Blog | StarWarp Concepts | Publisher of Dark Fantasy and Horror

Red Sonja #0 Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Steven

redsonja0-cvr Over at Comics for Sinners you’ll find my review of Red Sonja, Vol. 4 #0, a specially priced 25¢ issue available from Dynamite Entertainment on December 14. Written by Amy Chu (Poison Ivy) and illustrated by Carlos Gomez (Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files), this kickoff issue to Sonja’s new miniseries adventure involves the chain-mail-bikini-wearing She-Devil With a Sword falling in her latest battle with the sorcerer Kulan Gath, and waking up in a whole new world—modern-day New York City, to be exact! Head over to C4S to find out more.

And if you’re a fan of Robert E. Howard’s sword-swinging, red-haired warrior, you might be interested in checking out these other Sonja-related projects I’ve reviewed at C4S:

Frank Thorne’s Red Sonja Art Edition, Vol. 2: Art by Frank Thorne, stories by Roy Thomas, Clare Noto, and Wendy Pini

Frank Thorne’s Red Sonja Art Edition, Vol. 3: Art by Frank Thorne, stories by Roy Thomas, Clare Noto, and Wendy Pini

Legenderry: Red Sonja #1: Written by Marc Andreyko, art by Aneke

Red Sonja #100: Stories by Gail Simone, Roy Thomas, Eric Trautmann, Michael Avon Oeming, and Luke Lieberman; art by Pablo Marcos, Dave Acosta, Taki Soma, Noah Salonga, and Sergio Fernandez Davila

Red Sonja: The Black Tower #1–4: Written by Frank Tieri, art by Cezar Razek

Red Sonja/Conan #1–2: Written by Victor Gischler, art by Roberto Castro

Speaking of sexy redheaded heroines, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus? Making her small-press comics debut in 1989, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and currently stars in two critically acclaimed titles:

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).

“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming

“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre: It’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Supergirl, Batman 80-Page Giant).

“The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.

“All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!

“The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!

Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo. A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?

“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring

“Any fans of the old-fashioned horror anthology comics (Eerie, Creepy, Tales From the Crypt, etc.) is gonna want to take a look at this one-shot from StarWarp Concepts…. If campy horror fun is your thing, this should be a hit for you.”—The Pullbox

Both titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages. They’d both make terrific holiday presents for the bad-girl-comic enthusiasts on your shopping list!

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, lorelei, lorelei presents: house macabre, lorelei: sects and the city, red sonja | Comments Off

The Horror of Reviewapalooza

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Steven

DW_Cybermen01 As regular visitors to this site might be aware, since 2014 I’ve been a comic and graphic novel reviewer for the news site Comics for Sinners, giving my opinion on some of the latest releases for bad-girl fans and general readers alike. Here’s what I’ve reviewed in the past few months:

Oniric Comics
Venus F.: Story and art by Chris Malgrain

Space Goat Publishing
Evil Dead 2: Dark Ones Rising #1–2: Written by Frank Hannah, art by Oscar Bazaldua, Raul Valdes, and Carlos Eduardo
Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula: Written by Scott Peterson, art by Horacio Domingues
Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Krampus: Written by Ian Edginton, art by Dave Youkovich

Titan Comics
Doctor Who: Supremacy of the Cybermen #1: Written by George Mann and Cavan Scott, art by Alessandro Vitti

Interested in seeing what else I’ve reviewed? Check out the previous list, Reviewapalooza Must Be Destroyed, and then head over to C4S to read the entries. And be sure to bookmark Comics For Sinners to keep up-to-date on my opinionated ramblings about comics.

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, reviewapalooza | Comments Off

Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Krampus Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Steven

ed2-krampus-cover Over at Comics for Sinners you’ll find my review of Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Krampus, currently on sale from Space Goat Publishing. Written by Ian Edginton and illustrated by Dave Youkovich, this one-shot special involves Ashley Williams, the boomstick-shooting monster killer (actually, a magically created clone made from Ash’s severed hand, as explained in Space Goat’s Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead by Dawn miniseries) mixing it up with the dreaded anti–Santa Claus: the demonic Krampus! Head over to C4S to find out how Ash is spreading holiday cheer and handing out special presents—there’s enough fists to go around for everyone!

Speaking of monster fighters, have you met Pandora Zwieback, the teenaged Goth adventuress who stars in my young adult novel series, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback? Pan is a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets an immortal monster hunter named Annie that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world. You’ll find Pan battling her own brand of evil dead in the following titles:

Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1: This critically acclaimed novel is the beginning of Pan’s story, explaining how she, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father. It’s a character-driven action-fest that leads immediately into the second novel:

Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2: Pan and Annie face even greater challenges as the vampire clans draw up plans to go to war with humanity. Leading the charge is a fallen angel named Zaqiel, whose previous attempt at subjugating the world was stopped by Annie—who, back in the day, was Zaqiel’s lover!

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1: A spinoff from the novel series, this 56-page, full-color comic special finds the teenaged Goth adventuress battling vampires and a jealous, man-stealing siren. It features stories by me and Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up), art by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0), comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), and Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), and cover art by award-winning artist Henar Torinos (Mala Estrella).

