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Fantasy

This Will Go Down On Your Permanent Record

Well now, this is something different: A “making of” book for a graphic novel. And in tune with the season as well. “High school can be tough enough as it is, but things get even more complicated when you’ve been bitten by a werewolf! Bestselling YA author Cornelia Funke (Inkheart) teams up with comic book artist and character designer extraordinaire Francisco Herrera and former Disney Animator and film Director Raul Garcia (The Missing Lynx) to create a wild and furry world where werewolves are real and hiding in plain view, even in high school! This lavishly illustrated sketch book documents the creative process of transforming Funke’s best-selling Young Werewolf into a brand new, exciting graphic novel series. Hundreds of sketches and color studies show the process of fleshing out the characters of the book as we discover the story of Matt, Lisa, and the incredible odds they have to face to battle an old Hollywood curse.” Bitten: The Full Moon Book is coming soon (in limited quantities) from Magnetic Press. Find out more over at Nerds Unchained.

image c. 2015 Magnetic Press

image c. 2015 Magnetic Press

It is the East… and Juliet is a Bear

The animals of the Stratford Zoo return with another secret production in The Stratford Zoo Midnight Review Presents: Romeo & Juliet. “The Stratford Zoo looks like a normal zoo . . . until the gates shut at night. That’s when the animals come out of their cages to stage elaborate performances of Shakespeare’s greatest works. They might not be the most accomplished thespians, but they’ve got what counts: Heart. Also fangs, feathers, scales, and tails. Ian Lendler’s hilarious tale of after-hours animal stagecraft is perfectly paired with the adorable, accessible artwork of Zack Giallongo (Broxo, Ewoks) in this side-splitting companion to their graphic novel The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth.” Which we also reviewed, of course. Check out the extensive preview over at publisher MacMillan’s page. Later this month it’s available in hardcover and softcover editions.

image c. 2015 MacMillan Publishing

image c. 2015 MacMillan Publishing

Love and Tolerate the Snot Out of Each Other

Once upon a time there was an on-line game in development called Fighting is Magic, attempting to create a “Ready! FIGHT!” style inter-player game based on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Unfortunately, the Powers That Be at Hasbro decided that the game was a little bit too close to the TV show for comfort, and the project was shut down. Fast forward a couple of years: Now none other than Lauren Faust, the original show runner for Friendship is Magic, is on board to help with the development of a whole new game — in a whole new world. This is from the Indiegogo campaign: “Help a cast of cute animals beat each other up by making Them’s Fightin’ Herds become a reality! Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a 2D PC (Windows, with Linux/Mac as stretch goals) fighting game with adorable animals in an original universe designed by Lauren Faust (producer and developer for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; creator, director and developer for Super Best Friends Forever). It is the spiritual successor to Fighting is Magic, with improved gameplay mechanics and graphics, an entirely new (and awesome!) dynamic music system, a graphic lobby, and a whole bunch of new features.” The Indiegogo page features several preview videos as well as numerous preliminary sketches by Ms. Faust herself.

image c. 2015 by Lauren Faust

image c. 2015 by Lauren Faust

Scary Stuff from Spain

Cartoon Brew recently uploaded the current trailer for Psychonauts, a new 2D animated feature from director Alberto Vazquez. “Based on a comic of the same name by Vazquez, Psychonauts follows two teenagers — Birdboy and Dinki — who decide to escape an island that has been devastated by ecological catastrophe. The hand-drawn film, made in Flash and Photoshop, is co-directed by Pedro Rivero, with whom Vazquez made a related short film five years ago called Birdboy. The new feature was produced by Zircozine and Basque Films, and co-produced by Abrakam Studio and La Competencia. No American distribution has been set yet, but more details about the film can be found at PsiconautasMovie.com.” Birdboy is dead… and possessed by demons…

