Monday, March 30, 2009
11 O'Clock Comics gives a big thumbs up for The Darkness
"Phil Hester is a dark twisted, son of a b!tch" comment the guys of 11 O'Clock Comics Podcast.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST.
Is Imitation the Finest Form of Flattery?
More specifically, Sablik wondered aloud what will be the correct price point for downloadable comic books if and when the distribution channel gains real popularity and a viable revenue model for publishers presents itself.
READ MORE.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Comic Box reviews The Darkness #76 (in French)
READ MORE.
Girls Entertainment Network reviews The Darkness #76
READ MORE.
Quarter Bin reviews The Darkness #76
READ MORE.
Complete Top Cow and Image Solicitations for June 2009 on CBR
TOP COW SOLICITATIONS
Berserker #1
(W) Rick Loverd (A) Jeremy Haun (Cov) Dale Keown, Jeremy Haun
A brutal new series produced by Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia and DiVide Pictures!
The lives of Aaron and Farris, two young and completely different men, are turned upside down when they discover an animalistic and uncontrollable rage living inside them. Meanwhile, two mysterious organizations seek them out for their newfound strength and power for their own purposes. But what good is strength and power when you can't tell friend from foe?
From Friday Night Lights screenwriter Rick Loverd and artist Jeremy Haun (Chuck, Leading Man) comes a raw, bloody series in the spirit of Wanted! Featuring variant covers by series artist Jeremy Haun and Dale Keown (The Darkness/Pitt).
Cover A – Dale Keown
Cover B – Jeremy Haun
Full Color 32 pages $2.99 ongoing series
Expected Ship Date – June 17th, 2009
READ MORE.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Advance Image Solicits, June 2009
When you're through checking out these advance solicitations, don't forget to visit CBR's Image Comics forum to discuss these titles with fellow readers.
READ MORE.Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
I started sketching a big linebacker type guy while I was watching and then influenced by all of the great 70s era costuming in the movie he turned into a big moustached cop.
New Blog@Newsarama post by Filip Sablik "Random Rumblings"
This week is yet another busy one here at TC HQ, so rather than one long form entry I thought I’d jot down a few scattered thoughts. Particularly since I’m already a week behind my normal Blog@Newsarama schedule.
Topic 1: I had an interesting conversation recently where the conversation of what the correct price point for digital comics is. Should it be the same as the printed comic so as to not disadvantage brick and mortar comic retailers? Follow the iTunes model of 99¢ per issue? Or is it free?
READ MORE.Matthew Price, Assistant Features Editor Read more columns by Matthew Price. Or visit Matthew's blog. Contact Matthew --Email: mprice@opubco.com. Ph
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Norse warriors are loosed on the modern world in "Berserker,” a new Top Cow series spearheaded by actor Milo Ventimiglia.Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik said the violent series should appeal to fans of "Wanted.”
In the story, the two lead characters discover they have incredible strength when they become filled with rage.
iFanboy reviews Top Cow including Witchblade, The Darkness, & Pilot Season
Historically a haven for style of substance comic books with a heavy emphasis on heaving bosoms and overly revealing costumes on the female characters, Top Cow Productions has garned a bit of a reputation in the comic book world. As a result, the guys at iFanboy haven't paid much attention to Top Cow's comic books, save for Rising Stars and Midnight Nation from J. Michael Straczynski.
And then at a recent comic book convention, the publisher of Top Cow, Filip Sablik, challenged iFanboy to take a look at some of Top Cow's comics and give them a fair shake. With a brand new direction for its flagship titles he felt confident that the iFanboys would like would they had to offer.
Challenge accepted!
READ MORE.
Top Cow releases June Shipping Solicitations
Here’s what Top Cow Productions is shipping to your local comic shop in June!
(W) Rick Loverd (A) Jeremy Haun (Cov) Dale Keown, Jeremy Haun
A brutal new series produced by Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia and DiVide Pictures!
The lives of Aaron and Farris, two young and completely different men, are turned upside down when they discover an animalistic and uncontrollable rage living inside them. Meanwhile, two mysterious organizations seek them out for their newfound strength and power for their own purposes. But what good is strength and power when you can’t tell friend from foe?
From Friday Night Lights screenwriter Rick Loverd and artist Jeremy Haun (Chuck, Leading Man) comes a raw, bloody series in the spirit of Wanted! Featuring variant covers by series artist Jeremy Haun and Dale Keown (The Darkness/Pitt).
