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07/23/15 @ 2:06 pm EST
Swords of Sorrow: Red Sonja Vs Jungle Girl is part of Dynamite’s all-female written summer event starring their top female characters. This issue is written by Marguerite Bennett and drawn by Mirka Andolfo. Marguerite did this writer’s commentary on the issue. PAGE ONEFirst page, we just wanted a quick opening to catch up readers who may not be following the whole of the crossover, or those who are and needed a swift reminder of Sonja’s location, tasks, and motivation. She and Dejah Thoris discovered that these portals are engineered, and Sonja takes it upon herself to go find the villain and chop of their head, while Dejah turns back to protect her people in their hour of need—fairly informative of character, too.  PAGE TWO – PAGE THREEIf you can, always make Page Two a splash. Dirty writer trick. Tighten tension on Page One and unlock it on Page Two.Ohhhh, Sonja, making friends wherever you go.   PAGE FOUR – PAGE FIVEOr, regarding splash pages, go overboard.I wanted to write a pulp comic—a visual feast, big fat colorful panels. Here we see the jungle, the ice storm, the dinosaurs, and Sonja—four things that should not collide. We’ve got a gorgeous world, but a world clearly out of balance—maybe more beautiful for the disharmony, but decidedly less stable and more dangerous. I was really looking forward to this spread and Mirka’s fantastic.   PAGE SIX – PAGE SEVENPoor Sonja. The spirit was willing, but the plot is causing you trouble. Pixar Rules: Coincidence can get your character into trouble, but it cannot get them out.Fortunately, Sonja loves trouble.(Also, I freaking love Mirka’s art. Jeez.)  PAGE EIGHT – PAGE NINECheesecakey, if your cheesecake could occasionally murder you. I actually rather like good cheesecake when it’s in most pulp comics—context, personhood, and execution are everything, though. You can tell me if I succeeded or not.Jana also only got the drop on Sonja because Sonja just went from zero gravity back to insane humidity and dehydration. Jana is actually not a very capable fighter—she’s more skilled at hunting, tracking, and misdirection.Also, I think I quoted Lion King’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” to Mirka regarding Sonja and Jana’s tumble down that hillside and wiggled my eyebrows at her. God bless Mirka.I also really enjoy wordplay and archaic insults. I took far, far too many Linguistics classes in school and there is an alternate timeline where I became a linguist. Sonja’s “well-traveled barbarian” complements Jana’s cheerful ignorant innocence well, too—personality is everything when you’re baring this much skin. PAGE TENAwwwww, making friends! Friendship is magic, you guys, don’t you watch MY LITTLE PONY? PAGE ELEVENYup, and there’s Mistress Hel, wishing she were cool like Sonja and Jana, wishing she had moves like Jagger.Also enjoyed having two women running around in chainmail and fur bikinis and becoming friends and teaching each other things and making plans for their future friendship.(My parents aren’t going to read this, are they?) PAGE TWELVE – PAGE THIRTEENAhhhhh, quite like these pages. Really wanted the wrongness of the storm to come across in a beautiful way. Mirka nailed it. PAGE FOURTEENSome points about Jana and her role in the jungle—she is a hunter. She is a meat-eater and she kills. But she kills to survive or to feed her tribe. This was wanton and cruel. And now she’s gonna murder your punk ass. PAGE FIFTEEN – PAGE SIXTEEN Friendship is magic but it is also obnoxious puns. Jamie McKelvie is right; working with Kieron Gillen has ruined me. PAGE SEVENTEEN – PAGE NINETEENOh, poor Bel’lok. I designed you to be our pretty doe-eyed damsel and you’re so good at it. I like his vulnerability immensely; I like his modesty and his will to press on, even as he is injured, even as he is surrounded by strangers. Black male characters in comics are so often portrayed as the muscle, and I wanted to expand into something gentler, cognitive, and romantic, in terms of race and gender performance. Criticize away—I’m learning, too. Bel’lok is far and away the smartest and cleverest person in the whole arc. He’s done his homework and he knows what’s going on and he might just know how to fix everything. PAGE TWENTY“What’s going on” being “Mistress Hel is being a massive jerkface.”
02/19/21 @ 3:54 pm EST
In addition to the just-announced additions of Jim "Ski" Sokolowski and Nick Pentz to the Dynamite crew, the publisher is proud to announce another new team member with deep, long-lasting ties throughout the industry. Dynamite has signed on Vince Letterio to further strengthen ties to direct market retailers and more.
