The Last Paladin

Recent Issues for Aug 9th, 2009

2009-08-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

Two weeks in a row...?

I know, I know, but I guess I have the bug to bang away at the keyboard despite not having much to say or much of anything going on (except the move to new digs).

This week I just have a couple of Recent Issues:

Recently I re- discovered the Hard Case Crime line of books thanks to an article in the back of Ed Brubaker's comic CRIMINAL. (More on that in another post soon)

For those of you that don't know about Hard Case Crime, they publish mass market paperbacks in the crime, adventure, and pulp categories. Some of them are original and some of them are classics, long out of print by such names as Westlake, Bloch, and others.

I had seen these books on the shelf before in my local grocery store of all places but never really bought any of them until recently. Of course, when I went back to the grocery store to look for some of the newer ones, I discovered they no longer carry them.

What makes these paperbacks so cool and what drew my eye to them in the first place is all the cover art. 99% of the books have classic looking cover art that makes them look like the paperbacks from the 50s and 60s. Great paintings by great artists. (Maybe in a future post I'll share some of my favs.)

Two of the books I've read recently are Slide and The Max, both by the team of Ken Bruen and Jason Star. What I didn't realize right away is there's a first novel, Bust, that I missed and need to go back and find.

The books follow a business man by the name of Max Fisher and a woman named Angela Petrakos as their lives intersect and intertwine over and over no matter how much they hate each other.

The language is raw, the situations are bizarre and the number of people that die around these two while they escape unscathed is incredible.

Even though I missed that first book, I was very easily able to understand what brought these two characters together and the events that lead to their individual situations as Slide began.

Both are fast reads and I can see these books as movies in the same vein as Get Shorty or Fight Club. Visually cool with some style and flair.

Wednesday Comics from DC is a really cool idea.

They took a mix of some of their more popular characters like Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, added a few lesser known characters like Metamorpho, Deadman, Kamandi, and The Demon, gave them to some of the best known creators like Neil Gaiman, Walt Simonson, Kurt Busiek, Brian Azzello, and printed them on large 20x28 newsprint stock for the look and feel of a traditional Sunday Comics page.

I remember hounding my parents for the comics on Sunday morning and even getting up early and tearing the paper apart to get them before they woke up and I had to beg.

It's a very cool idea and I'm glad DC took the chance on a project like this.

There have been some ups and downs on the production side of things. Most of the issues my shop gets each week are creased in the center when folded at the press and the color on some of the strips isn't as crisp or clear as it is on others. Aside from that, this sixteen week series is nothing but fun.

Of the features that run in Wednesday Comics my favs so far are :

Batman, Deadman, Kamandi, and Sgt Rock. These four have been the most solid, week in and week out. Beautiful art and some cool story elements.

My underdog strip is Catwoman and the Demon. Putting these two characters together is a concept that makes amazing sense and has never been done until now as far as I know. Simonson and Stelfreeze are both great creators and even though the first few pages haven't shown much, I really hope this jumps out to the front by the time it ends.

The only strip I really don't read is Wonder Woman. Beautifully illustrated but cramped, crowded with as many as 65 panels per page (some monthly 22 page comics don't have 65 panels in the whole book) it's just dense and difficult to read. This is also one of the strips that's suffered from the coloring process.

And there you have it.... I'm off to do some more work on the new place. If by some strange reason you come across my blog here, feel free to post a thought or comment. I get lonely...

ONE YEAR LATER.....

2009-08-02T04:44:00.001-07:00

Nope... this has nothing to do with the DC Comics event where they jumped all their books one year forward in time. This is me remembering I have one of these silly Blog things on-line that I never write in and going back to it almost a year after my last post.

Why....?

I could tell you I've been busy, which isn't a lie but it's not exactly the truth either. Lazy? It sounds more reasonable, doesn't it? If you know me you might think so. Nothing to say? Well, yes and no.

I created this Blog many moons ago to help push my creation, The Last Paladin, onto the web and see if it would generate a little spark in the comic book universe. It didn't. I wrote a few stories and had them published in Digital Webbing Presents (Thanks to Ed Dukeshire for whom I'll always owe a debt of gratitude if not a case of his favorite beer) but my artists all found better paying gigs and now they're working for Marvel and DC and the Last Paladin has faded into comic book obscurity.

I've tried to revive him on more than one occasion but was just never able to find the right artist, or an artist who would stick around longer than a few character sketches. That's the biz though. Maybe someday he'll return. I still have a lot of ideas and stories to tell and I even started turning his origin into a movie script.

Oh yeah.... I wrote one of those too. I turned my original comic, Slight of Hand, into an original screenplay and thanks to my good friend, Chris Freeman it's actually in Hollywood in the hands of a producer. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one. And no lip about the title..... when you read the script or see the movie, you'll understand...

In the meantime, what's been going on in my missing year?

I've written a couple of issues of Iron Sirens. #4 came out late last year and #5 just came out a few weeks ago. #6 is in the hands of an artist and #7 will be written in the next few weeks.

I started The Last paladin as a screenplay. It's about a third of the way finished. I need to get off my ass and go back to it but...

I'm also working on several small concepts that may or may not become pilots for a cable network company. I don't want to say too much about it here because I need to sit down in the next couple of weeks and have a brainstorming session with Chris to see what shakes out.

I should be working on ECLIPSE, a new horror comic I brainstormed with my good friend and artist Dan Campos. I got Dan really psyched on this crazy ass idea and then haven't given him very much in the way of a script to work on. It's my own damn fault and if I knew what was good for me I'd be working on that instead of this thing.

I'm also working on a concept called The Sisterhood of Steel for Siouxcountry.com with my good friend Uko Smith. We've hardly started it and it's already gotten some attention on-line. More on that one later too.

And damn it if I didn't just buy a condo. Yup, I grew up and decided to take advantage of a bad housing market and Obama's free $8000 for first time home buyers and bought a condo about a block away from the gym I belong too. There go all my excuses. Bad enough there's a McDonalds right across the street from me now, too. It's like an angel on one shoulder and the devil on another. "Sure... go ahead... drink that chocolate shake... you did 30 minutes on the tread mill today..... it'll even out... Bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Damn....

So does that seem like it would fill a year? I didn't think so either. But there you have it. That's everything I think might be wroth documenting in this electronic journal.

I'd like to come back and at the very least post a few times a month. Daily isn't going to happen, that's for damn sure. Once a week sounds good for now. I may even revive my Recent Issues posts where I review comics and magazines and a few other things that I enjoy and have an opinion on.

All right. Time for me to head to the new house and get to work. I got walls to paint and cabinet doors to put on, a faucet to swap out and electrical work I shouldn't even think about attempting to do on my own.

Those of you that remember the dryer incident from two years ago will know why....

IRON SIRENS SNEAK PEEK

2008-08-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Almost forgot...........

Here's a sneak peak at the finished pencils from the first page of Iron Sirens #4, currently in production.

Art is by the stellar Pow Rodrix. I had the pleasure of working with Pow once before, long ago, on a book that never did see the light of day. He's come leaps and bounds and I'm glad to have him a part of the crew on this issue.

Enjoy...

A Crisis of What to Write

2008-08-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

Found this picture on the Internet last week while searching for something else and it gave me a laugh so I thought I would post it up.

Those of you that read comics will get it and may laugh along with me. Others will look at it, make that face they usually make when an old person blocks an entire aisle in Wal-Mart while they try to decide which brand of dried prunes to buy to put in their compot. Most of you will be the latter.

This is the fourth or fifth time I've tried to turn this whole thing into an interesting blog post but I'm just not feeling it this week.

There are some things Id love to share but don't think it's prudent at this time so I'll wait until the projects I speak of are more solid in nature. I will how ever share this....

CRISIS on INFINITE EARTHS #12 from DC Comics. The final issue in the series. This was the first comic I ever bought with my own hard earned money and it blew my little mind to bits. All the superheroes of various earths and universes fought a giant evil and some of the heroes... DIED. Here I am, eleven years old and for the first time I have seen that superheroes can die. I read and re-read this book over and over till I'm pretty sure the cover fell off. and that cover. I would stare at that cover and I couldn't rest until I knew who each and every one of those heroes on the front were.

So... with that out of my system... I think I'm going to make an attempt to actually work on something worthwhile this afternoon and see where it takes me. If not, I can always pull this issue from my collection (I think I own it in four different formats now) and read.

Reading, and not writing.

2008-08-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

For some reason I just haven't been able to focus on writing the past several weeks. I need to bust my ass and finish my movie script but the Muse just hasn't been there for me.

So, in lieu of writing, I've been reading a little more than normal (Because my girlfriend insists on watching Big Brother for some unknown reason).

Here's some of what I've been digging into...

The Question: The Five Books of Blood by Greg Rucka, various artists, and DC Comics. This is a very cool book and I'd love to recomend it to everyone who likes Crime and Dark Horror comics but sadly, it's very steeped in DC mythology so if you don't know the character or situation going in, you'll get lost easily.

For those of you that want to know how much history, you would have to read the complete run of Gotham Central followed by the Montoya chapters of 52. That's a lot of comic book reading.

For those that want to jump in anyways, it deals with the new Question being sucked into the dangerous world of the Crime Bible and the various cult's that use it as the cornerstone of their faith.

Jack Kirby's OMAC from DC Comics.

I'm in the middle of this one right now and it's a pretty cool book for something that was done over 30 years ago. Originaly the concept for a Captain America of the future, Jack Kirby busted it out, amde a few changes, and made it part of his "World That's Coming" saga.

If you remember comics as being crazy, four color, fun, full of action, then this is a book you'll enjoy. Plus you get all the amazing Kirby art (which I'm just now begining to truly appreciate in my old age)

Finaly, there's The Host by Stephanie Meyer.

I have a very good friend who likes her other work of Vampire novels that I just can't get into. This book is more of a sci-fi twist with an alien invasion and the take over of the human race. One site I saw claims it's sci-fi for people who don't like sci-fi.

That can be good or bad. We'll see... I haven't started it yet but it is next on my pile of stuff to read (unless something so truly compelling bumps it out of the top spot before I pick this up to start it). Once I'm done I'll let everyone know what I think of it...

And that's it for this week... Tommorw I try to work on the movie script... seriously.. I will.. I mean it... really...

Write write write

Button Man

2008-07-27T04:07:00.000-07:00

For the past several years I've become more and more interested in crime fiction. My father always read these kinds of novels and stories while I was always reading superheroes but slowly, I found myself moving towards this genre as well.

So when I got my monthly review pack from 2000AD (the same folks that brought you Judge Dredd) I was thrilled to find a copy of Button Man: The Confession of Harry Exton, among the stack.

Written by John Wagner (creator of Judge Dredd and A History of Violence), it tells the story of Harry Exton who becomes a Button Man for the"Voices", powerful men who use hit men as sport, betting on the outcome and keeping score. When Harry almost dies, he's taken to America by a US Senator and placed into service for one year, after which time, he can walk away a rich man. Problem his, Harry likes his job too much and is playing for keeps.

A cool story and yet another concept or idea that could easily be translated into a quality movie or even a series on HBO or Showtime that would draw numbers if the right writers were involved.

Art is by Arthur Ranson. The back says he's drawn issues of some of the X books for Marvel Comics but this is my first exposure to him. He seems to use a mix of traditional pencils and ink work along with photos to create a very realistic feel to the book. The characters take on some wonky poses here and there but over all it's some solid work.

With books like Ed Brubaker's Criminal and Warren Ellis' Fell on the shelves, a book like Button Man should do well if you're a fan of either. Let's hope we keep seeing more of this around.

