Broken into 13 chapters, like the Chinese general’s original book, The Art of War is a marvelously entertaining blend of just-around-the-corner technology, boardroom politics, international economics, family drama, loyalty, sacrifice, love and more blood than an old school anime film. It’s hard to describe, but also hard to resist. Visually, as well as thematically, it’s a distinctive book. The OGN is set two decades in the future, in a world in which China is now the dominant power. The story centers on former Special Forces soldier Kelly who has just been released from prison. As he reunites with his father and his former lover, he infiltrates his deceased brother’s twisted financial workplace to discover why he was killed.

Thankfully, the creators have put a generous 55 page preview online, which equates to the unique book’s first three chapters, so the curious are able to discover more. Their marketing strategy also included drawing blood from the pair at New York’s Chinatown, to be stamped on the preview covers of the book.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What was the genesis of the project? Did it begin with wanting to adapt The Art of War, or wanting to tell a future set story?

KELLY ROMAN: I wrote a first draft in 2006 that told a story of modern gang warfare, with Sun Tzu as a gang leader. I submitted it through an agent to publishers, along with a few pages of sample illustrations that Mike whipped up. That version got some great notes at Random House, but they ultimately passed on it. Around that time I became aware of the China Investment Corporation, the entity used by the Chinese government to invest a portion of their trillions in foreign exchange reserves. I was fascinated by the idea of a giant, state-owned hedge fund that answered to China's political leadership - something that could make huge investments on behalf of the Chinese People.

There was a recognition growing that China was on its way to surpassing us economically, which of course portends military and political supremacy down the road. It struck me that The Art of War would be better set in this kind of world, to reflect the modern rise of China and the fears people had of that rise. I also knew that China's capitalist evolution had the fingerprints of the US all over it - our consumerism largely paid for their rise while enslaving their workers, our banks and investors were driving up the Chinese stock market, our business practices and models were the blueprints for capitalism.

Which is kind of circular, because The Art of War is a bible of Wall Street. You remember Gordon Gekko quoting it in the movie Wall Street. So there was a tremendous amount of interconnectedness between this ancient text and what was happening in the world around me. I wondered what would happen in 20 or 30 years if the Chinese decided to apply military technology and tactics to defend their financial investments around the world. What if all nations did? Today the China Investment Corporation combined with their Social Security investment fund have over 800 Billion dollars under management. The idea of merging the military with high finance doesn't seem far fetched when you are talking about a country that is buying up stakes in natural resources and infrastructure - things that can benefit the Chinese People directly, like access to fresh water and fuel. In twenty years, there will be trillions invested by China around the world. In our graphic novel, Sun Tzu runs a militarized version of China Investment Corporation.

BF: The only other time I can think of blood being used in comics was with KISS back in the day. Will that be hard to top for your next project, and how did fans react?

ROMAN: Fans loved it. Whitney Matheson at Pop Candy was kind enough to write about it and 30,000 people read the 50-page sample for the book within a week. It wasn't just the fact we were having our blood extracted and stamped on book samples. I think people liked the metaphor - we called the event "Blood, Sweat and Tears" because we had devoted so much of our lives to making the book, and stamping our blood on it just seemed like the perfect symbolism. The video shows how much fun we had doing it.

MICHAEL DEWEESE: I still get a kick out of how people react to what we did. Some of my friends have actually gagged.

BF: Was making a 2500-year-old philosophy book relevant, and narrative driven, difficult?

ROMAN: What I found most difficult was matching the arc of the story with the ancient text, because I wanted to have the chapters of the graphic novel match the chapters of the ancient text, both in terms of subject matter and the order of the lines. The protagonist goes to work for Sun Tzu and writes down what Sun Tzu says in a journal, so that's how I integrated the lines from Sun Tzu without it seeming contrived. The original Art of War has 13 chapters, each with their own subject. The first chapter is called Laying Plans, which fits naturally into a narrative structure - when you are setting the stage for a story, you are "laying plans." However chapter 13 is called "The Use of Spies" and deals almost entirely with how to recruit and deploy spies. So I was confined to tell the story in a way that ended with the concept of spies - or at least a slightly metaphorical approach to the definition of spies. I took some liberty, but definitely made sure that every line of Sun Tzu is represented in a meaningful way by the story.

BF: You’ve created rich and scarily believable world here that touches on science, politics and corporate espionage. How much research was involved, from both a story and design standpoint?

ROMAN: I'll let Mike talk about the illustration influences, because he is pulling from many traditions. I wanted the book to have both a strong style but also retain a grittiness and an emotional rawness. I think Mike captured that. I love reading about global politics and finance and military technology. I read Danger Room and the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times all the time, and I guess you can call it research, but really it's just feeding natural curiosity. Some people like to say "write what you know" and I interpret that to mean "write what you are curious about." That way "research" isn't work - it's what you would be reading anyway.

DEWEESE:  I actually first started my research by going to the library and borrowing old, dusty books on Chinese artifacts and architecture that seemed interesting to use. I also used Google Images to reference things like Mao's Little Red Book, etc. From a design standpoint. I think the theme that most drove me was the idea of "cultural contrast,” in whichever aspect of the novel it applied. I wanted the Chinese influenced New York to look really jarring and elicit a visceral response from the reader. I also wanted the costume design to tell a story. For example, Sun Tzu is a traditionalist and his daughter is more modern. Whenever she wears something that is traditionally-based it's cut in a way that's almost blasphemous to what it's supposed to be. 

Aside from Chinese influences, I looked a lot to the artists I respected growing up for inspiration; Wally Wood, Peter Cheung, and Kelley Jones. All of these artists have a real sinister quality going on "behind" the image you are seeing, so that's what I focused on more than anything else. I want someone to feel entranced or drug induced when they read the book. I would feel proud of myself if I learned someone got an upset stomach while looking at the art. Because the graphic novel is actually Kelly's journal in the story, I wanted to embrace the hand drawn aspect of it and make it a bit more gestural. A lot of comic book art looks a little too controlled and stiff to me and more than anything I wanted to avoid that. Whenever I see a comic book artist’s original pencils I tend to prefer them over the final drawings.

BF: How did the two of you come to work on this project together?

ROMAN: I used to be an executive at Nielsen Media, and I created something called the Book Video Awards, and Mike was one of the winners of the competition. I saw his artwork, essentially storyboards for a video shoot, and I immediately knew he had huge talent. I actually got into Harvard on my art portfolio and have been drawing and painting since I was a kid and so I have a fairly advanced eye that helped me identify Mike's facility for drawing. Mike has this amazing combination of raw self taught aesthetic mixed with a knowledge of art history and formal technique. He knows about Caravaggio and bounce light, but he also delivers a totally personal, raw aesthetic that makes his work utterly unique and impossible to copy. He is less concerned with perfect anatomy than he is with perfect attitude and emotional veracity, which gives his work so much life on the page.

DEWEESE: Thank you Kelly! Though it's good that Kelly was there at times to keep me in check. Sometimes my drawings would get a little too stylized and abstract (sloppy might be the proper adjective) and I would have to go back and just tweak things up.  

BF: How did you come to work with HarperCollins?

ROMAN: My agent at the time, Mollie Glick at Foundry, locked in a lunch meeting with editor Mauro DiPreta who is known for acquiring the bestseller Marley & Me. Obviously Marley & Me is a far cry from The Art of War in terms of subject matter, although there are very special dogs in The Art of War, but Mauro has great instincts for discerning the broad commercial potential of what may otherwise appear to be a niche book. The Art of War is certainly that - the genre is rooted in the comic book community, but the content speaks to a much broader audience because the original Art of War is read by millions of people who have never read a graphic novel. I clicked with Mauro and Will Hinton at lunch and we had a deal. Mauro ended up leaving Harper and Will Hinton was really the guy who did most of the editing, which worked out beautifully.

Now, keep in mind Harper bought the book in June 2008, a few months before the market crash, and gave us what today would be an enormous advance for a graphic novel - it would be much harder today to sell it, because publishing companies, just like movie studios, have become even more conservative in this economy that takes few prisoners. I think the real model today that makes sense for authors with a strong vision is 50 Shades of Grey, in which you self publish something first, build a rabid following, and then let the publishers fight for it. If I was writing The Art of War today, that's probably the route I would attempt to take.