Vince Letterio, former Director of Publishing Operations at DC Comics, joins Dynamite in his new role as Director of Direct Market Sales. With nearly 40 years as a prominent figure in the business, his experience is unmatched. With a start managing the historic New Jersey based retailer Steve's Comic Relief for a decade, he went on to 28 years at DC, bolstering their connections to retailers and expanding their publishing initiatives. "I’m thrilled to be joining the talented team and creators at Dynamite and excited to be once again working with the fine Direct Market retailers and Diamond Comic Distributors," said Vince Letterio. "With my experience not only on the publisher side, but with retailers and creators, it will be exciting to reconnect with many old friends and make even more from this new position." "We're very fortunate to be bringing someone of Vince's caliber to Dynamite," added Nick Barrucci, Dynamite CEO and Publisher. "He is one of the most respected people in the industry, and played a key role in the growth of DC's business for nearly three decades. We've worked hand in hand with Vince on crossovers with DC, and saw the results of his initiatives. His reputation with retailers is second to none. I'm looking forward to his working with our team to increase Dynamite's sales and market share in the industry" 02/18/21 @ 5:25 pm EST
Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce a donation of $10,000 to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) to help support comic industry retailers and their employees continuing to battle the challenges of the past year and the COVID-19 crisis.
 Binc has done an incredible job during the pandemic and related shutdowns in assisting the local comic shops around the country that serve as the lifeblood of the entire industry in connecting publishers to fans. Dynamite stands with the direct market and all the hard-working retailers that are the best advocates of the wonderful medium of comic books. In today's world where so much of popular entertainment spawns from these comics, the retail infrastructure is ever more important. With the persistence of challenging conditions, retailers need all the help they can get. This follows other extensive efforts from Dynamite going back to March of 2020 to bolster the industry's network of partners and fans through regular deep discounts on product and returnable options across the line of periodicals. Retailers have consistently supported Dynamite through its 15 plus year history, and especially the past year with increased orders, and the publisher strives to keep spreading the love at all times.
"Dynamite has continuously been grateful of the support of our retail partners, and we've been proud to reciprocate that support. At the beginning of the pandemic, we were the first comic publisher to offer linewide returns on all of our titles, and were measured in our release schedule to help retailers," said Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite. "While going into the new year, we were hoping that the worst was behind us, but we still have a way to go. We decided to make this donation to Binc to help retailers, as they have ... 02/18/21 @ 5:22 pm EST
Dynamite Entertainment announces a duo of new hires, bulking up the publisher's new business development, ongoing publishing, and production efforts for continued success and growth.  As Dynamite continues its business and creative achievements over its 15 plus year history and increased sales including the recent uptick with the success of The Boys on Prime Video, as well as commercial and critically acclaimed relaunches of flagship titles including Vampirella and Red Sonja, new blood has been brought in to keep up the momentum and kick things up another notch. Two key new hires add both collective decades of experience and fresh outlooks on the industry. Jim Sokolowski, known to colleagues as "Ski" will be taking on his new role as Dynamite VP and Associate Publisher. With multiple stints at leading comic book publishers including Marvel, DC, Archie, and other great publishers, he brings a wide scope of knowledge and experiences to apply and innovate at Dynamite. At previous companies, he has been significantly involved in expanding sales and business partnerships in many categories. With Dynamite he will be working both with licensors and creative talent to hone and expand the publisher's initiatives. "Having worked at Marvel and DC as well as other publishers, I'm excited to work with one who has also had an incredible track record and in multiple genres and categories," said Jim Sokolowski. "Looking at the entire publishing library that Dynamite has, from comics to prose, retrospective books, instructional and art books, and so much more, this is a new challenge that I'm looking forward to. I'm psyched at the opportunity to work with the Dynamite team in continuing their momentum as one of the most unique and visionary forces in the industry."  Read More Here02/18/21 @ 4:21 pm EST
The She-Devil With a Sword is striking out in a prestige new series by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with May's Invincible Red Sonja!
"I have loved Red Sonja since I was about 12 years old," said Amanda Conner. "I wanted to grow up to be her at one point, but it's just not the Hyborian Age anymore. Which I guess is a good thing."
Jimmy adds, "Red Sonja is one of my favorite sword and sorcery characters ever since I bought her first appearance from the candy store."
The comic book power couple bring their trademark action and wit to every character they tackle, from Power Girl, to Jonah Hex, to Watchmen, and more. The duo took on Harley Quinn, a character who hadn't had a series in years and catapulted her popularity to the "fourth pillar" alongside Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman; and laid the groundwork for multiple media adaptations, including the critically acclaimed show on HBO Max and the character's portrayal in multiple films.
