Official Website For Clay N. Ferno, Clay S. Fernald, Boston MA, USA
Website for writer Clay N. Ferno / Clay S, Fernald
COMICS
Star Wars: Rebels is a sure fire way to get jacked up about The Force Awakens! Check out the last issue of Kanan The Last Padawan #5. … Archie #2 continues Mark Waid and Fiona Staples’ reboot of Riverdale. Can Archie score a new job? … Yo Joe! With a new Snake-Eyes in town, Cobra inches in on the Joe’s turf in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #217! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.
Be sure to treat your LCS like your favorite place to be this Wednesday, because it probably is.
Unless you are like me, of course, reading on my iPad behind closed doors like some malnourished shut-in.
Previous winner of Top Cow’s Pilot Season 2011 is Jeremy Haun’s The Beauty. My prediction is that this will end up at the top of lots of people’s stacks this week.
The premise is simple and deadly. There is a disease, ‘The Beauty’ that makes you look amazing but has a major side effect, a chronic fever.
At the opening of the book, it appears that the symptoms have grown more severe and these good-lookin’ folk will start dropping like flies.
Part X-Files, Part Chew, part The Killing, this self described sci-fi police procedural takes an alternate world view or problem (see Chew) and wraps it around gumshoe detective work and departments stepping on each other’s toes.
Many contagions are not obvious to the beholder, but the attractiveness of a symmetrical human form is for all to see. What makes this STD especially deadly is that people want to get it, not matter what the long term effects can be.
Haun and Hurley are able to explore classism, narcissism and vain behavior through the lens of your buddy cop tropes and a uniquely terrifying prospect.
Beautiful people dying next to you on the subway? What can be scarier than that? I’d rather take my chances with Rick and the rest in that zombie book.
Cheers to Jeremy Haun (Batwoman) for making a huge leap from the drawing board to the typewriter and back to the art again. This is absolutely great storytelling on the page and from the minds of Haun and his co-writer Jason A. Hurley.
I may grab a couple copies of this one at the store.
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COMICS
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.:1952 from superstar team of Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Alex Maleev follows Red into his first mission with the team and his first swig of booze (allegedly). … Agent Carter played by Hayley Atwell captivated our TV this past season and also was a big hit at Boston Comic Con. Check out her comic adventures in Agent Carter: Operation S.I.N. this week for more 50s spy action stuff! … The Beauty #1 takes on social diseases and vanity all at once from Jeremy Haun (Darkness, Constantine). …Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
Hellboy embarks on his first mission with the B.P.R.D. Team and wouldn’t you know it, there are demon monkeys, drunken priests and someone out to get the Big Red One.
Returning to Hellboy for the first time since 2003 is frequent Bendis collaborator Alex Maleev for art duties on this Mike Mignola & John Arcudi penned tale set in 1952.
Of course, regular Hellboy colorist Dave Stewart joins the fun on this fantastic adventure.
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1952 is part mystery, part adventure story and explores some growth and development to how Hellboy came up in our world.
The 5 issue series is collected in one volume to hit shelves next week. This is a highly recommended addition to your Hellboy collection and also a great introduction this world as it focuses on a younger Hellboy and Maleev’s art fits the world of the B.P.R.D. so well.
Hellboy fanatics have likely grabbed these issues in floppy form, or perhaps are waiting until this trade drops to line up the spines perfectly with their other Hellboy volumes. However you end up consuming this (Dark Horse is finally onComiXology, FYI), be prepared for some familiar faces as well as some creepy introductions.
Mignola admits to being a bit of a control freak when it comes to other artists drawing his stories. What evolved from tweaking camera angles on Alex’s initial sketches eventually became Mike sending his own thumbnails to the artist. I’m sure the two got along fine, however. The pages and storytelling have the patina of classic Mignola Hellboy tales or old vampiric horror movies. You know how you feel when you read Hellboy Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction? You feel the same here.
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COMICS
Adam.3 #1 from Scott Kollins (Larfleeze, The Flash) gives us a widescreen wild-man born into a futuristic island utopia! The Tarzan of Tomorrow! … Paul Cornell (Wolverine) drops This Damned Band #1, a Spinal Tap style comic that promises to go to 11 — the 11th level of Hell that is, when worshipping the devil becomes a none-more-black situation. … The Shadow #1 from Cullen Bunn pits The Shadow in the deadliest game against a cabal of magicians searching for the secret of The Last Illusion! Only The Shadow Knows! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS
A leader emerges in Invisible Republic #5. Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko’s off-world future tale concludes it’s first arc, in this summer’s breakout sci-fi political thriller. …Mulder investigates a missing child to honor the memory of his sister’s abduction in X-Files Annual 2015. …Last week we gave you Gods & Monsters: Batman, this week it’s JLA Gods And Monsters Superman! This Superman was raised by immigrant farmers as he rails against injustice! See you at Boston Comic Con 2015 featuring Stan Lee, natch! Excelsior! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
July 26, 2015 By CLAY FERNALD
92 years young, Stanley Martin Lieber never did quite get to write that Great American Novel.