BF: What’s next for you both?

ROMAN: I'm working with ICM to explore TV Series options for The Art of War. The show will essentially be a survival thriller set in a futuristic New York that's been somewhat culturally transformed into a Chinese colony.  Instead of zombies, we have people who subject themselves to exotic biotechnology in order to get ahead in business and robotic drones of all shapes and sizes. We'll see, it's fun to explore. I've also written a synopsis for a near-future actioner that I'm shopping to a couple of production companies, and I'm starting work on what may be my next graphic novel or prose novel, not sure.

DEWEESE: I'm trying to get in touch with my first love...animation. I'm using After Effects right now to create book trailers to promote Art of War by animating the artwork from the book. HarperCollins is going to release these trailers and I think they are going to blow away people's notion of a cheesy book trailer. Stay tuned!

The Art of War is an Original Graphic Novel which will be available on July 31 from Kelly Roman and Michael DeWeese. It will retail for $22.99 and is 352 pages.

Nostalgia has proved that audiences are willing to relive their fond memories of pop culture days gone by. It's also proved to be profitable, as witnessed by Hollywood's attempt to exploit every film, TV show, cartoon or even board game from the hallowed halls of history.

Now those who were in one the early days of gaming can rejoice that some of their favourite concepts and characters are returning; this time in the form of webcomics, which makes sense as an ongoing storytelling form. Namco Bandai have a lot of hidden gems in their gaming back catalogue and realise that there's still life in these old heroes and their epic battles. ShiftyLook recently launched, with webcomics based on Sky Kid, Xevious, Bravoman and Alien Confidential. Scar now joins other additions this month, Rocket Fox, and The Five-Dimensional Adventures of Dirk Davies, by Ben McCool and Dean Haspiel. If that wasn't enough ShiftyLook have also announced that from May 2 Rapid Thunder will debut from Jimmy Palmiotti and Juan Santacruz. 

Scar is written by Edmund Shern, the scribe behind Radical Publishing's thrilling Freedom Formula, and artist Skan Srisuwan.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What’s the aim of ShiftyLook?

EDMUND SHERN: I see it as a celebration of Namco Bandai's library of great titles and the incredible opportunities for storytelling that they present for a whole new audience.

BF: Were you already familiar with Scar, or any of the other Namco Bandai properties?

SHERN: I have always been a huge fan of many Namco Bandai games. I'm obsessive over the Soul Calibur series and also oldies such as Xevious and Galaga. In fact I was angling to get the Xevious and Galaga job but Xevious was already assigned. I'm still hoping I get a shot at Galaga though! As for Scar's original game, Genpei Tomaden, I wasn't familiar with the original game but I have seen the lead character in other games such as Tekken.

BF: How did you come on board this project?

SHERN: I was very flattered when Namco Bandai's team actually flew to Singapore to meet me to discuss this (and enjoy a great Chilli Crab meal in the process)! I didn't need to be asked twice!

BF: What’s the original Genpei Tomaden about, and how have you updated it?

SHERN: The original game was about a ronin who had been resurrected in the underworld where he has to battle yokai (Japanese mythological monsters). In looking to update the title, I felt that trying to find a way to ground the story would make it easier for readers to find opportunities for empathy. So I kept the resurrection idea but I still wanted him to wake up to a nightmare,  so I sent him to a post-apocalyptic future - except that it’s not our future but his!

BF: What’s the relevance of the new name Scar, apart from being much easier to pronounce?

SHERN: Coming up with a more accessible name was definitely the original impetus for the name change. Obviously the name Scar has layers and layers of meanings. Not only is Scar a blight on the bad guy's plans for domination, the corruption of the future technology could also be said to be a scar on the past. But also I wanted a name for a conflicted character that wasn't a real name. I took a lot of inspiration from the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns in which the hero never had a real name, but was referred to as a Pale Rider or some drifter. Because of our hero's mask, most assume that he has some terrible scar on his face so the nickname becomes a calling card for something larger than reality.

BF: How long is the story you’ll be telling?

SHERN: So far I'm loving the process and I can see myself going with this story for years and years. The way I'm approaching it, it really should run like a seamless series of story arcs, like how the old newspaper strips would go.

BF: Skan Srisuwan’s visuals are fantastic. How did he come to the project?

SHERN: I've been working with Skan on various projects for many, many years now. In fact when we first collaborated, he was still using a mouse to produce some insane artwork. Skan and I now have the ability to work without the need for too much articulation and we are completely in sync. He was my first choice. And now he comes backed by artists from Studio HIVE.

BF: What else is on your plate, and what keeps you busy outside of writing comics?

SHERN: I'm writing a few stand up shows for some popular local comedians, trying to stay updated on design software and also managing some work for hire projects for game titles and book titles.

Scar is a free webcomic, which updates every Monday and Thusday. It is written by Edmund Shern with art by Skan Srisuwan.

The Wild West has been a touchstone of pop culture for decades, from the John Wayne era to Back to the Future and everything in between. The untamed American frontier and the characters associated with the tumultuous time have held an allure for all kinds of storytellers and audiences. Holliday, an upcoming OGN from Oni Press adapts the familiar historical characters from America’s past in to a gritty urban noir filled with swearing, shooting and a dangerous world where lives are often disposable. Holliday’s scribe, Nate Bowden has previously released the two volume series Riding Shotgun from Tokyopop; a dark comedy about the legalization of assassination, and for Holliday is joined by artist Doug Dabbs, who has also completed projects for Desperado, and White Wolf Publishing.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What makes the legend of Doc Holliday such a great fit for this story, and were you tempted to use other historical figures instead?

NATE BOWDEN: Well, this really is Holliday’s story, so other historical figures were never really a consideration. What we’ve tried to do here is illustrate what a catalyst Holliday was to the shoot out and the war that Wyatt Earp ultimately waged afterwards. Doc was in the thick of it and the Earp brothers’ motivation was primarily to do right by him.

BF: Were you always interested in the Wild West?

BOWDEN: Oddly enough, no. When I was a kid I never got into it. I was in high school when Tombstone came out and that was my first real exposure to the Wild West. In college and after I really got interested in the characters and stories that came out of that era. Now I even refer to my first two graphic novels, Riding Shotgun Vol. 1+ 2 as westerns.

DOUG DABBS: I’ve always had somewhat of an interest in the Wild West, but it has become much stronger the older I’ve become. This is probably because of the mystique that surrounds the time period. America as a whole is a pretty young stew of various cultures and races. With that, we tend to lack the unique historical identities that older nations have. One American exception is the Wild West’s cowboy – that is strictly Americana. Even Sergio Toppi talked about the mystique of the Wild West while growing up in Italy – that’s pretty cool!

BF: Holliday is very much a gritty, noir-ish tale set in the here and now. It’s more Sopranos than Tombstone. Did you consider setting it in an earlier time so you could use horses and six shooters?

BOWDEN: Setting Holliday in the modern era was supposed to be the hook that made this retelling a little different. We were trying to avoid those horses and six shooters, but as I continued writing, it was unsettling how easily the tale of a bloody shoot out in the lawless west could be adapted to an urban setting. We didn’t make many changes from the actual events of 1881, and the roles fit so believably into 21^st century America that makes you wonder if we’re truly moving forward at all. It’s kinda scary actually.

DABBS: Nate’s vision for the story was for it to be set in present day. We talked about bringing in some Wild West elements, but I think most readers have been saturated by so many stories based during that historical period. One interesting element of the Holliday story is that so many of the events that happened back then could still happen today. On the other hand, some of the events were so unbelievable, that it could be hard to relate to in present day. In general, people tend to dismiss amazing events because they happened so long ago and have little to no relatable characteristics. Putting this story in the present really reinforces the idea that this actually happened, and if it happened today, it would still be legendary. 

BF: How much research did you do in regards to the actual history of these characters and their interactions with each other? I know you’ve used Doc’s actual past as a dentist, and his ill health in the story but was there anything you left on the cutting room floor as it didn’t fit the story?

