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06/25/16 @ 4:44 am EST
Dynamite has sent us a new Writer 2 Writer interview, this time Frank Barbiere, writer of Dejah Thoris #5, talks with writer David Avallone about Twilight Zone: The Shadow #3, both in stores now. Cover is by Francesco Francavilla with interiors by Dave Acosta.  FRANK BARBIERE: It’s always interesting when two different worlds collide in a comic. What do you feel are a few of the most important concepts/themes of The Shadow and The Twilight Zone that you were hoping to infuse into this book?DAVID AVALLONE: The Twilight Zone and The Shadow have certain elements in common. I thought about that a lot when I was working on the book. Both are encountered by ordinary human beings at points of crisis in their lives, and judge them by how the react to their circumstances. Whereas The Twilight Zone is completely abstract, The Shadow is very present and personal… but both mete out a kind of justice. The big challenge here was that it’s the Shadow being “judged” inside the Twilight Zone. And how does a guy with his powers and his responsibilities and his mission take to being toyed with by a seemingly omnipotent power, and judged? In issue #4, I finally answer that question. Stay tuned. FB: You have a lot of fun with a surreal sequence in the book involving a writer becoming part of his work. What was your inspiration for this specific part of the story?DA: It is notoriously difficult to dramatize writing, as an action. Ultimately it’s a guy staring off into space, and then typing for a few minutes, and then staring off into space for a while. But what’s happening in his head while he’s staring off into space? That’s where the drama is. And because I have the trappings of sci-fi/fantasy/horror to play with, I can make the internal psychodrama real: the writer inhabits his own memories, fantasies and nightmares.On a beat-by-beat level, Art getting sucked into his typewriter was inspired to some degree by David Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch film. Lots of anthropomorphized typewriters in that one. Kent Allard on the blank page, menaced by shifting characters, lost… that was actually inspired by a Daffy Duck cartoon: “Duck Amuck”. And the giant typebars smashing down to spell the word “Justice” was inspired by Franz Kafka’s short story “In The Penal Colony”…. which, like our story here, is about degrees of punishment, mercy and justice.  FB: You open the book with some great captions. How do you feel about the caption works in tandem with the comic art page? Do you try to subvert the art with the text, or really treat it as a companion?DA: Thanks! I actually try to eschew captions as much as I can: sort of like using voice over or title cards in movies, it seems like a short cut to me, or an admission that I couldn’t get an idea across with dialogue or visuals. I like to do as little hand-holding of the audience as humanly possible, and let them “get it” without me coming out and explaining too much.There are plenty of genius comics writers – I’m thinking of Alan Moore, for example – who can write thick paragraphs of prose captions that add tremendously to the book. For me, comics are a visual medium, and in the stories I’ve written so far, I have wanted to stick to images and dialogue as much as possible.But. This is The Twilight Zone. And as a big fan of the original show, one of the highlights was always Rod Serling’s introductions and final summations. They were always beautiful and poetic and thoughtful. Since The Twilight Zone – as a franchise – is pretty much just an abstract idea, I felt like the one concrete connection I could make to the series was to open and close each issue with my best approximation of Serling’s style and “voice”. If I weren’t writing these, and just reading them like any other fan, I would want that. FB: Do you feel this is leaning towards a more Shadow story or a Twilight Zone story? Do you feel any predominant elements rising to the surface? DA: As above, the Twilight Zone is more of a format than a franchise: a person encounters an uncanny circumstance and their character is revealed in their reaction to it. If possible, with a twist ending. The attempt here was to make the Shadow that character, who encounters the uncanny. The trick is that he’s a pretty uncanny guy himself. Ultimately I asked myself, “What story would Rod Serling or Richard Matheson want to tell about the Shadow? What lesson can Kent Allard learn about himself, and does that change him or not?” I was concerned (and still am, somewhat) that the average Shadow reader is going to expect a little more gunplay and detective work than I provide here. I’ll say this: issues #1 and #4 are more Shadow than Twilight Zone and issues #2 and #3 are more Twilight Zone than Shadow. FB: What makes the comic medium a good fit for this story? Can you talk about how you approach deciding what to show on the page vs. text?DA: I think I answered the second question back in my answer to number three, because I am – ironically – long-winded on the subject of not-being-long-winded-in-comic-books. As to the first, I think you could tell variations of this story in other formats, but when I’m plotting out a comic book issue or miniseries I give a lot of thought to the pacing, and that’s where it gets tailored to the medium. This series in particular is designed to be episodic: The Shadow jumps into three different perspectives, with one issue devoted to each new perspective, ending in a cliffhanger revealing the next incoming change. Then in issue #4 we find out how that experience affected him.If it was a single half hour Twilight Zone episode, it would probably have forced me to pick one of the perspective changes and run with that. In a novel, I’d have had a lot more time to explore the individual perspectives. In comic books, I find page 22 or 20 comes pretty fast and I’m always trying to get as much story in there as possible. I hope that pays off for the reader.
