The Blog From Another World

We’re bringing Top Cow Month to a close with an interview with the creators of the creepy, totally addictive series Echoes: writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Rahsan Ekedal.

In Echoes, Brian Cohn is an ordinary middle-aged guy expecting a child with his wife. He’s also a diagnosed schizophrenic–just like his father, who might be a serial killer who has killed countless little girls and made tiny dolls from them. When another girl disappears, Brian has to wonder–is schizophrenia the only thing he inherited from his father?

Echoes #5 comes out today and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Read up on the series below and then order yours now, but be warned: this is a disturbing tale that is not for the faint of heart.

TFAW.com: Echoes is like something out of a nightmare. Joshua, where did the idea for this come from?

Joshua Hale Fialkov: It came almost directly out of my own fears. My wife and I had decided to have a baby, and I was instantly struck by how my relationship with my own father had shaped and molded me into who I was today. All of my flaws and strengths came from the way my parents raised me from an extremely early age. So, of course, I start panicking about what that means for me and my kid, and then, y’know, the mind drifts . . .

TFAW.com: The protagonist, Brian Cohn, is a schizophrenic who occasionally delays his meds, which makes him an extremely unreliable narrator. Will we ever know the “real” story?

JHF: I mean, for me, I know exactly what happens and exactly what the ending of the series means. I’ve been somewhat amazed that so many people who’ve read it have taken it in so many different ways. It’s actually pretty rewarding to have people actively debating and thinking about the book so long after they’ve read it. A lot of the thanks for that goes to Rahsan, who added just the right touch of ambiguity to the final art.

Rahsan Ekedal: The line between reality and Brian’s illusions is very hard for the reader to distinguish, and that’s exactly how Josh and I wanted it, so there’s no separation in the art, no clear difference between hallucination and reality. There’s a total immersion into Brian’s world that, I think, has caused a lot of people to become invested in figuring out what’s “real” and what’s not. I just can’t wait to see where that debate goes when everyone reads the finale in issue #5. Even though Josh and I are certain of its meaning, I’m really curious to find out what other people get from it.

TFAW.com: What was his relationship like with his father?

JHF: I think bad is probably an understatement. It’s never explicitly said in the comic, but, at some point, Brian’s mom just couldn’t take it anymore and abandoned him with his dad, which his dad really blamed on Brian, rather than his own illness and short comings, and that resentment just kept on coming up. I think once Brian was old enough, he probably left home and kept as far away as he could, while still trying to prove himself capable to his dad.

TFAW.com: If you read Echoes, his father never actually claims to be a serial killer, but Brian leaps to that conclusion immediately–admittedly, after finding some pretty damning evidence. Why?

JHF: I’d say it’s the evidence, I mean, it’s just all right there, and there’s not a lot of other paths to go down. If his dad knew about the room, then his dad must be connected to the room. We also see some of his rationale in the flashback at the beginning of issue #4, where he’s remembering this strange, almost dirty moment with his dad, that, in retrospect seems so much more sinister knowing what he knows now.

RE: And the thought becomes an obsession. Once the question is there, it becomes inescapable. We’ve all had a thought or fear that we just can’t get out of our head. And it’s even worse for someone with Brian’s condition.

TFAW.com: Rahsan, what did you think about this story when you first heard about it?

RE: The great thing about Echoes from the start was the push and pull between simplicity and complexity. You can describe the plot in one sentence, but at the same time, Brian’s story is incredibly rich thematically, and deals with very complex issues. That’s the recipe for a great story, in my mind. And the opportunity to draw a story that deals seriously with mental health was a big incentive for me to come on board for this book–it’s one of those things that doesn’t get talked about enough in our society. Plus, it’s Josh Fialkov–I would have said yes to working with him again even if the story was about cuddly bunnies. Which, by the way–spoiler alert–is what our next project is all about.

TFAW.com: Your style is pretty realistic, which makes it even harder to distinguish reality from fantasy. How did you approach this story?

RE: Reality, immersion, darkness. Those were the keywords for me. It was really important to us both that Brian feel like a real person. At an early design stage, I had Brian as more of a handsome hero type, but it didn’t quite feel right. That guy wasn’t Brian. And then Josh was like, “Make him fatter. Make him less attractive.” I went back to the drawing board, and suddenly Brian was staring me in the face. That was an important moment in the course of the book, I think, and a great example of our collaborative process.

Another important moment was the decision to print the book in black and white. It was honestly exciting, because normally in comics I’m working with a colorist. That has it’s own rewards, of course, but the bottom line is that what I draw isn’t exactly what the reader sees– the colorist is really creating the “finished” image. With Echoes, I had utter control over the relationship between my brush and the reader’s eyes. So I became totally obsessed with creating this immersive world of creeping shadows. The texture of the shadows is a character–I wanted the darkness in Echoes to feel alive, a representation of Brian’s mind.

TFAW.com: Rahsan, I’ve loved your work in The Cleaners and Creepy. It seems like your style took a definite shift between the two. Do you agree, and if so, what spurred the change?

RE: Part of it was just my learning process–I went to art school for five years, but nothing teaches you as much or as fast as actually working on a monthly schedule. But I also give a lot of credit to my editor (on both of the books you mentioned), Shawna Gore. She had her eye on me when I was still in school, and has consistently given me the right guidance at the right time, especially in that key moment between finishing The Cleaners and drawing my first Creepy short, when my process needed shaking up. We had a long talk at New York Comic Con that year, and it propelled me to changed up my style. Echoes has been the full expression of that effort, thanks to Filip Sablik and Top Cow letting me cut loose. But now I’m searching for new ways to improve. It’s a constant process. I’m never satisfied with my pages!

TFAW.com: Joshua and Rahsan, you worked together on The Cleaners. How has your working relationship evolved over the years?

JHF: Last time around, Rah and I didn’t really get to work together, as I had a co-writer who did most of the heavy lifting. But, we were like two little dogs separated by plexiglass at the pet store, so desperate to frolic together, that it was only a matter of time.

RE: We’ve worked together on a few things now, and I think we’ve developed a great creative short hand–Josh writes for me, and I draw for him, you know? It’s very rewarding when both creators are sort of anticipating the other. It works. And we frolic. Ah, the frolic-ing.

TFAW.com: What keeps bringing you two back together?

JHF: So much of our influences are in lock step. The old Warren horror magazines from the ’60s and ’70s, that Bernie Wrightson-style horror stuff, and I think we both circle the same films and television as well. Having someone who understands your references is such a huge help in the process. Plus, I think we make beautiful music together, so to speak.

RE: Also, we both take the craft very seriously, so that brings us together. Josh is all about creating that perfect panel, perfect single page, perfect 22-page experience. His scripts show that care, and that’s exactly in line with my visual ambitions, as well. So, it’s creatively rewarding to work together.

TFAW.com: How did you get involved with Top Cow?

