Secret Identity--What's New?

Dark Horse Presents 'The Star Wars'

6/30/2013

by Matman

I was, and still am a huge Star Wars fanatic! Back in (my) fourth grade I couldn't get enough Star Wars and bought everything I could find that had the Star Wars logo on it.

One of those items I purchased sometime in 1978 was the 'Star Wars Portfolio'. This was a large envelope that contained 20 plus paintings by Ralph MaQuarrie that were concept art used to show studio executives a visual look at what George Lucas was trying to do with Star Wars. What I found so fascinating at that tender age was the original scripts and concept art told a much different story than I saw on the big screen.

For years, I have known how some of Lucas' original ideas, concepts and characters told a much different story than what has hit the big screen and now... thanks to Dark Horse... we get to finally see what originally had a "THE' in the title.

'The Star Wars' is an 8 issue adaptation of the original screenplay by George Lucas, inspired by McQuarrie, written by Jonathan Rinzler and artist Mike Mayhew.

These 8 issues from Dark Horse may be the most anticipated geek thing in my life! For years I have wanted to know what the story before the story was, and thanks to our friends at Dark Horse... little Mattie gets his wish.

Review--John Carpernter's Asylum #1 (Storm King Productions)

6/29/2013

by Brian LeTendre

John Carpenter is one of those few creators whose name alone compels me to buy whatever it is that name is on. So, when I say John Carpenter's Asylum #1, I grabbed it without even opening the book.

Turns out, the book is pretty good, although it’s not clear just how involved with this project Carpenter actually is. Written by Bruce Jones with art by Leonardo Manco, Asylum #1 introduces readers to Daniel Beckett, a priest of questionable faith who works for the church dealing with cases of demonic possession. An assignment he is given brings him into conflict with Detective Jack Duran, a cop who responds to a B&E involving the same man Beckett is after. What follows is the inevitable “good guys fight with each other before teaming up” setup.

Asylum #1 is a decent enough first issue, but it certainly doesn't break any new ground. Carpenter’s presence really can’t be felt here at all, which makes me a little worried moving forward. That said, I will be grabbing the next issue to see where the story’s headed.

3 out of 5 Buddy Cop Movies With Demons

Matman's Got It Covered!

6/28/2013

by Matman

Gimmick covers have been a staple of the comic industry for a long time. Some books give you a few choices where others give you many, many, MANY choices. But as long as we are not expected to buy them all... I'm all for it. One of the coolest cover ideas in the recent years has been the white 'blank cover'. These covers give you a great opportunity to get a one of a kind piece of art.

If you follow any artists on Facebook, you may see the one of a kind and sometimes unique interpretations on these blank covers. You also see many of these as parts of fundraisers or auctions.

This past Wednesday DC gave me a chance to get a cool comic ('Batman Superman' # 1) and get some incredible artwork from a dear friend of mine.

When Luis Ramos stepped into the comic store, I think he was looking to pick up his books and maybe have a little small talk and get out. As we discussed the blank cover copy that was on the counter i joked "you should get this and do a cool drawing on it."

He then told me he would do a cover for me and asked what I would want on it? I told him full body shots of Batman and Superman looking all heroic and Captain America looking up at the cover logo saying "Whooopsie, Wrong book!" As nice as he could he said..."HEAD SHOTS ONLY!" After all, his gal was waiting for him in the car. So he took out his pencils and pend and went to work. Twenty minutes later I had a masterpiece I will cherish forever and get to share with all of you.

As you can see from the picture above, Luis did an absolutely fantastic job! To see more of his amazing work just go to http://luillo.deviantart.com. I think we'll be seeing Luis' art in comics very soon... and not just on 'blank covers'!

Matman Teases 'Comicopolypse!'

6/26/2013

by Matman

As I put the finishing touches on my latest book, 'Comicopolypse - How To Survive The Comic Con Experience' I thought to myself... "how about a little tease for everyone?"

In the world of writing books (at least for me), the easy part is the writing. Once you are done, there are the edits, the cover stuff and the formatting to upload to the printer. Since I'm in that stage and am about a month away from having physical copies I thought i'd give you all a little taste of the book with the introduction! This will give you a little glimpse of what the book is all about.