He did something far more impactful to generations of people: After changing his name to Stan Lee, he created the Marvel Universe. All praise its name.
Before I could make out the letters, I could understand fantastic cars whizzing through the sky in the comic books he’s been behind since the Marvel Universe big-banged its way into my life and the lives of countless other fans.
The Generalissimo himself continues to reign supreme in Hollywood thanks to the blockbusters emerging from his canon of work, and he still teaches online courses, writes and creates brand new comic characters, maintains his role as chairman and chief creative officer of POW! Entertainment, Inc, and of course remains chairman emeritus of Marvel Comics. On top of that, he is a certified movie star (just don’t call them cameos anymore).
Since the man behind Spider-Man and Thor and all the rest is coming to Boston Comic Con 2015, I had roughly 10 minutes to keep a tidal wave of geek freak out in check and chat with him over the phone.
So, how are you doing?
I guess that depends on how you treat me! I’m feeling fine and looking forward to coming to Boston and meeting my friend Ken. [Ed note: Ken Bold is Guinness World Records title holder of the world’s oldest comic artist, born Aug 1, 1920, and is celebrating a birthday at Comic Con].
What, if any, are some of your memories of Boston?
When were we in Boston last? Two years ago. I have great memories of it; we went to a convention and had a wonderful time. People were terrific.
How did you feel Ant-Man went? Was it great to see it come alive on the screen?
Ant-Man was terrific: The critics loved it, the fans loved it.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT!
Read the rest at the Dig Site, please.
Share with this link:
‘NUFF SAID http://bit.ly/stanleebostoncon
NOTE: Thanks for all of your support & kind words!
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Doomed planet.
Desperate scientists.
Last hope.
Kindly couple.
Superman.
Grant Morrison is most certainly capable of distilling Superman down into a few words, especially when introducing what has since become considered one of the greatest stories of all time of the iconic character.
Another master of the DC Universe is Bruce Timm, the mastermind behind Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Batman Beyond (to name a few).
Timm is back in with his latest project, an alternate reality version of Justice League with Justice League: Gods and Monsters, which debuted on Machinima last month with three shorts and has been released this week as a feature length animated movie.
These new interpretations include Superman / Hernan Guerra (Benjamin Bratt, 24, Modern Family), the spawn of General Zod and Lara Lor Van’s DNA (in vitro, you pervs) raised by a Mexican farming family.
Batman is the creature of the night we know in our world as Man-Bat, Kurt Langstrom (Michael C. Hall, Dexter).
Rounding out the un-holy trinity is Bekka, granddaughter of Highfather from New Genesis aka Wonder Woman (Tamara Taylor, Bones, Lost).
With a reimagined DC Universe including dozens of Easter Eggs and a President Amanda Waller calling the shots, Alan Burnett (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Beyond) and Timm’s PG-13 alternate reality gets a little racier thanThe Animated Series ever could. A member of the new guard for DCAU Sam Liu (Batman: Year One, All-Star Superman) directs.
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]
COMICS
Let the punishment end!The Activity team of Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads took over The Punisher for an extended run so hopefully we’ll see some of this Frank Castle in Netflix’ Daredevil Season 2. Punisher #20 promises to go out with a BANG! … We’re going dark with this week’s picks. JLA Gods And Monsters Batman (One Shot) puts alternate reality Man-Bat Kirk Langstrom in the Bat Suit! Be sure to check out the latest from Bruce Timm and DC Animation on iTunes or wherever you get your movies. … Titan brings us Blacklist #1 based on the James Spader TV series of the same name. Will the Concierge of Crime Raymond Red Reddington help the FBI? Tune in to your Local Comic Shop to find out! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
Distilling comics to their ultimate essence and having fun, Silver Age superhero stories is happening regularly today at one of the most unlikely publishers.
Writer and artist Dean Haspiel joins us this week to talk The Fox from Dark Circle Comics. Last summer we reviewed The Fox: Freak Magnet and the exploits of Paul Patton Jr. and family, so it was a pleasure to get with Dean about the new direction he is taking this classic Archie Comics owned superhero under the Dark Circle imprint.
Dean, who writes and draws the book, collaborates with Mark Waid on the writing and that relationship is explained here as well as some of the new heroes popping up in The Fox world.
The most recent chapter of the latest story arc, Fox Hunt, can be found in The Fox #4, out today wherever comics are sold, and that most certainly includes the device you are reading this freaky interview on!
FOG!: Thanks for joining us, Dean! After the success of Freak Magnet were you eager to get working on your next arc for The Fox?
