Atlas Shrugged

So, as you might have heard, I spent this past weekend in New York City at the New York Comic Con, where I manned the table for the the company I work with (Atlas Unleashed) over the weekend. We were there promoting our new books Schizophrenia #1, Psychosis! Today #4 (formerly Psychosis!), and The Adversary #1.

We were touting these new products for the fans and our friends, and we did quite well, thanks for asking. We also hosted the wicked-cook Indie After Party (with our good Buddy, Dave Ryan, who is producing the Buzz-able hottest book in the Indie Market, the uber-hot War of the Independents). Needless to say, the party was the talk of the con, and everybody who was anybody was at it. Well, Schizophrenia #1, Psychosis! Today #4 are both anthologies (with there being a special tribute issue for our pal Rusty Haller). Schizophrenia has three stories and Psychosis! Today has five, while Adversary is a book-length story by the very talented Jim Webb.

Adversary is a demon who has tossed off the reigns of her demon master and now spends her time fighting demons. Well, not to make this about me (but you know it is my blog, so I'm gonna talk about me for just a minute, so deal with it). As it turns out I have three stories in these books, two in Psychosis! Today and a one-page back-up in Adversary that was illustrated by the extremely talented and affable Fred Hembeck.

My stories in Psychosis! Today are a reprint of my story Ghost Writer that appeared in Psychosis! #2 (with art by Fabio Turbay), and An Act of Attrition, that's illustrated by James Rodriguez and Alex Rivera. I'm not sure how, but I keep getting teamed with extremely talented artists, and , well, they make me look good. Thanks guys!

Last call for a Year in Belkis

They say all good things must come to an end. Now while I don’t believe that for a minute. this month does mark the final month for the NovaStar Studios, Fantasy Art Calendar (featuring Belkis). I don’t know if James Rodriguez (who put the whole thing together) still has any calendars left over, but if he does you can certainly ask. Or you can just see if you can get your hands on his up-coming sci-fi comicbook, The Chronicles of Sara.



Still, we’re here to talk about my favorite pin-up girl, Belkis, and well, Chris Torres who painted this image. I have to confess, that this is one of my favorite images, because, well, Chris is one of my favorite artists, he is in the process of helping me relaunch my signature series, Agent Unknown (a comic I began over 20 years ago for Renegade Press).

Chris was born in Davao City, Mindanao in the Philippines. At a very young age he developed a knack for detail and realized that he could lose himself by making things with his own hands. It was also at this time that he felt the pull of imagery through paperback covers, album covers, cartoons and comicbooks. With no proper tutelage he exercised his budding talent by imitation, exploration and jumping on every project whether it was crafts or art at the Roman Catholic school he attended. Chris’ mother thought it best for him to move to the United States, and on November 16, 1986 he started the next phase of his life in New York, NY. Traveling alone, he debarked at JFK International Airport, had a bacon and egg breakfast and his first glimpse of light snow falling in the states.

In 1994 he was accepted to The School of Visual Arts (SVA) in NYC. As an Illustration major, he developed a mentality that leans more towards the Fine Arts. His growth as an artist at SVA was forged with the help of several amazing instructors with totally opposing techniques, ideas, and theories. While attending college Torres worked under New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame Laureate, Tony Palladino for an illustrated book pitch and later was graced enough to spend time with the PoP Artist Robert Stanley as a studio assistant. Chris graduated from SVA in 1998 with a Fine Arts Degree specializing in illustration.

While practicing as a freelance Illustrator, Chris’ comicbook cover credits have included: Chapel vol.3 issue # 1, 1997 (Awesome Entertainment). Love Sucks: the series #5, 1997 (ACE). Iron Wings vol. 2 issue 2, 2000 (Image Comics).

Chris has illustrated 10 interior pages of the D.E.A. Enforcers for the Crime Wave Anthology #1, 2009 (Three J Productions, LLC).