Till next time...

Remember your childhood. And pass it on.

2008-07-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

I was out and about today and stopped off at one of my favorite places to browse, Half Price Books. There are several of them here in Columbus. All of them carry comic books. Most locations have them for a buck or less. A lot of times they get treated like red-headed step children, tossed around until the covers are loose and pages are bent. Still, I look because you just never know what you'll find in those bins.

Today I found Herobear and the Kid by Mike Kunkle. They only had issues #2-5 and they were a little beat up, but for a buck an issue, I quickly snapped up the first printings and took them home.

For those that are new to Herobear the story is simple... When a young boy's grandfather dies, he inherits his old pocket watch and an old stuffed bear. But all is not as it seems as the bear comes to life and transforms into a ten foot tall hero known as, Herobear.

Within the books and on the back of the covers is the phrase: Remember your childhood. And pass it on.

This winter my own Grandfather passed away. He lived a very full and wonderful life and did many amazing things. To this day I still have trouble coping with him not being here. To my own regret, I didn't spend as much time with him at the end as I should have and when I came home to find out he was gone, it hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest. Six months later, I still hurt.

It might sound a bit silly to say but these books have helped me, just a little, and make me realize he's never truly gone so long as I can remember him and the things we did and the bond we shared, when I was a child. He has given me some of the happiest memories of my life and I still love him.

For those of you who stumble upon this Blog, this posting, I urge you to check out Mike Kunkel's creation at http://www.theAstonishFactory.com and discover Herobear and the Kid, for your children, for your grandchildren, and for yourself.

Remember your Childhood. And pass it on.

Till next time...

Good Grief

2008-06-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Almost two whole months since the last post!?! Just what the hell do I do with all my time?

Actually, I've been working with Screenwriter Chris Freeman on an adaptation of one of his scripts into graphic novel form. Anyone who thinks this is easy, ripping someone else's work apart and transforming it into a medium that deals in motion to one that rests on the illusion of motion, is in for a big shock.

I seriously underestimated this project and it kicked my ass. Right now I'm waiting for notes from Chris so we can knock out any edits and get it on to our artist. (More on our artist later)

I'm also waiting on the completion of our first project with art by Mike Lilly and photos from JM Manion to get Iron Sirens #3 put to bed.

So, lots going on but nothing moving forward.

Gotta try to remember I have this site to so I can keep updating it.

Till next time....

Pittsburgh Comic Con 2008

2008-05-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that the Pittsburgh show was a week ago. This past week has just kicked me in the ass hard with everything going on. I'm just now getting the chance to sit down and write about it a bit. No rest for the wicked...
JM Manion, Adela Garcia, Uko Smith, Sonia Adcock, and Me (No... they aren't midgets... I'm just a giant)

The show was great. Lots of people all three days. We had a great location near a dealer who was selling $1 comics and half off GN's so every time the aisle got jammed people would stop and stand in front of the booth while deciding where to go next. Lots of lookers (thanks to the girls) and a good number of sales for a small show like this.

Uko was the only one of my three artists that was there. Lots of sketch requests. Sadly I'm just the poor old writer. No one cares about the writer. I used to illustrate but in my old age my art skills have dwindled away. I'll need to do something about that.

Sonia looking hot in a corset. Leave it to the women to find the one person in the entire con selling clothes.

Adela Garcia in front of the banner. It was a rush job and next show will have a bigger and better one. Who am I kidding...? No one was looking at the banner.

Aside from sitting and signing with the girls all weekend, I got to accomplish a few other things like: Talk with good friend Rich Lane, a fellow writer I've been in contact with for years. I met some of the guys at Blue Line/Sketch magazine and got to dine with them on Sat night, and met Paul Monsky and Ed Clouts of AC Comics... both great guys.

I also spent way too much money on Hardcovers and Trade Paperbacks (the perils of being next to a dealer that's selling them at half off)

As I said above, it was a great show. I've done Pittsburgh now for six years and this was easily the best time I've had. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Till next time...

Going Hollywood

2008-04-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

Kinda... sorta... here's the deal...

Back in October of last year I took a screen writing class here in Westerville (just outside of Columbus, Ohio for those not in the know) . The teacher, Chris Freeman, had worked as a production assistant for Michael Mann on such films as Collateral and Miami Vice before moving back here. In that time he had been writing scripts. At one point, his job was to read the hundreds of scripts that would flood a production office in the hopes one of them might be worthy of being made into a movie.

To make a long story short, we hit it off, both being fans of comics. I had shown him some of my work and towards the end of the class he began talking to me about a project of his own he had been trying to get off the ground.

Entitled CIRCLE OF STONES, the project is a horror movie about savage Mayan children protecting an ancient treasure in the heart of the jungle. Optioned and green lit, the movie is ready to be made. However, both Chirs and his partner on this script would like a little more funding and a better shoot schedule.

This is where I came in...

Having some knowledge of the comics industry after kicking around with Ed Dukeshire of Digital Webbing for the past ten years (damn... has it been that long???), I helped Chris adapt several scenes from his movie script to be illustrated as a comic. I've also helped him put together a team which includes artist Mike Lilly (Batman, Nightwing, Quasar) to illustrate.

Chris' goal, and mine, is to obtain additional funding from another studio or outside investor so Circle of Stones looks its absolute best up on the silver screen.

So that's what I've been doing the past month, all the while neglecting my little Blog Space here. ( I know... so many of you were worried, weren't you...)

When not working on this project, I've been tinkering with my own movie script, an adaptation of my comic 'Slight' of Hand, and slowly getting ready for the Pittsburgh Comic Con April 25th-27th where I'll be signing copies of Iron Sirens with the lovely and amazing Adela Garcia and Sonia Adcock. (I'll let them fight it out to see which one is lovely and which one is amazing.)

Till next time...

Weekend Update 3-9-2008

2008-03-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

What a weekend. The Blizzard of '08 they say. Pffffft. A little snow and people freak out. Talk about funny. We only got about 15" total. As I write this the city is still under a Level 2 Snow Emergency. The roads are bad but not awful. I know cause I had to go to Kroger's for toilet paper.

Anyhow...

Project wise I'm in an odd place. Here's a run down of where I'm at:

Work as started on Issue #3 of Iron Sirens. Expect that out in June at this time.

CRASH Kennedy: Weapon of Choice should be out from TwoFold comics soon. More on that as soon as I get word.

I've been talking to artist Jerry Beck off and on for several years and it looks like he might get to the project we wanted to do. Talks are underway. More info very soon.

I've set aside my first movie script for a bit and started a second. We'll see how that goes.

Waiting for an update on the Circle of Stones movie project I may be involved with. I've kept this one under my hat for a while because I really don't want to jinx it for anything.

And finally, I've gotten the itch to revive The Last Paladin. Several attempts were made to keep it going but to no avail. I've put him aside for a while but he keeps bubbling back to the surface. I have an idea in place and if I can find the right artist I want to re-launch him and see if he can still hold an audience.

That's about it for now. Till next time...

Crooked Little Vein

2008-03-08T04:13:00.000-08:00

Mix a conspiracy surrounding the United States Presidents with a down on his luck shit-magnet of a private eye who always stumbles into the absurd and you have Warren Ellis' first true novel, Crooked Little Vein.

I've been a fan of Mr. Ellis for years, reading his comic books like Global Frequency, Fell, Storm Watch, The Authority, and a host of others. In fact, Warren Ellis has the distinction of having more comics collected into mass market trade paperbacks than any other writer in modern history.

More often than not, the concepts and characters he brings forth spring from real life science fact, twisted to make amazing leaps into storytelling. But back to the novel at hand...

Crooked Little Vein reads like National Treasure on Crack. A private eye, down on his luck, is given an ungodly sum of money to track down a book that contains the secret amendments to the constitution written on the skin of a dead alien. It only gets more bizarre from there as he travels across country dealing with twisted and freakish people living in America's underbelly.

The whole thing is a fast and fun read. My only complaint about it seems to be that this could just as easily be a six issue mini-series in comic book form as it could a novel. That's not a bad thing, I was just expecting something a little more. I supposed the graphic nature of some of the things our hero runs into during his adventure are better left unseen, and for that, I'm eternally grateful to Mr. Ellis.

Crooked Little Vein. Go read it if you like really weird stuff disguised as a private eye novel.

Till next time...

Iron Sirens at the Arnold Classic

2008-02-22T06:28:00.000-08:00

For those who don't already know, The Arnold Classic is a huge event here in Columbus Ohio, run by the Gov. of California himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Columbus Ohio has always been a huge city for bodybuilding and Arnold holds his International competition here for the past 20 years.

This year we'll JM Productions will be releasing Iron Sirens #2 at The Arnold Classic, the same show Iron Sirens made it's debut at three years ago.

The Special Edition will feature a 9 page comic starring Adela Garcia and Sonia Adcock, a photo layout of the girls and an original Adela Garcia cover by local artist, amazing talent, and good friend, Uko Smith.

The issue will be available through out the Pro Fitness and Figure season at shows and events across the country. You can also go to Digital Webbing and pick up a copy as well.

Look for issue #3 with IFBB Star Jenny Lynn to hit sometime before June of this year.

Till next time...

Holy Crap!

2008-02-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

Two months since I've last posted? What the hell is wrong with me? It's not like I've been locked away. Being lazy is the only excuse here. That and my computer crapped out a few weeks back but I'm on a new system so...

There's a good chunk of stuff going on in my creative life. Even the possibility of some more Last Paladin sooner than later. Till then, I'll be keeping you all up to date on some more of what I'm doing and what I'm reading to pass the time.

Look for a handful of posts over the next week and then, with little discipline, regular posts for the foreseeable future.

Till then...

I've gone to the movies, damn it!

2007-12-16T05:03:00.001-08:00

Or at least I've been writing a movie script.

It's a poor but accurate excuse for why this baby hasn't been updated in a while.

For the past 12 weeks I've been taking a class here in Columbus Ohio for screenwriting. The teacher, Scott Freeman, had worked with Writer/Director/Producer Michael Mann for several years and is currently co-producing a film he wrote.

I knew this class was going to be a lot of work but with my regular have to pay the bills job, bad weather, car issues, mile illnesses, and everything else life likes to throw at you, it's been a hell of a ride.

I've got about 15 to 20 pages to go and the last class is Tuesday. My goal is to finish this script and update this blog at least once more before the end of the year.

Anyone want to place odds?

RevolTech Dangaioh

2007-11-03T03:25:00.001-07:00

My new toy!

I can blame Dan Campos for this one. He's the one that showed me these super-articulated toys from Japan. The RevolTech Joint System allows for any number of life-like poses on these action figures. They have less points of articulation than any american action figure and damn it... they look sweet.

This guy is Dangaioh. I've never seen the Anime or the manga. I just bought him cause he looked damn cool. he comes with four sets of hands and his "Haja no Ken" which translates into Sword of Crushing Evil!

The figures retail here in America for around $20 each. A lot of people might balk at that price but consider this:

The Marvel Legends figures sell for $10 to $12 each. Sure they have 23 points of articulation but some of them just look down right ugly and still dont pose as well as this guy. DC Direct figures look great but hardly pose at all and they sell for upwards of $15 in comic shops.

The average RevolTech figure is smaller. This guy is about 6" high. They come with a two part stand so you can pose most of them as if they were flying or leaping through the air. They come with multiple hands, sometimes extra heads, and at least one weapon... sometimes as many as six or seven depending on the character.