08/22/19 @ 2:35 pm EST
Dynamite announces the second entry in Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares graphic novel trilogy - Volume 2: Wrath!
Creator Pierce Brown returns for this entry, alongside co-writer Rik Hoskin (Brandon Sanderson's White Sand) and artist Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers). Toby Cypress (Omega Men, The White Suits) contributes another beautiful cover. Rounding out the team are colorist Dee Cunniffe (The Wicked + The Divine, Paper Girls) and letterer Tom Napolitano (Justice League, Aquaman, Red Sonja). Brown's cosmic tapestry expands further in this chapter continuing the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel series. Fitchner's quest for revenge continues as he and the Sons of Ares seek out the Golds who have wronged his family. Though their actions will come with repercussions and a back and forth will evolve into battles and the seeds of revolution.  The Red Rising saga depicts a future wherein mankind has explored and expanded across the cosmos. The ruling class has established a rigid caste system based on colors to stratify society, with "Golds" at the top. The eponymous first novel follows the tribulations of a Red joining a resistance movement and infiltrating Gold society to dismantle the entire system. The Sons of Ares graphic novels build the foundation for those threads by depicting the beginnings of their titular rebel organization. "I’m excited to reunite with Rik to further expand the world of Red Rising, and to see Eli render the seething cities and mythical violence of the Society with his savage inks," said creator and writer Pierce Brown. "This is a tale of madmen and romantics. Fortunately, I’ve got two of the best to help me tell it."
"It's been a pleasure to return to the Red Rising world, with Pierce once again steering the ...
08/22/19 @ 2:12 pm EST
Dynamite announces the next epic chapter in the comic book chronicles of the legendary rock band, KISS: Zombies!
 After all, what can possibly happen after "The End" than a full-blown zombie apocalypse? That is the screwed up status quo that writer Ethan Sacks (Old Man Hawkeye, Star Wars) and artist Rodney Buchemi (Death of Hawkman) will tackle in this new limited series. Assisted on colors and letters by Dijjo Lima (Assassin's Creed, Doc Savage) and Troy Peteri (Amazing Spider-Man, Witchblade). Picking up decades after the fall of civilization, humans are now an endangered species isolated to strongholds such as the central New Detroit. These undead are attracted to sound, so music and all related iconography have been banned. Especially that of the greatest band in history. However, a group of teenagers are not going to live this way and set out on a quest to track down KISS! Who may ultimately be the ultimate weapon to turn the tide against the zombies! Sacks has described the series as a cocktail of Land of the Dead, A Quiet Place, Seven Samurai and even Footloose! This marks the first comic book work for Sacks outside of Marvel, where he's expanded the "Old Man" franchise to Hawkeye and Star-Lord to much critical and fan acclaim. He's got history with the band though, through his previous career as a journalist. "In my two and a half decades as an entertainment journalist, one of my most proud achievements was interviewing Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley for a 40th anniversary retrospective of KISS," said writer Ethan Sacks. "After all, this was a band that had provided the soundtrack for much of my life, and their eerie black and white makeup aesthetic seared itself in my brain during my childhood when ... 08/16/19 @ 9:35 pm EST
The Vampirella #1 exclusive cover by Billy Tucci is now funded on Indiegogo! Dynamite thanks all the supporters! You still have time to join the party! CLICK HERE!
Fans of Vampirella and Shi showed up and blasted away the goal in less than 24 hours! This ensures that everyone will get their limited edition covers and prints. In fact, they will be shipped out to backers within 10 days of the campaign ending!
