Ink Magazine profile….

Ink (available all around KC) ran a nice little cover feature leading up to Planet Comicon. Also profiled were Jason Aaron, Nathan Fox, and fangirl Jennifer Hack:

http://www.inkkc.com/article/4818

First time a half-decent picture has ever been included in an interview with me. Finally someone with an accurate camera!

Saturday at Eleven…

Programming note from Planet Comicon. Saturday, March 28th:

11:00-11:50 am

WRITERS BLOC:  The wild word wranglers, Jason Aaron, B. Clay Moore, Dennis Hopeless and Jai Nitz tell storyteller’s stories!

Edited to note: Was just informed Matt Fraction is probably on the panel, too.

Battle Hymn Italiano

Found a curious listing for Italian editions of BATTLE HYMN, evidently published (or at least solicited) by Italy Comics in 2008. What’s especially odd about these is that it looks as if the series was re-issued as a series of single issues. Normally foreign reprints (at least in my experience) are trade collections (or albums).

It also looks as if they used Tony Moore’s cover for BATTLE HYMN #5 as a special variant for the first issue, and then used Jeremy’s cover for the trade as the cover for issue five.

I pulled these images off the Italy Comics website. If anyone has seen these, let me know. I’m not concerned about it, as it’s always nice to see your work exposed to new audiences, but I’m curious how they look:

Here’s a link to the site:

Italycomics srl

Planet Comicon

 

 

 

 

This weekend I’ll be in Overland Park with some of Kansas City’s finest, along with a typically nifty guest list for Planet Comicon:

http://www.planetcomicon.com/

If you’re close, drop in and say hi. I’ll have all of my trades on hand, plus single issues of CASEY BLUE, ’76 and HAWAIIAN DICK. I’ll have some new GREAT BIG HAWAIIAN DICK preview art, some BILLY SMOKE roughs, and maybe some BLUEJACKET stuff, too.

Top Ten Beatles hits, post break-up

This is really not what I intended to do with this blog, but for fuck’s sake, I’m dealing with Ringo doubters!

Here is a list of top ten songs by the Beatles, both solo and together, after their break-up. I say “songs” instead of singles, because George’s “My Sweet Lord/Isn’t It a Pity” single charted as a double A-sided hit. So both songs went to number one on the charts.

Here you go. In roughly chronological order, with chart position listed after. This is the last time I’m doing this, so pay attention!:

1970

Isn’t It a Pity by George (1970) #1

My Sweet Lord by George (1970) #1

Instant Karma (We All Shine On) by John (1970) #3

 

1971

It Don’t Come Easy by Ringo (1971) #4

What Is Life by George (1971) #10

Another Day by Paul (1971) #5

Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) by John (and Yoko) (1971) #3

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Paul (and Linda) (1971) #1

 

1972

Back Off Boogaloo by Ringo (1972) #9

 

1973

My Love by Paul (and Wings) (1973) #1

Give Me Love by George (1973) #1

Imagine  by John (1973) #3

Live and Let Die by Paul (and Wings) (1973) #2

Photograph  by Ringo (1973) #1

 

1974

Oh My My by Ringo (1974) #5

Whatever Gets You Through the Night by John (and Elton John) (1974) #1

Helen Wheels by Paul (and Wings) (1974) #10

You’re Sixteen (by Ringo) (1974)  #1

Band on the Run by Paul (and Wings) (1974) #1

Jet by Paul (and Wings) (1974) #7

 

1975

Listen to What the Man Said by Paul (and Wings) (1975) #1

#9 Dream by John (1975) #9

Only You by Ringo (1975) #6

Junior’s Farm by Paul (and Wings) (1975) #3

No No Song by Ringo (1975) #3

Snookeroo by Ringo (1975) #3

 

1976

Let ‘Em In by Paul (and Wings) (1976) #3

Got to Get You Into My Life by the Beatles (1976) #7

Silly Love Songs by Paul (and Wings) (1976) #1

 

1977

Maybe I’m Amazed (live) by Paul (and Wings) (1977) #10

 

1978

With a Little Luck by Paul (and Wings) (1978) #1

 

1979

Goodnight Tonight by Paul (and Wings) (1979) #5

 

1980

Coming Up (live) by Paul (and Wings) (1980) #1

(Just Like) Starting Over by John (1980) #1

 

1981

Woman by John (1981) #2

Watching the Wheels by John (1981) #10

All Those Years Ago by George (1981) #2

 

1982

Ebony and Ivory by Paul (and Stevie Wonder) (1982) #1

 

1983

The Girl Is Mine by Paul (and Michael Jackson) (1983) #2

Say Say Say by Paul (and Michael Jackson) (1983) #1

 

1984

Nobody Told Me by John (1984) #5

No More Lonely Nights by Paul (1984) #6

 

1985

Spies Like Us by Paul (1985) #7

 

1987

Got My Mind Set On You by George (1987) #1

 

1995

Free As a Bird by the Beatles (1995) #6

 

 

The Black Kite

Back in 2004 or 2005, Ramon Perez and I kicked around doing a dark superhero book that would also work to take some of the air out of the “dark” superhero wave of the day (which has since pretty much conquered the industry). Drawing from BATTLE HYMN and a short story/prelude I was supposed to write for a DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS “all star issue,” Ramon and I worked up some concepts and I scripted the first issue.

As happens sometimes, things fell through the cracks. A few of the characters were absorbed into THE STEEL CITY HAWK, a book Jason Latour and I have slowly been putting together, and some of them are twisting in the wind, looking for the right home.

But I still quite like the first script, and I still have some of the concept art lying around, so I thought I’d post it here as an example of one that almost made it before we got distracted by other things. If there are any young, bored, or aspiring artists looking for practice/sample scripts to work from, feel free to have at it. Who knows…maybe the book will find new life one day.

In any event, here’s the first full script (unedited from the last draft, written a few years ago). You’ll note that on a few pages there’s a distinct lack of “stage direction.” That’s because I knew Ramon was drawing the book, and I knew he’d find interesting ways to tell the story without me holding his hand:

BLACK KITE #1

And here are some character designs. First up is the Black Kite herself. This particular take is by Jason Latour, and it’s pretty much the finished design:

A couple of takes on the National here. Ramon’s initial take, which incorporates my concept of shields that pop from his forearms, and the first take by Jason Latour, who I’m still debating the shields with. I like ’em.

I’d like to do something with the National beyond his planned appearance in STEEL CITY HAWK:

Here’s Ramon’s take on the Communicator, which is perfect. His suit lets him fly and observe, but his main role is watching and…communicating:

Oh! And…yeah. The Mid-Nite Hour. He’s the star of BATTLE HYMN, but in case you haven’t read that gem. Here’s the Hour by Jeremy Haun (he’s on the left…I pinched this from an old Rotten Tomatoes review I found):

So, yeah. That’s the deal. I was surprised how much I enjoyed rereading this script, a few years down the road. Kind of wish we’d gotten it done.