A bulk of the figures produced so far are from the Neon Genesis and PatLabor series of Anime/Manga. They also have a wicked G1 Optimus Prime and Megatron and they've started to introduce a few "human" figures into their line. The one I've seen so far is more articulated than any action figure I've ever seen and looks 100% better at the joints.

I'd have to say over all, my only dislike is that I'm worried I'll snap the figure in two putting him into a pose since I'm not used to the joint system. After several days he's still in one piece though.

Greetings from Brookville

2007-10-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Wow... its been a while since I've updated this hasn't it. ? Damn. Well for the two or three of you that do stop by on a regular basis let's see what we got...

I recently moved to the Brookville Apartments in Columbus Ohio. Not too far from where I was previously which is good. It's a nice place, quiet, no troubles at all. The office help is hit and miss but what are ya gonna do right?

I recently started attending a screenwriting workshop on Tuesday nights. It's been fun so far and by the end of the class I should have a fairly passable screenplay. The teacher worked for Writer/Director/Producer Michael Mann of Miami Vice and Collateral fame. He seems to know what he's talking about (Actually Chris is a really great guy and the class has been fun every week)

I've also begun work on a book to be published by TwoFold Comics in 2008. Crash Kennedy: Weapon of Choice is an action story at heart but it's got all kinds of fun and weird things thrown in for good measure. If all goes well the first arc will be six issues. Each issue will have Crash as the lead story and there will be a six to eight page back ups in every issue. I'm still working things out but so far everything has been smooth.. almost too smooth for one of my projects.

Im also working on a number of other pitches to various companies. Mainly for comics and comic related projects but there's also a few that could be pushed towards the traditional book or movie side of things as well.

Hmmmmm... anything else... I got a new kitty. His name is Ajax. I have the scars to proove it.

Aside from that... there's not much else cooking right now. Actually, that's not true. There's a lot more going on than what I've divulged here but to go into every little project and idea I'm trying to germinate would bore the hell out of all of you.. all two or three of you.

Tyr to stop by and I'll try to keep things updated more frequently now.

Batman: A Trio of Tales

2007-09-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I've loved Batman. He was a regular guy with exceptional training and some really kick ass weapons and gadgets. He couldn't fly and he couldn't lift cards above his head but he held his own. His villains were the same way. None of them had crazy super powers. Instead they were just crazy.

My one problem with Batman and his villains is it can be difficult to tell an interesting tale. Just the shear amount of stories that have already been told alone can limit the originality and creativeness one can do with them before you either take the character too far out of their established roles or give the reader a "been there, done that" story that doesn't hold their interest.

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale do anything but that in their trio of Batman Books. Batman Haunted Knight (a trio of tales from the Legands of the Dark Knight series), The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. These three books encompass around 30 issues total.

I picked these up over the last six weeks because I was moving and bored out of my skull with no cable tv or internet connection (which is why there's a huge gap in posts here for anyone wondering) based on a friends recommendation. I've never been a huge fan of either Loeb or Sale but knew they did a lot of work together for both DC and Marvel so I gave them a shot.

I was glad I did as well.

Loeb crafts some great tales that focus on Batman's early years as a crime fighter in Gotham City. From his dealing with the death of his parents to his relationship with a young Jim Gordon and an ambitious Harvey Dent. What really made these some cool books for me though was how Loeb handled the villains. Everyone from the big guns like the Joker and Two Face are done well but it's the really odd ones like the Calender Man and The Mad hatter, guys you don't often see, that Loeb really finds niches for. When he writes these guys he writes them odd and scary, just how they should be.

The art by Tim Sale (the guy who did all the artwork for the NBC show HEROES for the two of you out there that don't know) is great but what's really fun is to see his progression on the books. From the first Halloween tale to the last page of Dark Victory you can tell he's refining his style and growing as an artist.

From here, Loeb and Sale would go on to do other projects but to date they haven't returned to Batman. As a writer myself I understand there's only so much you can creatively do with a character before you feel you've said your peace and have to move on. Personally, I'm hoping they find some more to say in the future.

Artistic Torture

2007-07-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

This amazing page comes from Strange Tales #2 featuring Cloak & Dagger, published by Marvel Comics in 1987. The script was written by Bill Mantlo and the page was illustrated by Bret Blevins. It's one of my all time favorites.

Look at all those panels on that page. Count 'em... That's a page with eighteen panels! What's amazing is even with all that dialogue, the page still flows and works pretty damn well.

I love showing this page to my friends and the artists I work with. My hope is it'll scare my co-creators into producing work lest I try to write a page like this in my scripts someday.

So far it hasn't worked.

Captain America: Winter Soldier

2007-07-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge Captain America fan but from time to time I would pick up the title to see what was going on.

The last time I ever really bought a solid run of the book was in the 90's when the government took the costume and shield away from Steve Rogers and gave it to another man. Steve simply became "The Captain" during that time and wore a black costume and had a black shield.

It wasn't until a little over ten years later that I decided to pick the book up again.

Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting re-launched Captain America in 2004 and I picked it up for a solid six issues then dropped the title and sold the small run on ebay.

Now I wish I hadn't.

Since 2004 my tastes have changed in comics and I've started to get into Crime and Spy fiction more and more. Ed Brubaker, creator of Criminal from Marvel's Icon line of books, has become one of my favorite writers in recent years. The fact that he's the man that killed Captain America got me wanting to go back and read his run on the book.

With amazing art by Steve Epting, Brubaker has managed to weave a hell of an interesting espionage thriller in the pages of Captain America. In his first year alone, the Winter Soldier story arc, he manages to bring back the Cosmic Cube, kill the Red Skull, create a new villain with ties to Captain America's past, mess with Cap's mind, and bring back one of the characters comic fans thought was untouchable, Bucky Barnes, as a Russian assassin code-named the Winter Soldier. What impresses me just as much is that Brubaker does all this while playing ball with the rest of the Marvel Universe by taking part in Bendis' House of M story arc for an issue and later making sure Nick stays in hiding once Bendis put him there.

This is an arc I can't recommend enough if you like your superheroes mixed with a little bit of a thrill and continuity thrown in for good measure. You can get the collections just about anywhere but for those that want everything to date, Marvel is releasing an Omnibus edition later this year with Issues #1-25 plus the 65th anniversary issue and the Winter Soldier one shot. Retail is $75 but I'm sure several websites will have it at a discounted rate.

Till then...

Fourth of July Blues

2007-07-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

Just a quick entry today...

I'm stuck at work on the Fourth of July with nothing to do. It's about 9:30 am and I can't escape until 2pm at the earliest.

There hasn't been too much going on. Everything is slow going project wise but there will be some new art and new ideas coming so please stay tuned. Until then I'll keep posting some fun reviews of books I read and think you should give a try.

Till then...

Queen & Country

2007-06-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

In keeping with my current kick of reading crime drama I've come across and have really enjoyed Greg Rucka's Queen & Country series by Oni Press.

While not really a crime book it does have all kinds of double crosses and unsavory characters inside it's pages because Queen & Country is a spy book first and foremost. A realistic James Bond-ian adventure if you will.

The title follows Minder Tara Chance through a series of harrowing missions as she keeps England safe from all kinds of foreign evils. Minder's are secret agents, kept in groups of three and sent to stop everything from terrorists to blackmail plots that may hurt the global economy.

Greg Rucka has become another of my favorite writers since I discovered him swapping scripting duties with Ed Brubaker (Criminal) on DC's Gotham Central. His first Whiteout mini-series was an amazing read and Queen & Country is no exception. (In fact, I think the two are connected by a character in some way... if not I stand corrected... now I'll have to go back and check) He really does his research and pulls the cop/crime/spy drama together very well. The secondary characters and just as entertaining as Tara Chance and fun to read when they Finally get some page time. Rucka makes each one of them count.

Art on the book is done by a different team on each arc. Visually it's hit and miss. For example: Carla Speed McNeil, whom I had never heard of before pickup up issues #16-20 Operation Storm Front has a style you'd never expect on a title like this. Personally I found her character design confusing, several of them looking too alike to make out unless you really paid attention to the dialogue from page to page.

That speed bump aside, Queen & Country is a cool read for anyone who likes either spies or crime or both. All except the most current storyline have been collected into trades by Oni Press. Don't just grab one at random, Start with Operation: Broken Ground collecting issue #1-4 and you'll be glad you did.

Till next time...

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files

2007-06-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

I was never a big Judge Dredd fan growing up. I knew of the character and his historical significance in the world of British comics and there was a cheesy movie staring Sylvester Stalone in 1995. That was about it for me.

Then I read The Complete Casefiles Vol #1. Wow.....

To start, The Complete Case Files are the 2000AD version of Marvel's Essentials books or DC's Showcase Presents books. Case Files reprints the complete work of Judge Dredd from the very first issues in black and white.

For those who have never heard of the character, Judge Dredd is a genetically engineered member of law enforcement in Mega-City One, a super city that is made of most of America's East Coast after several wars and disasters. He is the best and the brightest, upholding the law no matter what the odds or outcome will be.

The whole concept was created to be a social and political satire of America from the late 70's and while a few stories may seem a bit dated, others still ring as true as the day they were written and illustrated.

What surprised me most as I tore through the volumes was that most of the Judge Dredd tales were short. Some as quick as three to five pages, around eight on average. The character got his start in 2000 AD, a weekly science-fiction anthology. Even more amazing than the quick reads of each chapter was how the creative team made those stories work. Their scripts and their layouts are all amazing given the fact these comics were introduced in the late 70's a far cry from what Marvel and DC were doing at the same time with their superhero books. A lot of the art still stands out today including Brian Bolland's work on the series which was few and far between but looks as sharp as anything he's done today.

As of right now there are eight Case Files collections. Each collection represents one full year of Judge Dredd adventures. In fact, unless someone can tell me different, I think Judge Dredd was the first comic that was kept in real time. As the year went on so did the year for Dredd and he aged with each passing season. At some point I assume they stopped this because it would make him around 50 years of age right now and approaching retirement. Or maybe not. Even retired something tells me he'll still be "the law".

Whether you're a fan of comics or a creator learning how to write shorts, pick these books up. Always good stuff.

Till next time.

Dynamo 5

2007-06-06T04:54:00.001-07:00

Those of you who have stopped by here before or have ever picked up a copy of Digital Webbing Presents knows my good friend Mahmud Asrar. He's not only the artist for my character The Last Paladin but he's also done several other stories for DWP as well as a score of books in his native Turkey.

Well now Mahmud's got a hit book over at Image Comics. Dynamo 5 is written by Jay Farber and illustrated by Mahmud Asrar. It's about the five illegitimate offspring of a Superman like hero who has been killed. With his death, his widow is able to seek out these children, each with one of his five amazing powers, and form a team to pick up her late husbands slack.

It's really tough for me to review a book like this because I'm so biased. Mahmud's art is as fantastic as ever. He's doing what he loves to do and it shows in the pages. The story is quick and quirky with moments of drama and suspense thrown in for good measure. The end of issue #1 is a cool surprise.

Right now it's tough to find these issues. Complete sets of the first three issues sell for about $25 on eBay. Single issues have sold for $10. Double check your local comic shop's back stock before trying to outbid someone or you can do what a lot of people do these days and wait for the trade paperback. Either way, it's worth the buy.

Weekend Update

2007-06-03T16:01:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've actually taken a few moments to update everyone on my current projects as a writer. Everything has been in such a state of flux since my surgery almost eight months ago that it didn't pay to announce things here only to see them change or disappear a week later. However, some things have been coming together and it looks like 2007 isn't going to be a dead year for me project wise. Here's a quick list of what I know should be in print before the end of the year...

