COMIC STRIPS ADDED!

At the bottom of the main page I've added four daily comic strips. Here's the line-up:

THE CHELATION KID by Robert Tinnell and Craig Taillefer.
All-new series. Really passionate, powerful stuff from Bob Tinnell.

AMERICA, JR. by Todd Livingston, Nick Capetanakis and Brendon & Brian Fraim.
A great new comedy with art by my Antiques: The Comic Strip collaborators!

CRYPTOZOO CREW by Allan Gross and Jerry Carr.
I think this strip is in re-runs, but it's still fun. NBM has issued two trade paperbacks of this light-hearted series. Check them out!

DOCTOR CYBORG by Allan Gross, Mike Avon Oeming and John Staton.
In re-runs, but Allan has packed so much conspiracy theory into it that it takes a couple times through to catch most of it...

Just scroll all the way down to check them out.

Comic-Con Follow-Up: GEMSTONE PUBLISHING

The last I saw, they hadn't posted the final attendance totals, but the speculation was running toward 120,000 for Comic-Con. That, my friends, is what even Ed Sullivan would have called a really big show.

Anyhow, it was an interesting time.

The first copy of the EC Picto-Fiction set, the final installment of The Complete EC Library format, was incredbily well received, as was the announcement of the new EC Archives line.

For some odd reason, people seemed to notice that the cover for Shock SuspenStories - Volume 1 read "Foreword by Steven Spielberg," and they likewise noticed that Weird Science - Volume 1 read "Foreword by George Lucas." It's as if someone has heard of these guys!

Seriously, it was a great reaction. Couldn't have asked for much more. Had a nice interview with a Los Angeles NPR affiliate, and did several podcasts, too. Also talked to a couple of industry websites and tried to set up some more coverage for the books.

There were also many questions about Don Rosa's incredible Life & Times Companion, the follow-on trade paperback to Life & Tims of Scrooge McDuck, easily the most asked about trade paperback in our Disney line to date.

Duck Tales - Volume 1 sold briskly, and the few samples of Duck Tales - Volume 2 that the printer shipped us disappeared very quickly, too.

The reaction to the pencils for Mark Sparacio's upcoming cover for The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #37 were as good as I expected them to be.

It was also clear from talking with people that stopped by that Scoop is a huge success, which we sort of already knew. It's alwasy nice to hear it, though.

ANTIQUES - Week 7

The seventh installment of ANTIQUES - THE COMIC STRIP runs in Wednesday's Antique Trader. We've had great reactions so far, and AT even produced a giveaway t-shirt for the National Auctioneers Association convention... and it was a big hit!

DEAD INSPECTOR

Dead Inspector is an idea I've had in my head for quite a while. Now it's in someone else's head, too! Filip Sablik has done these character sketches for the series, which will appear sometime in coming months in the form of an online, daily strip.

It's a bit early to start talking about the details, but it's a vampire story for people who don't believe in vampires and who are tired of vampire stories.


He's good at a lot of the things that a comic book or comic strip artist should be good at, but what impresses me most (aside from being a good guy), is that Filip is a really solid storyteller, an art that is all too often lost in the world of incredible computer coloring.

If you'd like to check out more of his work, visit http://www.filipsablik.blogspot.com/ -- I think you'll like his stuff, too.

Comic-Con Follow-Up: A REALLY COOL DINNER

As a writer of the 24 comic book and a big fan of the series, Saturday night at Comic-Con in San Diego turned out to be really cool for me personally.

Greg Itzin, the Emmy-nominated actor (for Best Supporting Actor in this year's Emmy awards) known for his startling work as President Charles Logan in Season 4 and Season 5, joined us for dinner. The "us" included in his lovely wife, Judie, and Robert Tinnell (Eisner-nomiated writer of Feast of the Seven Fishes), Shannon Tinnell (Bob's incredibly cool wife), the great Alex Saviuk (Amazing Spider-Man daily and Sunday strips, among many other projects), Bob's Sight Unseen collaborator (and another great artist) Bo Hampton, the incredibly cool Gloria Fan from Mosiac Media Group, my 24 co-writer Mark Haynes, and me.

We went to the tres trendy Osetra (The Fishhouse) restaurant in the Gaslamp district (or at least near it) and had a superb meal, wonderful conversation and an all-around good time.

It's really cool to meet good people, and it's even better when you arleady like their work.

And there was this weird contraption that allowed a lady there to fly up the two-story tall wine rack... and grab bottles and come down safely. Neat, but also an odd surprise the first time she "took off" while we were seated at the bar, waiting for our table.

Great place to eat. The food was excellent, so check it out if you're so inclined.

