Official Website For Clay N. Ferno, Clay S. Fernald, Boston MA, USA
Website for writer Clay N. Ferno / Clay S, Fernald
COMICS
American Vampire’s Rafael Albuquerque gives us a time bending tale with EI8HT #1 starring a chrononaut named Joshua trapped in The Meld. … Scarlett and the Joes are Rollin’ In Deep with Cobra - will anything change the tide? Find out in G.I.Joe #6! … The Doctor and Clara conclude The Swords of Kali storyline in Doctor Who 12th #5 out today! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
The League has a great interview up today with Tom Scioli, writer/artist on Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #5 things are really heating up on Cybertron! … Spoiler Warning - we suggest Machete Order if you MUST include the prequels in your Star Wars viewing experience. Today, heavy breathing Daddy Darth Vader gets a new comic set right after the events in IV (A New Hope). … Lots of bad guys this week as Gail Simone’s Secret Six #2 returns to get to the bottom of Catman’s secret!… Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Don’t forget Scott McCloud at the Brattle on Thursday celebrating the release of The Sculptor and his return to comics. Read our interview with Scott on DigBoston.com. From the mind of comics master Richard Corben (Heavy Metal) comes Rat God #1. …Yo Joe! The Autobots face both The Decepticons and Cobra in this all-out psychedelic Kirby-esque space battle in Transformers vs. G.I.Joe #5. Hear an awesome interview at LeaguePodcast.com with Tom Scioli! … Picks this week from League Podcast!
INTERVIEW: SCOTT MCCLOUD ON SUPERHERO POWERS, COMMUNICATION, AND RETURNING TO COMICS
Scott McCloud defined the language of comic book creation and critical thought with his lauded 1993 tome Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. In advance of his appearance at Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square on Thursday, February 5, I got a chance to talk with him about his latest 500 page graphic novel, The Sculptor, and his glorious return to comics.
What can readers expect from The Sculptor?
For starters, it’s big. It’s just under 500 pages long and it is a story about a young sculptor in New York City who had a taste of early success and is now contemplating his life as a loser when he gets an opportunity from a visitor to have everything he needs to succeed — at least physically — but he has only 200 days to live. It’s a traditional Faustian bargain, [but] this time the supernatural visitor is Death, not The Devil. I’m not too keen on devils and Hell, being an atheist.
The real challenge [for the main character] is an internal one because as soon as he has power to mold anything with his bare hands, he runs up against his own artistic limitations and desires, and finds it isn’t so easy. When all the other obstacles drop away, there are still those internal obstacles.
Then he crashes headlong into this romance at the eleventh hour, and the question of how to spend one’s days becomes critical for him.
It is a race against the clock in a way. He has a superpower and it’s about how he deals with having a finite number of days. He can also be penalized if he makes certain decisions, he then has less days. I was seeing these as very much comic book ideas.
Yeah, and this is something I had to come to grips with myself, because I was going around for decades talking about how comics can be more than just superheroes. Then I have an idea that I love but it has that superhero quality to it. This is one of the reasons why when the book starts we see that this wish of his in part grows out of the thing he did as a kid. He made a comic where he had a power sort of like this.
You are working with these huge archetypes. How did you go about laying out this whole story over 500 pages, incorporating superhero ideas? Was that all there at the beginning?
Part of it was, the idea of Death was there. The conceit of what appears to be an angel at the beginning came to me [during] the actual making of it. There were a few decades before I started in earnest working on the project, then there were the five years that took me to make the thing.
Is what prompted so many revisions was wanting to try different things out?
It was more that the story was starting to come to focus in my mind. The first revision was about fixing things. With each revision, it became about excavating what was below the crap. Seeing the shape of the story of what it wanted to be and pull that story out. Occasionally I would have a neat little bit, something that works with comics or was interesting, and then I would realize that while it might be nice—it didn’t really belong. It didn’t really have anything to do with what that story was ultimately about. If you can pull it off, if you can have the parts reflect the whole, that’s hopefully a book that feels like it has a breathing heart, [that] breathes when it is on the shelf at night.
