The Mix : What are people talking about today?

All Pulp Interviews: Moonstone’s Return of the Monsters – Eric Johns

  • News
  • September 19, 2011
halloweenbb1-2870919
Cover: Dan Brereton

This Halloween, Moonstone heads back to their monstrous roots with the Return of the Monsters Event. Return of the Monsters features four stand-alone tales of pulp’s mightiest heroes facing off against some classic monsters. One of those titles is The Black Bat vs. Dracula by Mike Bullock and Eric Johns. All Pulp sat down with the artist to talk about this upcoming book.

All Pulp: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.

Eric Johns: I’m just a regular guy, who spent far too much time studying the way the world works and the best way to record it. After unlocking some esoteric doors, I found my path as a Comic book artist. There are no limits to this format, all stories are possible, no production restraints, no boundaries like other mediums have.

eric-deathangel4-7486131
Art: Eric Johns

Having owned a comic book store, I’ve read all kinds of Pulp: John Carter, The Shadow, Tarzan, Conan, and Doc Savage to name a few off the top of my head. These guys trailblazed the way for the comic book heroes we know today. Pulps, directly or indirectly, influence nearly all creators in the comic field.

AP: You’re providing pencils and inks for the Return of the Monsters Halloween event book, The Black Bat vs. Dracula. What can we expect from this titanic throw down?

EJ: Expect a captivating thrill ride, with a harrowing glimpse into Death Angel’s soul, as penned by the masterful Mike Bullock.

AP: The Black Bat vs. Dracula has a pulp hero battling a classic monster, a combination that even though done in some regards hasn’t ever really been done the way Moonstone is doing it with the Return of the Monster event. What do these genres have in common and how do they differ in ways that complement each other?

eric-deathangel1-4599219
Art: Eric Johns

EJ: Well both deal with the dark side. They both wield weird, often powerful abilities that make brawls and action sequences far above the realm of knuckles and the 40 inch vertical leap of mere humans.
The Heroes of Pulp fit nicely in opposition to the evil Monsters, completing the chess pieces necessary for battle. A battle between beings that can actually go toe to toe, or claw in some cases.

AP: The Return of the Monsters Halloween event brings back several classic monster archetypes to Moonstone’s lineup. How does this version of Dracula compare and contrast to previous versions of the character?

allreturnofmonsters4-4676109
Return of the Monsters Cover Art: Dan Brereton

EJ: Well he compares in power and weaknesses, and is shadowed comfortably in the darkness, like previous incarnations. Mike Bullock’s version deviates only slightly from the classic, he hides in plain sight at the beginning. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. (laughs.) He has long hair, but otherwise it’s our beloved Drac.

eric-deathangel3-8457777
Art: Eric Johns

AP: What appeals to you about pulp heroes battling classic monsters? What was it that excited you about visually pitting the Black Bat against the lord of the vampires?

EJ: Are you kidding me? Anytime you get to draw one of the classic monsters, it’s an opportunity not to be wasted.

AP: What, if any, existing pulp, monster, or comic book characters would you like to try your hand at drawing?

EJ: The Shadow, any of the Monsters, and Daredevil or Batman. My art style is probably better suited to Superman or Captain America, however, and I love both of those characters as well.

eric-deathangel2-9844744
Art: Eric Johns

AP: What does Eric Johns do when he’s not drawing?

EJ: I’m a strange mixture of nerd and athlete. Athnerd or dorklete. I play basketball and Magic the Gathering, and love my comics.

AP: Where can readers find learn more about you and your work?

EJ: For those willing to ask, I’m pretty accessible: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1058905780

blackbatvsdraculapreviews-6434594

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

EJ: I’m illustrating “SGT. Janus: Spirit Breaker,” it’s prose style Pulp fiction. I could give accolades to this book and it’s writer, Gentleman Jim Beard, but it’s better to just relate what I told Jim. There is a fairy tale that he created, pure Jim Beard, but it resonated with me and my mind kept telling me, “I remember that story,” as I read it for the first time. That is profound writing!

AP: Thanks, Eric.

The Black Bat vs. Dracula is solicited in August Previews for an October in store release.

