Welcome to the March edition of the AHOY newsletter! We're so glad to see you all here—metaphorically, of course, seeing as we haven't left our bunkers on BILLIONAIRE ISLAND in quite some time... but just the suggestion of your friendly faces is enough to warm the heart!
In this increasingly bizarre moment, one of the few silver linings the AHOY team has encountered is the opportunity—nay, the responsibility!—to finally get through those endless "to read" lists that we can never quite seem to find time for. Perhaps you're in the same boat and are looking for a little something fun (or spooky, or dark, or hilarious, or heartening) to read while the storm passes? If so, we've got you covered.
Read on for exclusive previews, fascinating interviews, fun facts, heart-warming tweets, free comics, translated excerpts from ancient tomes, exciting announcements, and, as always, a little something more—it's us, after all.
From our bunker to yours: keep reading!
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Hark! Hear that? 'Tis an exclusive preview rapping at our chamber door!
The season two finale of EDGAR ALLAN POE'S SNIFTER OF TERROR is swiftly approaching on March 25th. It's a juicy, succulent, grass-fed delicacy of an issue, as you'll plainly see from the following excerpt from the lead story: The Purloined Letter, written, drawn, colored & lettered by Carol Lay.
Check out the never-before-seen preview below—and if you're desperate to read more (while also practicing your social distancing), you can find the final issue on ComiXology on March 25th.
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Season Finale! A ridiculous new take on the non-Poe classic "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" written by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who). A so-disturbing-it's-funny tale from the margins of "The Purloined Letter" by Carol Lay. An extra-long "Poe and the Black Cat" petit guignol by Hunt Emerson! PLUS! Prose, pictures and, possibly, poems!
Painted cover by Richard Williams (MAD).
March 25, 2020
$3.99
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Today in AHOY news: Mark Russell, author of SECOND COMING, sat down with FORBES to discuss his brand-new series BILLIONAIRE ISLAND.
Russell's got a way with words between the pages of a comic, and his editors are glad to see this savvy eloquence translates just as well to interviews. Just check out how Russell describes what he feels the role of comics should be in the media landscape:
“You're freer to experiment, to make something unique. And that's largely because a comic book represents less of a financial risk. It's like how, in the movies, you see these giant corporate laboratories full of well-paid scientists working on making a slightly better light bulb. But then, down the hallway, in a grimy office, there's one lone scientist working on time travel. That's what comics should be. The one guy with the freedom to hack away at time travel because you're an inexpensive roll of the dice.”—Mark Russell
I mean, wow. We feel seen. Has Russell been reading our diary? (If only the damned flux capacitor didn't keep fritzing... not to mention the inconvenient rush on plutonium and toilet paper at the local grocery stores... oh wait, is that not what he meant?)
Read on for more gems from Russell, including where the inspiration for the series came from, how he walks the tonal tightrope that good satire requires, and why he's so glad he never met Steve Pugh when they were kids.
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Speaking of BILLIONAIRE ISLAND, we were over the moon when THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER published this exclusive preview from the premiere issue.
If you haven't picked your copy up yet, this preview should surely wet your whistle (or slake your bloodlust, as the kids say these days).
You'll find the preview below (and a link to the original story here)—plus, more love for BILLIONAIRE ISLAND after the jump...
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We here at AHOY think BILLIONAIRE ISLAND is the perfect quarantine read—but don't take our word for it. Here's a taste from the onslaught of rapturous press we've been getting since its publication earlier this month:
“Mark Russell and Steve Pugh reteam for another devastating satire…..Sick of seeing billionaires try to buy their way into elected office? Getting worried about global pandemics and accelerating climate change while you read articles about how the super-rich are planning their own private apocalyptic failsafes? Then Billionaire Island is a comic for you.”—ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“Feature[s] Russell's signature knack for blending heartbreaking drama with disarming wit.”—CBR
“BILLIONAIRE ISLAND satirizes capitalism's endgame.”—HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“Incredibly exciting … Pugh and Russell are two of the most talented humorists working in modern comics.”—DEN OF GEEK
“It’s going to get readers talking every bit as much as Second Coming.”—BROKEN FRONTIER
“Russell is once again holding back no punches with his continued emphasis on subverting the norms of the comic book medium..”—AIPT Comics
“Hilarious, sharp and timely.”—PANEL PATTER
“Wholly original and timely as all get out... funny and well-done. Simply put, you should be sure to pick this book up.”—COMICS BOOKCASE
"Funny and outrageous.”—SMASH PAGES
“Impressive.”—COMICON.COM
“Fantastic.”—COMICS BULLETIN
“Amazing.”—FORCES OF GEEK
"True to Mark Russell's form, very satirical, very pointed, very funny throughout. As usual he delivered a really well-thought out, well-written book. ... Like Punisher with a sociopolitical edge."—COMIC BOOK LIVE
“This is a series that should not be missed.”—GEEKY BRUMMIE
“Billionaire Island #1 is by far the most intelligent, jaw-dropping, razor sharp, impeccably-timed comic you'll read this week or possibly ever. … Mark Russell crafts the story into one that is chilling and horrifying and too fascinating to turn away from. ... Steve Pugh's art takes it all up a notch by creating a bright, glossy world that somehow looks posh and like a cover to something truly rotten at the same time. It's an incredible read and an absolutely outstanding kickoff to what is hopefully a long, twisty run.”—COMICBOOK.COM 5/5 review
And, last but not least...
