Broken Frontier

A few years ago, I did a brief little writing stint here at BrokenFrontier.com with a feature called Serendipity. This place has changed a lot since last I was here. Doesn’t the new site look swell? And dig that new car smell! My only real concern so far is this - last time I wrote a feature for this website the owner, Frederik Hautain, asked that I refer to him as Mr. Hot. With this new feature, I have been told under no uncertain terms, that I am to refer to him as CAPTAIN Hot (capitals mine). (and lies too! – ed.)

Serendipity in its old iteration was tasked with pointing out new and interesting comic related…stuff. I felt it was needed at the time. I feel it’s needed again. You’re probably thinking the same thing. If you’re not, keep reading Fanfriend, because I’m about to get you some comic book religion.

As for me? I haven’t changed much. I’m still the Co-Publisher at Ape Entertainment and I’m still responsible for drawing a bunch of issues of the Disney Gargoyle comic for SLG Publishing (the 2nd TPB is in the May 2009 PREVIEWS and in stores in July).

And that’s all the preamble you need for now.

Almost to the fun part. One last beat and then we drop. This being the Inter-Web, I expect an interactive experience from those of you playing at home. Drop a note in the forum or email a line and tell me about the ‘Comic-Cool’ you are currently sweating over. Doesn’t have to be esoteric or poncy either. I’m no snob. And shame on you if you label your comic entertainment with descriptors like ‘Indy’ or ‘Mainstream’ (now read on as I do just that in every column).

And away we go.

Let’s see what we have here that can get you boys and girls out of your respective ruts and into some decent comic entertainment.

The more they stay the same…

DEATHREATS: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A COMIC BOOK ROCK STAR

God Damn do I miss Drew Hayes. For you neophytes and neo-cons, Drew Hayes was the force behind one of my all time favorite comics- POISON ELVES. The bastard up and left our plane of existence a year or two ago. Much wailing and moaning and gnashing of teeth was done by yours truly when the news hit.

Drew was exactly what this industry needs in these troubled economic times. A comic book force of nature who never gave up, never gave in and ultimately took his detractors behind the wood shed and beat them with the leather chaps edition of POISON ELVES #1.

Drew was so focused, so unstoppable in his quest to tell the POISON ELVES story that… well, I think it may have killed him. After a hundred issues or so of PE, Drew took ill with a rare disease and never really recovered. Tragic. But he left a damn fine legacy. A good family, friends, fans (like me) and a body of work that holds up incredibly well.

In addition to writing and drawing the POISON ELVES COMIC, Drew would include these little diary bits at the beginning of each issue of his comic. They were always personal, sometimes motivating and always captivating.

All the POISON ELVES comics have been collected for a while. I’m sure you can find them in most DECENT comic shoppes. If not, hit eBay and screw the retailer. Do that now.

As for those little diary-type diatribes, those are being collected now (see header for title name). If you want to read about true passion and true love for this industry, look no further.


ROB LIEFELD IS BACK ON YOUNGBLOOD!?!

HELL YEAH!
No, seriously. And you can kiss off for making me defend myself but here it goes-
There is no other creator who has single-handedly done more for the popularity and sales of comic books than Rob Liefeld. Levi 501 Jeans commercial featuring tons of X-FORCE comic art? Check. Start up a comic book company run by creators that forces a sea-change within the industry in terms of creator rights and production values? Check. All the money? Check. All the fame? Check. J-Lo? Check!

Rob Liefeld is the artist who kept me interested in comics when I was hitting that age where most people drop out. New Mutants, X-Force and Youngblood were the books I raced to the store every week to buy. The first appearance of Cable in New Mutants #87 was the first comic I paid more than cover price for. Rob is the MAN.

And he’s back on YOUNGBLOOD with issue #8 which, of course, sold out in hours. Eat that fan-geek. I’m not alone.


QUICK HITS

- Is anyone ever going to recognize that Chris Bachalo is the greatest comic book artist of our time and has been at the top of his form for the past 3 years? There is nothing this man can’t do and he continues to do the monthly grind. ALL HAIL BACHALO!

- The iVerse comic book application on iTunes is blowing up huge and NO ONE wants to pay attention to the fact. Give it a year and they’ll be out-distributing Diamond on even more product than they do ALREADY. You heard it here first.

- Tell me again why we can’t do FCBD twice a year?

- SLG Publishing has been publishing comics for over 25 years and Diamond gets to dictate what they publish now. What chance the rest of us? Say goodbye to ‘original’.

- IDW is the number three publisher at Diamond jumping over Dark Horse for at least one month. Is there nothing that the new Star Trek movie can’t do?


APE ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Des Taylor

Because I am the co-publisher of a rather classy comic book and graphic novel company, I am privy to quite a bit of stunning artwork on a daily basis. I’m spoiled beyond belief.

Lately, not a day goes by that I don’t see something new from our man from the UK, Des Taylor. Des has a new book coming out (available right now in the MAY 2009 PREVIEWS catalog) called THE TROUBLE WITH KATIE ROGERS.

Here’s an exclusive image or two for you all to salivate over. There’s a ton more at the Katie Rogers mini-site. Tell Des I sent you!