The Last Paladin: The character and concept I created this site for in the first place will have a six page chapter published in the final issue of Digital Webbing Presents at the end of the year. This was Mahmud's final chapter before moving on to illustrate Dynamo 5 from Image Comics. (A book I've neglected to help pimp for my good friend) I'm also putting together a small book full of sketches and concept art for The Last Paladin. Most of the work will be Mahmud's but look for a few surprises as well. It should be out in time for Mid-Ohio later this year.

Iron Sirens: Some of you who know me know a few years back I put out a book called Project Trinity: Divas with Dan Campos and Stacie Ponder. It stared several of the most popular IFBB Fitness and Figure models, managed by JM Manion of the NPC (National Physique Commity) in a sci-fi/action style comic book adventure. The book got national attention in every major bodybuilding magazine and on a local Fox Sports show dedicated to fitness. We always wanted to do more but schedules got jacked around and it floundered. After a lot of talking and planning and thinking, JM Manion and I, teamed up with Ed Dukeshire at Digital Webbing and coming your way this fall is Iron Sirens, a full color comic featuring fitness and figure models as the actual characters. it'll be released on a quarterly schedule, feature a min of 16 pages of comics each issue and the rest will be filled out with photos and info on the girls involved. In addition to comic stores, these books will be sold at major bodybuilding shows and expos like the Arnold Classic and the Olympia.

Jackie D: Created by my good friend Uko Smith about ten years ago, this is one of his ideas that he's sat on forever and ever as he's cut his teeth on other projects in the art world. If he's telling me the truth, he's finally started illustrating the small script he asked me to write to introduce this tough as nails private eye. (Now you HAVE to do it Uko... HA!)

From the Stack: Similar to the Last Paladin sketchbook mentioned above, I'm going to try and put out a second book that will showcase projects and concepts I never got off the ground for one reason or another. Artwork for the first collection will feature Dario Carrasco, Dan Campos, and Scott Lemien. This is some cool stuff and even though it may never be completed I think people might enjoy seeing some of the creative process and ideas my artists and I come up with.

So that's it for now. I have more... a lot more... in the works but right now this is all I feel safe talking about. We don't want to jinx it now do we...?

Till next time...

Criminal

2007-05-30T14:14:00.001-07:00

In keeping with my recent trend of letting the three of you who stop by this Blog on a regular basis (you know who you all are) up to date on what I read, I want to bring this book to every one's attention...

Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is published by Icon, which is a small imprint of Marvel Comics. As I've said before, crime fiction has held my imagination for the past couple of years and as my little obsession grows I get drawn to books like this.

The first story arc entitled "Coward" follows a pickpocket named Leo as he's drawn into a heist by an old partner's wife and some crooked cops. Leo hasn't done a job with a crew since the last one went bust five years ago and he's still haunted by the repercussions. What follows is a tight story filled with double-crosses and characterization that Hollywood studios should be tripping over themselves to bring to the big screen.

Ed Brubaker first came to my attention when a friend told me to give Gotham Central a try (more on that in a future post to be sure). Sean Phillips held my intrest on a run of comics called Wildcats a few years back. I never felt the need to hunt donw all the works of either creator but if the two paired together keep turing in work like this, I'll me more than happy to sacrifice my $2.99 to them each and every month. And if that isn't praise enough... this may just be the book I give to my girlfriend (A Law & Order junkie) to get her into reading a comic book. Ha!

Till next time...

newuniversal

2007-05-24T16:18:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I let readers here know about Warren Ellis and his crime comic Fell. This week I want to let readers in on another unique title from Warren Ellis and Marvel Comics called newuniversal.

Back in '84-'85 Marvel decided it was going to launch a new imprint they named the New Universe. These series of books were going to treat comics from a realistic standpoint of "what if random people on earth started gaining powers after a great cosmic event". Think the TV show Heroes but on a much larger scale.

With titles like DP7, Psi-Force, Nightmask, Justice, and Starbrand, these comics were ahead of their time, believe it or not. Over the two plus years they were published the heroes discovered their powers, formed groups, were drafted into the Army and fought a war. Eventually poor sales and a change in the guard at Marvel editorial did the books in. There would be some writers who would go back every few years and re-visit the New Universe characters but for the most part they were shut out of the regular Marvel Universe.

Now, thanks to the powers-that-be at Marvel, they've turned the entire line of characters over to Warren Ellis for newuniversal.

An updated take on comics twenty years old, newuniversal does the same thing the original line of books set out to do but with the science fiction and metaphysical twists only a writer like Ellis and bring. He even goes so far as to give an explanation of what happened and what went wrong to the original New Universe universe in issue #2. The art by former X-Men artist Salvador Larroca doesn't hurt to look at either. He does a superb job of illustrating the normal, scenes of every day life which fills a good two-thirds of the title. However, when the script calls for the fantastic, he can deliver that too.

Warren Ellis has gone on record as saying he doesn't like traditional superheroes and this book is anything but. For any of you out there that happen upon this, if you were glued to the edge of your seat all season while watching Heroes, please give this book a try. You won't regret it.

Poison Ivy

2007-05-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

My good friend JM Manion just sent me these shots of the amazing Andrea as the villainous vixen Poison Ivy...

Wow....

FIRESTORM!!!

2007-05-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Firestorm, the Nuclear Man by my good friend Uko Smith. The man should be illustrating the regular series.

Enjoy!

Hellboy: Darkness Calls

2007-05-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

I was recently shocked to learn that I am the only person at my store that has Hellboy on their pull list. I know this book isn't going to be every one's cup of tea but c'mon... its Hellboy.

Actually, when Hellboy first came out all those years ago I almost passed on the first issue. I had never been a Mike Mignola fan. In fact I really didn't like his art at all on many of his previous comics. I had a few Incredible Hulk issues of his from the 80's and thought they were junk. I think I still own one of his Cloak & Dagger fill-in issues as well. Anyhow, I just wasn't a fan of his "blocky" art style. I picked up Hellboy because it was written by John Byrne, a creator whose work is scattered throughout my entire collection.

I bought that first mini-series and I was amazed, not only at the story by Byrne (which was just as much Mignola's) but the art as well. It was the same style i never really liked but on steroids. It was dark and moody and for some reason it clicked with the story it was set to. I was hooked.

Since then I haven't missed an issue of Hellboy (or B.P.R.D.) and I couldn't be happier that Darkness Falls has finally arrived. If you're a fan of the book then you know the story behind why it's been so delayed and how Mignola chose artist Duncan Fegredo to take over as the artist. If you don't know... I won't bore you here. Just trust me when I say Duncan is probably the best choice Mike could have ever made as an artist for this new six issue series. I've already read the issue but I've picked it back up at least twice just to stare at the art. Not something I often do as a writer.

Set shortly after "The Island", this new Hellboy series doesn't waste any time getting into the wierd and throwing our hero right into a new supernatural adventure. If you've never read Hellboy before, this might not be the best starting point. The mythology Mike Mignola has created over the past thriteen years is astounding. Go grab some of the trade paperback collections which should be available at almost any comic book store worth its salt or you can find them at Amazon or any Barne's & Noble too.

Enjoy...

FELL

2007-05-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

As I've grown older my tastes in reading have always shifted. In recent years I've been drawn more to crime drama. Not the kind you'll see on one of the six or seven Law & Order shows. Think stories like you see on The Shield on F/X where characters aren't always what they seem and there's a very thin, gray line drawn in the sand that keeps shifting as the characters (and authors) see fit. A good example of that kind of story is Andrew Vachss' Burke series (of which I'll have to talk about another day).

Right now I want to introduce anyone who stops by here to a little book published by Image Comics called FELL.

Written by genius and madman (the two go hand in hand more often than not) Warren Ellis, Fell is a about Detective Richard Fell who has crossed the bridge from the big city into Snowtown to escape his past.

While Richard Fell and his life on the job is the main focus of the book, the city of Snowtown is just as important, so much so that it's a character all on its own. Dark and twisted, it's almost like Gotham City on crack.

Each issue, Warren Ellis busts his balls to give us a complete-in-one, eighteen page story with back up materials that range from where he got the idea for this months tale, where he's going, where he's been, and letters from fans and all for $1.99 making it the best deal in comic stores today. Warren Ellis also takes a unique approach to storytelling in FELL. Each story is scripted on a traditional nine-panel grid format. While there may not be nine panels on every page, the action can be broken down into a nine panel grid if you look close enough.

At this time I'm not sure when the collected edition will be out. Most of you that want to start from the beginning will have to wait for that or be willing to shell out about $10 at a convention or bidding on eBay for issue #1. When it does hit, Fell Vol #1 will collect issues #1-8 plus I'm sure Mr. Ellis will throw in some additional materials for his fans and new readers alike.

Till next time...

Blog of the Emissary

2007-05-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

My good friend Deon has FINALLY decided to join the world wide web of "Blogging" (and here I thought I was late to get into the game). He's still new to all this so most of his posts are Iron Man movie related but stop on by anyways. He's sure to post some cool art every now and again.

http://blogoftheemissary.blogspot.com/

The Immortal Iron Fist

2007-05-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

Iron Fist. I've never really liked the character.

So when I first saw this book was coming out I passed on it. Then I started reading more and more about it and it grabbed my curiosity. Finally I caved when I saw it on the shelf at my local store and bought the first issue. I haven't been this happy with a impulse buy in a long time.

Created in the 70's by Marvel Comics as a way to capture some of the Kung-Fu craze, Iron Fist was martial artist who would focus his 'chi' into a powerful punch once a day. The core of that character hasn't changed in this new series but the new creative team of Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja have taken the character and his legend and expanded on it in a very cool way.

In two separate battles, Danny Rand as Iron Fist must fight the terrorist organization of Hydra and save his company. Quickly discovering his business rivals and Hydra are in league with each other he sets out to find why. The Iron Fist doesn't get too far when his powers fail him. From there we meet Orson Randall, the Iron Fist of World War Two and discover the secret history of Iron Fist, a history Danny never knew existed, and the origin of his amazing powers.

Even if you don't like you're regular, run of the mill superhero books, you'll like this. It reads very much like a plot for a modern day Kung-Fu flick and would be translated well into that medium. If you don't want to go and find the six issues (several of which have sold out nation wide) the collection of the first arc should be in stores sometime this summer. Grab it.. you won't be sorry.

Till next time.

Pittsburgh Bound....

2007-04-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'm making the final preparations for my trip to Pittsburgh tomorrow for the great Pittsburgh Comic Con.

This will be my fourth year as a guest and for anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to go, its one of the biggest "little" cons I've been to. No where near as large as a Wizard show but just as good if not better. Great people, great guests, and great fans.

I'll be sitting in the Small Press section, Booth #SO53 with Uko Smith of Kenyatta Press.

If anyone has the chance, stop by and say hello. I'll have a load of books from Digital Webbing including Last Paladin packs and various other projects.

Till next time...

A Last Paladin Update.... No... Really....

2007-03-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

Yeah.... I know.. it's been ages since anything Paladin has been posted here so for the two or three of you that lurk around and actually read Last Paladin, here's what's going down:

With Mahmud a busy little bee on Image's new series Dynamo 5 by Jay Farber, the fate of the Last Paladin has been up in the air.

Enter EJ Morges.

