Author: JK Parkin

Smash Pages Q&A: David Pepose on the influences behind ‘Spencer & Locke’

With a sequel set to debut in April, the writer of the surprise hit series breaks down the comics DNA of the book.

It’s been called “What if Calvin and Hobbes grew up in Sin City?” but David Pepose and Jorge Santiago Jr.’s Spencer & Locke proved to be more than that. While it does wear those two inspirations on its sleeve, the DNA of this particular project goes deeper than its tagline.

With the followup to the surprise hit set to debut in April (and a movie in the works), I spoke with David about some of the influences on the series that go beyond the surface, including Moon Knight, Criminal, Batgirl and more. Admittedly this was a really fun interview to conduct, as it gave me an excuse to re-read several great comics and discover one that I need to add to my own “to read” list.

You can find out more about Spencer & Locke 2 on Twitter or Facebook. And you can buy the first volume at your local comic shop or ComiXology.

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Clowes, Piskor get Studio Editions in October

You’ll find original art scans, process pieces and more in two new Studio Editions coming in October.

Fantagraphics has announced Studio Editions for two popular comic artists — Daniel Clowes and Ed Piskor.

Much like IDW’s popular Artist’s Editions line, Studio Editions contain un-retouched original art scans — letting you see the artist’s originals in a way that you’d otherwise only see if you had direct access to them. “These full-size reproductions retain original pencil marks, corrections, and marginalia—fascinating imperfections that provide insights into the creative process of these master cartoonists,” the press release reads.

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‘Wonderfully weird’ series ‘Gogor’ debuts in May

‘Planetoid’ creator Ken Garing returns for a new series in May.

Planetoid creator Ken Garing will return to comics in May with Gogor, a “high fantasy” series aimed at teens.

Here’s how his publisher, Image Comics, describes the series: “The debut issues of Gogor will feature 28 pages of a wonderfully weird and fantastical story. Deep underground, among the floating islands of Altara, the mystical Gogor sleeps. But trouble brews above ground as soldiers of the Domus impose their will across the land. Now, a young student named Armano must awaken Gogor and begin his quest to protect the culture of Altara.”

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Gillen + Mora team for ‘Once and Future’ from BOOM! Studios

Family secrets and Arthurian legends collide in a new miniseries coming in August.

Writer Kieron Gillen has been on a roll lately, with the popular The Wicked + The Divine continuing to turn heads, and the newly minted Die and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt garnering attention and good reviews. Now he’s teaming up with Dan Mora (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) for a new miniseries from BOOM! Studios that sounds like it’s right in his wheelhouse: Once and Future, which will involve Arthurian legends, monster hunting and a kick-ass grandma.

“I’ve been chewing over how the classic explorer adventure serial could operate in the twenty-first century for a while. Doctor Aphra transplanting the genre to space was one conclusion. Once and Future is another, taking a genre whose core has barely changed since the 19th century, and updating it for the now,” Gillen said. “Adventure, romance, supernatural horror and too much bloody research, as always. When BOOM! Studios told me one of the most talented action artists of his generation was interested in collaborating, I knew that we had all the ingredients we needed to create gold. Gold which, inevitably, our heroes will steal.”

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Comics Lowdown: Awards round-up

See recently announced nominees and winners for several different awards.

Today seems like a good day for an awards rundown …

The nominees for the L.A. Times Book prize have been announced, including the five books chosen in the “Graphic Novel/Comics” category. They include:

  • Michelle Perez and Remy Boydell, The Pervert
  • Eleanor Davis, Why Art?
  • Aisha Franz, … Is Real
  • Jérôme Ruillier, The Strange
  • Tillie Walden, On a Sunbeam

Winners will be announced at a ceremony at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium on April 12, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

The L.A. Times has given an award in the graphic novel category since 2009, when Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli won the award. Other previous winners include The Love Bunglers by Jaime Hernandez, Duncan the Wonder Dog by Adam Hines and Beverly by Nick Drnaso.

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‘Usagi Yojimbo’ moves to IDW

Stan Sakai’s most famous creation leaves Dark Horse Comics for a full-color series that starts in June.

After more than 20 years at Dark Horse Comics, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo will migrate to a new publisher in June. The New York Times revealed today that everyone’s favorite samurai rabbit is making the jump to IDW Publishing.

