TRANSFORMERS / GHOSTBUSTERS Interview With Creative Team

 

Information provided courtesy of IDW Publishing . . . . . Comic Book Miniseries, Beginning in June from IDW Interview with Writer Erik Burnham, Artist Dan Schoening, and Colorist Luis Antonio Delgado  When you were initially approached by IDW Publishing to be part of the TRANSFORMERS /  GHOSTBUSTERS crossover, what was your first reaction? ERIK BURNHAM: Oh, there was a delayed double-take. The TRANSFORMERS property is something that a reliable section of fans has asked about us playing around with (with GHOSTBUSTERS or otherwise) ever since the first TMNT/GB crossover five years back. I wondered if the TRANSFORMERS universe would be as fun of a sandbox as GHOSTBUSTERS for us to play in – spoilers, it totally is.   LUIS ANTONIO DELGADO: Excitement! I’ve been working with IDW for 11 years and I’ve worked on pretty much all the properties I grew up with. The one I was still dreaming of being a part of was TRANSFORMERS, and to do it combined with my favorite team, the Ghostbusters, was everything I could’ve wanted. Besides, I already knew Erik was gonna come with a fantastic way to get both of them together (already did it once with TMNT), so I couldn’t wait to read the story.   DAN SCHOENING: Very surprised! I never thought I'd get the opportunity to draw the TRANSFORMERS bots in a comic, let alone a team up with the Ghostbusters. Dan, you’ve been the artist for IDW’s GHOSTBUSTERS series for many years now, and took on the gig with well-established experience drawing the characters. But was this your first time delving into the TRANSFORMERS universe? If so, were there any unique complexities to drawing the Robots in Disguise?   DAN: Aside from a few sketches for fun, this will be my first time tackling a lot of the TRANSFORMERS characters. Being a child of the 80's, my heart always goes back to the animated series that started in ’84 and the '86 motion picture. For the crossover, I'll be keeping the look of the Autobots and Decepticons within that established aesthetic. Having them in the animated style also blends very well with the visual style we have created for the Ghostbusters over the past 8 years.     Luis, with so many different characters appearing on the cover art and within the story pages, how do you keep track of the proper colors to use for each, and did it require a lot of research on your part to get all the TRANSFORMERS details right?   LUIS: It is a huge challenge. When it comes to GB, I know the guys and their gear better than I could ever imagined I would, but the TRANSFORMERS bots are a different story—there are so many and they are so complex that it is a bit scary. Dan is the real genius behind all the art, not only the pencils, he did all the research so he could be true to the mythos and he was kind enough to share that research; so after a couple of misfires, I managed to get all the robots’ features right and now I have multiple files ready for when I have to work on them.   Erik, you have a reputation for being a writer who accurately depicts the voices of many of pop-culture’s most beloved and recognizable characters. Did you find it more difficult to put words into Optimus Prime’s mouth than, say, Peter Venkman’s? Do you ever pretend to do their voices out loud when you write?    ERIK: The voice is the goal, and … yeah, I might do the voices out loud from time to time. It only gets weird since I work in coffee shops an awful lot. As far as putting words into Optimus Prime’s mouth… Peter Cullen’s voice is so strong and distinct (to say nothing of Frank Welker or Chris Latta or…) I have no trouble hearing those performances in my head. Makes them as easy to write as the Ghostbusters. And I hope those voices come through to the fans just as easily, knock wood. Dan, who is your favorite Ghostbuster to draw? Favorite TRANSFORMERS bot? Are there any characters you dread having to illustrate?   DAN: My favorite Ghostbuster is Ray, and he's also my favorite to draw. As for a TRANSFORMERS bot, my favorite is Mirage, with Perceptor in a close second. I can't say I'm dreading drawing any, however, each one presents their own unique challenges. Finding where the joints move in particular, such as elbows and knees, is something I'm looking to improve upon as I move ahead. Erik, what can you tell us about Ectotron, the new Autobot being introduced in this crossover?    ERIK: Well… he is a bit of a nerd. He’s almost as far out there for the Autobots as the Ghostbusters were from other academics here on Earth. He’s kind of uptight, and he’s teased by the other Autobots. But he’ll loosen up by the end of the story.     After all these years working on GHOSTBUSTERS, tell us: does ‘busting still make you feel good?   ERIK: 100% yes. I love these characters and this world still. We’ve pitched lots of other ideas, and with luck, the coming movies will keep the interest up in both the GHOSTBUSTERS multiverse and us playing within it for a good long while.   LUIS: It makes me feel excited every single day. I’m not only lucky to do this job, I’m even more lucky to do it with a property that I loved since I was a kid and with the best team in the world. I enjoy working on every new ghost, every new story, and every new challenge. Besides, trying to keep it fresh and new after so many issues, that’s what makes it exciting.   DAN: I'll answer you with a question :) Does Peter Venkman like money?     If you had to choose, would you be an Autobot or a Decepticon? Why?   ERIK: I mean, come on. I don’t want to be EVIL. But on the other hand, most of the Decepticons are able to fly. But on the OTHER other hand… Dinobots. Going Autobot, final answer.   LUIS: Autobot for sure. I like their ideals, I like how they always try to do the right thing and fight for the little guy. When you have so much power, it’s a great responsibility (I think I heard that somewhere before).   DAN: Definitely an Autobot. Who wouldn't want to help save the Earth with Optimus Prime? As for a vehicle mode, I'd have to go with a DeLorean.     Erik, what can longtime fans of both franchises expect going into this crossover?   ERIK: Here’s the thing – I like a little comedy with the action, and I was wondering if Hasbro was going to ask for a very stoic interpretation of the TRANSFORMERS property, leaving the silliness to the Ghostbusters… but no. I get to have fun with the bots! Nothing wildly out of character, mind you, but Optimus Prime is gonna be as able to crack a joke as Venkman, if the situation arises. It’s gonna be about fun. Lots of fun. And I guarantee the series starts in a way no one will expect – it made me smile to write, and Dan & Luis knocked it out of the park on the page. It’s the kind of toybox mashup we did as kids! The TL;DR of it: a fun time with the boys in grey and the robots in disguise dealing with some ghostly common enemies!     Anything else you want to share with the fans and retailers?   ERIK: Oh, tons. But IDW and Hasbro have ninjas in place to keep me from doing so. Suffice it to say: there’s gonna be love letters and easter eggs aplenty for readers to find, and wait’ll you get to issue 3, where we—[redacted by ninjas, Erik should be fine. Well, fine-ish.]   LUIS: Just be ready for a story you never thought was possible, join the party, and enjoy the ride. I promise, it’s gonna be more than worth it.   DAN: Ever since I received my first TRANSFORMERS action figure back in the early ‘80s (Soundwave), I've been a big fan of the property. It's an honor to help bring these characters together, while telling a fun and visually engaging story all the fans will enjoy. TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2019 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro. GHOSTBUSTERS ™ & © 2019 Columbia Pictures, Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Review: THE FORGOTTEN by Ben Bradlee, Jr.

