Secret Identity--What's New?

IDW Brings It To Boston Comic Con

7/31/2013

by Matman

If you listen to the podcast at all, you know that I read more IDW each month than any other company... because the books are that good.

This weekend at Boston Comic Con, you'll be able to meet Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Chris Ryall and the creative team of the hit series Locke & Key, artist Gabriel Rodriguez and writer Joe Hill. For Gabriel, this is an incredibly rare con appearance. And Joe not only writes comics, but is a best selling author as well.

Also, Chris will be doing portfolio reviews! Chris has offered to sit for a one-hour art portfolio review each day of the show, on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday August 3 from 1-2pm, and on Sunday August 4 from 1-2pm.

For more information just head to the IDW table at the show.

And for more show info, go to www.bostoncomiccon.com.

SDCC: Action Lab Announces Big Plans For 2013-2014

7/30/2013

At its first ever panel at Comic-Con International, cutting-edge independent publisher Action Lab Entertainment announced not only a number of its upcoming new releases for late 2013 and into 2014, but also its launching of the “Return of the Hero”—a number of titles intended at pushing the boundaries of what a superhero story can be.

At the Saturday evening panel, the Action Lab’s top staff showed the audience a presentation featuring highlights of its future projects. The publisher also brought out many creators from its growing stable of creator-owned talent, including name talent from comics, toys, and other media, to share about their exciting new works!

For all-ages readers, the Eisner-nominated Princeless returns, beginning with an encore release of the original mini-series followed immediately by two new four-issue story arcs. The first issue of the Princeless Encore Edition will be priced at an introductory-friendly $1.00, and will release in November, with future releases arriving in stores monthly.

Previewed next was Vamplets, based on the toy line created by Gayle Middleton, who played a large role in the redesign of My Little Pony and The Littlest Pet Shop. These oversized 48-page hardcovers, released two or three times a year, tell the story of a human girl who gets talked into running the Nightmare Nursery for little monsters. The first hardcover launches in October.

Eisner Award-winner Lea Hernandez’s The Garlicks, also an all-ages “little monster” tale, gets a similar oversized hardcover treatment. The Garlicks is about a non-traditional vampire family and the daughter who wants to draw graphic novels, and debuts in January.

Action Lab also announced the launching of a number of superhero-related books, and used the theme “Return of the Hero” to connect them. “The idea behind the ‘return of the hero’ is that we want to put a new spin on the superhero title—we want to give readers the genre in a way they have never seen before,” said Action Lab President Kevin Freeman. “We know readers will like what they see.”

The Return of the Hero begins with the launch of Jamal Igle’s (Supergirl) Molly Danger, a 48-page oversized hardcover graphic novel that tells the tale of a ten-year old girl with amazing powers including, apparently, the ability to stay ten years old forever. Other titles include: Jack Hammer, a superhero who doesn’t quite cut the mustard and thus becomes a private investigator who deals with superhero crimes; The First Hero, morality tale where a man becomes a hero in a world filled with villains; and the launch, in December, of volume 2 of Fracture, about a hero with multiple identities, some of which he can’t control.

With the Return of the Hero lineup we wanted to bring superhero comics back to the core of what we love about the genre by providing fun, accessible heroes that aren't bogged down with unnecessary, convoluted continuity,” says Action Lab Creative Director Dave Dwonch. “These aren't your father's superheroes. They're yours."

Action Lab also previewed plans for its mature readers line, Danger Zone. Phase Two of the Danger Zone line begins with a new volume of the popular Zombie Tramp by Dan Mendoza. Zombie Tramp moved to Action Lab from its prior life at Super Real Graphics when SRG’s Jason Martin joined Action Lab to lead its Danger Zone brand. Zombie Tramp V2 #1 releases in October.

Danger Zone also showed off Bo Plushy Gangta, a tale of a gang boss who becomes the victim of a voodoo curse and is turned into a cuddly teddy bear, but retains his lethal personality. Created by a Russian video game artist, Bo’s wild concept is equally matched by its amazing visuals, and will hit shelves starting in January 2014.

One title that the panel audience seemed to embrace instantly was the quirky Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land, by Australian cartoonist Dean Rankine (Simpsons, Mad), touted by Action Lab as “the foulest comic you will ever read.” Danger Zone president Jason Martin explained, “It’s basically Adventure Time by way of Freak Brothers!” It is scheduled for early 2014 release.

Other 2014 Danger Zone titles include Scum of the Earth, advertised as “southern-friend grindhouse with a twist”, and Crimson Society, featuring a man, infected with lycanthropy, in a near-future world that puts a new spin on monster archetypes.