I've posted some of EJ's art here in the past and he's decided he wants to take the art chores over for Mahmud and I'm all too happy to have him along for the ride. Right now I'm working on a new story for the Last Paladin that will launch him on his quest to find Atlantis in the modern world. While EJ's style is different from Mahmud's its very well suited to carry on the characters short but well received tradition.

In the meanwhile... I have a completed six pager by Mahmud that has yet to see print. The script was written about a month after I started the Paladin/FoJ crossover. It features a character I created just for Mahmud after seeing the art that spawned the idea to have him draw Last Paladin in the first place. Both of us have our fingers crossed that it will see print somewhere before the year is out.

And that's it. Not too exciting... I know... but I hope as the weeks roll on I'll be able to post a little art and a little more good news.

Congratulations Kim Klein

2007-03-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

Kim Klein took the Fitness International title last weekend at the Arnold Classic here in Columbus, Ohio. I got to meet her at the Met-Rx booth on Saturday and chat for a bit. She's very cool and she's going to be one of the new characters in an upcoming comic book project I'm working on with photographer and friend JM Manion. She also seems to have a thing for Power Girl....

Check her out at http://www.kimklein.com/

Super Women

2007-02-22T02:42:00.000-08:00

My good friend JM Manion has it tough.

Not only is he a professional photographer, he also manages several of the top IFBB Pro Fitness and Figure Models in the country and, as Im sure you can guess, he loves his comic books too.

Here's his unique way of "inspiring" me to get on the ball and complete the second Divas comic book for him and his girls.

From Left to Right:

Supergirl: Amanda Jo Savell
Wonder Woman: Christine Pomponio-Pate
Xena Warrior Princess: Jenny Lynn
Bat Girl: Adela Garcia
Princess Leia: Mary Elizabeth Lado
Power Girl: Kim Klein

Who in the hell needs action figures when you got these ladies!!!!

For more info on these ladies check out http://www.JMPManagement.com

All of them will be attending the Arnold Classic in Columbus Ohio the weekend of March 2-4.

Thanks JM.

SPECIAL OFFER from Yours Truly

2007-01-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

Hey Gang,

I know the faithful among you have already gone and picked up your copy of DWP #31 from your local comic book store or favorite mail order service, right? Well, for those of you who didn't, for those of you who forgot, or for those of you who just need to be completists when it comes to your favorite books and alternate covers, I've got a special offer for you.

Right now, I'm offering the exclusive Codename: Wicked Angel cover to DWP #31 by Dan Campos, right here through my Blog Spot.

This cover is limited to only 500 copies and will only be sold at comic book conventions and fitness expos where I or the Wicked Angel herself, fitness model and Met-Rx sponsored athlete Grace Grimes, will appear in 2007.

There are two offers running right now:

Option A: The exclusive Wicked Angel cover for DWP #31 is only $5

Option B: You get the exclusive Wicked Angel cover of DWP #31 and an 8x10 of Grace, both autographed for $12

Both prices include S&H to the great 48 states and a few places in Canada. Alaska, Hawaii, and foreign orders please add an additional $3. If you want the book and/or photo personalized, please include what you would like it to say with payment. For now, payments will be accepted through PayPal using iascher74@yahoo.com as the Seller ID. Offer is good while supplies last.

Thanks and enjoy,

Ian & Grace

(Note: this is only one of several 8x10 photos you may receive with your purchase)

January Update

2007-01-12T14:38:00.000-08:00

Can you really call it an update if it's been about a month since your previous post? I suppose so, even if it doesn't feel like one to me. At least I'm writing something today...

So what's new?

Look for The Last Paladin in the pages of Digital Webbing Presents once again in 2007. The long awaited six pager that Mahmud drew before being discovered by Jay Farber will finally see the light of day. It should run in either issue #33 or #34. That decision will be up to Ed Dukeshire over at Digital Webbing.

I'm almost done writing an all new 'Slight' of Hand one shot. More on that as I finish it up.

I'm also finishing up the dialogue on a project for the guys at Atomic Pop Art called Jade Tiger: Rise of the Bloodwolves that should see print this summer.

Of course, as thing progress I'll be posting more. A lot more seems to happen in the Spring and summer months for me project wise.

Keep stopping by and I'll keep writing.

Digital Webbing Present #31 Reviewed!

2006-12-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

The book hit some parts of the country on Nov 29th and others on Dec 6th. Dave LeBlanc from The Comics Review wasted no time in letting everyone know what he thought of the book.

Writing Rating 9.0
Artistic Rating 9.0
Overall Rating 9.0

Title: DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS
Issue Number: 31
Title Story: Fist of Justice
Title Arc: More Powerful Than A . . .
Publisher: Digital Webbing
Creator: Mike Imboden & Ed Dukeshire
Writer: Mike Imboden & Ian Ascher
Artist: Yildiray Cinar
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Colors: Mike Clausen
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: Dec 6, 2006
Diamond Code: SEP063271
Genre: ANTHOLOGY

Fist of Justice is Marc Mason. When he dons his suit he is strong, nigh invulnerable, can fly – pretty standard stuff. But he is not having a standard day. His old nemesis, Dr. Dibuk, somehow survived a mid air explosion last issue and has control of a giant robot from ancient Atlantis, which is rampaging through the city. The Last Paladin, a doctor who has been given the armor and sword of an Atlantean warrior through the amulet worn by a princess, has come to his aid. He realizes the robot’s origin and hopes it will lead him to the lost civilization. But of course this is comics so the two heroes have to fight each other before they decide they are on the same side.

If that sounds a bit familiar it is the stuff of classic comic book hero stuff. Mike and Ed have brought the feel of the genre back from its roots in the Silver Age. That is not to say it is just a rehash of old themes. This story features Ian Ascher’s character Paladin from previous issues of DWP. The hero with power but no knowledge of where it came from is searching for answers. He just happens into another part of what I guess is the Digital Webbing Universe. The banter is well scripted and the villain is part sinister part pitiful. In all, it is an enjoyable story. And the art is well suited for heroic action the dynamics and coloring bring things to life. It is what I expect form this fine publication.

Backup feature:CODENAME: WICKED ANGEL
Story – Ian Ascher
Pencils – Dan Campos
Inks – Shaynne Colbert
Colors – Joel J. Segun
Letters - Kel

We are watching a girl in a jumpsuit breaking into a fitness club. The story is her narration as she thinks about trying to find her son she only recently found out about. It seems she was a victim of experimentation and the person who freed her has her working against the man behind it all. Thus the break in. The experiments added nanites to her blood. When activated they create an armor for vital parts of her body and also superhuman strength. She will need them as the intrusion triggers robots that attack with prejudice.

The back story is interesting. The narration fills in the holes while we see her in action. The end is a major discovery about her adversary. It is sure to lead to another chapter in a future issue. The art is a bit dark. The colors appear purposeful to distinguish our heroine in purple from blue, gold and silver robots. It did not appeal to the eye as much as the lead story but still well done.

******

Since I had a hand in both stories I was very excited to read this. Goes to show I might have a little skill after all when it comes to writing comic books. Check out the Comics Review at: http://www.thecomicsreview.com/temper.php?id=316

Till next time....

Monthly Update

2006-12-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

So...... I'm still alive and well, which is saying quite a bit given the events of the past few weeks.

I had been undergoing tests for the past few months because there were some issues with my blood work when, at the constant begging of my girlfriend Robin who happens to work for a group of family doctors, I finally had a physical. One thing led to another and I finally decided to undergo surgery to remove what was supposed to be a harmless growth on my thyroid gland for precautionary measures.

Turns out it was cancer.

I didn't know until after I came out of surgery. They took both thyroid glands. It was caught early and it was a very slow growing type of cell so I'm expected to make a full recovery and continue to live a very healthy life.

In addition to that I had been to Toledo to visit my Grandparents who I hadn't seen in several months, my roommate got a puppy which delites in pissing in the house at least twice a day, and there was a holiday in there somewhere if I remember correctly.

Busy.

Needless to say, I haven't been writing all that much. I'm just taking it easy for the rest of the year and will regroup and refocus come 2007.

Till then...

Digital Webbing Presents #31 is on its way!!!

2006-11-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

DWP #31 is at the printers as of today and has a release date of Nov 29th although I've got my fingers crossed it could hit as early as the 22nd.

This is a big moment for me because I co-wrote the lead feature with Mike Imboden and wrote the back-up story as well. That's 24 pages of creative goodness from the far recesses of my mind.

Of course I couldn't have done it without Ed Dukeshire of Digital Webbing. I want to thank him for all his hard work no matter how crazy I make him project after project after project.

The first cover shown here is for the Fist of Justice/Last Paladin crossover. This is what you'll be seeing in the stores nation wide. Art by Yildiray Cinar and colors by Mick Clausen.

The second cover featuring Codename: Wicked Angel with art by Dan Campos, Shaynne Corbett, and Joel Seguin is limited to only 500 copies and won't be sold in stores. The only way to get it is right here from The Last Paladin Blog or to catch either myself, or the Wicked Angel herself, Grace Grimes at conventions and trade shows.

As soon as I have the issues in hand I'll post information on how to get your very own copy right here. Makes a great Christmas gift for anyone who loves comics.

Till next time...

DIVAS II

2006-11-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

Some of you may be aware that a few years back I produced a book with Dan Campos and Ed Dukeshire for JMP Management called Project Diva: Trinity. The comic book featured fitness models Susie Curry, Adela Garcia, and Jenny Lynn as super-heroines out to stop a menace from the future. The book made its debut at the 2005 Arnold Classic and was a big success in the fitness circles. It got press in all the major bodybuilding magazines and I even got to sign copies at the show with Adela and Jenny.

Now, almost two years later we're coming back with a new issue. Joining Dan and myself this time out is 10th Muse artist Randy Kintz. We hope to have the book complete and ready for sale by the first weekend in March for the 2007 Arnold Classic. While Dan and Randy bust ass to make this one hell of a book, here's a quick sample of Randy's design work for Susie Curry. Hope you all enjoy....

As soon as the book hits I'll post information on how you can get an issue. Till then keep coming back for more...

Adapting

2006-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've always got a few different projects going.

Because I, and the artists I work with, generally do this in our free time for fun and because we enjoy it, it can take a while for a project to come together. I'm always pushing projects aside that have stalled out for one that might need a jump start or begins to move forward again. Some of my friends and peers don't understand how or why I do that.

personally, I'm not at a point where I can complete a script that has no artist attached and my never get done and be happy with it as it is. So if things go awry, I start something else and if someone comes along that suits an older idea, I have it on hand to jump into again.

And that's kind of where I am right now. I have a few projects out there cooking, all of which are a ways off from being completed. So while I wait for the right time to switch gears and complete things, I've started to work on an older concept I haven't touched in some years. Part of that work includes taking a short that has already been illustrated and published and re-working it into another script as part of a larger story.

Adapting your own published work is not as easy as it may seem. The story I'm tinkering with isn't all that bad but after almost six years I can go back and see things that could have been done differently. I've learned and grown in that time as a writer. I still don't think I'll be winning any awards anytime soon but I've managed to prospect a couple of nuggets of information in that time.

The trick (for me at least) is to make sure that as you adapt it, you don't fall into a pit and just "copy" what was illustrated by the original artist as you look at the page and begin to translate it back into a pure script for for the new artist. The same goes for the dialogue. It's easy just to re-use the dialogue word for word but you shouldn't. Make changes and utilize the freedom to do things over again.

Sorry there's no art this time around. At this moment there's no artist attached to the script I'm re-working and I want to keep it under wraps for the time being, just in case it doesn't pan out like I hope.

