Usagi Hidden Pictures

I remember as a kid one of the highlights -- ok, the only highlight -- of going to the doctor's office was getting to read issues of Highlight magazine in the waiting room. My favorite feature, besides "Goofus and Gallant," was "Hidden Pictures," where you had to find all the hidden items in a picture. Now Stan Sakai has taken a page from the magazine -- page 14, to be exact -- and made a Hidden Pictures featuring Usagi Yojimbo. Tip: Always check the clouds and tree leaves first ... click on the link to go check out the full image

Every month since late 2007, Zuda Comics hosts a competition between webcomics, with the winner becoming a regular strip on the site. In Zudist Colony, I interview the contestants via email, asking each of them the same five questions, which hopefully gives you a little more insight into the strips and the creators themselves.

So here we go ...

*****

In Maps & Legends

Niki Smith and Michael Jasper, In Maps & Legends

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Niki: My name is Niki Smith, and I’m the artist for In Maps & Legends. I’m a freelance artist right now, just graduated last spring. I’ve had comics published in anthologies both in the US/UK and in Germany, and am currently working on developing some graphic novels of my own. One is out with editors and the other is still in script form, waiting to hear back from my agent. I also just had a coloring book published with Faber Castell.

Mike: And I'm Michael Jasper, the writer for the comic. I've published a couple novels and a pile of short stories in places like Asimov's, Strange Horizons, Writers of the Future and Paper Cities. This is my first comic script, and Niki handled my non-standard scriptwriting skills quite nicely. I'm finishing up a historical baseball novel set during World War I and plotting out a series of young-adult novels, the first of which is currently out on submission to various editors (this series would make a GREAT comic, too, I think). For the day job, I'm a technical writer for a software company.

JK: What's your strip about?

Niki: An artist who finds her map-making skills in surprisingly high demand…

Mike: What she said.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Niki: Zuda has a great sense of community that can be hard to build when webcomics are otherwise scattered across individual websites. The support behind the imprint is something I’ve admired since the launch.

Mike: I also liked the democratic feel of the site, with readers choosing the comic that gets to continue on. While the competition is a bit stress-inducing right now, it's been fun getting in touch with readers and following the reader feedback in the comments section.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Niki: We have a few places we plan on looking into, but if things don’t work out, we both have other projects that we can happily move on to. In Maps & Legends was originally one of Mike’s trunked novels and now it’s a full color comic! So you never know when there’s the potential for a drastic rebirth.

Mike: Agreed. I'm really itching to show people where we take Kait and her crew next, so the sooner the better!

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Niki: That’s tough. I’m an art girl at heart, so that definitely sways me. I love the line work in Brother of the Bronze Hammer and the painterly quality of the art in Little Earth People … I’d probably go with Bronze Hammer in the end.

Mike: I'm actually surprised Little Earth People isn't higher in the ratings, because the story's pretty original and unique, and the art knocked me out. And I do have a lot of love for Slam McCracken's hard-boiled style.

*****

Peabody & D'Gorath

Mark Penman, Peabody & D'Gorath

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Mark: Hi my name is Mark Penman, I'm a freelance illustrator and comic artist based in Manchester, England.
I've done bits and pieces of comic work, some self published stuff as well as some anthology stuff such as Pulpo done by the fine folks at entervoid.com.

When I'm not making comics, I like to go out and solve mysteries.

JK: What's your strip about?

Mark: My strip is about two antique hunters, Remington Peabody ( a reanimated skeleton) and Clancy D'Gorath (deamon bound by obligation to the British monarchy). They go around trying to proclaim esoteric artifacts to determine whether they are a threat to the nation or if they can be used as weapons.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Mark: It's 8/10ths liking and respecting what Zuda do ( I like that there's a nice mixed bag of comics and lots of fresh ideas they're willing to have on board) and 2/10ths being pretty computer illiterate so doubtless any webcomic site I did make would be atrocious.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Mark: I've been asked this by a few people and to be honest, I'm not totally sure. I have other ideas for comics that I'd like to try out, but I can't see me abandoning the characters, I always grow attached to the comics I create so Peabody & D'Gorath would still be kicking around in some form.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Mark: Hmm, probably In Maps and Legends. The arts solid and the story seems like it could go places

