Michael Moreci

Reincar(Nate), Back in Action

2012-01-30T12:21:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've been able to post anything about Reincar(Nate), and have been hesitant to do so. The book has been hit with a few delays, mainly due to scheduling on both Keith's and my part. It seemed for a while that every time I said the book would be out, it got pushed back. While I have a pretty firm time frame for Reincar(Nate)'s release, I'm keeping mum for now (actually, our schedule seems more concrete than ever). I will say that Keith is hard at work on art, and I'm neck deep in revising the script and applying a few finishing touches. When it does come out, you'll see it released digitally with Viper Comics, then in print...somewhere. That's still a ball that's up in the air. What I'm leaning towards is a Kickstarter drive that would enable me to release the four collected Reincar(Nate) issue myself, but we'll see what the next few months hold. It's as good as a time as any to be a DIY creator, which is a prospect I'm excited about. But, that's a decision for another time.

For now, here's a peek at issue #2, which is looking amazing.

Quarantined T-Shirt Design

2012-01-25T10:08:00.002-06:00

Monty recently designed a t-shirt for Quarantined, and I think it's pretty damn rad. Using old EC covers as inspiration, Monty (as usual) captures the old-school horror that is Quarantined with some really stark inks and great contrast in the "infected" eye that pops in the middle of the frame. The shirt is going to be featured (we think) at the Markosia booth at London Super Comic Convention, which is looking to be a big deal (check out the guest list and you'll see why). Markosia will be making there own splash at the convention, releasing new titles, incorporating new merchandise (such as the Quarantined t-shirt), and bringing along a stock of current titles (again, such as Quarantined). So if you're in the UK and going to the con, stop by the Markosia booth and big up some comics goods--you'll be happy you did.

Also, to note, Monty and I plan on making some of our own t-shirts based on this design, which we'll have in stock at cons and our websites this summer.

The Blurb is the Word

2012-01-13T12:00:00.004-06:00

Here's what people a lot cooler than me are saying about Hoax Hunters:

"Hoax Hunters is a book after my own heart. In fact, I wish I had created it. Anyone who loves smart, weird, breakneck, funny, scary, inventive comics should add Hoax Hunters to their pull list without delay or be labeled a heretic."

--Phil Hester, FIREBREATHER, THE COFFIN

"With Hoax Hunters, you get the whole package: engaging characters, high-octane action, and severe creepiness. It's a perfect blend of mystery, horror, and sci-fi. I'm hooked."

--Cullen Bunn, THE SIXTH GUN

"If you like shows Destination Truth but think they could use more scarecrow astronauts and throat punches, then Hoax Hunters is the book for you: smart, funny and pure entertainment."

--Justin Jordan, THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE

Check out a preview of Hoax Hunters issue #0 (out March 21) on CBR, or visit the Hoax Hunters website for more info. And please, don't forget to tell your local retailer to order Hoax Hunters and have it in stock!

Twenty Years Later

2011-12-16T10:38:00.002-06:00

Issue 0 cover

Twenty years ago, I bought my very first Image comic. Up until that point, I was very much a comic reader, and had been through all of my childhood. My mom used to work at a toy store and she'd bring me comics from time to time; I'd get remainder packs sold at places like Venture (they'd be a random collection of books, with no discernible connection in number order or even publisher); or I'd snag an issue or two from the 7-11 spinning rack. Because of this, my reading, in terms of continuity, was all over the place. I didn't seek out particular issues or characters; I had my favorites, but I was happy having any comic book in my hands.

That all changed with the birth of Image.

I read Youngblood #1 and absolutely had to have issue #2. The same with Wild C.A.T.S, Spawn, Maxx, etc. I knew when books were coming out and, Image being Image at that time, knew when they were late. I kept tabs on my favorite creators, looking for news on their work in Wizard; I anticipated going to the comic shop with my dad every weekend. Image changed me from a comic reader to a comic fan. And, like any fan, I had fantastic dreams that one day, in some pined for yet nebulous future, I too would have my own Image comic book. Well, twenty years later, that day has come.

Interior art

In March of 2012, Hoax Hunters will be released with Image. Issue #0 will collect all the backup material from Hack/Slash, issues 1 - 10, as well as a five-page preview of issue #1.

And, really, there couldn't be a better time to be an Image creator.

I know the creator-owned drum has been beaten pretty thoroughly this past year, but I would be remiss if I didn't add my two cents, briefly.

The work coming out this year from Image comics looks to be some of the best in the company's already prestigious history. In March alone, you'll be able to get the first issues from new series by Brian K. Vaughn, Joe Keatinge, and Jonathan Hickman; the third issue from Ed Brubaker's Fatale; the final issue of the awesome Strange Talent of Luther Strode; the beginnings of the Extreme relaunch, which includes Brandon Graham's take on Prophet and Tim Seeley's take on Bloodstrike, both of which look incredible.

JM's pencils

And, ahem, issue #0 of Hoax Hunters!

If you aren't reading creator-owned stuff (and judging by the numbers, where the thousandth iteration of the same superhero story sells tenfold that of most creator-owned books), you're doing a disservice not only to yourself, but to the industry. And I know, I know--the creator-owned horse has been thoroughly beaten this past year. But let me ask: Where would we be if only a fraction of readers took a chance on Will Eisner's work? On Lee, Simon, and Kirby's stuff? What if they decided to stick with what they knew, newspaper strips and accepted that as comics, and nothing else? We'd be pretty well screwed, is where we'd be. I'm not saying work from the big two is without merit--but make them earn it. Some of these books are so absolutely cynical; as Image publisher Eric Stephenson recently said, the big two have fallen into the habit of treating readers like marks, tossing out crossovers and events not because the story is necessary to tell, but because they have X amount of people hooked in to buy it.

Promo cover from SDCC 2011

Ultimately, my point is this: Buy the best comics available. Right now, it just so happens that the best work being done in comics is in the creator-owned market. Give it a try; prove me wrong.

In 2012, Image will celebrate its 20th anniversary by publishing some of its best work to date. Twenty years ago, their books sold hundreds of thousands of copies. The work being released next year warrants similar numbers. I hope to see it happen. And in that mix is Hoax Hunters, which Steve and I promise will be worth the ride. If you like books such as Planetary and shows like X-Files, you'll definitely find a lot to like in Hoax Hunters.

Did I mention Steve and I are offering a buy-back guarantee? We're not; we're broke creators! But if you don't like the book, I'll sincerely wish you had.

So Long, Mr. Simon

2011-12-15T23:14:00.002-06:00

You know, I can't even imagine what a work day must have been like for Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Think about it--you had two brilliant creators honing their respective crafts while laying the groundwork for what comic storytelling would become. The thought of how dynamic that relationship was, in that time and place, brings me a lot of joy. To be a fly on the wall...

From what I understand, Joe was a great man. His passing, sadly, marks the severance of another tie to comics' infancy, the halcyon days of such great creativity that its resultant characters survive to this day.

The time, and the man, will certainly be missed.

Final Hoax Hunters Backup

2011-12-09T10:26:00.001-06:00

Is out in stores now! Find it in Hack/Slash #10.

Sorry, no preview this time. You'll just have to buy the issue...

Random Reincar(Nate) Page

2011-12-02T14:48:00.001-06:00

Why not? From the always awesome Keith Burns. Series coming 2012, from Viper Comics.

Issue Zero Cover!

2011-11-18T11:28:00.001-06:00

Backup no more--Hoax Hunters is (or, rather, soon will be) its very own comic, coming in 2012. Suffice to say, Steve and I are thrilled to be embarking further into the Hoax Hunters universe; we have plenty of stories in mind, and a lot of unexpected ground to cover. Expect a mix of sci-fi, horror, and drama, all rolled into one cohesive package.

But that's getting ahead of things. There is plenty of time to talk about what's to come--and a lot of announcements/news to share--but for right now, the focus is on Steve Seeley's cover to Hoax Hunters, issue zero.

Going into designing the cover, Steve and I both agreed that we wanted something that didn't look like your typical comic book cover. Not that there's anything wrong with traditional covers, but our ambition is to match the tone of Hoax Hunters itself, which is meant to be odd. We have a wish list, in fact, of artists we'd love to have contribute Hoax Hunters covers; some work in comics, others do not.

That all being said, Steve's cover, in my opinion, is fantastic (and for those who don't know, Steve is a gallery artist in addition to comic creator). The character of Murder was always meant to be this really strange being that is both heroic and tragic--not to mention him sharing the consciousness of crows, which is bizarre enough. He embodies what Steve and I want Hoax Hunters to be: odd, yet endearing in its own way. And we wanted the cover to match that, to be recognizable as a comic cover (meaning it isn't too abstract), while still managing to be a little off. And that's exactly what Steve perfectly delivered.

There's more Hoax Hunters news to come, including the all-important Diamond order code, issue zero's exact release date, and more! There's still one more backup story to come--look for it in Hack/Slash #10, from Image Comics, later this month.

New Wave Noir

2011-11-11T09:49:00.001-06:00

I was first introduced to New Wave Noir back when I was on a fevered Hitchcock spree. My wife (then girlfriend) had bought me Hitchcock on Hitchcock, a book that traced Hitch's career from its early theater days in the U.K. to his mastery of filmmaking. It's a terrific read for any fan.

Getting to the point, though, that book lead me to another, the wildly popular Hitchcock/Truffuat interview collection. At the time, this book was pretty hard to track down--we're talking pre-Amazon here, after all. And, to be honest, I can't even recall how I got my hands on it. I tend to think I bought at the Columbia bookstore, that it was part of a course I wasn't enrolled in but I snagged it nonetheless. I could be wrong.

The book not only opened up a wealth of Hitch's history, methods, insights, and character, but it also introduced me to Francois Truffaut, who would eventually amaze me in ways similar to Hitchcock, especially in their controlled sensibilities and willingness to take risks. From there, I was down the rabbit hole of French New Wave, which I enjoy well enough. What really appealed to my own aesthetics and interests, though, was the pocket of New Wave Noir--these dark, existential, wonderfully charismatic films. Over the years, this has become one of my favorite film collections of all time. One of my fondest film-going experiences is seeing Le Doulos--Jean-Pierre Melville's fantastic byzantine gangster film from 1962--at The Music Box Theatre here in Chicago.

With New Wave Noir on my mind--for no particular reason--I decided to list a few of my favorites. They are:

1. Le Samourai

2. Rififi

3. Shoot the Piano Player

4. Le Doulos

5. Band of Outsiders

6. Blast of Silence (no, it isn't French, but it carries the same existential dread and similar aesthetic sensibilities)

7. Elevator to the Gallows

8. Le Trou

Too Awesome Not To Show

2011-11-01T10:15:00.002-05:00

Seeing that Hoax Hunters is only two pages long, showing a preview page is always a tricky thing to do--after all, show a page and that's half the monthly installment.

But, this page from JM is way too good not to preview. Seriously. It comes from part nine of the series, which happens to be the penultimate chapter (appearing, as always, in Hack/Slash). Only one more to go! It's been a great ride, I can say that, and I can't thank the people who have supported us along the way enough.

Big things await the future of Hoax Hunters, and Steve and I can't wait to share what's ahead. But for the time being, check out page 19 of the backup run--JM channeling the best of his own abilities, with some Kirby Krackle mixed in. Awesomeness abounds!

More Positive Quarantined Reviews

2011-10-21T14:14:00.001-05:00

Simon Smithson of The Nervous Breakdown says that, "At the core of Quarantined is a story of redemption and humanity—the main characters are driven by past sins and sufferings to make it through the hellish surroundings they find themselves in." And Monty's art is "highly reminiscent of some of Tony Harris’s work, especially the strongest panels and sequences of Ex Machina, a graphic novel which shares some of Quarantined‘s questions of morality, humanity, and survival."

A comparison to Brian K. Vaughn--I'll take it!

And Christopher Grant of Eaten Alive says, of the book's plot, "I can’t recall this being used as a plot device before in any of the zombie fiction that I’ve read, comics or otherwise, or any zombie flick I’ve ever seen."

So, if you are looking for Halloween reading, check out Quarantined. There are many ways to get your copy, many of which are listed right here.

Fright Fest!

2011-10-17T11:59:00.008-05:00

It's October, so that means a month full of gleeful horror film indulgence. Some I've never seen, some favorites (Halloween is a yearly tradition).

Here's what's in store:

The 53%

2011-10-14T17:06:00.008-05:00

There's a trend in this country right now, and a frightening one at that: acceptance of the status quo.

Hard work, dedication, paying your dues--these are all admirable qualities. But there's something fundamental about the OWS protests that these "Other 53%" folks don't get: No one is saying anything about those qualities. Not a thing. The rhetoric coming from this movement is the same used to demonize the poor--these protestors are lazy, they want handouts, to live off the system, to have everything in life given to them, etc. It's a classic ploy that Republicans use fully to their advantage, turning the tables on the poor as a way to take attention off the rich. Kick those already down, rather than those who are up (because, after all, that maybe cause things to trickle down).

OWS isn't about how hard someone works, or how many jobs they have, or what their student loan debt is--not fundamentally, at least. The message is about how the rules of the economic game get made. Because somewhere along the way (Regan deregulation, Bush tax cuts, Clinton's diving into the pockets of Wall Street, amongst other factors), the game became unplayable for some and dominated by others. These protestors, these are people who played the game as it was taught to them all their lives: go to school, stay out of trouble, work hard, and you'll have a stable life. But that's not the case. Because instead of creating jobs for these people to obtain, these heads of industry have shipped them overseas, they've cut work forces in the effort to maximize unnecessary profits, they've driven down wages and destroyed unions. This is about power, how the people who control capital in this country have amassed wealth through the its wholesale purchase. They've created their own rules, laws, and system to ensure that they can continue to horde and take risk, and never with consequence.

But that's getting a little off point, to be fair. The thing I wonder is what kind of life are these Other 53% people promoting? One of 70-hour work weeks for the better years of your life? Of no vacations? Of constant fear of getting sick because you can't afford healthcare or to miss a single day of work? Like I said, I admire hard work, I truly do. But that's no life I want to live. If this is indeed the greatest country in the world, everyone is entitled to an honest wage for honest work. And they're entitled a slice of their life for leisure, for family, for arts, and culture, and books, and seeing the world. All the things that make life worth living.

Curtis White, in his book The Spirit of Disobedience, told a story about how he'd get angry letters, irate letters, from people expressing indignation over the fact that, as a college professor, he had the opportunity to take occasional sabbaticals to research, write, and explore his interests. Letters would come in, asking "why do you get to do this?" White replied, saying, "I think the better question is why don't you get to this?"

So, to the 53%: your traits are admirable. But you're missing the point, both of this protest and of life in general. We're here to live, not live in servitude.

A Few Reincar(Nate) Shots...

2011-10-06T14:33:00.007-05:00

Let the wild Internet context speculation begin!

