 Way back in the very early days of Secret Identity (Issue #26.5 to be exact,), we interviewed Rick Hershey of Empty Room Studios. One of the projects we talked about during that interview was a roleplaying game setting called Steampunk Musha, a fusion of Asian mythology and Victorian era technology. At the time, Rick has brought our good friend Alana Abbott on board the project to flesh out the framework that Rich had created for the setting. Other creators came on over time as well, and the setting became even more richly detailed.
There was only one problem--there were no rule systems out there that Rick felt Steampuck Musha could fit into without being compromised. So he waited--until now.
A couple of weeks ago, Rick launched a Kickstarter campaign to help bring the setting of Steampuck Musha to Paizo's Pathfinder roleplaying game. And with 19 days left to go, the project is already a success! The funding goal of $3500 has been met, but there's stiull plenty of time to get on board at the ground level. There are some great rewards for those that support the project, from digitla copies of the core rulebook to a hardcover collector's editon and more.
Check out Rick's Kickstarter pitch below, and then head over to the project page to see all the rewards for helping support the project.
Congrats to Rick and we can't wait to see the new Steampunk Musha!
 In 2002 Jimmy Palmiotti took another path as a comic book creator as writer for the series ‘Beautiful Killer’. From 1987 he made his name as an inker and had a nice career for himself working with some incredible talent and with every publisher. In 1998 he and Joe Quesada helped save Marvel with their Marvel Knights line that brought a maturity to books like the Punisher, Black Panther and Daredevil. After that Jimmy hooked up with Justin Gray and comic books version of Lennon / McCartney was born!
Starting with ‘21 Down’ the duo write incredibly free flowing stories with great characterization and smooth pacing. But it was one of their next projects that really put them on the map as not only writers, but incredible writers. That was DC’s ‘Monolith’.
‘The Monolith’ is the story about Alice Cohen who is a young lady struggling with drug addiction and her friend Tilt who like Alice, has a lot of baggage. The two begin to live in the house that Alice inherited from her grandmother that also has another surprise resident…a Golem! And this Golem is very protective of his new friends.
“This was the book that I stopped being curious about Jimmy’s writing and just fell in,” said Matman. “The book featured an incredibly moving story about second chances and friendship, and sometimes could get kinda violent. A dozen issues of pure comic magic especially the last panel of the last issue.”
Drawn by Phil Winslade (and Tomm Coker and Peter Snejberg), the book sadly never caught on with fans, but thankfully is getting a second chance in an over sized collection!
Check this months Image Comics section in your previews guide for details and ordering information and DON”T miss this one!
“This is one of the coolest series in the past, oh… ever,” Matman said. “I’m glad that Image has picked up the series so fans who missed it, or just discovered Palmiotti and Gray, can catch this one. And with it being in an over sized collection, Winslade’s art is just gonna jump right off the page.”
 by Brian LeTendre
Telltale Games (Sam & Max, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park) released their latest adventure game last week, this one set in the zombie-filled world of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead. Far from a Left 4 Dead clone though, this episodic game series is focused on the same kind of character driven storytelling that separates the comic series from many of its peers.
Titled “A New Day,” the first of this five-part episodic game takes place as the zombie apocalypse is just beginning. The main character is a man named Lee Everett, a guy recently convicted of murder that is on his way out of Atlanta. When things start to go crazy, his police transport ends up in a crash, Lee finds himself a free man. As he tries to wrap his mind around what’s going on, he comes into contact with a young girl named Clementine, who has been all alone since her babysitter joined the ranks of the undead. Lee takes responsibility for watching over the girl and trying to get her to safety. The rest of the episode follows their journey and the people, places and zombies they encounter together.
What I really like about this game is that while there is plenty of action, the focus is on the characters and their interactions. The gameplay is a mixture of point and click adventure, quicktime events and roleplaying. Every choice that you make has consequences, both short and long term. If you lie to a character and they figure it out, they won’t trust you anymore, and that will affect how they act in the future. There are times where you have to make grueling choices that will change the course of the story moving forward. These are the moments where the game really shines, and they result in you feeling connected to the characters in a way that doesn’t happen in most games.
Despite only being a couple of hours long, The Walking Dead: A New Day is easily worth the $5 asking price. The episode stands alone story-wise, and for those looking for replay value, the branching storyline can be explored at least two or three times. The game does justice to The Walking Dead comic and TV series, and anyone interested in either of those should check this game out.
4.5 out of 5 Walkers
 Has it really been over 30 years?
In December of 1979 John Wetton, Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio played their last show as UK just as the band started to see success. Tonight in Foxboro, MA the trio play the second show on their ‘UK Night After Night 2012’ tour which includes dates in the US, Canada, England, Netherlands, Czech Republic and will finish with 6 shows in Japan. Since this wasn’t just a ‘tour’, UK did some things a little different that made the experience that much more special.