JOHN OSTRANDER’s Rules of Engagement

  • Uncategorized
  • September 18, 2011

joepalookacomic-3132712Let’s talk about writing fight scenes. Nothing to it, right? In this corner we got character A, in that corner we got character B, the bell rings, and they proceed to beat the poo out of each other until someone falls down. Simple, right? You just point the artists in the general direction, tell them how many pages they got, and collect your check. What could be more simple?

I’ll admit, I’ve pretty much done that some times. If I know the artist real well, I’ll give plot points that are to be covered and let them work their magic. However, I only do that if I know that the artist and I are on the same page about how fight scenes should go.

The fact of the matter is, fight scenes need not only to be choreographed, they need to be plotted and written. They need to build. Above all, they should serve the story and not simply be there for some random violence. The purpose of the story is to reveal character and so also is a fight scene.

The real question in any story is what does the protagonist want and how badly does he want it? It reveals who he really are as opposed to who he thinks he is. My late wife Kim used to play scenarios for me and ask me how I would feel or what I would do in such and such situation. I always told her, “I don’t know. Ask me when we get there.” All I could have told her what was I thought I would feel or do or how I hoped I would react. The truth is, those are all bound up in your idea of who you are. You don’t know until you’ve been there. Past experience may be an indication but it’s not a guarantee. Circumstances are always a little different and there’s any number of contributing factors that can alter the outcome.

In any scene (and that includes a fight scene), what a character does is determined by what they want. What is their goal? Usually there is more than one objective and sometimes these objectives are contradictory – we’ll talk about all that some other time – but let’s say there’s one essential goal that drives the protagonist. It’s not something they would like or they sorta kinda maybe want, it’s something they want. It is something that defines them. It is something they must get, must achieve, must save, must protect.

The opponent – the antagonist – is what’s in the way. It could be a person, it could be an army, it could be a wall, it could be a hurricane, it could be anything. In a regular scene, the objective could be relatively small but, in a fight scene, it usually comes down to something pretty primal.

The goal also can’t be easy for the protagonist to get. If the goal is to get through the wall, you look for a door. If the door is locked, you look for a key. If you don’t have a key, you try and kick it down. If the door’s re-enforced, you try to blow it up – or you give up. If giving up is not an option, then the protagonist has to find a way.

Notice there was a progression in the wall sequence. We try what is easiest first – rule of human nature and what’s true in real life should be true in our stories. You want the scene – any scene but especially a fight scene – to build. It gets harder for the protagonist as it goes. You blow it all in the first punch then you have nowhere to go and neither does your story. The protagonist has to struggle; it’s the only way we get to see who they really are. No struggle, no revelation. No point to the story.

Take boxing as an example. You have the champ and in this fight he goes up against a palooka. The palooka goes down and out in the first round. The fight is over and who cares? Palooka keeps getting up and coming at the champ and, win or lose, you’ve got Rocky.

Violence isn’t necessarily about two characters beating the poo out of each other, either. There’s emotional violence as well. Read or watch Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolff for some first class emotional violence. It can be small scale, it can be Grand Guingol, but violence – emotional or physical – creates conflict, tension, and reveals character.

Fight scenes, if you have them, are part of the story and they have to tell the story or they’re a waste of time and space and the reader’s attention. A good fight scene is about something. That’s what we’re looking for – and that’s what we have a right to expect.

MONDAY: Mindy Newell

All Pulp Interviews: Moonstone’s Return of the Monsters – Martin Powell

  • News
  • September 18, 2011
Cover: Dan Brereton

This Halloween, Moonstone heads back to their monstrous roots with the Return of the Monsters Event. Return of the Monsters features four stand-alone tales of pulp’s mightiest heroes facing off against some classic monsters. One of those titles called The Spider vs. The Werewolf by writer Martin Powell with art by Jay Piscopo. All Pulp sat down with Martin Powell about this upcoming book.

All Pulp: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.

Martin Powell: I’ve been a professional writer for over twenty-five years, and although I’ve written everything from educational science books to children’s stories, my creative roots have always been firmly set in the pulps. A neighborhood friend introduced me to the Doc Savage paperbacks when I was about eleven years old, and James Bama’s fantastic ultra-realistic cover paintings really grabbed me. I just had to see what was going on inside those books.