Keep reading and I'll keep writing...

The Last Paladin Rides Again...

2006-10-21T04:01:00.000-07:00

Well I've finally forced myself to sit back down and post another update for my faithful followers (all six of you... the checks are in the mail). Right now in Ohio the weather has turned colder, the leaves have all fallen off the trees and even though my Detroit Tigers are in the World Series there hasn't been any kind of cataclysmic repercussions. Yet.

Things have been very hectic and that's slowed me down on a lot of projects. Slow however does not mean stopped. Things are still being worked on and I always have at least three projects in various stages of completion.

Presented here is the first page of Mahmud's final Last Paladin story (for a while at least) colored by the amazing Joel Seguin of Image Comics.

This quick tale will take place in our past and fill in a little history about who he is and what was going on before the events of his debut in DWP #20. Over time, as I have the chance to tell more Paladin stories, more history will be filled in and I hope a larger tapestry will be woven for the character.

Look for this short to hit the pages of Digital Webbing Presents sometime in early 2007.

The Future of Last Paladin

2006-10-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Since my last few posts some things have been shaking the Last Paladin Universe.

The first and biggest is the departure of Last Paladin artist Mahmud Asrar. As important to the creation of that character as I was, Mahmud helped develop the look of all the characters and the world they walked in. Mahmud has moved on to a regular monthly gig that I'll announce here as soon as I get the ok to do so. Sadly, that means he won't have time to illustrate the Last Paladin for the time being. However, he knows he's always welcome back and he's even agreed to try and fit one or two more stories into his schedule somewhere along the line. Both tales are one's I've promised to him and him alone so I know he's eager jump on them.

That brings me to the new Last Paladin artist. Please give a nice, warm, welcome to EJ Morges.

EJ and I have wanted to work together on something for a long, long, time but schedules have never really clicked. Now with Last Paladin it seems as if everything will come together. EJ is known for his dynamic figure work, some of which puts Bart Sears to shame. Check out the quick character deigns he's done for a few of the existing characters here.

For now, The Last Paladin will continue to run as shorts in the back of Digital Webbing Presents but you just never know when or where the Last Paladin will show up.

Till next time...

Time For A Crossover!

2006-09-06T03:02:00.000-07:00

It's finally here.

DWP #31 featuring the Fist of Justice and the Last Paladin, together for the first time anywhere. An amazing tale brought to you by Imboden, Cinar, Dukeshire and yours truly. (Plus I also wrote the back-up tale Codename: Wicked Angel by Campos, Corbett, and Seguin in this very same issue. See a previous post for more info.)

Even though there are a few small finishing touches being put on the issue as I type the book is currently available for pre-order in the September Diamond Previews Catalog for a Nov release. Run to your shop and pre-order your copy today. The Diamond product code is SEP063271.

You can also preorder on line @ DCBS. They have great service and offer some pretty amazing discounts. Check 'em out here: http://www.dcbservice.com/

Order yours today!

Amber DeLuca by EJ Morges

2006-08-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day? Wow....

At the show I worked in August I got to meet a lot of cool folks. One of them was model and bodybuilder Amber DeLuca. A full blooded Omaha Indian, Amber is as stunning in person as she is in her photos.

We got the chance to chat for a bit backstage and my buddy EJ Morges worked up this sketch of Amber which may serve as the start of a comic book related project. At this time everything is still in the talk stage but we hope to get everything cooking soon.

Stay tuned for more info...

The Dynamic Duo

2006-08-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

The Comic Book business has been slow and I haven't updated this thing in almost two weeks so to kick myself out of my little funk I present to you the Dynamic Duo of Grace Grimes (Codename: Wicked Angel for you Paladin Post followers) and Charis Nawrocki.

If I didn't know these two better I would say Charis was ready to slice Grace in half with that clip board she's holding. Just look at that face kids. That's the face of someone ready to lay down a whoopin on someone's sun happy ass kids.

So angry Charis....... so angry.

If anyone ever thought spending a weekend with two beautiful women would be a dream come true... let me hip you to something... these two are crazy. Oh, and I get to do it again in about three weeks.

Pray for me...

So who are these guys anyways?

2006-08-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

They may not look like much right now but the two characters to the left will eventually make their way into the pages of The Last Paladin. Both designed by Mahmud Asrar after a few emails of picking my brain.

The gentleman to the right is called The Hex and he's something of a supernatural bounty hunter that criss-crosses the United States. He started life in his own origin script a few years ago but after several failed attempts to bring him to life by a few different artists, he landed in the limbo that is my notebook drawer until I started plotting future chapters of The Last Paladin. Everything seemed to fall right into place from there and I thought he may be the perfect fit for a tale or two.

So what sets The Hex apart from all the other supernatural bounty hunters in all the other comics out there? Well, I have some ideas I hope readers will find interesting and latch onto as his story debuts and unfolds.

As for the lady to his left....... I won't say too much about her at this time. She will however play a big role in upcoming chapters of The Last Paladin.

Keep checking back for more details...

Commissions by EJ Morges

2006-08-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

By now if you're a follower of my Blog you know who artist EJ Morges is. If not you need to. He's a hell of an artist and he does amazing pin-ups.

As of right now he's taking commissions for a short time. You can bounce to his own Blog by clicking the link I have off to the right for more details. His prices are very affordable too.

This bad boy pictured here of Wonder Woman, Hulk, and She-Hulk is only $45!!! Someone better buy this before I break down and do it myself. Then you'll all be sorry you didn't jump on the ball when I told ya to.

So Where's the Update...?

2006-07-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

It's been an odd past 11 days for me...

Right after the last post I went to Pittsburgh to work at the Teen, Collegiate, and Masters Bodybuilding show. While most of my comic book brothers and sisters were in San Diego for the largest show of the year, I was in the Steel City tanning and oiling women at a fitness and bodybuilding show. Not too many people feel for me when I tell them I was whipped after working that weekend but I swear to you all, there is a line between fantasy and nightmare when it comes to oiling up about 60 fitness models and believe me... I crossed it. I owe my sanity to two women; Grace Grimes and Charis Nawrocki. They managed to help me keep what little I have left. Thanks girls.

It took me nearly the entire week back to recover physically and mentally. Along the way I got word that Mahmud is back at work on The Last Paladin after his stint illustrating 300 Avengers trading cards. The Wicked Angel project will, for the time being, remain a back up in Digital Webbing Presents #31 but things are in play that will continue it outside of DWP in 2007. I also still have projects in the works with guys like Uko Smith which will begin as soon as he gets back from Chicago and both Dan Campos and EJ Morges as soon as I can find the lock to chain them to their drafting tables .

So everything is still good despite not having any groovy art or fantastic news this week. Just keep watching. I hope to have more of both soon.

Wicked Angel Update

2006-07-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

Those of you who stop by on a regular basis know several weeks back I posted some information on an up-coming project of mine called Codename: Wicked Angel.

Illustrated by Dan Campos, inked by Shaynne Corbett, and colored by Joel Seguin, the eight page story is set to be a back up tale in an issue of Digital Webbing Presents this fall.

While this is a project very close to me, I was never sure what kind of a life it would have beyond this one single issue. When I started it over seven years ago we wanted to shop it around and see if any one would pick it up. "Bad girls" in comics were still the craze and this book fit right in. We thought for sure it would sell. It probably would have too if it weren't for one crazy thing after another keeping us from getting this out.

Being so involved in this project I would love to see it go on in some form or another beyond this first story. Now that wish may become a reality.

I dont want to say too much more because I subscribe to the jinx factor when it comes to projects. I've been involved in more than my fair share of them. Regardless, keep your eyes out for more Codename: Wicked Angel info here and on Digital Webbing as it happens.

In the meantime, enjoy this alternate cover design by the amazing Dan Campos.

The Wait is Nearly Over...

2006-07-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

Digital Webbing Presents #31 was supposed to be out mid-September but various forces beyond our editors control made him push the release date back to November. Now things are shaping up and it looks as if the issue will ship and hit shelves before the end of October.

What's pictured may not be the final cover dressing but figured it would be a cool sneak peak of what's to come soon.

More later...

Avengers Assemble!

2006-07-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

As if it wasn't a big enough thrill for me to learn Mahmud Asrar, artist on The Last Paladin, was chosen to do sketch cards for the new Complete Avengers trading card set by Rittenhouse, another friend and artist has now been added to their roster.

Uko Smith, who did amazing art chores on the Bombshell project I posted about a couple of weeks ago has been picked to add his skills to the set. You can see the sample cards he did for Rittenhouse above. Fantastic Stuff.

For more information on the set and a complete list of artists involved, check out the Rittenhouse website at: http://www.scifihobby.com

Till next time...

The Corpse

2006-07-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

This wicked woman to the left here is the Serpent Queen and she was created as the villainess for a story I scripted for a good friend's series called The Corpse.

Created by Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson, The Corpse is a horror book about an avenging zombie out to try and redeem himself by protecting the earth from the rest of the evil that roams the darkness.

I've known Ken for several years now and we had always wanted to work on something together but we just couldn't get the planets to align properly for that to happen. We even put together a Firestorm pitch for DC Comics that never got sent in but to this day is eerily similar to the story and concept that was re-launched a year later.

Always busy with other projects, Ken set off to produce his popular Eyes of Asia series with Digital Webbing while I kept producing shorts for DWP and did freelance work like the Divas book.

I finally met Ken and his co-creator Buz at the Pittsburgh Comic Con in 2004 where the seeds of The Corpse had been planted. By the time I saw them again in 2005 they had a Zero issue for sale and were hard at work putting Issue #1 together. Now as I write this they guys are more than half way finished with issue #3 and my script is slated to make it's debut as issue #5 or #6 later this year.

For those of you who love horror and want more info on The Corpse, check out the website right here: http://www.corpsecomic.com/ The guys also have a Blog and a MySpace site to promote the hell out of this book and get it noticed.

And don't forget kids, if you like what you see remember to demand a Corpse/Last Paladin crossover. Till next time...

DIVAS

2006-07-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

Back in March of 2005 JMP Management released a book called Project Divas: Trinity at the Arnold Classic here in Columbus, Ohio.

The book featured fitness athletes and models Adela Garcia, Jenny Lynn, and Susie Curry as super-heroines taking on a monster from the far future, unleashed by a mysterious woman with a sinister plan for them all.

Art was by the incredible team of Dan Campos and Stacie Ponder and the book was a success considering it was sold outside the traditional comic book market. Many of the people that saw and purchased this title were fans of bodybuilding and sports. Not something you would imagine going hand in hand with comics despite the natural similarities between characters and the athletes.

The sketches you see are of the three main characters. Adela, Susie, and Jenny in that order. Art is by Dan (why the hell aren't I working for a major company) Campos. These designs are updated a bit for the second DIVAS book which should be out later this year. If you've never seen the first one you can still get your hands on it. Just go here and order direct: http://www.jmpmanagement.com/

Till next time...

BOMBSHELL

2006-07-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

Bombshell is a project I put together in late 2005 and early 2006 with a very talented artist and friend Uko Smith and the absolutely amazing IFBB Pro Colette Nelson. It's an eight page sci-fi superhero tale, her origin in fact, followed by eight pages of photos by the great Dan Ray.

Colette has been a friend of mine for several years and even though we only see each other briefly once, maybe twice a year, we still manage to keep in contact via email and phone. Knowing my creative background, at some point our conversation turned to producing a comic book based on her likeness. It's a project I've wanted to do for some time but I never had the artist to do it justice. Enter Uko Smith...

