New Moore & Reppion stuff out now!

The trade paperback edition of our 4 part Top Cow/Dynamite Entertainment crossover mini The Darkness vs. Eva - Daughter of Dracula is out this week.

If you missed it the first time around, here are a couple of pages to whet your appetite.

You should be able to find the book at your local comic shop but, if you don't fancy the walk, you can order a copy from Forbidden Planet international by clicking the banner below.

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Also out this week is Mike Raicht's Creature Feature #2 from Th3rd Wold Studios. Which features a 12 page story called "Imago" written by us and drawn by 2000 AD legend P J Holden.

Here's a taste of the schlocky horror goodness:
CF #2 also features horrific tales written by Stuart Moore (IRON MAN, WOLVERINE), Mike Raicht (ARMY OF DARKNESS) and Brian Smith (ADVENTURES OF DANIEL BOOM: LOUDBOY) with art by Alberto Ponticelli (UNKNOWN SOLDIER), Jacob Chabot (MIGHTY SKULLBOY ARMY), and Brian Smith.

Again, all good comic shops should have CF #2 in stock but if they don't (why those lousy...!) then click on the banner below to visit the official Th3rd World store.


Sod the recession, cheer yourself up and go and buy some comics!

Blog Buddies 4.

I'm not going to patronise you, you know who Ben Templesmith is already. Oh alright then I'll patronise you. Mr. Templesmith is the Eisner award winning artist and co-creator (with Steve Niles) of 30 days of Night. He's also worked on loads and loads of stuff from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to his self penned books Wormwood Gentlman Corpse and Welcome to Hoxford. Oh and he's brilliant. I mean stupidly talented. The sort of artist we could only dream of working with... but we are!

As regular readers of this Blog (are there any such people? Hands up!) will already know, Leah and I have written a Doctor Who one-shot for IDW entitled "The Whispering Gallery" which Ben is drawing. And here is the cover:

Those of you wishing to keep track of what Mr. Templesmith is currently working on (usually a lot of stuff) should add http://bentemplesmith.blogspot.com to their bookmarks.

Doctor Who - The Whispering Gallery is due out late February 2009 and the Previews catalog order number is: DEC084084.

You can read an interview with Leah and myself about the one-shot over on CBR.

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Matt Timson is an incredibly talented chap who has been working as a professional illustrator for a good few years now. The thing is, like a lot of pro illustrators making decent money, Matt foolishly always wanted to be a comic artist. I know, beggars belief doesn't it? Well now he is one and a bloody good one at that!


We first became aware of Mr. Timson via his work in The End Is Nigh and his collaborations with the legendary Paul Scott in OmniVistaScope. Leah and I pestered him for a long, long time and eventually he agreed to help us develop our retro-futuristic horror detective concept Deadeye - stories from which have already appeared in Image Comics' Popgun Vol 1 & 2 with more to come in the future (watch this space!).


Anyway, these days Matt is busy working for Top Cow on a (brand new, out this week) series called Impaler, the blurb for which goes like this:

Millions of vampires have descended upon America. In a desperate bid to defeat them, the U.S. military nuked New York City but unfortunately, it was too little, too late. The vampire horde had already advanced westward, but how far? A team of soldiers sent to rescue a politician's plane that crash-landed in New Jersey find out the hard way. Humanity's only chance may rest in the hands of vampire hunter Vlad the Impaler and his new companion, a depressed New York City detective who wishes he was dead.

The series is already getting rave reviews and Matt's artwork is quite rightly being praised as some of the nicest looking stuff around. Do yourself a favour and pick up a copy at your earliest convenience (I'm getting mine on Saturday).

For those of you curious about the master's process there's a very insightful step by step for Matt's cover to Impaler #1 here on ComicMonsters.com.

To keep up to date with Matt's griping and grumbling keep a beady eye on http://matttimson.blogspot.com

Anthologies ahoy! (and a new TPB too!)

As I'm sure practically everyone with a pulse is now aware the magnificent Comic Book Tattoo was launched this weekend just gone at San Diego Comic Con. For those of you who have just woken up out of a coma (welcome back by the way - I bet your glad it didn't all end up like 28 days Later...) CBT has been described thusly:

This July the ever-growing relationship between comics and music reaches new heights as Tori Amos and Image Comics release COMIC BOOK TATTOO, a 480-page, full color anthology adapting the themes and ideas behind her songs into a lush volume of sequential art.

“I have been surprised, excited and pleasantly shocked by these comics that are extensions of the songs that I have loved and therefore welcome these amazing stories of pictures and words because they are uncompromisingly inspiring,” says Tori. “It shows you thought is a powerful formidable essence and can have a breathtaking domino effect.”

We're in there, collaborating to Pia (Y the Last man) Guerra on "Hey Jupiter". Other contributors include David Mack, Hope Larson, Ryan Kelly, Jonathan Hickman, Colleen Doran, Eric Canete, Ted McKeever, Jock, Anthony Johnston, Dame Darcy, Carla Speed McNeil, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Mark Buckingham, Ivan Brandon, C. B. Cebulski and Mr. Rantz Hoseley. There's even an intro from the ever charming Mr. Neil Gaiman.

