Month: October 2018

Smash Pages Q&A: Stephanie Phillips and Jamie Jones

The creators of ‘Kicking Ice’ from Ominous Press discuss their graphic novel about hockey, overcoming bullying and breaking down barriers.

The graphic novel Kicking Ice debuts this week at New York Comic Con. Written by Stephanie Phillips with line art by Jamie Jones, and published by Ominous Press, the book is the story of two girls, Bella and Skye who become fans of hockey – especially the NWHL – and become hockey players.

It’s about hockey, it’s about overcoming bullying, and breaking down barriers, but it’s also about being young, about being passionate, becoming obsessed and having the opportunities to pursue that passion. The book is also supported by the National Women’s Hockey League, including a forward by the commissioner and appearances by players in the story.

I spoke with Phillips and Jones about hockey, collaborating with the NWHL, why the book is set in Connecticut – which they don’t say is because the Connecticut Whale is best pro hockey team out there, but that’s clearly what I’m choosing to read into their answers – and their hopes to make a second volume and tell more stories.

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It’s gotta be Cheryl: ‘Blossoms 666’ imagines a Blossom twin as the Anti-Christ

Cullen Bunn, Laura Braga and Matt Herms team up to tell us which Blossom twin will destroy the Earth. Why can’t it be both?

Cullen Bunn has proven a natural at tackling the supernatural in comics (see: Cold Spots, Harrow County) as well as teenagers (see: X-Men Blue), so it only makes sense that Archie Comics would recruit him for one of their “Afterlife with Archie” titles.

Blossoms 666 teams Bunn with artists Laura Braga and Matt Herms for a different take on the notorious Blossom twins, Cheryl and Jason. According to Nerdist, “They’re wealthy, popular and likeable, but they also harbor a deep, dark secret: one of the Blossom Twins is the Anti-Christ. But neither one knows which of them is the Anti-Christ, and both want the title! In short, no one in Riverdale is safe.”

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Thompson, Carnero blast off with ‘Captain Marvel’ this January

Carol Danvers returns to New York in a new series.

Marvel will kick off 2019 with the launch of a new Captain Marvel series, which lands just two months before the film of the same name debuts. Writer Kelly Thompson, who has been very prolific at the publisher in recent months, will work with artists Carmen Carnero and Tamra Bonvillain on the series.

This is Thompson’s second time to work on the character; she previously teamed with Kelly Sue DeConnick on Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps in 2015.

Amanda Conner provides the cover for the first issue:

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Comics Lowdown: Judge Dredd co-creator Carlos Ezquerra passes away

Mark Waid sued, and gets a new job! Vertigo prepares for NYCC! Plus Ryan Ferrier, Jason Lutes, John McCrea and more!

Passings: Carlos Ezquerra, 2000 AD artist and co-creator of Judge Dredd, has passed away, the Guardian and the Hollywood Reporter both reported this week. The 70-year-old artist was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010, and the disease returned this year.

“It is difficult to put this into words, but we have lost someone who was the heart and soul of 2000AD. It is no exaggeration to call Carlos Ezquerra one of the greatest comic book artists of all time, and his name deserves to be uttered alongside Kirby, Ditko, Miller, Moebius and Eisner,” reads a statement issued by 2000AD. “Yet this doesn’t really do justice to someone whose work was loved by millions and has had an influence far beyond the comic book page. From Judge Dredd to Strontium Dog, from Rat Pack to Major Eazy, Carlos has left us with a legacy of stunning and distinctive work that was and always will be 2000 AD. He has been one of the pillars, producing the same dynamic, enthralling and arresting art we always loved him for. We thought we had many more adventures to come from the master, so we are devastated to discover we were wrong.”

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Gentrification and body horror collide in ‘BTTM FDRS’

Ezra Claytan Daniels and Ben Passmore’s new graphic novel set to debut from Fantagraphics next summer.

Fantagraphics has announced plans to publish BTTM FDRS by writer Ezra Claytan Daniels (Upgrade Soul) and artist Ben Passmore (Daygloayhole) next summer.