[READ MORE AT DIGBOSTON.COM]
COMICS
Image keeps on reaching milestones. This week, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn hits #250, bucking trends to renumber everything! This celebration of all things Spawn includes the return of Al Simmons! …Creature Cops: Special Varmint Unit #1 comes from Rob Anderson featuring cute but dangerous panda-dogs! If we’re lucky, Mud Man #8 & 9 ship this week from Paul Grist. Kick off your boots before you come in here! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Image keeps on reaching milestones. This week, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn hits #250, bucking trends to renumber everything! This celebration of all things Spawn includes the return of Al Simmons! …Creature Cops: Special Varmint Unit #1 comes from Rob Anderson featuring cute but dangerous panda-dogs! If we’re lucky, Mud Man #8 & 9 ship this week from Paul Grist. Kick off your boots before you come in here! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Today we tip a hat to one of our own! Matt Dursin’s Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century was kickstarted into creation in September 2013! This Sherlock’d version of Robin and his merry band scour the town of Sherwood for medical supplies to steal, and give them to those in need. Now FINALLY available on ComiXology! … Star Wars #1 from Marvel is from Jason Aaron and John Cassaday! ‘Nuff Said! … One of Matt’s heroes is Terry Moore - Rachel Rising Vol. 5 hits shelves today, getting us to the bottom of who is Rachel’s killer! Picks this week from LeaguePodcast, natch!
COMICS
Marvel released the Paul Rudd Ant-Man trailer during it’s Agent Carter series last night. Here’s the new series Ant-Man #1 from one of our favorite writers Nick Spencer! … Lady Killer #1 from Dark Horse puts a 60’s housewife into the fray as a killer for hire! … Mortal Kombat X returns to game systems as well as the comic book rack with a new #1 published by DC Comics, collecting the Digital series. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Get your hands off me, you damn dirty Klingon! It was hard to not spend all morning coming up with a tag line for Star Trek/Planet of the Apes #1 coming out this week! … Mark Waid brings Agent Coulson and a helper monke to headlines with a brand new S.H.I.E.L.D #1! …All Ages pick from award winning Roger Landridge this week is Abigail and the Snowman #1. Abigail is the new kid but befriends a Yeti named Claude in this all ages adventure! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
The penultimate issue of She-Hulk is here at #11. Order in the court at Jennifer takes on former Master of Evil Titania! … Come on, grab your friends for Adventure Time #35 — the last from the creative team of Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb. The fun will never end (or will it)! … Robin turned Nightwing is now super spy Grayson in Spyral. Somehow he gets Grayson Annual #1 with only five issues under his utility belt? How does it work? Who knows, but the issue reveals the Secret Origin of The New 52’s Helena Bertinelli — so that’s something! Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
The Simpsons’s Last Action Movie Hero Rainier Wolfcastle fulfills his promise to be back — in McBain (One-Shot) #1 from Bongo Comics this week! … Stumptown is code name for the west coast Portland and the title of one of our favorite Rockford Files inspired murder mystery books! Greg Rucka and artist Justin Greenwood put our leading lady Dex in harm’s way to get to the bottom of a soccer murder in Stumptown V.3 #4! … Time is steadily running out in Sandman: Overture #4 of 6 from Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams III. Savor these last morsels of the Dreaming. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Dragon is broken out of prison putting Malcolm in the Middle of some hot action! Celebrate all that is right with comics these days for Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon #200! The only Image founder to stay as the main creator for his book since 1992! Fins UP! Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel) gives us Bitch Planet #1 for a sci-fi prison planet type affair for the feminist in everyone. Finally! … Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1 pits our mallet bearing clown against department store Santas, Natch! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
Lego my Allen! These Lego variant covers are sweet, and so is the new Flash TV show and current arc in the comics by Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, Green Lantern) and artist Brett Booth. Flash #36 hits shelves this week. … Pesky Joes invade Cybertron in this nutso Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #4 issue from Tom Scioli and John Barber. Yo, Cosmic Joe! … Our old tentacle loving pal Ben Templesmith has a new DC book, Gotham by Midnight #1 with Ray Fawkes (Constantine). Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.