image c. Zircozine/Basque Films

image c. Zircozine/Basque Films

Monsters in New York

Kymera Press (home of Pet Noir, which we reviewed recently) has another interesting title in Gates of Midnight. Meet Raven Moon, a decorated combat veteran who’s come home looking for rest and healing after her tour of Afghanistan. Instead she finds deadly secret and a hidden world of monsters. It seems that her father is not only a New York police officer, he’s also a magical warrior charged with keeping his city safe from monsters as they “gate” through to our world. When he is killed on a monster hunt gone wrong, guess who is next in line to be the warrior? But Raven soon learns there is far, far more to these monsters than she is being told… Written by D. Lynn Smith and illustrated Amelia Woo, Gates of Midnight is up to issue 6. Check it out over at Kymera.

image c. 2015 Kymera Press

image c. 2015 Kymera Press

The Lion Matures

Renee Carter Hall has released a new preview of her upcoming book Huntress. “All her life, the young lioness Leya has dreamed of becoming one of the karanja, the proud huntresses of her people. But there’s more to being karanja than just learning to throw a spear. Life among their tents means giving up family, safety — even love. How much is Leya willing to sacrifice for a place in the sisterhood? Does she truly have the heart of a huntress? Author Renee Carter Hall takes readers into the veld for this coming-of-age anthropomorphic fantasy for teens and adults. This edition includes the novella “Huntress” (nominated for the 2014 Ursa Major Awards and Coyotl Awards), as well as three brand-new short stories set in the same world.” The e-book version is available to order now, and can be downloaded beginning September 20th. The print version will be released at the RainFurrest convention, with online orders from FurPlanet shipping in October.

image c. 2015 Renee Carter Hall

image c. 2015 Renee Carter Hall

 

Spyro and his Friends Take Flight!

IDW presents a special full-color hardcover graphic novel, tied in with the upcoming release of Skylanders 5. “The official story leading into this year’s all-new Skylanders video game! The citizens of Skylands are in their most desperate hour as Kaos begins to tear the world apart with his newfound powers. Spyro and an elite group of Skylanders must enter an ancient and unknown part of Skylands and find the only hope left that can stand against Kaos’ might!” Written by Ron Marz and David Rodriguez, with illustrations by Fico Ossio, Skylanders: Rift Into Overdrive hits the shelves this week.

image c. 2015 IDW Publishing

image c. 2015 IDW Publishing

He’s Back. Imagine That.

Disney’s favorite dragon (well, unless you count Malificent) returns later this month when Figment (the on-again/off-again mascot of Disney’s EPCOT Center in Florida) comes back in his second full-color comic book miniseries, appropriately titled Figment 2. From Comic Book Resources: “Critically acclaimed writer Jim Zub returns alongside artist Ramon Bachs for the next chapter in the lives of the enigmatic inventor Dreamfinder and the legendary Figment! Thrust forward into the present day, these two time-travelling explorers must brave a modern world as new and unexpected dangers lie before them. Gone over 100 years, our imaginative duo are known the world over, and must struggle to live up to their own legend. But with their greatest challenges still ahead, can they embody their own legacy, or will it ultimately be their undoing?” Marvel.com also has an extensive write-up of the new series.

Image c. 2015 Marvel Comics

Image c. 2015 Marvel Comics

My Dad is a Dog and a Snake is my Friend

The new black & white graphic novel Family Pets (published by Zenescope Entertainment) was recently reviewed at the University of Washington’s daily newspaper web site, of all places. “After her parents’ death, 16-year-old Thomasina has been wishing for something exciting to happen in her ordinary, lonely life. One morning, she wakes up to find her foster family has turned into pet animals, and her pet snake Sebastian has transformed into a man. With the help of her wizard friend Smitty, Thomasina and Sebastian embark on a magical journey to the wizard world to find a way to reverse the spell placed on the family.Family Pets was written by Pat Shand, with illustration by Sarah Dill.

image c. 2015 Zenescope

image c. 2015 Zenescope