Here’s how Fantagraphics describes the book: “Once a thriving working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, The ‘Bottomyards’ is now the definition of urban blight. When an aspiring fashion designer, Darla, and her image-obsessed BFF, Cynthia, descend upon the neighborhood in search of cheap rent, they discover something far more seductive… and deadly.”

“Writing BTTM FDRS was a very therapeutic way to work through my feelings about issues like cultural appropriation, gentrification and representation. By reinterpreting these ideas through a candy-coated lens of body horror and snarky dialogue, they became, for me at least, a little less intimidating,” Claytan Daniels said.

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Koyama Press announces new titles by Sears, Carroll, Leighton, Kuzma

Three new kids titles and “rich gothic horror” highlight the publisher’s spring 2019 season.

Koyama Press has announced their line-up for spring 2019, which includes three graphic novels aimed at kids and a new Emily Carroll project.

Chris Kuzma, Aaron Leighton and Ben Sears each have a kids-oriented project in the line-up, while Carroll’s book is described as “a truly modern horror feast preying on the psyche of today’s youth.”

Earlier this year publisher Annie Koyama announced she planned to close Koyama Press in 2021, to focus on providing “direct financial support” to artists. So this will be one of the final seasons of books coming from the publisher.

You can find more details on the four projects below.

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Let’s talk about ‘Fight Club 3’

Dark Horse Comics announces a second sequel to Chuck Palahniuk’s iconic novel/film.

Dark Horse has announced another graphic novel sequel to Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club novel, which in turn became a film starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. Fight Club 3, the press release says, will ask the question “What’s the first rule of fatherhood?”

“Fight Club 3 is about what happens when you need to team up with your enemy,” Palahniuk said. “And the situation is even more complicated here, given Tyler Durden and Balthazar’s unique relationship.”

Palahniuk will work with artist Cameron Stewart, letterer Nate Piekos of Blambot, colorist Dave McCaig and cover artist David Mack on the project, which will run 12 issues.

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Smash Pages Q&A: Kat Fajardo

The recipient of last year’s CXC Emerging Talent Award discusses drawing a ‘Descendants’ graphic novel for Disney, editing the ‘La Raza Anthology,’ creating comics on Twitter and much more.

Last fall Kat Fajardo received the CXC Emerging Talent Award for her work as both a creator and member of the comics community. She’s the woman behind Bandida Comics, and Gringa, and contributed to Dirty Diamonds, Symbolia and other anthologies and magazines. Fajardo also co-edited and contributed to the anthology La Raza: Unidos y Fuertes.

More recently, Fajardo has been drawing diary comics, which she’s been posting on Twitter. Fajardo drew the comics adaptation of Melissa de le Cruz’s novel The Isle of the Lost, which is out this month from Disney/Hyperion. She’s also a contributor to the anthology Tales from La Vida. I reached out to ask about her work.

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‘Believe her’: ‘Lazarus’ team launches new T-shirt to support RAINN

Greg Rucka and Michael Lark show their support for the U.S.’s largest anti-sexual violence organization with proceeds from a new T-shirt.

Lazarus creators Greg Rucka and Michael Lark have created a new T-shirt to support RAINN, the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the United States.

The shirt features the comic’s main character, Forever Carlyle, drawn by Lark, with the phrase “Believe Her” underneath.

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Fabio Moon has a lovely new poster for NYCC

The ‘Daytripper’ artist adapts a Walt Whitman poem for the convention.

For this week’s New York Comic Con, artist Fabio Moon has designed a new poster he’ll have at his table in Artist Alley (L1-L2).

Moon took a poem by Walt Whitman and gave it a cosplay spin, in comics form:

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Joelle Jones, Tom King, Lee Weeks and more win 2018 Ringo Awards

Marc Andreyko receives the Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award, while Denny O’Neil receives the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 2018 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards were presented this weekend at the Baltimore Comic-Con, celebrating the “creativity, skill and fun of comics.” The awards program is named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.

This is the second year the awards were presented, and they include both “fan favorites,” which were selected by open voting, and “jury and fan winners,” selected by a combination of open nominations and jury voting. You can see the breakdown of how the winners were selected on the Ringo Awards website.

Congratulations to all the winners:

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