*****

Children of the Sewer

Benito Gallego, Children of the Sewer

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Benito: My name is Benito Gallego. I was born and live in Spain. Among other things I have been a long time collaborator artist for Sword, a Spanish fanzine turned into pro-magazine that includes articles, comics and pin-ups based upon Conan, the Hyborean age, and REH's characters and concepts. I have made pencils, inks and a cover illustration for Anthem and Captain Thunder & Blue Bolt, both series created by writer Roy Thomas and published by Heroic Publishing. I have also made a collaboration with new independant publisher A First Salvo and have contributed with a story (pencils and colors) to be published in Danger's Dozen #6. I have also made a collaboration with writer Brian Azzarello in order to produce the cover and a eight-page comic (pencils+inks+color) called "The Cowl" to serve as promotion for best-seller author Joseph Finder's new book: Vanished.

And when I don't do comics I'm a graphic designer at an advertisement company.

JK: What's your strip about?

Benito: Children of the Sewer is an epic odyssey through the mind of a serial killer in search of the light. Paradoxically, the way he will achieve this is by entering the dark closed sewers of the city and meeting an unknown race of human beings who are born, live, love, kill and die in the sewer. Among those weird people Edmond Ratt will find his place in a human society but truly not without finding his way awash with blood.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Benito: Mainly because Zuda is exposed to many people and I wanted to test the reaction and know what people think about my comic.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Benito: I have already written more than 50 pages of the strip, and I would love to continue developing it.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Benito: Probably Little Earth People is the story that I like the most next to mine.

*****

Slam McCracken

Greg Woronchak, Slam McCracken

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Greg: I'm Greg Woronchak from a small 'burb in Quebec, Canada. I started off in traditional animation (I've worked on Sagwa The Chinese Siamese Cat for PBS, and Tripping the Rift for SyFy, amoung others), eventually deciding to focus on freelance storyboarding. Animation work in town abruptly dried up, so I'm currently a freelance illustrator (www.comicspace.com/gwor) and independent comic artist (I've done work for Argo Comics, Modern Myth Press and 11 issues of Negafighters). I have a drawer filled with scraps of paper, sketches of ideas that just pop into my head; I finally decided recently to develop some of the stronger ones into webcomics (I'm a big fan of the format) and submitted Slam to Zuda. When not at my drawing board, I try to keep my two daughters amused and help out my lovely wife around the house.

JK: What's your strip about?

Greg: Slam is a hard boiled detective, literally . He's an egg who takes cases in a film noir inspired city, populated by common household items (his client in my Zuda submission is a toothbrush searching for her missing tube of paste husband). This weird idea came to me years ago when I doodled a quick cartoon of a detective egg standing over a chalk outlined popsicle stick on the ground (I was into The Far Side back then ). I figured the idea of a noir private eye could be a lot of fun, with potential for cute sight gags; I decided to use heavy cross-hatching to replace color, which creates a visually interesting look and mood. My goal was to create something quirky that all-ages could enjoy.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Greg: I would've needed al ot of help setting up my own site; I'm alot more comfortable with the creative side than technical or promotion. I felt that if Zuda would choose my strip to compete, it would provide nice exposure for my work, and I could network with folk who might like my particular style. As I've already said, I think the webcomic format has alot of potential for creativity and unique ideas, and Zuda is an extremely high-profile place to showcase one's work. I'm quite proud to have been chosen to compete this month.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Greg: I have a long story plotted out, so I'd love to continue it. The response has been great so far, and I think I could develop a fan base that may support a self-published version.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Greg: I find Brother of Bronze Hammer visually electrifying. The artwork compliments the story well, and I enjoy the overall look.

*****

Model Student

Joe Bowen, Model Student

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Joe: My name is Joe Bowen, and I'm currently a third year student at the Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Graphic Art in beautiful Dover, New Jersey. I totally love comics, and when I'm not drawing them, I'm reading them or reading about them or listening to podcasts about them or trying to get my girlfriend to listen to me talk about them. I also watch a lot of TV. If there's a show about teenagers, I'm probably into it. And finally, I like watching funny videos of pugs on YouTube.

JK: What's your strip about?

Joe: Model Student is about Kevin Burke, a tough-as-nails high school student at the prestigious Vendrell Academy, who is recruited by the headmaster to infiltrate the school's seedy underbelly. I tell people that Model Student is The OC meets The Shield. Essentially, Kevin is living the high school life I always wanted to live, with tons of drama and fighting.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Joe: I entered Model Student in the Zuda competition because I think the concept works well serialized in single pages. The high school drama combined with the undercover student aspect provides a lot of room for regular twists and surprises.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Joe: If Model Student doesn't make it through Zuda alive, I'll most likely adjust the format and submit it elsewhere, perhaps as a graphic novel. I have too many ideas for Kevin Burke to let them all go to waste.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Joe: The entry I keep going back to is Brother of Bronze Hammer. That artwork is just damn sexy.