THE FORGOTTEN: HOW THE PEOPLE OF ONE PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY ELECTED DONALD TRUMP AND CHANGED AMERICA by Ben Bradlee Jr. (Little, Brown and Company, October 2018) Hardcover 304 pages.  ISBN # 0316515736 / 9780316515733

 

 Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . 

 

The people of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania voted Democratic for decades, until Donald Trump flipped it in 2016. What happened? Named one of the "juiciest political books to come out in 2018" by Entertainment Weekly. 

 

In The Forgotten, Ben Bradlee Jr. reports on how voters in Luzerne County, a pivotal county in a crucial swing state, came to feel like strangers in their own land - marginalized by flat or falling wages, rapid demographic change, and a liberal culture that mocks their faith and patriotism. 

 

Fundamentally rural and struggling with changing demographics and limited opportunity, Luzerne County can be seen as a microcosm of the nation. In The Forgotten, Trump voters speak for themselves, explaining how they felt others were 'cutting in line' and that the federal government was taking too much money from the employed and giving it to the idle. The loss of breadwinner status, and more importantly, the loss of dignity, primed them for a candidate like Donald Trump. 

 

The political facts of a divided America are stark, but the stories of the men, women and families in The Forgotten offer a kaleidoscopic and fascinating portrait of the complex on-the-ground political reality of America today. 

 

My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

  If you don't want to read the full review, here's the quick summary:

 

I was disappointed and depressed by what I learned from reading this book. 