Billy Tucci created his first cover for Vampirella back in 1995, just a year after the first issue of his independent title Shi released. Over the years, he's made more contributions to the Vampirella tapestry, through crossovers with Shi and as recently as beautiful variant covers for Joseph Michael Linsner's Vampirella: Roses for the Dead. For Vampi's 50th anniversary, Tucci knew he had to do something special. Shi is also celebrating her 25th anniversary, so it was natural for the two to appear together again on an original cover!
The exclusive Vampirella/Shi anniversary cover is available in multiple editions. Starting with the "standard" cover in full glorious color by Wes Hartman. Also available are "virgin covers," dressed "black and white," "black and white virgin," and even a premium "pure line art" edition! There are also bundles with all covers included, or signatures from Tucci himself! Also available separately or as an add-on is a high quality lithograph print of this historic crossover cover!
DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE! LIMITED TIME, LIMITED QUANITY - ONLY ON INDIEGOGO!    
08/14/19 @ 11:23 pm EST
Dynamite announces a special creator exclusive cover for Vampirella #1 by Billy Tucci on Indiegogo! Celebrating the dual celebration of Vampi's 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of Tucci's Shi!
Live on Indiegogo right now (CLICK HERE!)! The Daughter of Drakulon and Billy Tucci's Shi share a beautiful cover being offered only on Indiegogo for a limited time. This critically acclaimed and explosive debut of the new ongoing series by Christopher Priest and Ergun Gunduz has already sold a Dynamite 130,000 units both through the Direct Market and outside it with retailer and creator exclusives like this one!
"I've had the honor to be associated with Vampirella many times since I first broke into comics 25 years ago," said Billy Tucci. "This cover not only celebrates Vampirella's 50th anniversary, but also the 25th anniversary of my own creation, Shi."
Multiple options are available for those with differing budgets and tastes as well as the ultimate Vampi/Shi collectors out there, but all copies have already been printed and made available to fans in extremely limited quantities on a first-come-first-serve basis. At the base is the original cover by Billy Tucci, with logos and full gorgeous colors by Wes Hartman. Variations include a logo-less "virgin" cover, dressed "black and white," "black and white virgin" and even a premium "Pure Line Art" edition reproducing Tucci's flawless original pencil art. Only 300 copies of this cover have been produced! Fans can also get a combo pack with the four base covers, a pack with all four signed or the signed line art cover.
   
In addition to the comic, Dynamite and Billy Tucci have also ... 08/13/19 @ 12:13 pm EST
Dynamite Entertainment is exceptionally pleased with the success of Vampirella #1! The hard work and enthusiasm of the creative team of Christopher Priest & Ergün Gündüz, Dynamite's staff, fans and most importantly retailers, led to quite the gift for Vampi's 50th birthday bash!
Vampirella #1 landed in the top 10 for dollars and #11 in units! Diamond Comics Distributors has released their public rankings for the best-selling comic books and graphic novels for July 2019. In a competitive month with every publisher releasing heavy hitters, relaunched titles and historical milestone issues, this is a real accomplishment! Just aboveanother famous comic book character that hangs out with bats!
This healthy debut for Vampirella makes it the best selling full priced Dynamite comic book of all time! Which works perfectly with 2019 also as Dynamite's 15th anniversary of publishing. While keeping in mind that many copies of Vampirella #1 were not directly distributed through Diamond, accounting for some retailer and creator exclusives yet to be revealed. All accounting for the whopping 130,000+ print run! 
Dynamite has been blown away by the reactions from fans, critics and retailers surrounding the launch. Many fans reported that their Local Comic Shops quickly sold out of the issue or other 50th anniversary Vampirella items such as the replica edition of her first appearance. Stores across the country and even overseas were sharing photos of their life-size Vampi standees stuffed to the brim with comics and graphic novels in anticipation of New Comic Book Day. Many fans were able to chat with Priest at San Diego Comic Con and then signings at historic comic book stores Midtown Comics in New York, Fat Jack's Comicrypt in Philadelphia and Dr. No's Comics & Games in Marietta, Georgia.
While the debut was ...