Comic-Con Follow-Up: TRADING CARDS for 24

The trading cards for 24 just got a lot more interesting... Artbox Entertainment just picked up the license to Jack Bauer's adventures, and the writing team from IDW's 24 comics just signed up to write them (that would be Mark Haynes and me, just in case you weren't sure).

The cards sound like they actually will be incredible. We met with the designer and we're looking forward to the amazing specialty cards he's already dreamed up.

More on this as the details firm up.

Comic-Con Follow-Up: MORE 24 COMICS

24: NIGHTFALL is the first comic book mini-series based on the hit Fox TV show. Following the success of the three one-shot graphic novels, this new series is the first one in the standard 32-page regular comic book format (monthly, $3.99).

It's written by Mark L. Haynes (Mindfield) and yours truly, and we're really excited to have lots of space to tell what we think is a really solid, cool story in the world of Jack Bauer.

24: Nightfall #1 is set for the September 2006 PREVIEWS, and on sale in November. If you're a retailer, please remember this isn't the old 48-page format and you should increase your orders correspondingly. If you're a fan or a friend, please remember to tell your retailer to order this book for you.

Thanks!

GEPPI'S ENTERTAINMENT MUSEUM at Camden Yards

The July 2006 issue of Antique Toy World includes a feature article by yours truly about the our new facility, Geppi's Entertainment Museum at Camden Yards. I'm happy to say the article has been very well received. We've sent out hundreds of copies in addition to the magazine's regular circulation.

GEM's Grand Opening is September 8, 2006, the day before the Baltimore Comic-Con.

ZOMBIE-PROOF

David Michael Beck, the incredible artist of many GI Joe, Star Wars, and other covers, has just started doing interior pencils. His issue of Jonah Hex, which I saw at Wizard World Philadelphia, is simply amazing. His short story in The Wicked West 2, which got him the Jonah Hex gig, is a treat, too.

Well, I'm happy to say that David has agreed to do the cover for Zombie-Proof, my original graphic novel tentative scheduled for April 2007.

His work is amazing, and he's good guy, too.

It's going to be fun!

Twenty-First Century Romances

The trade paperback edition of Twenty-First Century Romances is scheduled for the first week of February 2007, just in time for Valentines Day. The trade will include everything from the first issue (released at the Pittsburgh Comic-Con 2005) and a whole lot more!

Mark Ricketts (Nowheresville) and Micah Farritor (The Living and the Dead), who just teamed for the amazing Image Comics graphic novel Night Trippers, have already turned in "Renee," an amazing short story.

Matt Anderson and Leanne Buckley, who've also already turned in their story, are relative newcomers, but I bet you'll be impressed with "The Fall" (and I bet it's not the last you hear of either of these two).

Chris Chua (Liquid Fury) did a fantastic job with "The Best of Times," a story from my McCandless & Company trade paperback. It'll be included with this trade, too.

Likewise, the stories from the first issue: Todd Livingston & Robert Tinnell (The Wicked West, The Black Forest) wrote "Backstage Love, which Ben Dale (SFPD) illustrated, Andrew Sands (Zacherly's Midnight Terrors) and Joanna Estep (Road Song) combined their talents on "All of My Ex-Boyfriends Are Monsters...Really!" and I teamed up with Traci Spenser for "Dreaming with Mary Sutherland," based on my short story.

We will also have contributions from my 24 co-writer Mark L. Haynes and former Gemstone Publishing Editor (and now Curator of Geppi's Entertainment Museum) Arnold T. Blumberg and his wife, Stephanie Crawford.

And more! Stay tuned!

Antiques Update

The June 21, 2006 cover-dated edition of Antique Trader features the first edition of Antiques - The Comic Strip. I'm very happy with the feedback so far -- not much, but what there's been has been very nice -- and it's exciting to see it finally reaching the public.

Antiques - Feature Article

The June 7, 2006 issue of Antique Trader included a full page article on our new comic strip, Antiques - The Comic Strip. It included a nice profile of me, as well as of Brendon and Brian Fraim, our intrepid artists. Special thanks to AT Editor Catherine Saunders-Watson, who wrote the article and who has been incredibly supportive of the project since its concept stage.

Antiques Update

Antiques now has an official home. The announcement will be made in early June, but we're well into production of the strip. I've written the first twelve. Three of them are finished, the pencil art is being done today on number five, number four is being inked, and we have some cool promotional art as well. Won't announce the particulars until the publication does, but so far everyone who's seen it has been highly complimentary.

Among those giving positive feedback thus far are Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster), Andy Runton (Owly), Steve Conley (Astounding Space Thrills), John Gallagher (Buzzboy), Billy Tucci (Shi), Mark Ricketts (Nowheresville), and Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows)... all of which have been very kind.