Torres’ painted art has appeared for multiple concerns including: Tap Dogs NY (Mural work), The Museum of Sex NY (Mural work for the museums opening), Just Designs (Gas Mask image for Rap group), Lawn Gnome Records (“Chasing Sunday” CD packaging design and interior art), Hypnote Recording Concern (“Wolfgang” Painted imagery for use as CD packaging and promotions). Show Glue Music (“The Sleighboys” CD packaging design and interior art). Additionally, Torres designed “Wolfgang” a singing vocoded voice robot for Hypnote Records.



Recently, Chris’ work was displayed along with other artists at The Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos University located in the Bronx, NY under the title “Dream Sequence” (2009). Currently he is working on a number of projects for Atlas Unleashed.

Personally, I don't know of a better way to finish off the year. James certainly saved the best for last, if you know what I mean. Belkis, it has been great being able to spend the year with you.

10 down two Belkis to go!

Yep, it is November in Belkis as we explore the second-to-last month is one of the most enchantingly beautiful women on the planet.

This month, her image is brought to us by the powerful pen of David Quiles, who is an independent comicbook artist and publisher. David produces some seriously bad-ass art comic art! He is associated with (our friends) the nut-jobs over Crazee Comics. His amazing work tends towards underground comicbook themes, where he works the whole bag as publisher, illustrator, designer, and creator. You can always find David on the NY-Tri-State convention circuit illustrating and performing his many commissions. His work can not only be found on ebay, but also at Infiniteline Comics, his MySpace page, and his ComicSpace page. In addition to his work in this calendar he is available for all types of commissions.

David can also be found at comicbook shows around the NY area, and should be looked up whenever you have the chance. If you are still interested in acquiring NovaStar Studios, Fantasy Art Calendar (featuring Belkis), you can contact James Rodriguez (who put the whole thing together) over at his site, and while you are there, ask him about his up-coming sci-fi comicbook.

News from the Front

As I mentioned, I spent yesterday in New York at the Big Apple Wizard comic show. While I was there IO picked up a pair of very important comics from a pair of very talented friends of mine, James Rodriguez (The Chronicles of Sara) and Shawnti Therrien (Am I Immortal). Shawnti is the VP Production at Atlas Unleashed, and James is not only the driving force behind NovaStar Studios (they produced the Belkis Calendar I’ve been raving about all year), but he just drew a story of mine slated to appear in an upcoming Atlas Unleashed publication.

James issued a 16-page ashcan of his up-coming sci-fi comic The Chronicles of Sara, while Shawnti had on hand a copy of her comic Am I Immortal from Free Lunch. While I have yet to actually read either, I have read the first issue of Am I Immortal, and I’ve been watching James slave over his book for the past several months, so I already know that both books will be totally awesome.

James’ ashcan is just two bucks while Shawnti’s goes for $3.50. You can score a copy of The Chronicles of Sara and Am I Immortal by going to their respective websites, and asking, or by hunting up these two talents at funnybook shows in and around the tri-state area.

Oh, the Sara ashcan has two very cool covers, so I thought I’d nshow you both.

Belkis in October

Well, here it is the beginning of October and well, it is time to continue our year-long study in Belkis, my favorite, Marketing pro, model, and well, (just recently) client. This month’s image is brought to us courtesy of my pal Ray Felix.

The focal point of Ray’s Art combines his childhood superhero fantasies with a powerful erotic twist that is liberally flavored with American politics and religious dogma. At 17, he (like many of us) wanted to become a comicbook character. As a young artist he was living a detached existence from the real world. In a sense it was a survival mechanism from growing up in the Bronx and a reaction to being raised in a religious cult. Having given up on ever becoming an actual carton, his current goal as an artist is to transport the viewer to a fictional comic world of his creation. Since becoming a freelance teaching artist in various prisons in the New York area, Ray attempts to convey his interpretation through his comics and paintings as to how he reconfigure the details of this so-called reality and brings his viewers to contemplate his personal view of the world according to him. Since the events of 9/11and the vast conspiracies surrounding the event have come to flourish, his work has grown to pantomime the political circus that consumes mainstream media here in America.