JHF: I’d been working with Top Cow off and on for nearly five years now. Maybe more, actually! When I came up with Echoes, I was coming off the success we had with Alibi and it’s movie deal, so it just felt natural to offer them up what was next.

TFAW.com: While The Cleaners was more of a CSI-style horror story, Echoes is definitely more dreamlike and visceral. Which type of stories do you two prefer?

JHF: I think Echoes is definitely more in my wheel house. I love being able to tell grounded stories about characters that you love, even though you should, by all rights, be disgusted by them. Finding a way to make someone relatable and a hero when their actions clearly state the opposite is just a complete blast for me.

RE: I love a challenge, so working in many different genres and tones is great. I couldn’t choose just one.

TFAW.com: Will there be any more to the story after issue #5? Is there any room for a sequel?

JHF: I have a sequel in mind, and have had from the very beginning. So while Brian’s story is very much complete, for me, I have a lot of nasty things left to do to the people around him.

RE: The Empire Echoes Back!

TFAW.com: What types of comics would you two like to tackle next?

JHF: We’ve talked a bit, and I know my heart drifts towards doing something slightly less macabre, but still in the horror genre. Once Rahsan gets a break from being a goddamn superstar over at Dark Horse, we’re gonna sit down and figure something out.

RE: We’ll let you guess at what “slightly less macabre” might mean. We’re going to do something awesome, promise.

TFAW.com: What comics are you reading right now?

JHF: I’m absolutely in love with Scott Snyder’s run on Detective Comics. That guy is a genius. I’m also a big fan of the work Cullen Bunn is doing over on The Sixth Gun, Jeff Lemire on Sweet Tooth, and the Image book Li’l Depressed Boy is simply amazing.

RE: I have to give a bump to Jason McNamara’s The Martian Confederacy: From Mars With Love, with art by Paige Braddock. It’s out this month, I believe, and it’s a great, fun little book with a really twisted sense of humor.

TFAW.com: Do you have anything coming up you’d like to talk about?

JHF: Sure, I’m writing a three issue arc of Superman/Batman for DC, that’s in previews right now. I’ve also got some original comics debuting over at geek.mtv.com later this year, and a couple of books that’ll be announced this summer.

RE: Right now I’m drawing the fourth issue of Solomon Kane: Red Shadows for Dark Horse, written by Bruce Jones. Issue #1 is in stores right now. And we may be doing more Kane after that–should be some announcements soon. So, if you’re a Robert Howard fan, stay tuned for that. There’s other stuff, but nothing I can talk about yet. Follow us both on Twitter! We’re lively. That’s one word for it.

Thank you, Joshua and Rahsan, for answering all of our questions. Now get to work on something new for us to read! In the meantime, catch up on Echoes here.

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Top Cow Month is going strong and we continue to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Witchblade with an interview with longtime artist Stjepan Sejic. He tells us what it’s like to be an artist for American comics while living in Croatia, the highlights of drawing Witchblade, and what he’d like to do next!

Plus, Top Cow was nice to enough to give us an exclusive preview of Witchblade #144, so you can see Sejic’s artwork for yourself.

Want to win a Witchblade or Artifacts variant signed by writer Ron Marz? Remember to enter our Witchblade/Artifacts Contest by May 11, 2011!

TFAW.com: So, I’ve read that with issue #150, you’ll have drawn more issues of Witchblade than any other artist. Will you continue with the title past #150, or is that it for you?

Stjepan Sejic: There are several options being discussed between Top Cow and myself. Being a Top Cow guy through and through, I will be staying with the company, which means having fun with their properties. Of course, there is the fact that Ron Marz knows what I like, so there is a great amount of well-oiled-machine-type of cooperation between the two of us. If it seems like I am avoiding directly answering the question . . . then the impression is a correct one. There is a good reason for that. Now, I will be tackling Witchblade again, but there are some other fun options presenting themselves at the Top Cow headquarters.

TFAW.com: What have been your favorite moments and characters to draw thus far?

SS: Those who know me know my love for epic, iconic character moments. Glorious moments in which a hero is displayed for what he or she is, bigger than life, kicking asses and taking names.

Ron was kind enough to provide me with many such lovely moments, but as far as my favorite ones go, strangely enough it would have to be the scenes from Angelus. Somehow that miniseries really worked, with enough touching moments, moments of personal development, and balls-to-the-wall action.

Now don’t get me wrong, Witchblade had its great moments too, but the problem there is that there is a much greater cast of characters. This results in a lot of my focus being directed to handling the character moments, because those are essentially the hardest to do right. Flashy action stuff is easy.

Still, to count a few examples of the fun stuff, I would have to say the entire issue #138, for its epic fantasy feel.

TFAW.com: Is there anything about the book you’re tired of drawing?

SS: Not really. It’s not really the content but the environment that can bum me out. In my approach, environment dictates the use of light and its coloration, which plays an important role in the way I build a scene. An empty-walled room is far less interesting than a ruined old building.

TFAW.com: How did you get interested in comics?

SS: I was sixteen when an exhibition called Comic Biennale came to a museum in the city of Rijeka, where I went to high school. We went there to check it out, and there I got the idea to try drawing comics. That exhibition shaped my life in more ways than one, for it was there that I saw a cover to a comic with a peculiarly memorable title, Witchblade.

A few years later, when I was in my first year of college, I went to the Internet. At that time I had no computer myself, so it was great news to me. After an hour of Googling random stuff, I remembered the word that kind of stuck with me. I Googled “Witchblade” and that got me started. From there on I was on a very unlikely path to becoming a comic book artist in America. I was mocked by my peers and teachers for my perseverance. They figured the chance for my success was slightly below zero.

Still, life is a curious thing: sometimes cards will just add up, a dice will roll a perfect number, and I ended up working on the comic that got me started doodling comic characters. The real kicker is that I read my first issue of Witchblade in the third year of college.

TFAW.com: Who were your artistic influences?

SS: I started off as a strange mix of European comic influences and Michael Turner and Marc Silvestri. It was a little later that I discovered the gorgeous works of Alex Ross. In the end, I found my balance by developing a style of my own that has some of the stylishness of the Top Cow greats, a love for realism inspired by Alex Ross, and a bit of a flair I inevitably picked up from the digital masters of concept art.

My sense of design is under heavy influence by cinematic effect masters such as Stan Winston and Rick Baker. There is some Turner/Silvestri added to the mix, and just a dash of manga influence.

TFAW.com: You’ve created so many different versions of the Witchblade “armor” over the years–including the “light” Dani look and the “dark” Sara look when they shared the Witchblade. How do you decide each look?

SS: Well that was really no challenge. There are designs that require a lot of work and development, but these are organic, as is the Witchblade itself.

Both light and dark armor had the quality of the full armor, but dark needed a more aggressive look, so often it had a fiery kind of a glow from within. With Dani I always tried to pull off a Valkyrie look, and this was in the end fully realized in her Angelus armor.

TFAW.com: On a related note, you used to have two Witchblades to draw–Dani and Sara. Do you miss drawing Dani?

