Category: Comics

Z-View: HeroesCon 2014

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That’s the self-titled Corduroy Mafia at Heroes Con 2104.  From left to right we have John Nacinovich, Jeff Streeter, me, John Beatty, Brian Jones and Royce Thrower.. How we gave ourselves the name Corduroy Mafia is a tale for another time.  Instead I present my HeroesCon 2014 summary.

The Drive Up:

Doralya and I left Thursday afternoon.  We drove halfway up and spent the night in Savannah at a Fairfield Inn.  We got up early the next morning and finished our trip to Charlotte in plenty of time to get to the show.

The Convention Hotel:

We used to stay at the Weston, but for the last two years (and the foreseeable future) our con hotel is the Hampton Inn Charlotte – Uptown.  What a great hotel!  It’s super-clean with the friendliest staff I’ve ever seen.  Free shuttle service and free breakfast made the stay even better.

Main Sketch Goal of the Show:

My main sketch goal was to meet (for the first time) and get a sketch from Hoyt Silva.  I’m happy to report that Hoyt is as nice as he is talented — yeah, he’s really that friendly!  Hoyt and I discussed a couple of possible Stallone characters and decided on Jack Carter.  Hoyt said he could make that happen and is doing the piece as a take home commission.

Books signed:

  • My original Berni Wrightson’s Frankenstein (personalized to Doralya)
  • The Package pin-ups by Andrew Maclean and Robert Wilson IV
  • Scout: The Four Monsters by Timothy Truman
  • Crimeland by Rafael Albuqerque
  • Black Beetle: No Way Out by Franchesco Francavilla
  • The Goon: Nothin’ But Misery by Eric Powell
  • The Fifth Beatle by Andrew Robinson

 

Sketches:

  • Jamie Cosley: Rocky (surprise gift from Little John and Patricia)
  • Andy Fish: Lords of Flatbush
  • Corin Howell: Lords of Flatbush
  • Dave Wachter (mini-head sketch): Rhinestone
  • Derrick Fish: Expendables
  • Drew Moss: Get Carter
  • Hoyt Silva: Get Carter
  • Joel Carroll: Get Carter
  • Kevin Mellon: Get Carter
  • Mike Torrance: Jack Carter / Gravedigger plus several sketch cards

Panels, Drink and Draw and HeroesCon Art Auction:

  • The Inkwell Awards (and keeping with tradition, LittleJohn312 and Patricia joined Doralya and I — or did we join them?) were fun.  It is always great to see deserving artists receive recognition.
  • Doralya, Little John, Patricia and I attended the Drink and Draw.  It’s a tradition that continued again this year!
  • For the first time I ever, I missed the HeroesCon Auction.  I had a bad cold/flu bug the week before HeroesCon and was still feeling worn down.  Since we had the rest of our vacation ahead of us, I decided to pace myself at Heroes and sadly missed the auction.

Meals:

The biggest surprise is that we only ate at Fuel once.  It was good to keep that tradition alive, but not over do it.  The best meal we had was at Fujo Bistro — we will definitely hit that place again next year!  Buffalo Wild Wings also got our business.  Sadly we did not make it to Mert’s.

In closing:

HeroesCon this year was huge.  The wider aisles made movement easier.  There were also additional sections this year with chairs and tables for con guests to sit, eat and visit.  The bigger painting area was also a plus.

Seeing old friends and meeting new ones is always a fun part of the show.  I won’t try to list them all because invariably I would leave some out.

This year I was able to talk Doralya into coming into the show on Saturday. We walked the floor and met a lot of artists (new and old friends).  Doralya’s highlight was meeting Berni Wrightson!  She has always loved his work and he personalized my copy of Frankenstein to her!

Thanks to Shelton and his crew for another great HeroesCon — see everyone next year!

HeroesCon 2014!

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If all went as planned, Doralya and I will be arriving in Charlotte today for our annual trip to HeroesCon.  It’ll be nice to get away for a “long” weekend… especially since I’ll be spending it at Heroes.   There’s always plenty to do.  Look at the guest list and schedule of events and you can see I’m not kidding.