If you are still interested in acquiring NovaStar Studios, Fantasy Art Calendar (featuring Belkis), you can contact James Rodriguez (who put the whole thing together) over at his site, and while you are there, ask him about his up-coming sci-fi comicbook. You can even stop by and see him at the upcoming Wizard World/Big Apple con later this month.

Another Month for Belkis

Yep, it is now September, and that means yet another page on my NovaStar Studios, Fantasy Art Calendar (featuring Belkis), you can contact James Rodriguez (who put the whole thing together) over at his site, and while you are there, ask him about his up-coming sci-fi comicbook. You can even stop by and see him at the upcoming Wizard World/Big Apple con this October.

Any way, this month’s featured artist is my good pal, Ed Traquino. In spite of his British upbringing, Ed is actually a very talented guy. He is a muchly-published graphic artist who has been allowed to remain in “The Colonies” while he toils away in near obscurity in the Bronx, hoping against hope that the INS doesn’t locate him. A superb draftsman he has the passion and enthusiasm for visual narrative, especially comics. Currently he has brought his immensely diverse background in the London comic art scene (where he contributed to several publishers) to his new position as the Production Manager for Guild Works Productions. Here in the States Ed has not only self-published, but has contributed extensively to GWP’s flagship title Psychosis! as both an artist and a letterer. For his film work he is represented by Famous Frames. You can find out more by visiting his (recently updated) website.

August for Belkis

Hey I just realized that I all but forgot that this was August, and that I needed to post the Belkis image of the month.

This image is brought to us by my gal Michele St. Martin who was born in the Big Apple, and (by her own admission) initiated into a very strange family that weaned her on a steady diet of Famous Monsters, Eerie, Creepy, Heavy Metal magazine, stoner-rock, Kung-Fu movies, really bad horror & exploitation films, and great books & art.

Eventually she attended Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design, graduating with honors & a penchant for drawing truly naughty images. After attending Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute for a spell, she figured she’d be making more money freelancing than actually going to class, which she did with relish & has been doing ever since, illustrating for various companies, publications, and private clients. Currently, Michele is pursuing various projects, including a collaboration slated to appear in an original horror comic entitled MUTATIA. She now divides her time between New York City and Seattle, WA. You can also check out her ComicSpace page, DeviantArt, and her online gallery.

Face it, kids, Michele St. Martin is simply the coolest! Oh yeah, if you want a copy of James Rodriguez’s über-cool NovaStar Studios, Fantasy Art Calendar (featuring Belkis), you can contact James over at his site, and while you are there, ask him about his up-coming sci-fi comicbook.

Belkis in July

Ah, it is finally July, and time to (re) spotlight my good buddy, James Rodriguez, who produced the NovaStar Studios Fantasy Art Calendar

As we’ve discussed, James was born and raised in New York, James attended both The High School of Art in Design and The School of Visual Arts. He freelanced for the next few years working in advertising, comics, theatre, television, and film. He was a co-producer of the comedy troupe Sal Soul at the famed Caroline’s Comedy Club. After meeting Keith Murphey he became a member of the Comic Book Artist Guild and wound up drawing the cover for their anthology (CAG#1). Soon after that he was asked to become the new penciler on Philip Clark’s Quantum Rock of Ages which has gone on to gain critical acclaim.



At present James has established his own illustration studio, Novastar Studios (the studio is named after one of the first comicbook characters he created in high school). Not only did James’ Novastar Studios produce both this calendar but he is producing an on-going comicbook series, The Chronicles of Sara.

On another front, James is also drawing a story of mine An Act of Attrition for an Atlas Unleashed comic anthology to be announced later. As we’ve mentioned. Belkis, the subject of the year in question, is a marketing professional who’s website is nothing short of brilliantly insightful.