Dean Haspiel: Thanks, Clay! I originally proposed a different idea for the Freak Magnet sequel that involved an ex-girlfriend who was a therapist for disturbed superheroes, the power of fossil fuel and the resurrection of a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur buried underneath the center of Impact City, and a zombie-version of The Jaguar.
But, my then editor, Paul Kaminski suggested we do something called Fox Hunt, and I wrote a different idea.
Things are a little more violent and bloody this time around, while maintaining true to The Fox as we saw in the last volume. How is it for you to get to write and draw some of the more visceral scenes?
My favorite genre is horror. So, turning up the gross factor in Fox Hunt wasn’t hard for me to do. I just wanted to keep some of the zany, Silver-Age superhero tone I established in Freak Magnet, while decorating some of the scenes with terrifying tentacles, exploding heads, and puddles of viscera.
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Eric Stephenson (publisher of Image Comics, Nowhere Men) along with Simon Gane (Godzilla, The Vinyl Underground) and popular colorist Jordie Bellaire released a very punk rock comic on Christmas Eve last year.
Great time of year for gift-giving, maybe not so much for launching a new number one. Regardless of the timing, the first volume of They’re Not Like Usintroduces us to a band of telekinetic teenagers led by the mysterious mod pretty boy The Voice.
Perhaps drawing inspiration from other Image titles like Phonogram, Chew and Morning Glories as well as the Valiant series Harbinger and IDW’s Locke and Key, these uniquely powered and outsider youngsters are forced to give up their previous lives to get on with a clean slate.
Image Comics is creeping on the Big Two for market-share and that’s largely due to the biggest names in creators bringing books to the creator-owned imprint.
At the top of the pyramid of the unique comics publisher is Eric Stephenson. It caught my eye to see what he is capable of as a comic writer, and I was not disappointed.
Peppered with Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey song titles, musical references for post-punk bands, jazz musicians and a poster for the telekinetic 1978 box office bomb The Medusa Touch, They’re Not Like Us wears its heart out on its sleeve. An allusion to how closely this ‘team’ resembles teen heroes like The X-Men is quite deliberate as well, with all the mind invasion and somewhat similar skill sets of the boys and girls herein.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
COMICS
Hawkeye #22 hits stands today after a long delay. Find out the conclusion of the Tracksuit Mafia vs. Hawkeyes Barton and Bishop in this much lauded tale of Pizza Dogs and trick arrows. Mark Waid and Peter Krause continue Insufferable #3 over at IDW. This father and son superhero tale begins to reveal secrets about Galahad’s dead mother and more about Nocturnus’ past. The latest Valiant Universe crossover Book of Death #1 reveals prophecy in the Book of the Geomancer starring X-O Manowar. Bloodshot. Ninjak. The Harbinger Renegades. Unity. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
COMICS You put your ring in my bridge! You got your nacelles in my lantern! It’s too good to be true as the Federation meets the Corps in the anticipated Star Trek Green Lantern #1 - The Spectrum War! Set your Phasers to Construct! … Without Will Eisner we wouldn’t have graphic novels, hence we’d have no fun at all. Here’s to many years of Denny Colt in Will Eisner’s The Spirit A Celebration Of 75 Years. …”Lando’s not a system, he’s a comic” might be the most predictable comics pitch yet, but hey, its true. Lando #1 expands the Marvel/Disney/Star Wars Universe. Punch it! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China returned last year in comic book form thanks to Carpenter himself (story) and The Goon’s Eric Powell with Brian Churilla (The Sixth Gun) on art.
BOOM! Studios released the first volume of continuing adventures of The Pork Chop Express last month. Jack is back, baby and he’s born ready to rock!
Let him regale you with tales of his ex-wives as he deals with a pet demon named Pete takes on the evil Wing Kong with his pal Egg Shen.
Issue #12 is out today but to get the party started, check out Volume 1 collecting issues 1—4.
“Have ya paid your dues, Jack?”
“Yessir, the check is in the mail”.
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]
COMICS
Matt Wagner (Grendel, Batman) picks up Will Eisner’s The Spirit and places him in a brand new #1 from Dynamite! Here’s to a version of Denny Colt for a brand new set of pulp fans! …Chew #50 is the story of cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals, and clairvoyants. The capital culinary comic confuses and confounds with it’s capillary clogging cantankerousness! … Canada is being invaded 100 years into the future by the US in Brian K. Vaughn (Saga) and Steve Skroce’s (Matrix) We Stand on Guard #1!… Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
Summertime is the best time to catch up on reading! One of the classic comic characters I have always wanted to know more about, since seeing his 1991 film was The Rocketeer.
The pulp hero, inspired by art deco design and the creations of Howard Hughes (see The Aviator) was the titular work of Dave Stevens, a cartoonist and storyboard artist that passed away in 2008.