Blood Feud, Blood Reign, and the Pandora Zwieback Annual are available in print and digital formats. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages and chapters.

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, evil dead 2, evil dead 2: revenge of krampus, Pandora Zwieback | Comments Off

A Most Animated Time Lord

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Steven

Short_Trips_Farewells Hey, Doctor Who fans in America! By now you’re eagerly waiting for tonight’s BBC America broadcast premiere of Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks—we certainly are, here at ’Warp Central! This is the episode that formally introduced actor Patrick Troughton in his first full-length adventure as the Second Doctor, and what makes this broadcast even more special is that it’s completely animated—a reconstruction of the episode using only the voice and music tracks, due to the old BBC policy of wiping its recording tapes for reuse. With the original recordings destroyed, this is as close to the real thing as we’ll ever get, so be sure to tune in tonight!

Speaking of Doctor Who, if you’re a regular visitor to this blog you know I’m a major Whovian, especially when it comes to the Fourth Doctor, whose portrayal by actor Tom Baker remains as popular today as when he played the character in the 1970s, and which continues in the contemporary “Fourth Doctor Adventures” produced by audio-drama company Big Finish. And if you read this post and this other post from 2013, in celebration of the show’s 50th anniversary, you can find out about the time I wrote a Fourth Doctor short story for the Big Finish anthology Doctor Who: Short Trips: Farewells.

My story, “Into the Silent Land,” was a character-driven tale (what else would you expect from me?) of the Doctor examining his mortality and the unwanted regeneration looming in his future. And it was well received by critics upon publication, from Doctor Who Magazine (“a compelling story”) to Sci-Fi Online (“a beautifully written tale”).

And that’s not all! I’ve also reviewed a few of Titan Comics’ Doctor Who titles for the news site Comics for Sinners, so give these a read:

Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor #1: Written by Gordon Rennie and Emma Beeby, art by Brian Williamson

Doctor Who: Supremacy of the Cybermen #1: Written by George Mann and Cavan Scott, art by Alessandro Vitti, Ivan Rodriguez, and Tazio Bettin

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor, Vol. 1: Terrorformer: Written by Robbie Morrison, art by Dave Taylor

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor: The 2015 Holiday Special: Written by George Mann and Cavan Scott, art by Mariano LaClaustra

Happy times and places!

Posted in Television, Television Shows | Tagged doctor who, doctor who: the power of the daleks | Comments Off

It’s National Novel Writing Month 2016!

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Steven

Fall is in full swing, and with it comes an annual sales event being held this month at our e-book distributor DriveThru Fiction, aimed at the writer in all of us. It ties in to National Novel Writing Month, and to explain what it is, I’ll let this quote from the organization’s website provide you with some background:

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.

And what do you know? It just so happens that StarWarp Concepts has a book that’s not only perfect for budding writers, but that’s also one of the e-books included in DriveThru’s sale:

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

Terra Incognito was not just the #1 hottest title when it made its debut in October 2015 at DriveThru Fiction, but it then held the #1 position for weeks as DTF’s hottest title for nonfiction books and writers’ reference guides! And as of this writing, it currently ranks as the #4 hottest book in the NaNoWriMo (there’s a mouthful) sale!

“I think Terra Incognito is a solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework for which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang

DriveThru’s NaNoWriMo promotion runs from through Tuesday, November 29. Visit the Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination product page at DTF and order a discounted copy today!

Posted in e-books, e-tailers, Events, Publishing, Writing Reference Books | Tagged drivethru fiction, e-books, national novel writing month, richard c. white, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination, world building, writing reference | Comments Off

By the Hoary Hosts of Hollywood!

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Steven

Today is the release date for Doctor Strange, the latest in Marvel Films’ ever-growing cinematic universe. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek: Into Darkness) stars as the Master of the Mystic Arts, alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Martian) as Baron Mordo, Mads Mikkelsen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as the villainous Kaecilius, and Tilda Swinton (Constantine) as The Ancient One. After the successful revamp of writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko’s first creation, the ever-Amazing Spider-Man, in this summer’s blockbuster movie, Captain America: Civil War, audiences have been eagerly looking forward to Stephen Strange’s magical debut on screen.

And that reminds me of this post I wrote back on November 2, 2015, to celebrate the 88th birthday of Doctor Strange co-creator Steve Ditko, whom I once got to talk to in relation to a Marvel-related project. Okay, it wasn’t Doctor Strange, it was the Incredible Hulk—but still, I got to talk to Steve Ditko. Then check out this post from December 28, 2015, which celebrated the 93rd birthday of Ditko’s DS collaborator, Stan “The Man” Lee and detailed my contacts with him.

The Bob Larkin Sketchbook You know who else is associated with Stephen Strange? SWC friend and painting legend Bob Larkin! Bob’s painted Strange covers and trading cards in the past—including a magazine cover that teamed up Strange with Captain America and Star Wars’ C-3PO as a backup band for ’70s singer Linda Ronstadt! You can see those images by popping over to the StarWarp Concepts Facebook page.

