C2E2!

I will be at C2E2 this weekend, kind of all over the place. On Friday, I'll be playing the role of Steve Seeley, subbing for him at his artist alley table (I-12). So come by and see me and Jenny Frison any time during the day. We'll both be doing sketches--mine are free and terrible. Jenny's are not.

As for Saturday and Sunday, I'll be at the Nerd City table from time to time and filling in for Tim Seeley when he's away, doing whatever it is Tim Seeley does (which, judging by this post at the Hack/Slash site, is everything). Long story short: I'm the Seeley's understudy, and thus my career has pretty much hit its apex.

I'll have Hoax Hunters 1 and 2 with me (or, more fittingly, Hack/Slash 1 and 2) so you can catch up on the epic saga! Additionally, I'll have an awesome Quarantined print from Keith Burns. You can see it above, on the right.

And, one final thing, I will also have a coupon for ordering Quarantined (seen at left). Okay, it's not a coupon per say, because it won't save you any money, but it will make it easy for you to have your local retailer carry the book. All you have to do is pick up the "coupon" and pass it along to said retailer; you don't even have to speak, all the information you need is printed on the page. Nothing could be easier (or more appreciated by the entire Quarantined team).

Hoax Hunters, Part Two

For those keeping score at home, there may be some confusion here--I had said Hack/Slash # 2 and, subsequently, Hoax Hunters Part 2, was releasing on March 9 (I even mistakenly put it in a press release). I was wrong. Hack/Slash releases this Wednesday, March 16. So please, be sure to pick up a copy!

I'd like to show a really enticing preview, but if I were to post the first lettered page...well, that's half the story. What I will post, instead, is a two-for-one exchange. Kind of. On the right is the first page of Hoax Hunters, Part 2, fully colored (I had posted the pencils a few weeks back). And below, on the left, is the second page of Part 1, lettered and all. So if you missed Hack/Slash #1, this can help you catch up.

Speaking of previews, you can read a five-page preview of Hack/Slash #2 right here.

As far as Hoax Hunters goes, things have been moving along nicely since the release of the first installment. Last month, I posted the positive press we received; since then, we've gotten some more great feedback, this time from Graphic Policy, who says, "give it it’s own damn comic," and "Three pages, that’s all this has to set it up and get you hooked, and I think it pulls it off." Pretty encouraging words, for sure. JM has received consistent praise for his art, which he rightly deserves. He's currently working on Part 4, an installment really throws the story into high-gear. So if you're like the story so far, trust me, it gets even better (if I can say so myself).

And, finally, we do have a Hoax Hunters facebook page--a page that refuses to let me send out invitations. Join up if you can!

Terminus Cover/Making a Pitch

Over at the Terminus blog, I share some thoughts on pitching, Terminus, and submissions. Not groundbreaking, but definitely on my mind as I'll be pitching Terminus for the very first time next week at c2e2. With any luck JM and I will see the book find a home and be able to start up production soon.

Shown above is the cover for Terminus, which I think is pretty amazing. More on my thoughts by clicking on the link!

In The Spirit Of This Whole Creator-Owned Thing

I spend a lot of time of this blog pimping my own work (it is my blog, after all), so I figured I'd turn the attention over to some hard-working, talented friends of mine. All these creators are like me in that they're just coming up in comics, trying to make their name yet staying true to their own aesthetics. We've been in the trenches together for awhile (see: we make no money) and, as I've said before, one of the greatest things about the comics community is the support that's given--creators are always quick to champion the work of others. I've had a lot of help along the way myself, and I'm very appreciative of all of it.

So, without further adieu, here is a look at four books from friends of mine (full disclosure) that I recommend taking a chance on.

1. Slaughterman's Creed. I've known Cy Dethan, Stephen Downey, and Nic Wilkinson for awhile now--we were all hog-tied by the Insomnia. But before that, I had become a fan of their work. Cancertown, one of Insomnia's few releases, was an excellent horror title in the vein of Hellblazer and The Wizard of Oz on acid. It became an indie smash hit and continues to prove to be successful still (Markosia recently re-released it).

Though I haven't read their latest work, I imagine that the high expectations surrounding it will be met. The book has received glowing reviews and the previews I have seen look great. Here's some info from the official press release:

"The book re-unites writer Cy Dethan with artist Stephen Downey, the creators of the 2009 indie hit, Cancertown: An Inconvenient Tooth. Set in a world where an ethical knife-edge is all that separates hero from villain, the story combines a strong British crime aesthetic with mythological overtones and a distinctive noir edge.

Slaughterman’s Creed Can be ordered through the March edition of Diamond Previews in the usual way using order code MAR11 0811.

Laurence “The Punisher” Campbell recently wrote in his foreword to the trade paperback: 'What you will find is a nasty, dark tale which cuts into the underbelly of gangland London. Think The Long Good Friday meets No Country For Old Men.'

Slaughterman’s Creed, described by writer Cy Dethan as 'a story of the fall and rise of monsters' is already carving a name a name for itself on the independent comic scene.

Slaughtermans Creed is published by Markosia Enterprises and will launch on May 14th at the Bristol Comic and Small Press Expo, as part of the Markosia Madness event, which will include signing, sketching and facepainting. A limited signed edition, costing £10 (RRP Price £12.99), is available to pre-order, which also includes entry into a draw to win a piece of original art by Stephen Downey and Vicky Stonebridge."

Pre-order details can be found at Cy Dethan’s blog, right here.