Art: Jay Piscopo

Finally, I found the paperbacks at a nearby department store—there seemed to be a zillion of them. My pocket contained just enough spare change for one book—about sixty cents—and it was a tough decision. Ultimately, “Devil on the Moon” came home with me, mostly because I was keenly fascinated by the Apollo 11 moon landing, and that evening I read the novel cover to cover. I was hooked.

I knew nothing whatsoever about pulp magazines, had never even heard of them. Although I did notice on the inside of the book that it had originally appeared in “Doc Savage Magazine” in 1938. I was very intrigued. I visited the big library downtown in search of back issues. No luck. Happily, I returned to the department store with some birthday money and bought six more paperbacks, but I didn’t actually find and purchase my first authentic Doc Savage pulp magazine until about ten years later. Along the way I learned more about the pulps themselves, including other great characters like The Shadow, The Avenger, and especially The Spider, through the great books of Philip Jose Farmer.

Eventually I would collect the entire series of 182 Doc Savage paperback novels, and lots from the other characters, too, and today I have a nice collection of the original pulps which I’d never ever part with.

Art: Jay Piscopo

AP: Your story for the Return of the Monsters Halloween event is called The Spider Vs. The Werewolf. What can we expect from this titanic throw down?

MP: Actually, it’s called “The Werewolf War Massacres.” I couldn’t resist giving it a more Norvell Page-inspired title. Hopefully Moonstone will go for that on the inside front cover. No one could dream up pulp titles like Norvell, and I’ve always tried to mimic him as best I can. As for the story itself, it has more depth, is more action-packed, is more vicious, and has richer characterization that most of what I’ve gotten to write for the Spider in the past, thanks to its greater page length. I had a lot more space to work with, which was a luxury. It’s a horror story, to be sure, but it’s also about how the nightmare of war has changed two men.

AP: The Spider Vs. The Werewolf has a classic pulp hero battling a classic monster, a combination that even though done in some regards hasn’t ever really been done the way Moonstone is doing it with the Return of the Monsters event. What do these genres have in common and how do they differ in ways that complement each other?

allreturnofmonsters-1801952
Return of the Monsters Cover Art By Dan Brereton

MP: Well, I’ve always thought of the Spider as a sort of werewolf himself, and I’ve written him that way, in that he seems to transform into an alternate personality. The real question in my Spider adventures is which is the true identity, Wentworth or his lethal alter-ego? Which one is wearing the mask? The Spider is sort of a composite of Count Dracula and Mr. Hyde. He’s one of the original monster-heroes, and can be genuinely terrifying. The major difference is the Spider actually cares about us. Sure, he’s crazy as Renfield at times, but he also has a conscience, a lot of heart, and something of a messiah complex. It was a very easy, compatible fit combining the Master of Men with a gothic supernatural element. They seemed made for each other.

Art: Jay Piscopo

AP: The Return of the Monsters Halloween event brings back several classic monster archetypes to Moonstone’s lineup. How does this version of the Werewolf compare and contrast to previous versions of the character?

MP: This mystery-adventure is set in 1937, so the public at that time weren’t very educated on exactly what werewolves were supposed to be. The Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr. was still a few years away, so I based my monster mostly on lycanthrope mythology and folklore. Both the aspect of transforming under the full moon and being vulnerable only to silver weapons are Hollywood-created devices, so I ignored them. My werewolves change unpredictably, at any time, just like the creatures of legend. That makes them much more frightening and dangerous, and they are very tough to kill. However, I did strive to make the werewolf in this story ultimately a sympathetic character, which I think is very important. He’s a creature without any personal physical control. He can’t help himself.

AP: What appeals to you about pulp heroes battling classic monsters? What was it that excited you about pitting the Spider against a werewolf?



Art: Jay Piscopo

 MP: I’m always excited about a new Spider story, especially getting to write an adventure of this length. Also, although “The Werewolf War Massacres” is not exactly an origin tale, it does provide us with a gruesome glimpse into Richard Wentworth’s past while he was a soldier in World War One. We get to see the Spider’s personae beginning to take form. The added excitement, for me, was finally getting to work with prolific artist Jay Piscopo, who understands and loves the 1930’s period pulp atmosphere as much as I do.

AP: You’ve been spearheading the Spider’s comic book adventures for Moonstone. What’s ahead for the book and character?