Uko had posted a few pin-ups on the Digital Webbing boards. From there I found his site and discovered he lived and worked about 15 minutes away from me in Columbus, Ohio. We struck up a conversation and quickly discovered we had several things in common, including a great admiration for strong women like Colette. I pitched him the idea and he loved it.

Over the last few months of 2005 and into 2006 we worked to get the book ready for the Arnold Classic the first weekend in March of this year. There were a few times I know I drove Uko insane with my paranoid ramblings badgering to make sure everything was done for the big debut. It went down to the wire but we managed to have a good chunk of the 500 copy print run ready in time.

Anyone interested in learning more about my good friend Colette can check out her website at: http://www.colettenelson.com/ where you can buy signed copies of the book in her on-line store.

For anyone interested in the art of Uko Smith... stay tuned for future updates.

FIRST LOOK: AGENT GEMINI

2006-07-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of the projects I'm currently working on with artist EJ Morges.

Agent Gemini is a quirky sci-fi, action, adventure, monster, hero type story with a little bit of drama and romance thrown in for good measure. At least I hope it is once I'm done with it.

The female is Sentinal Susan Corbin. Her job is to keep an eye on the gentleman to her right, Agent William Marcus, when he's in the field. Set in the near future, the two of them are unofficial "Men in Black" (for lack of a better description) in the employee of a secret group known only as The Lab.

I really have to give EJ some amazing credit here. He took the ideas behind these two characters and didn't just kick them into high gear but put everything into serious overdrive.

Their story gets a lot more complicated as things begin to roll. EJ is hard at work on an eight page script we both hope does a very good job of introducing these characters and their world. Once finished we'll pitch it around to various places and see how well it does. Worst case scenario we'll self-publish it. Either way, keep checking back here for updates.

Ladies and Gentlemen... Dan Campos

2006-06-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

I've had the pleasure of working with Dan Campos for almost five years now. It's funny to see that printed up here because it really doesn't feel like it's been that long.

I remember seeing his work for the first time on the Digital Webbing boards. I was so impressed with his stuff I figured he would have already had offers from publishers and wanna be's out the wazoo. Still, I took the chance and fired off a quick email to introduce myself and see if he might be interested in working on something... anything... together. I was blown away when I got a reply saying that I was the first person to approach him about doing any kind of serious work and what did I have in mind? We've been tinkering on projects back and forth ever since.

I already know this entry is going to embarrass the hell out of him so I figured I might as well kick it up a notch with this blast from the past here...

The ladies name is Stiletto and she's my femme fatale assassin from my crime concept called 'Slight' of Hand about magicians as mobsters. Dan took my idea and nailed it in this one and only design layout. She debuted in a short in DWP #13 and one day I hope to bring her and the rest of the 'Slight' crew back.

Currently Dan and I are working on several things including a second DIVAS book for JMP Management, a few superhero concepts called Prometheus' Fire and The Cardinal and we hope to start work on a very big project later this year. One that will probably be the biggest of our short careers at this point.

I've added Dan's DeviantArt page to my links to the right. Check em out if you have the chance and let him know what an amazing artist he is.

Till next time...

Codename: Wicked Angel

2006-06-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Pencils by Dan Campos, inks by Shaynne Corbett, and colors by Joel Seguin, the eight page story will serve as a back up in Digital Webbing Presents #31 out later this year. Pictured here is the undressed, exclusive variant cover, which will be limited to only 500 copies. This version will not be available in any comic store or through Diamond.

The sci-fi, action, adventure tale stars Met-Rx fitness model Grace Grimes. Grace and I became great friends several years ago when she was looking for someone who might be able to turn her likeness into a comic book character. Fast forward several years and countless false starts later and we finally got the project together and ready to go.

Of course, there is no way we would ever see this project come to life if it wasn't for the amazing creative team that rallied around our cause. Both Shaynne and Joel have worked as professionals in the industry and Dan Campos is well on his way with several upcoming projects. Grace and I both want to thank all of you for the hard work and effort you've poured into this tale.

As we get closer to the release of the book I'll be posting more images and information on the project.

Paladin Artist on Avengers

2006-06-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

I just found out this morning that Last Paladin artist Mahmud Asrar has been chosen by Rittenhouse to do sketch cards for their upcoming Complete Avengers trading card set. Each box will contain 1 hand drawn and colored sketch card from a list of talented creators.

You can check out more information here: http://www.scifihobby.com/products/displaysetdetails.cfm?SetID=141

Visions of the Last Paladin

2006-06-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

A great pin up of the Last Paladin done by my good friend EJ Morges.

I found EJ 's artwork on line years ago and have stayed in contact with him throughout the years. We've always wanted to work on some stuff together but the time and the situations were never quite right. Now EJ is back and he's really making a strong push to get some stuff done in the world of comics. He has an uncanny skill for drawing those men in tights and his women... DAMN! His women are just amazing.

Right now we're working on a few things including a concept of mine called Agent Gemini and a few of his including one called Sisters of the Seasons and possibly a character of his called Victory. There's also the chance EJ may step in for Mahmud on a Last Paladin short in the near future due to his ever increasing workload. More info on all these projects as they become more solid.

I put a link to his own Press Oblivion Blog off to the side there will all my other must see links. Take a look, leave EJ a note, let him know I sent ya, and enjoy.

Till next time...

Blog is not in the dictionary....

2006-06-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

Ever use the spell check on Blogger? It says the word "BLOG" is spelled wrong every time. I know it's a new word to the English language and might be gone before anyone considers adding it to Websters but you would think the website would re-write the code to ignore it as a misspelled word.

Go figure...

So What's the Deal???

2006-06-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

Things are slow around these parts right now so, in an effort to not let this Blog become a ghost town, I'm going to fill some time and space with updates from my other projects.

What? What's that you say? You have other projects outside of the Last Paladin?

Yes I do. However, rest assured that as soon as Last Paladin news hits, it'll be posted here 1st and foremost. Things are in the works and there will be more Paladin before the end of the year. Until then....

Last Paladin in 2006

2006-05-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Seems like posts here are becoming few and far between. Sadly that's due to time in my schedule as other jobs and assignments fill my day while waiting to get the next installment of the Last Paladin done turned in.

As it stands right now DWP #31 will be on schedule for a September release. Look for it in the next issue of Diamond's Preview catalog out the last week of July. Following the big Fist of Justice/Paladin crossover will be the six pager which could make it into DWP #32 for Nov/Dec of this year.

After that we hope to be able to bring you at least one feature, maybe two, and a few more shorts in 2007.

The Last Paladin continues to be well received even six months after the last story hit the stands. The guys over at Comic Geek Speak recently reviewed a few issues of Digital Webbing Presents including DWP #26. Overall the issues got good recommendations from the guys and they even went so far as to compare Last Paladin to a classic issue of Thor. I'll take that as high praise.

You can listen to the podcast here: http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/episodedetail.asp?episodeid=179 and check the guys out at http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/

Finally, in an effort to keep this blog from going 2, 3, 4, weeks or more with out any kind of an update, I want you guys out there to tell me what you want to see on here. More behind the scenes? More art? Do you like the silence? Let me know and i'll make every effort to accommodate you.

Till then...

Last Paladin Action Figures?

2006-05-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

I know... I know...

Lots of stuff going on in my life but sadly, none of it has been Paladin related these past several weeks so I've become remiss in updating the ol' Blogster. That changes today...

I don't want to say too much right now because nothing is in any way final at this time but I have been approached and asked if I would be interested in seeing the Last Paladin as an action figure. My answer?

HELL YES!

It will probably be a couple of weeks before I know how close this will come to being reality but as soon as I know either way I'll let everyone here know the whole story.

As for the future of Paladin comics, The Paladin/Fist of Justice crossover script is in the hands of Mighty Mike Imboden to dialogue before I go in and tweak anything (if needed). The art is all complete and in the hands of publisher Ed Dukeshire to get to a colorist. The whole package should be in the July Diamond Previews catalog for a September release. Mahmud is also getting ready to draw another script or two as soon as his hectic schedule (and his new wife) allows him to.

As always... stay tuned for more info...

Alternate Corssover Cover Inks

2006-04-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

Here's the alternate cover for the Fist Of Justice/Last Paladin crossover. The pencils as you know were done by interior artist Yildiray Cinar. I had the privilege to ink this piece which turned out to be a cool thing.

Funny thing is he got to ink the Last Paladin before handing out the piece to me. So you can call the art almost a complete crossover between us too!

Hope you enjoy. Best regards,

Last Paladin Review

2006-04-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

The following was taken from a post by Samy on the Digital Webbing Message Boards:

A transformative story, and a well crafted one at that. Basically, it's all about Zack learning and accepting his heritage. The Osyrus framing sequence is just the bookends that provide a physical outlet for Zack's transformation from unsure and confused to sure and dedicated. As such, the story has a point, and a clear purpose. A strong concept. That is not its only merit, however; I quite enjoyed the little touches, like Osyrus' absolutely gorgeous exposition monologue on the first page, the corpse's name ("Jondo" -- John Doe, haha!), and the "girly-man" footnote which almost felt like Stan Lee's self-ironic captions from time to time. So, the Paladin's "origin" story is now completed (or just the first of them, eh?), and the stage is set for the "quest". I will definitely be on board for a standalone Paladin book if such should materialize!

Coming from a fellow writer and comic book fan that's high praise. Thanks Samy!

Fist of Justice - Last Paladin Roughs Page #12

2006-04-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the rough layouts for Page #12. As I mentioned in my last post, this was supposed to be the final page of the story but we got an extra four out of our amazing artist Cinar, before all was said and done. With four more pages I was able to extend more than just the fight scene as you'll see in the coming months.

Cinar did all right by himself too. He poured his heart into two of those extra pages before Ed, Mike, or myself even knew what was coming. Just wait till you see those...

But not yet.

Fist of Justice - Last Paladin Roughs Page #11

2006-04-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here's some rough layout work for the final fight scene in the Fist of Justice - Last Paladin crossover for DWP #31 in September. Yildiray Cinar did an amazing job and the finished pencils and inks are amazing.

When I sat down and plotted this whole story out it started off as a 12 page script. Ed convinced me to slip two more pages in there to give the story some real meat. By the time Cinar was done we had a 16 page blow out. I have no problem with an artist taking my layouts and doing what they want with them so long as the main structure of the story remains in tact. Cinar did an amazing job of that.

Pittsburgh Comic Con Around the Corner

2006-04-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

Yup, I've quickly fallen into the ranks of the millions that have Blogs and then loose track of how long it's been since I've updated it. I've had a lot going on, mostly with family and work but things are back on track so here I am.

So, just to make sure I keep things going I wanted to remind everyone who passes by my little space here that I'll be at the Pittsburgh Comic Con on April 21, 22, and 23. I'll be seated in the heart of the small press area and I'm lucky enough to be sharing table space with former Green Lantern and Justice League artist Darryl Banks.

Also keep an eye out for Mike Imboden, co-creator of the Fist of Justice. Both of us will have some preview material for the upcoming crossover in Digital Webbing Presents #31 this September. Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson, the creative team behind Eyes of Asia and their new series The Corpse will also be there. Ken has asked me to write an issue of their new horror title which I'm finishing up this weekend.

If you've never been to this show try and make it. It's not a biz crazy bash like some of the Wizard shows but it's good family fun with a great guest list and great atmosphere. You'll be glad you came.

http://www.pittsburghcomicon.com/

Back to Back Paladin?

2006-03-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

It might happen.