*****

Molly and the Amazing Door Tree

Mark Murphy, Molly and the Amazing Door Tree

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Mark: I am a Dallas, Texas-based graphic designer. Over the last 15 years i have done comic book work for Caliber Press, NBM (the house of java series) and Slave Labor Graphics (last year's Tiki Joe Mysteries). When I'm not drawing comics I'm maintaining a full-time job as a in-house graphic designer for a medical company as well has spending time with my family. There's a lot of reading and guitar playing going on when i can fit it in as well.

JK: What's your strip about?

Mark: Molly and the Amazing Door Tree is about a seven year-old girl that finds a magical door into another world. Molly quickly finds that her destiny and the destiny of this magical realm are interwoven. Before she realizes it, Molly is embroiled in a quest to both save world of the door tree and make her way back home. This story is a departure for me stylistically. My previous work has dealt more with adult oriented issues such as coming-of-age stories and crime fiction. With Molly I made a deliberate effort to create a kids story that my two daughters would relate to.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Mark: I've been wanting to enter a story into Zuda ever since the competitions started. After working for years on Tiki Joe, the challenge of presenting a story within Zuda's 8 page format really appealed to me. I also new that Molly had to be in color and the best chance of making that happen was to take it on line. From the get-go, Molly was planned as a Zuda entry.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Mark: Not sure yet, but i would like to. It depends on the level of interest (from the voters as well as my own kids) and the time constraints i have to work with.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Mark: There is so much good art competing this month. I think my vote would have to go for either Children of The Sewer or Little Earth People.

*****

Big Ups

Christina Boyce and Justin King, Big Ups: A Space Adventure

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Christina: Hello, my name is Christina Boyce. Right now I live in Southern California, where I have been most of my life. I'm a media arts/animation student at the Art Institute of California, but I originally started school in Arizona. My list of comics isn't terribly big, mostly short ones that can be found here and there online. I do have a short one printed in an anthology, and hoping to have another one in the second installment! I would like to finish something a little bigger, and perhaps have my own little book printed in the near future, and perhaps a webcomic of my own.

Justin: I self-published a comic in 2008 called Physicist Roundtable. I also had my first real pro job earlier this year when I made a comic for a software company. They seem to have dropped off the face of the earth after they paid me, though, so I think I caused them to go bankrupt.

When I am not making comics, I am trying to publish other peoples comics. I started a small web and print publishing company called DAPshow, for which I have published one anthology (The Eternal Sad, which had comics from 30 artists around the world, including me and Christina), and I'm currently putting together the second volume of it which should be published in early 2010 along with a few other comics.

JK: What's your strip about?

Christina: The strip focuses on the continuing adventures of an alien explorer, and his companion/sidekick. Upsie, the main character, is an official explorer in the name of his home planet. His job is to find new things in space, and report back with his findings. He is very proud of his job, but he is rather new at it. Along the way he runs into another alien, a Nematoid named Neemu. They become pals, and Neemu joins Upsie on his travels. There may be some reoccurring things throughout, but for the most part it is a more episodic sort of thing. Different stories for different adventures they go on.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Christina: I personally know some dudes who have entered the competition, and have either done well, or have won. I thought it would be a cool thing to try, and I wanted to see if I could produce something that would get in. I'm pretty happy that I got in, as I was doubting myself for while.

Justin: I have thought about entering the Zuda competition a lot, but always had a hard time thinking of a story that would work in only eight pages and show the potential that it could go on for a lot more. So, when Christina approached me about coloring her comic, I thought it would be a great opportunity to be a part of Zuda and get some much needed experience in it's format. It has turned out to be all of that and more.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Christina: I think I may, actually! I've grown attached to my silly aliens, I have to say. I already have some adventures for them sitting around in my head.

Justin: If Christina ever wanted to continue working on it, I would be down for coloring it if she wanted.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Christina: Prolly Peabody & D'Gorath. Mark is a cool guy, and I've talked to him a couple times prior to the competition. I was actually pretty intimidated when I heard that he was gonna be competing against me, and I was right- his comic is pretty great!