PJ 20

2011-10-04T14:03:00.009-05:00

Tomorrow night, I plan on watching Pearl Jam Twenty, a documentary about the band, directed by Cameron Crowe. For starters, I'm a very, very big PJ fan and have been since...well, for awhile. Now need to cut me open and count the rings. The release of this movie and the retrospective renaissance PJ has been experiencing over the past few months has worked to reignite my passion for the band. I'm never to far from my last listen to one of their albums (and my recent acquisition of Sirius radio, which includes a Pearl Jam station, has kept the saturation level at a pretty respectable high), but I never really committed to words what makes the band work so poignantly for me.

For starters, there's the music, which has seemed to evolve with my own tastes. Sure, at the foundation, PJ will always be PJ. But at the same time, I can't think of many mainstream rock bands that have taken the creative chances that PJ has over he course of their 20-year career. What started as an anthem-fueled arena rock grunge band evolved into an introspective, tight knit group of musicians all contributing their own unique voices to each and every album. Listen to Ten, then listen to No Code, then up to their most recent release, Backspacer. Between the three, there are wild variations in sound, lyrics, and overall album construction.

Of course, part of my fondness is based in nostalgia--that's a given. PJ was the first real band that I felt was my own. I grew up in a pretty music-friendly household, with a musician father. I learned all about Claption, oldies, and The Beatles at an early age. But PJ was the first band that I really felt a personal kinship to. I still remember getting Ten as a gift for completion of a science fair project; and there's the memory of skipping school to pick Yield the day of its release.

As for the PJ story, there isn't a whole lot of ground to cover that hasn't been said before. Though one of the fathers of the grunge scene, they proved to be one of the few bands to be able to evolve past the genre they helped to create. No one knows what the future may have held for Nirvana; Alice in Chains faded under Layne Staley's heroin addiction; Soundgarden broke up and were never able to reclaim their former sound (or integrity, thanks to Chris Cornell's ill-fated solo decisions); the rest of the grunge movement either disbanded, fell into obscurity, or weren't that good to begin with.

The band battled Ticketmaster to the point of refusing to tour (and likely costing themselves significant chunks of money in the process); they battled bootleg recordings of their concerts so adamantly they started releasing entire tours on CD (in fact, I believe they still hold the record for most albums released on a single day). Otherwise, they've stayed relatively free of personal drama, public feuds, all the nonsense that distracts from the single purpose of a band making music. And that's what PJ has done, at its core, for 20 years: They've carved out a niche where they have the freedom to make the music they want, on their own terms. A pretty rare thing these days.

So, as I think of the band and get all nostalgic, I decided to rank my top PJ albums. My favorite three are listed here, in no particular order.

1. No Code

This is the album where PJ through down the gauntlet and said "this is the music we're making; you're either in for the evolution, or you'll be listening to Ten for the next fifty years." Judging by subsequent album sales and radio play, most philistines--I mean fans--were more than happy listening to Even Flow for all of eternity; others were excited by the complexities PJ was unearthing. Granted, No Code is a flawed album--but it's a fascinatingly flawed effort, and that's what makes it so great. Off He Goes can stand to be a little more uptempo, and Present Tense could have been better produced (especially after hearing their live incarnation). But songs like Red Mosquito, Hail Hail, and In My Tree represent the band at its best.

2. Backspacer

Lean, direct, and fun, Backspacer gives a glimpse of PJ feeling comfortable. After a few albums mired in its own political agendas--Riot Act was especially disappointing--the band clearly went for a straight rocker. The Fixer was their best single in years, and songs like Breathe and Unthought Known raise the band to new, mature heights. Johnny Guitar is a terrific Ramones tribute.

3. Yield

After years of battling music media, battling Ticketmaster, and battling the band they used to be, PJ was finally able to settle into making an album that wasn't reactionary (unlike Vitalogy, which was almost completely reactionary). Songs like Faithfull, Low Light, and All Those Yesterdays sound so unlike the band, yet are distinctly PJ at the same time. It's the most lush album and represents the band at its best--comfortable with the music they're making, and making it free of outside influences.

Needle!

2011-10-03T14:18:00.002-05:00

The cover is set for this Fall's issue of Needle Magazine, which will feature my own suspense story, "Anonymity."

I certainly don't mind sharing cover space with Keith Rawson, Gil Brewer, Ray Banks, and the like!

Meet Your New Favorite Artist

2011-09-29T15:23:00.003-05:00

His name is Keith Burns.

This is a page from our forthcoming mini-series with Viper Comics, Reincar(Nate). Suffice to say, Keith is tearing up this book (in a good way). He's completed all of issue one, and it is absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see the book in its entirety, and to have it released.

Speaking of which, Reincar(Nate) will be released digitally in early 2012 and, hopefully, collected in a trade in time for SDCC.

Also, for the record, that's Chris Beckett on colors; the great Jim Campbell is handling lettering duties.

More on the book soon...

Quarantined Contest!

2011-09-14T16:29:00.005-05:00

How would you like to win a copy of Quarantined and some cool swag? You can! Here's how:

From now until October 21, Monty and I are running a "Get Quarantined!" contest. The winner will win a copy of the book, an original zombie sketch from Monty, and a print from Quarantined cover artist Keith Burns. Entry for the contest is simple. All you have to do is buy at least three digital issues of Quarantined on Comixology (free preview not included) and send a copy of your proof of purchase (withholding any sensitive information) to mmoreci at hotmail.com. Each issue is a low .99 cents--unlike some publishers that charge the same for digital as they do print, Quarantined is priced to sell.

A winner will be selected at random and will have a copy of the book by Halloween. Nice timing, eh?

So get the book Ain't It Cool News calls "a well-constructed creepshow with just the right pacing," and Sci-Fi Pulse says delivers "high-octane horror that doesn’t lose sight of either character or plot."

Visit the Quarantined Comixology site here.

And, watch the trailer for Quarantined right here.

Cons, and The World's Worst Sketches

2011-09-08T11:22:00.005-05:00

I'll be making the rounds at a couple Midwest cons this month, signing, well, anything you want me to sign. On hand, though, I'll have copies of Quarantined as well as the few remaining copies of Reincar(Nate) and the SDCC exclusive Hoax Hunters collection (which isn't all that exclusive anymore, technically).

Next weekend, I'll be at Bouchercon in St. Louis. The good folks over at Crimespree Magazine are having me sign for a block of time on Saturday afternoon, from 2:00 to 2:30. I'll be around all weekend, always a tweet away if you miss me on Saturday. Assuming, you know, you're looking for me in the first place.

The following weekend I'll be camped out in artist alley at Detroit Fanfare. I had a blast at last year's event, and I expect this year to be even better. Dennis knows how to throw a con. I'll be signing here as well, in addition to sketching "the world's worst sketches." No joke. For $5, you can humiliate my art skills and get an embarrassingly bad piece of art in the process. Take, for example, this Hoax Hunters mock cover, seen above, I illustrated (and inked!) all by myself. Something like that can be all yours. Think about it.

Popcorn Fiction

2011-08-29T12:50:00.004-05:00

My latest story, "The Final Shot," is live over at Mulholland Books' Popcorn Fiction site.

If you're into slashers and digressions on horror films, you'll probably enjoy this story.

Check it out here.

Quarantined Trailer!

2011-08-24T17:26:00.002-05:00

Monty cut a pretty sweet trailer for the book. Check it out:

And don't forget that the book is available on Comixology for .99 cents an issue!

Hoax Hunters, Nearing the End

2011-08-23T09:48:00.003-05:00

It seems further off than it actually it is, in some ways. But after tomorrow's release of Hoax Hunters, only three parts remain. Of course, in the world of comics shipping, that's still three full months. But on my end, things are coming to a close. Steve and I only have the final two pages left to write (which is already outlined and planned--has been for months now), and JM is wrapping up the art on the penultimate installment. It's strange to think how Steve and I hatched this crazy idea back in December of 2010, after Tim threw out the idea of having a Hack/Slash backup. We have ran with it since, and the Hoax Hunters universe has only continued to expand. The past nine months have zoomed by in a flash, and now our story is coming to a close.

For now.

Steve and I have plans for Hoax Hunters in the months to come--big plans, in fact. There will be some really cool announcements and news that hits before the end of this year; I just can't get into any of it yet. Soon though. And believe me, it's going to be a lot of fun.

For the time being, above is a preview page from Part Seven, which releases tomorrow in Hack/Slash #7. JM's art is as crisp and exciting as ever, and the story is definitely moving towards the big finale, which is just around the corner.

Thanks again for reading!

Here's How This Whole Thing Works

2011-08-05T11:40:00.010-05:00

A few years back, I used my MA thesis project as an excuse to write a shitty novel. There, I said it. In my past is a painfully bad book that, should it ever somehow leak to the world at large, I'd have to change my name and move to a remote corner of the globe (which, the way I feel about people these days, may happen anyway--but that's another story). Academia had beat it in my head that, in order to be taken seriously as a writer, I had to write about serious things in a serious manner--like writers struggling with domesticity, writers struggling with writing, or writers struggling with global affairs that have no bearing on their day-to-day life. That kind of stuff. And while we're on the topic of Creative Writing grad programs, it's worth mentioning that what you've heard is true: they are pretty much useless. No agent or editor cares that you went to Important Writer's Workshop, or that you spend your summers at the Writerville Colony. What matters is the work. Is what you've produced any good? Will anyone want to spend money to buy it? That's the golden banana. Sure, I think I became a better writer, in a sense, by studying under fantastic authors. But when I got my degree and asked the university "well, now what?" and they just shrugged their shoulders, well, that says it all.

Anyway.

I was off living in New York during my thesis year, which is when the bulk of Shitty Novel was written. And during that year, I wrote like a derailed runaway train. I sweated through the book, labored through the edits from my thesis advisers, and got the thing written. The Sunday after I'd typed the final word, my wife and I were strolling through Prospect Park, and I clearly remember saying to her: "Thank God that's over; now I can go write what I actually want to write." Within a few weeks, I was working out the script for Quarantined.

In the meantime, I tried to find an agent or a publisher for Shitty Novel. Thankfully, there wasn't any takers. A few agents showed interest, some small presses nibbled, but nothing popped. Again, thankfully. At first, I was crushed. Who wouldn't be? This was over two years of my life, and as time went on it become apparent that Shitty Novel would bear no fruit (although that's not entirely true--writing a novel, good or bad, teaches you how to write a novel, and gives you the endurance needed to write another one). As rejection notices piled up, I started caring less and less. I was neck deep in Quarantined, and having the time of my creative life. The best part was that I was doing it for no one but myself. I enjoyed plotting out what turned into a massive zombie opus, the seeds of which were planted in my mind years before. The work wasn't labor. I wasn't writing for instructors or critics or with any pretense of making myself sound as wonderfully clever as possible. Although I read and loved comics since I was a kid, I knew nothing about comics publishing or the industry. Nothing. Which left me unencumbered to simply write.

The results of this shift showed on the page (see: Quarantined isn't an embarrassing mess, unlike Shitty Novel). And what do you know? The book got published.

The success of Quarantined led to more comics opportunities, which in turn led to more. That's great--I'm appreciative of it all, don't me wrong. But before I even realized it, I was working on stuff I felt that I was supposed to work on, not that I necessarily wanted to work on, toward ends I wasn't sure I wanted to achieve. Things I wanted to creatively invest myself in got pushed to the side, then moved out of my office, swept under a rug, and made for extra padding for my dog to sleep on.

When I realized what I had gotten caught up in, I couldn't help but think about Shitty Novel. Different, yet similar, situations. Both involve putting creative desires aside and being led down a path, rather than making it on my own.

The point, in all this, is to let your creative/artist ambitions be your guide. It's so, so easy to become an automated Pleasing Machine-2000 (patent pending), trying to predict what editors and agents want, what people like to read, what critics will champion, what will further your career. But that's all ego. All you're working towards--and believe me, I know--is validation. And there's nothing wrong with that; unless you're a monstrously social deviant, being accepted into a community is one of the most basic of human needs. We all want to be part of something, and the art we create is where we feel most vulnerable, and where acceptance is constantly in jeopardy (thankfully, for some of us, there's grain alcohol to help allay the associated anxieties).

Maybe I'm wrong, and this is an ailment particular to myself. But it doesn't seem like it, because the more I think about it, this isn't just about writing. The need for acceptance, not to mention the gruesome push of necessity, hinder just about everyone. Jobs, relationships, whatever--you wake one morning and think, "how the hell did I get here?"

As for writing, well, here's what you do: Become the best writer you can (and if you want to know what that means, Chuck Wending has 250 bits of insight--275, actually--that every writer should know). Write what you want to write, and do so in as much of a vacuum as possible. Let the rewards, acceptance, and pleasure come from there.

Men Out of Time: The Long Goodbye and Point Blank

2011-08-02T11:02:00.008-05:00

There’s something to be said about iconic characters, especially how they are able to transcend generations and, sometimes, the conventions of their own genres. Our culture, as it is, has become obsessed with this in a way; we seem to have more recycled ideas, stories, and characters, than we do fresh ones. Movies and comics are the two most obvious culprits: cinemas are clogged with sequels, remakes, and adaptations, and mainstream comics have been essentially telling the same stories for over have a century. There is certainly something to be said, after all, for giving people what they already know.

What got me thinking about this idea of transcendent characters isn’t our culture of reappropriation. There are two unusual films that have been on my mind, both of which take what we know about a character and place them in an entirely new context. These characters literally awaken in a new and unfamiliar world—one where everything has become strange, though they have stayed the same.

In Robert Altman’s brilliant The Long Goodbye, Philip Marlowe—probably the most recognizable P.I. of all time—wakes up in a lousy L.A. apartment in the early 1970s, accosted by a hungry cat and surrounded by California free spirits. It’s like he literally woke up after a decades long snooze and is never able to quite get his bearings. Elliot Gould (a brilliant choice to play the out-of-time Marlowe) wanders through the film, commenting on how anything goes, that everything is “okay” with him. The dialogue is all double-talk; no one is ever in sync with anyone else, just as Marlowe isn’t in sync with the culture he inhabits.

The same goes for Lee Marvin’s Walker character in Point Blank. Based on Richard Stark’s initial Parker novel, The Hunter, Walker (as he’s called in the film) has a similar experience to Marlowe—he suddenly comes to in an Alcatraz jail cell after being betrayed and shot by his best friend. Having been left for dead, it’s almost like he’s reborn—thrust into this new world with one simple goal: revenge.

Granted, only a few years separate The Hunter from Point Blank, but there is still that same sense of the protagonist being dropped into a world that he doesn't belong to. Like Marlowe, Walker is a lone wolf, navigating his world with a set of rules that are all his own. Lee Marvin plays Walker as stoic and, at times, callous, yet there is still a vulnerability there. He isn’t the unstoppable force of nature as painted by Stark. All the while, he’s confronted, like Marlowe, with a strange California culture, a frenzied, drug-imbued one, that is pitted against his nature.