2. God Hates Astronauts What can I say about this book other than I totally f***ing love it? GHA is so bizarre, smart, and well done, it makes me almost dislike its creator, Ryan Browne. But Ryan is too good of a guy, and his book is too much fun to derive anything but pure pleasure from. What's great about GHA is its unbridled lunacy and imagination; it reminds me of something Kirby would do, in the sense that it exists so uniquely in its own world, yet is somehow still familiar enough to not jump the absurdist line.

I'd like to describe GHA is some intelligent way but I don't even know where to begin. I'll throw out some keywords instead: magic bears; Montell Williams; gorilla arms; the Anti-Mugger. I think that gives you an idea of the book, right? Probably not, but the good thing is that you can read the first two issues for free by visiting the GHA site. Though I really recommend finding it in print and experiencing Ryan's art that way. I know Ryan will be at C2E2, so hit him up there. And grab a GHA shot glass while you're there; they make all liquor taste like rainbows.

3. Yi Soon Shin. Written and produced by Onrie Kompan, to say this project is labor of love is a bit of an understatement. Onrie has invested more time, energy, and money into this book than most people have invested into small farms. Seriously. If you've ever been to a con in the Midwest, you know Onrie. He's the guy in Artist Alley who tugs your shoulder and says "buy my book or I'll release those compromising Polaroids of you." Or something like that. Whatever it is, it works, and Onrie has gotten his book into plenty of hands. Yi Soon Shin has gotten glowing praise and its following gets bigger with every release.

The book itself is about a Korean general who, way back when, fought off the Japanese fleet, defeating tremendous odds. It's like the Asian 300, basically. Here's the preview text for issue one:

"Hideyoshi Toyotomi has successfully united japan. now he controls the world’s most deadly military force and is determined to conquer the world. his quest for domination begins with the invasion of Korea. but before Hideyoshi can claim it for himself, he will have to answer to a vengeful armada led by admiral Yi Soon Shin."

You can check out a preview of all three issues at the YSS website and order copies at Amazon.com.
4. Feeding Ground. This is a series that gets better and better with every issue. Written by Swifty Lange and Chris Mangun with art from Michael Lapinski, there really isn't a book out there that you can compare FG to. It's a werewolf book that deftly uses the genre to explore themes of culture, family, and Mexican/U.S. border control. It's smart, brave, and scary--and not just because of the werewolves, but the glimpses of the brutality of border crossing. Michael's storytelling gets better with every turn of the page, making for a unique and thrilling read.

Here's the solicit text:

"To save the life of his daughter, Mexican “coyote” Diego Busqueda must cross his family through "The Devil’s Highway," a harsh desert infamous for killing as many people from its blistering days as it is for what feeds at night. FEEDING GROUND pits the basic need for survival against contemporary border politics and an evil that has plagued the region for generations. On the FEEDING GROUND, there is no freedom without sacrifice."

FG is released monthly through Archaia, and is only on its fourth issue, so there is still time to hop on board before it concludes with issue six.

Bonus Round! Okay, I know I said four titles, but it would be criminal of me not to mention my pals Raf Nieves and Dan Dougherty. Their two books, The Apocalypse Plan and Bob Howard: Plumber of the Unknown are wonderful romps for reasons that are totally unique to each title. In fact, the second issue of BH is set to release in just two weeks from now at C2E2. Issue one dropped at last summer's Wizard World Con and sold like hotcakes. So you'd be well-served finding these guys quick and getting yourself a copy.

And a quick web-comic shout out: Vernvm Corpvs by Josh Emmons. I don't read many web-comics, but this one is so much fun and really, really well done. Read it here!

That's all I got--hope there's something in there you find to enjoy.

All The Quarantined News That Is Fit To Print

Apparently, Facebook hates me. I sent out a massive email yesterday to the Quarantined group, and it ended up somewhere in the ether. Same thing happened to all the invites for people to "like" our Hoax Hunters page--not a single message received.

So, here is the email I sent it includes everything you need to know about the Quarantined release, which is coming very, very soon. Thanks again for the support!

Hi everyone!

After a little bit of a bumpy road, Quarantined is finally, at last, for real, being released. I'm not joking.

Suffice it to say, everyone involved with the book is very excited--we've worked really hard for this, to say the least. And now, we've got the backing of the excellent Harry Markos of Markosia, who is expecting some pretty big things for Quarantined.

Here's everything you need to know about the book's imminent release:

For starters, Quarantined is in the March issues of Previews, order code MAR 11 0810. So if you're a fan and want to support the book, one of the best things we can ask from you is to speak to your local comic retailer and ask them to order it. I can't stress how important this is for any creator-owned book--we're fighting against myriad other titles, including the Marvel/DC juggernaut, and it's a tough battle.

If you're a retailer, please feel free to contact me with any questions about the book. If you're in the Midwest or the West Coast, either myself or Monty Borror are more than willing to do our best to come out to your shop for a signing and help you promote/sell the book.

Additionally, Quarantined will also be available through Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. You can pre-order the book right now, or be notified of its release.

You can also order a copy directly through the newly revamped Markosia website.

Finally, if you're a reviewer/podcaster/blogger/someone who likes to shout on street corners and want to review/preview the book, contact me at michael.moreci@gmail.com. I'm readying a preview packet this week.

I think that about covers it. I attached a link below to check out the brand-new preview of the book, over at Myebook.

We appreciate all the support and kind words we've received so far, and hope we continue to reach the expectations we have for this book.

I hope to see you all soon, whether in Chicago or at a con this year.

Best,

Michael