 

     However, it has nothing to do with the writing of Ben Bradlee Jr. He doesn't appear to be pushing any agenda -- just sharing what he learned from speaking at length to a cross-section of Trump voters in a northeastern Pennsylvania county. I thought the writing was as objective as good journalism should be, including some analysis in the conclusion but minimal injection of the writer's opinion throughout. He seems to let people speak and doesn't challenge them much on their statements, even when they are inaccurate or outrageous.

 

     I picked up this book in an effort to get some answers to a question that has baffled me since the 2016 election --- how could so many good people help elect a bad President? 

 

     I'm not talking about the block of voters that you just knew would vote for him (white supremacists, racists, anti-immigration and anti-abortion advocates). I mean the other people -- the ones with good hearts who somehow overlooked his racism, his misogyny, his narcissism, his prejudice against Hispanics, the disrespect for government institutions, and the lies, lies, lies - - and decided to give him "a pass" and vote for him anyway. 

 

     I did not see, hear, or read about a single thing during the Presidential campaign to make me think that Trump was a capable candidate. Prior to the election, I found him to be a self-serving boor (The Apprentice, ugh - - poorly scripted reality television to push his brand and name). During the election I developed a more specific dislike for his character and manner. Every day brought evidence of more reasons to vote against him - - and it was well-documented, not manufactured as he wanted everyone to believe. Since then, his actions and statements have done nothing to change my mind - - they only reinforce the fact that he's the worst President in my lifetime. 

 

     Bradlee focused on interviewing Trump voters in Luzerne County, an area that has seen better times. Once a hub for the thriving coal mining industry, it later lost crucial manufacturing jobs, experienced a higher unemployment rate in comparison to the rest of the state and country, and saw a once predominant white community turn into a minority majority. 

 

     It's a fairly balanced cross-section of participants in terms of sex, occupation and education - - but did not include any minorities or younger participants. Maybe Bradlee couldn't find any who voted for Trump? He does provide some interview responses from Democratic voters near the end of the book, and this cross-section is much more diverse. 

 

     The majority of the Trump supporters that Bradlee interviewed feel that Trump spoke to them and stood up for their values. They loved his antagonistic, simple approach. By and large they felt neglected by government, less important and often mocked. They wanted respect and Trump seemed to be giving it to them. 

 

     There's a telling quote from one of the participants that Bradlee uses to close out his epilogue: "People fall in love with their therapist because they want to be heard, and they want to be heard without judgment, says Tiffany Cloud. "I think people felt Donald Trump heard them without judgment."

 

     I seriously doubt that Trump will be providing any answers or solutions for Luzerne County. Except for the voters who feel that the problems are caused by immigration and minorities, he hasn't initiated or addressed their issues. Sadly, too many of the responses that Bradlee documents here point to those two issues as the reason for supporting Trump: immigration and minorities.

 

     Another problem, I believe, is the way that voters receive and process information these days. Not enough people reads the news anymore, just the headlines. Not enough check the facts. Not enough do research on an issue. Many of the responses in this book reflect that.  That makes it easier for campaigners to push slogans, catchphrases and incite crowds with fear and hate mongering.

 

     The other issue as I see it is the age of avoidance that we seem to live in. Nobody wants to have a discussion when they disagree, or even attempt to explain their point of view to the other person. They'd rather walk away. Couples don't work out marital issues, they just run away from each other. 

 

     When it comes to politics, everybody wants to surround themselves with like-minded individuals and screen their incoming news for only the bits that support their point of view. Discourse is a lost art. That also makes it easier for the liars to keep doing what they do best: lie without consequences. 

 

     The saddest part of The Forgotten are the interviews Bradlee did with the participants after eighteen months of the Trump presidency. With only a few exceptions, Trump still receives high approval. All but one of the participants said they would vote for Trump again in 2020. So, if he continues to portray himself as the victim of a biased press and the Democratic party, and combines that with the same lies, he might win again. 

 

That's a horrible thought. I think the next book I need to read is some escapist fare, perhaps a good heroic fantasy.

 

Stan Sakai Moves USAGI YOJIMBO To IDW In June

from the official IDW Publishing press release . . . . .

