BEHIND THE SCENES on ZOMBIE-PROOF

When we first started working on the Zombie-Proof story "Zombie Zoo," it was going to be an annual with different artists illustrating different chapters. The only part that worked out -- no surprise to anyone who has worked with them -- was the chapter supplied by Brendan & Brian Fraim, my artists on Vampire, PA and my abele collaborators on other projects, most notably Antiques: The Comic Strip.

Another frequent partner in crime, Gene Gonzales, posed for reference photos for the gruesome death at the hands (paws, actually) of the zombie chihuahuas. Here's one of the great pages by the Fraims. You'll see others in the Zombie-Proof collected edition when that eventually happens (it's getting very close now).

While we changed a bit of the pacing, you'll see we used the same "camera" direction and similar pacing with my Zombie-Proof co-creator Vincent Spencer took his take on this scene (see previous blog entry).

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2011 (May 7, 2011)

On Saturday, May 7, 2011, participating retailers across North America (and some around the world) will host Free Comic Book Day 2011. On that day, those retailers will hand our comic books from Archie, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, DC, Marvel, IDW and may others free of charge.

Among the free comics will be The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics - Free Comic Book Day 2011, our latest effort.

Revised and expanded in reaction to retailer and reader requests! How do you collect comics? How do you take care of the comics you buy? How do you grade comics? How do you sell your comics? How do you evaluate their worth? From the team that brings you The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide come answers to these questions and more facing new collectors and experienced enthusiasts alike!

32 Pages, Full Color, Free

It's written by me (with help from Bailey Ball and some of our Overstreet Advisors), illustrated by Gene Gonzales, with photographs by Michael Solof, and designed and edited by Mark Huesman.

EXCLUSIVE BEDTIME STORIES FOR IMPRESSIONABLE CHILDREN #1 at VIRGINIA COMICON

Limited to 250 copies, the Virginia Comicon Exclusive edition of Bedtime Stories For Impressionable Children #1 will debut at the November 20-21, 2010 show in Richmond, VA.

This new horror anthology features three stories, including "One of Those Mother-Daughter Things" by yours truly, J.C. Vaughn, with Gene Gonzales (Tales of the Cherokee) and Mark Wheatley (Lone Justice, Blood of the Innocent) on art, "Life Stinks" by James Kuhoric (Dead Irons, Army of Darkness) and Joe Keatinge (PopGun), and "Madman / Dead Man" by Robert Tinnell (EZ Street, The Wicked West) and Rich Woodall. The host segments are illustrated by Michael Malbrough.

The covers are by Mark Wheatley (Cover A) and Jacob Jordan (Vampire, PA, Cover B). The sketch cover variant is by Wheatley.

In many ways, this is a dream project for me. Bedtime Stories was the first real attempt I made at writing a screenplay... as far back as high school. It represents that first time I have worked with Gene Gonzales and Mark Wheatley on the same project, and we have a lot of great creators working on stories for future issues.

BEDTIME STORIES FOR IMPRESSIONABLE CHILDREN

A brand new horror anthology in the spirit of the classics!

Meet Alonzo Del Vecchio, a former construction work forced by the tough economic times to become, much to just about everyone’s regret, a babysitter.

Modern horror masters James Kuhoric (Dead Irons, Army of Darkness), Robert Tinnell (The Black Forest, The Living and The Dead), Mark Wheatley (Breathtaker, Blood of the Innocent) and J.C. Vaughn (Vampire, PA, Zombie-Proof) provide a series of terrifying tales the babysitter probably should have left at home.

Covers by Mark Wheatley and Jacob Jordan.

32 pages, B&W $3.99

In the AUGUST 2010 issue of PREVIEWS, on sale in October!

Gene Gonzales, artist on the acclaimed Tales of the Cherokee, is now on board for Bedtime Stories for Impressionable Children #1. Gene and I have worked together many times over the years, most recently on The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, which was Gemstone Publishing's Free Comic Book Day 2010 offering.

More news to follow soon.