Still, what’s interesting is both characters retain their intrinsic values throughout (to a degree); Marlowe is still a step ahead of the pack and uses his wits to misdirect, confuse, and manipulate at will. Walker is still a hunter, a silent predator stalking a strange—and at times, surreal—landscape, using people when he has to, deploying brute force when he must. And in the process, both films are able to hold a mirror up to culture, reflecting what it, and what was.

I think about this now as I embark on the longest, most intensive projects I've undertaken in some time. And it is, at least to me, a character-driven work. But what makes characters function in the most appealing ways: is it the context they are pitted against, or something indelible in who they are? Ultimately, there really isn't an answer to the question--let's be honest, no one would think twice about Frodo Baggins had it not been for the quest he was one and the bonds he forged with others. Still, it's interesting to consider these things--how the characters we grow to feel a kinship with, or forge some sort of identification with, manage to stick with us despite the changes within our own lives and the world around us.

San Diego Comic Con Schedule

2011-07-18T14:19:00.004-05:00

Well, I've bribed friends, cashed in favors, and did other things that needn't be mentioned all to get two--yes, two!--preview books ready for SDCC.

I'm heading into San Diego on Thursday and will be there until Sunday afternoon. In that time, I'll be signing at the Viper and Image booths while trying to maintain my sanity amidst the mania that is SDCC.

With Viper, I'll be giving away a preview of Reincar(Nate), which is set to release later this year/early 2012. The preview will contain the first 13 pages of the book, which works as a great intro to the eventual four-issue (and hopefully longer) series. You can find me at Viper's booth (#1903) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 200-300.

On Sunday, I'll be sitting in for Tim Seeley (yes, I'm his backup in real life as well) at the Hack/Slash table, giving away copies of Hoax Hunters, from 1030-130. This is a SDCC exclusive, sporting an absolutely amazing cover from Steve Seeley (seen above) as well as the first six parts of the story. The booklet also contains a preview of a project Steve and I have kept under wraps for quite some time now.

Both the Reincar(Nate) and Hoax Hunters are limited to 75 copies, so be sure to get yours while you can. And, if for some reason you can't make it to see me at those times, you can twitter me @michaelmoreci, and I can do my best to get copies to you!

Why I'm Super Excited About Reincar(Nate)

2011-07-13T11:28:00.002-05:00

I showed this page in inks last week--here's Chris Beckett's amazing colors, added in. And this just scratches the surface of how great these pages look.

Reincar(Nate), a supernatural noir thriller, will be released from Viper Comics later this year. Sometime in the next week, I'll post another preview along with information on how you can pick up a sampler from me at the San Diego Comic Con!

Hoax Hunters, Quarantined Release (For Real)

2011-06-21T06:47:00.005-05:00

Wednesday looks like a double release day for me--I say "looks like" because if I've learned anything about comic shipping dates, they are tentative at best. But, June 22 looks like a pretty firm date for Hoax Hunters and Quarantined to drop in stores.

This installment of Hoax Hunters marks the halfway point for the series--just five more parts to go. JM, Steve, Jim, and I are all pretty happy about what we've accomplished so far, and are excited for what's to come--if you've enjoyed these first installments, I think you'll really like where it goes from here. This part, part five, was especially nice to have released because it continues directly from where part four left off. We've tried not to do that too much, instead giving each piece its own unique feel, setting, and portion of the overall story to reveal. But it was still fun to have a big action sequence thrown into the mix.

So pick up Hack/Slash #5 at your local comic shop tomorrow; it has two amazing covers, one from Jenny Frison, the other from Rodin Esquejo. Check out a five-page preview here.

And if you like Hoax Hunters, please spread the word!

As for Quarantined (that's the issue four cover--art by Keith Burns--on the left), it is finally hitting comics shops (whichever ones were generous enough to order copies, that is). I think I've pretty much exhausted what I can say on this topic--what I do want to mention, instead, is the digital release.

Quarantined is now available for digital download through Graphicly. Each issue costs only .99 cents, giving you the entire 157 page, full color book for under $6! I use Graphicly quite a bit, and dig their interface--it's easy to use and makes panel-to-panel reading really fluid.

We'll be running a contest soon for those who purchase Quarantined through Graphicly, so watch out for that in the coming days. And if you haven't checked out Quarantined yet, you can read a free preview here.

Coming to a Head: Thoughts on the Cliffhanger

2011-06-20T12:15:00.009-05:00

[The following is a few thoughts I've had since watching the finale of The Killing; spoilers abound.]

There's nothing like a failed landing—and the sense of betrayal it engenders—to get the Internet teeming with curses, threats, and all other forms of angered, negative feedback. I don’t think there’s much to argue on The Killing’s finale: it bombed. And, truth be told, we viewers all should have known better. The middle episodes were a mess of transparent plot threads and inconsistent character development, yet we trusted anyway—or, at the very least, we stuck around to see who was the culprit. What The Killing delivered, instead, was not only more of the same mess, but cynical and manipulative as well, and I can’t imagine what Hail Mary the show has to bring viewers back for more.

What that final episode gave me—in addition to outrage—was a reason to think about the execution of cliffhangers within a serialized story. I am, unreservedly, a passionate devotee to serial stories (and I define serial stories as stories broken into chunks yet still have an end it’s working towards; thus, unfortunately, most comics aren’t really serialized, they’re just told in pieces as a result of the industry, not the story). And when you’re compartmentalizing in a serial, the cliffhanger is one of the best tools at your disposal, but also one of the riskiest. Nail it, and you’ll have readers/viewers dying to know what’s next; blow it, and they’ll want to claw your face off.

The Killing is an exercise in how not to handle a cliffhanger, a pull-the-rug-from-under-you gut punch to spawn theories, discussions, and a reconsideration of everything that’s come before those pivotal final moments. And the reason, to me, is simple: The Killing failed to resolve it’s own narrative goal.

A cliffhanger functions at its best when a goal, an endpoint, is made clear and is then achieved. This sounds antithetical to building mystery and keeping the story going, but it isn’t, in my opinion. The combustion driving the narrative needs to be dealt with in a direct way. The twist comes when the audience—and, likely, the characters—realize there was more happening, more at stake, than was originally known.

The first season of Lost handles this balance to perfection. (Yes, later seasons got confused as the red herrings and plot devices stacked to the rafters, but let’s stick to the first season.) For starters, they managed the story’s arc far, far better than The Killing; you never expected the survivors to be rescued at the end of the first season, but you do expect Rosie Larsen’s killer to be revealed at the end of the thirteenth episode since that’s all the show was about. In Lost, there are two related threads that come to a head in the season’s final hours: some of the survivors will go off on the raft they’ve been building and try to find rescue, while others will work to get into the hatch and escape the threat of the Others. Those objectives, in the most basic sense, are met—the raft is launched, the hatch is blown open.

The problem with The Killing is the show’s objective is never achieved—Rosie’s killer wasn’t revealed, and there we no threads taking the viewers any other place than the resolution of that mystery. That was the central, driving force of the entire show; hell, even the promos make this completely explicit. Not only that, but the twists are cheats—you can’t go back to previous episodes, study Holder, and see things that make his sudden character change any less jarring or nonsensical. The first season of Lost, in contrast, makes their twists palatable in ways that stay true to the narrative. In season one, the Others were still a complete unknown—capable of anything, nearly mystical, their actions could be nothing else but a surprise. So when they flip the script on the survivors and go after Walt—which makes sense, since his strange abilities and connection to the island had been established—it doesn’t break any of the show’s rules. In fact, it enhances the suspense by making the Others all the more threatening.

The Killing wants us to assume the Holder is a wild card, like the Others. Only there is no indication of him fitting into that role. In fact—and this is one of the most frustrating things—the final episodes purposefully build him up to be as much of the protagonist as Linden; he becomes more likable and sympathetic as we see him bond with Linden and struggle with his personal life and demons.

What The Killing leaves its viewers with is more inscrutable rewriting of the show’s schizophrenic logic. Bennett isn’t the killer, neither is Belko or Richmond. The cliffhanger was supposed to be a springboard into season two, but landed in a belly-flop; no plot threads were satisfied, and no sense of curiosity was established. Season one of Lost left me dying to know what was in the hatch because its mystery had been teased for weeks. Conversely, I could care less whose car Holder got into or whether Linden will get off the plane or not; neither seemed tied to a cohesive story worthy of speculating on. Even AMC's cancelled (yet far superior) Rubicon handled its cliffhanger narrative with greater elan than The Killing. You learn the story behind Kateb and the results thereof, and see how that functions within the larger story of the conspiracy involving the mysterious, powerful group of old white guys. And that's part of the keys to the failings of The Killing; it has only managed to establish one compelling thread, that of Rosie's killer. They've attempted to go deeper in other ways, all of which have failed miserably. By episode 13, the writers had painted themselves in a corner that the killer's reveal was all the show had left.

That being said, the finale would have been far more effective if Rosie’s killer had been revealed*; then I’d at least be wondering how this person would be caught and how Richmond would be exonerated. The show could have moved forward and evolved into something more than a single case, yet still have that case at its center.

*For what it’s worth, I’d be willing to bet the killer is Richmond’s aid. But who cares if it is?

Reincar(Nate) Teaser

2011-06-14T10:18:00.003-05:00

Just a teaser. Art by Keith Burns.

What the Critics Are Saying

2011-05-24T10:17:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, Quarantined hits the shelves (the shelves of everyone who pre-ordered it, that is). I've gone on about the book, so I'll step aside and let critics do the talking:

Ain't It Cool News says Quarantined is "a well-constructed creepshow with just the right pacing."

The Inevitable Zombie Apocalypse gives the book a "solid B."

Comic Attack calls it "another plus in the horror category and zombie genre!"

Sci-Fi Pulse says Quarantined delivers "high-octane horror that doesn’t lose sight of either character or plot"

Gapers Block says the book "satisfies viscerally but also, largely, intellectually" and that it's a "fine first effort" that "seems sure to garner a sequel."

From the Tomb gives it 4.0 of 5.0 stars.

Zombie Zone News says it "attempts to be much deeper on many levels than most stories of this type, and overall does a good job of it."

Again, the book officially releases through Diamond tomorrow (and I'll be signing at Third Coast Comics to mark the occasion), and while I'm excited for it to be out, I'm struggling to reconcile with the difficulties of the direct market system. I'm sure everyone has their beefs, and we all know the DM can be a flawed means of distribution. My difficulty is that our chances for re-order through Diamond are pretty slim--and that's a shame, because a lot of the praise the book has received has been after our window in Previews. To that end, I'll say this:

If you're a retailer that didn't pre-order the book but would like to still stock a few copies, contact me at michael.moreci at gmail.com. Depending on location and scheduling, I'd even be willing to come out and help support. If you're a reader and can't get your hands on a copy, contact me at the same address--if need be, I'll ship you a copy myself. Sound good?

Thanks again to everyone who has supported our work--we wouldn't be here without you!

2011 Schedule

2011-04-27T11:00:00.007-05:00

I think I've pretty much hammered out where I'll be this year, at least until the fall (though some things may be added, specifically San Diego--plane tickets are expensive right now!).

Here's my schedule thus far:

May 7: Free Comic Book Day--G-Mart, 11-1; Comic Vault, 130-4

May 13: Horrorbles, 7-10

May 25: Third Coast Comics, 4-7

June 8: Challengers Comics, 5-7

June 18: Summit City Comic Con

June 25-26: Cherry Capital Con

July 9: Westfield Comics, 12-4

July 21-24: San Diego Comic Con, signing details to come

September 24-25: Detroit Fanfare

October 8: Kokomo Con

Quarantined Launch Party!

2011-04-11T07:06:00.006-05:00

It finally happened--Quarantined was actually released. After the blood and sweat Monty, Lauren, Jim, and I put into producing the book, not to mention the storm we had to weather in the process, holding the actual book in my hands was a pretty gratifying moment. But now the book is out there; people have it in their possession. It's a great feeling, I can say that.

The event itself couldn't have been more of a success. The Comic Vault completely sold out of their stock--not a single copy of the 160-page, full color graphic novel remains. In fact, Monty and I had to turn over some of our own copies so no one was turned away without copy. And this is coming off last week's news that our Diamond pre-sale numbers more than doubled what Markosia had expected. Quarantined, suffice to say, is off to a roaring start.

That all being said, the main purpose of this post is to express my thanks to everyone who has supported the book so far--fans, retailers, podcast hosts, comic reviewers, everyone. Thanks to Matt Sardo and the Comic Vault for hosting the event and for supporting all my efforts over the years. Matt runs a great shop, and does so much to support local creators (as many Chicago shop owners do--we Chicago creators are truly a privileged bunch). And everyone who came out to the signing and now has a book, I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it; I can't say how much the entire Quarantined team appreciates your getting behind our book and making it a success.

While this start is great, it's only the beginning. The official Quarantined release through Diamond is May 26. I'll be signing at local Chicago comics to support the book and will be at various cons throughout the year, Quarantined in tow. Regardless of where you live, there are plenty of opprtunities to get the book: Quarantined is available on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, TFAW.com, Westfield Comics, and through Markosia direct. There's also the digital release, which is soon to come.

Thanks to everyone again. Maybe Monty and I will even get to addressing some of those rumors that started this past weekend about Quarantined 2...

Hoax Hunters, Part Three

2011-04-06T10:09:00.008-05:00

The most efficient creative team in comics strikes again--granted, there's four of us churning out two pages a month, but the point is that we never miss a deadline!

Two weeks from today, Hoax Hunters Part Three hits the shelves in the pages of Hack/Slash. This is a transition episode, to a degree--the objective in these pages was to put all the pieces in place for what's to come. And what's to come, I can confidently say, is pretty awesome. May's installment is probably my favorite so far (not to taking anything away from April's story, of course). As usual, JM's art and storytelling are absolutely perfect--I couldn't see anyone else working on these characters; JM has made them all his own in such a short amount of time. His pencils for page 6 can be seen on the right side of the page.

Hoax Hunters has continued to get positive press and a following behind it, which is very exciting. Our hope, of course, is to continue building on what we've accomplished in this short time. There's still plenty of Hoax Hunters story to tell!

In my previous Hoax Hunters post, I previewed page two of Part One--here's page three (seen on the left), thus completing the entire first part. Part Two is on the shelves now, so be sure to check it out!

As a side note, if you haven't checked out Terminus, another collaboration from JM and I, you can see the first five pages right here!

C2E2!

