John Carpenter’s Asylum Review at Comics for Sinners

Asylum-Bk1-cvrOver at the news site Comics for Sinners, you’ll find my review of John Carpenter’s Asylum, Vol. 1, a Mature Readers graphic novel now on sale from Storm King Productions, Inc. Writer Bruce Jones (Incredible Hulk, Batman, Deadman) and artist Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer, Hellstorm: Prince of Lies, Werewolf by Night) team up for this supernatural buddy-cop movie on paper. There’s a demon loose in Los Angeles, and the only ones who can stop him are a hardheaded homicide detective and a defrocked priest—think 48 Hours meets The Exorcist, and you’ve got a good notion of John Carpenter’s Asylum. Head over to C4S to learn more, but be warned: there’s some great but Not Safe For Work art displayed with the review.

Loelei: Sects and the CityAnd if Mature Readers horror graphic novels are what you like to read, then allow me to point you to Lorelei: Sects and the City, the StarWarp Concepts graphic novel that stars a soul-stealing succubus in battle with a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. This critically acclaimed adventure is written by Steven A. Roman (that’s me), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man), and Neil Vokes (The Black Forest), with a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella). Visit the Lorelei: Sects and the City product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Grimm Fairy Tales Holiday Edition Review at Comics for Sinners

GFTHoliday2014_cover-AYou better watch out, you better not cry… In the mood for a Christmas tale of a different sort? Now at the news site Comics for Sinners, you can read my review of the Grimm Fairy Tales 2014 Holiday Edition, which is now on sale from Zenescope Entertainment. Written by Anne Toole (Crystal Cadets, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) and illustrated by Butch Mapa (Grimm Fairy Tales 2014 Halloween Special), it reveals the pulse-pounding origin of the Krampus: the anti–Santa Claus who pops up at Yuletide, not to deliver presents, but to steal away misbehaving children. See, kids? There are a lot worse things you could get for Christmas than just a lump of coal in your stocking, so be good for goodness’ sake! Head over to C4S to see what I mean.

SnowWhite_coverAnd if you’re a fan of the Brothers Grimm’s renowned fairy tales, then you should definitely check out Snow White, StarWarp Concepts’ presentation of their classic story. Featuring full-color illustrations first published in 1883, this digital-exclusive title is available for immediate download for the low price of just 99¢! Visit the Snow White product page for sales links and sample pages, and start downloading today!

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Underwater Nazi Zombies?!

shock-wavesRight on the heels of my last post, in which I discussed the use of legendary painter Bob Larkin’s Doc Savage artwork in faux superhero covers at the site Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues, comes some great Larkin-related news for horror movie fans!

Today’s the day for the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Shock Waves, the 1977 Nazi zombie cult classic that stars legendary actors Peter Cushing and John Carradine, along with actress Brooke Adams (Monk, Invasion of the Body Snatchers). And that zombie-rific cover art that you see here is a reproduction of the original movie poster painted by none other than Bob Larkin! Back in the 1970s and ’80s, Bob was a one-man movie-poster factory, creating art for such films as Heaven’s Gate, The Toxic Avenger: Part II, Piranha, Piranha II, Night of the Creeps, Humanoids from the Deep, and many more. It’s good to see another of his masterful paintings back in circulation, with the release of this rather odd but enjoyable film.

larkin_cover_small1By the way, horror fans, have you purchased a copy of The Bob Larkin Sketchbook? If not, you’re missing out on spectacular pencil drawings of a host of famous comic characters by the talented Mr. Larkin. It’s 24 pages of artistic goodness featuring succubi, vampires, pulp-action heroes, and even a Master of the Mystic Arts, and is available exclusively from the StarWarp Concepts webstore. Visit the Bob Larkin Sketchbook product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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The Things You Find on the Internet 2

superteam-226First it was “The Block”: a long-forgotten comic collaboration between book packager Byron Preiss and comic-art legend Jim Steranko that I stumbled across in my Internet travels. Now here’s another pleasant discovery.