COMICS
Twirl, Twirl, Twirl! Wonder Woman has a new creative team in Meredith & David Finch! Wonder Woman #36 guest stars Swamp Thing, check out the Lego Variant cover! …Over at Marvel, Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman gets a new number one spinning out of the Spider-Verse with new hero Silk. Get tangled up in Drew! … Due to overwhelming response, this week’s Lumberjanes #8 is not the last issue! These 5 teenage girls hunting monsters in the woods is exactly what you need in your life! Ride the Jane train and get caught up on this exciting new series from Boom! Studios. … All-ladies hero comic book week brought to you by LeaguePodcast.com.
COMICS
Ming Doyle (Mara, FF #400) signs her new book Vertigo book, The Kitchen #1, at New England Comics Harvard Sq. today from 4-7pm. This ’70s gangster story written from a new view. … The penultimate issue of the purple Avenger, Hawkeye #21 finally makes it’s way to the shelves. What will we do without Pizza Dog and The Tracksuit Draculas? This is one of the most memorable runs in comics. … Fred Van Lente has a new series at Dark Horse about past lives and being able to relive them! Resurrectionists #1 stars architect turned thief Jericho Way in grave robbing heist action! Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.
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COMICS
Velvet Templeton is taking the battle right into the heart of the agency’s HQ but to what end? Your monthly dose of female lead espionage gets hot as HQ is on lockdown in Brubaker & Epting’s Velvet #8. The Legendary Star-Lord #5 reveals the mysterious Black Vortex, can Peter keep the artifact under control? … It’s Sons of Bananarchy in The Humans #1! This ape-centric motor gang is coming to your town to replace your Dad’s Easy Rider mags from the ’70s. They don’t call handlebars Ape-Hangers in this one! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
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COMICS
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cyborg star Deathlok gets a brand new #1 from spy-fi action writer Nathan Edmondson this week. We’re looking forward to Nathan’s take on this deadly Marvel mainstay! … The disturbing look at a violent South returns in Southern Bastards #5 from angry Jasons Aaron and Latour returns to peek at the nasty history of the bastard Coach Boss … Tim Seely’s Sundowners #3 continues his “They Live!” meets Doom Patrol horror comic. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
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COMICS
Tony S. Daniel has taken on Batman, Superman/Wonder Woman and the Flash! Who’s next? Arrow villain Deathstroke in Deathstroke #1! With a new look, some amnesia and a road of many new missions ahead of him, the assassin will be facing some of the biggest challenges yet! Preview the book here. Bust out the Piña Colada mix, Guardians of The Galaxy Annual #1 welcomes a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier in space! Mark Millar and Goran Parlov’s Duke, along with Space-Boy and the rebels face the Brotean regime in the final issue of this beautiful send off to Flash Gordon and Adam Strange. If you don’t pick up Starlight Issue #6, get it in trade. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
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COMICS
We’re still getting to know the 12th Doctor on TV, but the results are in, Peter Capaldi is the Doctor of a new regeneration! This highly anticipated followup to the 10th and 11th Doctor series comes at you from Titan Books with Doctor Who (12th Doctor) #1. The Doctor and Clara face a mysterious alien fauna! … One of our favorite sneak peaks from New York Comic Con was this new Dungeons and Dragons book, Legends of Baldurs Gate #1 written by Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Samurai Jack)! “Go for the eyes”, said Boo, the miniature giant space hamster! … It’s ALMOST done. The penultimate issue of Superior Foes of Spider-Man, #16, hits the streets today. Artist Steve Lieber heads over to Valiant to Quantum and Woody after this! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
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COMICS
It’s “that girl”, Batgirl in hungover tales of moving to the “Somerville” of Gotham, Burnside. With a practical new outfit, and spending as much time in hipster coffee shops (RIP Sherman Cafe) as she does prowling the city at night, Babs adjusts to her new live in Burnside in Batgirl #35 … Get to learn the true origin of Aric of Dacia - X-O Manowar in a new issue #0. See how brutal life was for this Visigoth in the Roman Empire! … Tom Scioli is unleashing the weird and wonderful Jack Kirby via acid trip that is Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #3. Cybertron is under attack from the Joe team! This is intellectual property comics done sideways. …. Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
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