BOWDEN: I read Karen Holliday Tanner’s biography of Doc and referenced three others for facts regarding history. The thing is, so little has survived the passage of time that a lot of the truth is of some conjecture. There is a lot on the cutting room floor but I think the largest missing component is Wyatt’s involvement with Josephine Marcus and how it soured his relationship with his wife and Sheriff (Captain) Behan. It was a big part of the “Shoot out at the O.K. Corral,” but others have already covered that. What’s habitually left out of the story is what made it into Holliday.

DABBS: As far as character designs, I decided to trim their mustaches just a bit! I’m not sure having more hair on your lip than your head would work in a present day setting. Well, unless you are Sam Elliott. On a serious note though, I did do quite a bit of historical research on the characters and OK Corral shoot out. I really wanted each character’s posture, expressions, and physical characteristics to mimic their personality. This is always important in story telling, however, it was even more integral to this story since it was set in present day and was not a period piece. So, even though the characters are not photographic reproductions of their characters, the spirit of who they were in history is there.  

BF: The art fits the tale perfectly. How much discussion was there on finding the right look?

BOWDEN: The art in this book is absolutely beautiful. After seeing what Doug did with this book I couldn’t imagine it with another artist. There was some discussion with our editor, James Lucas Jones, on what I wanted the book to look like and when he had Doug do the sample pages for the other editors at Oni, it sealed the deal for everyone.

DABBS: Thanks, I’m really glad you thought so! For me, the look was not about making things look edgy for the sake of being edgy. The story will do that on its own. I focused on visually making the storytelling clear and pushing the intended mood for each scene. I also didn’t want to oversell anything visually. Facial expressions, moments of intense action and gestures all needed to have a very natural appearance. Because this is such a gritty book based on actual historical events, but set in the present, I took a more documentary approach in the style. I wanted the reader to feel that these characters actually existed and are historically important. HBO’s The Wire was a huge influence on me in that regard.

Nate was always a big supporter of my artistic style for the book, which is always a great vote of confidence. There’s a definite transition in the artwork from the beginning of the story to the end. The beginning artwork is a bit more graphic, and as the story progresses, the artwork gets more detailed and descriptive. I really wanted this to mimic the progression of the complexity of the story and characters. Stylistic choices like that were always made to service the story. 

BF: How did you both come to work with one another?

BOWDEN: As my last answer suggests, Oni teamed us up and I’m glad they did.

DABBS: Oni gave me Nate’s pitch for Holliday and wanted to know if it was something that I was interested in. I loved the approach of combining crime with a modern take on important historical events. It was a great experience working on it, and I hope readers have as much fun reading it.

BF: What drew you to Oni?

BOWDEN: This industry is a lot about networking. I was coming off two publications with TokyoPop where I had lost creative control of the characters my partner and I had created for them. Oni promises ownership and control of the property, which I loved, but they have a stake in your success as well, so you get to work with talented people that have your best interests at heart. That’s the real draw.

DABBS: First of all, Oni is an amazing company to work for. I really appreciate the creative freedom that it gives, which is evident in the many great books they publish. When they hired me, they trusted me and my artistic choices. They let me do my thing and that’s a rare thing in a creative-based industry.

BF: What keeps you busy outside of creating comics?

 BOWDEN: Well, I have my lovely wife Jami, of nearly two years, and our puppy, Grover to fill my weekends and I manage the textbook department for the SCAD University of Creative Careers bookstore, which at times seems like more than a full time job. But I love poker,  comics, and baseball season has just started up!

DABBS: I’m a full-time professor in the sequential art and foundations studies departments at Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta campus. The students and fellow professors are amazing. All of the professors, like Shawn Crystal, Chris Schweizer, Nolan Woodard, Chris Starros, and June Brigman, are currently working in the comics industry and are extremely talented. I also spend a lot of time with my wife, Nicole. So teaching and spending time with my wife take up the most amount of time outside of comics.

BF: Are they any comics or TV shows that you’re loving right now?

BOWDEN: How good is The Walking Dead right now? Oh my God this f*cking show! The characters are real, the zombies drive the story without being the focus. It’s that hour of television you look forward to each week. But Holliday benefits mostly from my love of HBO’s The Wire, from David Simon. It is simply brilliant. The Wire shows us the drama in our own reality that we all look right past everyday. It is easily my favorite bit of story telling because it unfolds so slowly, pulls no punches and it has something to say. Any fan of the show will see its obvious influence on our book.

DABBS: There are many comics that have influenced me in one way or another, but the most current one is Vertigo’s Scalped. Jason Aaron is one of the best writers in the industry and R.M. Guéra’s art, especially environments, is a constant influence.

I don’t want a lot of TV, but when I do, it’s usually Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, or Game of Thrones. When drawing, I’ll put in past episodes or listen to commentaries of The Wire, Deadwood, Arrested Development, The Wire, any soccer and NFL game, or The Wire. Oh yeah, The Wire is really good too.

I also watch a lot of movies. I love movies for not only their entertainment value, but also for studying the storytelling medium. You can’t go wrong with Hitchcock for entertainment and amazing storytelling. I actually have a top five, ten, and twenty list of my favorite films – it’s sad, I know.

Holliday is a 192 page, black and white original graphic novel from Nate Bowden and Doug Dabbs. It will be released by Oni Press on May 23. It retails for $19.99.

Baby’s in Black HC
Arne Bellstory (W and A), :01 First Second, $24.99

Chronicling the famous fab-four, The Beatles, and their time in Hamburg, Germany, Baby’s in Black promises to deliver an intimate exploration of the world’s favorite band at the beginning of their careers.  Told through the eyes of the “fifth Beatle” Stuart Sutcliffe and his love Astrid Kirchherr, Baby’s in Black offers fans and new readers alike the rare chance a rare glimpse at the heart of The Beatles before their fandom, and the story that took place behind the TV spots and magazine shoots.

***

Dan the Unharmable #1
David Lapham (W), Rafael Ortiz (A), Avatar Press, $3.99

Eisner Award winning writer David Lapham may be pumping out this week’s most original and fun title.  Imagine being a lazy sloth with no concrete ties to friends or family.  Now imagine that you’re a private detective.  Now imagine that your lazy detective body can never be harmed, not by beating, punching, kicking, shooting, or burning.  How would that impact crime and the world?  Lapham aims to discover the answer to all these questions and more in his new title, where the lead invulnerable character, Dan, faces the toughest job of his life, accepting fatherhood. 

***

Deathstroke #9
Rob Liefeld (W and A), DC Comics, $2.99

Kyle Higgins’ run on Deathstroke was tragically cut short as 1990’s “mega-star” Rob Liefeld packs his ammunition and weapons to take over the assassin’s series.  Several of Liefeld’s titles have recently witnessed their rebirth over at indie publisher Image Comics, yet now Liefeld aims to dominate several of DC’s New 52 books, including The Savage Hawkman.  In his first effort to revive the floundering Deathstroke, Liefeld will pit the hilarious and deadly Lobo against DC’s most deadly assassin, Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke.  How much of Wilson’s battle against Lobo will be business, and how much will be pleasure, will be answered as the title hits this week.

***

Higher Earth #1
Sam Humphries (W), Carlos Magno (A), Boom Studios, $1.00

Sam Humphries continues to pump out content like a well-oiled writing machine.  Following up the hugely successful titles Our Love is Real, Sacrifice, and Fanboys vs. Zombies comes Higher Earth, Humphries’ first foray into the epic sci-fi genre.  In this creative spin on home-world assault, Earth is will not be invaded by alien enemies from distant worlds, but rather from other Earths separate by the very fabric that connects all parallel universes.  Higher Earth is not merely a sci-fi war tale, however, as Humphries develops two characters who come together for different reasons, yet both want to free their planet from tyranny.  Humphries’ has conquered the comics industry over the past year, and Higher Earth looks like the talented new writer is aiming to continue his domination. 

***

Mystery in Space (One Shot)
Andy Diggle (W), Michael Alfred (W), Paul Pope (A), DC Comics, $7.99

In this massive space anthology from DC Comics, readers will blast off into countless “mysterious places in space.”  In Michael Alfred’s offering, readers will strap in and blast off to the edge of the Milky Way where the space-heist the size of a galaxy is stealing its way across the cosmos.  With numerous additional stories packed with Alfred’s, including offerings from Andy Diggle and more, Mystery in Space’s adventures will surely be worth the larger price tag.

