Newsarama: From a Darkchylde to a STARFALL- RANDY QUEEN's New Book

Originally announced two years ago at New York Comic Con, Randy Queen's Starfall is finally touching down on comic shelves. Starfall is the story of a space-faring pirate who has the unenviable position of being the last surviving human of her kind after a virus wiped out her kind.. She survived by having her DNA spliced with that of a white dragon, a native creature of her homeworld that was the only species that survived.

After a limited edition preview book was put out last year at San Diego Comic Con, a second preview was seen in the recently released Darkness/Darkchylde one-shot put out by Top Cow last week. The Darkness/Darkchylde cross-over one shot was both a new Darkness story crossing over with a new character, but also an informal re-introduction to Randy Queen's artwork. Best known for his character of Darkchylde, Queen burst onto the comics scene in the late 90s at Top Cow before creating the character which he's become known for. Although relatively absent from the comics scene in the past few years, he's been working on Darkchylde projects both in and out of comics, as well as his new concept Starfall.

With the Starfall series tentatively set to debut later this year, Newsarama spoke with Randy Queen

Newsarama: In our previous interview, you gave us a little taste of Starfall – but this time we want the whole enchilada. Can you tell us about the lead character, Sierra Starfall?

Randy Queen: Sierra Starfall is a completely beautiful badass, bi-sexual 100 year old Space Pirate who is acknowledged as the Galaxy's Greatest Warrior. She's taken that title. She's infused with White Dragon DNA because they were the only creatures on her homeworld impervious to a devastating, planet-wide virus. When Sierra emerged from her splicing womb, her world was completely dead -- save for the white dragons. So she's this haunted, battle scarred character with a sad legacy. Her best friend is a robot who serves double duty as a digital diary for stored memories. Starfall, the story, is very thought out and well developed.

Read the full interview here.
Source: Newsarama

Newsarama Exclusive Preview: Randy Queen's STARFALL

After announcing Starfall in spring 2008, and showing off the preview book that summer at Comic-Con International: San Diego, the book seemed to fall by the wayside. Now, coming off the success of the revival of Randy Queen's Darkchylde in The Darkness/Darkchylde, Top Cow and Randy Queen are bringing Starfall to life at last. We have your first preview look at the series, coming in 2010.

READ MORE.

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"DARKCHYLDE" MEETS "THE DARKNESS"

Don't expect the typical boy-meets-girl scenario when Randy and Sarah Queen's "The Darkness/Darkchylde/Witchblade: Kingdom of Pain" one-shot hits comic book stores next month courtesy of Top Cow Productions. Writer-artist Randy Queen, the creator of "Darkchylde," plans to reintroduce Ariel Chylde to comic readers by way of Jackie Estacado and - to a lesser extent - Sara Pezzini, two of the most popular characters in Top Cow's stable. The results of this meeting will be a literal nightmare for Jackie, Ariel and Sara - but if Queen has his way, it'll be a dream come true for fans of his long-dormant franchise.

Queen spoke with CBR News about Ariel's return to the paneled page and his future plans for the character. He also discussed his upcoming comic book project titled "Starfall," which has a special preview in the pages of the "Darkness/Darkchylde/Witchblade" one-shot.

READ MORE.

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Newsarama Sits Down with Darkchylde Creator To Talk Darkness/Darkchylde

Comics are getting a lot darker this December.

Randy Queen and his character, Darkchylde, are returning to comics – and they're sharing the stage with Top Cow's own Darkness. It's no coincidence that Queen got his start in comics at Top Cow way back in the early 90s, and he's coming back to where it all began to re-introduce himself – and Darkchylde – into the comics' world.

This new comic marks Queen's return to comics, and he's reintroducing Darkchylde and bringing a new creation, Starfall, as an 8 page preview at the end of the book. For more, we talked with Queen by email from his West Coast home.

Newsarama: So Randy, what can you tell us about the upcoming Darkness/Darkchylde: Kingdom of Pain one-shot?

Randy Queen: The book has three big selling points. Jackie's suit gets corrupted, so you're getting the premier of brand new Darkness armor, you're getting the return of Ariel Chylde, and you're getting nine pages of Starfall. And you're getting gorgeous color art by Sarah Queen.

When I go to the comic shop, I look for something fun, with real craftsmanship and love on the page, and I look for production values. We have that for you.

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SciFi Pulse Interviews Randy Queen on Darkchylde/Darkness Crossover

Currently, Randy Queen is spreading the word about the upcoming Darkchylde/Darkness crossover titled The Darkness/ Darkchylde: Kingdom Pain; which, in addition to containing new Darkchylde material, will also have nine preview pages for Starfall. Set to come out in December, this one-shot is the ideal gift for any fans of Ariel Darkchylde.

Nicholas Yanes: The big news and topic of this interview is The Darkness/ Darkchylde: Kingdom Pain. Can you share with us how this project came about? Did you approach Top Cow, or were you approached first?