Justin: I would vote for Mark's Peabody & D'Gorath. I might be a little biased because he is my friend and the cover artist of an anthology I am publishing soon, but his comic is very entertaining and has a lot of potential. I also really enjoy its atmosphere.

*****

Little Earth People character concepts

Joe Pekar and Chris Lewis, Little Earth People

JK: Please introduce yourself ... who are you, where are you from and have you done any other comics work? What do you do when you aren't making comics?

Joe: I'm Joe Pekar, from Orlando, Florida. I've done a few covers here and there, a couple Grimm Fairy Tales for Zenescope and some for BOOM! Studios Hexed. I also have my own book 'Brandi Bare' that may be coming out in some form one of these days (there are some preview pages of that book on my website: www.joepekar.com ). When I'm not making comics I'm usually drawing other stuff or dealing with my kids, trying to figure out who started the fighting or who broke what. you know, usual parenting stuff

Chris: I'm Chris Lewis, an Oregonian in Germany (the title of my next work?) working as a translator in an advertising agency. Little Earth People is actually the first story I ever wrote, but I'm hoping to get my next projects to the masses soon. Other interests include baby-raising, book-reading, wife-loving, and love, um...spreading.

JK: What's your strip about?

Joe: Well Chris will probably answer that better than me, in fact he's the writer, so he should do it anyway . To me, it was the story of trying to draw a boy that always needed to be looking at a tv screen on his wrist, and the trials and tribulations of laying out panels that way. but that's probably not what you were asking about...

Chris: It's about people watching people and the effects that this has on watcher and watched alike. For research I was watching as much reality TV as I could stomach and just wondering what could possibly possess these people (or their parents in the case of certain 16 year old birthday divas) to subject themselves to such public embarrassment. Then I got to wondering what effect it had on me, while at the same time asking myself if I really wanted to be a writer, reading a lot of Philip K. Dick and Oliver Sacks, and realizing my passion for meerkats.

JK: Why did you decide to enter your comic into the Zuda competition, rather than trying to publish it somewhere else or setting up your own site for it?

Joe: Actually, I saw a posting on a web forum about someone looking for an artist for a Zuda submission. At the time I was really looking for something to work on that was different than my usual drawing work ... pinup girls and stuff like that .  So I just decided to give it a shot. I sent Chris an email with some of my Brandi Bare pages, showing some sequential stuff. He seemed to like it enough and we were off. After hearing about his story, it seemed the total opposite end of the spectrum of what I usually draw so that got me hooked.

Chris: Because it's Zuda, man (insert a$$ kissing noises here)! Actually, I had a couple years between finishing Little Earth People and doing anything with it, and after completing two more stories, I realized that nothing is going to happen unless I get some great artists to draw these things. Apparently, dusty scripts in drawers don't attract big publishers...who knew? I thought online might be the way to go for a first attempt like this, and Zuda just seemed to be the place to be. There's an active community, intriguing talents, and a big pile of money for the winner. Zuda is my "'enry 'iggins, the somewhat-stern-taskmaster-but-he-really-likes-her-anyway-kind-of-thing guy," who has taught me how to write better.

JK: If you don't end up winning, do you plan to continue doing the strip?

Joe: Probably not. I mean it was fun to do, but it was a lot of work to get the pages done. I just wouldn't have the time to do it for fun.

Chris: Joe said it. I was going to ask him to finish the entire 4 issue story for fun (ie. free), but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. Like I said, the story is all there and ready to go, but I'll have to think about what to do with it if my dramatic "please vote so we can all see Joe draw more of Marsha's fabulous 'rackatoni' (user comment)" prayer isn't heard in time.

JK: If you weren't in this month's competition, who do you think you'd vote for?

Joe: Wait, we're allowed to vote for ourselves?! Actually, I really enjoyed the art style on Brother of the Bronze Hammer the most this month. so if i had to vote for someone else, it would be that one.

Chris: Joe stole my joke with this one. But I'm torn about how to use my vote. Should I vote for our story, loving the art and knowing where the craziness leads? Should I vote for the amazing art style on BOTBH? Or should I go vigilante and specifically use my pea-sized vote against one of the two dark-reigning titans? I'm conflicted.

Josh Gibson

DC art director Mark Chiarello shares a print he did of baseball player Josh Gibson for the Josh Gibson Foundation. The organization will sell them as a fundraiser, starting in a few weeks.