***

Oz Ozma of Oz TPB
Eric Shanower (W), Skottie Young (A), Marvel Comics, $19.99

We’re not in Kansas anymore.  But we’re not in Oz, either.  Dorothy unexpectedly lands in the world of Ev, home of the Billina the chicken, Tik-Tok the mechanical clock, and more, as L. Frank Baum’s classic story is adapted by Eric Shanower and the amazing Skottie Young for the comics medium.  The pair’s Oz work has awarded them countless honors and praise, and if you sadly missed the opportunity to catch this amazing series when it was first releases, the TPB is the perfect chance to catch up on Dorothy’s adventures across Baum’s world.

***

Takio #1
Brian Michael Bendis (W), Michael Avon Oeming (A), Marvel Comics, $3.95

Last year’s Takio OGN from Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Oeming was a massive all-ages hit.  Now, the two responsible for Takio and the similarly beloved, Powers, brings a new monthly title featuring the superhero sisters, Taki and Olivia, to the pages of Marvel Comics.  The original Takio title earned the pair a 2012 YASLA Great Graphic Novel for Teens Award, proving that their work was one of the best releases of the year, which the two are hoping to recreate with a brand new and fresh monthly.

***

Trio #1
John Byrne (W), IDW Publishing, $3.99

Prepare your eyes and ears for John Byrne’s Trio as sound effects dominate the pages of the famed writer’s new series, Trio.  Rock, Paper, and Scissors, better known by their codenames, One, Two, and Three will be joining Byrne as he returns to his superhero roots.  With a new series, characters, and an indie publisher, however, anything will be possible when Trio hits the stands.

Inside Look is Broken Frontier's director’s commentary-like feature in which creators take you behind the scenes of one of their latest comics to hit the stands. In this edition, as part of our Image Month celebrations writer Mark Poulton gives us the lowdown on Avengelyne #8 with art by Owen Gieni.

Avengelyne 8 is the second part of our “The Hunt” storyline, which finds Priest on the run from the authorities after his vigilante killing spree. This particular part of the story finds Priest and Avengelyne taken custody by the War Dogs, a superhero team, artist Owen Gieni and I created for the series. It’s a huge thrill to create our own superhero team that is now part of the Image and Extreme Universe.

While the War Dogs, Avengelyne, and Priest play prominent roles in this issue, the main developments in the story center around two of our supporting characters, Heaven, and the Angel of Death, Passover, as you will see below.

Page 4

Last issue, Passover had his teleportation staff stolen by the War Dogs’ resident teleporter, Safe. Needless to say, Passover was not happy. He eventually catches up to the War Dogs’ caravan and is out for blood.

Throughout the series we have hinted at Passover’s disdain for humans. He is often confused in the faith Avengelyne has for them. It’s a fine line to walk for one of God’s angels and it’s a line he’s close to crossing in this issue. Avengelyne basically has to talk him off the cliff before he does something he’ll regret.

As for Safe, he was a character I initially had no handle on writing when coming up with their backstory. The other War Dogs seemed more interesting to me, but as I started writing issue 7, Safe came alive to me and his personality started to develop. If we ever get to do a War Dogs oneshot or mini-series, we’ll have a lot of fun with him.

Page 6

This page shows the further tension building between Passover and Avengelyne. As the Angel of Death, God has entrusted Passover with killing who he sees fit and he does not like Avengelyne telling him what do. Her warnings are wearing on him. In fact, he drives the point home in panel 4 where he reminds her with one of them has fallen from grace. One of the things, I’ve tried to establish is the longer Passover is on the Earth, the more human he is becoming with his emotions.

Owen does a fantastic job capturing the emotions of the characters. Even with his helmet on, Owen can show the anger in Passover through his eyes. Owen has often said he sees the eye holes in Passover’s helmet, much like the eyes in Spider-Man’s mask. They are so expressive.

Page 7

This page was written specifically for Owen. He asked me to write a page in the classic nine panel grid. Personally, I like to keep the pages to 4 or 5 panels. 6 panels is the most I will go, so this was a big challenge for me. However, I thought a fight scene between Passover and the War Dogs’ leader, Vagabond, was the ideal place to give it a try.

I’m a huge action film fanatic, especially the action films of 90s. This was my homage to them, where the two good guys have a misunderstanding and fight it out. It leads to another of my homages on the following page…

Page 8

Any Hong Kong action fan knows this pose from John Woo films. Before I even started writing the fight scene between Passover and Vagabond, I knew I wanted this moment between them. In the series, they both wield one of the Five Holy Weapons. Passover is the owner of the Jesus Fire gun, while Vagabond has the gun the represents Redemption. I wanted this moment for Vagabond, so he could realize there are other weapons like that out there. Before this fight, he had zero knowledge of the gun. He’s a soldier who underwent experimentation to splice demon DNA with his own to better serve his country. In exchange, the country sold his soul to Lord B’Liale.

After dying in service to his country, Vagabond went to Hell. However, he fought for his redemption and literally crawled his way out of Hell. When he woke up back on Earth, he found the gun lying next to him. He had no clue how he got it until Passover explained the story.

I love the look of Vagabond. Owen really knocked it out of the park with his design. I think the sunglasses and face mask give him this air of mystery to him that is very reminiscent of Grifter from Wildcats, which was an obvious influence in the creation of the War Dogs.

For Passover, this is an important exchange because although he comes off very hard and seeing the world as black and white, he still shows some compassion for a man who is literally fighting his inner demon.

Page 15

In the first issue of this series, Heaven, was introduced as the person whose body Avengelyne’s angelic essence chose to be its host when her body was in danger. Eventually, Avengelyne would get her original body back, but I thought it would be really interesting to explore why Avengelyne’s essence chose Heaven to be the host. On the outside, she seemed liked the least likely host, but as we’ll learn more about her we’ll soon discover she is a very powerful player in the war between good and evil.

This page shows her having an exchange with Father Peter, when Passover and Avengelyne teleport into the church with an unconscious Priest. This is the first time Heaven learns that Avengelyne is a fallen angel. She was under the impression she was just a friend of the church, because Heaven has no recollection of the time that Avengelyne was in possession of her body. But now seeing Passover and Avengelyne, her memories of where she was during that time quickly start coming back to her.

Page 17

Here’s our first flashback of Heaven’s time while Avengelyne was in possession of her body on Earth. Heaven was at the gates of Heaven with an army of angels, the Warhost, bowing before her. Who she really is and what power she has will be told as we continue this series.

It’s something Owen and I mapped out as part of a two year long storyline. It has been really exciting seeing our plans we put together back in Christmas of 2010 when we were first told the book was greenlit by Image slowly unfold over the course of the monthly series.

Page 20

This is our issue 8 cliffhanger! We have been hinting since issue 2 that Passover was not showing his true face and that you would know when the Face of Death was calling for you.

In this page, Passover has had enough with Priest. Avengelyne has fought him for the past couple issues telling Passover that Father Michael could be saved. Passover, however, had believed that as Priest, Father Michael had been possessed by evil and was too far too be redeemed. This proves Passover correct. When he goes to eat the soul of Father Michael, he starts to pull a demonic presence out of his body. It’s truly a great page to end on as we see good and evil in an ultimate confrontation! And how about those colors by Owen Gieni and Dexter Weeks?! It’s a thing of beauty.

Avengelyne #8 is out now from Image Comics priced $2.99.

Best known for his Image titles, Existance 2.0, Morning Glories, and the recent Thief of Thieves, writer Nick Spencer is one creator who has truly grown up through Image Comics.  Hitting the comics scene in 2009, Spencer has gone from writing small three issue mini-series’ to collaborating with some of the biggest and most well known creators in the entire industry. 

Though his work eventually caused DC and Marvel to take notice, Spencer continues to return to Image to churn out his most personal work.  How did Image influence his style and both a fan, and then creator?  Find out  below!

BROKEN FRONTIER:  This year marks the 20th anniversary of Image Comics, from the perspective of both a reader and creator how has Image evolved over the past two decades?

NICK SPENCER:  When it started, it was very much about the founders and their books; it was an exciting move that brought the best talents from the big two under one umbrella and let them run wild with their own ideas. It was a huge moment for independent comics, for creator’s rights, and for the industry altogether.