More details plus regular Blogs about the individual stories can be found at http://cbt.comicbookresources.com/

The book is all over "teh internets" already and a quick Google will probably give you all the info you could desire but, just in case you don't feel like trawling for CBT goodness here's a link to the Aint It Cool sneak peek at the book.

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Image Comics' Popgun Vol 2 is out this week featuring another Deadeye story from ourselves and Mr. Matt Timson (who is currently preparing to hit the big time with a new project he's working on - don't forget us Matt!). Other people in there include Dean Haspiel, Ryan Ottley, James Kolchaka, Erik Larsen, Frank Espinosa, Jim Rugg, Danny Hellman, Khary Rhandolph, Dan Hipp, Mark Andrew Smith and, of course, the most prolific man in comics Dwight L. MacPherson.

If you want to know how good Vol 2 is going to be then consider this: Popgun Volume 1 is nominated for a Harvey Award! So, (if you work in the industry) please take a moment to head over to the website and vote for it.

Visit http://www.harveyawards.org/ and follow these steps:

• Download the .txt attachment from the site.
• Chose your picks and put an X next to Popgun Volume 1.
• Save the document and attach it in an e-mail or copy and paste it into the text. E-mail your vote to pjcjmc3@sbcglobal.net

Simple.

And don't forget to pick up a copy of Vol 2 tomorrow or else at your nearest convenience.

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And lastly, but by no means leastly (leastly?), the trade paperback edition of our Dynamite Entertainment/Top Cow cross over mini series Witchblade - Shades of Gray is also out thsi week.

Featuring issues 1-4 of the mini-series from writer John Reppion and Leah Moore (also the writers of Dynamite's zombie opus RAISE THE DEAD) along with artists Stephen Segovia and Walter Geovani, and cover artists Stephen Segovia, Billy Tan, e-Bas, Adriano Batista!

Follow Detective Sara Pezzini and her new rookie partner as they race to stop a murdering madman. Waiting and watching in the shadows is the enigmatic Dorian Gray who may or may not be the murderer they seek! With the action spanning the globe as well as exploring Gray's colored past, this is an event not to be missed! Also includes a complete cover gallery.

Visit www.dynamiteentertainment.com for more info.

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Don't forget, if you're just too damn lazy to drag your arse down to the local comic shop and you can't even be bothered Googling round to find books online, then why not visit Our Shop Page where you can get all your Moore & Reppion goodness under on virtual roof.
You know it makes sense.

Eva, The Darkness and Benny Peiser

It only seems like yesterday (well, maybe a month or so ago) that we were doing all the press for the launch of our Dynamite/Top Cow crossover The Darkness vs. Eva - Daughter of Dracula. Sadly though, all things must come to an end and the concluding part of the four issue mini is on sale now at your local comic shop or internet retailer.
Of course, if you've missed out on the mini, you could always head over to our PayPal Shop where you can purchase the full series, signed by Moore & Reppion, for only £6 plus P&P.

In either case, you might like to take a look at some exciting preview pages over at http://www.wizarduniverse.com/061608darkprev.html

D vs. E has been a really fun series to work on and we've got really positive feedback from the Top Cow fans especially. We've really enjoyed working with artist Edgar Salazar too and hope to be able to team up again on future projects.


On a completely different note, back in March 2007 I interviewed lecturer, Spaceguard member, neo-catastrophism expert and all round good egg Benny Peiser for The End is Nigh #4 which, sadly is yet to surface (it's okay Mr. Molcher, we know that you're very, very busy). Benny emailed me a little while back to ask if it would be possible to publish the interview elsewhere and I passed my transcript on to him.
The full interview can now be read over on Die Achse des Guten ("The Axis of Good") and is a must read for anyone who is interested in the end of the world, asteroids, religious fundamentalism and all that good stuff.

New comics and signings coming up soon.

Coming this week from Dynamite Entertainment: The Darkness vs. Eva- Daughter of Dracula #2 (23rd April USA, 24th UK and Europe).

"This crossover of dark and demonic dimensions continues as Eva and Jackie Estacado are drawn together by mysterious forces and when they meet - darkness meets darkness and you can bet there's gonna be a fight"

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As you probably already know, the Bristol Comics Expo is next month, running from the 9th until the 11th. It's probably the single most important yearly event in UK comics and, naturally, we will be there (along with pretty much everyone else involved in British comics).


We'll be signing both Saturday and Sunday from 1-2pm and generally lurking around the Accent UK table for much of the rest of the weekend. Please come and say hello and maybe get you hands on a signed Raise the Dead hardback or two. ;)

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Before Bristol however, we will be doing a little signing back in Leah's hometown of Northampton at Phoenix Comics.