07/30/19 @ 4:57 pm EST
07/29/19 @ 5:15 pm EST
07/26/19 @ 4:09 pm EST
The classic Dynamite series Queen Sonja will be recollected in a set of two paperback omnibus volumes, with the first out in October 2019.  Queen Sonja Omnibus Volume 1 reprints the first 15 issues of that series. The 396-page paperback volume allows fans new and old to collect these stories affordably and binge them in a great format. In this volume, writers Joshua Ortega (Gears of War), Arvid Nelson (Rex Mundi, Warlord of Mars) and current Birth of the She-Devil scribe Luke Lieberman craft arcs depicting the unique challenges that face Sonja at this stage in her life. They're joined by all-star She-Devil with a Sword artist Mel Rubi and Jackson Herbert. As well as a cover gallery, including a dozen paintings from superstar Lucio Parrillo. Pick up this terrific tome to read these tales of a mature battle-hardened Sonja atop the throne, dealing with threats from the outside and within.
“Know also, O prince, that in the selfsame days that the Cimmerian did stalk the Hyborian Kingdoms, one of the few swords worthy to cross with his was that of Red Sonja, warrior-woman out of majestic Hyrkania. Forced to flee her homeland because she spurned the advances of a king and slew him instead, she rode west across the Turanian steppes and into the shadowed mists of legendary.” — The Nemedian Chronicles
  
Queen Sonja Omnibus Volume 1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ August 2019 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in October 2019. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies with their local comic book retailers. It will also be ... 07/26/19 @ 4:06 pm EST
Dynamite announces a fright-filled pair of Halloween themed special one-shots starring Red Sonja and Bettie Page! In Savage Tales: A Red Sonja Halloween Special, writer Mark Russell brings in artist Jacob Edgar (James Bond: Moneypenny) to tell an extra-length spooky story. Dearbhla Kelly and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou also jump over from the regular series for this essential tale for fans of the She-Devil with a Sword. All underneath a striking cover from Erica D'Urso (Xena, Captain Marvel), drawing inspiration from the original Savage Tales #1.
This one-shot perfectly complements issue 9 of the ongoing series, out the same month. While that issue has Sonja returning to the Sorcerers of Wigur-Nomadene, Savage Tales flashes back to their first encounter. At this point, Sonja is not yet a legend, but a brute full of anger and ambition. Savage. Everyone's favorite fiery heroine tries to convince the sorcerers to bring her family and friends back to life. "I saved the darkest chapter of the Red Sonja story for this Halloween Special," said writer Mark Russell. "The main series refers to an earlier visit by Sonja to the Sorcerers of Wigur-Nomadene and this tells the story of that visit and the price she paid to try to bring her dead family back to life. Jacob’s style lends itself really well to this story of dark magic and loss and I think it will make a great entry into the canon as well as a self-contained story."
"This new Sonja series has built a world that feels lived in, covered in dirt and sand and... probably some pretty bad smells. Approaching this issue, especially given that it's a dark Halloween tale, I really want to capture that feeling but also turn up the boldness," said artist Jacob Edgar. "Really push the ... 07/25/19 @ 9:37 am EST
LAST CHANCE On the Garth Ennis/The Boys Humble Bundle! Binge The Boys Before the Show Debuts Friday! The Garth Ennis' The Boys & More Humble Bundle ends tomorrow at 2 PM EST! Jump on it and get 97% off almost 5,000 pages of quality classic comics, primarily written by the master Garth Ennis (Punisher, Preacher). For just $15 you can get every single issue of The Boys! Try and binge it all before the show premieres on Amazon's Prime Video this Friday July 26! You can also check out the $1 tier and still walk away with tons of comics! All benefiting the EveryLibrary Institute too! ENDING TOMORROW, SO CHECK IT OUT NOW! GARTH ENNIS/THE BOYS HUMBLE BUNDLE!   
  
   Don't miss these limited deals! Garth Ennis/The Boys Comics Bundle!
$1 Tier The Boys #1-14 The Ninjettes #1-6A Train Called Love #1-10
Just a Pilgrim #1-5
Just a Pilgrim: Garden of Eden #1-4 $8 Tier The Boys #15-47
The Boys: Herogasm #1-6
Red Team #1-7
Battlefields: Night Witches #1-3
Battlefields: Dear Billy #1-3
Battlefields: The Tankies #1-3
$15 Tier The Boys #48-72
The Boys: Highland Laddie #1-6The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #1-6Jennifer Blood #1-36
Red Team: Double Tap, Center Mass #1-9
Battlefields (2010) #1-9
Battlefields (2012) #1-6 |