2011-03-17T07:53:00.009-05:00

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

2011-03-14T07:20:00.007-05:00

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 pos itive 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

2011-03-11T13:37:00.004-06:00

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

2011-03-06T07:57:00.018-06:00

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

2011-03-02T11:02:00.008-06:00

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

Hoax Hunters Teaser Image (1 of 2)

2011-02-28T07:11:00.006-06:00

All of us behind Hoax Hunters know it's just a backup (for now, at least). We get two pages a month--which we owe to the good graces of Tim Seeley and his consistently great series Hack/Slash--three if we plead the right way. Small potatoes in the grand scheme of comics. Still, we're treating Hoax Hunters as if it were any other monthly title. Steve, JM, and I don't really know how to casually approach our work--it's all in or nothing. With that in mind, we've been working not only to produce the best comic possible, but to also ensure that it stands on its own two feet.

JM and Steve have both gone the extra mile in creating teaser images, artwork to not only help promote the series, but to open up the world Hoax Hunters exists it. This image, created by JM, is obviously a little nudge and wink to X-Files, a show that shares unmistakable similarities to Hoax Hunters (we're not worried about wearing our influences on our sleeve--it's not necessarily the story you tell, it's how you tell it). What we wanted to further establish was the objective of deception that lies at the heart of Hoax Hunters--the big, bold letters almost remind me of propaganda marketing, the forcefulness of familiar phrases repeated until they become true.

The design itself is a lot of fun; the playfulness of hoaxes and how ridiculous, in reality, they oftentimes are.

Additionally, what's really been great is the attention the comics press has given Hoax Hunters. Again, even though we're just a backup, people have gotten behind the series and have been kind enough to dedicate posts to our work. I think it goes to show how invested people are when it comes creator-owned titles and their necessity in the comics landscape. It's been great to see the response we've gotten so far. Here's a look at the sites that have shined the spotlight on Hoax Hunters so far:

Hypergeek
Multiversity Comics
Graphic Policy
Comic Related
Comic Buzz
Comic Attack

Thanks to everyone for the support so far! We've got another teaser coming, this one from my co-writer, Steve Seeley. It's all sorts of awesome, believe me.

Previewing Is Hard To Do...

2011-02-23T09:55:00.004-06:00

...when you only have two pages to show. Makes it hard not to give too much away, you know? Nonetheless, here's a look at JM's pencils for page 4 of Hoax Hunters (which would be the first page in the forthcoming second installment). Did I mention that Hoax Hunters, Part Two, comes out two weeks from today? It does! When you pick up Hack/Slash #2 on March 9, you'll find the second part in the Hoax Hunters saga.

(You can check out page 1 right here)

I really dig JM's attention to detail on this page--the Russian cafe design is richly rendered and feels very real. Check out the samovar in Panel 3.

As I mentioned, I can't really say much without giving away the entire installment. So I'll leave with this: the team is in Russia; crow spaceman makes an appearance.

And though Hoax Hunters is still very much in its nascence, we've already gotten some positive reviews! Comic Attack says Hoax Hunters is off to "an awesome start," and Multiversity Comics likes the setup and "is excited to see where it goes" (while praising JM's art in the process). Also, if you want to know a little more about the series and its creators, listen to the podcast Steve, JM, and I recorded with Decapitated Dan Royer for Comic Related.

More to come!

Terminus Returns

2011-02-14T11:26:00.003-06:00

Over at the Terminus blog, I talk about the above page. Art from JM Ringuet, letters from Jim Campbell.

Where I'll Be

2011-02-08T12:27:00.013-06:00

Con season is starting to gear up again, and this year is shaping up to be my busiest yet. I've got a few appearances and events lined up, and here's a look at the near future.

This Sunday, February 13, I'll be signing at Winter Con at the Comic Vault from 12-2. I'll be seated with Hoax Hunters co-creator Steve Seeley and artist Jenny Frison. Steve and I will be celebrating the release of Hoax Hunters, which comes out tomorrow in Hack/Slash #1 (get an extended preview here). This year's Winter Con installment is featuring a crazy amount of awesome creators, so be sure to check out the lineup.

The following Sunday, February 20, I'll have a table at Dan Con, again with Steve. We'll have Hoax Hunters with us, Steve will have art, and I'll have a brand-new Quarantined print featuring art from Keith Burns. The show is $2 at the door, and going to the con will be the only opportunity to buy the exclusive creator print, seen on the right. The print features art from Tony Akins, Brian Crowley, Dan Dougherty, and a whole bunch of other creators.

Then, on April 8 and 9 (Friday and Saturday), I'll be back at the Comic Vault, celebrating the long-anticipated release of Quarantined alongside artist Monty Borror. We'll be signing the book, giving away cool stuff, and Monty will be sketching your favorite zombies (I will not be offending the sensibilities with my own attempts at sketching). It's going to be a great launch, giving you the very first chance to be the first amongst all your friends to pick up your copy of Quarantined.

Later down the road there's a signing at Horrorbles, Summit City, Cherry Capital, Detroit Fanfare, San Diego...

Hoax Hunters In Stores This Wednesday

2011-02-04T06:38:00.009-06:00

I've been going on about this quite a bit the last few weeks, and now we're right around the corner from the actual release. So here are the vitals: the first installment of Hoax Hunters, written by Steve Seeley and I, art from JM Ringuet, and letters from Jim Campbell, will appear in Hack/Slash #1 which releases this Wednesday. This Wednesday!

Suffice to say, I'm really excited about all this. For starters, I'm honored to be part of the first issue of the Hack/Slash ongoing series. Tim Seeley has been belting out such amazing work for so long now, and I think that having an ongoing series with a regular publication schedule is only going to heighten his creativity and sharpen the book's stories. I'm a Hack/Slash fan, first and foremost, and it's a good time to be one. Tim has really great things in store. And I'm not the only one who thinks so--check out the cover on the left, courtesy of Erik Larsen.

As for Hoax Hunters, yeah, I'm feeling good about that as well. For starters, JM has been absolutely killing with his art. Each page is so unique and big; he's working to achieve a very specific goal, which I won't reveal here, but the theory behind his pages is brilliant. And the application/execution has been in complete harmony with the script. He's really making the story work, visually, in ways Steve and I hadn't thought of. So check out the first page, on your right.

Since this is our first installment, we were given three pages, but you'll only have two per issue from this point forward. From a creator standpoint, telling the story in such short bursts, at first, was a major challenge (bear in mind we're already three installments in, per the production/printing schedule). It was tough to juggle so many things into just a few pages--Steve and I knew we had to make the story fun and compelling, build mystery, and keep the reader interested enough to want to know what happens next. Granted, these are fundamental necessities in most stories--we just had a more truncated space to accomplish these things.

But what started as a challenge has really turned into a creative inspiration--we know exactly what our story is, and this unique method gives us fun opportunity to tell it in unconventional ways. Like I said, so far we're three parts in, and the series is a lot of fun; we're treating it almost like a serialized radio drama, where every segment ends in a dramatic cliffhanger, where pieces are revealed and the mystery is constantly deepened.

So, if you read Hack/Slash, then you're in for a great installment from Tim this Wednesday, and the start of something really special. If you haven't been reading Hack/Slash, this is a great jumping on point; issue #1, the start of a new arc (and you can always pick up the trade "My First Maniac" which gives Cassie's origins, as well as the recently released one-shot "Me Without You," the story of Vlad's origin).

And, in the spirit of all this creator-owned debate (which I may or may not post on at some point and share my own thoughts, but check out this awesome, thoughtful piece from Steve Niles in the meantime), you'll be supporting not only one creator-owned series, but two. You're really helping the entire comics industry--you can save it! Okay, that's overboard, but still, we're all hard-working indie artists, and we need the support of readers. Which brings me to the final word: if you like Hack/Slash and Hoax Hunters, tell people! Please, spread the word (and this goes for any creator-owned series); get people who normally wouldn't take the plunge into a book like Hack/Slash to take a risk. And, particularity with Hoax Hunters, let the world know you enjoy it--Twitter it, send Image a letter, mention it in a review. The entire Hoax Hunters team wants this series to spin off into its own ongoing, so please help make that happen. We have a lot--a lot--of story to tell.

If you want to drop me a line about the book, my email is listed in my profile, and you can also find me on Twitter and Facebook. Enjoy!

Quarantined Release!

2011-02-01T12:05:00.003-06:00

Sounds weird to say it, but Quarantined is actually, for real, being released. Hooray! Here's a list of the details I know so far, with plenty more to come.

Everything is kicking off with a weekend long mega-launch at the Comic Vault on April 8 and April 9. This will be the first opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to pick up a copy of the book. I'll be present to sign copies, talk about the book, and give away some pretty cool prizes. And if that wasn't enough, my wife Alissa will be on hand with a fresh batch of zombie pastries. So come for that, if nothing else. You can find all the relevant information by visiting the facebook event page, right here.

Around the same time, the book will be launching on the PSP, so you'll have an opportunity to buy it as a digital download through there, and on iTunes.

Then in May, Quarantined will be showcased at the Markosia booth at the Bristol Con, which runs the weekend of the 14th and 15th. So if you're a UK fan, there will be opportunity to purchase it there as well. In fact, it looks like Quarantined will be packaged with another Markosia release, Slaughterman's Creed, which is already garnering some significant pre-release buzz. That book is being produced by my good friends Cy Dethan, Stephen Downey, and Nic Wilkinson, so I highly recommend picking it up either way.

There will also be opportunities to order book directly through Markosia and at shops who are gracious enough to carry the book (that arm of things is still being worked out).

I'll be setting up more signing events in the coming weeks, as well as nailing down my con appearances for the year. Suffice it to say, things are bustling with Quarantined, which is great. If there's anyone out there interested in reviewing the book, please contact me directly.

And, finally, don't forget that I've posted the first 12 pages of the book, which you can view right here.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the book so far--we're really just beginning!

Final Hoax Hunters Charater Design, Post #100

2011-01-27T07:13:00.004-06:00

Don't ask how I noticed this was my one hundredth post, because even I don't know. Nonetheless, this is it, marking not only the hundredth post, but an anniversary of sorts. My very first post came in January of 2009, previewing a three-page short Keith and I created for FutureQuake magazine.

What deserves more attention though is the character design for Jack, the last of JM's sketches for Hoax Hunters.

Jack is the story's straight man--the consummate pro who keeps the team and their work in order. Steve and I knew we needed a balance to Ken and Regan, and Jack fit the mold perfectly. Unlike his teammates, Jack doesn't have any special abilities or powers; he gets by on his intelligence and training alone. He's a bit uptight, but that's where his team compliments him: Ken and Regan keep him in touch with his lighter side.

We developed a pretty cool background for Jack which, unfortunately, won't be touched on too much in this opening arc. But, should Hoax Hunters take off, Jack's character arc will quickly be placed front and center as it is tethered pretty tightly to the overall mythology of the series.

I can't quite believe I'm saying this, but we are less than two weeks away from the release of Hack/Slash #1, and thus the release of part one of Hoax Hunters. Be sure to pick up your copy on February 9, and if you like Hoax Hunters, talk about it! And by that, I mean let Image know that you want more!

Also, speaking of February, it's turning out to be a somewhat busy month. Not only will Hoax Hunters see its release, but I'll be attending two cons. First up is Winter Con 2 at the Comic Vault; I'll be appearing Sunday, February 13 from 12-2 alongside Hoax Hunters co-creator Steve Seeley, Tim Seeley, and the awesomely talented Jenny Frison. Then, on February 20, I'll have a table at Dan Con, the biggest thing to hit Orland Park since the Best Buy on LaGrange Avenue opened.

In the meantime, I'll give a sneak peek of the first page of Hoax Hunters in the next week or so, then that'll be it for previews (the first part is only three pages long, after all). Until then, as always, thanks for reading!

Reincar(Nate) Incarnate

2011-01-14T07:02:00.012-06:00

Here's a nice way to start out 2011: Reincar(Nate) has found a home at Viper Comics! Yep, the book I've been going on and on about will, in fact, be produced!

In case you missed it, the synopsis for the book is...

"Nate McCoy is an ordinary P.I. with an extraordinary ability—he can see and converse with prior versions of himself, the people he reincarnated from. With the help of Jameson (a Wild West lawman) and Alan (a 1960s accountant-turned-hitman), Nate works to solve his latest case, the disappearance of Tatiana Kreschen, a young superstar bowler. When Tatiana’s coach is found dead, Nate sees all roads leading to El Panda, local crime figure and reigning bowling champion—and the man Nate believes is responsible for his father’s murder. In his pursuit of El Panda, an unknown sniper guns down Nate, blasting a bullet straight to his head. Nate dies, briefly; when he comes to, he finds Jameson and Alan waiting. Together, they pursue the whereabouts of Tatiana and work to uncover who tried to deliver Nate “the big sleep.” All the while, Nate is forced to consider the grip the past has on him—a grip that also led to the downfall of his past selves.

Reincar(Nate) is a story about life, the afterlife, and the way in which the past—the way, way back past—has a knack of catching up with us."

Check out the first five pages here!

Suffice it to say, this is exciting news and not just for the obvious reason of the book finding a publisher. For starters, I've wanted to work with Viper for awhile now. I've heard so many good things about Jessie Garza, and working with people I can rely on has become a decisive factor in where I bring my work (or at least hope to bring it). I admire Viper's approach, they put time and attention into each book they do, similar to how Harry Markos operates Markosia. I've heard enough produce-and-dump horror stories (or produce and sit on indeterminately) to make me want to dodge those kind of dealings at all costs. Viper has an awesome catalog of titles, including Dead @ 17 and The Middleman, and I'm proud to be in that fold.

Also, having the ink dry on Reincar(Nate) gives me, finally, the opportunity to work on a long project with Keith Burns, who I think is an absolutely brilliant artist (just check out the art posted here for proof). Keith and I have been friends for some time now--he illustrated my first published comic, Rank and File, way back when. We've been trying and trying to get a project off the ground, but the stars haven't aligned. So not only do I get to pair with Keith, but the whole team is pretty awesome--Chris Beckett, who is quickly becoming an exclusive over at DC, is coloring the book, and the trusty workhorse Jim Campbell is on lettering duty.

The book is going to be published digitally initially, which is another nice thing about this project. One I've warmed up to, for sure. I'll admit--and I shared this with Jessie--that I was apprehensive at first. And the reason was based in my own inexperience: I simply didn't--and don't--know all that much about digital comics. I mean, I know how they operate and the main website providers, the nuts and bolts of things, but there's also enough that I don't know that caused me to pause. Knowing how to reach out to that market and promote the book was a big question mark--and I'm still thinking of ways on how to effectively do that. But these worries, like I said, come from my own lack of knowledge; the more I considered the opportunity, the more I realized how unique really is.

I may write a more extensive blog post on this at a later date, but those who follow me on Twitter know that I'm fairly outspoken on the comic industry's need to evolve and grow. Supporting creator-owned works (see a list below for some great ones I'm reading now) and their publishers is of paramount importance, and not just for obvious, selfish reasons; comics need a more diverse marketplace, it needs to bring in more diverse readers. If the industry is stronger, everyone wins. Pretty simple.