MP: That’s largely up to Moonstone. We have discussed a couple ideas, both dealing with larger formats which I’d really like to do. I have an especially massive apocalyptic epic in mind, with my regular Spider artist Hannibal King, which would resurrect one of the Spider’s classic and most deadly enemies. Also, Jay Piscopo and I have had a grand sweeping adventure planned which would team-up the Spider, Operator 5, and G-8 and His Battle Aces for the very first time.

AP: What, if any, existing pulp, monster, or comic book characters would you like to try your hand at writing?

Cover: Dan Brereton

MP: People who know me well realize that my favorite fictional worlds are the original 1933 King Kong, the classic Universal monster movies, the Hammer Studios horror films, and the Dark Shadows television series. So, I felt quite at home among the Spider and werewolves. I’ve written several Dracula stories over the past twenty-five years, and I just wrote a prose filmbook of Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, which should be on sale before Halloween. I also have a new graphic novel reviving Dick Briefer’s classic pre-code Monster of Frankenstein horror series coming up, illustrated by Nik Poliwko, and will be published by Michael Hudson’s Sequential Pulp Comics, an imprint of Dark Horse. I have something in the works specifically for The Creature from the Black Lagoon with another publisher, too, but that’s all I can say for now. As for other pulp heroes, I’d love a shot at Doc Savage someday. The Shadow, too. And Tarzan most of all.

AP: What does Martin Powell do when he’s not writing?

MP: I’m a full-time writer, but I do have a lot of other interests. I haven’t watched commercial or cable television since 2004, and I fill some of that time with model kit building, collecting vintage books, and hunting for fossils. Some of my best times are spent playing with our beagle and three cats in our newly purchased 1925 bungalow, which we’re decorating in its proper 20s and 30s period. I suspect gardening will become another passion come next spring, now that we have our own yard. Among other things, I’m really looking forward to growing my own pumpkin patch. As Vincent Price once said, “There’s a whole world up on the stage and screen, but there’s a bigger world off of them. The person who limits their interests, limits their life.”

AP: Where can readers find learn more about you and your work?

MP: You can find me on Facebook and at my Blog.

https://www.facebook.com/martin.powell1
http://martinpowell221bcom.blogspot.com/

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

MP: Yes! I’m very excited to be writing a number of graphic novels for Sequential Pulp/Dark Horse Comics. Currently in the works are Martians, Go Home, The Hound of the Baskervilles, the Frankenstein book I already mentioned, plus a very cool upcoming werewolf project. Also, I’m writing several graphic novels based upon books by Edgar Rice Burroughs and licensed by his estate, including Caspak: The Land That Time Forgot, Number 13 (based on The Monster Men), and The Cave Girl, with more to come which I can’t talk about yet. All dream projects, to be sure. However, I’m most excited about the first graphic novel of my The Halloween Legion, from the same publisher. It’s a very exciting, very productive time for me. I’m very lucky.

AP: Thanks, Martin.

MP: It’s been fun. Thank you.

The Spider vs. The Werewolf is solicited in August Previews for an October in store release.

X-Men First Class

When we first heard that the reboot of the X-Men film franchise was being set in the 1960s, there was a lot of head scratching going on. But once you stopped to consider the ages of the characters, a lot of it began to make sense. Of course, the first thing you need to do is totally forget about the source material. There are just too many elements that have been radically changed from the comics that it would just hurt your head. Instead, focus on the film as a prequel to a trilogy that more often than not has done a fabulous job adapting the merry mutants to the silver screen.

I’ve been a big fan of Matthew Vaughn’s work for a while now, so I was thrilled that he finally got a chance to try his hand at the X-Men. His work adapting other comics, Stardust and Kick-Ass, prove he has a good handle on what to keep, what to toss, and what to change. Here, he keeps the friendship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr at the core of the story. Thankfully, Vaughn cast Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy as the leads because both do superb jobs.

(more…)

Hand lettering tutorials

I’m going to train my hands to paint perfect letters. So after stocking up on brushes and inks I decided I needed some books, if I was to be self-taught. I hunted throughout New York City, a city I believe to have an enormous number of books per capita, and couldn’t find anything worth buying.

Enter the Internet.

via Hand lettering hits the Web – All Salon – Salon.com.

MARC ALAN FISHMAN: Oh Boy! Comics!