For years the site Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues (formerly Brave and the Bold: The Lost Issues) has presented—through the magic of Photoshop—covers of comic book superhero mash-ups that never were, and in all likelihood never will be, by combining the works of artists whose styles complement each other. Case in point: on a recent visit to the site I came across these two entries featuring pulp-action hero Doc Savage, The Man of Bronze—taken from book covers painted by SWC’s own Bob Larkin! Bob is considered to be one of the greatest Doc Savage cover painters of all time, right behind his mentor, James Bama, who developed Doc’s signature look for Bantam Books.

superteam-261Matched up with Bob for these covers are Captain America by John Cassaday (Star Wars, Planetary, Astonishing X-Men) and Hawkman by…I don’t know; I don’t recognize the image, and the site doesn’t list the artist. (Then again, they don’t list Bob’s name for any of his work on the site; they seem to think it’s by Joe Jusko. Bob was one of Jusko’s mentors/inspirations.) There are other entries featuring Bob’s paintings—for example, one of his Planet of the Apes covers combined with a Jusko Hulk, and a Nick Fury image matched with James Bond (by Robert McGinnis?), Doc Savage, Indiana Jones (by Dave Dorman?), and Batman—so visit Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues for all the comic book team-ups you’ve dreamed about seeing. Since the site’s constantly being updated, if the team-ups you’re looking for aren’t there, it’s probably only a matter of time before they show up!

By the way, Doc Savage fans, StarWarp Concepts is the publisher of The Bob Larkin Sketchbook: 24 pages of spectacular pencil drawings of Doc Savage, Pat Savage, the Shadow, and a host of other subjects by the talented Mr. Larkin. The sketchbook is available exclusively from the StarWarp Concepts webstore, so order one today and prepare to be superamalgamated! Visit the Bob Larkin Sketchbook product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Charmed: Season 10 #2 Review at Comics for Sinners

Charmed02-cvrNow at the news site Comics for Sinners, you can read my review of Charmed: Season 10 #2, which is now on sale from Zenescope Entertainment. Written by Pat Shand (Cinderella: Age of Darkness, Robyn Hood) and illustrated by Elisa Feliz (Dallas: The Gathering), it continues the latest comic book “season” of the popular TV series about modern-day witches that starred Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, and Holly Marie Combs. This time, the Charmed Ones come to the rescue of some old friends—leprechauns that are anything but magically delicious! Head over to C4S to see what I mean.

 

 
troubleshooters_lrg_coverAnd if you’re into supernatural adventurers, then you should read Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings, the StarWarp Concepts graphic novel about a superteam-for-hire consisting of a wizard, a sorceress, a female ninja, a high-tech-armor-wearing rock concert lighting designer, and a werewolf! Written by the husband-and-wife team of Richard C. White (The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special) and Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman, Night Stalkings presents the TSI members on their first mission: protecting a multimillionaire from a trio of Middle Eastern demons out to raise a little hell! Visit the Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Warlord of Mars Review at Comics for Sinners

JohnCarter01-covOver at the news site Comics for Sinners, you’ll find my review of Dynamite Entertainment’s recently published John Carter: Warlord of Mars #1, written by Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Witchblade) and illustrated by newcomer artist Abhishek Malsuni. It’s a restart of Dynamite’s popular Warlord of Mars and Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris series, based on the “John Carter of Mars” novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, The Land That Time Forgot, At the Earth’s Core). Martian princess Dejah Thoris (the wife of Earthman John Carter) has been captured by the latest bad guy planning to destroy the red planet, and she uses the time to conveniently help new readers catch up on all the concepts and main characters that Burroughs introduced in his series; in comics, this is called the “jumping-on point.” If you like pulp adventure and science fantasy, then this may be a title you want to check out. Go over to C4S and give the review a read, and see if John Carter: Warlord of Mars is right for you.