Some fans were treated to a first hand look at a sound check. This was an interesting time to see the band and technicians set up the stage, get their instruments right and the opportunity to meet the band and see the not so glamorous side of being a rock star. All three were great with everyone there, stopping and talking and signing whatever was put in front of them. Eddie took it a step further explaining from the stage how his new keyboard set up worked and went to every table thanking those in attendance for their support.
A few hours later, the band hit the stage and any concerns of how they would sound and gel were answered right away. For the next two hours, UK performed like they never took a 30 year break. The songs (including classics like ‘Rendezvous 6:02’, ‘In The Dead of Night’, ‘Night After Night’ and an acoustic version of King Crimson’s ‘Fallen Angel’ ) sounded much heavier than they do on record and as the show went on I began to hear how UK’s sound was much closer to King Crimson than it was ASIA. Another thing I noticed is that despite the fact that all the songs seem to play through Jobson, everyone had a chance to shine. Bozzio’s drumming was loaded with personality and impressed me with how he seemed to keep everything together. Wetton’s bass playing was heavier and more technical that I have ever seen or heard before and the voice never sounded better. You will never see three musicians master their instruments better than Wetton, Jobson and Bozzio. But when you have players that worked with Roxy Music, Frank Zappa and King Crimson, you should expect nothing less!
Since this was only the second show on the tour, there were a few technical glitches that most of the audience didn’t hear, but the band did. As things were sorted out, Jobson took some time to explain not only what was going on, but told the story of UK’s formation and kept the crowd entertained as things were fixed.
After the show, I got to spend some time with John backstage (among the salads, brownies and pizza) and had a chat that you will be hearing very soon. In the interview John talks about how he keeps his life in control juggling ASIA, UK, his solo career, Wetton/Downes and sobriety.
And I also must mention the venue! Showcase Live has become my favorite venue to see a show! Great food, not a bad seat in the house and a great staff that make the live music experience so much better!
Thanks to Kim Dancha for getting me in touch with the right folks and Valentina Pianezzi of QEDG Management for helping with all the details.
Photograph above is by Secret Identity 'Photog At Large' Stephen (the Atlanta Flash) Bennett.
For more information on UK go to www.ukreunion.com
For all things John Wetton, the only place to go is www.johnwetton.com
 We are only two days away from what is the closest thing to a national holiday we comic lovers have--Free Comic Book Day!.
All across the country, participating local comic shops will be giving away free books, holding sales, signings and events, and trying to spread the word abou this medium we love so much.
There is an amazing lineup of books that are coming out under the FCBD banner this year. Here's a few to keep an eye out for:
To see the full list, head to www.freecomicbookday.com. There's also a shop locator on the site so you can find the store near you that's participating.
Get out there and celebrate comics this Saturday!
 With Avengers set to open in just a few days many fans are wondering how will it be and will it live up to the hype?
Well let me be the first to put any fears to rest by saying… it is incredible!
Without giving any plot or details away (I know, what is wrong with me), I will just tell you that this movie will not only fulfill every geek boy or girl fantasy, it will surpass them. This is THE greatest superhero movie of all time!
The films power is not so much from the superheroes walking around but in the interpersonal moments with the characters; Cap vs. Iron Man, Black Widow and Bruce Banner, Fury vs. everyone. The dialogue is real and felt like it was lifted right out of the comic books. But its three characters that for me really steal the movie…
1. Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) – Her first scene in the film is the perfect showcase for her as a character with great action and a pure comic book moment. I now want a Black Widow solo movie!!!
2. Mark Ruffalo and the Hulk – He’s vulnerable, smart and a real scene stealer. The best Bruce Banner so far.
3. Tom Hiddleston as Loki – In the Thor movie I thought he was a bit of a weenie, but in this movie… the best comic book movie villain EVER!!! He is intense, calculating and super cool.
My fears off too many folks on the screen at one time were put to rest very soon. Joss Whedon does a spectacular job giving everyone enough screen time to flex their muscles and no one is shorted. My only complaint is I just didn’t like Captain America’s costume!
Excellent effects (with only one part that made me cringe involving Captain America), great score and all the above make this my favorite superhero of all time. Can’t wait to see it on the big screen Friday and Saturday!
Matman Rating – 5 out of 5 boots stepping on ants
 Are you a fan of Witch Hunter? Creator Vin Ferrante is debuting a letters coloumn in issue #9 of Witch Hunter, and he's looking to submissions!
Readers whose letters are printed in an issue of Witch Hunter will receive one free physical copy and one free digital copy of a Witch Hunter issue, and be entered in a contest to win the Witch Hunter: Volume One trade paperback (including issues 1-4).
The deadline to receive letters related to Witch Hunter issues 1 through 8 is May 15th. The debut letter column will be in Witch Hunter #9, releasing May 30th.
You can email letters to contact@monarchcomicslair.com. Please note in letters that they are OK to print.