The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

If you're even vaguely interested in YA novels, check out Barry Lyga's The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl when it comes out this fall. I've read the advance reader's copy (actually, I read it before that) and it's really quite the page turner. Wonderfully done.

At any rate, Barry's set up a very creative blog about the book, "written by" its characters. It's not fully developed yet, as it will be when the book arrives, but it's already got quite a bit of content.

http://fanboyandgothgirl.com/

ANTIQUES

With any luck, Antiques (The Comic Strip) should be popping into a major antiquing publication near you sometime very soon. It's a pretty cool story, and there should be an announcement about it fairly shortly.

Brendon and Brian Fraim are the artists on the project, and you can see their work online at
http://www.brosfraim.com/.

Robert Tinnell is playing story editor for Antiques, and and you can see some of his work at http://www.theblackforest.net/.

More soon.

McCANDLESS NOW ON SALE

The unthinkable has happened.

CRIME SCENES: A McCANDLESS & COMPANY READER is now on sale!

If your local comic shop isn't carrying it -- shame on them -- it's available for them to reorder from Diamond Comic Distributors [item #DEC052914].

It is availalbe directly from Century Comics at http://www.centurycomics.com/books.cfm for Pay Pal users.

If you're a retailer and you're carrying it, let me know and we'll get you posted up here, too.

Cards, Comics & Collectibles in Reisterstown, MD is carrying it. You can reach them at (410) 526-7410.

Matt Busch, Gene Gonzales and I will have copies at the Pittsburgh Comicon.

$17.95 U.S.
144 Pages
Soft Cover
Color cover, Black & White interior

McCandless & Company Interviews Online

Thanks to Jonah at CBR, Nick and the guys at Dynamic Forces, and John, Charlie and company at Century Comics for running interviews about McCandless & Company!

Comic Book Resources
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6415

Dynamic Forces
http://www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/interviews.html?showinterview=IN01110650430

Century Comics
http://www.centurycomics.com/talk.cfm?ID=40

Retailer & Reader Incentives

ATTENTION RETAILERS & READERS:
If you are one of the retailers or readers who receive a Crime Scenes post card from Century Comics, drop us a line at McCandlessJCV@yahoo.com and let us know. You're be eligible for free stuff.

That's right. Free. Stuff.

How can you beat that?

CRIME SCENES in December 2005 PREVIEWS

UPDATED with additional PREVIEWS information!

CRIME SCENES: A McCANDLESS & COMPANY READER
Century Comics - On Sale February 2006
$17.95 U.S. - 144 Pages - Soft Cover
Color cover, Black & White interiorFeatured in the December 2005 edition of PREVIEWS from Diamond Comic Distributors - item #DEC052914.

The CENTURY COMICS listing appears on Page 240 of this issue. Additional information available at http://www.centurycomics.com/

ATTENTION: RETAILERS! We will have a downloadable shelf-talker available for you before the book shipsin early February 2006.

Take a look at the stylish cover by AMANDA CONNER & JIMMY PALMIOTTI, the same creative team that just litup DC’s JSA CLASSIFIED series!

ATTENTION: FANS! Please ask your retailer to pre-orderthis book. Many retailers do a great job ofanticipating your needs… but they’re not psychic!(Well, not mostly.) They need to know what you want.Every single order helps and your support will begreatly appreciated!

Century Comics Visits Crime Scenes

CRIME SCENES: A McCANDLESS & COMPANY READER
Century Comics - On Sale February 2006
$17.95 U.S. - 144 Pages - Soft CoverColor cover, Black & White interior
Featured in the December 2005 edition of PREVIEWS from Diamond Comic Distributors - item #DEC052914.

By J.C. Vaughn (co-writer of IDW's 24 and Dark Horse's Shi: Ju-Nen), illustrated by Gene Gonzales (Tales of the Cherokee), Matt Busch (Star Wars) & Shawn Sheehan, Ben Dale (SFPD), Harry Roland (Trying Times), and Chris Chua (Liquid Fury), with pin-ups by Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Thor), Mark Wheatley (Mars, Breathtaker), Robert Hack (86 Voltz), Billy Tucci (Shi), Gonzales, Busch & Sheehan. Cover by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti (JSA Classified).

About CRIME SCENES: Carey McCandless comes from wealth and privilege. Jessica Williams earned everything herself. Tired of being tokens at a major firm, these best friends start their own detective agency… and the ride begins! Crime Scenes collects the previously published McCandless & Company graphic novel and adds in four new short stories, a new feature-length story, and pin-ups by some of the top names in comics.