  • Uncategorized
  • September 17, 2011

fishman-column-art-110917-2434115Hello all. Welcome back to my angry little corner of the interwebosphere. Last week I bitched and moaned about variant covers… and well, you all agreed with me. Thank you. Not that we’ll see that stop mind you, but at least I know I’m not alone when I scoff. I know everyone this week has the DCnU on the brain. But honestly? I’m tired of it. Some books are amazing (Action Comics, Animal Man), some are profoundly underwhelming (Justice League, JLI), and some defy all logic for being printed (Voodoo. I know it’s not out yet, but come on.). Six months from now, when 1/3 of these comics are poop-canned, will anyone be surprised? Nope. DC has never shied away from gimmicks. So enjoy the ride. But I digress. Instead of adding to the tidal wave of blather about DC this week, I want to talk about something far more important. I want to talk about my son.

This past Tuesday, September 13th, my wife and I got our 20-week ultrasound. Breaking tradition (we’re totally into SPOILER ALERTS) we decided to find out the sex of our baby. I can’t tell a lie (ok, I can, but for the sake of argument… I won’t.) – I wanted a boy. And right there, in blue and black, my little guy waved hi to me. It was an experience I’ll never forget. The fear, the joy, all of it combined in that little hospital room. My best friends (Matt of Unshaven Comics and his lovely wife, Amy) are two weeks ahead of Kathy and me. They found out last week they are having a boy too. Thus the scions of Unshaven Comics will be here in January/February of 2012. When they enter this world, there’s no way to escape it: comic books will be an integral part of their lives. The question is… what comics will be?

Growing up, my parents didn’t read to me. I don’t have a single memory of my parents sitting by my bedside reading Goodnight Moon. My folks aren’t readers, honestly. It’s never bothered me. I myself don’t consider reading all that much of a hobby. Every moment I’m awake I’m generally working. For my employer. For Unshaven Comics. For ComicMix. For my wife. For your wife. Confession time kids. The only time I read (and 99% of the time we’re talking comic books here) I’m on the can. Only an idiot like me would try to be double productive when I’m pooping. Why just defecate when I can be entertained at the same time?!

All this being said though, I’ve made it a point to myself to share the joy of the written word (and the drawn picture) with my son. The escapism, imagination, and craft of a good book, or good comic for that matter is something I want my son to enjoy as early in his life as possible. Not just cause his daddy loves it mind you… Because in this day and age where 140 characters has come to represent a complete thought, stopping to read even 20 pages of muscly guys punching other muscly guys is better than the ADD-riddled alternative. The TV, the computer, the cellphone? All have a place in my son’s life, but it’s not going to be the end-all-be-all for his entertainment needs.

So what’s my evil master plan? First and foremost, Daddy is gonna read Fishy 2.0 all of Unshaven Comics. I yearn for the day my son is on the playground and an exchange goes something like this:

Random snot-nosed other kid: Superman would beat the Hulk!

Lil’ Fishman: And Liberty’s Torch would beat Superman!!

Random snot-nosed other kid: Who’s that?

Lil’ Fishman: Just the coolest super-est hero that ever lived! Duh! (Little Fishy then proceeds to detail all he knows about his Dad’s super-hero creations. Soon, the entire elementary school is ready for The Samurnauts… and I’m a millionaire.)

All ego-stroking aside, when introducing my future son to comic books, the plan is simple: What Dad reads, the son shall read as well. As soon as possible, I want to introduce my son to great “all-ages” books like Tiny Titans (or essentially anything by Art and Franco) and a little Archie. As he grows up, I’ll open up my collection to him. If he’s receptive to it, I’ll proudly read just about any book I own with him.

Obviously I’ll turn on my parental V-chip to ensure the content is kid-appropriate. But one thing that I’m a huge proponent of is not shielding my eventual child from the world. I’ve never smoked a cigarette. Simply put, child rearing scares the hell out of me. Last night I read for an hour about baby poop, how to help a child say his first word, and how to look for warning signs if baby is gonna spray you when changing a diaper. But when it comes to entertaining my son, there’s no question. The entire world of comic books is open to him. I’ll start small, and simple, and slowly introduce him to all the great genres – be it superhero, western, sci-fi, horror, love, fantasy, pulp, noir, and maybe even a little of all of it (i.e. GrimJack). Ultimately, my son will gain his own identity, and I know it’s my job then to nurture it, and let him find his own way. Even if he ends up liking the X-Men. God help me.