Now leave me alone while I stare at the calendar.

Yes, June Belongs to Belkis!

We already met my good buddy,
Ravi Wilki who pals around with the guys at The Filament Factory is (as you can see) is an extremely talented artist, and previously contributed to James Rodriguez’s, NovaStar Studios Fantasy Art Calendar.

Sure, sure, we are now halfway into the year, but this is still a smoking-hot calendar, James, Ravi, and the rest of the folk who contributed to the calendar are wicked-talented, rising-star artist, and, well, Belkis is always worth looking at, even in two dimensions.

As for my pal Ravi, he is so talented, that I would certainly love to work with him, perhaps on something relating to zombies.

The Filament Factory is a cadre of extremely talented NYC artists and writers (who throw wicked-cool parties), put up with me, and will be exhibiting this weekend at the MoCCA comicbook show in NYC.

I too will be there with Atlas Unleashed. Stop by and visit us if you can, it promises to be a rockin’ good time!

It's May of Belkis, 2009!

Ah, it is my favorite time of the month, to announce to you all what talented artist got their chance to illustrate the lovely form of the wow-she’s-so-incredibly-good-looking-that-I-can’t-believe-she’s-actually-talking-to-me-hot-hot-hottie Belkis!

Yep! this is not only the Month that contains the birthday of my son Dylan, and Free Comic Book Day, but it is the Belkis Month of May. With special illustration by Ray Felix.

The focal point of Ray’s art combines his childhood superhero fantasies with a powerful erotic twist that is liberally flavored with American politics and religious dogma. At 17, he (like many of us) wanted to become a comicbook character. As a young artist he was living a detached existence from the real world. In a sense it was a survival mechanism from growing up in the Bronx and a reaction to being raised in a religious cult.

Having given up on ever becoming an actual carton, his current goal as an artist is to transport the viewer to a fictional comic world of his creation. Since becoming a freelance teaching artist in various prisons in the New York area, Ray attempts to convey his interpretation through his comics and paintings as to how he reconfigure the details of this so-called reality and brings his viewers to contemplate his personal view of the world according to him.

Since the events of 9/11 and the vast conspiracies surrounding the event have come to flourish, his work has grown to pantomime the political circus that consumes mainstream media here in America.

If you like Ray’s work, you want to support Indie creators, or just like looking at pretty girls (Belkis especially), go to NovaStar Studios and order one from James Rodriguez.

A Year in Belkis: April

If you haven’t yet experienced a year in Belkis, then you are a poor soul indeed, not only is she one of the loveliest (and talented) ladies in comics, but she is the subject of James Rodriguez, NovaStar Studios Fantasy Art Calendar. This month, her delightful image was eye-poppingly rendered by none other than the very talented (and lovely in his ow right) Ravi Wilkie.

Ravi is a member in good standing of the The Filament Factory— a cadre of talented NYC artists and writers (who throw wicked-cool parties). according to his stream-of unconsciousness bio Ravi originally hails from Boulder, CO. Back then, Ravi spent his days painting intense images culled from what he saw when he closed his eyes.

Eventually, he ventured off to New York with the stench of dead squirrel carcasses in the air and a taste for glory. Ravi now defends his art against the ravaging hordes of time. Now with The Squeecher on his shoulder and his compatriots at The Filament Factory (http://www.filamentfactory.com) by his side, Ravi knew the monsters of time stood no chance. An extremely talented artist, Ravi, as you can probably tell from this (abridged) bio, is a little bit off his nut.

Still he is an OK guy who loves Zombies, and will one day actually make this writer uber-famous by consenting to draw the Zombie story that we gave him some time back.

Ravi, are you listening?

And now, for something completely different...