First... this is what writer John Layman (Detective Comics and Chew) had to say about it..

"Matt Herring knows comics, and knows how to talk comics. And when he talks, he's always got something interesting to say."

INTRODUCTION – HERE I GO AGAIN

While I finished my first crazy day at New York Comic Con 2012 I made a call home to my family because I missed them, not because I had to check in or anything. When I spoke to my wife and super editor Amy, she told me she had an idea. My first thought was she was going to tell me ‘when you aren’t home the house is so much quieter and runs smoother’ so the idea was “DON’T EVER COME HOME!” Boy, I was way off. She told me I should put together a book about surviving a comic show, like a survival guide. Amy has watched me prepare and plan for comic book shows for many years and felt that I had a lot to offer since I can successfully navigate and get most of the things done that I plan to do. I was also shocked that she was encouraging me to write yet another book! Since I just finished my first book (POW-BAM-SELL, The Guide To Comic Book Marketing) I wasn’t really that interested at all in starting another one yet or even ever, but the idea was really intriguing. Soon my brain was swelling with words and ideas and well… here I am, back at the keyboard.

Comic book shows, no matter their size, can be a literal ton of fun. After all, comic cons are a place where we all get to not only prolong our adolescence but we get to celebrate the hobby and lifestyle that we all love so much. It’s like our Mecca. We get to hang out with other fans and meet the creator’s whose work we read each month. I have been a comic book fan and collector since 1974 but didn’t attend my first comic con (a large show in Boston, MA) until November of 2001. With all the guests in attendance I was a bit overwhelmed and didn’t know what to expect, what do or how to plan for the event. After I left the show I began to think about how I could make the next one that much better and get that much more done. As the years and show miles have piled on, so have my show experiences and so has my show preparation. With this experience comes my ‘survival tips’ on making the Comic Con experience that much more enjoyable.

Getting ready to attend a comic book show can be a lot of fun. However, if you don’t do it with organization and planning it can be an incredibly frustrating and overwhelming time. Despite the fact that I’m co–host of the Secret Identity Podcast and attend shows as part of the media (ooohhhh ahhhh I know, so cool), I still plan for a show the same way I did before I became part of the press. Since I’m still a comic book fan first, I love getting my comics signed by the creators, waiting in line with other fans and chatting with the creators whose work I admire. No matter if I’m meeting a creator at their table or at a scheduled interview, I still plan ‘the meet’ the same way.

What I will hope to do over the next 50 or so pages is help you to prepare, pack and have the best time you possibly can at (fill in the name of the show you plan on attending).

Enjoy the ramble,

Matt (Matman) Herring

BIG NEWS--BOOM! Studios Acquires Archaia

6/25/2013

Press Release

BOOM! Studios, the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning comic book and graphic novel publisher and two-time winner of Diamond Comics Distributors’ prestigious “Best Publisher” Gem Award, has merged with Eisner and Harvey Award-winning Archaia Entertainment, the publisher of graphic novels including Mouse Guard, A Tale of Sand, Rust, Spera, Cowboy, and Gunnerkrigg Court.BOOM! Studios will be the surviving company and the Archaia brand shall be maintained as a distinct imprint of BOOM!.

The addition of Archaia positions BOOM!’s catalog of intellectual property as the largest independent company-controlled comic book and graphic novel library, behind only industry titans DC Entertainment (Warner Bros.) and Marvel Entertainment (Disney). BOOM!’s comic books and graphic novels pioneer a new business model, sharing intellectual property ownership between the company and the creators who generate the content. BOOM!'s Chief Executive Officer and founder, Ross Richie, noted, "Our creator-friendly model ensures that creatives are rewarded financially as they generate the franchises of tomorrow. Archaia operates with the same philosophy and objectives, which is one of the many reasons this combination is such a great fit."