"From the all-ages adventures of Molly Danger, to the genre blending noir of Pirate Eye, and the absurdly awesome Itty Bitty Bunnies and Bo Plushy Gangsta, the Action Lab and Danger Zone lines promise something for everyone, exclaims Dwonch. “The roster of books is incredible, incredibly diverse, and the creators passion for the medium shines brightly on every page of every book. I am so proud of what we're building here at Action Lab."

You can find out more about everything coming from Action Lab over at www.actionlabcomics.com.

Matman's Picks!

7/29/2013

by Matman

Last week was a great week for new comics! In fact, it was one of the first weeks in a long time that I was able to read ALL the books I bought. Here is a quick look...

All Star Western # 22 (DC) - What happens when Jonah Hex gets dropped in modern day Gotham? Fun and a lot of bloodshed!

Army Of Darkness VS Hack / Slash # 1 - 'AOD' has been incredibly disappointing lately, but add Cassie Hack and you have an incredible first issue!

Batman Superman # 2 (DC) - Although I struggle with the art (just not my cup of tea), the story is solid and I like the possibilities of this series.

Danger Girl # 4 (IDW) - One of my favorite comics hasn't missed a bean since it found a new home at IDW!

Batman - The Dark Knight # 22 (DC) - Clayface! 'nuff said!

Fathom # 1 (Aspen) - Another one of my favorite characters returns and I couldn't be any happier with the direction.

The Flash # 22 (DC) - We are getting more and more into the 'Reverse Flash' and I really love where this book is going.

Judge Dredd # 9 (IDW) - Nothing will ever match the original Judge Dredd stories from the UK, but the new series is incredibly entertaining.

Justice League Dark # 22 (DC) - Part three of the 'Trinity War' and so far so good! An event that doesn't seem forced.

Superman # 22 (DC) - Sadly, I'm back to not 'feeling it again'! Probably my last issue until a creative shake up.

This Wednesday, Comic Book Creator #2 Pays Tribute To Joe Kubert!

7/28/2013

Press Release

TwoMorrows Publishing (the leading publisher of books and magazines for comics fandom) has just released its second issue of COMIC BOOK CREATOR, "The New Voice of the Comics Medium." This double-sized trade paperback Annual debuts in stores worldwide on Wednesday, July 31, and is currently available from TwoMorrows' website (www.twomorrows.com).

Squeezed between Kubert homage covers by SERGIO CARIELLO and TIM TRUMAN, this Summer Annual is entirely devoted to the legendary comics creator who passed away in 2012. Included are comprehensive examinations of each facet of Joe's career: Golden Age fan favorite artist, 3-D comics pioneer, pre-eminent war delineator, top artist-as-editor, incomparable Tarzan writer and artist, founder of the Kubert School, graphic novelist, P*S magazine helmsman, father to a comics creator dynasty, and inspiration to generations of aspiring artists—replete with interviews with the master from over the years, plus rarely-seen artwork and artifacts. Editor JON B. COOKE has also assembled testimonials, remembrances, portraits, anecdotes, pin-ups and mini-interviews by peers, faculty, students, fans, friends and family, with special emphasis on a history of the Kubert School, its illustrious alumni, and Joe's impact as instructor.

Readers can view a FREE preview and order the PRINT EDITION (at 15% off with a FREE digital edition) or DIGITAL EDITION ONLY (just $7.95) at this link:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1094

TwoMorrows is also offering a FREE 32-page bonus PDF file to all CBC customers, which includes all-new extra material that did not fit into the print edition. The Bonus PDF may be downloaded from this link:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=108&products_id=1138

160-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback
Print version: $17.95 cover price
Digital Edition: $7.95
Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: APR131261

Meet Mark Chiarello, Con Guest!

7/27/2013

We are down to a week away from Boston Comic Con, happening at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, MA. With the hundreds of guests who will be in attendance there is one who will be doing a little work while he's there... Mark Chiarello!

Mark has had a diversified and amazing career! He has been a writer, penciller, inker, letterer, colorist and even an editor. He has been a Harvey Award nominee and is currently the Art Director at DC Comics. So with credentials like that who else would you want to look at your portfolio if you were an artist looking for advice?

Mark will sit for a limited number of portfolio reviews on a first-come, first-serve basis on Saturday August 3 from 11am-12pm, 2-3pm, and 4-5pm; and on Sunday August 4 from 11am-1pm.

Not to mention, Mark has agreed (or been blackmailed, depending who you ask) to spend a little time with Matman at the show to discuss his career, his work and what goes into a portfolio review.