This new journey for the fiery-haired heroine is chock-full of pirates, mermaids, princesses, political intrigue and much more. It's a can't-miss celebration of sword and sorcery action.
Fan-favorite artist Moritat teams again with Amanda and Jimmy to tackle the exhilirating interiors, following his critically acclaimed collaboration with Jimmy on All-Star Western. Letterer Dave Sharpe completes this all-star team.
The series is wrapped in beautiful covers by Amanda, adding to her growing library of iconic takes on the character. She's joined by a top flight crew of fellow cover artists including Joseph Michael Linsner, Carla Cohen, the Dynamite debut of Celina, and a limited edition "outrage" variant by Frank Cho.
"Amanda and Jimmy have built up an incredible fanbase and are two of the best-selling ...
02/02/21 @ 3:17 pm EST
Today Amanda Conner is one of the industry's most celebrated artists. The road to get to that position took a major turn 25 years ago when she first drew Vampirella, and now she's returning to the heroine for an exclusive new release only available on Indiegogo!
Amanda Conner is known across the comics community and further for her fan-favorite writing and art on titles like Harley Quinn, Power Girl, Before Watchmen, and more. In 1996, after a period of being typecast as an artist for comics oriented to young children or girls, Conner became the lead artist for Vampirella at the height of the "bad girl" trend. She capped off Tom Sniegoski's beloved run by concluding the original Vengeance of Vampirella series and the hyped-up death of the character. Chronicling the expected resurrection and proceeding blockbuster relaunch, Amanda became to many the next definitive artist of the character at the time, following Jose Gonzalez from decades prior. Returning for covers and occasional stories through the Harris era, she cemented that legacy.
Despite frequently working with the publisher, Amanda had not drawn a Vampirella cover for Dynamite until January's Vampirella #7. With that one down, and anxious for more, now she's back with another to celebrate the character's 50th-anniversary finale, exclusively delivered directly to fans via crowdfunding. But more than that, Dynamite is assembling a unique package for fans to really celebrate her legacy.
The new cover will grace a commemorative issue reprinting some of Amanda's hallmark contributions to the character through the years. Front and center will be her kickoff to the 1997 relaunch often referred to as "The New Monthly," with writing from an all-star duo of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, and inks from her husband and creative partner Jimmy Palmiotti. This issue features ... 01/28/21 @ 1:18 pm EST
This May, indie comics creator Richard Dent and Dynamite present the complete Ringo Award-nominated graphic novel Myopia.
"I always wanted to write a science fiction novel with an element of who-dun-it, but I never dreamed it would be in graphic form," said writer Richard Dent. "I'm so proud of this illustrated beauty."
Crafted in a style that hearkens back to the "Dark Age" of comics when the art form was evolving and maturing, Myopia combines speculative fiction, noir, and steampunk into a dystopian reality where big government and big business alike control every thought and move of their citizens.
A homeless man is mysteriously abducted. A journal is left on the edge of a subway platform, filled with stories about a world that doesn't exist. Not far from here a scientist is murdered in cold blood. The only clues are his burned down lab. A magnetically propelled motorcycle, and a man walking around New York City with the last living falcon on the planet.
Now imagine being a twelve-year old boy and discovering a special pair of lenses that allow you to access The Central Lens Network undetected. This is exactly what happens to Matthew Glen the day his father is murdered then two years later mysteriously appears back in his life.
Lushly illustrated by fan-favorite artists Patrick Berkenkotter (Vampirella) and Ronilson Freire (Green Hornet), the full 170-plus page epic is now available in one volume. This anticipated release follows a successful Kickstarter campaign and a pair of serialized prestige comics.
"Myopia is a solid read for those who like their sci-fi hard and wordy. The story is interesting, the characters are well formed, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. I can ... 01/27/21 @ 4:15 pm EST
Dynamite is proud to announce the definitive tome on the concept artwork behind the cult classic film Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow. Production designer and co-creator Kevin Conran opens the curtains on the pulp and steampunk flavored world.
"Roger Ebert wrote that Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow made him feel the way he did when he first saw Raiders of the Lost Ark," said Kevin Conran. "Which made sense, because for most of our film's production Kerry and I felt like we had a giant boulder rolling after us. Made for nerds by nerds, Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow was a long, hard journey and a labor of love. Fortunately, like Indy, we somehow managed to survive."
Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow revved up its diesel engines and flew right into theaters in 2004, debuting a stunning world and innovating on the filmmaking process. The film wowed audiences, as it both called back to classic films and techniques, while furthering those techniques with advanced methods and technologies. Many of these groundbreaking ideas have since become standard in the industry.
