Tag: Craig Hurd-McKenney

SDCC | Oni Press announces four new graphic novels for Spring 2025

The line-up includes OGNs by David Rubín, Craig Hurd-McKenney, Noah Bailey, Matt Lesniewski and more.

Oni Press has revealed their Spring 2025 graphic novel line-up, which they highlighted yesterday at a panel at the San Diego Comic Con.

The line-up includes four new original graphic novels, and a new edition of an older one:

  • El Fuego, written and drawn by David Rubín, who has worked on Cosmic Detective, the Black Hammer universe titles and more.
  • Soma by Fernando Llor, an award-winning writer from Spain, and Carles Dalmau, who worked on the video game Cult of the Lamb
  • Station Grand by Xeric grant-awarded and Ignatz Award-nominated writer Craig Hurd-McKenney, and Tremor Dose and Double Walker artist Noah Bailey
  • A new edition of the Eisner-nominated The Freak by Matt Lesniewski, which was originally published by the now defunct AdHouse Books.

“The adult graphic novels for the start of 2025 showcase an incredibly skilled lineup of writers and artists whose sensibilities enthrall, delight and entertain through grand and sometimes unnerving explorations of the human experience,” said Sierra Hahn, Oni’s editor in chief. “Readers will get lost in the stunning visuals in these four wholly unique graphic novels represented in lush, lavish full color and the quiet purity of black and white storytelling.”

Here’s more information on each of them from the publisher:

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Smash Pages Q&A | ‘Boris Karloff’s Gold Key Mysteries’

Zane Barrow, Michael Conrad, Craig Hurd-McKenney and Jok discuss their work on the first title from the revived Gold Key Comics.

Gold Key Comics first began publishing comics in the 1960s, focusing heavily on licensed material from Disney, Warner Bros., King Features and Star Trek, among others. They also published some original material, including Solar, Turok and Magnus Robot Fighter. Their titles showcased a broad range of genres, from children’s titles to science fiction to superheroes to horror, through the 1970s and early 1980s.

It’s been almost 40 years since Gold Key was active, but one of 2023’s pleasant surprises has been the revival of the company. Entrepreneurs and comics fans Lance Linderman, Adam Brooks, Mike Dynes and Arnold Guerrero have not only relaunched the company, but also have revived one of its biggest titles from back in the day featuring iconic horror actor Boris Karloff.

The Kickstarter campaign for Boris Karloff Gold Key Mysteries, a new anthology title featuring new stories by Michael Conrad, Craig Hurd-McKenney, Jok, Steve Orlando, Kelly Williams and more, surpassed its funding goal very quickly. With three days to go, it’s just south of $40,000, so you still have time to get in on the ground floor.

I caught up with Hurd-McKenney, Jok, Conrad and editor Zane Barrow about the project, the draw of working on a Boris Karloff comic in 2023, their contributions to the anthology and more.

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Fund Me Thursday | Headless Shakespeare Press kickstarts their 2022 projects

Craig Hurd-McKenney, Rick Geary and more contribute to the 2022 titles.

Headless Shakespeare Press, the imprint run by Craig Hurd-McKenney, is currently crowdsourcing funds to publish their 2022 line-up. You can visit Kickstarter to back them.

With this Kickstarter, Hurd-McKenney is hoping to fund the publication of four different projects — three he’s written, along with one written and drawn by Rick Geary (A Treasury of Victorian Murder).

Smash Pages’ Alex Dueben spoke with Hurd-McKenney about his return to publishing a few years back. Since then, he’s published several chapters of Some Strange Disturbances, a supernatural Victorian story by Hurd-McKenney, Gervasio and Carlos Aon, as well as the final chapter of the Xeric Grant-funded The Brontes: Infernal Angria drawn by Geary.

Here’s a look at the four projects:

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Fund Me Wednesday | ‘Some Strange Disturbances,’ ‘Skin Horse,’ ‘Ghost Band’ and more

Check out projects by Shelly Bond, Craig Hurd-McKenney, Jason McNamara, Ronald Wimberly and more.

Crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, as comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. The internet also allows creators to sell their creations direct to fans, through sites like Gumroad, Big Cartel and of course their own websites. If you’re looking to buy something from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place. And that’s a good thing to do, now more than ever.

Send any suggestions of your own to jkparkin@yahoo.com.

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Fund Me Monday: More ‘Disturbances,’ vampires and a Prince tribute

Check out new projects from Shortbox, Craig Hurd-McKenney, Jason McNamara and more.

As crowdfunding continues to be a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors and connect directly with fans, comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. This column offers a look at recent crowdfunding comics projects that might be of interest to fans.

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t start out this time by calling out a recent controversy surrounding Kickstarter, where the company has been accused of firing two employees who were part of efforts to start a union at the online crowdfunding company. I mention it in the interest of public knowledge rather than as any sort of indictment against anyone who use the forum to raise money (Particularly those I mention this week, most of whom started their projects before this even came to a head). Kickstarter is certainly not the only company to be called into question about their labor issues, and their response to the allegations of union busting can be read over at Gizmodo. There’s also a form being circulated on social media asking creators who have used Kickstarter to support the employees attempting to unionize.

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Smash Pages Q&A: Craig Hurd-McKenney on ‘The Magic If’ and more

The publisher of Headless Shakespeare Press discusses his return to publishing, his latest Kickstarter and more.

Craig Hurd-McKenney was writing, editing and publishing comics for years in the early 2000s. He edited and published the anthology Stalagmite, collaborated with Rick Geary on multiple books and received a Xeric grant to publish The Brontes: Infernal Angria. After many years away, Hurd-McKenney has come back to comics with a new printing of a comic he’s written and published through his own Headless Shakespeare Press, with some other comics available for free on the site, a Kickstarter for a new book and plans for at least two more books a year for the next few years.

The Magic If is a departure for Hurd-McKenney. While most of his work is fantastic, this is a comic about a relationship involving a self-destructive magician, and the result is a deeply felt story about jealousy and anger, and a queer romance that isn’t like anything else on comics stands right now.

I asked why he wrote about the Brontes, why he left comics and coming back after years away. Hurd-McKenney is also currently running a Kickstarter campaign for Some Strange Disturbances, a Victorian Horror comic featuring artwork by The Magic If art team, Gervasio and Carlos Aon. It went live after this interview was conducted.

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