11/27/13 @ 3:32 pm EST

Source: Bleeding Cool

The television series Grimm is a hit and has built a loyal fan base. So when Dynamite Entertainment started putting together the creative team for a comic book series based on the show, they did the smart thing… the got two of the show’s writers to do the scripts. Marc Gaffen and Kyle McVey sat down with Jim Zub to talk about the Grimm Universe, writing Nick Burkhardt’s adventures and keeping the fans happy.

JIM ZUB: What themes or characters draw you to Grimm?

MARC GAFFEN: The biggest draw for us is that Nick’s story is, at its root, a simple fish-out-of-water story. The idea of a hidden world right in front of our faces has always been a fascination. And it leaves us with a lot of room to pull from history and bend it to our will. “Oh you thought Ancient Egypt was weird before, let us tell ya a little something about that.“ It’s fun. From Fraggle Rock to the X-men, the discovery that things aren’t always as they seem and a character trying to make sense of the insanity always resonates with people.

JZ: Are there any favorite episodes that spring to mind?

MG: I think we both have a great fondness for an episode from the first season called “Tarantella”. It introduced the the Spinnetod creature. The creature wasn’t just some senseless monster, but someone that has to kill in order to survive. You feel for the Spinnetod because death is a necessary part of their life cycle. That kind of conflict has become the lynchpin for this latest season of the TV show and we hope that we’re bringing that same sense of dimension to the characters in the comic books. Drama resides in shades of grey…and we love that.

JZ: I know fans of these properties can be sticklers for detail. How often do you find yourself re-watching episodes as you’re working away on a script?

KYLE MCVEY: Oh boy, you just mentioned one of the biggest fears any writer/genre writer has. People love the material so much that they have far longer memories than us when it comes to the little details. Make no mistake, in that regard the Grimm fan base are no slackers. They know their stuff. So we are always very cognizant of that fact. We want to give them something new but have it be informed by all that has come before us. It can be tough to keep it straight.

JZ: Do you worry about making a comic like this appealing to a casual reader, someone who hasn’t watched the series before?

KM: We talk about this all the time. It can be tricky pleasing the hardcore Grimmsters’ thirst for a growing mythology while providing new readers with a welcome entry to the series. At this point in the run, we’re doing a couple really exciting, self-contained issues that play just like an episode of the show. They’re a great entry point for new fans before we go off the rails for Nick’s next globe-trotting arc. But we do try to tow the line and let the reader know what’s going on in each issue. Give them a little taste of what this world is all about before we toss them in the deep end.

JZ: This issue seems to be playing with superhero-comic tropes more than the typical fantasy ones of the show. How did this story come about?

KM: We both grew up HUGE DC/Marvel comic book fans and here we’ve been given this world to play in where there are people hiding among us with secret abilities. Sound familiar? So it was nice to ditch the fairy tale set up and tackle the Grimm world from another angle. We live in a society where we’re constantly inundated with super hero’s in the media and in some cases (ie. The Rain City Superhero Movement) people have actually taken it upon themselves to live out their super hero fantasies. Imagine being a young Wesen, inbued with these amazing abilities, how could you resist the urge to suit up?

JZ: How tightly do you write your comic stories – Are they full script with panel counts and detailed descriptions or more outline-style for the artist?

MG: We tend to be very detailed when we write a script. We specifically describe the shots we’re looking for. But at the same time we always tell the artist he has free reign if he has a better way to visually get the panel across. Comics are a highly collaborative medium — with the artist, inker, letterer, and our editor — and in the end the best idea, no matter where it comes from, wins.

JZ: Do you have any particular writing habits or routine?

MG: Kyle and I are actually complete opposites when it comes to writing habits, but it is also very beneficial. I’m a morning writer, all my creativity runs from 8am to 3pm – but after 3 I usually become brain dead. While Kyle is a night writer. So we break the outline of an issue or an arc together, then I’l work on the script in the morning and send it off to Kyle in the afternoon, where he’ll work at it all night.

JZ: What other projects, comic or otherwise, have you got on tap for 2014?

KM: Besides the comics, we have a couple things we’re really excited about next year. We currently have a film called “ReEnactment” that is in preproduction and slated to film next Spring. It’s a horror comedy in the same vein as “Evil Dead” or “Slither” that revolves around a bunch of Confederate Zombies that come back to life seeking REVENGE! Come on. Admit it. You know you’ve always wanted that movie. We’re also in the midst of writing an episode for “Grimm” that should be airing some time in March. And if we’re lucky, we’ll get to keep writing comics. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun so far.

www.bleedingcool.com/2013/11/20/pleasing-the-hardcore-grimmsters-gaffen-and-mcvey-on-writing-grimm/

01/28/15 @ 9:22 am EST

Source: DiamondGalleries.com | Categories: The Twilight Zone Shadow and Substance

Dynamite; $3.99 According to Thomas Wolfe, “You can’t go home again.” But Mr. Wolfe didn’t mention anything about going home to your past. In the first issue of Twilight Zone a successful writer flies back to his hometown for a book signing. What he finds is more than he anticipated when he finds himself face to face with his younger self. Upon encountering his younger self, he must decide if he should help the troubled, abused boy or leave him to suffer knowing what the future holds after that suffering is endured. The story written by Mark Rahner is very interesting both for its philosophical and ethical quandary. The question posed to this man is one anybody would struggle to answer. On top of that is the eerie, unsettling feeling leading up to these moments. The weight of the title is enough to warn readers that this plane ride will not be the usual trip. Edu Menna’s art aides the story by drawing characters with haggard visages, setting the tone for a story both complicated and thought provoking. This first issue comes with covers by Guiu Vilanova, Francesco Francavilla, Jay Shaw, and Jonathan Lau.

