Category: Crime

Kot + Walsh = Zero

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Zero by Ales Kot [writer] and Michael Walsh [artist] looks interesting.  Here’s how the advance solicitation describes it…

                         SAVING THE WORLD. ONE MURDER AT A TIME.
Edward Zero is the perfect execution machine – a spy who breaks the rules to get things done. When a stolen device appears in the center of a long-running conflict, Zero comes to retrieve it.  The problem is, the device is inside a living, breathing, bio-modified terrorist and there’s an entire army after it.

iFanboy has more about Zero and Michael Walsh.  I’ve seen enough to put in a pre-order with my local comic shop.  How about you?

 

Brother Lono Preview

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That’s the special Eduardo Rizzo cover for Brother Lono #1 created by Brian Azzarello [writer], Eduardo Risso [artist], Trish Mulvihill [colorist], Clem Robbins [letterer] and Rev. Dave Johnson [cover artist].

Yep, that’s the same award-winning creative team that brought us 100 issues of 100 Bullets.  Seems only right that they’d all return to bring us the spin-off series Brother Lono.

If you’d like to see an exclusive preview of Brother Lono, you can thanks to USAToday!

The Art of Sean Phillips is Coming!

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Yesterday I put in my preorder for The Art of Sean Phillips.   It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Sean Phillips’ art and have been looking forward to his art book for a while.  The Art of Sean Phillips is an over-sized 9″ x 12″ hardcover with more than 300 pages!

Here’s how the book description describes it…

The Art of Sean Phillips is a lavish, career-spanning retrospective of the acclaimed artist behind Criminal, Sleeper, Incognito, and Fatale.

Sean has personally selected the very best, most interesting examples of his art for inclusion, from comic strips assembled with childhood friends in his bedroom, through his work for British girls’ comics and 2000AD, to his role as a key artist in the early years of Vertigo, through his superhero work for Marvel, DC, and WildStorm, and finally from his creator-owned series with Ed Brubaker.

Also, the renowned artist has been extensively interviewed, along with many of his key collaborators, for the book’s in-depth commentary on his work and career.

Here’s where you can see some preview pages thanks to Comic Vine.

The Art of Sean Phillips is available for pre-order now.

Michael Corleone’s Revenge Scene Cut from “Godfather II” is Here!

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Did you know that a scene was cut from The Godfather II in which Michael Corleone [played by Al Pacino] committed a revenge killing?

This rare deleted scene from The Godfather Part II brings closure to a massive loose end: Michael’s brutal, long-delayed revenge on Fabrizio, the man who planted the car bomb that killed his first wife, Apollonia.

The scene is a chilling display of Michael’s transformation. He ensures Fabrizio meets the exact same fate—a car bomb explosion—confirming Michael’s reign as a ruthless Don who always settles his debts. This clip was cut from the theatrical release but appears in ‘The Godfather Saga.’

10 Entertainment Careers Cut Short by Unsolved Mysteries

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10 Entertainment Careers Cut Short by Unsolved Mysteries is an interesting piece by Robin Warder that was recently posted over at Listverse.  While the article doesn’t discuss the deaths of George Reeves, Tupac Shakur or the Black Dahlia, the entertainers that it does cover definitely died/disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Thanks to Bill Crider for pointing me in the right direction.

Brother Lono – Don’t Call It a Sequel

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The fact that Brian Azzarello [wrriter] and Eduardo Risso [artist] have reteamed for a new eight-issue miniseries  that spins-off Lono from 100 Bullets into his own series delights me to no end.  (It makes me so happy that I write sentences that I would never say in public — “…delights me to no end” indeed.)  That Dave Johnson is back to provide covers for Brother Lono makes the deal even sweeter.

I can’t wait for the book to drop next month.  Thankfully there’s a short interview with Brian Azzarello at CBR.com that features more of Reverand Dave’s art to hold me over.

Kyle Holtz Gets Carter, Too!

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When I learned that Kyle Holtz was taking on some mail order commissions, I just knew I had to try to get on his list. I was able to and Kyle agreed to give me his take on Sly as Jack Carter.

The first piece that Kyle created can be seen here. I think Kyle did an amazing job on it. Unfortunately, it was lost in the mail. I have hope that it will eventually turn up. Thankfully, Kyle sent a scan before mailing the art. When Kyle learned that the piece never arrived, he agreed to redo it.