“I would love to talk to you about BILLIONAIRE ISLAND, but I’ve signed an NDA.”—Tom Peyer, AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief
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This month's Did You Know? shows us the man behind the curtain known as Alan Robinson, artist extraordinaire and the brains behind the fantastic PENULTIMAN cover, which hits stands May 6th. (And while we're on the subject of PENULTIMAN, there's a free copy of PENULTIMAN #0 up on ComiXology right now—you're welcome!)
This fuzzy little anecdote is perfect for those of you still trying to break into comics and not knowing quite what the path looks like. (See, we can do sincere with the best of them!)
"When I was very young, I decided to be a comic artist," Robinson told press via Zoom. "Years later, I started working as a teacher of Graphic Design for a living. I had some minor publications in the US during this time, but I needed to start making a living by doing comics.... Doing what I didn't want to be doing was exhausting for me. I had to travel two hours to get there, and though everyone there was nice enough, I wasn't happy doing it. My need to draw comics for a living was bigger than that."
"I waited for three years," continued Robinson, "and I told my wife I didn't want to do more teaching, and that I'd try to find a steady job doing comics. I was waiting for a fight, but she hugged me and told me she'd be there with me, supporting me at all cost. So, in December 2007, I quit teaching. Weeks passed, and nothing appeared. I was starting to regret it, but then the editor of the Star Wars line in Dark Horse invited me to do a couple fill-ins. That opened huge doors for me, and after that I never stopped doing comics."
Robinson shared a final bit of advice: "It feels so great doing what I love that I recommend it to everyone. You gotta keep trying!"
Who's cutting onions in here?
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This month's contenders were so nice, we had to award the gold medal twice! Two different tweets, two excellent endorsements for SECOND COMING—which is, incidentally, another excellent quarantine read, now that the whole shebang has been collected in paperback (featuring an intro from Patton Oswalt!).
First up: @a_KevinB's tweet on how reading SECOND COMING got him back into comics after quite a long lapse... 33 years, to be exact.... Hmm. Coincidence or miracle? Pick up your own copyand decide for yourself.
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And last (but certainly not least), Seth Abramson, the NYT bestselling author, gave SECOND COMING a rousing endorsement to his 780K fans. Now you can say you liked SECOND COMING before it was cool!
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The pub date for ASH & THORN is swiftly approaching (April 1st!). And it seems like the perfect time to drop a few pages from the guidebook our intrepid hero Lottie Thorn takes her world-saving cues from: A Guide to Guardianship of The Realities and Time: Recipes for Disaster.
"In every Chosen One story," says author Mariah McCourt, "there is a mystical scroll, prophecy, or book, that guides the newly anointed hero/heroine on their journey to save the world. Everyone expect these tomes to be dry and properly magical, full of useful information and dire warnings. But sometimes a monk just needs to pun up the apocalypse, you know?"
The following are the (rough) translations from the ancient text...
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You didn't think you were done expecting more, did you?
We've got one last treat for you: comics legend Jeff Parker is writing the introduction to the DRAGONFLY & DRAGONFLYMAN trade paperback, out May 27! Watch this space next month for a sneak peek...
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It's been so nice catching up! Before you go, take a look at our stellar April lineup...
The apocalypse is nigh! The world needs a Champion, and the only heir to a sacred mystical lineage is…a little old lady? Meet Lottie Thorn, reluctant savior of the world, and her also-elderly trainer Lady Peruvia Ashlington-Voss. They might not look it, but these women are prepared to take on any Big Bad that comes along. But first, perhaps a nice cup of tea?
Created by writer Mariah McCourt (True Blood, Stitched) and artist Soo Lee (Mine!, Charlie’s Angels vs. the Bionic Woman), with covers by Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother, Wonder Woman: True Amazon).
Every AHOY comic also features extra prose stories and illustrations.
April 1, 2020
$3.99
Like an action movie come to life, Trent storms onto Billionaire Island in search of answers – and he’s willing to get them anyway he can. Meanwhile, Shelly is after answers of her own…but will she regret getting them? The infiltration of Billionaire Island is ON! By Mark Russell (SECOND COMING) and Steve Pugh (The Flintstones, Harley Quinn).
Every AHOY comic also features extra prose stories and illustrations.
Featuring a variant cover by Darick Robertson (The Boys).
April 8, 2020
$3.99
Scattered and trapped on a world of dogs (RUFF RUFF), Captain Ginger and his crew must use all their feline skills to survive! “This is the comic to introduce your friend that hasn’t read comics for a while.” – Adventures in Poor Taste. Plus a selection of extra features, including prose stories and illustrations.
April 22, 2020
$3.99
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So concludes the latest edition of AHOY's newsletter. How did we do? Was it great or really great? Please send adulations, congratulations, felicitations, and general praise to marketing@comicsahoy.com so we can see how we did. (And if you have any suggestions, you can send those too, sandwiched delicately between two thick slices of compliments.)
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