SAN DIEGO, CA (February 22, 2019) – IDW Publishing is very pleased to announce that industry icon Stan Sakai will bring his critically acclaimed series Usagi Yojimbo to IDW beginning in June. For the first time ever, new monthly Usagi Yojimbo comic books will be published in full color, and IDW will curate a fully-colored graphic novel library of the complete Usagi Yojimbo – all 35 years of its grand storytelling, plus new stories to come!
 
"I'm delighted to work with IDW Publishing on the new Usagi Yojimbo color series. IDW is a creative company that brings a lot of energy, enthusiasm, and excitement to the table. The IDW family includes many beloved characters, including (of course) the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so it is a natural fit," says Stan Sakai. "Fans, please look forward to this coming June as we'll be releasing IDW Usagi Yojimbo #1, action-packed and now fully colored."
 
Welcome to the world of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo in June with the first thrilling chapter in an all-new three-part story! Set in the Edo period of Japan, this adventure sees Usagi embroiled in a puppet drama where the players are not quite what they seem.
 
Sakai adds, "Bunraku (Japanese puppetry) captures many elements that make the world of Usagi Yojimbo unique: an adventure filled with Japanese culture, folklore, and history. It also features the return of a long-awaited fan favorite character and Yokai (Japanese supernatural creatures). I’d like to thank the readers for their continued support of Usagi, and if you haven't read Usagi before, this is a great place to start."
 
Marking this milestone with a spectacular selection of covers, Usagi Yojimbo #1 includes a main cover by Stan Sakai, plus variants by Daniel Warren Johnson (Murder Falcon), Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Walt Simonson (Ragnarök, The Mighty Thor).
 
Written and illustrated by Stan Sakai for over thirty years and published in over fourteen countries, Usagi Yojimbo is set in a unique world based on 17th century Japan. Miyamoto Usagi, who once served as the personal bodyguard for a Japanese warlord, now traverses this unique world – a landscape populated by ghosts, dinosaurs, monsters, and warriors of all kinds – as a ronin. In his many exciting adventures, the swordsrabbit hones his skills, saves villages, and often finds himself navigating the delicate affairs of national/political significance.
 
"We’re all ecstatic to have Stan Sakai and Usagi join the IDW family,” says IDW President & Publisher/Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall. “Usagi Yojimbo has been one of the most consistently wonderful comic-book series for decades now, a bright spot in publishing matched only by the consummate skill and professionalism its creator Stan brings to everything he does. It’s a thrill to not only be able to publish new Usagi comics but also present them all in an all-new, vibrantly colored way."
 
Follow IDW on social media for the latest updates on new Usagi Yojimbo comic books and graphic novels. Preorder Usagi Yojimbo #1 through your local comic shop in April, or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.
 

Creator Bio:
Stan Sakai began his comic book career by lettering, starting with Groo for Sergio Aragonés. His work led him to meet Stan Lee, who asked him to letter for Spider-Man Sunday comics, which he did for 25 years. Sakai is most famous for his original creation of Usagi Yojimbo, an epic saga celebrating its 35^thanniversary in 2019 and featuring Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan. His work on Usagi has led to multiple awards, including several Eisner Awards, the Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist, the Parent’s Choice Award, and multiple Young Library Association Awards. Skillful weaving of facts, legends, and Japanese culture into his work has made Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo a favorite among educators as a curriculum tool. Since then, Usagi has been featured on television with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and has been consistently named as one of the top 100 comic book characters of all time. A TV show is currently in the works, produced by Gaumont Studios, Sakai, James Wan's Atomic Monster, and Dark Horse Entertainment. Stan also loves to travel with his wife Julie, cook, and play with his three dogs, Ani, Momo, and Mika.

Sneak Peak: INCURSION #2 Coming March 20

INCURSION #2 Preview courtesy of Valiant Entertainment . . . . .

 

 The Eternal Warrior lets loose in INCURSION #2.

The epic first issue dropped last week and it was only a taste of what's to come. Alex Paknadel, Andy Diggle, and Doug Braithwaite's INCURSION introduces a brand-new threat to the Valiant Universe while putting Gilad and the Geomancer front and center.