The film was the first to be shot entirely against blue screen, with integrated digital effects in mind. A legion of talented visual artists, modelers, animators and more composed the look of the entire film, seamlessly setting actors in a lush CG world, as director Kerry Conran filmed the live action segments with actors including Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie.
Sky Captain had a long epic journey to the screen - over 20 years, and that is where the story really begins. As young children, brothers Kevin and Kerry Conran fell in love with the film serials and pulpy comic books of the 1930s and '40s, with ... 01/25/21 @ 5:46 pm EST
H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most influential creators of all time. For over 100 years, his works of haunting dread and existential angst have inspired writers and artists across all media. The latest entry in that ever-expanding tapestry is our very own REANIMATOR: THE ETERNAL LIE, which you can get on Indiegogo right now!
Creators Cullen Bunn and Blacky Shepherd are true horror hounds and decided to make this one of their most ambitious works of their careers. With the mission to craft a direct sequel to Lovecraft's original novella as well as connect it to the late great's wider mythos of Cthulhu and the Elder Gods, it's shaping up to be a tome that can't be missed.
SyFy Wire and their resident spook addict Jeff Spry, otherwise known for his electric nickname Stingrayghost, sat down with Cullen to peel back the fleshy facade of this new tale. The Eisner-nominated scribe unveils how this project came together and all of its myriad components. Even back to his early days of discovering the Lovecraft mythology in Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks as a child. As well as complementing his co-creator Shepherd's inhuman ability to bring the deadliest creatures to the page.
Click below to dig into the article, and don't forget to back the campaign for your own copy! SyFy's Breakdown & Interview Are Here 
01/22/21 @ 11:19 am EST
Debut creators Julio Anta (Frontera, forthcoming HarperCollins 2023) and Anna Wieszczyk weave a deeply grounded and heartfelt story in the forthcoming comic book Home. This five-issue miniseries will explore the real-world implications of a migrant with extraordinary powers, and will launch from Image Comics in April… Home follows a young boy who is torn away from his mother while seeking asylum at the U.S. border, just as something begins to change in him. He doesn’t know it yet, but it’s the onset of superhuman abilities that will change his life forever. “As the son and grandson of Cuban and Colombian immigrants, and now a parent myself, the news of the governments family separation policy both broke my heart, and filled me with anger,” said Anta. “Home is an attempt to channel those complicated feelings about what it means to be an American into a story about empowered Latinx characters dealing with the cruelty of our modern immigration laws.” Valenza said: “I rarely get the opportunity to color cartoon-inspired art like Anna’s. It’s been a joy to use colors to balance her stylized work with the serious subject matter of Julio’s story. Working on Home has been a challenging experience that I’m so happy to be involved in.” “It was a pleasure working on the book with Julio [Anta]. He has a very defined artistic vision for the story and it was an enjoyable experience to be a part of this journey,” Wieszczyk said. Read More Here 01/08/21 @ 8:38 am EST
Dynamite announces a brand new prestige Reanimator comic book from creators Cullen Bunn and Blacky Shepherd, connecting the maniacal Herbert West to the wider Cthulhu mythology of H.P. Lovecraft, with a story that serves as a direct sequel to the original short story. Fans can reserve their copy right now on Indiegogo!
Though he’s presumed dead at the end of Lovecraft’s original tale, nothing can keep the mad scientist Herbert West down. He’s back and with his reanimation serum stolen, he must travel to the infamous town of Innsmouth, home to degenerate townsfolk and dark gods alike. This story is full of monsters, scares, and surprises for both longtime Lovecraft disciples and new readers. It will kill off all expectations for what readers think they know about Herbert West, only to reanimate them with something new and terrifying. "There have been so many incarnations of Herbert West, but we’ve been given the opportunity to take the character back to formula, if you’ll pardon the pun," said Cullen Bunn. "This story finds West in the 1920s, not long after the conclusion of the original short story. From there, we were able to go in some sinister new directions I think readers will love."
Artist Blacky Shepherd added, "As a lifelong fan of the visceral horror that you get with Reanimator, and the cosmic dread of the rest of the Lovecraft mythos, the chance to stitch the two together, as written by one of the Modern Masters of the Macabre was too exciting. This story gives me everything I love in a horror story and dials it up to 13!"
Eisner-nominated writer Cullen Bunn is a master of horror, with the critically acclaimed independent title Harrow County. Other hits of his include stints on Deadpool, X-Men, and ...
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