Hope to see you there, but if you can’t make the show, don’t worry, I’ll post a full report later in the week.

[And Chris, remember: No parties!]

 

Z-View: The Mercenary Sea #4 by Symons and Reynolds

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The Mercenary Sea is an on-going series created by Kel Symons & Matthew Reynolds published by Image.

Writer: Kel Symons

Art and Colors: Matthew Reynolds

MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN” Stranded in a Chinese fishing village, Jack and company must rescue the British spy “Top Hat,” who’s been captured by Japanese soldiers.

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

The Good

  • I like the cover.
  • I like how Reynolds used color and outline for Evelyn’s hair.
  • “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
  • Four issues in and this really feels like an old time serial.  Well played, Symons and Reynolds.

The Bad:

  • What happens when you appear to have the upper-hand and get overconfident.  “Whoever you are, you’re out of ammo.” Yeah, that may be true, but…
  • When shrapnel makes a mess of your insides.

The Ugly:

  • Not a thing with this issue!

The Mercenary Sea  should appeal to all who old time action and adventure.

Rating:

Z-View: The Crow Pestilence #3

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The Crow: Pestilence #3 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Salvador heads to the Midwest to search for the men who murdered his family, only to find them involved in trafficking drugs…and humans. As The Crow watches, guiding him, he begins to exact his revenge. But why is one of the gang members speaking with the police?

 

.

The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • Frank Bill throws in a surprise on the last page that really sets up the next issue.
  • Drew Moss’ art.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • Bill fleshes out the supporting cast but I want to see more of Salvador [The Crow].

The Ugly:

  • The Crow is a violent comic but this issue is especially rough.

The Crow: Pestilence #3  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

 

The Package by Elliot Blake & Alexis Ziritt /Z-View

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The Package is a graphic novel created by Elliot Blake and Alexis Ziritt published through Kickstarter and available on Comixology.

Writer: Elliot Blake

Artist: Alexis Ziritt

Cover: Alexis Ziritt

 

Hitman Fred Cutler is sent to Mexico by his boss to retrieve a package. The package never arrives, but hired killers do. When Fred comes to, he discovers a bomb has been sewn into his chest. And if he wants to live, he’s going to have to kill his boss, L.A.’s most notorious gangster, Rafi Vega.

The Good

  • I love the cover by Alexis Ziritt.
  • Elliot Blake has created an excellent revenge story with a couple of unexpected twists.
  • The pinups by Emma Rios, Andrew Maclean, Robert Wilson IV and Eric Bonhomme.
  • The running gun battle when hitmen show up in Mexico.
  • I could easily see this very cool graphic novel turned into a very cool movie.
  • The price.

The Bad:

  • When you don’t know enough to get quiet around Rafi.
  • What happens when you keep “testing” Charlie.
  • Waking up a few days after being shot to find a bomb has been placed into your chest.
  • Nearly everyone — definitely all the major players in this tale.
  • It’s too bad some people may be put off by the roughness of the Ziritt’s art.  For me, it works — gritty art to compliment a gritty crime story.

The Ugly:

  • When Fred finds out what the package is.

The Package  is a comic for mature audiences due to profanity and violence.  If you’re a fan of Sin City; Dead Body Road, Criminal and Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, then you’ll dig The Package.  

Kelley Jones, John Beatty, Batman & Daytona Beach Comic Con

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Nice, huh?

Batman by Kelley Jones and John Beatty… how could it be anything less than nice?

It couldn’t.

If you’re in traveling distance of Daytona Beach this Sunday, June 8th, you can get a signed, limited edition of the print from John Beatty his-own-bad-self.  John will be at the Daytona Beach Comic Book Con signing and sketching along with…

  • “Captain Cartoon” Dick Kulpa
  • Rob Smith Jr. “Swampy’s Florida”
  • Jim Fern – Marvel and DC Comics artist

Heck, I’ll even be there… but don’t let that keep you away.