“We are thrilled and excited to join with BOOM!,” Archaia President and Chief Operating Officer Jack Cummins, who will continue in the same role, said. “BOOM! is very committed to maintaining the brand we’ve worked so hard to build and preserving our relationship with our creators, fans, and retailers. They’re fans of Archaia first and foremost, and are avidly working behind the scenes to expand our market penetration and carry our catalog deeper into retail channels. Archaia readers can expect the same editorial approach that has garnered industry-wide awards but we will have a much stronger platform to deliver our content in all forms and channels. I am personally looking forward to bringing our team together with the fantastic team Ross has built.”

Richie added, “Archaia has a terrific track record for creating award-winning, beautiful books with high production values. Jack Cummins, Stephen Christy, Mark Smylie, and the entire Archaia team have built an amazing publisher. With BOOM!’s resources, Archaia fans will see more of the books they love, while retailers will enjoy better business through stronger trade terms." The companies also plan to put key items from the Archaia catalog back into print.

BOOM! Executive Chairman Scott Lenet of the venture capital firm DFJ Frontier noted, "We are excited to be investors in a profitable, growing company with a fantastic early track record of creating, curating, and marketing properties that audiences genuinely love. We have ambitious plans to continue to fund the company's expansion in comics, graphic novels, and other media."

August 2nd sees the release of the first BOOM! Studios feature film, the Universal Pictures-distributed 2 Guns starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, based on the Steven Grant comic book published by BOOM!. The company is currently preparing its second feature film for production: Jeremiah Harm, based on the comic book by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, and John Mueller, will be directed by Timo Vuourensola of Iron Sky(jeremiahharm.com).

Archaia has optioned Royden Lepp’s graphic novel Rust to Twentieth Century Fox. Among Archaia’s other announced deals are the development of Lucid (Warner Bros.),Bolivar (Warner Bros.), and Feeding Ground (Pressman Films).

Recently, legendary creators including writer Paul Jenkins (Wolverine: Origin, Inhumans)and artist Brian Stelfreeze (Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Wednesday Comics) have announced to the industry that BOOM! is their new publishing home. This summer BOOM! also launched the first original comic book Clive Barker has ever created and written, Clive Barker's Next Testament.

July sees the blockbuster release of Archaia’s Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, created by Eisner Award winner David Petersen, Cyborg 009 in partnership with acclaimed Japanese publisher Ishimori, and The Thrilling Adventure Hour based on the long-running stage play of the same name.

Think Green ...Lantern That Is!

6/24/2013

by Matman

Last month, Geoff John's said goodbye to the Green Lantern universe and people worried... and with good reason. His vision brought the Lantern line respectability and what would happen without him at the helm?

As the three issues (proper, Corps and New Guardians) have been released and read by me all I can say is CRAP!!! Now i'm reading two new books.

Green Lantern # 21 - Hal is the new reluctant leader of the Corps and helping him in his time of need are some new recruits who want out. Writer Robert Venditti, inker Billy Tan and inker Richard Friend have made believe in a life after Johns.

Green Lantern Corps # 21 - John Stuart takes center stage in the companion to 'G.L.' # 21. Venditti is joined by co writer Van Jensen and Bernard Chang who all just knock it out of the park.

Green Lantern New Guardians # 21 - The one i was the least interested in became my favorite of the bunch. As strong as Justin Jordan's story is (with the focus being on Kyle Rayner) it is Bran Walkers pencils along with Andrew Hennessy's inks that make this book an incredible read!

So if you gave up on Green Lantern because Geoff Johns was no longer part of the universe...DON'T! If you were a fan of what he did for Green Lantern than you owe it to him to give the new creators a chance. I did and now I'm buying THREE GREEN LANTERN BOOKS! That part I'm not glad about.

Granite State Makes The List!

6/23/2013

This September, Secret Identity puts a new show on their 'CON' Itinerary with the Granite State Comic Con in Manchester, New Hampshire!

This incredible show will be happening on September 28th and 29th and features an incredible list of creators including Secret Identity friends Chris Giarrusso, Billy Tucci, Erik Burnham, Art Baltazar, Christos Gage, Ron Marz, Dan Parent, Matthew Dow Smith, Ethan Van Sciver and Chrissie Zullo just to name a few!

If you are looking for 'Media Guests' Granite Con has them too....