If you were to have been following this blog for the past week or so, you might think that I only read Independent comics (written by my friends). Truthfully, I tend to read more Marvel Comics (sorry kids, it is a long-standing addiction that I’m simply unable (and unwilling) to completely kick). I’ve been reading them since ‘62, and regularly purchasing them since ’71. Unfortunately, these days, I’m admittedly not having as much fun reading them as I did even a few years back. Still, there are (every once in a while) comics that do rise above the fray, and are worthy of mentioning. Off the top, I want to mention Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man which I regularly review for SpiderFan.

Another comic that always gets me smiling, is anything by Chris Giarrusso. in addition to his own work (G-Man) Chris produces the Mini Marvels. These are usually one-page humorous takes on the heroes from the Marvel Universe. As a rule, they tend to follow a theme for a period of time, and then are collected in a digest-sized comic. With the recent release of Mini Marvels Secret Invasion, Chris tells an alternate version of the Secret Invasion. All things considered, I prefer Chris’s version. In addition to the Secret Wars are broad swipes at Civil War, Spidey, and the whole Green Hulk/Red Hulk (Blue Hulk) storyline.

Chris also likes to pick on Hawkeye, and does so with gleeful abandon. As stated, another favorite target is Spidey himself, whom Chris loves to posit a young Spidey who is a paperboy for The Bugle, and regularly goes up against the Osborns (who are customers) and Venom (a competing paperboy). Again, all of this is done in good fun, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. I strongly suggest that — even if you have read all of the Mini Marvel stories in the various Marvel Comics in which they have appeared, you spring for this collection. You’ll be very happy that you did.

Here is a fun Spidey comic that my buddy James Rodriguez brought back with him from his trip to South America. It is a copy of Spidey in , well, Spanish. I have a few of these foreign language comics in my collection, and I always love getting them.

I want to also talk about The Amazing Spider-Girl. This comic ran a single issue of What If, 100 issues of Spider-Girl, 30 regular issues of Amazing Spider-Girl, plus a 0 issue and an annual, not to mention assorted issues of various other “M2” titles. I went on record several times (once in person to writer Tom DeFalco) how much I enjoyed this title. It always reminded me of being 15 again and the thril I got every month reading Spidey at that time. I’m sorry to see the series go, but I understand that it will continue in Amazing Spider-Man Family and on-line ion Marvel’s ecomics. Now while I’m not so happy about the ecomic version, I am pleased that it will still continue in print in ASMF.

Anyway, Issue # 30 of ASG was easily one of the most moving issues of this series. I could tell that DeFalco really loves this title and these characters, and really pulled out all of the stops to deliver one of the most emotionally moving stories that I have ever read. Too bad all the Spider-titles couldn't be written this consistently well.

This story proved to be quite a nice coda to the run of this title, as well as a delightful wrap-up to the final arc of this series. I truly enjoyed what Tom did in this story, and I truly have to say that I completely didn’t see the big reveal coming, even though I was looking for it.

Personally, I’m looking forward to reading the new series.

The REAL Miss March!

Forget that silly movie of the same name. The Real Miss March is my good friend and talented artist Michele St. Martin, who’s always stunning artwork appears this month on the Novastar Studios Fantasy Art Calendar featuring the always lovely Belkis. If you want to know more about this month’s talented artist:

Michele was born in New York City, Michele was initiated into a strange family that weaned her on not on Dr. Seuss, and Dick & Jane books, but on a steady diet of Famous Monsters, Eerie, Creepy, Heavy Metal magazine, stoner-rock, Kung-Fu movies, really bad horror & exploitation films, and great books & art. Later on, she attended Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design, graduating with honors & a penchant for drawing truly naughty images.

After attending Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute for a spell, she figured she’d be making more money freelancing than actually going to class, which she did with relish & has been doing ever since, illustrating for various companies, publications, and private clients. Currently, Michele is pursuing various projects, including a collaboration slated to appear in an original horror comic entitled MUTATIA.

She now divides her time between New York City and Seattle, WA. You can also check her out on Comicspace, on Deviantart, and her brand new gallery.

Enjoy!