A Princess Of Mars V9Want to know how John Carter—formerly a Confederate officer and self-described gentleman from Virginia—wound up on the red planet in the first place? Then order a copy of A Princess of Mars, the swashbuckling science fantasy novel that’s also one of StarWarp Concepts’ illustrated classics! Burroughs’s first entry in the Mars series, originally released in 1912, influenced 100 years of science fiction adventure up to Flash Gordon to Star Wars, and was adapted for the screen in 2012 as Disney’s John Carter. The StarWarp Concepts edition features exclusive illustrations by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Lorelei: Sects and the City, Carmilla). Visit the Princess of Mars product page for all the ordering information.

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A Succubus in Sleepy Hollow?

Lilith_Sleepy_HollowTonight on the popular (and well-done) television series Sleepy Hollow, man-out-of-time Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) and his monster-fighting partner, police lieutenant Abigail Mills (Nicole Beharie), cross paths with Lilith (Caroline Ford; pictured here in-character), a succubus determined to steal the souls of Ichabod and anyone else she comes across in the Headless Horseman’s stomping grounds. Well, if the notion of lethal sexual demons intrigues you, then do we at StarWarp Concepts have a graphic novel for you!

 

 

Loelei: Sects and the CityLorelei: Sects and the City stars a soul-stealing succubus in battle with a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. This critically acclaimed adventure is written by Steven A. Roman (that’s me), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man), and Neil Vokes (Johnny Demon), with a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella). Visit the Lorelei: Sects and the City product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

I’m figuring things aren’t going to go well for Lilith, which means there’s probably a job opening for a succubus that’ll soon be available. So what casting director do I send Lori’s head shot to? She’s available, y’know. 😉

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Sabrina #1 Review at Comics for Sinners

sabrina01Over at the news site Comics for Sinners, you’ll find my review of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1, on sale now from Archie Comics. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Afterlife with Archie) and illustrated by Robert Hack (Kolchak: The Lovecraftian Damnation), it’s a brand-new, non-AwA series set in the 1960s, with a tone influenced by such horror classics as The Omen and Rosemary’s Baby. The daughter of a human woman and a warlock father, teenage witch Sabrina Spellman seems destined for a life filled with horrors—and she might be the one creating them! If you like smartly written horror comics, or you’ve been enjoying Afterlife with Archie, then visit C4S and read all about this new supernatural must-read.

pan_annual_lgAnd if teenaged supernatural comic book characters are something you enjoy, then might I suggest The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, from StarWarp Concepts? The Saga of Pandora Zwieback chronicles the adventures of sixteen-year-old Pandora Zwieback, a Gothy horror fangirl who possesses amazing powers that she just learned about, including the ability to see past the human disguises worn by monsters to blend in with society. And The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is a 48-page, full-color special that contains stories by Steven A. Roman (that’s me) and Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up, The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold), and art by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0) and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld). Visit the Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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SWC Author Richard C. White at World Fantasy Con

troubleshooters_lrg_coverThe 2014 World Fantasy Convention, one of the biggest genre gatherings in the US, starts tomorrow and runs straight through the weekend, and SWC’s Richard C. White—coauthor of the SWC graphic novel Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings, and creator of the digital pirate-fantasy comic, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special—will be in attendance! If you run into him, say hi and tell him how much you enjoy his work.

World Fantasy Convention 2014 is being held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, in Arlington, Virginia. For more information, head over to the show’s website.

 

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Do You Like Fairy Tales?

SnowWhite_coverThen you’re probably one of the many people planning to buy today’s DVD and Blu-Ray release of Maleficent, the box office smash starring Angelina Jolie as the fairy sorceress who turns Elle Fanning’s Princess Aurora into a Sleeping Beauty. If so, perhaps you might be interested in a fairy tale of our own…

Snow White is the classic story by the Brothers Grimm, and one of the titles in our illustrated classics line. Featuring full-color illustrations first published in 1883 (and they really are beautiful drawings), this digital-exclusive title is available for immediate download for the wickedly low price of just 99¢! The only way you could pass up a bargain like that was if you’d pricked your thumb on a magic needle and fallen into a coma.

Oh.

Er, sorry about that, Princess Aurora…

Visit the Snow White product page for more information, including sales links and sample pages.

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