Tim Burton's Joker

MTV.com has pictures from the Tim Burton Museum Of Modern Art Exhibition going on in New York, which includes artwork the director created for his Batman movies and his never-made take on Superman. You can also read their related article here.

Usagi Yojimbo T-shirt

Dark Horse Comics has teamed up with clothing label The Hundreds to release two limited edition T-shirts featuring new Usagi Yojimbo art from Stan Sakai. The shirts are limited to 200 of each design and will be released this Saturday at the Hundreds locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In addition, Sakai will be at the Hundreds location in L.A. from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to sign copies of Usagi. The first 25 people will receive a signed copy of the recently released Usagi Yojimbo graphic novel, Yokai.

“I am always excited to hear stories of the impact of Usagi on other creative individuals, especially those working outside of comics,” Sakai said in a press release. “I hope that this collaboration exposes a whole new group of people to Usagi, and comics in general. I'm grateful to have had the chance to work on this project with Bobby and everyone at The Hundreds.”

“Much of what I do today, as creative director for the Hundreds, stems from poring over Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo art as a youth,” said The Hundreds co-founder Bobby Kim. “To this day, it was one of the most influential comic books in my life, and so it was an honor to work with Stan on two exclusive pieces of art for The Hundreds. To any fan of The Hundreds, it is important to acknowledge and appreciate Usagi Yojimbo’s inspiration to the brand.” You can read more of this thoughts on Usagi on the Hundreds' blog.

More T-shirt images and a flyer for the events can be found after the jump ...

*****

The Kids of Widney High

The Kids of Widney High are a group of students with developmental and physical challenges from J. P. Widney High School, a special education center in Los Angeles, Calif., who write and perform original songs, appear in movies like The Ringer and, according to a press release I received today, also write comics.

Per the release, The Kids of Widney High: Beyond the Sky’s the Limit is written entirely by members of the band and illustrated by Chuck B.B., Jim Mahfood, Rafael Navarro, Rikki Niehaus, Neal Von Flue, Robbi Rodriguez and Chris Brandt.

“The comic book medium provided a new way for the members of the band to not only communicate some of their challenges and frustrations, but many of their triumphs and fantasies as well,” said editor/publisher Mike Wellman. “All of the dialogue spoken by the characters in the book was drawn directly from quotes recorded during story sessions and really captures the spirit of the band. It was a very unique way to tie a story together!”

The book's in the current issue of Diamond's Previews catalog and will be published by Atomic Basement Entertainment. Kids of Widney High member Tony Whitfield proudly says that the comic is “the music that will rock your eyes!”

Forty-Five

If you found out your kid was possibly going to be born with super powers, you'd probably want to do a little research into what exactly that meant. For fictional journalist James Stanley, that means conducting 45 different interviews about super powers and how they've changed the lives of the people who have them.

This December Com.X is publishing an illustrated book that collects those 45 interviews called, naturally Forty-Five. Written by Andi Ewington, each interview includes an accompanying page of art illustrated by a different artist, with no "predetermined brief" given -- just the written page as guidance. Artists for the project include Jock, Fiona Staples, Liam Sharp, Dan Brereton and many more.

My thanks to Andi, who was kind enough to share some additional details on the book.

JK: Could you provide a little bit of information on your background -- previous comics works, etc.?

by Calum Alexander Watt

Andi: I don't have any formal writing training nor a traditional writer's background, if there is such a thing. I'm a graphic designer by trade and have been very 'creative' from an early age. My father was a photographer, so he gave me a great understanding of framing and composition. And I was raised loving comedy shows like Blackadder, Fawlty Towers and The Young Ones that were filled with witty dialogue and cutting sarcasm. I spent a lot of time when growing up playing role-playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons, which helped nurture an active imagination and, as a DM, helped me to structure stories and scenes. I moved on from the old dice and pencil games to the computer kind. It was after clocking up around 120 hours on one particular game that I came to the conclusion that I could have probably written a book in that time. So, I did! I wrote, in my opinion, a fantastic and funny novel called Limpit Muskin & Company with my best friend Dennis Johnson. Unfortunately, we never managed to get it published, but we did have some encouraging feedback from agents and publishers alike. That sparked something in me and I guess that Forty-Five is the fulfillment of a passion that had been burning in me for a long time.

by Dan Brereton

JK: What inspired you to write the book as a series of interviews, vs. a straight-up comic?

