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March, 2018:

They Say Stories Can Be Dangerous

Mar 13th, 2018
by rodney.
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Check out this bio: “Matt Laney is an ordained minister with a lifelong interest in world religion, wisdom traditions, martial arts, big cats and middle grade literature”. That might explain the spiritual slant behind Reverend Laney’s first fantasy series for young readers, Pride Wars. The first book, The Spinner Prince, is out now in hardcover from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. “In the scientific realm of Singara, where feline humanoids rule, fiction is forbidden. Those caught telling stories lose their tongues before being exiled. Heir to the throne, thirteen-year-old Prince Leo, is cursed with the “fiction affliction,” the unpredictable, uncontrollable habit of telling stories. Worse, the stories carry a dangerous power, leaving creatures behind who cause trouble and threaten to expose Leo’s affliction. Meanwhile, Leo’s elder cousin is making his move to seize the throne and the enemy beyond the Great Wall, another feline race called Maguar, are rising up. Will Leo claim the throne from his rival (and keep his tongue) before his curse is revealed? Or will he embrace his ability as a gift and discover a far greater destiny among the Maguar?” Check it out over at Kirkus Reviews.

image c. 2018 Houghton Mifflin

The Story of a One-Eared Fox

Mar 12th, 2018
by rodney.
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Author Mira Bartok has raised quite a stir with her first fantasy novel, called The Wonderling. “Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution run by evil Miss Carbunkle, a cunning villainess who believes her terrified young charges exist only to serve and suffer. Part animal and part human, the groundlings toil in classroom and factory, forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have, most particularly singing and music. For the Wonderling, an innocent-hearted, one-eared, fox-like eleven-year-old with only a number rather than a proper name — a 13 etched on a medallion around his neck — it is the only home he has ever known. But unexpected courage leads him to acquire the loyalty of a young bird groundling named Trinket, who gives the Home’s loneliest inhabitant two incredible gifts: A real name — Arthur, like the good king in the old stories — and a best friend. Using Trinket’s ingenious invention, the pair escape over the wall and embark on an adventure that will take them out into the wider world and ultimately down the path of sweet Arthur’s true destiny.” According to the publisher, this new hardcover book has already been optioned for a movie adaptation.

image c. 2018 Penguin RandomHouse

She Knows Her Cute

Mar 11th, 2018
by rodney.
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Katie Cook is best known among Furry Fans for her work as a writer and artist on both My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comics and for her own creation, Gronk. Being something of an expert on drawing adorable things, now she’s written and illustrated an instructional book called Drawing Cute (from Impact Books). “Master of cute Katie Cook teaches you how to draw everything adorable in her first tutorial book with quick and easy-to-follow step-by-step lessons. All you need is a pencil and paper…or a napkin or a wall, depending on how confident you are in your drawing ability. Learn how to turn curvy blobs, shapes and squiggles into more than 200 different things, including fuzzy animals, cute food and inanimate objects like yarns balls, luggage and a toaster. Add nubbins, swishy bits, and little smiley faces to anything and everything to transform it into something really, really cute.” It’s available now from Amazon.

image c. 2018 Impact Books

 

But the Cat Came Back

Mar 9th, 2018
by rodney.
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Screen Daily has an article about 10 Lives, a new CGI feature film created by some familiar names. “The film is the second to be produced as part of a joint venture between Chinese animation outfit Original Force and GFM Animation. The first, Duck Duck Goose, will be distributed in China by Wanda Pictures and in the UK by Entertainment Film Distributors… 10 Lives is produced by Penney Finkelman Cox (Shrek) and Adam Zhang, senior vice president of Original Force. The story follows a once scrawny shelter kitten that now leads a pampered life after being adopted. Everything changes when he loses his ninth life. In the afterlife, he escapes and cheats his way into another cycle of nine lives, but he doesn’t realise that each of the nine lives will see him return as a different animal.” As you can see from the article, the film has already set up distribution throughout much of the world — but no word yet about North America. You can just bet, though, that a US or Canada deal is going to hinge on how well Duck Duck Goose does at the box office later this year.