Knowing how much artists hate to redraw something, and because I thought Kyle totally nailed it, I asked if I could upgrade to a larger piece. Kyle agreed. So Kyle created the Jack Carter drawing posted today. I absolutely love it.

If you’d like to see more of Kyle’s art, click on over to his Facebook page. I give Kyle the highest recommendation to folks that collect commissions.

Steven Grant’s Two Guns Leads to Three Guns

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Just the other day we were talking about Steven Grant and Mike Zeck’s collaborations on Circle of Blood,   Return to Big Nothing and  Damned.  Those are the most popular Grant/Zeck graphic stories.

Another very popular crime graphic novel written by Steven Grant (but this time with art by Mat Santolouco) is Two Guns.   

  • From the Boom! Studios book description:  A pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between. Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it’s a great way to score — considering it’s a cover for mob money. They’ll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn’t know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn’t know is that Steadman’s a Naval Intelligence officer. They’re both cops! And neither one knows that they’re not robbing the mob, they’ve been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!

If Two Guns sounds familiar, it could be because you’ve seen the trailer for the movie adaptation starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.   The movie premieres on August 2nd.

The first issue of a six issue comics sequel, titled appropriately enough, Three Guns (again by Grant, but this time with art by Emilio Laiso) is set to drop around the same time. You can learn more about Three Guns from this piece over at the Hollywood Reporter.


Grant & Zeck – Get Another “Damned” Shot

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Circle of Blood.  Return to Big Nothing.

These are the two graphic novels that fans refer to most when talking about Steven Grant and Mike Zeck’s best collaborations.

While I agree that Grant and Zeck’s Punisher stories should be the Bible for others wanting to chronicle the Punisher, I’ve always felt that their crime graphic novel Damned was on equal footing with Circle of Blood and Return to Big Nothing.

Unfortunately, many fans missed out on Damned when it was originally published.  If you fall into the group, it’s still not to late to get on board.

Grave Digger Should be a TV Series

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It’s hard to believe that I’ve been plugging Grave Digger by Chris Mills and Rick Burchett since 2004!  That’s when the first issue of what could have been a one-shot comic was released.

So who is the professional thief known as “DIgger” McCrae?  Here’s how Chris Mills describes him…

  • Hard, brutal and ruthless – with a weakness for hot women and cold cash – McCrae is the consummate criminal. Whether it’s an armored car hijacking, bank robbery, art heist or a kidnapping, you can depend on “Digger” to handle every obstacle and double-cross with professional cool and a complete lack of conscience. And that “Gravedigger” nickname? Well – don’t ever call him that to his face, or you’ll find out where that moniker came from… the hard way.

If you missed out, you’re in luck, because Mills and Burchett are running the original comic in the form of a free weekly web comic.  Before you click over, keep in mind that there is occasionally adult language and violence.

After the original comic runs, Mills and Burchett plan to run a new adventure and then hopefully put out a print edition.  I am hoping that they will kickstart a hardcover edition with extras.  That’d make me very happy.

Of course a Grave Digger tv series would also be nice.

100 Bullets Should be a TV Series

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Yesterday, we took a look at Carl Jansson’s choices for 10 Non-Superhero Comic Series That Would Make Great TV Shows.  This inspired me to think about which non-superhero comics I would want to see turned into a tv series.  

First up…

100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso.  Designed to run 100 issues (and it did), 100 Bullets started with a simple concept…

  • “…the mysterious Agent Graves approaches ordinary citizens and gives them an opportunity to exact revenge on a person that has wronged them. Offering his clients an attaché case containing proof of the deed and a gun, he guarantees his “clients” full immunity for all of their actions, including murder…”

… and as the cast grew larger, so did the weight of the story.  As we learn more we come to realize that Agent Graves, his offer of a gun and immunity are just part of a much bigger, more complex plot that plays out in the best noir/crime fiction traditions.

I can’t believe that some forward thinking tv execs haven’t jumped all over this series.  There have been rumors over the years, but nothing has come of them.

If you haven’t read 100 Bullets, you should.  It’s that good.

100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book One

100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Two

100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Three

100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Four

100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Five