Andi: The main influence for the 'transcript' style came after reading World War Z by Max Brooks. I really loved the way you could dip in and out of the story, choosing which interviews you wanted to read in any order. I also love writing dialogue so it made sense to approach Forty-Five in a similar way.

JK: I imagine finding 45 different artists to work with, what with varying schedules, etc. was pretty difficult. What were some of the challenges you encountered along the way?

Andi: The main challenge was, in some cases, simply getting an artist to commit to the page! Varying schedules meant I would have to wait until the artist in question became available, that could be anything up to a six month wait. Very nerve wracking when you take into consideration I had another 44 artists potentially in similar positions. Also some artists, understandably, don't focus their lives around their emails, so I might not hear back for a couple of weeks, though usually it would be a couple of days. I think I've become the king of patience!

by Fiona Staples

JK: I won't ask you to pick a favorite from the work that came back from the various artists, but did any of them surprise you?

Andi: Nearly all of them did in one way or another. I had something in mind whenever I briefed in a particular interview, though I didn't mention what I pictured to the artists. I left it open for them to interpret and I'd say nearly 99 percent of the time the result wasn't what I envisaged -- which is a fantastic thing, it meant every piece was a delight to receive.

JK: Of the interviews you wrote, though, I bet you have a favorite. Which one would that be?

Andi: Now you're asking, there's so many and I love each of them for different reasons. I do have a favourite but I'm keeping that to myself for the time being!

by Dom Reardon

JK: Did you have any ideas for characters that didn't make it into the book?

Andi: Certainly -- I wanted to do a religious superhero, someone that saw his superpowers as a gift or sign from God to a greater calling. It would have been interesting to make him overly zealous, but you have to walk a fine line when it comes to religion, so in the end I decided against it; still there's always book two, right?

JK: So we learn a lot about the heroes in this world you've created through the interviews, but there's also a 46th character, if I'm not mistaken ... James, the interviewer. Do we learn anything about him through his interviews?

by Admira Wijay

Andi: Ah, well logically you would think that. However, I've been a little 'creative' with the last interview. It's not strictly an interview at all. I don't want to say too much about it. However, I will say that James finds that the whole interview journey comes full circle and very personal.

JK: What happens after Forty-Five -- do you have plans for a sequel or continuation of the stories you introduce here?

by Boo Cook

Andi: Forty-Six? I jest. I'd love to return to the world and do a follow-on in a similar vein. Maybe set it a year or two later. As for a continuation of the stories, it's certainly there as my next project - in fact I can reveal I've signed a contract with Com.x for a second book. I can't say too much, but it is set in the Forty-Five universe and it will feature an already established character from it. It'll be a 40-page one shot in a traditional comic format - and the artist is the same one that's created the page that accompanies the interview. I'm also starting to formulate plans for books three and four. I think the world of 'Forty-Five' has huge scope and plenty of exciting subplots to explore.

JK: Other than Forty-Five, do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

Andi: I'm so busy on Forty-Five right now I can't see too far beyond that, however I have managed to write a couple of scripts that I'm hoping to show to the right people one day.

Inglourious Basterds #1

These have been making the rounds the last couple of days ... CHUD posts a series of faux Inglourious Basterds comic book covers they found on Harry Knowles' Twitter feed that look like they were created in the 1970s. Cool stuff; go check out the rest of them.

Update: The covers were created by Martin Duhovic.

On the first issue front, Wildstorm kicks off a new Sherlock Holmes mini called Victorian Undead, while Marvel has an Inhumans mini tying into their Realm of Kings event. Red 5 has Drone (which I think came out last week, didn't it? At least at my local shop), BOOM! has a Farscape ongoing and a mini called Nola, and IDW has a tie-in for the upcoming Legion movie ... which isn't about Saturn Girl, but about angels. There's also a Dr. Horrible one-shot from Dark Horse, a new creative team on Thunderbolts and, I believe, the last of the List books from Marvel ... this one featuring Spider-Man. Oh, and country star Trace Adkins gets his own comic. Hey, if it worked for Tori Amos and Gerard Way, why not?

Looking at the stuff with a spine, Dark Horse brings Alien Legion back into print, DC's Battle for the Cowl and Marvel's Destroyer get collected, and AdHouse releases what's already being named one of the year's best books.

And there's much, much more ... click on the link below to see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's releases.