Randy Queen: It was brought up during Starfall talks that because it’s such a huge project, it might be nice to reintroduce fans to my work with something smaller in the interim. So that’s how it began. And I saw it as an opportunity to make some important things happen, with Jackie being responsible for bringing Ariel back, and with him getting a new costume in the process. Suddenly it became more interesting beyond just my drawing Darkchylde again.

READ MORE.

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Exclusive Preview: Starfall Preview Book

Top Cow and Randy Queen have provided Newsarama with a preview of the Starfall Preview Book that will be available at San Diego Comic Con --- “The high concept of the series is this: Space pirates crash land on an uncharted jungle planet and unknowingly unleash a degenerative nanobot technology that turns the local dinosaur and cannibal populace into raging zombies!” explained Queen. READ MORE.

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TOP COW ANNOUNCES NEW ORIGINAL SERIES

TOP COW ANNOUNCES NEW ORIGINAL SERIES BY FAMED
WRITER AND ARTIST RANDY QUEEN

STARFALL

Project will feature a combination of different genres to form an exciting new property

Top Cow Productions, Inc. announced today it will publish Starfall, a new, original science fiction and fantasy series created by fan-favorite Darkchylde writer and artist, Randy Queen. While the project will not be solicited until all the issues are finished, a preview book of the series will debut at the Top Cow booth at San Diego Comic-Con July 24-27.
“The high concept of the series is this: Space pirates crash land on an uncharted jungle planet and unknowingly unleash a degenerative nanobot technology that turns the local dinosaur and cannibal populace into raging zombies!” explained Queen. “The story’s main protagonist is Sierra Starfall, a female Flash Gordon/Tarzan type character who’s hotwired with Dragon DNA and over 100 years old, despite not looking a day over 25. Sierra is legendary and considered by many to be the Galaxy’s Greatest Warrior. She is the commander of a fiercely loyal rogues gallery of Alien Mercs, who have survived and vanquished many perils. This time they won’t.”
The introductory storyline chronicles the last mission of Starfall’s valiant crew. “It will be a study on how the dynamics of a team book become the dynamics of a solo book as the pirates meet their collective fates on this savage planet. And they do not go quietly into that good night!” expressed Queen.
Starfall marks a reunion between Top Cow and Queen. “Top Cow is where I got my start, and was essentially my college experience. Founder and CEO Marc Silvestri was the first person who wanted me to draw a comic book, and because he is one of my favorite artists, it had a profound and life-changing effect,” remarked Queen. “Matt Hawkins was the man who would later help launch Darkchylde, and his marketing muscle and branding tenacity is also profound and admirable,” Queen said, referring to Top Cow’s current president and COO. “To return to the Herd and launch something completely new with both gentlemen and Top Cow is a genuine thrill.”
“We are excited to welcome Randy back to Top Cow and look forward to working with him in presenting this new vision to comic book fans everywhere,” commented Hawkins. “Sierra Starfall is a strong female character whose beauty, skills, tenacity and demeanor will put her up there in the ranks with Sara Pezzini and Ariel Chylde.”
Starfall is a mash-up of several different genres, Queen explained. “With Starfall, my business partner Sarah Oates and I are returning to the style and tone of what fans and retailers have said they’ve wanted to see us get back to. We hope to create one of the most beautiful books on the market, and also an incredibly fun read. I have a deep love for jungle adventure and space fantasy, as well as horror films, and this dovetails these loves into a truly compelling new property with so many exciting possibilities. I can’t reinvent the space fantasy or the jungle adventure, but I can offer a unique fusion of those genres with my own perspective and ideas so that it becomes its own animal.
“We hope fans will join us on this new voyage, and will embrace Sierra Starfall as their own, because she is created specifically for them,” Queen concluded.
If you like Star Wars, Alien Legion, Micronauts, Flash Gordon, Aliens, Tarzan, and King Kong, then this new sci-fi-horror title is right up your alley. Be sure to pick up the preview book at the Top Cow booth at San Diego Comic-Con July 24-27!
More information on Randy Queen and his projects can be found at http://www.darkchylde.com and http://www.starfallcomic.com.

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INTERVIEW RANDY QUEEN ON STARFALL

Announced at Top Cow’s New York Comic Con panel, Randy Queen’s Starfall will be the first major work from the creator since his Darkchylde in the ‘90s. Only teaser art was shown, with Top Cow President Matt Hawkins noting that the publisher will not be soliciting the new project until all the issues are done, in order to guarantee that readers are able to follow the story on a monthly basis.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

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Wizard Universe Interviews Randy Queen About Starfall

Randy Queen returns to full-on comic work with his newest series Starfall!

What's it about? We'll let Randy give a rundown in his own words:

"Space Pirates crash land on an uncharted Jungle Planet, and unknowingly unleash degenerative nanobot technology that turns the local dinosaur and cannibal populace into raging zombies!

"The story's protagonist is Sierra Starfall, a female Flash Gordon/Tarzan type character who's hotwired with Dragon DNA and over 100 years old—despite not looking a day over 25. Sierra is legendary and considered by many to be the galaxy's greatest warrior. She is commander of a fiercely loyal rogue's gallery of alien mercs, who have survived and vanquished many perils. This time they won't."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

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