Speaking of the talented Mr. Larkin, have you seen SWC’s The Bob Larkin Sketchbook? If not, you’re missing out on spectacular pencil drawings of femme fatales, pulp adventurers, superheroes—including Doctor Strange—and a host of other characters by Bob, whose cover paintings graced such Marvel Comics titles as Dazzler, The Hulk!, Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian, Haunt of Horror, and Tomb of Dracula, not to mention his renowned work as a cover painter for Bantam Books’ Doc Savage pulp novel reprints. It’s 24 pages of artistic goodness, available exclusively from the StarWarp Concepts webstore. Visit the Bob Larkin Sketchbook product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Posted in Bob Larkin, Bob Larkin Sketchbook, movies, Publishing | Tagged bob larkin, bob larkin sketchbook, doctor strange, shameless plugs, stan lee, steve ditko | Comments Off

Evil Dead 2: Dark Ones Rising Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Steven

evildead2-darkones1-cvr Over at Comics for Sinners you’ll find my review of Evil Dead 2: Dark Ones Rising #1–2, currently on sale from Space Goat Publishing. Written by Frank Hannah and illustrated by Oscar Bazaldua, Raul Valdes, and Carlos Eduardo, the start of this new miniseries finds Ashley Williams the chain-saw-wielding, boomstick-shooting monster killer (actually, a magically created clone made from Ash’s severed hand, as explained in Space Goat’s Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead by Dawn miniseries) trying to stop a race of Elder Gods from taking over the world. Head over to C4S to learn more.

Speaking of Elder God–battling supernatural leads, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus, whose graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City was inspired by classic horror comics and the works of H.P. Lovecraft, who created the “Great Old Ones” in his Cthulhu Mythos? Making her small-press comics debut in 1989, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and has received praise from some high-profile fans.

Like who, you ask? How about James Warren, the legendary original publisher of Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie, who sent his congratulations after reading a preview of the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City:

“You sure do pay Warren Publishing a nice tribute. I wish you good luck and good acceptance. I like the graphics, and the story is exciting!”

And then there was the late, great Forrest J Ackerman, Vampirella’s creator and the driving force behind the original Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The Ackermonster saw the same preview and mailed me a postcard with this simple message that thrilled my inner fanboy:

“Lorelei, you’ve cast your spell o’er this guy!”

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Dark Tales From the Vokesverse, Eagle). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).

Lorelei: Sects and the City is available in print and digital formats, so visit its product page for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, evil dead, evil dead 2, evil dead 2: dark ones rising, lorelei, lorelei: sects and the city | Comments Off

Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Steven

evildead2-dracula-cvr Over at Comics for Sinners you’ll find my review of Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula, currently on sale from Space Goat Publishing. Written by Scott Peterson and illustrated by Horacio Domingues, this one-shot special involves Ashley Williams, the chain-saw-wielding, boomstick-shooting monster killer (actually, a magically created clone made from Ash’s severed hand, as explained in Space Goat’s Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead by Dawn miniseries) going head-to-head with the king of the vampires himself. Head over to C4S to find out what level of groovy chain-saw justice Ash is currently handing out in comic book land.

Speaking of monster fighters who clash with vampires, have you met Pandora Zwieback, the teenaged Goth adventuress who stars in my young adult novel series, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback? Pan is a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets an immortal monster hunter named Annie that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world. You’ll find Pan battling her own brand of evil dead in the following titles:

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comics for sinners, evil dead, evil dead 2, evil dead 2: revenge of dracula, Pandora Zwieback | Comments Off

Comic Book Treats for Trick-or-Treaters

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Steven

Pandora0_Cover Happy Halloween! All Hallows’ Eve is our favorite holiday here at ’Warp Central, so in keeping with the fine tradition of handing out free treats to boils and ghouls everywhere, we have some digital-comic offerings for you!

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A full-color introduction to the young adult novel series of the same name, hosted by Pan herself. Pan is a girl with the ability to see the monsters that regular humans can’t, and with the help of a 400-year-old monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, she’s going to protect the world from danger—and maybe even have some fun while doing it.

This 16-page comic features a seven-page story written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and includes two sample chapters from Blood Feud, the first Pan novel.

Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa #1–3: Before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in this short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series from Millennium Publications. A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms?

Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen; and issue 3 is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales).

Heroines and Heroes is our latest free digital comic. It’s a collection of comic stories I’ve drawn over the years, starring indie characters the Blonde Avenger, the anthropomorphic Motorbike Puppies, and the humanoid-rabbit spy Snowbuni. The feature story is “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime),” a short adventure that I wrote and drew in the late 1990s as an audition for DC Comics’ Batman: The Animated Series comic (spoiler: I didn’t get the job), and pits Harley Quinn—Clown Princess of Crime and star of this past summer’s blockbuster film Suicide Squad—against none other than Wonder Woman!

All these comics are available for download right now, so visit their respective product pages and add them to your digital trick-or-treat bags today!

Posted in Digital Comics, Halloween, Holidays | Tagged digital comic books, halloween, heartstopper, heroines and heroes, Pandora Zwieback | Comments Off

Happy Halloween to All You ‘Warp Fans!