IDW released an accessible paperback volume of our hood ornament of a hero with The Rocketeer The Complete Adventures in association with the Stevens Estate. The publisher and Stevens before his death tapped the talented Laura Martin to remaster the colors for the hardcover edition.
This book is the best independent comics has to offer, a legendarily rare creation with extraordinary art and dogfight action.
The Rocketeer wasn’t created in the time of the pulps, but instead captures the spirit of that high-flying time in American history with Cliff Secord, The Rocketeer and his sometime pin-up gal pal Betty.
Back in 2013, we covered Mark Waid’s Rocketeer & The Spirit: Pulp Friction. The two heroes are a perfect pairing for an adventure, but this was all I knew of Cliff and Peevy the mechanic besides the film.
Reading the ‘real’ Rocketeer makes me itch for more of these kinds of tales, hopefully Waid, Langridge. Samnee and J. Bone continue to work on more tales of Cliff under the IDW imprint.
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]
COMICS
Mickey Mouse heads out on The Lost Explorers Trail with help from Goofy and Eurasia Toft in a brand new Mickey Mouse #1 from IDW! … We all remember 1992, right? Well, maybe some of you were just born. This was a time when comics had more hologram covers and pouches than you can shake a Mjolnir at. X-Men ‘92 #1 transforms us to that magical time when En Vogue ruled the airwaves. … Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerards’ Punisher #19 closes in on Frank Castle’s last days, hot on the heels of him Jon Bernthal being cast as Big Pun in Daredevil Season 2. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
Pencils down, True Believers!
As the The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture edX course winds down, my extra curricular activities have not stagnated.
In fact, I’ve dusted off a few academic books about comics to further my station (in an audited class—I was never one for impressing actual teachers).
A few weeks ago we talked The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics. This week, I completed Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey’s illustrated Comic Book History of Comics and am still processing what they’ve done.
By breaking down the history of comics in the selfsame sequential art medium, they have achieved nerd nirvana.
Not since Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics have I felt such a connection with the books I love so much.
I was lucky enough to speak with the ‘Evil Twin Studios’ artist Ryan back in 2013 for the debut of Action Presidents #1(George Washington).
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]
COMICS
The Shadow knows! Before comics there were the pulps full of rich heroes taking on the criminal set in the night with a mask on. Dynamite’s The Shadow #100 celebrates the anniversary with pulp fans Matt Wagner, Howard Chaykin and Francesco Francavilla. … With Secret Wars, many Thors have surfaced. We got a frog, a horse, a lady and a Hemsworth. Check out all the Asgardian Hammer Gods in Thors #1 this week. … Jason Shawn Alexander (Abe Sapien) unleashes a new sci-fi/horror series with The Empty Zone, set in a haunted dystopian future Empty Zone #1 is from Image Comics, the Vertigo of the new age! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!
Three new number ones this week for our Triple Shot!
Ming Doyle teams up with James Tynion IV for the DCYou take on Constantine: The Hellblazer, Liz Prince (Tomboy) and artist Evan Palmer (Munchkin) step into the world of Cartoon Network’s newest creation, Clarence and we preview next month’s Negative Space #1 from Ryan K Lindsay.
CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #1
WRITER: Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV
ART: Riley Rossmo
Publication Date: June 10, 2015
Price: $2.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194133011200111
Buy it HERE
New creative team Ming Doyle (Mara, The Kitchen)
and James Tynion IV (Talon, Batman Eternal) relaunch Constantine for the #DCYou.
The much beleaguered title and main character has to be an
intimidating one — Constantine has seen many forms, from
a Vertigo comic to a movie starring Keanu Reaves (what?)
and riding the recent wave of comic book television with 2014’s Constantine (RIP).
Getting a handle on the character is no easy task —
Vertigo writers in the past include Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis,
Peter Milligan, Andy Diggle and many more.
Constantine in the DCU is a younger character and Doyle and Tynion
are allowed to play him that way, hopefully to generate a new
audience for Constantine as well as bridge the gap with older readers.
This being a DC Comic and not Vertigo hurts the book in my opinion.
John Constantine should be able to swear and be raunchy.
Issue #1 isn’t a bad go at the old guy, though.
Our demon whisperer shows up naked in a clothing shop covered in blood
and brains. Later in the story, he is drafted by Blythe for a quick shag
and his first ‘mission’ against some demons.
Riley Rossmo has great stylistic choices for his art, including a
landscape splash page cutaway view of the club and by the end of the book gets to draw some cool looking demons.
I’m interested to see where this goes, issue #1 had enough bite to
want me to pick up the next issue. This book doesn’t seem to be
pandering to any fans of any Hellblazer incarnations — that could be a blessing or a curse once the story develops more.
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