What it has become, though, is something I would argue is much greater, and much more important-- a place anyone with talent and a good idea can go, and tell their story the way they intend to, and keep ownership of that idea as long as they see fit. It’s not just the best deal in comics-- it’s probably the best deal in all entertainment.

It’s a creator-first approach that frees people to make the best work possible with the knowledge that if it’s successful, they’ll be the ones who see the reward. What it’s brought us is an amazing range of stories across all mediums. If you look at a bookshelf of Image books, you are looking at labors of love, and you’re reading them with the knowledge that the people who made those books are the ones who benefit from your attention.

BF:  Were you into any Image books from the start?

SPENCER:  Oh, pretty much all of them. I was the perfect age for that stuff. It was an exciting time. You felt like you were there for the start of something. I think to some extent, that’s something we’re missing a lot in super-hero comics these days. There’s so much playing within the established histories and continuities, so much emphasis on revising and re-telling, it’s easy to forget how much fun it can be to just show up with ten new characters or teams or whatever, and go crazy with them.

BF:  Are there any series in particular in the company’s history that really appealed to you and helped form your own creative voice?

SPENCER: I think the first to really have that kind of effect on me was THE MAXX. That’s a special book. That was maybe my first exposure to gnostic concepts, and just the focus on these extraordinarily damaged everyday people... It holds up. It was Philip K. Dick for me before I had Philip K. Dick. I wish I saw more people talking about that book, because I really think it’s a modern classic.

BF:  It seems fate brought you to Image’s doorstep, because you made your first comic book pitches at Marvel and Oni, which were all rejected, before Jim Valentino took a chance on you. Since almost a decade had gone by between your first pitch to Marvel and your first pitch to Image, I assume you never lost confidence that someday, everything would work out?

SPENCER:  Ha, well, truth be told, I didn’t think about it too much during that stretch. I barely wrote anything, let alone pitched. But when I looked at it again, when I sat down and started coming up with stories and getting serious about, Image was certainly where I felt I needed to be. So it’s nice to be a part of the team now.

BF:  Image Comics published some of your earliest projects like Existence 2.0 and Existence 3.0, then the intensely mind-bending Infinite Vacation, and your longest running title, Morning Glories.  Many of these titles are grounded in worlds that requires readers to interact, think, and truly pay close attention to the story.  Do you think that Image’s willingness to explore new creators and projects was vital to those books’ publication?

SPENCER: Oh, without a doubt. To the first part, let’s be honest-- there are very few places a writer with no credentials and few pages worth of a submission can go. The fact that Image even exists is, for creators in that situation, a lucky break. That there’s a company that will look through the slush pile and really consider taking in someone off the street and give them the same deal they’d give an established pro-- that’s amazing.

To the other part, just as lucky for anyone, regardless of their place in the creative food chain, is the fact that that same company is willing to publish challenging, ambitious, not always readily-commercial work. A company that does that shouldn’t even exist, it’s a too-good-to-be-true scenario.

I’ve never had to worry about sales numbers or corporate mandates or someone else’s idea of what my book should be-- I’m empowered to just make the books I want to make and tell the stories I want to tell. That’s an incredibly fulfilling proposition for a creator.

BF:  Morning Glories has been quite successful and popular throughout the industry, leading to rumors about a television pilot.  Is there any new information about adapting Morning Glories for a new medium and audience?

SPENCER:  No news yet, no. I know there’s a lot of enthusiasm out there for the idea. I know a lot of people see it as an easy one to transition. I take a lot of influences from outside comics and bring them in, so I think a lot of my work reads ‘screen friendly’ to people. But at the same time, I think there are unique challenges to translating a story like this to television, and I want to make sure if we do it, it doesn’t adversely affect what we’ve built here in the pages of the book.

BF:  Not all of your books are so heavily science-fiction focused.  The recently released Thief of Thieves is a deeply character based project that focuses on the now retired “King of Thieves,” Conrad Paulson (aka Redmond).  What was the inspiration for this stellar book?

SPENCER:  Well, the inspiration is more for Robert to talk about, really, but I can say when he showed me the document he’d put together for the story-- which was a sort of broad rundown of the entire cast intermingled with ideas for plot points over the first twenty or so issues-- I was so impressed by it. It was a story I had to be a part of telling.

BF:  Thieves also sees you partnering with Image Comics giant, Robert Kirkman.  Is the creative process of Thieves vastly different than your solo works?

SPENCER:  I’m very conscious of the fact that this is Robert’s story, and I view myself as a caretaker of sorts. Even more so than when working on a Marvel or DC book, really, because this isn’t something that’s passed down for generations and you can argue has really become a sort of public trust. This came from one writer’s head-- and it’s my responsibility to take his ideas, and try to communicate them to the audience as effectively as I know how.

BF:  The recent Image Expo gave the industry the bloody first taste of another forthcoming project, Bedlam.  What is the deadly mystery behind Bedlam’s lead character, Fillmore Press?

SPENCER:  Press was once Madder Red; a homicidal maniac and criminal overlord who ruled the city of Bedlam for years. After his most vicious crime spree, he is finally brought to justice, and administered an experimental treatment that cures him of his mania.

After a period of supervision that confirms his restored sanity, he’s released, given a new identity, and put into transitional housing for former mental patients. From there, he starts obsessively and compulsively solving crimes in the city he used to terrorize. It’s a big story about regret, retribution, and redemption set in a teeming Rust Belt metropolis that’s a character of it’s own.

BF:  What can readers expect from Bedlam’s artist, Riley Rossmo?

SPENCER: Anyone who has seen Riley’s work on Proof, Cowboy Ninja Viking, Green Wake, or Rebel Blood knows what he’s capable of. He’s got such a distinctive, expressive style, something that’s his and his alone. He conveys tone and atmosphere as well as anyone in the business, and he’s a consummate storyteller. His characters are alive on the page. I’m terribly excited about working with the guy, I think he’s really going to do something special here.

BF:  The last few years have seen you break into the mainstream comics world with small runs on several titles at both DC and Marvel Comics.  What is unique about Image and the avenue of creator owned properties that continues to draw you back?

SPENCER: Creator-owned comics will always be my first priority. I have a lot of fun at Marvel, and I’ve gotten to work with some great artists and editors there, telling stories with characters I’ve been reading since I was a kid. But I’m very proud that even last year, when I was doing all kinds of assignments for both Marvel & DC, I still managed to get out something like a dozen issues of creator-owned work. I never put it on hold.

That’s because I know, at the end of the day, that stuff is all you really have. No one can take it away, because it’s yours. There’s so much in this industry you can’t control, but at the end of the day, the books you own are under your charge completely. So I decided to build a house on that, and everything that comes elsewhere is just bonus. 

BF:  With Image being a “creator-owned” publisher, how does the actual production of each book differ from your titles in the DC and Marvel Universes?

SPENCER: It’s much more hands-on. You’re involved in every step of the process. You have to create your own success. While the folks at Image are very helpful and supportive, at the end of the day, they’re just giving you the tools to excel. It’s up to you to use them. It requires a level of commitment much higher than just turning in a script, but the rewards are so much greater, too. And the obvious benefit of greater involvement is greater control-- you can rest assured that what you want the story to be is what winds up in the finished book, after all.

Shane and Chris Houghton, the dynamic duo behind all-ages title Reed Gunther, got together with Broken Frontier for a fantastic chat on everything from craft to industry...

BROKEN FRONTIER: To kick things off; are there any Image books that hold a special place on your bookshelves?

SHANE HOUGHTON: Image Comics has put out so many incredible books over the years! A few of my current favorites are Chew, Li’l Depressed Boy, Orc Stain, Skullkickers, and Elephantmen.

CHRIS HOUGHTON: Yeah, Shane and I tend to read a lot of the same stuff. We also love The Walking Dead, but who doesn’t? Thinking back, I remember trying to collect all of the Boof comics from Image. They were bizarre but there was something pretty fun about them.

SHANE: I also love Bone, and that was published for like, seven issues or something. Does that count?

BF: I’m sure we can let that one slide. So, Reed Gunther started life as a black & white indie before Image stepped in late into 2011. Was going after a publisher always the intention, or were you guys content doing the self-published thing?