INCURSION #2
Written by ALEX PAKNADEL
Story by ANDY DIGGLE & ALEX PAKNADEL
Art by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Colors by DIEGO RODRIGUEZ
Letters by MARSHALL DILLON
Cover A by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Cover B by RYAN BODENHEIM
B/W Cover C by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Pre-order Edition Cover by TONCI ZONJIC

There is only one world left to conquer…

Entire planets have suffered and died at the cold, close-fisted hands of the alien Imperatrix Virago—and now her gruesome sights are set on our world. As Earth’s chosen protector, the Geomancer named Tama fights for her life, while the Eternal Warrior goes on the ultimate mission through the perilous realm of the Deadside to find the secret to saving her…and the entire planet in the process.

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale MARCH 20th

INCURSION #2 Cover A by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez


INCURSION #2 Cover B by Ryan Bodenheim


INCURSION #2 B/W Cover C by Doug Braithwaite


INCURSION #2 Pre-order Edition Cover by Tonci Zonjic

INCURSION #2 art by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez

INCURSION #2 art by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez


INCURSION #2 art by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez


INCURSION #2 art by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez

INCURSION #2 art by Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez

 

 

Pulp Legend Gets Audio Treatment From Pro Se

From the official Pro Se Press news release . . . . . .

A NEW PULP LEGEND’S EARLIEST ADVENTURE NOW ON AUDIO!
DERRICK FERGUSON’S ‘YOUNG DILLON IN THE HALLS OF SHAMBALLAH’ DEBUTS!

     Dillon.
     A name that means many things to many people. Adventurer. Hero. Rogue.
Nemesis. Friend.
     But even a man who is a legend in his own time started somewhere and the beginning of that legend is now available as a top quality audiobook produced by Radio Archives-YOUNG DILLON IN THE HALLS OF SHAMBALLAH.
     Even Dillon was young once. YOUNG DILLON IN THE HALLS OF SHAMBALLAH back the curtain on the past of a modern-day hero. Many are the tales that have been told about Dillon, but none are stranger than the whispers of his having been raised in the mythical and eternal city of Shamballah and his training by those deadliest of adepts in the martial arts, the Warmasters of Liguria.
     Now, at last, the true story behind those legends can be told. This is a story of a Dillon and the events and people who would forge him into the man we know.
This is a story of a Dillon in the days before his feet were set on the path that would lead him to the wildest adventures of them all. And it is itself an incredible adventure in its own right.
     This is the story of Young Dillon in the Halls of Shamballah. And, once you've heard it, you and Dillon will never be the same.
     A Youngpulp! digest novel from Pro Se Productions and Pulpwork Press, now an audiobook performed by Calvin Worthen, YOUNG DILLON IN THE HALLS OF SHAMBALLAH is available at https://www.amazon.com/Young-Dillon-Halls-Shamballah/dp/B07NX26CPS/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=  and also available via iTunes.
     This thrilling young readers adventure is also available in print and digital formats via Amazon.
     For more information on and great products from Radio Archives, go to https://www.radioarchives.com/Default.asp
     

Comics Review: V-WARS, Volume 1: The Crimson Queen

V-WARS VOLUME 1: THE CRIMSON QUEEN by Jonathan Maberry (IDW Publishing, January 2014)  Trade paperback, 100 pages. ISBN # 1631300630 / 9781631400636.  

 

 Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry takes you on a non-stop thrill ride of action, horror and suspense! Welcome to the V-WARS! 

 

These all-new tales chronicling the early days of the Vampire Wars offer the first salvo in the battle between humans and hundreds of new species of vampires! No matter how it ends, the world is going to bleed.

 

My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

     This is an original story based on the V-Wars novels.

 

     Jonathan Maberry puts an interesting spin on traditional vampire stories. Global warming releases an arctic virus that activates dormant genes in humans, transforming them into mutations with vampiric properties. 

 

     Some exhibit very subtle changes and could pass as humans. Others grow pointed bat-like ears, sprout wings, or take on monstrous characteristics. Some of the transformed are not blood-driven and find ways to suppress their urges while others act like normal blood-sucking vampires. Some wish to blend into society while others want their kind to rise to the forefront and abolish all inferiors. Only a minority of these new vampires are hostile and dangerous.

 

     However, the fear of the unknown and different results in society and governments branding them all as a threat and soon war between humans and vampires breaks out. While hate groups spread on both sides of the issue there are also forces on both sides that wish to find compatibility and peace.