*****

The 'Nam

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: The 'Nam TPB Vol. 1

Well here's another potential "Collect This Now" column I can scratch off my "to do" list. Back in the 1980s, when Marvel was drunk with money, they took the chance of publishing this rather realistic and occasionally gritty comic about the Vietnam War. Written by Doug Murray with art by Michael Golden, this series managed to rather accurately portray the war from the foot soldier's point of view surprisingly well, especially since it avoided any explicit violence or language. Until Marvel ruined everything after about the 12th issue, that is. It looks like this trade collects the "magazine" edition, which were just black and white reprints of the original run. I'd prefer to see a "colorized" version that matches my original impressions of the book, but I suppose I'll have to just be happy this is coming out. (Marvel)

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Rip Kirby, Vol 1 hardcover

Rip Kirby

IDW Publishing expands its impressive comic-strip archive with this series devoted to Alex Raymond's famous investigator -- "the first modern detective" -- Remington "Rip" Kirby. Best known for creating Flash Gordon in 1934, Raymond followed the now-legendary space adventure with Jungle Jim (with Don Moore) and Secret Agent X-9 (with Dashiell Hammett). But in 1944, Raymond joined the Marines and served in the Pacific Ocean theater. When he returned two years later, he set to work not on his established strips but on the adventures of a bespectacled, pipe-smoking Marine turned private detective.

Raymond (with co-writer Ward Greene, the King Features editor who suggested the strip) broke with the hardboiled tradition, creating a cultured, sophisticated detective who would rather sip brandy than brandish a weapon. His sidekick wasn't the typical hired muscle, either; just the opposite, actually. And the string of female clients/love interests? Forget about them. Rip Kirby was a one-woman man; granted Honey Dorian was a fashion model. (So perhaps you can see why "the first modern detective" appears on the cover of the collection.) Raymond worked on the strip, which in 1949 received a Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society, until his death in a car accident in 1956.

This 320-page hardcover, which collects the strips from 1946 to 1948, includes an essay by cartoonist and cartooning scholar Brian Walker, and an introduction by Raymond biographer Tom Roberts. (IDW Publishing)

Driven by Lemons

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Driven By Lemons

Joshua Cotter's amazing Skyscrapers of the Midwest comic was collected by AdHouse last year and ended up on many "best of" lists for 2008. Although it was first self-published by Cotter a few year back, I didn't read it and fall in love with it until getting the hardcover last year.

And now AdHouse brings us Cotter's next work, Driven By Lemons, which is also popping up on "best of" lists for 2009. And according to our own Sean T. Collins, was the "book of the show" at SPX this year, while Chris called it "stunning" and "powerful stuff."

So what is it, exactly? Well, it's a replica of a sketchbook Joshua did of "recent multimedia explorations in intuitive narrative." I have no idea what that means, to be honest, but after reading the rave reviews and seeing the short preview on the AdHouse site, I'm really looking forward to learning. Hell, he had me at the Lefty Lemon reference in the preview. (AdHouse Books)

Alien Legion

Alien Legion Omnibus Volume 1

JK: Dark Horse brings the classic Epic series back into print. Absolutely loved this when it first came out, especially those first dozen or so issues. USA Today has preview pages. (Dark Horse)

MAD Magazine #502

JK: This is the annual "20 Dumbest People, Events and Things of the Year" issue; if you're curious to see who tops the list, Comics Alliance has the spoiler. (DC Comics)

Victorian Undead

Victorian Undead #1

JK: Ian Edgington and Davide Fabbri pit Sherlock Holmes against a zombie plague. Although I'm sure many will dismiss this as being a bit behind the zombie curve, I like to think they're getting a jump on the Sherlock Holmes hoopla the new film starring Robert Downey Jr. might usher in. (DC/Wildstorm)

Vigilante #12

Kevin: Bring out your dead! (DC Comics)

Black Knight

The Black Knight #1

Kevin: This collects the origin of Black Knight/Dane Whitman -- a character seen most prominently in the canceled Captain Britain and MI13 -- that previously had been serialized online at the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited hub. (Marvel)

Kookaburra K #1

Kevin: Easily the title on this week's shipping list that's the most fun to say, this space opera by Crisse Hicks and Humberto Ramos is part of Marvel's deal with French publisher Soleil, which released the first volume ("Big Bang Baby") in 2006. (Marvel)