SHANE: We submitted Reed Gunther to Image after self-publishing three issues. We were realizing that self-publishing is incredibly difficult and that we were much better with the creative side of things, rather than dealing with printers and distributing. With nothing to lose, we submitted to a few publishers hoping they would like our book enough so we could selfishly unload the dirty work on them. Image was our top choice and we were thrilled that they decided to let us join their fantastic line up of creator-owned comics.

CHRIS: We couldn’t be happier to be with Image. They let us do what we want and are there to support our efforts. It’s a lot like self-publishing but on a bigger scale and that’s exactly what we like about it.

BF: We don’t tend to see many sibling creative teams in comics, what was your relationship like growing up? Do sibling rivalries ever really end, and what do your parents think of your creative venture?

SHANE: Growing up, we had a blast creating and pretending together, and with creating Reed Gunther, I don’t think we stopped! Any rivalries we had usually lasted no longer than a day and a half. We have an older third brother and it would usually work that two of the three boys would team up against the other. But not for very long. Our parents are tremendously proud of us and have always been supportive of our creative endeavours. They are HUGE Reed Gunther fans! We have Reed Gunther bookmarks that we give away at cons and our mom carries a stack of them around in her purse to give out to friends, family, and complete strangers!

CHRIS: Our relationship as kids was always very strong between us brothers so it feels really natural to be working with Shane. I trust him and he trusts me and because of that we can knuckle down and get a lot of work done. I think Shane and I have always competed a bit but nothing more than healthy competition. And yes, our parents are incredibly supportive. Shane and I could’ve taken up underwater pole dancing and our parents would’ve still cheered us on.

BF: Where did the concept and world of Reed Gunther come from? Was it something you developed a decade ago as kids, or did one of you bring it to the table and let the other run wild?

SHANE: Chris originally came up with Reed and Sterling, but shelved the characters after the publication his original story was in went under. I loved the idea of a bear-riding cowboy and revamped the characters, created Starla to round out the trio, and set them in the wildly strange world they live in. Mostly, we just create a fun and goofy book with all the stuff we love crammed in it—adventure, monsters, and mustaches.

CHRIS: The characters and tone has really developed over the years and I think it’s only been in last few issues that we’ve really hit our stride. The characters are really taking on a life of their own and it’s up to us to rein them in!

BF: Before Reed Gunther, when I thought of cowboys I tended to think of dusty western towns and horses… not a dude riding a bear, fighting off crazy monsters. What’s the creative process behind each issue? Where do you draw your inspirations?

SHANE: Although Reed Gunther is set in the Wild West, we definitely embrace the “wild” side of that over the “western” part. Reed Gunther is an adventure book first and foremost, that just so happens to take place in the Old West. We love those old Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, tough-guy loner cowboy stories, but Reed takes his cues from tales like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Simpsons.

Additional inspirations (slash things Shane likes): The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, 30 Rock, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Toy Story (1&3)... and burritos.

CHRIS: Yeah, that kind of tough John Wayne character never really did anything for me. He’s tough and stoic and good with a gun and those are all things I can’t relate to. I’ve always been a small, goofy, non-threatening guy (Shane too, as much as he’ll stare you down to try and convince you otherwise). Indiana Jones or even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were my kind of heroes. Exciting and heroic, but still fun and vulnerable. I love that!

SHANE: Each issue starts out with a kernel of an idea. I usually get my best ideas while driving five miles-an-hour in Los Angeles traffic. I’ll jot down the idea and let it germinate in my head for a while. Then I’ll pitch it to Chris once I’ve figured out a good outline. Once he tells me, “Shane, you are the most talented and good-looking writer in the world. This script is brilliant!” I move forward. Without that EXACT combination of compliments, I will NOT move forward with my script. So if he wants to draw something, cough up the comps, knowwhatI’msayin’?

Sometimes I’ll start with a cool monster idea like a shark/crab combo, a reverse werewolf, or I’ll decide to bring John Henry back from the dead as a zombie. Once I’ve got a cool creature to fight, I’ll work in the “heart” of the story, whether it’s Reed realizing he’s too selfish, splitting up friendships, or giving tough-gal Starla an identity crisis. Sometimes Chris suggests something cool he would like to see in an issue like a monster or setting. In issue #8, the Starla issue, I had a great emotional story for Starla, but no monsters. Chris thought resurrected Native American mummies would be cool and BLAMMO! There they were.

Chris receives a complete script from me, then it’s on to drawing!

CHRIS: I read through Shane’s script and make notes and drawings to myself. I try to figure out the best way to “show” the story. Shane’s job is to write the story and my job is to tell that story. Shane sends me very descriptive scripts that are very fun to read and which really motivate me. I want the final product to give the reader the same feelings I get from just the script. I want things to read fast when they should and slow down when it’s necessary. I work out little thumbnail drawings of the characters actions and fit them into appropriate page layouts. After that’s done, it’s just a matter of putting in the long hours to draw and ink it before sending it off to our colorist, Josh Ulrich.

BF: You both have always had pretty interesting things to say on the position of all ages books in the comic market, and how they are oft misinterpreted as kids books. In your opinions; is there ever likely to be a divide?

SHANE: I can only hope that one day All-Ages comics and Kids comics will raise up with torches and pitchforks in hand and have a very, VERY bloody and violent fight. With lots of sex and swearing. Whoever emerges from that R-rated battle can call their book what they want. Until then, we like to say that kids books are for kids and all-ages books should be for everyone (just like the words mean!). Unfortunately, retailers often don’t have an “all-ages” section and lump those books in with the “kids” books. I don’t blame them. Superhero books used to be all-ages, but are no longer. Without more quality all-ages books coming out, there may not be an “all-ages” section away from the “kiddie” books. We applaud the retailers who stock us in both the kids section AND the adult section. You guys rock.

CHRIS: Yeah, everyone seems to be a bit guilty of mixing up the two. It’s a fine line between what makes a story all-ages or for kids since all-ages includes kids in its definition. It’s all so confusing!

BF: Many readers have noticed that a handy ‘One Shot’ indicator has replaced the ‘All-Ages’ label on the cover. Has the change helped sales and general awareness?

SHANE: I think our “One-Shot” star has definitely helped out. We started doing that on issue #6 to let folks know that certain issues are done-in-one, and that they can jump right in without ever having read a previous issue. I like when I pick up a book and it has a beginning, middle, and an end with twists and action and a little bit of heart. That’s what we’re going for with Reed, and the “One-Shot” logo let’s people know they’ll be getting a little dose of what they love about stories in every issue.

CHRIS: Comics seem to have a mentality that you can’t pick up issue #7 of a series, unless you’ve read issues #1-6. Usagi Yojimbo does a great job of keeping each issue self-contained enough for new readers and yet has a slightly over-arching storyline for the long-time readers. The sad part is most people don’t know that you can pick up any issue of Usagi Yojimbo or Jonah Hex, etc. and just enjoy that one issue. That’s why we finally decided to literally stamp “one-shot” on the cover of Reed Gunther as we’ve seen other series kind of do (Hellboy comes to mind). It’s helpful to us as readers and we only imagined our readers would enjoy that as well. Of course now I get people coming up to me asking, “What does ‘one-shot’ mean?” Haha, you just can’t win sometimes!

BF: This month the Fiends Forever arc wraps up, what can fans expect moving forward as we approach the one-year mark? Can you tease any future storylines!

SHANE: After issue #10, we’re taking a little hiatus to work on some exciting new projects together. Issue 10 is not the end of Reed Gunther (as you’ll find out, things are JUST getting started!) but there will be a short break. As for future storylines, we’ve toyed with doing an all-Sterling one-shot, Chris wants to draw a story with lots of snow (probably so he has less to draw. What a slacker!) and I want to bring Reed Gunther to the White House. Regardless, the future of Reed Gunther is going to be exciting and hilarious!

CHRIS: Yeah, I want to take Reed and the gang into different territories. They live in such an exciting time in America. There’s so much to explore and so many odd places to go. We have so many ideas for RG issues. As for me wanting to do a snow issue? Heck yeah! Can’t a guy get a break? But watch, Shane will write it so that each snowflake is a monster or something like that… Hey, that’s not a bad idea…

BF: Can you tell us about any work you do outside of Reed Gunther?