Grey DeLisle (Vicky on Fairly Odd-Parents)

Mindy Cohn (Natalie on Facts of Life)

Quinton Flynn (Voice of Venom on Ultimate Spider-Man)

To find out more, including the FUll guest list, just go to www.granitecon.com ans keep it here for more updates.

Review--Superior Spider-Man #10

6/22/2013

by Brian LeTendre

After finally freeing himself of the last vestiges of Peter Parker, Otto Octavius is free to focus on being the best Spider-Man the world has ever seen. And from most accounts, he’s doing just that, as Spidey is locking up gang leaders left and right, and has most of the city under constant surveillance through re-purposed octo-bots.

But despite his winning streak, Otto’s got one major chink in his armor--his arrogance. As he pats himself on the back, a new goblin calling himself the Goblin King is gathering together the remnants of the city's major gangs in preparation for a all-out attack on Spidey. And Otto is too busy thinking he’s got everything on lockdown to notice what’s coming his way.

As I have from the beginning, I love the direction Dan Slott is taking Superior Spider-Man. He never does what you expect him to do, and he is slaughtering sacred cows left and right as he writes Otto’s chapter as the webslinger. I can’t imagine how he’ll eventually bring Peter back, but right now, I don’t even care. Between his consistently engaging story and Stegman’s wonderful artwork, this issue is great from start to finish.

For me, Superior Spider-Man is tied with All-Star Western and Daredevil as providing the best bang for your buck on a monthly basis. Just go and get it.

4.5 out of Hater-Defying Reads

HUGE NEWS--Valiant Joins Amazon's New 'Kindle Worlds' Fanfic Initiative

6/21/2013

by Brian LeTendre

When Amazon announced their new fan fiction initiative Kindle Worlds recently, speculation immediately began as to how soon we'd see comic properties join the party. The prevailing theory was that DC would get in on the mix first, as WB-owned CW properties like Vampire Diaries were among the first licenses announced for Kindle Worlds.

Yesterday though, Valiant and Amazon dropped the bombshell that X-O Manowar, Archer & Armstrong and other well-known Valiant titles would be participating in Kindle Worlds.

To be clear, this means that you can write stories about the Valiant characters and be compensated for doing so.

This is megaton news people, and I expect this to have a major effect on the comics industry moving forward. Make no mistake, Valiant is just the first comic publisher to jump on board with Kindle Worlds. There will be many more to follow, and I can envision this initiative becoming a recruiting pipeline for comic writers in the very near future.

We'll be talking a lot more about this going forward, and I can't wait to see who joins the initiative next. Fingers crossed that Marvel opens the doors for the Spider-Man 2099 epic I've been planning in my head for 20 years now.

Francesco Francavilla Scares Archie

6/20/2013

Press Release

Eisner award winning artist to illustrate first Archie Comics horror series

New York, NY - This fall, superstar artist Francesco Francavilla (Batman, The Black Beetle) will join Harvey award winning writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (MGM's Carrie, The Town that Dreaded Sundown) on the highly anticipated ongoing horror series, Afterlife with Archie.

Francavilla won Best Cover Artist at the Eisners last year, in part, for his work on the covers for another high profile crossover, Archie Meets KISS. This will be his first interior work on an Archie title.

Aguirre-Sacasa just wrapped up his last Archie project, the epic 4-part Archie Meets Glee crossover, and was recently announced as the screenwriter for the upcoming live action Archie movie from Warner Bros.

Archie Comics will distribute Afterlife with Archie as a direct market only series, which sees a strong departure from typical Archie storylines. The zombie apocalypse begins in Riverdale on October 9th.

Read the Hero Complex interview with Francesco Francavilla and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

<<Previous

Dark Horse Presents 'The Star Wars'

Review--John Carpernter's Asylum #1 (Storm King Productions)

Matman's Got It Covered!

Matman Teases 'Comicopolypse!'

BIG NEWS--BOOM! Studios Acquires Archaia

Think Green ...Lantern That Is!

Granite State Makes The List!

Review--Superior Spider-Man #10

HUGE NEWS--Valiant Joins Amazon's New 'Kindle Worlds' Fanfic Initiative

Francesco Francavilla Scares Archie

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