The original plan was to keep the Last Paladin going as a back up for Fist of Justice. Quick six and eight page adventures that would continue his saga and keep the character out there. While I would love the Paladin to take the spotlight I had no problem work stories in short bursts so Mahmud and I could keep him going.

However...

Now it seems Ed is planning something special for the 5th Anniversary issue of Digital Webbing Presents and that may just include another full length Last Paladin story not two months after the Fist of Justice crossover in DWP #31. Two feature stories in two months... too cool.

More info right here as it becomes available.

Alternate Crossover Cover

2006-03-09T15:47:00.000-08:00

It's one thing to find an artist who is enthusiastic about working on a story you helped write. It's another thing entirely when that artist is so psyched about it he keeps drawing alternate covers for the book.

Yildiray sent this to us last week and it was too cool to keep squirreled away. What I really love is the 'Digital Webbing Team Up' logo to give it that classic comic book feel. The use of some kind of dialogue on the bottom left of the book adds to that flavor as well.

So for those of you waiting for this story to hit in September... enjoy.

Arnold Classic Weekend

2006-03-03T05:10:00.000-08:00

Hey All...

This weekend is the Arnold Classic. For those not in the know, it's a very big Bodybuilding and Fitness Expo and show here in Columbus Ohio, founded and run by the Govenator himself. It's a tradition for me to attend and I have landed several, non-Paladin, freelance gigs over the years. I was so busy getting things set for this show that I didn't have a chance to update the ol Blog so....

Next Week: An Update!

More art... more words... more Paladin.

Till then...

Early Paladin Designs Take 3

2006-02-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

This was the sketch that would become the Last Paladin as you see him in his debut in DWP #20. I wanted elements of Greek and Roman armor with a hint of hi-tech. Atlantis was advanced to the point of being sci-fi even though they had magic as well. To them it was all energy of one form or another and that's what made them the most advanced society on earth until their downfall.

I've hinted at how that came about in the three previously published stories but as the Paladin's story continues so will the secret history of the ancient world.

Early Paladin Designs Take 2

2006-02-20T15:47:00.000-08:00

In hind-sight THIS is the design I should have used... or at least a variation of it. Looking at it now I see elements I would have liked to use for The Last Paladin but at the time I had a very set idea stuck in my head. Good thing magic is a big part of my mythology... you just never know when the Paladin might get a new costume.

Early Paladin Designs Take 1

2006-02-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

Some of the first character sketches by Mahmud after getting the Last Paladin script. We decided Zack should be clean shaven and a little more fresh faced. The helmet was a little too 'Hawkman' for me at the time so we streamlined it and went with a design more in line with a Greek or Roman centurion in mind.

Quick Notes - Feb 2006

2006-02-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

I know… I know…

It’s been over a week since my last post. I’m a slacker. However, I don’t want to be one of those people who starts a Blog and then lets it sit with no update for weeks or months at a time. So, with that in mind I have a few quick notes to share while I get the next big post ready.

Note #1: I’ve completed the breakdowns on a new six page Last Paladin story and have handed it over to Mahmud so he can work his magic and bring it to life. This story will take place shortly after the Fist of Justice/Last Paladin crossover. In this quick six I’ll be giving readers a quick glimpse at a few new characters I hope to introduce into the Last Paladin’s universe in the future. This will also serve as a starting point for several big adventures for our here. More info soon…

Note #2: I’ll be attending the Pittsburgh Comic Con in late April for the third year in a row. For those of you that have never been, it’s a great three day show with some amazing guests. You can get more info by checking out their website here: http://www.pittsburghcomicon.com/

That’s all for now. Keep watching for more soon…

New Links

2006-02-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Added links to the Websites of Mahmud Asrar and Yildiray Cinar. Both are very talented artists. Check out their work.

Fist of Justice/Last Paladin Cover

2006-02-08T16:32:00.000-08:00

The Fist of Justice/Last Paladin Cover for Digital Webbing Presents #31

Thanks to Ed for allowing me the opportunity to share this with the fans of both The Last Paladin and Ed Dukeshire & Mike Imboden's Fist of Justice. Art by Yildiray Cinar and colors by Deon Nuckols.

Usually we worry about the cover last but when Yildiray started working on this project he emailed Ed and I a pin-up of the two heroes. We instantly knew we had our cover right there. Dynamic and impressive, it exhibits everything we want from this story and looks just as good as anything you'll see on the racks from Marvel or DC each Wednesday.

Thanks guys...

The Secret Origin of The Last Paladin - Part Two

2006-02-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

I had created the Last Paladin in the summer of 2002. My inability to find a reliable artist and work on other projects had forced me to put it in a drawer and there it stayed for the better part of a year.

In that time Ed had seen reaction to Digital Webbing Presents wax and wane. He was always thinking of ways to keep readers coming back for more and one of those ways was a re-occurring character. I had already tried doing just that with my 'Slight of Hand' concept (and no I did not mis-spell slight... but that's a story for another time and blog) but I couldn't keep a regular artist on the scripts and after the third one reviews were running more cold than hot. Ed's mind was turning back towards the super hero concept; something that was still missing in most issues of Digital Webbing Presents. Even though we were mainly an indie book for new creators, people still wanted super heroes no matter how many readers and fans would tell you otherwise.

Ed convinced me to ditch some of my other ideas and focus on creating a super hero, one that could come back over and over if it caught on. It was around that time that Mahmud (better known as Blackjack on the Digital Webbing) posted a quick sketch of Red Sonja and some barbarians. Everything clicked.

I pulled out that old Last Paladin script and read it over. Good god it was awful. If I still have it saved on disk somewhere I might put it up here to show you readers how bad it really was. Then again maybe not... it was that bad.

Knowing Ed wanted longer stories I took that eight page disaster and stretched it out to twelve. Expanding a script can be just as difficult as compressing because you still need to pace the story and make sure people want to turn the page. Simply adding things doesn't always accomplish that. Everything for a reason and everything has to make sense. I probably took a week to add those pages before I was happy with them.

Improved script in hand I went to Mahmud and asked him if he might be interested in working on with me on something like this. I showed him the script and got the yes I had waited about eighteen months for.

Things were starting to look good for the Last Paladin.

To Be Concluded...

Last Paladin Checklist

2006-02-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

While I gear up to unveil the second part of the Last Paladin's secret origin, let me give you new comers to my creation and Digital Webbing Presents a checklist and a place to grab his adventures.

Digital Webbing Presents #20 - 1st appearance of The Last Paladin
Digital Webbing Presents #25 - The Last Paladin's adventure continues
Digital Webbing presents #26 - The final chapter of The Last Paladin's first adventure

Be sure to order the Paladin covers for issues #25 and #26 (limited to 500 copies) since the only other way to get them is to meet me at a Con and buy them right from the source.

You can pick up these issues and other Digital Webbing Presents back issues right here:
http://digitalwebbing.com/comics/ordering/buydirect.html

Also make sure to pick up Digital Webbing Presents #24 - The Origin of the Fist of Justice. It's an amazing issue by my good buddy Mike Imboden and art by the amazing Anthony Castrillo. The Fist of Justice and Last Paladin will team up this summer so be sure to get in on the ground floor of some classic comic book action.

More info soon...

The Secret Origin of The Last Paladin - Part One

2006-01-31T12:19:00.000-08:00

Even back in the summer of 2002 Ed Dukeshire wanted Digital Webbing Presents to focus on super heroes.

The book itself was never meant to be what it became. Digital Webbing Presents started as something Ed wanted the creators that hung out on his website to produce and use as a portfolio piece so we could all show the editors and pros at conventions that we had some chops too. Several guys suggested we show it to Diamond and see if it would be placed in their catalog. Ed did and it was and the rest is a small bit of indy comics history.

I was lucky enough to have a story in issue #1 in December of 2001. After that I struggled to get more done. I threw together numerous scripts over the following months and worked to try and get artist after artist to jump on board my projects. Sadly for most, having a short published and copies to show friends, family, and editors wasn't always enough of a draw for an artist to do five to eight pages for free. Finding artists in those early days was cut throat to say the least. Come to think of it... it still is.

That summer I had a retail job that would give me weekdays and mornings off almost every week. At least one of those days was spent talking over projects and various other things with Ed. By this time Digital Webbing Presents #3 was in the can and Ed was working on issue #4 and beyond. All the stories to this point ran the gamut of genres. We had Crime, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Slice of Life, Humor, and just about everything else you could think of EXCEPT Super Heroes.

Ed's dream was to make Digital Webbing Presents huge and he wanted it to be a showcase for new characters and ideas. He wanted Digital Webbing Presents to be like Amazing Fantasy, the book where Spider-man got his start. It was a short story. Eight pages I think and the whole thing was told in nine-panel grids. Lots of story and lots of art crammed into a page to make a complete and cohesive story.

It was at that point I wanted to do something like that for Digital Webbing Presents.

I've always been intrigued by mythology and the unknown and strange things that go bump in the night. I even own the Time/Life Mysteries of the Unknown series of books. Already working on several ideas that used Greek and Roman mythology I decided to do something a little different and focused on Atlantis. Since Atlantis is a "lost" continent and civilization you can do almost anything you want.

I came up with with a story about a member of the Royal Guard, displaced in time to protect the Princess of the realm who had been reborn in a modern girl. The idea was a little odd for me to write since I grew up a Star Wars child and always gravitated to science fiction as opposed to fantasy like this. Good thing this is comics. I took a little pinch of this and that and when I was finished the idea was something more than standard fantasy. My main character had a sword but he also had a pistol at his side like some kind of Western Sheriff. All he needed now was a name.

I scoured through books and my thesaurus and came across Paladin. It fit like a glove. Only problem was Marvel Comics had some goofy guy in purple ski goggles and umpires chest protector with a gun and the same name. I went looking for other options but Paladin had etched itself into my brain. Instead of naming my character Paladin I made it his title. He was the Last Paladin and would have another name just like any other man. That should keep Marvel's lawyers off my back. It has so far... knock on wood.

I blasted through the script and wrote my eight page story with nine panels per page and started the search for an artist. It didn't go very well. Most had no interest in working on a project like this for no pay. The few that did never turned in much if anything at all. Several took the script then disappeared without ever contacting me again.

It was around this time Ed called me and told me to get in touch with Deon Nuckols. Deon had wanted me to write a short story based on his character he created on the front of Digital Webbing Presents #1 - The Digital Widow. At that point my script for the Last Paladin was put in a fold and shoved in a drawer and it sat there for close to two years.

To Be Continued...

2006-01-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

The Last Paladin

Here's the cover for Digital Webbing Presents #20 - the first appearance of The Last Paladin.
Art by Mahmud Asrar - Colors by Matt Webb - Logo by Scott LeMien

Quick Update

2006-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

I've added a couple more links while I get the hang of this thing. I've also invited artist Mahmud Asrar to join the team. Mahmud is the amazing artist on The Last Paladin and will be posting here as well when he has the time to do so.

Coming Soon: The Secret Origin of the Last Paladin.

Home of the Last Paladin

2006-01-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome.

You'll have to excuse the dust. I'm just getting this little site up and running. My name is Ian Ascher and I am the writer/creator of The Last Paladin, a supernatural action-adventure seen in the pages of Digital Webbing Presents.

What is Digital Webbing Presents you ask? It's probably in all honesty the best kept secret in comics. Take a moment and check it out at http://digitalwebbing.com/comics/

In the meantime don't forget to check back here as I slowly build this site with a behind the scenes look at The Last Paladin adventures both past, present, and future.

Enjoy.