And with that fostering of creative diversity, the industry should be utilizing digital technology as much as it can (some publishers have been good at this--others, not so much). As shown last week, the readers purchasing comics digitally are overwhelmingly aimed at creator-owned books. Meaning they are a different audience than the direct-market, comic shop audience. Again, that's a good thing--we should all want more people reading comics.

Anyway, soapbox digression coming to a close: the point is that I'm looking forward to riding the digital wave and, hopefully, being part of a trend that pushes comics forward. Ah, just read what Mark Waid said about this whole thing--he's way more savvy and knowledgeable than I can ever hope to be.

For the time being, I'm floored that the book is going to be released, and that so many people have voiced their support of it. I love the script--the four issue arc you'll see (likely in Fall of this year) goes into some unexpected places and really has some characters that I think are easy to connect with (at least I've connected with them). Until then, keep on the lookout for other releases: Hoax Hunters on February 9, appearing in Hack/Slash #1, and Quarantined in the Spring!

*Oh, those creator-owned books are: The Sixth Gun, Chew, Hack/Slash, Locke and Key, and there's probably others I'm forgetting...

More Hoax Hunters, 2010 Last Call

2010-12-29T11:46:00.005-06:00

Ken Cadaver. I just like saying the name, because it's so much fun, like something Kirby would have spawned back in his Black Magic days. The concept and name was kicking around in my head for awhile before Hoax Hunters, only I didn't quite know what to do with him, or how to flesh him out. But when Steve Seeley and I started building the foundations of Hoax Hunters, Ken became a natural fit.

What has since developed is, to me, a pretty rich and round character. Prior to Hoax Hunters, Ken was a gimmick, a clever hook. But when we started really digging into Hoax Hunters, one of the main things I promised myself was to make sure each character was as complete and unique as possible--I didn't want to fall in the trap of relying on the uniqueness of the story alone.

With this in mind, Ken became a character with a strong character arc behind him. Seeing that we only have two pages a month to work with, and a very specific story to tell, we won't get much of Ken's history. But it's there. And who knows, if all goes well, Hoax Hunters may grow and give Steve, JM, Jim, and me the opportunities to tell the stories we already have in mind.

What I can say about Ken is this: he's a living corpse. He plays one on television, but the truth is that, for real, he died many, many years ago. Then he came back. Ken is a somewhat decayed, reanimated scientist with a very...special power.

That's all I can give for now!

And with that, it's time to close out 2010. It's really great to end the year with a preview of the excitement that awaits in 2011--right around the corner, too! Remember, Hack/Slash #1 comes out Feb. 9, and that's where you can catch the first part of Hoax Hunters!

The year, on a whole, has been a roller coaster, to say the least. It started with massive malfunctions and a legal throwdown with Insomnia Publications, which aged me 5 years in 5 months. That time was full of lows and disappointments and stress. Everything I had invested myself in, creatively, was slipping away right before my eyes. Quarantined held hostage, Terminus in limbo.

So I did what I normally do--put my head down and worked until I fell asleep at my desk or was dragged away from it. And I had some good luck along the way, along with some help from very great friends. And things turned around--Markosia picked up Quarantined, JM started work on Terminus, Hoax Hunters quickly became a reality.

Right now, things are looking good for 2011. Hoax Hunters is on the way; Quarantined drops in the spring; Terminus is nearly ready to be shown to publishers; and soon, I'll have some super-cool news to share on Reincar(Nate). And there's also some new projects I'm working on. Like I said--I'm always working.

To everyone that has read this blog and supported my work, sincerest thanks. Hope you have a great new year!

Hoax Hunters, Hack/Slash, and Image Comics!

2010-12-13T10:11:00.007-06:00

For what it's worth, in my mind, I have the coolest job ever. Seriously, I get to work with amazing people and make comic books. And now, I have a brand-new, mind-blowing project to preview right here, right now.

Thanks to the good graces of Tim Seeley (what you’ve heard is true—and don’t let Tim fool you—he is the nicest man in America), I’m part of a team behind a creator-owned series that will be backing up Hack/Slash starting in February.

Since I like the sound of it so much, I’m going to say it again: I’m co-writing an ongoing series that will appear in the pages of Hack/Slash, a series I’ve been reading for years.

My brain still isn’t quite able to wrap around all of this.

But that’s just the beginning. Not only do I get to have my work appear in one of the best continuing series running, but I get to so with a great team. I’m co-writing/creating with my friend Steve Seeley, while JM Ringuet, my Terminus collaborator, is handling the art. And Jim Campbell, letter extraordinaire, is tackling lettering duties.

Okay, so onto the actual series, titled Hoax Hunters. It’s an amalgamation of ideas Steve and I have been sitting on for a while now, some loose concepts that may have not entirely worked on their own. But smashed together and developed, and I think what you get is something that’s bizarre and fun—we’re playing homage to a lot of the pulp, sci-fi, and horror stories we both love, yet retaining our own distinct fictional world.

For the time being, I can’t reveal too much about the plot or our plan for this first arc; I can say it’ll definitely be worth the price of admission, which is picking up the first issue of the re-launched Hack/Slash (which should be on your pull list anyway).

What I can reveal is some art. Posted above is the first of JM’s character sketches, this one for Regan. Regan is a woman with a past that involves childhood stardom, witchcraft, and an exorcism. Maybe that gives an indication of the tone of our story.

I’ll have more previews in the coming weeks—and reminders on when to pick up Hack/Slash #1, featuring Hoax Hunters!

(Sorry, I had to throw that out one more time.)

Over at the Terminus blog...

2010-12-04T08:37:00.003-06:00

A new preview page and some talk about process.

Remember the Journalism Part?

2010-12-01T07:35:00.002-06:00

In the header to this site, it does say "and journalism..."

With all the comic work I've been swamped with over the past year or so, my freelance journalism has had to be put on the back burner, unfortunately. But, I've managed to have two pieces published this week, one with Wired and the other with Gapers Block.

The Wired piece is on indie comics and their approach to digital publishing. It focuses on what Kris Simon is doing with her brand-new site Comics Pipeline, and how Archaia (one of my favorite comic publishers) has incorporated digital technologies into their publishing model.

The Gapers Block article is about the Chicago toy scene and throws a spotlight line Ben Spencer and his first toy, the amazing Galaxxor, the Shawnimals line, and of course, Rotofugi.

Speaking of Gapers Block, I should also mention that I had a piece post there about a month ago, this one more political in nature. It's on the upcoming mayoral election here in Chicago, and the progressive movement working against the long-established machine politics.

And that's it for now. I have another tentative assignment later this winter, but nothing lined up for the time being.

Quarantined Cover!

2010-11-24T12:00:00.004-06:00

This may be tweaked a little here and there, but this is basically it. The cover to the book--the book that is actually now coming out. In the real world. In shops. Online. In the trunk of my car. You name it.

The art is by my Reincar(Nate) co-hort Keith Burns. Monty and I both flipped when we saw it, right away. There's something so striking about the image. As Monty said to me, it's reminiscent of the kind of art you'd find in horror posters and fanzines from the '60s and '70s. It's iconic, and I love it.

Terminus, Lettered

2010-11-22T13:37:00.004-06:00

I've been going pretty in-depth over on the Teminus blog, so I'll keep this brief so not to repeat myself (even though I love the sight of my own writing).

JM and Jim are cranking out some top-notch work on this book, and I feel privileged, really, to be working with them. Like I said before, I knew JM's art coming in--I was dizzy with excitement to work with him as I had an idea of what to expect. Those expectations have well be exceeded; everything we've done on this book has been a natural fit on all levels, and I think that shows in the finished work.

I've included the second page here, seen above, lettered and ready to go (where, exactly, I'm not sure yet). If you want to see both pages though, head to the Terminus blog and check out today's post, or the completed pages page.

Comics, Games, and Public Speaking

2010-11-15T15:50:00.004-06:00

A natural blend for me...though maybe not the public speaking. Regardless, this Wednesday, I'll be at the International Academy of Design and Technology. I'm very grateful to have been invited, and am excited to talk to about comics and games to people who actually want to hear me talk about comics and games. Unfortunately, it isn't open to the public, but the flier was much too cool not to share.

More Reincar(Nate)

2010-11-13T11:36:00.004-06:00

About a month ago, I posted the first look at Reincar(Nate), a series I'm working on with artist Keith Burns, colorist Chris Beckett, and letterer Jim Campbell. Since, then, I've also posted some designs of the main characters. So, being the generous guy I am--and having some downtime from the new stuff I'm working on--I wanted to share the second page as well.

I love all these pages, all the work Keith, Chris, and Jim have done. Keith really captured, quite nicely, a very unique snapshot of both Jameson (panel 1) and Alan (panel 2). And his detail, as always, is so amazingly deep and exact. Chris's colors really lend a vibrancy to the entire page, from the fading sunset in panel one to the urban glow in panel 2. All of it combines to really create something special, in my opinion. I can't speak highly enough of their work.

Keith will soon be able to jump back into Reincar(Nate) in earnest, once his Highland Laddie run concludes, so expect more soon!

Back from the Dead

2010-11-08T12:19:00.008-06:00

I suppose it's fitting that a book about zombies had to be killed in order to truly exist. So it was with Quarantined, signed way back in March of last year with Insomnia Publications. The dead horse that is Insomnia has been beat well and good, by myself and many others, so need to dig all that up again here. The short point is this: for awhile, Quarantined was dead. My writing, Monty's art, Lauren's colors, Jim's letters--all of it nearly went for naught.

But now we're back.

I'm happy--thrilled, actually--to announce that Quarantined has been saved by Markosia, and will be released in spring/summer 2011!

This is, to say the least, an exciting time for Quarantined. I've been receiving edits, excellent edits, from GM Jordan, and have been working to make the book as tight, thought-provoking, and entertaining as possible. Jordan and I have had many exchanges, and it's great to work with someone who really gets the book--the pacing, tone, and themes--and knows how to play to its strengths and weaknesses.

Right now, Monty is working on updating some of the art while Lauren and Jim wrap up the remaining pages of the book. We're hoping to see a May release.

Now, it's worth taking a moment to sing the praises of Harry Markos, the man behind Markosia. While I'm still a relative newbie to the comics industry, I know enough to realize that Harry is a rare find. Harry represents pretty much anything I'd want from a publisher--he's open, honest, attentive, and truly cares about his creators and their work. I can't thank him enough.

From this point on, Quarantined is back in full force. We'll all be busy in the coming weeks, and I'll have plenty of updates and insights into where we are and the future of the book.

More soon! But for now, check out a super-cool cover rough from Keith Burns, seen at right!

Terminus Page 1 Preview

2010-11-06T16:15:00.004-05:00

I posted a pretty extensive inside look regarding the first page of Terminus, the book JM Ringuet and I are currently working, over at the Terminus production blog (makes sense, right?). But, I wanted to post the page here, though without lettering--that's still to come from Jim Campbell. JM Is currently working on the fourth page; what he's done thus far--pages 1, 2, and 3, inked and colored--is terrific. I'll have more previews soon!

New Story Cometh

2010-10-27T23:03:00.004-05:00

A story I wrote over the summer just got accepted for print publication in Needle, a noir magazine. I'm pretty excited and flattered--to be honest, I didn't think I'd get accepted. Looks like I fooled 'em good.

The story is titled 'Anonymity' and is, I'd say, a Hitchcock-ian noir story. I'm not sure when it'll be released, but I'll post details as I have them.

One day I'll have more time for prose...there's a novel in me somewhere.

The Phoenix Has Landed

2010-10-23T09:34:00.003-05:00

I won't regurgitate what I wrote over at the Sleepless Phoenix blog, so just go visit there instead!

Reincar(Nate) Character Designs

2010-10-19T11:13:00.011-05:00

Last week, I posted a small intro on Reincar(Nate), one of my books currently in production. I gave a brief synopsis as well as a look at the first page of the book itself, illustrated by Keith Burns with colors by Chris Beckett and letters by Jim Campbell. I figured I'd follow that up with some more previews of the book, specifically the designs behind the three main characters (who, in a way, are one character).

The first and foremost is Nate. In some of my early talks with Keith, I described Nate like this (with some excess cut off):

"Nate McCoy is a private detective, though he doesn’t exactly fit the bill of your conventional P.I. He isn’t intimidating, he’s not much in a fight and is rarely a step ahead of anyone. But this doesn’t mean that Nate is inept, not at all. What Nate lacks in traditional P.I. ability he compensates for in a dedication to do his job and genuinely caring for his clients. As for appearance, Nate’s in his early 30s. He’s an average height, maybe around six feet tall, and fairly slim. His brown hair is usually unkempt and sticking out behind his ears; his clothes a bit disheveled (you can usually find Nate in a zip-up hooded sweatshirt and jeans), his expression affable."

Next is the first of two of Nate's past selves--Jameson. Briefly (omitting quite a few important plot points), Jameson is described as:

"Jameson is a Wild West lawman (or, at least he was when he was alive). Think Seth Bullock (of Deadwood, and real history). He's a large mustached man—though not too thick of a mustache, as it is in the Wild West tradition where it occupies the entire face. His dress, again, is in Wild West garb—long trench coat over a dusty suit (though no tie), a circular sheriff star badge pinned to his chest, a Stetson hat on his head, and a six-shooter holstered around his waist. He's a contemplative man, and it show show in his face--a sort of disillusionment. "

And, finally, we have the second incarnation, Alan.

"Alan is an account/hitman from the 1960s. He’s a cool, disaffected character—kind of Don Draper-esque. Because of his more modern existence, his appearance is closer to Nate’s than Jameson, though he still has his own unique look. For starters, his face is more taut and angular. He wears horn-rimmed glasses and a conservative mod suit, common to his era."

That's it for now--I'll have more previews soon.

Terminus Meta-Post

2010-10-15T12:26:00.007-05:00

This blog post is essentially a post about a post. It's the Inception of blogging. Well, not really, but it is odd to be posting about a separate blog, also ran by me.

So, now. I started a brand new blog, a production journal for my graphic-novel-in progress, Terminus. I'm really excited not only about the production, but the book itself. You may recall, but way back when, Terminus was signed with Insomnia Publications. If you know the history of Insomnia then, suffice to say, that didn't go too well. In fact, in the year the book was under Insomnia's control, not a single page was produced. Nothing happened, literally. I had the good fortune to ink the deal about ten minutes before the company started to cannibalize its own flesh.

Since that time, I've wrangled the rights back and have performed two major rewrites. I've also partnered with a very talented artist in JM Ringuet, who illustrated Transhuman with Jonathan Hickman over at Image. I loved that book--my Hickman admiration runs deep--and everything about it. So when JM responded to my classified post on Digital Webbing, I had to pinch myself.