I’ve never been drunk. I’ve never taken an illegal drug. And my parents never once had to sit me down to explain any of it. I watched what I wanted to watch. I read what I wanted to read. And they were always quick to explain to me anything that was confusing or “adult.” I intend to do the same. Does that mean my son will read the Watchmen at 8? Probably not alone, but his dad will gladly read it with him. He’ll learn about history through the lens of fiction. It will create a curiosity about the world… and I can’t think of a better way to help my son learn, grow, and come into his own.

And when he turns 16, I’ll lend him The Pro. That outta’ keep him… interested.

SUNDAY: John Ostrander

All Pulp Interviews: Moonstone’s Return of the Monsters – Rock Baker

  • News
  • September 17, 2011
halloweendomino-5225443
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

This Halloween, Moonstone heads back to their monstrous roots with the Return of the Monsters Event. Return of the Monsters features four stand-alone tales of pulp’s mightiest heroes facing off against some classic monsters. One of those titles is Domino Lady vs. the Mummy by co-writers Nancy Holder and Bobby Nash with art by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin. All Pulp sat down with artist Jeff Austin to talk about this upcoming book.

All Pulp: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.



dlpcgun1-9795286
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

 Rock Baker: Well, I’ve always been very heavy into classic monster movies, period adventure stories, and I’m a cheescake cartoonist by trade, so you can imagine how much of a dream something like Domino Lady vs. The Mummy sounded when the assignment was offered to me. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have, though, because I was forced to draw everything very small in order to accommodate my rather shrimpy scanner. That matter aside, though, it was a real treat to work with a pulp character in a monster story.

AP: You’re providing pencils for the Return of the Monsters Halloween event book, Domino Lady Vs. The Mummy. What can we expect from this titanic throw down?

rock-gogocutie-2522517
Art: Rock Baker

RB: A lot of creepy atmosphere. The pages are dripping with shadows. There’s a vibe of unearthly violence that creeps into high society and makes even the most well-lit locale look sinister. There’s also a pretty big event in the lives of these characters that fans will be excited to see!
I also want to take a second and note that the key to making all this work is that I have Jeff Austin doing the inks. He has to be the best inker in the business, and I’m blessed to have him as a partner on this book!

AP: Domino Lady Vs. The Mummy has a pulp hero battling a classic monster, a combination that even though done in some regards hasn’t ever really been done the way Moonstone is doing it with the Return of the Monster event. What do these genres have in common and how do they differ in ways that complement each other?

dlonbeach-9304954
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

RB: Well, both genres work within a world that looks a lot like ours, but plays by slightly different rules. Pulp heroes tend to take beatings that would kill them in real life, but they shrug it off pretty quick on paper. Likewise, monsters tend to be fancifully indestructible in their worlds. Touches of the supernatural often surface in hard-boiled detective literature. Tossing a monster into the mix is the same logic taken to its extreme. One has to be careful, though, to keep it from being TOO radical an addition. Crime fiction has a locked down set of rules concerning how people live, die, talk, whatever, while horror fare throws any such pretense out the window.

rock-golf-4948218
Art: Rock Baker

AP: The Return of the Monsters Halloween event brings back several classic monster archetypes to Moonstone’s lineup. How does this version of the Mummy compare and contrast to previous versions of the character?

RB: Most obviously, this one is female, where most classic mummies are male. More importantly, she’s smart. Most mummies in stories like this function as classic zombies, they shamble around and do the bidding of another. They’re usually the foot soldier of a high priest. This mummy, on the other hand, is the brains of the operation. That’s a fairly fresh take when one considers the more famous Lon Chaney-type mummies we’ve seen. (To be fair, Karloff’s Im-ho-tep was such a creature, but again he was male.)