To find out more about Mark and see some of his amazing work including tributes to Star Wars and the Negro Leagues go to http://markchiarello.com/ and be ready to be dazzled!

To check out everything going on at Boston just click the link below! www.bostoncomiccon.com

SDCC: Dark Horse To Publish EC Comics Library

7/26/2013

Press Release

As announced during the Diamond Retailer Lunch at Comic-Con 2013, the publishing maverick Dark Horse Comics, known for the best in both new and original material as well as archiving comics’ most important works, announced one of its biggest undertakings yet!

Without question, Bill Gaines’s Entertaining Comics produced some of the greatest works in the history of the medium, from the likes of such industry legends as Jack Davis, Wally Wood, and many, many more. EC Comics produced many of the 1950s’ most controversial and talked-about works, including such legendary anthologies as Two-Fisted Tales, Weird Fantasy, and of course, Tales from the Crypt.

Now, Dark Horse will work with comics luminary Russ Cochran, under the careful guidance of Cathy Gaines, to continue this legacy with the release of Tales from the Crypt Volume 4 in October, with Vault of Horror Volume 3 following in January!

“I have admired Mike Richardson and Dark Horse for many years and am very pleased to be working with them to bring the remainder of the EC archives to fans everywhere,” said Russ Cochran. “Dark Horse’s strength and clout in the marketplace will open new avenues of distribution for these great comic books.”

Each volume will be digitally recolored, using Marie Severin’s original colors as a guide. Tales from the Crypt Volume 4 collects issues #35–#40, featuring stories drawn by all-star comic artists Jack Davis, Joe Orlando, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, George Evans, Reed Crandall, Bill Elder, and Bernie Krigstein!

Tales from the Crypt Volume 4 arrives on sale at finer comic shops everywhere for $49.99 on October 30, 2013, just in time for Halloween!

An Interactive Romance Game?

7/25/2013

Press Release

Introducing Everlove, A Narrative Romance Game Coming to iOS and Android in August

Developed by Silicon Sisters, creators of games "by women, for women," Everlove is an interactive guilty pleasure for fans of romance novels

Female-focused development studio Silicon Sisters Interactive is pulling back the curtain on their next project: Everlove, a casual game designed to appeal to the more than 74 million people who read romance fiction each year. An interactive narrative that plays like a romance novel brought to life, Everlove will release for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android in August with versions for PC and Mac to follow. The studio's co-founder and CEO Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch will show the game for the first time at next week's Casual Connect conference in San Francisco.

In the book industry, romance is a hugely popular genre that yielded sales of $1.438 billion in 2012, according to the Romance Writers of America (http://www.rwa.org) -- more than mystery and sci-fi/fantasy novels combined. Romance readers are 91% women, the majority between ages 30-54. This demographic intersects perfectly with the predominantly female audience of casual games. "Look at the splash Fifty Shades of Grey made last year. Romance fiction has a huge audience that no one else in the game industry is trying to reach," says Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch. "Video games traditionally explore male fantasies: winning a fight, competing in sports, saving the princess. We at Silicon Sisters love some of those games, as do plenty of other women. But a game that specifically delves into female fantasies -- what is that game like? That's a question we're trying to answer with Everlove." With a focus on storytelling, character interaction, and lite HOG elements, Everlove puts players in the shoes of a young woman named Rose who has turned to past-life regression to gain insight into her personal problems. Under hypnosis, Rose is transported to the pastoral village of Heart's Home, where she soon discovers that she has chemistry with several of the locals. While building relationships, uncovering carefully guarded secrets, and navigating personal dramas, players define Rose's character and choose her path, with the game's outcome reflecting on the very issues that the modern-day protagonist wants to resolve. Silicon Sisters' portfolio includes two School 26 games for teen and tween girls, which have had approximately 700k downloads in more than 30 countries. Everlove will be the studio's first game for adult women.

Today Silicon Sisters launched an Everlove Facebook page, where they plan to post more game details and assets leading up to the game's August release: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everlove/416015075132982

Review--The Conjuring (2013)

7/24/2013

by Brian LeTendre

I think the highest praise I can give The Conjuring is that it reminded me of how long it’s been since I’ve seen a good, old fashioned horror movie. If you’re looking for gore and camp, this isn’t your movie. But The Conjuring is creepy, atmospheric and really captures the feel of some of the best 70s and 80s horror movies like The Exorcist and The Shining. Granted, the movie never rises to the level of those greats, but it’s a nice throwback to a time where storytelling took precedence over special effects, and building a sense of dread in the audience was more important that jump scares.