Now that the book is written and JM is on board, we're pushing ahead with the actual production, and the blog I started is just a way to give insight in the process and show what it's like to go from script to sequential page to publication. I always enjoy these kind of insights from other creators, so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon and share my experiences. Plus, it's a way to see what Terminus is all about and check out the amazing work JM is doing--seriously, he's killing on his art, as you can see in the character design for Murdock, shown above.

I'll still post updates on Terminus on this site from time to time, but not in the depth that you'll find over on its own blog. So keep an eye out--I'm expecting big things from this book.

The direct link, by the way, is:

http://terminuscomic.wordpress.com/

Reincar(Nate)

2010-10-07T12:34:00.008-05:00

Man, every time I look at my last blog post date, I realize how long I've gone between postings (and yes, I'm aware that like 90% of blog entries are about how long it's been since the previous entry). But, that doesn't mean I haven't been busy--just the opposite, in fact.

For starters, production on Quarantined has gotten very exciting, though I can't share those details as of yet. I also have a brand new project that is about to get underway; expect a post dedicated to just that in the next week or so. I'll say, for now, that the news is pretty substantial as far as I'm concerned. And rhymes with Sherminus.

I'm not writing just to write about what I can't discuss. I haven't mentioned it before, but since March of this year, Keith Burns and I have been teaming up to deliver a 4-issue series titled Reincar(Nate) which, if nothing else, has a pretty sweet title.

The synopsis for the series is thus:

"Nate McCoy is an ordinary P.I. with an extraordinary ability—he can see and converse with prior versions of himself, the people he reincarnated from. With the help of Jameson (a Wild West lawman) and Alan (a 1960s accountant-turned-hitman), Nate works to solve his latest case, the disappearance of Tatiana Kreschen, a young superstar bowler. When Tatiana’s coach is found dead, Nate sees all roads leading to El Panda, local crime figure and reigning bowling champion—and the man Nate believes is responsible for his father’s murder. In his pursuit of El Panda, an unknown sniper guns down Nate, blasting a bullet straight to his head. Nate dies, briefly; when he comes to, he finds Jameson and Alan waiting. Together, they pursue the whereabouts of Tatiana and work to uncover who tried to deliver Nate “the big sleep.” All the while, Nate is forced to consider the grip the past has on him—a grip that also led to the downfall of his past selves."

Both Keith and I have been sidetracked from time to time with other work, vacations, personal matters, etc. but that doesn't mean we aren't committed to the process. In fact, just recently, I received some fully colored pages from my collaborator friend, the mega-talented Chris Beckett. Chris has absolutely been killing with the color on this book, as evidenced on the sample page above. I look at the art, the combo of Keith and Chris, and realize I'm one lucky f-ing guy. Chris will be attending the NY Comic Con this coming weekend and will have sample pages with him. Best of luck to him--hopefully he gets the praise, jobs, and $$$ he very much deserves.

More news and sample art to come soon!

I'm Going Places

2010-09-27T12:36:00.004-05:00

No, really, I am. In October, I'll have 2 signings and may be attending the New York Comic Con (though just as a fan and to bowl people over with my latest work). On October 16th I'll be appearing at the Comic Vault's anniversary bash alongside Mike Norton, Tom Stillwell, Brian Crowley, all those familiar guys. Then, over Halloween weekend, I'll be splitting an artist alley space with Onrie Kompan (or Mr. Kompan, as he is these days) at the Detroit Fanfare. I'll have the Reading With Pictures anthology at both, as well as The Sleepless Phoenix anthology--maybe. SP will definitely be at Detroit with me. It's a race to the printers to see if it'll be ready for the Comic Vault appearance. Anyway, I'll be a busy comics-writing-guy this month, which is a good thing. I'll also be writing more as well, maybe even getting some projects off the ground and into the hands of publishers. So a pretty exciting few weeks ahead!

New Preview Page, Moving Forward

2010-08-29T07:52:00.010-05:00

It's been a long summer. And not just for the obvious, stressful/frustrating/contentious reasons involving the Insomnia battle. It's also been a good--and busy--one in a lot of ways as well.

For starters, the Reading With Pictures anthology was released just two weeks ago. After a great Kickstarter campaign, we were able to see the physical token of all our work, and it's been a great feeling. The book itself is incredible, and I know I have to say that (I'm the Media Director for RWP, and a contributor to the book), but it's truly a special collection. There are plenty of copies left, many of which in my possession, so if you'd like a copy, get in touch with me. We've managed to distribute a lot--A LOT--so far; just yesterday, in fact, RWP Executive Director Josh Elder and I took a massive load to the post office--about 500 copies were mailed out (so if you're looking for your copy, the wait is almost over!).

Also, I began my own Kickstarter drive to get funding for The Sleepless Phoenix anthology, an artist collective that formed out of the Insomnia debacle. With 19 days to go, we already have over 80% of the needed funds pledged, and (counting contributor copies) have pre-sold over 100 books. Not too bad, if I don't say so myself. I'll actually be talking live about the anthology and general comic book/sci-fi stuff over at Sci-Fi Saturday Night, this Saturday, at 700-800pm CST/800-900pm EST. Tune in!

And...I also have a new preview page to show, from a forthcoming FutureQuake strip. The comic won't print until March of 2011, but Andy Scordellis has already gotten a head start on the project--Andy and I previously contributed on the Reading With Pictures anthology, and we are continuing the adventures of "The Replacement Heroes" in this short. Oddly enough, I wrote this script before the one that appeared in the RWP anthology, but deadlines shuffled things around. Andy and I have plans to continue the adventures of Butch and Talbot, possibly in webcomic format; I'll have news on that as it becomes solidified. I can say that another short is already written, and a new one is about to get underway.

So, enough of my rambling. Here's a look at the pencils for page 2 of "The Replacement Heroes: It Came From...Somewhere!"

NOTE: Okay, Blogger is being difficult today. I can't get the image to go anywhere but the top of the page, so that's where it'll stay.

And That, As They Say, Is That

2010-08-22T08:34:00.005-05:00

With a simple email, four short paragraphs that maybe took 20 minutes to write, the entire Insomnia Publications stable was released from their contracts this past Friday. No explanation, no parting gift, no love lost. Just some vagaries about the economy and an open door to speculate and create as many theories as the mind can fathom.

For me, the reasons aren't as compelling as they once were. I guess I'm interested to a degree--after all, though it's hard to remember, Insomnia was once an innovative publisher with so much going for it, whose rise can only be described as meteoric. Then some form of virus set hold, and consumed the company down to the bone. So, yeah, what happened in between is a curiosity, but if I never hear the words Insomnia Publications again, I won't mind. Right now, I'm just enjoying being released from the anvil that has been tied around my neck these past months.

While tangled in this mess, the story behind Insomnia's meltdown nearly consumed me. I didn't get what happened, why it couldn't be made right, and what the deep dark secrets that Crawford refused to tell anyone were. More importantly, I wanted to know why Crawford did what he did--why he filed for non-trading without telling anyone, why he was holding our books hostage, why he was rubbing his heel into our hope, our work, and our ambition.

I'm not going to lie--I did not take this situation well. I doubted myself, the industry, and all the reasons why I had even bothered trying to create comics. And I'm certain many Insomnia creators had a similar experience.

But now, that's done and over with. And despite all that, I'm still lucky. I've had the good fortune to work with some amazing and talented people over the past 18 months. The Quarantined team--Monty Borror, Lauren Anne Sharp, and Jim Campbell...what can I even say? They have put in so much great work, and I can't wait for it to be shared with everyone. I don't know how I can praise their talent and dedication any further. The same goes for Keith Burns, cover artist and regular on this site--he's humble, but I know he's going to make it big in comics (I just hope my name is attached to his breakout project).

So to all the creators involved in Insomnia, best of luck. It's been a pleasure.

How I Knew I'd Made It as a Comics Writer

2010-08-12T06:18:00.007-05:00

Where to begin. It's funny, you look at a situation that you're involved in--nay, consumed by--and from the inside, it all makes so much sense. But try to explain it, and it becomes so difficult to convey not only the sentiments involved, but the basic logistics of what, exactly, is going on. Many of you know that I'm the writer of a Quarantined, a graphic novel that was slated to be released with Insomnia Publications in the fall. I mean, this entire site has all but been defined by that work. Adding to that, many know the situation I'm tangled up in with Insomnia. Nonetheless, I'll give a brief primer:

A little over a month ago, Insomnia decided that they would file to cease trading with the UK Companies House. This meant, essentially, that they we no longer publishing (and I use the word "they" loosely--Insomnia is one man, Crawford Coutts). When I heard the news, truthfully, I was all right with it. I've been in publishing, in one form or another, for 10 years now, and when it came to Insomnia, I didn't have to study the tea leaves too hard to recognize they were in bad shape. Really, their end was a long time coming.

Granted, I was disappointed. When I signed Quarantined, the company was great--exciting, up-and-coming, full of potential. Then things went wrong. What these things were, I only have a hearsay account; ultimately, it doesn't matter. Not at this point.

With this non-trading declaration, I expected my rights to revert back to me and I'd either publish Quarantined myself, or seek out a new publisher. This is where things having gotten contentious. Because of legal entanglements, I can't get into many details. The short of it is this: Crawford, for reasons unknown, has decided to hold onto all the contracts in the Insomnia stable, even though it doesn't seem that he has the means or the intention to publish any books. And I see reasons unknown because, since the unannounced filing, no one anywhere near Insomnia has heard so much as a word from the man.

So right know, myself and all the creators are essentially waiting for Godot as all work remains in limbo.

But not ALL our work. There was an anthology Insomnia was set to release in October, one that didn't bound any creators by contract. Soon after the fallout, the creators got together and formed a collective called The Sleepless Phoenix--and we've taken it upon ourselves to see the book released.

In order to do so, we need to raise some funds. We are currently running a Kickstarter drive to pay for the printing and shipping of the 192 page black-and-white book. You can visit the site here (and view the widget below), which goes into more detail on our background (and has a pretty nifty video!). On the right, you can check out an unlettered preview page of my own contribution, PrivaCops, with art from Monty Borror.

Any and all support is appreciated--and support comes in myriad packages. We can use all the help we can get spreading the word on the book. Tweet about it, blog, facebook, anything. Keep in mind, the collective that formed to put this book together is not a publishing outfit--we're creators with day jobs, regular work schedules, etc. We're doing what we can, but we can't do it all alone.

Publishing is rough, let me tell you. And like I said, I've seen it work from many different angles. But what distinguishes comics from other mediums is the fraternity of writers, editors, artists, journalists, and (most) publishers. It's really been inspiring to see how people have rallied around the Insomnia creators, even before the Kickstarter launch. We've gotten so much support, and it's been a great help. We may not talk about it much, but this has been really tough on all the Insomnia creators, to see our work get used and us get punished for a situation we had no hand in creating. That's why I can confidently say, in spite of all everything, that this is a good industry to be in, and am grateful to have the friends and creative partners that I do.

San Diego Comic Con

2010-08-04T20:27:00.011-05:00

I made it. Seriously--it was in question whether I was going or not. For the longest time, I wasn't. I put off buying tickets, delayed pro registration, didn't do any of the things I very well should have done--just in case. See, the idea was that I was going to Birmingham in October to promote the release of Quarantined at BICS. That was my travel budget. But, as some of you know, that release isn't happening. In fact, it isn't happening with Insomnia at all. (For those of who you don't know the reasons why, I can't get into for possible legal reasons, and I just don't feel like it). So...

On Tuesday night before SDCC, Tim Seeley said "you should go." He gave good reasons, and I'm pretty easily swayed, especially when it comes to things I want to do anyway. So I went. And the truth is, Tim was right. For starters, I had an amazing time with friends and truly geeked out to the extreme. (Big thanks to The Comic Vault's Matt Sardo and Chris Burnham; if not for them, I would've ended up sleeping beneath an overpass.) And, professionally, it gave my career a boost, which I really needed.

As for highlights...it's hard to pin any particulars down. I landed Friday morning and was gone by Sunday afternoon. To say the experience was a whirlwind is underestimating things, to say the least. The best part was just absorbing it all; SDCC is like nothing else on Earth. It's so manic and full and hyper, but in good ways.

If I had to pick, though, I'd start with the Nerd City party. Ruled, plain and simple. On the right, you'll see a picture of Ben Templesmith putting some touches on a live art painting. Max, Ben, and Joey know how to throw comic parties, even on the other side of the country.

I saw Grant Morrison, which is good enough for me. My mind would likely melt if we actually spoke. I met Claudio from Coheed and Cambria (and writer of Amory Wars, which has art from Burnham). I spotted some actors from LOST. And, hey, here's a picture of me and Papa Smurf. So there's that.

Now, it's back to work. Keith Burns--the patient and crazy talented Keith Burns--has just finished pages on our soon-to-be-pitched 4-issue series, Reincar(Nate). I've got another mini in the works, then it's on to sketching out the broad overview of an ongoing series. And a few prose shorts, if time allows. I plan on being busy--just like I plan on being on hand at SDCC in 2011, on the other side of the table, signing copies of my comics.

RWP Anthology Release!

2010-08-03T15:19:00.001-05:00

After a successful Kickstarter campaign (which I was paritally behind as RWP Media Director--enter pat on back here), the Reading With Pictures anthology is set for release! The wide release won't be until August 18, but this Saturday, Challengers is hosting a pre-release event. Not to fear though--there will be copies on hand. And, if that doesn't draw you in (pun kind of intended), Challengers will also be barbecuing, hence the event title "Eating With Pictures." So, if nothing else, free food!

I'll be there signing books from 100-500PM, alongside RWP Executive Diretor Josh Elder, Jeffrey Brown, Gabe Bautista, and more. So stop by and pick up the anthology, which includes my own contribution "The Replacement Heroes In: Civic Service!" Here's a preview (art by Andy Scordellis, letters by Jim Campbell, colors by Chris Beckett):

Issue One Script

2010-07-17T10:35:00.002-05:00

I've oftentimes been asked about the process of writing comics, and there certainly is a lot to say about the topic, from habits to craft to method.

Personally, I approach writing, in terms of craft, in different ways. Sometimes there's an image that drives a page; sometimes it's the dialogue. The point is that there's always something central to a page's construction, the nucleus around which everything centers.

For instance, in this first issue of Quarantined, I had two main goals in the first few pages. The first was to quickly get into the thick of the plot/action. I wanted to dive you right in and have our characters already in the thick of things. I understood that the truth is this: if you're reading Quarantined, odds are, you've seen similar movies or read similar comics. The zombie/monster apocalypse/takeover. And the setups are all generally the same; a bunch of characters leading their everyday lives, maybe some are having marital issues, some young teenagers in love, etc., then wham! Vampires show up. Or a weird mist. What I wanted to do was skip all of that. Plus, the purpose of the book is to explore how people react in times of crisis, what happens when the facade of society, law, and order are done away with. Basically, who cares what their lives were like beforehand? If it isn't relevant to the themes, its extraneous.