And while Usagi has been published in black and white for most of its life, the IDW series will be in full color. Sakai will work with colorist and frequent collaborator Tom Luth on the new series. In addition, IDW will release color editions of previous Usagi volumes.

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‘Copra’ finds a new home at Image Comics

Formerly published by Bergen Street Press, the indie superhero comic’s first five collections arrive from Image in May.

Michel’s Fiffe’s excellent superhero series Copra has found a new home at Image Comics, the creator announced on Twitter. New printings of all five Copra collections can be found in the just-released Image Comics solicitations for May.

Fiffe has self-published the single issues of Copra, while collections have come out from Bergen Street Press, the comics publishing arm of the now-closed Brooklyn comics shop of the same name. Bergen Street Press announced last month that both Copra and Chuck Forsman’s Revenger would move to new publishers this year; the latter has landed at Floating World Comics.

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Second ‘Stranger Things’ miniseries coming in May

Jody Houser returns to write a prequel to the popular Netflix show.

Dark Horse Comics has announced a second Stranger Things comic, following up on last year’s miniseries. Writer Jody Houser returns to the property to tell the story of one of Eleven’s “siblings” in Stranger Things: SIX.

The new miniseries will serve as a prequel to the hit Netflix TV show, introducing a girl named Francine with precognitive abilities. “She’s struggled through a lifetime of exploitation: first by her parents, then by Dr. Brenner of Hawkins Laboratory,” the press release reads. “Dr. Brenner wants to harness her powers as well as those of the other gifted children that they hold captive at the lab. Wracked by increasingly disturbing visions, she sees an opportunity to change her life.”

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Darkseid unleashes the zombie apocalypse on the DCU in ‘DCeased’

New miniseries kicks off in May from by Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano and James Harren.

In their latest round of solicitations and through an article on IGN, DC Comics has officially announced DCeased, a zombie story written by Tom Taylor with art by Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano and James Harren. Like the original Marvel Zombies, this story will take place outside regular DC continuity — so expect a high body count.

“While the characters are the ones everyone knows so well, this is very much its own thing,” Taylor told IGN. “The reason being, the stakes are real. We can tell a story without holding back. No one you love is safe. Even the icons can fall.”

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Solid Comix, David Walker’s new publishing company, announces first title

Walker plans to fund ‘One Fall,’ a supernatural wrestling drama, through Kickstarter this spring.

David Walker, writer of Bitter Root, Luke Cage, Naomi and many other comics, recently announced plans to start his own publishing company, Solid Comix, and revealed the first title he plans to release.

Walker will team up with artist Brett Weldele on One Fall, a wrestling comic he plans to fund through Kickstarter. He also has a graphic novel coming out later this year called The Hated, with artist Sean Damien Hill.

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‘Agents of Atlas’ returns with new creative team, new line-up

Greg Pak and Gang-Hyuk Lim bring a new team of Asian heroes together to fight in the ‘War of the Realms.’

Marvel is reviving their Agents of Atlas title as part of its War of the Realms crossover event. The title will feature a new team of characters — many appearing in comics for the first time — and a new creative team.

Greg Pak and Gang-Hyuk Lim will bring the concept back to life, pulling in characters from several different sources. The agents will help protect the Pacific Rim from an invasion by Sindr, Immortal Queen of Muspelheim, and her legions of Fire Demons. Almost all of the characters who appeared in Pak’s Totally Awesome Hulk as “The Protectors” — Shang-Chi, Silk, Amadeus Cho (who goes by “Brawn” these days over in Champions) and Jimmy Woo — will appear, along with several characters from the Marvel video game Future Fight.

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‘Jughead’s Time Police’ returns in June

Sina Grace and Derek Charm tell a time-travel story featuring Riverdale’s resident foodie.

Archie Comics will give another of their older concepts a modern spin, as they’ve announced a new Jughead’s Time Police title by Sina Grace and Derek Charm.

The original series ran for six issues back in the early 1990s. It featured a mysterious organization that drafted Jughead into its ranks, and using a special beanie, he could travel through time with his partner January McAndrews — who, yes, was a descendant of Archie Andrews. She’s back for this new series as well.

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