image c. 2018 GFM Animation

My Boyfriend is a Bear

Mar 8th, 2018
by rodney.
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Look, how could we possible do better than simply the title for this one? It’s a new full-color graphic novel written by Pamela Ribon and illustrated by Cat Farris. Publishers Weekly has a review: “Ribon (Slam!) and Farris (Emily and the Strangers) collaborate to deliver a winning slice-of-life romantic comedy with a twist. After dumping her latest terrible boyfriend, 28-year-old Nora unexpectedly falls in love with an American black bear she meets in the woods. ‘The bear’ is no ordinary wild animal: He’s kind, wears a hip Arcade Fire T-shirt, and has a great fondness for juggling, cuddling, and craft beer. The two enjoy a nearly idyllic life together, despite objections from Nora’s family and friends, but when their honeymoon phase passes, Nora’s life falls apart all over again—before winter sets in, the bear must abandon her to hibernate in the mountains…” My Boyfriend is a Bear comes to us from Oni Press in mid-April.

image c. 2018 Oni Press

Dog of the Dead

Mar 6th, 2018
by rodney.
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Okay, how about a furry story from a horror comic based on a tabletop game? You got it! Oni Press brings us Dead of Winter: Good Good Dog. “From the tabletop smash hit comes this new comic series starring your favorite characters from Plaid Hat Games’ Dead of Winter, written by Kyle Starks (the Eisner Award-nominated Sexcastle), and illustrated by Gabo (The Life After). In the pantheon of superheroes, none are more loveable and loyal than everyone’s favorite good ol’ dog, Sparky. Surviving in the wintery apocalypse of the undead, this former TV show stunt dog turned zombie killing machine just wants to make friends and be a good boy. As his fellow survivors scavenge for supplies in the frigid wasteland, will Sparky be able to protect his companions from threats both undead and otherwise?” Check out this new trade paperback at DCB Service.

image c. 2018 Oni Press

A Science Fiction Classic

Mar 5th, 2018
by rodney.
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Your humble ed-otter remembers reading Robert Silverberg’s science fiction novel Downward to the Earth in his youth. (It was one of the books mentioned in Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials.) Now, Humanoids (and Laura Zuccheri) have adapted the book into a new full-color hardcover graphic novel, illustrated by Philippe Thirault. “Ex-lieutenant Eddie Gundersen returns to Belzagor, where he had left behind his youthful illusions, the love of his life and his shameful past as a colonizer. He finds the planet returned to its two intelligent species: The Nildoror and the Sulidoror. Taking the lead on a scientific expedition to the borders of the indigenous lands, Gundersen must face his own demons and settle the score with a planet which still has hidden secrets.” The Nildoror resemble mastodons, while the Sulidoror resemble giant sloth bears. Lt. Gundersen has his work cut out for him, trying to navigate between these two very different cultures. Doom Rocket has a detailed preview of the new graphic novel.

image c. 2018 Humanoids

Robo-Cop? No, Robo-Dog!

Mar 4th, 2018
by rodney.
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Two talented and award-winning creators who have worked on The Simpsons comics now turn their eyes to a funny animal science fiction adventure with Sparks!, a new full-color graphic novel. Written by Ian Boothby and illustrated by Nina Matsumoto, Sparks! goes like this: “August is a brilliant inventor who is afraid of the outside. Charlie is a crack pilot who isn’t afraid of anything. Together these pals save lives every day. They also happen to be cats who pilot a powerful, mechanical dog suit! Always eager to leap into danger, this feline duo have their work cut out for them as they try to thwart Princess, an evil alien bent on enslaving mankind. Don’t let the fact that Princess looks like a cute, diaper-wearing baby fool you. She’s clever, determined, and totally ruthless. So when Princess and the browbeaten fools she calls servants enact a brilliant and dastardly plan to conquer Earth, August and Charlie pull out all the stops to save the day.” Check out the preview video over on YouTube. The book is available now in hardcover and softcover from Graphix.

image c. 2018 Graphix

Before He Danced the Magic Dance

Mar 3rd, 2018
by rodney.
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Boom! Studios (through their Archaia imprint) are returning to the world of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in a new series called Labyrinth: Coronation. It sounds like this: “Before Sarah braved the Labyrinth to save her brother, another young woman sought to save a young boy named Jareth from the clutches of the Goblins. Set in 18th-century Venice, Italy, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth is a striking look into the history of the Labyrinth itself, and what happens to the little boys who don’t get rescued. This is the untold history of the Goblin King.” Written by Simon Spurrier and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss, the first issue is on the shelves now. Mr. Bayliss, you may recall, was the illustrator of that marvelously weird anthropomorphic comic Kennel Block Blues.

image c. 2018 Archaia

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