Second, I wanted to dramatically introduce the infected and quickly show the threat they posed, their strength, and their visual look. It's important to establish that early, to know exactly what we're dealing with. Unlike other similar works, I didn't want my characters too concerned with what the infected were, exactly, and get too deep into your basic survivalism scenario.

And that's how I approached those first few pages. And now, you can see them for yourself by following this link here. This is the word document I wrote that is the final script, the one Monty worked off of. Also, you can see the completed issue over on myebook and compare the written page to the illustrated one.

Now, I can go on about craft and my thoughts on comics writing. In fact, if you have any questions, post them in the forum! I'd love to interact and discuss, well, anything.

Zombie Con!

2010-07-06T12:31:00.003-05:00

Well, that pretty much says everything you need to know. I'll be appearing at the Comic Vault along with Tim Seeley, this Saturday, from 11-1. We'll be talking zombies, horror, comics, all of life's essentials. Stop by if you can!

Also, big thanks for Mr. Decapitated Dan Royer for making this flier!

Reading With Pictures Anthology

2010-07-05T11:52:00.004-05:00

After a successful Kickstarter campaign where we raised nearly $15,000 (well above our $10,000 target), the Reading With Pictures anthology has a release date, and a Diamond order code.

The anthology itself features a cover by Jill Thompson and short, educational-themed stories by Jeffrey Brown, Josh Elder, Fred Van Lente, and myself. It will be released on Wednesday, August 4th, so tell your local comic shop to get it in stock (order code Jun10 1096). And remember, all proceeds go to funding Reading With Pictures future projects.

I've shown some previews of my own contribution, "The Replacement Heroes In: Civic Service!" but here's one more (above)--now with letters from the amazing Jim Campbell! Enjoy page one, and if you're in Chicago, try to come out and for one of RWP's release events. Anthology contributors (including myself) will be signing at Challengers on Saturday, August 7 and Third Coast Comics on Saturday, August 28.

Thanks!

New Preview Page

2010-07-01T08:16:00.003-05:00

The Insomnia Red Eye blog just previewed a brand new page from Quarantined, this one from issue 2. It's this one, page 30 in the book:

Drop by the site to see a host of preview pages from Insomnia's upcoming titles.

There will be more previews soon, including cover art. And we'll also announce the mega-talented writer/artist who is writing the introduction to Quarantined.

It's a big deal!

A Few Words on Quarantined

2010-06-26T11:00:00.005-05:00

No, no image preview today. But, what I do have is a brief interview that Monty, Lauren, and I conducted amongst ourselves for Insomnia's RedEye blog.

Here what we had to say:

Zombie comics and films have saturated popular culture. Yet with Quarantined, your art has managed to create a very unique look and feel to the genre. What was your thinking going in?

Monty: The work I did for Quarantined is very mulimedia in the fact that on some pannels I have pencils showing through with brushed inks and zerox transfers all of which I scanned in as Linework in photoshop to give it all a solid black feel. I wanted the look to be scratchy and a little chaotic. While Zombie films have sort of hit mainstream media, I look at it the same way as I do music. If I were going to start a band it would most definitely be a punk band, even though punk has made it to the mainstream. I don't believe all possible options have been explored just because I can hear a few bands on the radio. Same holds true with the zombie genre.

Name the page from any book that you feel best represents your work as a colorist and what it is about this page that you think works.

Lauren: When I became a colourist I hadn't had a great deal of experience with graphic novels, so it's hard to say who's work best represents my own. I think that the way I colour came from my previous experience with fine art, specifically with J.M.W. Turner. He was an artist who fascinated me and while I don't claim to be any where near his standard, I tried to convey his themes digitally, with layering of colour and mood. So it's not a page from a book, but if it was, I'd say Turner's Snowstorm.

There is a political subtext in Quarantined particularly influenced by American paranoia of foreign cultures. Do you find horror, or zombies, lends itself to this sort of allegory and if so why?

Michael: For sure. I think that when you're working in a strict dramatic form and are attempting to deliver a political statement, that statement tends to dominate the narrative. In genre work, specifically horror and sci-fi, you can maintain political/cultural allegory through subtext. As a storyteller, that's important to me. And it's not only about how the theme and message is delivered; it's also about creating a compelling story at the same time. With horror, you can have those weighty issues--brain candy, if you will--balanced by action, suspense, and, most importantly, zombie chaos. The best horror tends to not exist in a vacuum; the most frightening works are so potent because they tap into something deep within ourselves, into who we are collectively or as individuals. This is the central focus of Quarantined.

With horror, it's easy to be dark and have that set the tone. Your tones, though, have a lot nuance, as evidenced in the first issue. How have you approached setting the mood of the book?

Lauren: I've tried to work alongside Monty's style in Quarantined. There's an uneasy undertone to Monty's work which I've tried to show in the colour. It is hard to find the right tone, especially with the first chapter mostly taking place in the dark. I had to alter the way I worked a lot to try and find the right balance on Quarantined. In my work on Kronos City a night sky can be many different bright colours, with stars and clouds etc. but with Quarantined it felt more appropriate to have a heavy black sky, with the characters as the only focus, as that's what Quarantined is about, the characters and how they are coping with this separation from the outside world.

You're in a zombie apocalypse - what do you do?

Michael: I'd need two things: crops and landmines. I think I'd pack up my family and hide away in Montana. I don't think I'm cut out for the "double-tap" shoot-em-up lifestyle. That being the case, I'd try my hand at seclusion and living off the land. With landmines--lots of landmines.

In other news, the Quarantined ebook has gotten mentions from Nerd City, The Inevitable Zombie Apocalypse, and Comic Related. Thanks to all our friends for the support!

It's Here!

2010-06-16T07:07:00.005-05:00

I can definitely say I've been excited about this for awhile: the launch of the Quarantined ebook. With production on Quarantined kicking into its final phase (I'd say were about to round third base) and now the release of this ebook, the book itself feels all the more real.

Quarantined is coming.

So go ahead and click on the reader below. The entire first chapter is yours to read at no charge. Tell your friends, your family, heck, even your enemies. And, most importantly, enjoy!

More Quarantined

2010-05-29T11:25:00.003-05:00

I actually previewed this page a long way back, but it was with the original colors, not Lauren's redux. So, here it is again, with letters, as it will appear in the book. Enjoy!

Remember Quarantined?

2010-05-25T23:33:00.005-05:00

That political zombie allegory coming out this year? It feels like it's been ages since I've discussed it.

Not too fret--the book is very much alive and well. We've all just been working. Monty has finished the art which, believe me, is going blow people away. Lauren and Jim are coloring and lettering, Keith is working on his beautiful covers.

While everything gets wrapped up, I figured I'd share a new page. This comes from the first issue, in what is probably one of my favorite sequences. Enjoy, and prepare yourselves for some exciting times that are just around the corner.

And, to all the people who have joined our Quarantined facebook page: big thanks, sincerely. We now have over 500 members, which amazes me.

Underworld/Rank and File Myebook

2010-05-14T12:37:00.002-05:00

As you'll see on the right side of the page (and below), there is now an Myebook available for two shorts from Keith Burns and me. Underworld was published in Something Wicked, Rank and File in FutureQuake. Both are great anthologies who were kind enough to accept our work (I have another short forthcoming in FQ, in fact).

Hope you enjoy!

Colors, Kickstarter Countdown

2010-05-10T07:46:00.003-05:00

If you haven't already pre-ordered the Reading With Pictures anthology over on kickstarter, less than two weeks remain to do so. My story, The Replacement Heroes In: Civic Service! is just about wrapped up. All we need are words.

In the meantime, here's a preview of page two, in glorious (and, seriously, I mean glorious) color from Chris Beckett. Chris came in and blew our minds (meaning Andy, the editorial team, and myself) with his work . He brought a vivacity to Andy's already energetic art and added some very nice depth in each of the characters. Well done Chris!

Graphic Novel Course

2010-04-21T14:01:00.002-05:00

Registration is now officially open for the Graphic Novel course I’m teaching at the Newberry Library this summer, every Thursday evening from June 10 until July 15.

What this course is going to offer is the building blocks of the graphic novel—what they are, what they mean, and where they come from. We’ll also delve into the history of the comic book medium itself (yes, comics are a medium, not a genre) and trace the path that led from the early years of the golden age to the superhero-dominated era of the silver age, and how different methods of storytelling grew from there.

To facilitate this experience, we’ll read a wide variety of works, chosen to demonstrate the wide range of styles, genres, and themes the medium explores. There are some seminal titles—like Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Will Eisner’s Contract with God—alongside some more contemporary works—such as Joe Kelly’s I Kill Giants. Students will also read Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, a perfect text to help understanding how comics function, the nuts and bolts of how words and images work on a page. *

The course is designed for anyone interested in comics and graphic novels but doesn’t know where or how to dive in. I’ve been a comic book reader since, well, as far back as I can remember. So as a longtime fan—and now creator—I hope to show how this medium works and unlock its mysteries: What makes Watchmen so important? How does Peter Parker see out of that Spider-Man mask?

*I also recommend picking up Douglas Wolk’s Understanding Comics (a more critical text) as well as Chris Ryall and Scott Tiption’s Comic Books 101 (a comprehensive look at the entire industry and history).

C2E2 Wrap

2010-04-19T17:41:00.010-05:00

So that’s it, the very first C2E2 is in the bag—done, over, no going back now. With the smoke beginning to clear, I feel that it’s worth mentioning what a tremendous con C2E2 was. In fact, it didn’t take long for me to realize that this weekend was something special; as I was leaving the con on Sunday afternoon, I was very much aware that it was a significant occasion. My hats off to the people behind C2E2—Larry, Kim, Lance, and everyone involved did an amazing job.

As for me, I’m really happy with the way things went. I’ll be candid: I’m someone who puts a lot (a lot) of pressure on my work and myself. I always want to continue to grow, to push myself, to constantly learn and do better. So for me do anything with high expectations and come out feeling good is a pretty big deal.

I feel like word is really beginning to spread on Quarantined, and all the hard work Monty, Lauren, Jim, and I have been putting in is really starting to show in terms of people noticing the passion behind the book. I caught up with friends and met a lot of terrific, generous, and talented people this weekend—all these things added up to remind me why I love what I do.

Also, in case anyone missed it, I wrote a few dispatches on C2E2 for Wired. One is a preview piece; the other is my take on the new Iron Man motion comic. I was also interviewed in the Graphic Novel Reporter, but was so busy preparing for C2E2 that I didn't have time to dedicate a post.

Next up: Free Comic Book Day. More details on that later. Until then, enjoy the brand-new edition to my toy collection, thanks to my friend, Pistolaser: a Tauntaun!

C2E2! Appearances!

2010-04-10T10:27:00.006-05:00

How's that for excitement? Those who know me know that I'm not exactly an exclamation point kind of guy, so it must be big for me to use them.

Well, this is big. C2E2 is going to melt faces and cause an explosion so big we'll all soon be existing in some kind of flash-sideways universe (it's been awhile since I've referenced LOST, so let me have that one). Anyway, I'm going to be making some appearances at the show, thanks to generous friends of mine. And (here's the exciting part) I'll have a brand-spanking new issue one preview copy with me--with cover art from Keith Burns!

That's right, you can get issue one of Quarantined with a special, C2E2 edition cover.

Heh...I just called the book Quarantined, didn't I? With a D at the end there? Yeah, we had to change the title of the book. It's not a long story, but it's not an especially exciting one either. Suffice to say, this is what the book will be known as henceforth.

Now, on to my schedule of appearances, where you can see me and when:

Nerd City, Friday, from 230-330 (booth 865)
Third Coast Comics, Saturday, from 1200-100 (booth 1018)
Chicago Comics, Saturday, from 600-700 (booth 725)

So stop by, say hi, pick up your copy. We'll talk, have a few laughs, all that friendly stuff. Just don't tell me how sick you are of zombie books (which did happen to me). I get it, zombie stuff is everywhere--but it wasn't when I started writing this book, so there.

I'll also be around the Reading With Pictures booth on Sunday, perhaps signing there are well--I'll have details on that soon. In fact, I'll have another post on C2E2 soon where I'll (hopefully) debut the ridiculously awesome Quarantined cover art. So watch out for that later this week.

2010 Spinetingler Award

2010-03-29T07:19:00.004-05:00

When I say this came as a surprise, I'm not being modest. The excellent Paul Brazill shared the news that I'd been nominated for a Spinetingler Award via a wall post on my facebook page. Up until that point, I had no idea I was even in the running. Nonetheless, I'm absolutely thrilled and honored to have been nominated. Spinetingler Magazine is an excellent publication and, again, I can't believe my story was chosen.

The story in question, "Blurred Lines" is one that was published in A Twist of Noir way back in September of 2009. (It's funny how a Chicago winter can make everything before it seem like the distant past.) Anyone who knows me knows that noir is one of my favorite genres, and I'd been dancing around it for some time. "Blurred Lines" was my actual first dive straight into noir (though my forthcoming graphic novel, Terminus, is futuristic noir).

So, the way the Spinetingler Award works is like this: the 10 nominees are selected by an editorial panel (from my count, there had to have been hundreds of stories to choose from, when taking into account The Drowning Machine, Beat to a Pulp, and other noir fiction sites). The winner is chosen by a reader vote. This means that you, dear reader, can help me win this award--if you like my story, that is. The 10 nominees are all of the highest order, and it's a bit intimidating for me to even be in the same running alongside them. There are some published novelists here, and writers who I've been a fan of.

But if you like "Blurred Lines", then by all means, cast your vote later this week. I'll have an update when the polls open.

Sometime I'll get to writing that noir novel...

Listen to Me!

2010-03-25T12:57:00.005-05:00

No, seriously, listen to me. I'm on a podcast (see where I was going with that? clever, eh?).

Anyway...yes, I made my podcast debut on Nerd City, and got the opportunity to sit down with two hilarious pop cultural phenomenons, Max and Ben. Also in attendance was Brian Crowley and my wife, Alissa (who can occasionally be heard laughing in the background--a laugh that says "what have I gotten myself into?"). So for those who want to hear me talk about Quarantined, C2E2, Donny Amazon, the talented Monty Borror, and why I hope Iron Man 2 doesn't Wolverine us all, then follow this link here. Or, you can download it the podcast from iTunes, and take the sweet monotone sound of my voice with you everywhere.

By the way--listen to Nerd City weekly. Max and Ben are seriously a laugh riot.

Giving It Another Go

2010-03-22T22:38:00.005-05:00

Third time's a charm, right? Let's hope so--because this will be my third attempt to run a graphic novels course at the Newberry Library. The first two times, the course didn't fill and was thus canceled. I'm optimistic for this summer's edition.