SS: The real kicker about this is the fact that I did not like Dani as a character while she had the Witchblade. The reason for that was the fact that she rarely dealt with her own problems. She was a mule carrying Sara’s problems around. It was only when she left Witchblade, and became the Angelus, that she became a fully realized character in my eyes–dealing with her own mess and having my favorite sidekick/girlfriend ever. What can I say, Finch is awesome.

TFAW.com: What comics are you reading right now?

SS: None . . . the reason for that is simple. Living in Croatia makes the availability of comics very limited. So essentially it comes down to stocking up at conventions and going on a lovely reading spree.

Usually I read the independent titles and Image stuff. I was never big on superheroes. Not for my lack of trying, but I just could not jump in anywhere. For crying out loud, even an event trade paperback in those comics leaves plot threads on the douchiest note ever: “To find out what happens with this character, read this series from issue this to that.”

The sad thing is I want to read Thor, Batman, and Green Lantern, but these comics are so hermetically sealed, no fans enter, and no fans leave. So I stick to limited stuff.

TFAW.com: What other types of projects would you like to tackle in the future?

SS: There is a small number of titles I’d like to work on for a story arc or a mini. Stuff like The Darkness, Conan, Hellboy, and Aphrodite 9 comes to mind for the fun environments.

Still my true love is the pure fantasy genre. I would be severely tempted to draw a Lord of the Rings adaptation, but problem is I already have my own project, Ravine, to release my fantasy-themed frustrations. So essentially, I’m satisfied as I am now.

Thanks Stjepan, for taking some time from the drawing board to answer our questions. Next week, we say farewell to Top Cow Month with an interview with Echoes creators Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rahsan Ekedal! Plus, remember to enter our Witchblade/Artifacts Contest to win variants of Witchblade and Artifacts signed by Ron Marz.

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Are you a longtime Witchblade fan, or are you new to the series? What do you think should happen next? Post your comments below!

Top Cow Month isn’t just full of awesome interviews, previews, and contests: it also marks the 15th anniversary of the publisher’s most popular series, Witchblade!

In honor of this occasion, we’ve got another spectacular interview with writer Ron Marz below, plus an amazing Witchblade/Artifacts Contest for you to enter! Plus, stay tuned to our interview with artist Stjepan Sejic on Friday, April 22, in which we’ll debut an exclusive sneak peek at Witchblade #144!

TFAW.com: You’ve been writing Witchblade since issue #80–almost half her run. What are some of the most memorable story arcs you’ve written?

Ron Marz: The “First Born” storyline comes to mind initially because having a lead character have a baby obviously changes the dynamic of the series as a whole. I’m also really fond of what we did in issue #92, which finally explained the origin of the Witchblade itself. We’ve been able to mine a lot of story material from that.

TFAW.com: How has Sara Pezzini evolved over the years?

RM: Hopefully Sara has become a more well-rounded character . . . no pun intended. My goal has always been to make sure that Sara was just as interesting and real without the Witchblade as she is with it. So I’ve tried to flesh out her character as much as possible, as a cop, as a mother, as the wielder of the Witchblade.

TFAW.com: Right now, she’s dealing with the death of her sister and the kidnapping of her child, Hope. How is she going to move forward after this?

RM: I suppose a lot of that depends on whether she ever gets her daughter back. That’s obviously the kind of thing that could break a person, and I want to make sure we’re dealing with the kidnapping and with Julie’s death as realistically as possible. Sara’s going to have a rough time of it over the next year.

TFAW.com: One major factor in Sara’s history is her complicated romantic attachments. Can you describe the nature of her relationship with Detective Patrick Gleason?

RM: Gleason’s her boyfriend, really kind of the first time in the series that Sara has had a steady relationship with anyone. But some of what goes on between Sara and Jackie Estacado in Artifacts is going to complicate that quite a bit.

TFAW.com: Patrick is generally categorized as the “nice” guy many women take for granted. Can you expand on that? Is that likely to change in the near future?

RM: One of the reasons we made issues #142 and #143 a Gleason solo story is that I wanted to expand his character a bit and give him a chance to step into the spotlight. Certainly Sara is the lead character in the book and Gleason is by definition a supporting character, so he tends not to get as much screen time. I think those issues will give him a little more of an edge in readers’ minds.

TFAW.com: Sara is also attracted to Jackie Estacado, the mob boss who is the host of The Darkness–and also the father of Sara’s daughter, Hope. Will Jackie and Sara ever come closer to an actual romantic relationship?

RM: I think their relationship is the definition of “complicated.” She’s a police detective, he’s a former mob hitman and unrepentant killer, despite having his own personal code of honor. Jackie and Sara certainly aren’t “good” for each other, but sometimes we’re most attracted to that which isn’t good for us. Stay tuned.

TFAW.com: Speaking of Hope, she was actually conceived while Sara was unconscious and Jackie was under the influence of The Darkness. What made you decide to take that route?

RM: A big part of it was that I wanted there to be a mystery to who the father was, even to Sara. It was a situation in which they were both used by the personification of The Darkness. It’s something that really wouldn’t have happened if either of them had been aware of it. Although now that they have this child together, there’s a tie that’s always going to bind them.

TFAW.com: How will Patrick deal with Jackie having a permanent tie to Sara?

RM: We’ve already seen that it’s not a pleasant relationship between those two. They don’t like each other, however, there’s a certain respect for each other. But if Gleason and Jackie both end up wanting the same thing, there’s going to be an inevitable clash.

TFAW.com: How will Artifacts affect both the Witchblade and Angelus titles?

RM: Angelus was a limited series, though I certainly wouldn’t mind doing more with the character if there’s an opportunity. Moving forward, the Witchblade title is going to reflect the changes that take place due to Artifacts . . . but you’ll have to wait until Artifacts is over to find out just what those changes are.

Our thanks go out to Ron for catching us up on Witchblade. You can browse our selection of Witchblade comics and graphic novels right here on our site. Plus, come back Friday for our interview with artist Stjepan Sejic, and remember to enter our Witchblade/Artifacts Contest for your chance to win a variant comic signed by Ron Marz!

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Are you a fan of Witchblade? Post your comments below!

A very talented group of editors and creators sat down and talked about the past and future of horror comics at Stumptown Comics Fest 2011, including Dark Horse Senior Managing Editor Scott Allie (B.P.R.D. The Dead Remembered), editor Shawna Gore, Eric Powell (The Goon), Patric Reynolds (Let Me In), Todd Herman (Cut), and Brandon Seifert (Witch Doctor). Check it out below:

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What do you think about today’s horror comics? Post your comments below!

Axe Cop is an unlikely–yet completely amazing and hilarious–comic that has taken the interwebs and comic shops by storm. Written by six-year-old Malachai Nicolle and illustrated by his 30-year-old brother, Ethan Nicolle, it’s a fast and furious trip through the unlimited imagination of a little boy–shaped and supercharged by the wry perspective and energetic art of a true comics lover.