 

     One of the main characters is a professor considered an expert in vampire mythology and folklore who is recruited to accompany a government strike force team as a reluctant advisor. Another key character is a female news reporter privileged to get an inside look at vampire culture in hopes of more objective reporting. A congressman has the answer to peaceful coexistence but his message is suppressed and canceled out early. 

 

     Politics on both sides rears its ugly head and clouds the issues even further. Manipulation. Conspiracies. Splinter groups with cross purposes. Misunderstanding and prejudice. Hatred. It's all here in a fast-paced adventure that doesn't conclude but ends at an appropriate point. I'll need to find Volume 2 as well as the prose novels. Good reading ahead. 

 

     The art and color work is exceptional, brutally graphic in many places. The facial expressions exhibit a broad range of emotions quite effectively and help to emphasize the direness of the situation. 

 

     There are so many parallels to the current debate over immigration that our federal representatives could benefit from reading this. Maberry has a way of presenting opposing points of view with objectivity, empathy and fairness. This should be required bedtime reading for DJT.

New Comics This Week: INCURSION #1 of 4

INCURSION #1 of 4 (Valiant Entertainment, release date February 20, 2019)  Written by Andy Diggle and Alex Paknadel.  Pencils: Doug Braithwaite.  Colors: Jose Villarubia & Diego Rodriguez.

 

The latest threat to planet Earth comes in the form of a brand new character, the Imperatrix Virago, a planet vampire who slowly (or rapidly when she becomes impatient) sucks worlds of their energy until nothing of substance remains.  A horde of monsters, cleverly dubbed the Children of Imperatrix Virago, serve her along with a child-like (although older) envoy/scout named Syntilla. Earth is particularly appetizing to Virago, as if she controls the geomancer (whom she is aware of) she’ll benefit from the extra fiber while consuming Earth. 

 

   The first line of defense of course is the geomancer (the young female Tama) and her Eternal Warrior bodyguard (Gilad) whom regular readers of Valiant are familiar with. 

 

   The horde arrives on Earth in Issue #1 and the preliminary conflict begins with Gilad facing off with the Children while Tama battles Syntilla.  A new concept is added to the Valiant Universe, as the Deadside can be used for intergalactic travel, serving as a shortcut between Virago’s husk of a world and Earth. 

 

  What made the issue better than average for me was the dichotomy between the forces at work here. Rather than depict them as pure evil versus pure good, both sides have gray aspects. Syntilla is not totally onboard with everything her master espouses. Gilad and Tama see things differently as well, contrasting experience and history with innocence and goodwill towards all lifeforms.  

 

RATING SYSTEM

 

 STORY: It’s a set-up issue, as all #1 issues of mini-series need to be. Given that, the story is interesting enough to come back for more. The main conflict here, a world devourer with plans for Earth, has been done before - most notably with Galactus at Marvel. 2 POINTS

ART: Realistic and engaging. Deserves multiple looks. 2.5 POINTS

COVER: Not boring, but not very enticing. I’ve seen Gilad enraged before. 1 POINT

READ AGAIN? Yes, especially for the interaction between both sets of characters. 1 POINT

RECOMMEND? There’s enough promise here that it’s worth picking up.  1 POINT.

TOTAL RATING: 7.5 POINTS. Above average and worth a look. 

HIvemind To Develop EC Comics Properties For Film And Television

Information provided courtesy of Hivemind . . . . .

LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ -- Hivemind announced a new partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc., the proprietors of EC Comics, for a number of film and television projects based on the hugely influential – and often controversial – comic book publisher's groundbreaking legacy and library. One of the first endeavors of the partnership will be WEIRD FANTASY – a new television show inspired by the shocking and subversive sci-fi/fantasy series that collided visionary genre storytelling with socially conscious themes of racial and gender equality, anti-war advocacy, nuclear disarmament and ecological preservation to create some of the most impactful and hotly debated comic book stories ever produced.

WEIRD FANTASY Cover Art by Al Williamson & Frank Frazetta (Courtesy: EC Comics)

JUDGMENT DAY & OTHER STORIES Cover Art (Courtesy: EC Comics)

"The EC library is a timeless literary achievement that deserves to stand alongside the works of Stephen King, Philip K. Dick, and H.P. Lovecraft," said producer and Hivemind Co-President Dinesh Shamdasani. "WEIRD FANTASY is a truly historic property that shattered many barriers, and our goal is to make the television series just as fearless and forward-thinking as the stories that inspired it."