The movie is based on a haunting investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, arguably the most famous paranormal investigators in the country. I’ve always been fascinated by them, as they were from Connecticut, so as a kid growing up in the same state, I would often hear about cases they worked on that made the news, When I really started becoming a horror fan, the idea that a husband and wife team actually went and searched out the stuff of nightmares in real life was mind-blowing to me.

The case highlighted in the movie is the story of the Perrons, a family who purchases a farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, which happens to have a long history of murder, witchcraft and paranormal activity. Not long after they move in, the malevolent forces that inhabit the house start to terrorize the family, becoming more aggressive with each passing night. Mother Carolyn Perron (played by Lili Taylor) reaches out to the Warrens, who don’t have to investigate for long before uncovering the house’s history and seeing signs of a possession in the making.

As I mentioned before, this movie is a throwback in every sense of the word. The actual case took place in 1971, and the film does a nice job of capturing the feel of that time. Director James Wan and Cinematographer John Leonetti also do a lot of wide-angle shots and camera creeping as opposed to the quick cuts that more modern films are known for. All of this lends to the atmosphere of the film in a creepy way.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren are great, and I really enjoyed Lili Taylor’s portrayal of Carolyn Perron. Everyone else in the movie is relegated to pretty minor roles, including Ron Livingston, who plays Carolyn’s husband Roger. The kids are pretty much interchangeable, and i can’t remember even one of their names. That’s a minor issue though, as the focal point of the movie pretty quickly becomes Taylor’s Carolyn. The subplot follow’s Lorraine Warren and how the investigations that she and her husband conduct have taken a toll on her as well as made her a target for the evil forces they come into contact with.

Like I said, while it never rises to the level of a “classic,” there is a lot to like about The Conjuring. I’m hoping the box office success of the film will bring us more films like it in the future. It’s definitely the best throwback film I’ve seen since 2009’s The House of the Devil.

4 out of 5 Another Reason I Hate Dolls

The Countdown Is On For Boston!!!

7/23/2013

by Matman

It is hard to believe that the rescheduled Boston Comic Con is less than two weeks away... BUT IT IS! And if you haven't checked the guest list recently you may not know how incredible this show is going to be!

www.bostoncomiccon.com

Join Mike Mignola (Hellboy), George Perez (Teen Titans), Tony Daniel (Batman, Detective Comics), Mark Bagley (Fantastic Four) and Bill Willingham (Fables) for two days of comic book awesomeness!

Fans of Walking Dead will get a chance to meet Laurie Holden and if you like the Hobbit, than get ready because Dean O'Gorman and Aidan Turner will be on hand to meet their fans as well.

Join IDW's Chris Ryall and the creative team of 'Locke and Key'; Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez will be on hand all weekend.

Join Secret Identity pals Howard Chaykin, Amy Reader, Paul Ryan, Culy Hamner and Phil Jimenez and be ready to meet some of the coolest and most interesting creators in the business.

Please check out the complete list of creators and panels and get ready to show the world that Boston knows how to hold a comic con!

It's Mighty Morphin Time At Papercutz!

7/22/2013

Press Release

Papercutz, the industry’s leading children’s graphic novel publisher, has announced plans to publish an ongoing series of graphic novels featuring the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the heroic “teenagers with attitude” who kick-started the global phenomenon 20 years ago. Today, Power Rangers is the #1 live-action television series for boys, airing in 150 markets. With new a new iteration every season, longtime fans haven’t seen new adventures of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers since 1995.

“Ever since we began publishing POWER RANGERS comics, it's been my dream to bring back the Mighty Morphin team,” said series editor Michael Petranek. “I grew up with the TV show, which makes this all the more special. I want to see Rita Repulsa again. I want to see stories that take place between the original episodes. We’ve been waiting over 15 years for new stories with these characters! With the 20th anniversary of the show’s debut this year, it just made too much sense not to do this.”

MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS will be a companion series to the main POWER RANGERS graphic novel series, which is aligned with the current television season airing on Nickelodeon, Power Rangers Megaforce. Both will be written and illustrated by fan-favorite creative team Stefan Petrucha and PH Marcondes. The first volume of MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS releases in May 2014.

<<Previous

IDW Brings It To Boston Comic Con

SDCC: Action Lab Announces Big Plans For 2013-2014

Matman's Picks!

This Wednesday, Comic Book Creator #2 Pays Tribute To Joe Kubert!

Meet Mark Chiarello, Con Guest!

SDCC: Dark Horse To Publish EC Comics Library

An Interactive Romance Game?

Review--The Conjuring (2013)

The Countdown Is On For Boston!!!

It's Mighty Morphin Time At Papercutz!

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