 Press ReleaseAt the beginning of the new Image Comics series GRIM LEAPER, Lou Collins has died thirteen times, and he can be sure that grisly death #14 is just around the corner. This may seem like a weird way to find romance, but that's just what Kurtis J. Wiebe (PETER PANZERFAUST, GREEN WAKE) has in store for Lou in his new series debuting in May, drawn by Aluisio Santos.
Every time he dies, Lou jumps into a stranger's body, and just as he's learning something about his new host, another gruesome accident sends him leaping to the next one. Lou wants to escape the violent cycle and find eternal rest — that is, until he meets another "leaper" named Ella.
"This is the gory love story you've been waiting for, a buckets of blood romantic comedy for the ages," said writer Wiebe.
"Grim Leaper is a story about that person you've always wanted to date but never had the chance to," added Santos. "Except now your bad luck is a killer."
GRIM LEAPER #1 (MAR120418), published under Image Comics Shadowline imprint, will be in stores on May 30. It's a full-color comic book for $3.50. It is available for pre-order now in the March issue of Previews.
Press Release
On Saturday May 5th, fan-favorite scribes Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning bring their cosmic brand of superheroes to BOOM! Studios with an all-new, all-original 16-page story featuring their new series THE HYPERNATURALS. This original story serves as a prelude that leads directly into the first issue of THE HYPERNATURALS #1, which goes on-sale in July.
Featuring a cover by Francesco Mattina (NOVA) and interior art by Brad Walker (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) and Tom Derenick (JLA, NEW X-MEN), the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EDITION of THE HYPERNATURALS includes a brand new 16-page story that will not be reprinted in the first issue of the series.
A universe trembles. It is the far future; the human race has finally colonized the galaxy, preserving an era of prosperity that's only possible because of The Hypernaturals. They're a celebrated, galaxy-wide superhero task force that keeps the peace. That is, until they all mysteriously vanish. Now, as the galaxy teeters on the brink of chaos, it's up to a group of retired and long forgotten Hypernaturals - and their novice recruits - to save the galaxy from complete destruction. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, the superstar writing duo behind Annihilation and The Legion, launch an all-new original series that takes cosmic super-heroes to a new frontier. Experience the special preview issue of The Hypernaturals this May and pick up the #1 issue this July!
 Eric Powell has certainly stirred up the nest!
This week, ‘The Goon’ # 39 hit store shelves and started an incredible battle that has about twenty different sides and within the fight, many fans don’t quite know what to think.
If you didn’t already read the book, ‘The Goon’ # 39 is a scathing attack on the world of super hero comics. You don’t have to read very far into the issue to find out what creator Eric Powell is saying. In fact if you missed it, the first page and text page (at the end of the comic) make it pretty clear why Powell is so angry. Powell feels that DC and Marvel are doing nothing but turning out mindless dribble and the people who read them are not very smart because they fall for the same stuff over and over again.
The book takes a poke at everything we know about the superhero genre. And by poke I mean insult and attack with a lot much fire and venom. I will say that most of his lampooning is spot on, but it can be an uncomfortable read simply because of the anger that went into creating it.
I agree with many of the points that Eric makes. Superhero books can be very predictable; they reinvent themselves on a monthly basis and sometimes seem to follow a blueprint. I also agree that companies load up the shelves with too many of the same comics. How many Batman and X – Men titles do we need every month? But DC and Marvel will flood the market with what they know will sell. The only reason I read superhero comics is because my original diet of war, horror and western comics have been whittled down quite a bit.
Where I think he went a bit too far is his feelings towards DC and Marvel and the creators who create comics. It seems he thinks a true creator is a sell out if they work on a superhero comic. Maybe some of them want to draw them. If I could draw I would love to work on Captain America or Batman. And I would love to work for Marvel or DC despite the fact they are a corporation. You can’t fault a creator for wanting to work on some of the coolest characters in the world.
There was also a dig that was pointed at artists who sell their pages. Why? It’s a great way to supplement their income and for fans they get a one of a kind peace of work. I will assume Eric doesn’t sell his artwork.
Yes we should support creator owned books. I do! At every show I will buy (or be given) at least 10 books in artist alley and write reviews or push on the show. When I look at Previews guide I look for books that look to be interesting and order them. And if they are good I will do everything I can to promote them.
The comic market would fail without Marvel and DC and if they don’t make what sells than they will not survive. A comic store isn’t going to just survive on just ordering indie books. They are barely making it with all the stuff already out there.
Selling creator owned comics is all about marketing and I’m sure this issue of ‘The Goon’ outsold every other one before it, probably combined. I wonder if this is what Eric Powell intended in the first place! I don’t like ‘The Goon’ (my choice) but I bought a copy of this one, so there is one more sold.
I share the concern of indie creators out there. I know there are some amazing books out there that I may never find out about. But that isn’t Marvel or DC’s fault, nor is it the fault of the fans who buy into the ‘pointless gimmicks’ or the creators who write, pencil, ink, and color them. We all just love our comics!
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