Changing the industry seemingly overnight in the early 1950s under the stewardship of publisher and writer William M. Gaines, EC Comics quickly became the dominant force of the era's booming comic book industry, selling tens of millions of copies annually and generating intense, nationwide controversies with taboo-smashing, confrontational stories in series like TALES FROM THE CRYPT and MAD MAGAZINE. EC's unique formula eschewed superheroes in favor of science fiction, fantasy, war, horror, and humor – redefining comics storytelling with a newly sophisticated and artist-driven approach that would pave the way for the ascendancy of both Marvel Comics and the counterculture underground in the decades to come. 

A lynchpin of the EC line during the publisher's creative watershed, WEIRD FANTASY produced dozens of seminal stories that intersected razor-sharp social commentary with epic science fiction, high adventure and dark fantasy by some of the most celebrated comics creators to ever work in the medium, including Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, and Harvey Kurtzman. WEIRD FANTASY's defiantly rebellious sensibility is perhaps best exemplified by "Judgment Day" – a history-making story by William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein & Joe Orlando that championed the then-burgeoning Civil Rights movement and provoked a showdown with the Comics Code Authority, the pro-censorship organization that policed and sanitized the comic book industry for more than 50 years.

Following in the footsteps of TALES FROM THE CRYPT's smash-hit, seven-season run at HBO (and subsequent three feature films), the newly established partnership represents the first time that WMG Agent Inc. has made WEIRD FANTASY available for adaptation in more than two decades. WEIRD FANTASY's jump to television will mark the beginning of a new era for EC Comics – cited as "one of the great explosions of vox-pop literature" by TIME Magazine and frequently noted as a central influence on the work of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter, and many others.

The new partnership is also slated to include a feature film based on the life of William M. Gaines, the former EC Comics publisher and self-styled comics provocateur who challenged the rigid moral code of 1950s America with shockingly innovative and deeply subversive tales of fantasy, horror and humor that sold in the millions...only to find his company investigated by Congress and his books burned in the streets in the wake of EC's staggering success. Chronicling one of the greatest untold chapters in American history, the film will follow Gaines' transformation from a staid, New York publishing impresario into a counterculture hero, guardian of artistic freedom, and champion of the First Amendment as his darkly humorous journey through the troubled birth of the comic book industry reveals the Red Scare-era witch hunt that nearly doomed an American art form, through the subsequent founding of MAD MAGAZINE and eventual rise of Marvel Comics in EC's wake.

Both projects will be produced by Gaines' daughter and grandson, Cathy Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, for EC, alongside Dinesh Shamdasani, Sean Daniel, Jason F. Brown, and Hunter Gorinson for Hivemind. The projects will mark Gorinson's first for Hivemind, where he also has joined as VP Brand & Content Strategy. Prior to joining Hivemind in mid-2018, Gorinson previously led marketing and communications as an executive at Valiant Entertainment, the acclaimed comic book publisher whose much-publicized relaunch will culminate with the release of Sony Pictures' BLOODSHOT feature film, starring Vin Diesel and adapted from the Valiant comic series by director Dave Wilson and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer, in early 2020.

"The story of William Gaines is the secret history of American pop culture," said Gorinson. "The ideas he presented in the pages of MAD, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, WEIRD FANTASY, and so many more would inspire and incite revolutionary countercultures – from comics to comedy to film and music – around the globe for decades to come. As a veteran of the comics industry myself and a lifelong fan of EC, it's a tremendous honor to be working alongside the Gaines family to help bring his story – which has an immense amount to tell us about our own modern moment – to a new generation on the big screen."  

"It's very important to us to be able to find a partner that truly understands the significance and influence of Dad and the world-class creators that made EC Comics legendary," said Cathy Mifsud, Gaines' daughter. "We're incredibly excited to have found just such a partner in Hivemind and to embark on the first of several projects that will embrace the company's legacy in ways never before attempted."

