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Comic Book News

It Always Comes Back to the Cat…

Rachel Dukes is a busy comic book illustrator who works for Boom! Studios on titles like Garfield. But in her “free time” she’s also busy being the best human friend of her own cat named Frankie. She’s spun off Frankie’s adventures around the house into her award-winning on-line comic strip, Frankie Comics. You can see the latest at her web site.  There you’ll also find a link to her publishing company, MixTape Comics, where she sells not only paper collections of Frankie Comics but also posters, buttons, stickers, and other Frankie goodies.

image c. 2015 by Rachel Duke

image c. 2015 by Rachel Dukes

Beware the Bunnies!

Mary Bellamy is an illustrator and comic-book creator known for her manga-style works like Faux Facts and Aw Heck! In the latter, a young girl finds herself mistakenly trapped in Hell — and she wrecks holy, um, heck as she fights her way back to world of the living. Facing horrible dangers along the way of course — among them, killer demon rabbits! Ms. Bellamy rather likes rabbits it seems, because they play an even bigger roll in her new comic series Zorilita Guardians. In fact she even sells plushie versions of the three fuzzy guardians who protect Zorilita and her friends. Take a look at Ms. Bellamy’s web site where you can find out more about all of this.

image c. 2015 by Mary Bellamy

image c. 2015 by Mary Bellamy

Heal the Planet

Recently discovered at San Diego Comic Con: Awake, a new full-color science fiction/fantasy comic series written by Susan Beneville, with art by Brian Hess. “Twelve year-old Regn has the power to wake and heal planets.  But, on her first mission, she lands on Gremon where she discovers an angry planet tearing itself apart, an irresponsible big brother, and a greedy baron who stokes the chaos for his own benefit.  Her power may not be enough when she comes face-to-face with the planet’s consciousness.” That description doesn’t mention that young Regn is helped on her quest by a large talking dog-like “tor” named Operi, as well as a local fox. Awake #1 is due this September from Action Lab.

image c. 2015 Action Lab Comics

image c. 2015 Action Lab Comics

A Feline Detective. In Space.

Leon is the creation of author Pati Nagle, first appearing in her science fiction novel Pet Noir from Book View Cafe (check it out over at Amazon). Now Kymera Press have adapted Pet Noir as a full-color comic book series with art by by Anna G, Laurie Foster, and Liezl Buenaventura. “Feline investigator Leon has opposable thumbs, the ability to talk, and is possibly the most dangerous cat in the galaxy. Indentured to the Security department of Gamma Station until he’s worked off the cost of his ‘creation’, Leon alternates between harassing his human partner and roommate Devin and fighting sleazy criminals, yet he still finds time to flirt with the lovely Leila, an exotic Burmese. Will he win her heart, and more importantly, will he win his freedom?” The first issue is available now.

image c. 2015 Book View Cafe

image c. 2015 Book View Cafe

Everybody Knows That the Dog is the Word!

The Wave Houndz is a brand new all-ages comic book series by Kerry Kirksmith and Kevin VanHook, with full-color art by Tina Francisco and Mae Hao (whew! Quite a team!). “WaveHoundz are three lovable dogs who live in a world filled with fun and excitement. What makes it all that exciting, you ask? Good Question! Let me tell you!! They can talk! They can surf! They’ve got psychic powers that link them to the kids! And you know what makes them even MORE special? They’ve got a pretty good idea about what’s right and wrong. They stand up for the little guy and make sure that they do their part to keep the beaches, water–and the whole WORLD for that matter– clean and safe.” Oh is that all? Well no, there’s a lot more, as you can see by visiting the official Wave Hounds web site. The “awesome first issue” is out now from Pup Comics (!).

image c. 2015 Pup Comics

image c. 2015 Pup Comics

Furries Growing Up Together

The artist known as Keto has a new illustrated story project called Point Nowhere, telling the story of two “country boys”, a bear and a canine. “In 1960’s Georgia, two farm boys, Dale and Feargus, meet at childhood and form a deep bond they don’t quite understand. They face the struggle of their emotions, upbringings, and relationships both together and separately. They learn how to overcome these struggles by finding the courage to be vulnerable and imperfect. But learning these lessons doesn’t come quickly; it can take a lifetime.” Keto’s Patreon page has more information about the project, a request for crowd-funding assistance to see it through, and a preview video as well. [And with that, we’ll see you after San Diego Comic Con!]

image c. 2015 by Keto

image c. 2015 by Keto

Back Over the Wall

During the initial run of Cartoon Network’s highly-rated fantasy miniseries Over the Garden Wall, Kaboom! Studios ran a single-issue comic-book tie-in. Now series creator Pat McHale (who also worked on Adventure Time, of course) has announced that Kaboom! will be publishing a new 4-issue comic book mini-series, coming in August. Once again it’s written by Mr. McHale and illustrated by Jim Campbell. That means not only more adventures with the human kids Wirt and Greg, but also their talking animal friends Beatrice the bird and Fred the horse — and a dancing frog or two, likely. “The new story is set between the third and fourth episodes of the animated series, with the synopsis explaining, “Wirt and Greg are trying to hitch a ride out of schooltown but end up having to walk. Soon, they come upon two girls playing, and wind up having to keep them entertained so that they don’t wake their giant of a father!'” Check out the interview with Pat McHale over at Hero Complex.

image c. 2015 Kaboom! Studios

image c. 2015 Kaboom! Studios

Little Mice, Big Swords

This July look for an interesting new hardcover book from Boom! Studios: The Art of Mouse Guard, 2005 – 2015. “Celebrate the first 10 years of a comics classic from the very first sketch. For the first time since the series debut, David Petersen’s process for creating the world of Mouse Guard and bringing it to life in stunning illustration is documented in exquisite detail. With never-before-seen sketches; 100 pages of full-color, oversized artwork; and commentary from colleagues, collaborators, and Petersen himself, readers and fans get an unprecedented look behind-the-pages at how their favorite characters and adventures were born.” Those colleagues and collaborators include folks like Mike Mignola, Stan Sakai, Geof Darrow, and many others. You can find out more over at the Simon & Schuster Digital Catalog site.

image c. 2015 Boom! Studios

image c. 2015 Boom! Studios

The Duck Begins

Well before the current incarnation, and even before his unfortunate association with a famous bad movie, Howard the Duck was… one of Marvel Comics’ strangest characters, created and written by Steve Gerber and illustrated by a parade of artists… perhaps most famously, Frank Brunner. Well now this July Marvel is putting together a good part of the cosmic fowl’s early adventures in Howard the Duck: The Complete Collection. ” Howard the Duck takes an adventure into fear when he is plucked from Duckworld and finds himself on Earth, bill to proboscis with the melancholy muck-monster Man-Thing! Stuck here on a planet of hairless apes, the furious fowl forges a future for himself in, of all places, Cleveland. But the would-be Master of Quack-Fu will have his wings full hanging out with Spider-Man and waging ‘waaaugh’ with madcap menaces like the Space Turnip, the Cookie Creature, the Beaver and Doctor Bong. Will that earn him a spot on the Defenders?” We’ll soon find out! Other fine illustrators you’ll find in this more-than-400-page full-color trade paperback (and this is just Volume 1!) include Val Mayerik, John Buscema, Gene Colan, and Sal Buscema. Barnes & Noble has more.

image c. 2015 Marvel Comics

image c. 2015 Marvel Comics