Ethan Nicolle and Editor Shawna Gore talked about the creative process between the brothers and what’s coming next (Anyone want a licensed Axe Cop Halloween costume? Of course you do!) at this year’s Stumptown Comics Fest, and we got it on video, below. Enjoy!

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This Friday, Variance Films is releasing their newest action-packed film, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, at the Hollywood Theatre at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR, and you can see it for free!

Here’s how: go to our Beaverton, Hollywood, or Milwaukie locations this week and perform your favorite “kung fu” move (we’re using the term loosely here, folks) to get a free ticket you can use for any showing of the film the week of April 22! We’ll post a photo of you kung-fu fighting on Twitter to show off your prowess, and get some video footage so you can experience some YouTube fame.

Now, our regular customers know we don’t usually run promotions like this, but we made an exception this time, because:

1. My boss is a huge Donnie Yen fan
2. We’re always interested in seeing what bizarre things we can make our customers do in the stores to entertain us

Movie Synopsis: Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen, who was shot after discovering who was responsible for his teacher’s death (Huo Yuanjia) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. A mysterious stranger arrives from overseas and befriends a local mafia boss. That man is a disguised Chen Zhen, who intends to infiltrate the mob when they form an alliance with the Japanese. Disguising himself as a caped fighter by night, Chen intends to take out everyone involved as well as get his hands on an assassination list prepared by the Japanese.

We only have five tickets available per location, so visit one of our Oregon stores today to get your ticket. Watch the official trailer below for inspiration:

Are you excited to see Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen? Post your comments below!

Dark Horse Presents, the landmark comics anthology series that launched Dark Horse Comics, returns April 20, 2011 with issue #1 (or #158, as DH Founder and President Mike Richardson points out in the video below).

In honor of its release, Richardson headlined the Dark Horse Presents Panel at Stumptown Comics Fest 2011, featuring creators Eric Powell, Carla Speed McNeil, David Chelsea, and Michael T. Gilbert. See it all below!

Live in the Portland area? You can celebrate DHP at our Return of Dark Horse Presents Launch Party April 20 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Hollywood Things From Another World. Meet Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, David Chelsea, Paul Gulacy, Michael T. Gilbert, and more, and enjoy free beer from Columbia River Brewing Company (with valid ID) and free pizza from Sizzle Pie.

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The Alter Egos Society, a local organization that throws amazing costumed events for charities like p:ear, issued a challenge to Portland this year with Project Mayor-Man: design an original superhero costume for Mayor Sam Adams to wear to this year’s Stumptown Comics Fest. The city responded with gusto, and Manny McIvor’s design was eventually chosen and brought to life by the talented costume makers of the Alter Egos Society.

We’ve got video of this very special event below, including interviews with Mayor Adams, Alter Egos Society founder Benja Barker, and designer Manny McIvor. Enjoy!

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Did you see the Mayor at Stumptown this year? Post your comments below!

In 1986, Dark Horse Comics changed the face of the industry with their premiere anthology title, Dark Horse Presents. Breaking out from the cape and cowl tales of the day, Dark Horse Presents showcased some of the best and brightest voices in the medium.

Now, as they celebrate their 25th anniversary, Dark Horse Comics cordially invites you to The Return of Dark Horse Presents Launch Party Wednesday, April 20 at the Hollywood Things From Another World at 4133 NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland from 7 to 10 p.m.

This very special Portland event will feature signings by Mike Richardson, the Founder and Publisher of Dark Horse Comics, as well as Vice President of Publishing, Randy Stradley, and DHP creators David Chelsea, Paul Gulacy, Michael T. Gilbert, and more!

Dark Horse Presents has a very special place in the heart of the local comics community. If you’re a fan, come out and say hi, and if you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing this book, this is the perfect opportunity to see what it’s all about. Plus, 21+ attendees will enjoy free beer from Columbia River Brewing Company (with valid ID) and everyone gets free pizza from Sizzle Pie!

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Are you excited to see what the new Dark Horse Presents series has in store for readers? Post your comments below!

Top Cow Month wouldn’t be complete without a look at the artist behind the second arc of Artifacts: Whilce Portacio! With a career spanning from the early ’80s to today, Portacio’s art has graced everything from Alien Legion and Longshot to Batman, Spawn, Iron Man, and Uncanny X-Men–and from Power Pack to The Punisher.

Currently, Portacio has been busy at work on issues #5 through #8 of Artifacts, Top Cow’s mega-series starring its most popular characters. Portacio had a lot to say about his evolution as an artist, and the changes within the comics industry over the past three decades.

TFAW.com: You’ve been working in comics–first as an inker, then as a penciller–since the mid-’80s. Has your approach to the work changed over the years?

Whilce Portacio: Definitely yes. Because back then–and this is still true today–there were no guidelines of how to do professional work or school system to teach professional guidelines. As a new professional, you had to learn on the job. Funnily enough, the job of hitting your deadlines often gets in the way of actually having time to learn the ropes. You don’t ask and they don’t say. So like most new professionals, I did everything on instinct.

As an artist you follow your instincts, and unfortunately, a lot of what you learn on your own isn’t necessarily the best way to do things. So, before, I used to draw my favorite part of the page and go from there. Sometimes I’d even start with, let’s say, a nose, and then build the rest of the figure, crossing my fingers that the final drawing will look right and actually fit on the page. Now back then, as a young man, I had all the energy to waste to do that. In hindsight, it is what led to lots of deadline crunches. Nowadays, everything is planned and organized. At the beginning of an issue, all reference is gathered. Your deadline is set in stone. Layouts for most, if not all, pages are drawn and approved by editors. Looking at all of the layouts I can see and plan which pages are gonna be easier than others, so that in a deadline crunch I can attack easy pages, so my inker can keep up behind me.

As I attack each page I fully lay out each page, work out all anatomy problems, and then–and only then–do I go in and do the final drawing. My days are planned to which pages I do each day. I drive my girls to and from school everyday so I am awake every morning, so that means for the most part my sleep time is set. As a diabetic I need seven hours of sleep, otherwise I have no energy to work. When I was young, everything was done on the fly and you played catchup more than anything. Nowadays, everything is planned and predicted.

TFAW.com: How do you think your style has evolved?

WP: Style has never been in the forefront of my mind when I draw. I am a technical person, so the anatomy, the secrets of anatomy, the hidden lines of elegance within the human form, the truths of proportions within the body, etc., are where my interest lies. That and the secrets of different media and how I can relate it to my work.

For example, a few years ago I started studying oil painting. One aspect you concentrate on is the importance of what light does to your figure. More to the point, how a highlight must be clear and uncluttered of detail. So now I am so, so conscious of making sure the highlight areas of my figures and faces are just that, clear and uncluttered with “extra” lines. To the point that I will go back into the drawing when done and actually erase lines in the highlight area.