The signing will take place on the afternoon of Thursday the 8th of May at
Phoenix Comics
29 Abington Square,
Northampton,
Northamptonshire
NN1 4AE
UK

If you're in the area then please do pop in and say hello.

The Darkness Vs. Eva #1 OUT NOW!

Issue #1 of our new Dynamite Entertainment/Top Cow crossover series The Darkness Vs. Eva - Daughter of Dracula arrived in comic shops Wednesday/Thursday last week.

To celebrate we've been yakking on in a load of interviews which can be viewed online at http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=150642 and
http://www.wizarduniverse.com/031908darkeva.html


Lots more preview images accompanying the interviews too.

Hope you enjoy the new series.

Dakness Vs. Eva interview and previews

With issue #1 of our new four part Dynamite/Top Cow crossover scheduled to arrive in stores in a few weeks we spoke to Shaun Manning over at Comic Book Resources about the upcoming series.

In this corner, Top Cow’s tortured mobster-turned-hero Jackie Estacado, wielder of The Darkness; and in that corner, the challenger, from the pages of “Army of Darkness” and her own Dynamite Entertainment one-shot, Eva, Daughter of Dracula! Refereeing this Edgar Salazar-illustrated match-up are writers Leah Moore & John Reppion, who spoke with CBR News about March's Dynamite miniseries “Darkness vs. Eva” and the dangerous subject of what’s up next. [read on and see preview pages here]

Witchblade - Shades of Gray #3 out this week

So, after a bit of a delay (sorry about that) Witchblade - Shades of Gray #3 is finally hitting the stands this week with the concluding issue coming very soon. We're very pleased to have Walter Geovani as our new artist and can't wait to see the series wrapped up and "set free".

More info on the Dynamite site HERE.

A very busy few weeks.

Over the last few weeks we seem to have been up to all sorts and now that we're into June it's time to stop, take a breath and, well, Blog...

Over the weekend of the 12th and 13th of May we missed the Bristol Comic Expo (for the first time in something like four years) because we had a family wedding to attend.

Lots of people have since informed us that is was the best Bristol ever (which, we hope, had nothing to with our not being there).

Lots of images and even videos (isn't modern technology marvelous?) of the convention can be found here, here and here (and probably loads of other places):
http://flingk.com/10dh84jz
http://flingk.com/15fei7fi
http://www.ndcomicsmag.com/bristolcon/

On Saturday the 19th of May Leah and I headed down/over to Stoke on Trent where our old chum Shane Oakley had somehow managed to wangle us a day as extras in a zombie film called Out of Space. Ostensibly, this was so that I could write a piece for www.RevenantMagazine.com about the film and whole experience (which will be appearing online very soon) but it was also a very good laugh. Very nice popping into the pub over the road for last orders still dressed as zombies afterwards too. The bar man's reaction: "Alright, you doin' a film are you?".

The wife and myself (with photoshop enhanced eyes)

Sickly Suzanne and Icky Oakley

Sunday the 27th of May saw us over in the historic market town of Market Weighton for Giant Bradley Day which I will be writing an article about that will hopefully appear in Fortean Times during the next few months.


In addition to all the historical giant stuff (which I'm saving for the article, obviously) not only did we see what was professed to be the world's biggest garden spade...

...we also had a dream opportunity to take loads of photos of classic cars and produce the following Coop style post (with a uniquely British twist)...



That's right my friends, Morris Minors by the dozen. Look at the engine on this little bugger; that's an Austin designed 0.8 L overhead valve A-Series, unless I'm very much mistaken. A top speed of 63 mph. What a beauty, but I digress.

In addition to all the above mentioned shenanigans we've also completed (this very evening... or is that morning now?) the script for the very first issue of a brand new Dynamite Entertainment/Top Cow crossover series. Details coming soon.

Oh and don't forget, Raise the Dead #3 is out this week so make sure you pick up a copy before it sells out (did that sound too cocky?).

That's it I think. Time for my supper.

J.

Lots of things by us out this week!

Witchblade - Shades of Gray #1 came out last week and has been selling fast apparently, which is great to hear.

Reviews here: http://www.fanboycomics.biz/sandalareviews.php
and here: http://www.popsyndicate.com/index.php

More Info

Raise the Dead #1 came out in the US yeasterday and we already have a review: http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php

More Info

Savage Tales #1 also came out in the US yesterday too , Also reviewed at : http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php

More Info

We have already seen the last page of art for our story in Nevermore by Selfmadehero, we have seen the first four pages of coloured art for our Gene Simmons House of Horrors story, and we have seen lots and lots of beautiful art on the rest of the Witchblade and Raise the Dead issues. to be honest its getting a bit scary.

if you buy any of this stuff then please do come and let me know what you made of it. We always want to know how far off the mark (or how close to it) we have been.

L

Witchblade - SoG #1 Release Date(s)

According to the Diamond Shipping List for 21st of March 2007 issue one of Witchblade - Shades of Gray should be hitting the stands in the USA in one weeks time (arriving in the UK and Europe the next day).

Hope you've pre-ordered your copy. ;-)