SHANE: Outside of writing comics (I also write for Peanuts and Casper’s Scare School), I work as a filmmaker. Recently, I’ve shot a web series for Comedy Central, I directed a promotional commercial for a video game controller company (which will air locally on New York TV!), but mostly I edit reality TV shows. I’m currently working on a Tattoo show that will air on TLC soon.

CHRIS: Besides working on Reed Gunther, I’ve been working in animation for a bit now. I was working at Nickelodeon on a couple of different productions (Fanboy and Chum Chum and Robot and Monster) and I just finished up working at Disney on a new production called Gravity Falls which will air this June. I’m also the regular cover artist on the Adventure Time comic book series.

BF: Lastly; would you like to see Reed Gunther cross over into any other mediums? I can’t help but imagine it as a glorious Saturday morning cartoon show. (Big question: would you have someone narrate Sterling’s thoughts, or leave him be as a mute?)

SHANE: We’ve had lots of folks tell us how much they would enjoy Reed Gunther as an animated show. So would we! However, in comics, you can go from an idea to final product on the shelves in about three or four months. In TV or film, it takes much, MUCH longer. We’re definitely not against the idea so if anyone wants to fund a TV show, just let us know. As for Sterling, I don’t think he’ll ever talk. Except in Reed’s fever dreams.

CHRIS: Animation is great and it’d be a lot of fun to take Reed and his friends into that medium. There’s also a lot more money at stake and the logistics of it all are much more complicated than creating a monthly comic book. We’d love to see it happen one day but for now, we’ll continue to make comics. And yeah, Sterling will never really talk. Reed babbles on enough for both of them.

“I absolutely love communicating in a pictorial language. I once heard Stephen King call writing "a form of telepathy", and I think comics take that even further. If writing is like telepathy, then comics must be like a kind of temporary Mind Control. And I say that with my tongue planted firmly in cheek. I get to lead the reader through a wide array of emotion, just with a few ink scratches on paper. It's pretty great.”
– Rob Guillory.

Broken Frontier has been celebrating 20 years of Image Comics, and while it’s easy enough to sit back and sing the celebrations of those titles that helped define the publisher all those years ago, it is also important to look towards those that are continuing to make Image the most exciting house of ideas imaginable.

Only three years on since its fantastic debut, Chew has moved from strength to strength, an incredible feat considering its almost universal fan and critical acclaim month in, month out. Initially centring on the Cibopathic Tony Chu, an FDA agent with the ability to see the past of anything he tastes, the book has since expanded to house a diverse cast that can only be described as borderline depraved. Humour, horror and move than a heavy helping of lunacy, what more could you want from a creator owned series? 

As volume five of this runaway hit series hits shelves this week, we borrowed some time from artist Rob Guillory's heavy schedule to talk about his influences, the development of Chew and how becoming a father has changed his work habits...

BROKEN FRONTIER: This month Broken Frontier is celebrating 20 unbelievable years of Image comics, are there any Image books that hold a special place on your bookshelves?

ROB GUILLORY: I think my personal fave is a big hardcover version of Bendis' run on Sam & Twitch. I really, really love that volume. Other than that, I have a bagged and boarded copy of Rob Liefeld's Brigade from the original Image launch that I still have a massive soft spot for, since I think it was the very first Image comic purchased by a 9-year-old Rob.

BF: Lets take a trip back in time as I know many people are interested in your influences. Were you always into comics as a kid? If so, which side of the fence did you fall on - Marvel or DC?

GUILLORY: I got into comics at a really young age, thanks to a couple cool uncles of mine that were really big comic fans. They had this big collection of old stuff from the 60s and 70s, so I still have a soft spot for that stuff. I was definitely more of a Marvel fan back then, and I still am. DC heroes were always like your parents, whereas Marvel heroes were like the reader, flaws and all. And I totally connected with that.

BF: In a time when many artists are more than content playing it safe with capes and tights convention, you showed up with a style and vision that is completely unique and your own. From whom do you draw inspiration and how have you developed your art style over the years?

GUILLORY: Well, as much as comics were an inspiration for me as a kid, I think animation was a bigger influence. I was a pretty big Chuck Jones and Tex Avery fan, so a lot of my sense of humor and sense of character acting comes from their cartoons. On top of that, my comic tastes have been pretty diverse over the years. I love everything from Steve Ditko, John Buscema and John Romita Jr., to more contemporary guys like Jim Mahfood, Dave Crosland and Gabriel Ba, to Japanese Manga artists like Akira Toriyama and Rumiko Takahashi.

All of these influences sort of meshed into this way of drawing a story that is just very natural to me. It's just like a handwriting. Back in 2001, when I decided to really give this comics-as-career thing a try, I just stripped down all of my drawing to simple, almost stick figure characters, focusing more on learning the fundamentals of storytelling than how to draw abs showing through spandex. And as I got the hang of it, I started experimenting more and adding new levels of detail. And over a 10-year span, my art evolved into what it is now.

I actually did a big post on my blog a while back, chronicling my style evolution. It's pretty in-depth, with tons of embarrassing old art, but I think it's helpful for young guys thinking about comics as a career.

Interiors from Chew #26

BF: Chew, despite the quite literal horror that runs throughout, Chew is an inherently fun book, thanks in no small part to the easter eggs you plant in every issue! What inspired the idea, and just how far in advance are you planting seeds for future storylines?

GUILLORY: The Easter eggs were inspired by Jim Mahfood's Stupid Comics and Dave Gibbons' art on Watchmen. Mahfood would always give cool shout-outs and music references in his art that I loved. And Gibbons' use of background detail- signs, notes, etc..- went a long way toward fleshing out the world of Watchmen beyond even Alan Moore's script. It gave a new dimension to the story that begged for multiple reads and rewarded the reader for paying attention, and I like that. I want the readers to be able to pick up Chew ten years from now, and still find something funny that they'd never noticed before. It's another way to give the reader the most enjoyment possible for their buck.

As for planting seeds for future stories... I don't want to spoil the surprise.

BF: You pencil, ink and colour all of your pages right? How much do you fall back on digital tools and have you ever thought about bringing anyone in to collaborate with?

GUILLORY: Well, I have a color assistant, Taylor Wells, who helps me with color separations. Then, I work out the shadows and lighting, texture and effects work. It's a lot of work, and I occasionally flirt with bringing in a full-time colorist, but I like finishing the page myself.

For me, each comic page is like giving birth. Drawing the page is the labor, and coloring it is like watching the work grow up and go to college. After all the sweat of drawing something from nothing, I really think it's the joy of finishing the page that keeps me feeling fulfilled and pushing on.

BF: Has John scripted anything so far that it's made you step back from the drawing board? Every issue you seem to push a new boundary in one way or another, and to say Chew hinges utter lunacy would be a gross understatement. 

GUILLORY: The scene at the beginning of Chew #25, featuring the 80-year-old woman in a bustier, complete with c-section scars and liver spots was pretty close to "too far". HA. But making her look that disgusting was really my fault.

Layman's actually very sensitive as a collaborator. He's always asking "Are you okay with drawing this?", and I've never had to refuse to draw anything. Gross stuff doesn't bother me, and we never throw in gross stuff just to be weird. Plus, neither of us are trying to make a political or religious statement with Chew, either. We're both just trying to make the best comic ever, so that keeps us on the same page.

BF: You and John are about half-way through the planned Chew story right? What can fans expect in the coming months – anything you can tease for us?

GUILLORY: Yeah, we're ending at issue #60, which should be in 4 years or so. I think the first half of Chew has been massive setup- introducing all these crazy characters, concepts and proving that they can work. I feel like the second half of Chew will be playing with the toys we've created in new ways. Lots of shifting of loyalties, heartbreak and death, all in the midst of still being a funny comic. The second half of the run is going to have some massive payoffs that I cannot wait to share with readers. I think they're going to be shocked how many seeds we've been planting will bear fruit later in the book. We've been playing a way longer game than most people think.

Upcoming covers from Chew #26-28

BF: You recently became a father, has this changed your work habits? Have you a new found desire to draw something he can enjoy and read as well… or are you still more than happy drawing a happy-go-lucky cannibal and his cyborg partner? 