Powers Encyclopedia

Powers Encyclopedia, Vol. 1

Kevin: I drifted away from the Brian Michael Bendis/Michael Avon Oeming superhero-crime series quite some time ago, but I'm intrigued by what's being billed as "the definitive Powers handbook." Granted, I've always been a sucker for guides like Who's Who in the DC Universe and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Still, this 64-page encyclopedia seems like a smart way to reintroduce lapsed readers to the Powers universe. (Marvel)

Thunderbolts #138

JK: Jeff Parker picks up where Andy Diggle left off, as he tells the story of Norman Osborn's team of 'bolts, as well as the originals, who are none too happy with the current team. (Marvel)

24 Omnibus, Vol. 1

Kevin: On the heels of its CSI Omnibus, IDW Publishing releases a hefty collection of its comics based on the mayhem-and-torture television drama 24. (IDW Publishing)

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Chris: James Buchanan and Pontius Pilate, meanwhile, hate gimmicky comic book titles. But who cares what they think? (Alterna Comics)

Luke McBain #1

JK: I know what you're thinking ... it's another celebrity-inspired comic. On the plus side, however, it's written by David Tischman with art by Kody Chamberlain, so it could end up rising above its pedigree. (12 Gauge Comics)

Miss Don't Touch Me

Chris: Offered again for your reading pleasure, Hubert & Kerascoet's tale of sex and murder set in a high-class bordello with an S&M-inclined prude as the heroine who must solve her sister's slaying. I gotta review of the thing here. (NBM)

Oishinbo Vol 06 Joy Of Rice

Chris: I haven't been following this cooking manga series at all yet but I understand it's pretty good and I look forward to eventually checking it out. This latest volume collects assorted stories about that essential staple, rice. (VIZ)

Pluto Vol. 6

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 6

Chris: The next volume of Naoki Urasawa's Astro Boy riff arrives. I think it's pretty close to nearing the end at this point, with one, maybe two, more volumes to go. I heavily expect this to be a front-runner in the "best manga of 09" contest. (VIZ)

RASL starter pack #1-5 with tattoos

Chris: Fallen behind on Jeff Smith's new noir/sci-fi series? Here's your chance to get caught up and get some (I'm assuming) washable tattoos to boot. Man, wouldn't it be great if a real tattoo was included with the comics? Like, there was a greasy biker guy waiting by the cash register to put a little Phone Bone on your shoulder? Well, I think it would be kind of cool anyway. (Cartoon Books)

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

Kevin: Del Rey adapts the bestselling 1984 fantasy-horror novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. I've read just one King book (The Stand), and no Straub novels, so I don't know much about The Talisman, which I guess somehow ties into King's Dark Tower epic. Which I also haven't read, obviously. (Del Rey)

Tezuka's Black Jack TPB Vol 08

Chris: Oh what medical wonders will the mighty surgeon Black Jack perform this time? More great scenes of high melodrama, slapstick comedy and detailed shots of people's innards from the mighty Tezuka no doubt. (Vertical)

Treasury 20th Century Murder softcover Vol 02: Famous Players

Chris: Here's the paperback edition of Rick Geary's latest tale of murder most foul, this time taking place in the silent era of Hollywood. It's a pretty solid entry in the series, though, honestly, not quite as stellar as The Bloody Benders or the recent Lindbergh book. I interviewed Geary about the book and other stuff here. (NBM)

Wasteland, Vol. 5: Tales of the Uninvited

Kevin: Antony Johnston and Christopher Mitten's post-apocalyptic Western epic gets a fifth trade paperback. That's an impressive achievement, particularly considering that it's a monthly sci-fi series released by a smaller publisher. This collection features guest art by Carla Speed McNeil, chuck BB and Joe Infurnari. (Oni Press)

Take a look at Diamond's shipping list and let us know what you're getting this week.

Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965

Kevin linked to this New York Times profile on comics legend Joe Kubert earlier today. While the article is focused mainly on Kubert's original art being sold, it also mentions a new Kubert project coming next May -- Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965.

What's interesting is how this is being published. The Times said it is a Vertigo book, but actually it'll be published by "The Joe Kubert Library," according to all three of DC's blogs. EDIT: This isn't the first time the imprint has been used.

Here are some details on the project from those blogs:

DONG XOAI, VIETNAM 1965 tells the story of a team of Special Forces soldiers who were on what was to be a simple assistance and observation mission in the village of Dong Xoai that suddenly turned deadly. Written as an original graphic novel with text and illustrations, DONG XOAI, VIETNAM 1965 is based on extensive first hand information from the surviving members of the Special Forces group involved.