AP: What appeals to you about pulp heroes battling classic monsters? What was it that excited you about visually pitting the Domino Lady against a mummy?

dlpckick-3619704
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

RB: It mixes together so many things that fire the imagination, and its nice to see imaginative storytelling isn’t something we grow out of. What can be better than two-fisted adventure and a monster on the side?
Drawing a female mummy was a nice challenge. I wanted to make her a powerful monster, as she is in the script, yet I also wanted her to not be too monstrous. In her time, I’m sure this woman was a very beautiful girl. That became my hook. She’s got a nice figure, loaded down with jewelry, has plenty of poise and grace one might expect from Egyptian royalty. Mostly, she’s aged around the eyes, where her supernatural power is focused. Between her supernatural ways and the embalming procedures developed by the ancient Egyptians, she should retain an echo of her former beauty.

AP: What, if any, existing pulp, monster, or comic book characters would you like to try your hand at drawing?

allreturnofmonsters1-5747057
Return of the Monsters Covers By Dan Brereton

RB: Interesting question. Sheena or one of the many similar jungle girl characters would be ideal, as I could combine cheesecake art with lush natural backgrounds. I’ve always been a fan of werewolf movies, so I might enjoy drawing a werewolf tale, provided I could actually draw a Wolf Man-type creature and not one of those more modern werewolves that look like bears and don’t wear clothing.


rock-grablesquaw-4836732
Art: Rock Baker

AP: What does Rock Baker do when he’s not drawing?

RB: He watches a lot of movies. Motion pictures have always been my main area of interest. My library currently contains 1900+ titles that I’ve collected or taped from television. I encourage people to donate their VHS tapes to me rather than just throw them out, which would be a waste. I once wrote and edited a monster magazine, among other things involving genre films.

AP: Where can readers learn more about you and your work?

RB: My blog can be found here: http://rock-baker.blogspot.com/ (I should be posting a lot of artwork there in addition to movie reviews.) I can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bakercartoons


dominoladymummypreviews1-1118044

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

RB: It’s hard to keep track sometimes. I try to get an assignment finished as quickly as possible and move onto the next thing on the list. I sometimes forget what I’ve drawn until it suddenly comes out a few months later! This Moonstone project is one of the big ones, for sure, and I’m looking forward to seeing it in print! I’m also pretty happy about the continuing adventures of my own character Dinosaur Girl, in the pages of AC Comics!

AP: Thanks, Rock.

RB: Thank you very much! It has been an honor!

Domino Lady vs. the Mummy is solicited in August Previews for an October in store release.

The Point Radio: HARRY’S LAW Back In Business

  • News
  • September 16, 2011

David E. Kelly‘s HARRY’S LAW has made it to a second season at NBC, and we sit down with star Kathy Bates to talk about what is coming up on the show including a few major cast changes. Plus Fox nabs The Spectre and Harlan is headed to court again.

The Point Radio is on the air right now – 24 hours a day of pop culture fun for FREE. GO HERE and LISTEN FREE on any computer or mobile device– and please check us out on Facebookright here & toss us a “like” or follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.

MARTHA THOMASES: Confessions of an iPad Comics Virgin

  • Uncategorized
  • September 16, 2011

thomases-column-art-110916-1170441Is that all there is?

I finally downloaded a few comics onto my iPad using the updated Comixology app. I mean, I’m on record as being a lover of comics on paper, as well as the comic book shops that sell them. However, I’m also a big fan of prose on paper, as well as the bookstores that sell them, and I love my Kindle, so I thought I should give the new delivery system a try.

Previously, I’d noticed a flaw in the iPad design as far as visual entertainment goes. The screen is too shiny. Reading a book on the iBook app is more difficult for me than reading a book on the Kindle because of the glare (the Kindle has a matte finish). It’s even more distracting when watching a movie. However, I enjoy having a movie downloaded if I’m flying somewhere, and I might also enjoy having a virtual stack of comics.

I started by scouting out the free comics, because what if I didn’t like it? And I wanted something I hadn’t read already, so my previous opinion wouldn’t influence me. My son loves Robert Kirkman, and I was a fan of the TV show, so I downloaded the first issue of The Walking Dead.

It was a good choice. The app was easy to use, even for an old fart like myself, and I enjoyed my experience.

So last week, when there was a shipment glitch at New York comic shops, and I couldn’t get two of the books I wanted at any of my local stores by Saturday, I went online and paid for content. Reading Detective Comics and Stormwatch was, oddly, more difficult than reading the indie comic with lower production values. The lettering was hard to read, too small, and when I made the image bigger, I lost the flow of the page.