Here are the specifics:

The Graphic Novel
Thursdays, 6 – 7:30 pm
June 10 – July 15
6 sessions, $155

Hang a picture on a wall and it’s art. Write words on a page and it’s literature. Yet the idea persists that combining the two in the comic form creates something less. We will work on revising this assumption by tracing the history of graphic novels in the United States and considering their place in American literature. We will read texts that explore how comics function as well as some of the form’s most notable graphic novels, including Will Eisner’s A Contract with God and Alan Moore’s Watchmen.

Course registration isn't open yet, but should be soon. I'll have an update when that happens along with more information on all the texts we'll be covering over the six weeks.

And, because I like to always have art with my posts, here's a shot of the Kalibak action figure I ordered just this past weekend (Kalibak comes from Kirby's Fourth World series--look at that Kirby design!).

Reading With Pictures

2010-03-01T19:39:00.006-06:00

This post is long overdue. That being said, I'm just going to get straight to it.

A few months ago, Josh Elder was gracious enough to offer me a position on his organization's Board of Directors as the Media Director. With a package that included fortune, fame, and free pizza, I couldn't decline. Plus, I believe in the merit of what he is doing with Reading With Pictures. So there's that as well.

Reading With Pictures is a nonprofit organization that is working to get comics into schools and schools into comics. We have a lot of ambitions and projects in mind, all of which are based on the belief that using comics as a tool for teaching children reading, science, math, and the arts is a very, very good thing. We work with academics to conduct groundbreaking research into the role of comics in education; we collaborate with cartoonists to produce exceptional graphic novel content for scholastic use; and, most importantly, we partner with educators to develop a system of best practices for integrating comics into their curriculum.

And right now, through Kickstarter.com, we are taking orders for our very first all-ages anthology. The book will have a cover by Jill Thompson and contributions from Fred Van Lente, Jeffrey Brown, Gabriel Bautista, Chris Giarrusso, and a whole bunch of other people, including myself.

If you're interested, please check out the Kickstarter site for more information. Hey, Rainn Wilson from The Office has contributed!

On the RWP blog, in fact, there's a preview of the contribution from Andy and I, The Replacement Heroes in: Civic Service! The blog has a story synopsis, a fantastic pinup (seen at right), and a few other extras that will not be in the RWP book.

Quarantine "Get Infected!" Contest

2010-02-25T12:25:00.006-06:00

The completion of our original graphic novel, Quarantine, is right around the corner. But before Monty wraps up the art, Lauren adds the color, and Jim places the words, we want to offer a unique opportunity as a way to say thanks to everyone who has supported us so far.

We want you--yes, you!--to get infected. From now until March 10, we here at Team Quarantine are running a contest. The grand prize? How does getting immortalized in a comic book sound?

That's right. The first prize winner will be drawn into Quarantine as one of the infected (and receive an autographed copy of the book). All you have to do is send us photos of yourself performing your favorite zombie pose. Dress up, shuffle around...it's all up to you.

Second prize gets an autographed copy of the book; third prize gets an autographed copy of the limited edition Issue One preview.

Email your submissions to quarantinecomic@gmail.com. Submissions will be reviewed by our panel of highly-trained experts (i.e. people who've seen a lot of Romero movies).

Good luck!

Team Quarantine

Inside Cover Art, Winter Con

2010-02-19T13:19:00.007-06:00

I am now in possession of a box of Quarantine, Issue 1. I'm not going to give a speech (no one asked, and I didn't win anything), but I do need to say thanks to both Charles D. Moisant (of Silver Phoenix Entertainment) who did an excellent job printing this batch, and to Jen Torche, who created four brilliant covers. In fact, the above image is of the inside front cover. It's a great example not only of Jen's skill, but her creativity as well. All I basically gave her was the credits and a vague idea of what I wanted. She ran with the rest. The background text is what really rules--Jen actually found news text from real quarantines and used that as the art. She then placed a strikethrough over the text giving it an authentically chilling feel. Look close and you'll see words like "gunpoint," "public health authority," "being infected," and "vaccines."

If you'd like your own copy--for free!--don't forget that I'll be a guest at The Comic Vault 's Winter Con this Sunday, from 2-4pm. I'll be seated with Onrie Kompan (Yi Soon Shin) and Kristen Koerner Simon (The Little Blue Spruce).

As for Quarantine itself, things are rolling along. Monty is gearing up to begin art on Issue 5 and Lauren is coloring Issue 3. I'd love to be able to share more, but I can't right now. Would it be enough to say that the book is looking totally amazing? (And that pat on the back goes to the art team, not me). I will have more updates soon, as well as a pretty fantastic contest.

Quarantine Contest

2010-02-05T12:59:00.006-06:00

Well, I think I'm officially joined the realm of the surreal. After the long--but great--process that has gotten Quarantine to this point, it's starting to be time to share it with others. A batch of issue one previews are printing and will be in my hands soon. The anticipation, I have to admit, has me a bit on edge, but in a good way (especially after seeing Jen Torche's design work for the inside and back covers--the back is shown here).

To help kick off this exciting time, I am proud to be part of Imagine Daily's "I Love Zombies Day." Anthony Zummo over at ID was gracious enough to allow Quarantine to take part in the undead festivities. To celebrate the day, ID has suggested the following activities:

1.Have a Zombie movie marathon.
2.Start a Zombie Walk in your area.
3.Catch up on some graphic novels like The Walking Dead
4.Play some multiplayer video games like Left 4 Dead with your buddies.
5.Have a dinner party where all the food items resemble victims in a zombie movie.
(brain jello mold? Red Velvet cake shaped like a torso with pink icing?)

And, here's where Quarantine comes in, the top three winners deemed to have the best I Love Zombies celebration will win t-shirts and...the first issue of Quarantine! Signed by Monty and I!

So take part of the fun, and who knows, maybe you'll find yourself a winner (I mean, if you spend a day playing Left 4 Dead or watching Romero movies, you really can't lose).

First Appearance!

2010-02-01T12:47:00.004-06:00

On Sunday, February 21, I'll be appearing at the Comic Vault's Winter Con, a weekend-long event that is featuring a slew of talented creators, including Chris Burnham, Onrie Kompan, Brian J. Crowley, Tom Stillwell, Josh Elder, and more. I'll slated to appear from 2-4 p.m., so stop by if you have some time. If you do, you'll be one of the lucky few to receive a free copy of the first issue of Quarantine. Did I mention it's free?!

This is my first convention appearance as a guest (I've been an attendee since I was 10 years old), so this is a pretty big deal for me. I hope to see you there!

Why Not Some Quarantine?

2010-01-23T08:57:00.004-06:00

Exactly. Why not? There hasn't been much news to post regarding Quarantine in the past few weeks, but that doesn't mean we're not hard at work (okay, Monty, Lauren, and Jim are hard at work--I may or may not be making a few small edits in the later issues). All that aside, here's a look at page 10, unlettered. I especially love the flames reflected in Henry's glasses.

That's that for now. I'll have some more soon, including news regarding my first ever guest appearance at a comic convention--the Comic Vault's Winter Con! More on that soon.

Until then, I'll be doing some research on Lab 257...

2010, Reading With Pictures

2010-01-13T12:32:00.005-06:00

So, it's 2010. Been awhile since I've posted anything here even though quite a few things have been going on. I can't say too much about Quarantine and spoil what's to come, but I can say that, once one piece falls into place, there's going to be a spike in goodies that I'll be able to share. Terminus is also still kicking, though production on that is still a bit of a way off.

In the meantime, I'm happy to share the first set of thumbnails from Andy and my brand-spanking new Butch Stone story. That's right: all new! Okay, so the first story (which will appear in FutureQuake in the fall) isn't done yet, but the stars aligned and an opportunity arose for Andy and I to continue the adventures of our favorite replacement superhero.

The story in question, titled "Butch Stone in: Civic Service!", will appear in the forthcoming Reading With Pictures anthology (and if you haven't checked out what RWP is all about, please do so--they are a great, innovative organization). I'm thrilled--and pretty blown away--to have my work appear alongside so many talented creators (including favorites of mine Jill Thompson and Fred Van Lente). Hopefully my story stacks up.

That's about it for today, this first post of 2010.

(Oh, and those who are counting along: Less than 3 more weeks until Lost. The final season of Lost, whose departure is going to tear a hole in my life. I guess I'll still have...Flashforward? That show with LL Cool J? Man, TV is gonna blow.)

New Quarantine Preview Page

2009-12-21T12:45:00.000-06:00

Here's a holiday treat: a new preview page of Quarantine, courtesy of the Insomnia blog.

Over at The Red Eye, every Insomnia book currently in production has a preview page up--I highly recommend checking it out. Personally, it gave me two 'holy crap' moments. The first was over the amazement on how many books Insomnia has in production (I counted 23). The second was over how terrific they all look (no kidding here--I'm not just jockeying for my publisher). There's Babble, which has the very cool high-concept foundation which I very much enjoy; Cy Dethan has Ragged Man, and I'm up for whatever ideas he puts to paper. There's Kronos City, featuring the work of none other than Quarantine colorist Lauren Anne Sharp and art from 'Wolf Like Me' collaborator Alex Willmore. Butterflies and Moths looks beautiful...I can go on. It's best to check it out for yourself.

Happy holidays everyone! Health and happiness and all that. More in the New Year!

More Butch Stone Thumbnails!

2009-12-14T23:30:00.000-06:00

Why? Well, why not? Andy and I have a lot of plans simmering for Butch--so stay tuned!

Something Different: Machado de Assis

2009-12-08T22:33:00.000-06:00

Different in a few ways. For starters, this is the first academic piece I've had published in some time (and, off the top of my head, the longest). The article in question is on 19th century Brazilian author Machado de Assis, one of my very favorite novelists. I won't go into details as to why, or get into what Machado's writing was all about because, well, read the article. It's certainly a piece of work that I'm really proud of, and when I say it took me years to write, I mean it. So let me say it: This piece took me years to write.

I began putting my thoughts regarding Machado to paper without much of a goal in mind. I wasn't writing for a specific journal and, honestly, I didn't know where I was going with it. Over time, of course, all this became clearer, most importantly why, exactly, Machado resonated with me so profoundly. Then came the research, tracking down journals and other academic resources. Then rewrites. Then revisiting Machado's fiction (and racking up charges at the Northwestern library for a short story collection I initially wasn't going to return). Then more research. The end result, after countless drafts, is what you'll find in The Quarterly Conversation, a truly great place for lit enthusiasts.

The other reason I say this is different is because Machado is such a different writer. His prose bursts with more originality, wit, and intelligence than just about any writer I can think of. He's truly one of the greats, and it's an honor to give him a fraction of the examination his work deserves.

Thumbnails

2009-12-04T07:33:00.000-06:00

I really dig seeing thumbnails sketches, especially with short comics. Seeing the rough art and the page layout really gets my mind thinking. This was especially the case with Butch Stone. After Andy sent me these thumbnails I went in and made a lot of changes--mainly to the dialogue. Seeing the fun Andy was having with the art made me loosen up the story and add a touch of zaniness. A few non-sequiturs later, the script--and the characters--became all the more lively.

Anyway, here's the thumbnails for the first two pages (the story is eight pages in total). I've since written another Butch adventure that Andy and I are working on, and we have a pitch in for yet another story with what is for now an undisclosed anthology. So basically, these sketches from Andy--and our continuous email conversations on Silver Age comics and the life of working in a restaurant--has potentially spawned a short series. We'll have to wait to see what happens.

A Dose of Quarantine

2009-12-01T07:11:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've posted any Quarantine art or news--it seems that days have been flying off the calender like a bad film montage lately. In that time, Team Quarantine has been hard at work in all stages of the book's production. With the new year just around the corner, I think we'll have an e-Book preview of chapter 1 to share fairly soon. After that, it'll be a sprint to our (tentative) spring release (something I'm looking forward to even more now that winter has begun to slowly creep into Chicago).

In the meantime, since my contribution is complete, I'll be working on other projects. But that doesn't mean Quarantine will be off my mind--far from it. In fact, I've recently completed the script for the first issue of the second volume.

Anyway, the illustration above is page 3 of the book. Jim was kind of enough to make a promotional banner with the completed page, so this has now become our (un)official marketing art (you'll recognize the face of the infected as the art used in this site's banner). As usual, Monty's vision and his art are terrific, and Lauren's colors heighten the dreadful mood.

That's about it for now--I plan on having a new batch of promotional postcards printed soon. So if you're in Chicago, keep your eyes out at your local shop; Quarantine will soon be appearing in more places across the city.

'Butch Stone: Replacement Hero'

2009-11-13T10:51:00.000-06:00

This is an amazing, first-peek pinup preview of the art Andy Scordellis has created for our forthcoming FutureQuake strip "Butch Stone: Replacement Hero."

I first wrote the script a year ago, and it was accepted by Dave Evans over at FQ just last month. I reread it, still thought it was good, then didn't give it much consideration. That is, until, I saw Andy's thumbnail sketches (which I'll try to preview at a later date). Even as thumbnails, Andy's art has this raw energy to it, very fluid, action-packed, and alive. He has that Silver Age exuberance in filling each panel to brim, and it works perfectly for Butch Stone. I immediately decided to go back and rework the script. The end result is something way more over the top than I first imagined, with more tongue-in-cheek references, and more humor. And, it's a better script.

Since then, Andy and I have been going back and forth, bouncing ideas off each other. We both seeing Butch, along with his scientist partner, Talbot, engaging in more batshit ridiculous adventures; we both envision Silver Age homages, and pop-culture/historical references. But for now, we have this first strip to complete (which is also being previewed on the FutureQuake blog)--and more oddball ideas involving Antarctica and Nikola Tesla to flesh out.

New Design! New Logo!

2009-11-10T20:15:00.000-06:00

It's with a lot of excitement that I get to unveil this new site, and finally share it with...well, I don't want to say the world, that's overshooting things a bit. Let's say share it with all of you, whoever you may be.

For those who have visited the site before, you notice the brand-new, sleeker, friendlier design. The new site comes courtesy of Keidy Zuniga and Jen Torche. Keidy is responsible for the coding and putting everything together; Jen designed my logo and the background image. Though it doesn't need to be said, both are very talented at what they do and, I'm sure, will continue to do great things.

Other than the look, this site will remain the place for news, updates, and previews. Quarantine is continuing to push forward, with a spring release very much in our sights. Terminus, which I haven't discussed much since the signing announcement, will likely begin production shortly after the start of the new year. I have some news on that--and other things--later in the week.

For now, I hope you enjoy the new site. Thanks for visiting!

'The Return' Page 7 (Only One More to Go)

2009-11-02T18:32:00.001-06:00

Check out the thrilling conclusion over at Gino's site on Friday!

New Huffington Post Piece

2009-10-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

On Daley, economic meltdown, and general city malfeasance.

Check it out, if you're into those kinds of things (in an oppositional way).

'The Return' Page 5

2009-10-26T18:43:00.001-05:00

Miss page 4? Not to worry! You can find it right here, over at Gino's blog.

Enjoy!