GUILLORY: Becoming a father's forced me to be more disciplined in keeping a work schedule. I can't work all these crazy, random hours that I used to because it wouldn't be fair to my son, who is a pretty big fan of mine. So it's been good for my workflow and my general quality of life.

I think I'll definitely be doing something kid-friendly for my son down the road, but I'll never turn away from drawing these weird, more adult stories. I have a twisted sense of humor that way.

BF: Can fans expect to see your pencils turning up anywhere else anytime soon? I've been talking to people the last few days on Twitter and it seems there is a real desperation to see you on either a Spidey orTMNT title…

GUILLORY: I've got a few solo creator-owned things that I'm working on, but it'll be a while before I'm ready to talk about them. And I'm pretty sure Layman and I will be bugging Marvel about a Power Man & Iron Fist mini when Chew's done. And it's no secret that I would love to draw TMNT.

BF: Finally, when young artists look back on Chew in 20 years, what do you hope they will gleam from your work on Chew - What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

GUILLORY: I'm hoping I leave a legacy of being the best, hardest-working, funniest artist in comics. I really want to be the Will Eisner of ridiculously funny comics. And hopefully, it inspires a few folks to chase their crazy dreams, no matter how silly they seem.

"If this Rob guy can do it with this weird-ass art, then I can DEFINITELY do it!" HA.

Dial H #1
China Mieville (W), Mateus Santolouco (A), DC Comics, $2.99

This week marks the release of the second wave of DC’s New 52 titles.  DC’s unwavering commitment to the total 52 books brought the end of several lower performing titles, including O.M.A.C., Blackhawks, and Hawk & Dove.  Novelist China Mieville’s new rendition of Dial H is the first new release to stands, and if solicit text holds true, will continue to spotlight DC’s “dark and the edge” characters. 

The H Dial, a mysterious and ancient artifact, has fallen into the hands of a young teen who is about to tumble into an endless and obsessive rabbit hole that will challenge the very rules of reality.  The strangest of DC’s heroes and villains will be calling Dial H home, and when written by the Hugo Award Winning novelist, Dial H just may prove to another worthy addition to the New 52.

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Earth 2 #1
James Robinson (W), Nicola Scott (A), DC Comics, $2.99

Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, and the entire Justice Society of America have been sorely missed from the first few months of the New 52.  Now, along with Earth 2’s Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more, the JSA is finally set to blast DC’s alternate universes wide open. 

Readers will finally be reintroduced to several of DC’s legacy heroes, as well as fresh takes on Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman if they find the heroes' current New 52 demeanor less than agreeable.  James Robinson’s recent work with The Shade has proven the writer is still capable of creating fun, clever, and thoughtful titles, which will hopefully be translated to Earth 2.

***

GI Combat #1
JT Krull (W), Ariel Olivetti (A), DC Comics, $3.99

DC has revealed little about their new war title, GI Comabt, but if issue #1’s cover is evidence of anything, GI Combat will be one crazy ride.  In this 40 page introduction (including Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s Unknown Soldier backup), GI Combat will toss its characters into the brutal War That Time Forgot, where dinosaurs and other giants terrorize the landscape.  GI Combat will surely be a far cry from DC’s first war title, Men of War, making this not only a rebranding, but a complete fresh start.

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Worlds’ Finest #1
Paul Levitz (W), George Perez and Kevin Maguire (A), DC Comics, $ 2.99

Paul Levitz and George Perez, both of whom have moved on from their initial New 52 titles, join forces to bring another “Earth 2” title to stands.  Featuring two of DC’s most popular female characters, Huntress and (a now fully clothed) Power Girl, Worlds’ Finest will reveal how these two female leads survived the DC universe’s restructuring, and their move to calling Earth 1. 

Paul Levitz is an outstanding character writer, and along with George Perez’s legendary art talents, Worlds’ Finest will surely be a companion title to Earth 2, as both continue to explore DC’s vast lineup of beloved characters.

Are You My Mother: A Comics Drama HC
Alison Bechdel (W and A), $22.00

The fan and critically acclaimed Fun Home author, Alison Bechdel, returns with her second original offering, Are You My Mother: A Comics Drama.  Focusing on her novel devouring, music loving, acting aspiring mother, AYMM delves into more of Bechdel’s familial drama, including an exploration of an unsupportive marriage, and a developing rift between mother and daughter.  Though grounded in solemn moments, Beschdel’s search for life’s answers promises to deliver poignant and hilarious moments.  For fans of Fun Home, Alison Bechdel’s second offering is clearly a must read.

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Epic Kill #1
Raffaele Ienco (W), Image Comics, $2.99

Beyond Bechdel’s new hardcover release, this week is a gigantic week for new #1’s, starting with Image Comics’ brand new series, Epic Kill.  A young teenage assassin, Song, is out for revenge on the brand new US President, the very man responsible for the tragic death of her parents.  Hoping to preserve his undeserving life, this monstrous President dispatches every hitman and mercenary in his arsenal to take down the vengeful teen, who quickly find themselves outmatched as their innards spill across the floor.  With promises of “epic” death scenes dealt from Song’s hands, Epic Kill’s fresh protagonist definitely deserves a look.

***

Exiled #1
Kieron Gillen (W), Carmine Di Giandomenico (A), Marvel Comics, $2.99

Kieron Gillen’s new mini-series Exiled begins this week and claims to mix the greatest part of New Mutants with Journey Into Mystery.  Kieron Gillen’s work with the Norse god of Mischief, Loki, has been well respected throughout his tenure on Journey Into Mystery, a talent that will surely make its way into Exiled.  Little has been revealed about Gillen’s new title, but a heavy focus on the young Loki, as well as a promise of a powerful hero’s return, has created enough intrigue to make a look at Exiled #1 well worth the $2.99 price tag.  

***

Fury Max #1
Garth Ennis (W), Goran Parlov (A), Marvel Comics, $3.99

What happens when Marvel Comics pairs one of their greatest and most complex characters with a boundary pushing, no-holds-bar writer?  A brand new MAX title that follows Nick Fury’s secret agent operations told through the words of Preacher creator, Garth Ennis, is truly fantastic match.  Ennis and artist Goran Parlov’s previous Punisher MAX run proved that the pair is capable of creating dynamic and layered stories, and when those talents are combined with Nick Fury, Fury Max will surely surpass  Punisher’s greatness.

***

Garfield #1
Mark Evanier (W), Gary Barker (A), BOOM! Studios, $3.99

With the astonishing amount of adult focused new “#1’s,” who could possibly deny the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the world’s favorite lasagna-scarfing feline?  Garfield, Odie, and the rest of their animal pals break their way onto the all-ages pages of Garfield #1, where the hefty cat is sure to be caught causing all sorts of mischief.  All-ages stories not only offer a breather from “mature” titles, but often times tell the most fun and entertaining stories, which Garfield is sure to embody.

***

Mind the Gap #1
Jim McCann (W), Rodin Esquejo (A), Sonia Oback (A), Image Comics, $2.99

Mind the Gap is yet another brand-new Image title this week, one that continues to demonstrate Image’s non-stop freight train work ethic.  Mind the Gap will attempt to take the best of the who-done-it crime genre and transport it into a thrilling world where memories and mysteries are locked within the mind.  The combined art team of  Sonia Oback (S.H.I.E.L.D) and Rodin Esquejo (Morning Glories), moreover, almost guarantees that this psychological thriller will be one of the most beautiful books on the stands come Wednesday.

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The Spider #1
David Liss (W), Colton Worley (A), Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99

Joining the ranks of Dynamite Entertainment’s The Shadow is fellow pulp hero, The Spider, whose 21^st century also revival hits store shelves this week.  Decorated war hero Richard Wentworth dons his spider-web cowl and fedora, loads his pistols, and sharpens his wits all in an effort to take down crime across his city.  What could one man’s war on crime be without a diabolical villain, however, as The Spider’s new nemesis threatens his city with unimaginable horror.  Only this first issue will tell if The Spider’s revival will be as faithful as his comrade in crime-fighting, The Shadow, but if his return is similar, pulp crime will continue to thrive at Dynamite.