01/20/15 @ 1:51 pm EST

Source: Comics Beat | Categories: Reanimator

Lots of Dynamite/Dynamic Forces news: Art sales, Reanimator returns, Looking for Group and Jungle Girl by Frank Cho 01/19/2015 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment <!-- Simple Share Buttons Plus (v0.5.3) simplesharebuttons.com/plus --> Dynamite and Dynamic Forces have been making a lot of announcements, and there isn’t even a con coming. Here’s the round-up: • Dynamic Forces CEO Nick Barrucci is selling art from his personal collection by Tom Raney, Mark Bagley, Scott Hanna, and Patrick Zircher from books like The Outsiders, The Punisher, Uncanny X-Men, Ultimate Spider-Man, The Order, Robin, and more. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the CBLDF. Barrucci owns hundreds of pages of art, and fans can order by artist: orders will be filled randomly for $75 a page. Here are the links to the pages:
Part One Part Two Part Three “Art collecting has been a passion of mine for years,” Barrucci explained. “For the past 30 years, I have been picking up pieces from my favorite artists whenever I can. I look at my collection on a regular basis, as I love to appreciate the form, ...

01/20/15 @ 11:04 am EST

Source: comicvine.com | Categories: Jungle Girl

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce that industry sensation Frank Cho will return to Jungle Girl, the comic book series that showcases Jana, a primal heroine in a prehistoric Lost World. Co-written by Doug Murray (The 'Nam) and illustrated by Jack Jadson (The Savage Hawkman), Jungle Girl: Season Three will debut with a new #1 issue in April 2015, featuring an explosive cover by Frank Cho.Jungle Girl: Season Three picks up where the previous series left off, following Jana's escape from an underwater city and a gigantic, otherworldly creature. However, her father soon reveals that those actions have doomed the Lost World in which they all live, as a wormhole appears in the sky and flaming debris begins to fall through. As the jungle burns, Jana and her friends must contend with stampeding behemoths and displaced, murderous natives. Furthermore, the rift presents a new, fearsome threat, for the fire from an alien dimension was not the only thing to come through."I'm delighted to be back with my co-creator, Doug Murray, and finish out the final story arc of Jungle Girl," says Frank Cho, one of today's most recognizable names in comic book illustration. Cho began his career with a cartoon strip called University2, published in the Diamondback student newspaper at the University of Maryland, College Park. The series evolved into the nationally syndicated comic strip Liberty Meadows, later published and expanded in monthly comic books. Cho became the go-to artist for high-profile comic book projects, including Mighty Avengers, X-Men: Schism, Savage Wolverine, and many more. Over the years, he has garnered numerous awards including an Emmy Award for the Frank Cho's World documentary, the National Cartoonists Society's Awards for Best Comic Book and Book Illustration, the Eagle Award, the Charles M. ...

01/20/15 @ 10:42 am EST

Source: Bleeding Cool | Categories: Legenderry Green Hornet Legenderry Red Sonja Legenderry Vampirella

We have an exclusive first look at the solicitations and covers for Dynamite’s Legendery comics, Legenderry: Green Hornet #3, Legenderry: Red Sonja #3 and Legenderry: Vampirella #3. LEGENDERRY: GREEN HORNET #3 (OF 5)
Cover: Sergio Fernandez Davila Writer: Daryl Gregory Art: Brent Peeples
ON SALE DATE: April 22 Will our heroes escape from Tik-Tok’s clockwork deathtrap? (Probably. It’s only issue 3.) They should hurry, though, because waiting in the wings is the mastermind behind the gang war… The Brass Hornet! Catch an issue full of hot Hornet on Hornet action. LEGENDERRY: RED SONJA #3 (OF 5)
Cover: Sergio Fernandez Davila Writer: Marc Andreyko Art: Aneke
ON SALE DATE: April 15 Sonja always fancied herself a pirate extraordinaire… until now! As she and her newest ally sail the high seas in pursuit of a madman bent on defying death, Red comes face to face with one of the most, ahem, legendary pirates of all time! The question is: whose side is he on? The adventure exploring the outer reaches of the LEGENDERRY world continues! LEGENDERRY: VAMPIRELLA #3 (OF 5)
Cover: Sergio Fernandez Davila Writer: David Avallone Art: David Cabrera
ON SALE DATE: April 8 Alliterative action, as Vampirella faces and fights corruption with Kurtz, romance with Rassendyll and violence with Van Helsing. Hentzau’s plot is in motion, Vampirella’s secrets are revealed and the moral of the story is never let Dr. Moreau give you a haircut.

08/13/14 @ 4:10 pm EST

Source: Bleeding Cool | Categories: Legends of Red Sonja