Cover A – Dale Keown
Cover B – Jeremy Haun
Full Color 32 pages $2.99 ongoing series
Expected Ship Date – June 17th, 2009
READ MORE.
Comic Book Resources reviews The Darkness #76
Jackie’s face-off against his deadliest foe yet continues as the Legacy numbering of The Darkness goes into full effect, taking into account every issue ever published, regardless of volume.
The Sovereign’s bloody mission for Jackie has finally driven him to despair. Broken and lost, Jackie falls for an otherworldly seductress who seeks to exact a centuries-old curse against The Darkness. Plus, who is The Foreigner and how does his connection to The Darkness predate Jackie Estacado’s?
READ MORE.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Faerber Talks Witchblade Annual 2009
Faerber’s portion of the 40-page annual puts Witchblade bearer Sara Pezzini and her partner Gleason in the high stakes world of plastic surgery. “Sara and Gleasoninvestigate a series of murders committed by gorgeous women who've all had plastic surgery,” Faerber told CBR. “I can't say anything more about the story without giving it away. But I will say it's completely self-contained. You don't need to know anything about ‘Witchblade’ continuity to appreciate it.”
READ MORE.Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
Monday, March 23, 2009
Fanboy Review reviews Witchblade #125
Writer – Ron Marz
Artist – Stjepan Sejic
Publisher – Top Cow Comics
The Grade – 4 out of 5
From the Top Cow solicitation - For more than a year now, the Witchblade has been split between two bearers—NYPD Detective Sara Pezzini and dancer Danielle Baptiste—and they have coexisted peacefully. But that’s all about to end. Beginning in this issue, the six-part “War of the Witchblades” arc will change Sara, Dani and the Witchblade forever. Sara has been Dani’s friend and mentor, but now she becomes her bitter enemy. By the end of the storyline, only ONE bearer will remain.
READ MORE.
Landroid's Basement reviews Witchblade #125
READ MORE.
Signed “Berserker” comic will benefit CBLDF
READ MORE.
War of the Witchblades: A New Look
Being asked to put together a new take on an existing idea is sort of like being asked to sleep with your best friend's wife. You simply don't do it. Especially not if the existing idea is working for you and doesn't require any, pardon the pun, screwing with.
That being said, you can imagine there was some hesitation on my part when I was approached by Top Cow Publisher and my secret admirer, Filip Sablik, to redesign the Witchblade logo for the six-issue story arc "War of the Witchblades." The idea was simple enough, we wanted to create a limited, new look for this arc, something that would let everyone know that this was one of the most important and consequential stories ever told in the pages of “Witchblade.” The redesign would include the Witchblade logo itself, as well as the cover design, and all of it was meant to work together to let the fans know this wasn't going to be just a simple girl fight between current bearers Sara and Dani -- no, this was going to be an all out war.
READ MORE.PREVIEW - Top Cow's Marvel Crossover 'Fusion'
Top Cow has given us a preview look at images from May's Marvel X-over 'Cyberforce/ Hunter-Killer/ Avengers/ Thunderbolts #1' Here's the solicitation: Fusion: Cyberforce/ Hunter-Killer/ Avengers/ Thunderbolts #1 (of 3) (W) Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (A) Tyler Kirkham (Cov) Mike Choi & Sonia Oback The mother of all Top Cow/Marvel crossovers debuts in May! Top Cow's two covert tech teams collide with Marvel's Initiative enforcers, the Mighty Avengers and the Thunderbolts. When a rapid and unregistered Ripclaw starts tearing through a small Northeast town, the Mighty Avengers move in to stop him. When the feral hero escapes, they're drawn into an inevitable conflict with Cyberforce. A crossover event too massive to be contained in a single issue brought to you by the writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova) and Top Cow favorite artist Tyler Kirkham (Ultimate Fantastic Four, Broken Trinity: Aftermath).
Full Color 32 pages $2.99 limited series
READ MORE.
Top Cow, Mayhem Comics reach agreement for Top Cow home deliverysubscription service
Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that they have reached an agreement with Mayhem Comics and Games to offer a subscription service for Top Cow’s entire line of new comics to readers.
Mayhem Comics and Collectibles, founded by Dave Cory and Rob Josephson in Iowa in 1990, sells discount comic books, role playing games and supplies, collectible card games, t-shirts, anime and toys in two retail locations and online. The subscription service with Top Cow would provide subscribers with home delivery of their favorite Top Cow titles the week each comic is released packed in a free comic bag and board for its protection.