Did I lose some strength in my optic nerves? I went back to read Walking Dead again (and why can’t you go back to the beginning with one touch?), and that still worked well for me.

Still the color of the DC books was brilliant, and there were no ads. There were also no letters pages or other DC editorial material. For my $2.99, I got my story, and that’s it.

As it happens those two books have a reasonable amount of story. If I’d read Justice League #1 in that format, I would have been irked.

Will I buy more? Maybe back issues, because I’d rather have the stuff on my computer than in storage. Or if I’m away on a long trip, where I’m unfamiliar with the local comic book shops. Or if it’s the middle of the night and I don’t want to get dressed and go walking the streets, looking for Superman (or, I suppose, Mr. Goodbar).

But otherwise? I’m sticking with paper, at least for the near term. I like my comics with some social interaction. I like folding back the cover – and watching the true collectors freak out.

There aren’t that many occasions when I can feel eight years old again, and reading comics lets me do it once a week. So I’ll stay with the format from last century for as long as I can.

Martha Thomases, Dominoed Daredoll, really really really liked the new Animal Man.

SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman

All Pulp Interviews: Moonstone’s Return of the Monsters – Jeff Austin

  • Uncategorized
  • September 16, 2011
halloweendomino4-1396629
Cover: Dan Brereton

This Halloween, Moonstone heads back to their monstrous roots with the Return of the Monsters Event. Return of the Monsters features four stand-alone tales of pulp’s mightiest heroes facing off against some classic monsters. One of those titles is Domino Lady vs. the Mummy by co-writers Nancy Holder and Bobby Nash with art by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin. All Pulp sat down with artist Jeff Austin to talk about this upcoming book.

All Pulp: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.

Jeff Austin: Well, I’m a freelance artist who spends a lot of time inking-embellishing others. My pulp connections come largely from my book collection, which contains many anthologies comprised of pulp stories.

jeff-ellenkitchen1-3589434
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

AP: You’re providing inks and tones for the Return of the Monsters Halloween event book, Domino Lady vs. The Mummy. What can we expect from this titanic throw down?

JA: Guns, mummies, a strong female character and guys in trench coats.

AP: Domino Lady vs. The Mummy has a pulp hero battling a classic monster, a combination that even though done in some regards hasn’t ever really been done the way Moonstone is doing it with the Return of the Monster event. What do these genres have in common and how do they differ in ways that complement each other?

JA: I’m sure many pulp readers back in the day wished for a merging of story elements…an action character with a dash of supernatural overtones [think Doc Savage meets Weird Tales]. Moonstone is allowing readers to finally see it on paper.

AP: The Return of the Monsters Halloween event brings back several classic monster archetypes to Moonstone’s lineup. How does this version of the Mummy compare and contrast to previous versions of the character?

jeff-dlshop-4552206
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

JA: Imagine an ancient Egyptian pinup queen…the Betty Page of her time…resurrected from the dead to win over the hearts of modern man… well, maybe not… it’s a female, anyway…

jeff-dlgirlfight2-9485682
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

AP: What appeals to you about pulp heroes battling classic monsters? What was it that excited you about visually pitting the Domino Lady against a mummy?

JA: Good looking woman battles undead ancient woman…. it’s a study in texture and tone. Smooth-sexy versus crusty-dusty.

AP: What, if any, existing pulp, monster, or comic book characters would you like to try your hand at drawing?

JA: My dream assignment would be to work on an Addams Family comic. That’s close, isn’t it?

dlpckick1-9097461
Art: Rock Baker & Jeff Austin

AP: What does Jeff Austin do when he’s not drawing?

JA: Watching movies, sleeping or thinking about different ways to draw.

AP: Where can readers find learn more about you and your work?

JA: http://pencilbrushblog.blogspot.com/

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

JA: Well, there’s always FemForce…I’m slowly planning out some solo projects…. I do various things for Main Publishing…. Still need to finish up inking a Lance Star story over the talented Rock Baker [same penciler on this Moonstone book]… and about half a dozen other ink assignments crying for my attention…. crying….. begging……

dominoladymummypreviews2-1132043

AP: Thanks, Jeff.

JA: My pleasure. Now go away… I got pages to ink….

Domino Lady vs. the Mummy is solicited in August Previews for an October in store release.

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks