ultra-violence and science-fiction and fantasy. You can learn more about "Martian" here.

Darryl McDaniels AKA "DMC"
Darryl McDaniels is one of the members of the famous rap group Run DMC. I of course love rap music and enjoyed talking about it with him, but the reason Mr. McDaniels is in the comic category is because he wasn't at WWSL to promote his music. No, he was there to promote a comic he has coming out. As he described it to me, it has the feeling of rap and other assorted music genres through the incorporation of things such as graffiti imagery and such, but it is not about a rapping super-hero. Instead it is a story about a new super-hero universe with his character starting out as the first powered hero and other ones then coming into existence. It sounds pretty interesting and I look forward to checking it out upon its official release. For more about Mr. McDaniel's you can check out his website here.

Jason Metcalf
Jason Metcalf was at WWSL selling his assorted artwork and chatting with folk about his various projects. See more of him here.

Buster Moody
Buster Moody was at WWSL to promote his artwork which has a nice underground-look to it. You can find his stuff here.

New Haven Comics/Zero's Heroes
Aaron Walther was at the convention to promote his comic "Zero's Heroes" coming out via New Haven comics, an independent comic-book publisher. It was a fun looking title and you can learn more about it and New Haven Comics in general at this website.

"Oh Hell"
I read a short preview of this comic at WWSL thanks to writer George Wassil being there to promote it. I enjoyed what I read as the concept is clever--a boarding school literally in Hell--and the art was snazzy too. There will be a Kickstarter for the comic soon and I hope it does well! See more about it here.

Planet Me Productions/"SpeciMen"
I had the pleasure of meeting Matthew Mossotti at WWSL, one of the founders of Planet Me Productions which is in the process of releasing their comic "SpeciMen". Mr. Mossotti described their series as a, "The Matrix" meets "Star Wars" and was very excited to discuss it. Learn more about Planet Me and "SpeciMen" here.

Julianna Pardue
Julianna Pardue is an artist and illustrator I met at WWSL and whom I commissioned an awesome sketch-card of Moon Knight from:

Very cool. See more of her stuff here.

Ellis Ray III
Ellis Ray III is a Saint Louis-based artist and comic-maker who I've actually met before by sheer chance when I was out and about and he complimented a cool "Avengers" shirt I was wearing at the time and told me how he works on comics. He was at WWSL too and as fun to chat with about comics this time as he was the other occasion we met. You should give his stuff a look at his website which can be found here.

Rori!
Artist Rori! was at WWSL to promote her comic "Tiny Pink Robots". I'd met her at a previous convention and it was fun seeing her and the fun-looking cartoon robots again. You can find her online here.

Ethan Van Sciver
I talked with comic-artist Ethan Van Sciver at WWSL too, and he was very eager to chat with folk about everything from comics to politics. He also expressed interest in doing an interview sometime so that would be great too! Follow him on Twitter here.

Kate Sherron
Ms. Sherron was at WWSL to promote her impressive illustrations and artwork. She's local to Saint Louis and quite talented.Give her work a look here.

Dan "Smif" Smith
Mr. Smith was at WWSL to promote his comic "Armageddon: Hell". He was another one of the people I greatly enjoyed meeting at WWSL as he was very friendly and eager to share the details of how "Armageddon: Hell" came about. I picked up some copies of the comic and hope to review them in the near future, but in the meantime you can learn more about the comic here.

Kyle Strahm
Mr. Strahm was at WWSL promoting an upcoming comic "Spread" he is doing with Justin Jordan and which he said to keep an eye out for an official announcement about a publisher. See more about him here.

Sugar Fueled
Sugar Fueled is the official name of works by artist Michael Banks. The illustration style is both at once cute and creepy, so you know I find it pretty cool! View more work here.

Urbn Pop
Urbn Pop is the artistic name/home of Chris Hamer. Having done artwork for a variety or companies, Mr. Hamer has a style that I would say is fun with a slight edge. You can give his stuff a look-over here.

Wascally Wee Willy
Wascally Wee Will AKA William Harroff was at WWSL with his unique brand of comic-inspired artistry. I also enjoy seeing his work and recommend you give it a look too at his website, which can be found here.

Joe Wills
Joe Wills was at WWSL promoting his artwork and was fun to chat with. See more of his stuff here.

Brian Woodward
Mr. Woodward was at the convention showing-off his dark-fantasy-styled artwork. It was very pretty and a bit scary at the same time. You can see what I mean at this website.

Carla Wyzgala
Ms. Wyzgala had a variety of intriguing watercolor paintings and assorted artworks on display at WWSL. You can find more of her stuff here.

Zenescope
Zenescope was at WWSL showing off their wares and I was lucky enough to chat with their publisher (who also does other tasks on the comics). I haven't ever reviewed a Zenescope comic before but hope to read something by them soon. Check them out here.

In Closing About The Comics and Art
There were a ton of great comics and artists at WWSL. If I met you/your company and I didn't mention you it can be for a variety of reasons. It may be because we didn't interact much beyond a simple hello, or I lacked your card and am unsure how to find you online. That, or you were mean and I don't want to give you any press. If the last one is the case work on being nicer to folk at conventions, I mean you want to sell your stuff, don't you?

Anyways, stay tuned for my article about the movies, books, and other assorted crafts at Wizard World in my next post!