Also, as a result of my painting, and because I am such a computer geek, I have been constantly experimenting with digital painting and how that can affect my work. So all my style is dictated by my learning of art in as many aspects (oil painting, digital painting, technique, media differences, approach differences) as I can bear at any one time, and I try and try to apply it to what I am working on now.

As an example, I do all my layouts digitally on my tablets. It is not only quicker that way, but it allows me to “carry” all my drawings, all my reference, all my notes, around me wherever I go. Therefore allowing me to work on something at any given moment. So if you trace how I have been studying different art techniques and how technology has kept up through the times, there you will see my art evolving, and why.

TFAW.com: What have been the highlights of penciling Artifacts?

WP: The true highlight of working with this particular art/editorial team is just that, working with these friends. We are all professional, we all believe in each others’ abilities, and we each every day show our worth to each other. Whenever you have a team of creatives working on an art project, if you can rely on everybody on the team to always, without fail, show you 200%, then you always, without hesitation give 200% back. And that leads to amazing completed work.

I have not been so completely happy with the final outcome of a set of issues since way back, when I did the first Wetworks series. Back then we had the money and the fan base, and therefore the time to do it until it got done, the best way we could at the time. That lead to an ultimate product. Filip Sablik and Philip Smith of Top Cow have created an environment that allows its creative team do their best, to serve the story to the best of our abilities . . . it was a blast . . .

TFAW.com: There are so many different characters to draw in this series, and each has his or her own distinct look. How did you prepare for this?

WP: Just with brute force . . . I have a seven-inch tablet that I can carry with me everywhere I go. I live in California and am almost always wearing shorts with cargo pockets. My tablet slips quickly and easily into those pockets wherever I go. In that tablet I have gigabytes and gigabytes of costume references of every character in my plots. I have WiFi and 3G ability to grab more reference off the Internet (anywhere I happen to be). I also have the ability to email or text Ron Marz or Filip Sablik asking any questions I have.

By the way–not only do Ron and I work on weekends, but my editors are also on call for me if needed . . . neat. In my tablet I also have all my plots, all my notes. I now have a Dagi stylus, so I can experiment with painting, or just get use to drawing new characters or even design new characters if need be. Now at home, in my studio, I have a full two-monitor setup to do all my hardcore work.

As a precaution for deadlines, my home computer is a powerful workhorse tablet PC computer. Meaning I can rip it out of my studio, pile it into my backpack and do full high-res publish-quality work on the plane, in the hotel . . . and yes on the beach. I’ve done so much published work on the workhorse computer I wish I could do all my work there. Without this type of a work pipeline I don’t know how I would keep up with the vast number of characters within the Top Cow Universe.

TFAW.com: Is there a character you’ve particularly enjoyed drawing?

WP: I use to hate the “Darkness” effect. It is so organic and unorganized. Drawing Darkness and Witchblade always seemed intellectually a chore. Now I get it artistically and it is fun just going with the artistic flow when drawing them. It makes each drawing of them different, and so never boring . . .

TFAW.com: You’ve seen so many big changes in the comic book industry first-hand: from working for Marvel in the ’80s and founding Image in the ’90s, to today. What do you think about comics today?

WP: Fundamentally working in comics is a totally different animal. I can freely say that the biggest problem we had back then was the belief that the work was more important than the deadline. Our business in the long run suffered because of that, but we put out memorable product.

Nowadays, there are strict rules, there are calculations made before each job, and for the most part people follow the guidelines. A high priority nowadays is making sure each job makes economical sense. In the long run that works and keeps the companies running. Unfortunately it makes for an atmosphere where the best cannot always work with the best, because together their rates would kill any profit that particular book might make.

Now for the top, top-tier professionals that’s no problem, because they can bring in the numbers, but that top tier is very small in number. The vast majority of working professionals fill the second tier and they are not given the number of opportunities to work with other pros of their caliber to create memorable product. That is why you are seeing more and more pencilers doing the inking and coloring on their own. By doing it on their own they can better control what the work ends up looking like when it gets published.

Now add into that mix how legally a lot of creatives can’t work with other creatives because they are “with the other company” at the time. I applaud the business sense of the companies nowadays and how much healthy they are and for the future, but I strongly believe (from a business standpoint) more and more risk must be taken at this time (where the whole society is watching our comic book creations) to allow the best creatives more and more opportunity to “play” with each other to make memorable product.

TFAW.com: What books are you reading?

WP: I am currently in the first digital chapter on my tablet of War and Peace. I just put down John Varley’s science-fiction epic Steel Beach. And in between that and work (I keep them in my bathroom) I try, and I try, and I try to read and understand Richard Feynman’s books on physics.

TFAW.com: What else do you have coming up that you’re excited about?

WP: I actually have three comic book projects I can’t talk about, an art book, and hope to start a penciling tutorial DVD soon . . .

Thank you, Whilce, for your in-depth answers to our questions! Artifacts #7 is due out May 4–you can order it and the rest of the series here at TFAW.com.

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Top Cow Month continues with an interview with one of the publisher’s most prolific writers, Ron Marz, about one of their most high-profile series: Artifacts! A mysterious figure is trying to gather the 13 artifacts of the Top Cow universe–for example, the Witchblade, the Darkness, and the Spear of Destiny–bringing all of the major players together for one 13-issue limited series.

Marz chatted with us about how the concept for Artifacts came together, how he feels about catalog-spanning crossovers, and what’s coming up next!

TFAW.com: How did the idea behind Artifacts come together?

Ron Marz: It really came about pretty organically. The kinds of stories we’d been telling were adding characters and pieces to the universe to the point where it felt like we should pay it all off with a big series.

TFAW.com: It’s really been interesting to see so many of Top Cow’s major players, and their “artifacts,” interacting together. Has this been the plan all along, or was it a happy accident?

RM: Once we realized that things were pointing towards a much larger storyline, we started to put the pieces in place to bring everything together. So I guess it was more of a happy accident initially, and then more of a specific plan as Artifacts got closer.

TFAW.com: A lot of the characters come from titles you write on a monthly basis, including Witchblade, Angelus, and Magdalena. How difficult has it been for you to merge Artifacts with the stories of their regular books?

RM: I’ve really tried to keep Artifacts as a separate entity as much as possible. I feel like the current vogue of event storytelling that crosses into a dozen or more other titles is really taking advantage of a readership that’s already close to maxed out when it goes to the comic shop every week. So with the exception of reflecting something like the tragedy in Sara’s family in Witchblade, Artifacts very much tells its own story. Someone can read the 13 issues of Artifacts and get the complete story. Or, someone can read an ongoing series like Witchblade or Magdalena only, and also feel like they’re not missing out on anything.

TFAW.com: Which characters were you most excited to get your hands on, and why?

RM: I always have fun writing Aphrodite, and Tom Judge has proved really interesting to write. But I think the most intriguing aspect for me has been putting together characters who don’t normally interact with each other. The supernatural side of the universe, which is really represented by a lot of the Artifacts bearers, has never had much interaction with the more tech-oriented side, like Cyberforce and Hunter-Killer. Putting them next to each other has been a lot of fun.