READ MORE ON NEWSARAMA.
OR ON COMIC BOOK RESOURCES.
OR ON BLOG@NEWSARAMA.
Interactive Action in "Wanted: Weapons of Fate"
WATCH THE VIDEO.
‘Wanted’ Commercial Banned in UK For Glamorizing Violence
READ MORE.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Broken Frontier reviews Witchblade #125
READ MORE.
365 Days of 'The Darkness' - Phil Hester On His First Year
Newsarama recently spoke with the writer looking back at this first year on the title, about what make Jackie tick generally, and a look towards the future...
READ MORE.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
Quarter Bin reviews Witchblade #125
READ MORE.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
CBR's Robot 6 debuts Marc Silvestri Iron Man variant cover
Continuing the next chapter in Matt Fractions “World’s Most Wanted” storyline, this issue features Tony Stark on the run from his rogues gallery — and the big bad guy in the Marvel Universe, Norman Osborn! Invincible Iron Man #14 hits stores this June.
ComicNews reviews Witchblade #125
READ MORE.
Best Shots @ Newsarama Reviews Witchblade #125
READ MORE.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Darkness Accursed Volume 1 on Diamond's February Top 10 Trade Paperbacks
Coming as little surprise, the top-selling graphic novel in February was DC Comics' Watchmen trade paperback, its sales fueled by the just-released feature film from director Zack Snyder.
The following is Diamond's Market Share stats for February, along with the Top 10 Comic Books and Graphic Novel charts. Look for the extended Top 100/300 sales charts and more sales analysis early next week...
READ MORE.
Comicvine reviews Witchblade #125
This is the "Landmark" 125th anniversary issue. Maybe with "War Of The Witchblades" looming, I was prepared for some really kick ass action. Unfortunately, it didn't really happen...yet. The seeds are being planted. I understand we can't have a full blown, knock down fight in the first part. Reading it a second time, I started seeing different plot twists that may be on the horizon.
4 out of 5
READ MORE.
CC2K reviews Witchblade #125
This issue struck me as the equivalent to really good boxing match. Before the fight, sides are shown, both fighters are given back stories, and it is up to the viewer to figure out: who’s the better of the two? Also, WB #125’s story sort of flows similarly to a boxing fight. It begins with Sara, how her life is going, her love life, and her relationship with her sister. Artist Stjepan Sejic (brilliantly draws each issue) lightly show’s Sara’s rage and power by characterizing her Witchblade with a red and bronze glow. Dani is portrayed as having a little bit of an ego, a questioned sexuality, and her thoughts and good intentions are shown to be from the heart. Her Witchblade has a blue and silver glow that hints of purity, innocence, and good nature. Is this a sign of light verses dark? Sara and Dani use the Witchblade with such different methods and mentalities; this promised fight could be immense.
4.0 out of 5.
READ MORE.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Read the FULL ISSUE of Impaler #1 on Newsarama.com
READ MORE.
Producer Talks Wanted: Weapons of Fate
Mark Millar and J.G. Jones unleashed their twisted take on the superhero genre in 2003 with “Wanted” from Top Cow. In the book, main character Wesley Gibson finds out that he is the son of a famous supervillain called The Killer, and that years ago, all of the supervillains banded together to wipe superheroes off the face of the planet, even going so far as to make people forget they ever existed. The story follows Wesley as he embraces his father’s legacy and joins the Fraternity, the group of supervillains that secretly runs the world.
READ MORE.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
If that wasn't enough excitement for one day I received about 1/2 of the finished pages from Witchblade #126. Wow. Seriously, folks this story arc is going to rock your socks.
GameStop Offers Exclusive JG Jones "Wanted" Covers
READ MORE.
Blog@Newsarama reviews Wanted: Weapons of Fate
READ MORE.
Wanted nominated for 35th Annual Saturn Awards
Click on the link to see the full list of nominations.
READ MORE.
William Harms signing at Zanadu Comics TODAY!
Zanadu Comics
1923 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 443-1316
Store Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday: 10 AM - 6 PM
Wednesday & Friday: 10 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday: Noon - 5 PM
http://www.zanaducomics.com/
Moo!
Top Cow
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Graze Anatomy: Sketches from Your Publisher
1ST LOOK - Witchblade #125 Emerald City Comic-Con Cover
READ MORE.
Top Cow develops innovative approach to selecting content, selling comics
READ MORE.