Antarctic Press presents the return of writer/artist Richard Moore’s The Pound, now graduated from a black & white one-shot to a full-color one-shot! Here’s the press release: “The fur flies in FULL COLOR for Antarctic’s latest release by fan favorite Richard Moore! Chimeras: Genetically-engineered creatures, part human, part animal; faster, stronger and deadlier than both. Kat and Caleb are ‘chims’ scraping out a living in the prison-city known as The Pound, where survival of the fittest is the only law. Created for combat in off-world environments, they are now thieves — the best in the city. There’s no score they won’t take down. But being the best means making enemies, and Kat and Caleb have more than their share. When one of the biggest, Darius Blackeye, hires them to hijack a shipment of high-tech arms, the pair has to wonder what he wants more — the weapons, or to eliminate the competition?” The Pound comes to comic book stores at the end of September.
Sweet Tooth
This September, Vertico Comics premiers Sweet Tooth, a brand new full-color comic series written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire. Gus is a young boy with deer-like features and ears… and antlers growing out of his head. It seems that Gus is one of a number of hybrid children who have appeared in the wake of a devastating plague that swept the world. Mysteriously, Gus and the other “hybrids” are immune to the effects of the disease. Gus lives out in the wilderness with his father, nervous but happy — until the day his father dies. Now Gus is alone and frightened in the big world… until he meets Jeppard. A ruthless, violent drifter, Jeppard nonetheless offers to take Gus to “The Preserve”, a hidden sanctuary for hybrid children. Can Jeppard be trusted? Can anyone in this strange new world?
Werewolves Out West
Zuda Comics has been holding a monthly contest where creators submit on-line comics, and readers vote on the ones they consider most worthy of being made into print comics. (Visit the Zuda web site to find out more about the contest.) Now, with the help of WildStorm Comics, Zuda has released the first winner, High Moon, as a full-color trade paperback coming to stores this October (appropriate, no?). Created by David Gallaher (story) and Steve Ellis (art), High Moon Volume 1 tells the story of cowboys and werewolves in the old west… lives are lost, secrets are revealed, and the future of the whole frontier is at stake.
Beasts of Burden
We can’t top this, so we’ll just reprint it (from the official Dark Horse Comics press release): “When supernatural occurrences sweep the community of Burden Hill, it’s up to a heroic gang of cats and dogs to keep the residents safe from harm. A bizarre disturbance leads these four-legged neighbors on a wild goose chase into the depths of the nearby forest, where loyalties are tested and lives come to an abrupt end”. Beasts of Burden is a new full-color four-issue comic book miniseries brought to us by the award-winning creators Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese) and Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) and released, of course, by Dark Horse this September.
From Gargoyles Fans to Comic Creators
Twilight Detective Agency is a new comic created by two very active fans of Disney’s Gargoyles TV series and comic. They must be: McAdam and Rieger call their publishing company “Two Gargoyles Graphics”. Twilight follows the adventures of a pair of “gargoyle gumshoes” working in a town that has much more magic afoot than most of the inhabitants are aware of. You can find out more about this and the team’s other comic titles, at the Two Gargs web site.
Zillford’s Comics and More
The artist known as Zillford has two new (very-) adult-themed furry comics avilable at his web site. Altruistic Complex is a violent tale of a dark future where a dangerous new technology is threatening to take over the minds and souls of the entire world — and one plucky raccoon lady is determined to stop it, even if she has to join it to do so! Meanwhile, Krista Claret is an adults-only comic about a mouse who is… a different sort of plucky lady. “There’s a race to be won and Krista aims to make it hers! She’s not above cheating, but what happens when it lands her smack on top of another rule-bender?
Krista Claret is one frisky mouse on a life-long quest for the answer to life. Either that, or a good time and some horny guys!” The first issues of each comic are available on the web site, along with a special full-color Krista Claret poster.
Early Usagi
If you just can’t get enough of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, you might want to check out this new, very large compilation. For the first 10 years of its existence, Usagi was published by Fantagraphics Press. Now, to celebrate the comic’s 25th anniversary, Fantagraphics has released Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition, a 1200-page two-hardcover-book collection of the first seven Usagi Yojimbo books. There are lots of extras too, including a full-color cover gallery, behind-the-scenes art, an interview with Stan Sakai, and more. There’s also a special limited version available, each individually autographed by Stan himself.
That’s One BIG Mammoth…
This just in from The Hollywood Reporter and rottentomatoes.com: As of this writing the Blue Sky / Fox GGI film Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs has grossed nearly $660 million (U.S. dollars equivalent) internationally. By the middle of next week, the film is expected to take the #3 spot for highest grossing films ever internationally, right behind Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Fourth go-round, anyone?
The Secret Saturdays Graphic Novel
Del Ray Manga has released a new full color “film comic” based on the hit animated TV series The Secret Saturdays from Cartoon Network. Join the Saturdays: A family of explorers and cryptozoologists as they protect the secret artifacts and mysterious monsters of the world from exploitation. On the way making friends with sasquatch, dinosaurs, and many other strange creatures.