TFAW.com: How do you juggle writing so many comics at once?

RM: I don’t leave my office a whole lot. The work load is honestly about all I can handle, but it does at least allow me the option of choosing what I work on each day. If Artifacts isn’t clicking on a particular day, I can switch over to Witchblade or Magdalena and still get something accomplished.

TFAW.com: Do you have time to read comics? If so, which ones?

RM: Honestly, I don’t have anywhere near the time to read what I’d like. I find myself reading collections much more than single issues, so I pick up an array of things: Hellboy, Criminal, Jonah Hex, Walking Dead, Thor.

TFAW.com: I’m fascinated by Aphrodite IV. How much of her actions are her own free will, and how much is simply the programming of whoever is controlling her?

RM: Up to this point, I think most of it has been her programming. But one of the things I’m going to be playing with from here on out is her burgeoning self-awareness. By the end of Artifacts, Aphrodite will wind up in a different place than where she started.

TFAW.com: The face of the mastermind behind Hope’s kidnapping–and the entire shadowy Artifacts plot–has been revealed, but his identity has not. What can you tell us about him?

RM: I can tell you to read issue #7.

TFAW.com: Longtime readers are excited about the return of Tom Judge, the damned priest. What’s his role in this story?

RM: Tom Judge is in possession of the Rapture. One of the aspects of that particular artifact is that it brings hope to the hopeless. You can draw your own conclusions

TFAW.com: It looks like there will be a new artist every four issues: Michael Broussard, Whilce Portacio, and then Jeremy Haun. How have you selected each artist, and do you have any hints as to who comes next?

RM: Each guy was really a right time-right place situation, where there was a schedule opening, as well as the right fit for the material. One of the biggest hurdles is always creative casting, putting the right people together on the right projects. When you do that properly, most of it falls in place. And no, no hints about who wraps it all up, other than it’s somebody I’m really excited to be working with.

TFAW.com: Can you tell us anything about Jeremy Haun’s arc?

RM: I think it’s going to be a revelation for a lot of people, because of a lot of Jeremy’s previous work has been of a street-level nature, like Berserker and his Bat-universe books. There’s going to be some real character-oriented aspects to his art, of course, but there’s also going to be an epic quality to a lot of it, which is something people haven’t seen Jeremy draw very much of in the past. He’s really stepping up his game.

Our thanks go out to Ron for taking some time from his busy (very busy!) schedule to talk with us. Artifacts #7 is due May 4. Haven’t gotten into Artifacts yet? Order Artifacts Vol. 1 and 2 here! Plus, stay tuned for our interview with Artifacts artist Whilce Portacio on Friday.

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Doctor Who: A Fairytale Life sounds like a winner of an idea: take the 11th Doctor and his companion, Amy Pond, and thrust them into a fairy tale world gone very, very wrong. What could make this scenario even better? Bringing it to life via the pen of Matthew Sturges, who has written Jack of Fables with Bill Willingham and explored the darker side of fantasy with House of Mystery.

We had the opportunity to ask Matthew our burning questions about his love for Doctor Who, and what this new four-issue miniseries has in store for us.

TFAW.com: Doctor Who: A Fairytale Life looks like so much fun! Can you give us a brief intro?

Matthew Sturges: The elevator pitch is that the Doctor takes Amy to a holiday planet called Caligari Epsilon Six that’s been designed as a totally immersive fairy tale experience, during the Third Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Unfortunately, they’ve arrived about a hundred years too late, and the fairy tale planet has degenerated into something rather more sinister, populated by inhabitants who don’t realize that they’re living in a fantasy. The Doctor and Amy get involved when they discover that monstrous creatures called Serpentines are abducting sick and injured people and taking them away, never to be seen again.

TFAW.com: Does it take place before or after the second Big Bang?

MS: It’s designed to take place out of continuity, so it’s not explicitly stated, but in my mind, it takes place roughly around the time of “The Lodger,” during the time when Rory is completely out of the picture. I wanted to focus on the Doctor and Amy as a pair, but that doesn’t mean that I love Rory any less.

TFAW.com: Where did the idea for the storyline come from? Did you pitch it to IDW, or did they come to you?

MS: IDW asked me to pitch a miniseries featuring the 11th Doctor and I jumped at the chance. I may have literally jumped at it; I’m lucky my enthusiasm didn’t frighten anyone. The idea comes from two sources. First, in “The Eleventh Hour,” the Doctor tells young Amy that her name sounds like something from a fairy tale, and then later, adult Amy sneers at the notion, so I thought it would be fun to thrust her into a fairy tale environment. Second, I always thought that there was a very good idea buried in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village; he just started the story in the wrong place. So it’s sort of a melding of the two ideas.

TFAW.com: So are you a big fan of Doctor Who?

MS: I’ve been a huge Doctor Who fan since I was ten or eleven years old; it was my first geek obsession. I watched it every chance I got when I was a kid, but it lost my interest sometime around the Colin Baker years. It wasn’t anything to do with the quality of the show so much as I just got interested in other things–like girls. The two interests proved to be largely incompatible in those dark days when “geek girl” was an oxymoron. But when the new series started in 2005, I couldn’t have been more thrilled; it was as if the writers searched my memories for everything that I loved about Doctor Who and made that, while specifically excluding everything that I didn’t like about it. The first four seasons were lovely, but the fifth season, with Steven Moffat at the helm, is more or less my platonic ideal of everything that Doctor Who should be. It fills me with joy.

TFAW.com: Who is your favorite Doctor?

MS: I tend to think of the original series and the new series as two entirely different animals. Like most fans my age, Tom Baker was the Doctor I fell in love with, and he remains my sentimental favorite. When the new series started, I thought Eccleston was brilliant, and I was disappointed when he left and wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Tennant. And then I thought Tennant was leaps and bounds above Eccleston, and I was disappointed when he left and wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Matt Smith. And then I thought Matt Smith blew everyone else out of the water, including Baker. He captures perfectly the essence of what makes Doctor Who wonderful.

TFAW.com: The solicitation copy for issue #1 reads, “Amy finds herself reluctantly cast as a damsel in distress.” What’s this experience going to be like for her?

MS: Oh, it’s going to be terrible for her. Somehow the Doctor convinces her (you might even say he tricks her) into dressing as a fairy tale princess, with the big skirts and the conical hat, the whole bit. Being the fiercely independent woman that she is, the whole concept of being a damsel in distress and needing to be rescued is anathema to her. But of course, Amy sometimes needs to be rescued. And it’s that theme, the tension between the need to be protected and the need for independence, that underlies the entire story.

TFAW.com: How will the Doctor respond to this fairy tale environment? Or, more importantly, how will its inhabitants react to him?