WEIRD FANTASY and the untitled Gaines biopic mark two major new additions to Hivemind's rapidly expanding roster of film and television projects, which currently includes THE EXPANSE for Amazon Studios (where it also holds a first-look deal for event television), the highly anticipated adaptation of THE WITCHER starring Henry Cavill for Netflix, and CBS Films' upcoming SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK feature film from producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toroand director André Øvredal. Most recently, the company announced that it had won an intense, multi-party bidding war to bring the hit Image Comics series GIDEON FALLS, by Eisner Award-winning writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino, to television as an hour-long horror-drama.

ABOUT HIVEMIND

Established in 2018, Hivemind is dedicated to partnering with high-level creative talent and globally recognized intellectual properties from the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books, video games, anime, and more. The company's current projects include the acclaimed science-fiction series The Expanse for Amazon and the highly anticipated television adaptation of The Witcher for Netflix, as well as the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark feature film, based on the best-selling book series, from producer/co-writer Guillermo del Toro and director André Øvredal, which arrives in theaters on August 9, 2019. Hivemind recently signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios for event television, and its leadership team includes former Universal Pictures president Sean Daniel, his producing partner Jason Brown, Bad Robot veteran Kathy Lingg, and former Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. 

 

More Details Released On New PSI-LORDS Series

Information provided courtesy of Valiant Entertainment . . . . . .
 

 
 

 

February 21, 2019 (New York, NY) – Valiant Entertainment is excited to share the identities of the main characters of its upcoming sci-fi action series, PSI-LORDS, coming in June from writer Fred Van Lente (IVAR, TIMEWALKER; GENERATION ZERO) and artist Renato Guedes (SHADOWMAN). The character designs were rendered by concept artist Jonathan Arthur Ashley.

Meet Artisan, Beacon, Hazard, and Tank, four brand-new characters being added to the Valiant Universe! Are they the actual Psi-Lords? If not, who are the Psi-Lords, and what does this quartet have to do with them? More will be revealed in the coming weeks during the lead-up to the June 19 debut of PSI-LORDS #1!

For now, here's what Fred Van Lente has to say about each character:

“Artisan is one of these guys who's never had to do a hard day's work in his life because he charms his way out of every responsibility. Ironically, his power is he can create hard-energy constructs out of thin air, shape matter, and, basically, make whatever he can conceive. His cocky attitude disgusts an emotionally needy person who's desperate for people to like him.”

“Beacon is the outsider of the group—aloof, intellectual, introspective—not because others exclude her, but because she excludes herself. As her name implies, Beacon has a variety of light powers and can see on multiple levels of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

“Hazard's power set is very keyed to lifeforce—which can be both protective and ruthless in its drive for survival. No one is more shocked by her lethal skills than she is. She swings in mood extremes between a shy wallflower and a ruthless murderer.”

“Tank is pure will—he just barrels through whatever stands in his way. He's also the nurturing, emotional core of the group, the rock everyone else stands on when the you-know-what hits the fan. Think 'cheerful Juggernaut.'“

Get psi-ched for PSI-LORDS!

Limited PUNK MAMBO #1 Ashcan Announced

Editor’s Note: If you’re a Punk Mambo fan and want to get your hands on this juicy collectible, read the following carefully.  1) You’ll need to find out if your local comics shop is attending the Comics Pro event this weekend.  2) You’ll have to be super-nice and beg and ask them to please pick up a copy for you.  Read on . . . . . .



 

 

February 20, 2019 (New York, NY) – Does it go in your long box or record album collection? Valiant Entertainment's ashcan edition of PUNK MAMBO #1 is a unique celebration of Punk Mambo's world that combines comics and music with an edgy aesthetic!

Debuting exclusively at this weekend's ComicsPRO event, Valiant has crafted a limited quantity of PUNK MAMBO #1 ashcans that come inserted in DIY "garage band" album sleeves! The ashcan is a black-and-white version of the complete issue by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Adam Gorham. The sleeve features artwork by Dan Brereton, Zu Orzu, Cris Delara, and Adam Gorham, and brilliant design by Valiant Director of Design & Production Travis Escarfullery. Each sleeve was hand assembled at Valiant HQ!

Only retailers can take part in ComicsPRO, so fans should ask their local comic shop if they're attending to get their hands on one of these rare copies!

PUNK MAMBO #1 debuts on April 24th in comic shops everywhere.