MS: On the Doctor’s side, he responds to it as he responds to any new situation, which is to say that he marvels at its wonders and finds himself compelled to meddle in its troubles. But the implications of what this world is truly about, when we get further into the story, puts him in an unusual position at the end in which he’s forced to make a difficult moral decision about the depth of his responsibility to those he helps. As for the reaction of the inhabitants, the Doctor’s arrival is complicated by the fact that this is a world in which there are no strangers and no conceivable avenue by which strangers might appear, so his presence is profoundly off-putting.

TFAW.com: Medieval times were legendary for jousting and swordfighting. The Doctor is known as a pacifist, but can we look forward to him taking part in anything like that?

MS: The jousting, with the brawny, sweaty knights is one of the primary attractions of this world for Amy, and it’s the first thing she asks about. As for the Doctor . . . when you find yourself on horseback holding a lance, and a giant robotic wyvern comes at you, well, there’s an obvious course of action there.

TFAW.com: You seem like an ideal choice for this story, after writing Jack of Fables. Are there any similarities between the two books?

MS: I think the secret to writing Doctor Who is understanding how to blend drama and comedy, and that’s something I’ve been working at my entire career. Doing comedy in comic books is very difficult (which is ironic, since they’re called “comics”) and bad or poorly cued comedy is worse than none at all. But when you’re dealing with the Doctor, especially this Doctor, you have to bring the laughs or it fails miserably. So I suppose if there’s any connection between Jack and Doctor Who, it’s that both require a sense of subtle absurdity, knowing when to be silly and when to rein it in. Balance is everything.

TFAW.com: What are the crucial differences?

MS: The differences probably outweigh the similarities. Of course the biggest difference is the overall worldview. Jack of Fables is a deeply cynical work, and a pessimistic one. The wonderful thing about Doctor Who is its buoyant, infectious optimism. Futility isn’t a theme that plays out well in Doctor Who, which is why I think the episode “The Waters of Mars” was a bit of a misstep, because at the end the Doctor is embittered, which isn’t (in my opinion) what the character is about. I personally prefer the “Nobody dies today!” Doctor Who never allows darkness to overcome. Jack of Fables, on the other hand, is practically a study in futility.

TFAW.com: Jack of Fables recently ended, with issue #50. What was it like bringing it to a close?

MS: It was bittersweet, but it was time. Fifty is a nice, round number, and we had an ending that we loved, so we went for it. The response seems to be evenly divided among those who thought the ended was great, and those who thought it was horrible. And that’s the only kind of ending we could have made. Certainly the kind of ending we wanted to make.

TFAW.com: Is there anything you didn’t get to write for Jack that you had planned?

MS: I think you always want to end a series with the conviction that you could have done more with it. You never want to reach the finish line out of breath. So, while there were certainly other things we could have done with it, there was that chance that it might have stopped being fun. And that would have been a disservice to everyone.

TFAW.com: You’ve also been going strong with House of Mystery. Can you give us any hints about upcoming stories?

MS: I don’t want to give too much away, because ultimately that book is all about the mystery, but I will say that the big storyline with Fig and the Conception is finally going to be resolved, and all will be explained there. Another thing to look forward to is another full-on anthology issue in issue #42. We’ve always have a lot of fun with those issues and this one promises to be no exception.

TFAW.com: You’ve spent a lot of time on the light and dark sides of fantasy. What other types of stories would you like to tell?

MS: For a long time now I’ve wanted to do something that focuses on the big, seemingly intransigent problems that happen in the real world. We live in a time when ordinary people are just outraged and livid at what’s happening in the world around them and feel so hopeless to do anything about it: wars, global warming, corporate greed, dirty politics. Those are things that are difficult to address in comics, and which could be really preachy and annoying if handled inappropriately, but I have an idea . . .

TFAW.com: What comics are your favorites right now?

MS: I’m a bit behind on my comics reading at the moment; I seem to spend so much time writing them that I never seem to find time to read them. But the ones I’ve been most excited about lately are Locke and Key, The Sixth Gun, Secret Six, and Paul Cornell’s brilliant run on Action Comics. There are others, of course, but I’ll only think of them after the interview goes to print.

TFAW.com: Do you think you’ll write more Doctor Who comics after A Fairytale Life?

MS: I’d absolutely love to do more. For me it’s one of those passion projects, the kind you’d gladly do for free. I have a few pitches up my sleeve, just waiting for the right moment to spring them. If someday I got to write an episode of the television show, I think I could die happy.

TFAW.com: What else do you have coming up that you’re excited about?

MS: I have a creator-owned series that I’ve just started writing, which I’m totally in love with, and may well be the best thing I’ve ever done if I can pull it off. I’m in the best part of it, where everything is possibility and none of the soul-crushing realities of writing have come into play yet. That feeling, where you’re a genius who can do anything, seldom lasts beyond page one of issue one, so you have to revel in it while it’s happening. Beyond that, I’ve got a few other irons in the fire, but at the moment I’m booked solid with House of Mystery, this new project, and a couple of odds and ends that I’m doing in the DCU. But I have a feeling something else exciting is about to happen; maybe it’s the Doctor Who rubbing off on me, but I’ve never been more excited to be writing comics!

Our thanks to Matthew for taking the time to give us the inside scoop on Doctor Who: A Fairytale Life. Issue #1 is out April 13–check it out here at TFAW.com and pre-order the rest of the series.

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Reviews of This Week’s New Releases!

We’ve got some pretty good comics this week, folks. This week, TFAW reviews Silver Surfer #1, Brightest Day #20, Jennifer Blood #1, Marvel Girl #1, Amazing Spider-Man #654.1, DC Universe Online Legends #2 and Fables #102

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Thanks to our YouTube subscribers for suggesting Silver Surfer and Marvel Girl! Are you psyched for these issues? What would you like us to review next week? Post your comments below!

Thanks to the fine folks at Dynamite Entertainment, we have comic book previews of four new titles that are on sale tomorrow: Boys #51, Garth Ennis: Jennifer Blood #1, Green Hornet Year One #8, Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time: Eye of the World #8, and Vampirella #3. We’ve got four to five preview pages of each, so check ‘em out below!

Boys #51 Garth Ennis: Jennifer Blood #1 Green Hornet Year One #8 Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time: Eye of the World #8 Vampirella #3

What do you think? Jennifer Blood, with its suburban-mom-by-day, vigilante-by-night setup, seems like classic Ennis. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time: Eye of the World comics adapt Jordan’s very popular novel, which has sold more than 44 million copies (if you missed it the first time around, be sure the check out the Wheel of Time concept art we posted in 2009). Green Hornet Year One takes a different approach than this winter’s movie, telling period adventures of the original Green Hornet!

I’m digging Russ Braun’s art in The Boys #51 (also by Garth Ennis)–what do you think? Also, Vampirella‘s new series has been pretty popular so far–although I noticed she’s in plainclothes here.

Are you going to check these out? Post your comments below!

Fans of horrific humor and sexy spies will love the upcoming Danger Girl and the Army of Darkness miniseries from Dynamite Entertainment. Now you can enter to win a set of three exclusive variants in our Danger Girl/Army of Darkness Contest!

Abbey Chase, the world’s most daring adventuress, returns to action as she aims to recover a dark and mysterious piece of ancient history. When Abbey learns that the elusive Book of the Dead has resurfaced and fallen into nefarious hands, she and the Danger Girls embark on a mission to track down the powerful tome.

But when their journey leads them to cross paths with another seeking the book–a man with a personal vendetta and a literal hand in the book’s sordid history–they find themselves spiraling through the most outrageous and sure-to-be-talked-about cross-over event of the year!

Sam Raimi fans will recognize “Ash” Williams from the Evil Dead trilogy–will Abbey give him some sugar, or drop-kick him into hell? Find out in April. Plus, if you pre-order Danger Girl and the Army of Darkness #1 by April 26, 2011, you’ll be automatically entered to win all three variant covers from Dynamite, pictured below!

Check out our Danger Girl/Army of Darkness Contest page now! Are you looking forward to the Danger Girl and the Army of Darkness miniseries? Who has an opinion about Danger Girl? Post it below!

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody! Love is definitely in the air, and we’re making it easy for you to get more of what you love this month: comics. During our Get More of What You Love Sale you’ll save 20% off most of our in-stock products. Yeah, that’s right–we’ve doubled our everyday in-stock discount through the end of February from 10% to 20%! That’s nearly 10,000 great in-stock comics, graphic novels, statues, and collectibles to choose from!

You’ll also save 30% on FEB11 pre-orders through 2/28! So the newest issues of Mass Effect: Evolution, Hellraiser, Action Comics, Captain America, Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, and over 1,300 other products are nearly 1/3 off their cover price. Who loves ya?

I love these in-stock products:

Joker HC $15.99 Wolverine Old Man Logan TPB $23.99 Star Trek TNG Ghosts #5 (Variant) $3.19 Galactus 19-in Action Figure (variant ed.) $71.99 Hellboy Library Edition Volume 3 HC $39.96 Cover Girls Of The DCU Poison Ivy Statue $79.99

I’m also really looking forward to these products (which are 30% off):

Chew #19 $2.09 Real Ghostbusters Minimates Box Set $12.59 Batman Beyond #4 $2.09 X-23 Vol. 1 HC $13.99 S.H.I.E.L.D. Infinity $3.49 Deadpool #36 $2.09

So what do you love that you got (or plan on getting) from our sale? We’re holding a Twitter contest today, so make sure you follow @TFAW on Twitter and post your comment there.

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I gotta admit, I’ve never been the most excited person in the world about X-Men: First Class. As a comics reader, it’s hard to take when I know a movie studio is planning on veering so far away from the source material.

That being said, I’m also a huge movie fan, and a few of the things I saw in this trailer made my hair stand up on end. X-Men: First Class hits theaters June 3, 2011. The production team recently went back to film some more footage, and while that usually isn’t a very good sign, I’m a little more confident in director Matthew Vaughn after seeing this footage:

So, what do you think? Are you a little more optimistic like I am now? Will I see you at the theater opening night? Did you spot Kevin Bacon? Let us know below.

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We received almost 300 product reviews last month! It took some effort to pick just three winners for our Product Review Contest. This month, we’re sending out $30 TFAW gift certificates to the following winners:

Larry from Oregon reviewed the Blackest Night Series 6 Green Lantern Hal Jordan Action Figure. Here’s his take on it:

Probably the best action figure of Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern I’ve seen. Looks great next to Sinestro from the same series.

Luke, also from Oregon had this to say about Anchor Vol. 02 TPB:

Bring the simple joy of a holy Icelandic warrior from the middle ages to your home today! A fun clean fight through hell, facing Satan himself as you have never seen him before.

Churilla’s creature/demon designs are always interesting and unexpected, while Hester’s dialog is entertaining creating an atmosphere where you are sucked into the old world of the Anchor’s past which is revealed as he consumes the demon hearts of his vanquished foes.

The art is a little cartoony, but then again you are looking at comic books here. So I guess you can’t complain too much. Rating: ****

And Chris, from Missouri wrote his first TFAW product review on Axe Cop Volume 1 TPB. Here’s what he had to say:

Such an ingenious idea for a comic: consult your 5 year old brother for ideas, and just run with it. This book is amazing. I can’t stop laughing. The stories are crazy and I love the artwork that depicts the world of Axe Cop.

We want to thank all our customers for their product reviews last month. Good luck to you all for next month’s contest. Keep your reviews coming, you could be next month’s winner! As always, we’re choosing our product reviews carefully. Please don’t submit duplicate reviews or submissions from other merchant websites. You don’t have to like the product to snag a winning review, so feel free to rant or gush.

So submit your reviews and help your fellow collectors, and us, sort out the “HOT” from the “NOT”! Who knows, you may be one of next month’s winners.

HOW TO SUBMIT A PRODUCT REVIEW:
It’s simple! Just visit any product page and look for this:

Click on it and our product review form will appear in a popup. Just fill out the pertinent information and submit your review, and you’re done! We’ll take a look at your review and get it up on the product page soon thereafter!

There’s also a really easy way for you to call up everything you’ve ever ordered from us and review it. Simply log in to your account and go into the Order History Section. Next to each item, you’ll see a “Review it!” link.

Questions? Comments? Let us know below!

New Reviews of This Week’s Releases!

There was a lot of good book out there for this week’s comic book reviews, including the return of Jericho, a prelude to DC’s Flashpoint, a great Infestation issue, and much more. Watch our reactions to Hack/Slash Ongoing #1, Jericho Season 3 Redux, Star Trek Infestation #1, Cinderella Fables Are Forever #1, John Byrne’s Next Men #3, Thunder Agents #4, Batman and Robin #20, Flash #9, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #153, and Walking Dead #81 below, but beware–SPOILER ALERT–we try not to give big twists away, but we do talk about some of the plot points:

CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S ARRIVALS

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We love viewer recommendations, so let us have ‘em! Post what you want us to review below, and we’ll give you a shout-out. Yay, YouTube/blog fame!

We’ve already talked about the Alter Egos Society’s epic Project Mayor-Man challenge: you design a superhero costume for Portland, Oregon Mayor Sam Adams, and they pick the winner and create it! Adams will then wear his spiffy new suit to Stumptown Comics Fest April 16 and 17, posing for pictures and raising funds for p:ear, an organization that mentors homeless youth. Plus, the winner receives free tickets to Stumptown, plus a $100 prize! View the nifty video below:

Things From Another World is a very proud sponsor of this event–we can’t wait to see what you come up with! We’re psyched that the Alter Egos Society has created this awesome event. Stay tuned for more happenings like this from members of the Portland Geek Council of Commerce and Culture, dedicated to promoting geek events in Portland, Oregon and fostering networking and business growth amongst the nerdy set.

Will you submit a design for Project Mayor-Man? Comment below!