Comic Books - Slave Labor Graphics

[Batfreak]

Slave Labor Graphics at Comic-Con 2008.

If you are going to Comic-Con in San Diego, here is a list of some of the people attending:

Aaron Alexovich, Karine Charlebois, Roman Dirge, Jennifer Feinberg,Jenny Goldberg
Jon "Bean" Hastings, Faith Erin Hicks (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday ONLY!), Derek Hunter, Eric Jones, Kenny Keil, Neil Kleid, Tommy Kovac, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Todd Meister, Ethan Nicolle, Chris Reilly, Andy Ristaino, Ian Smith, Tyson Smith
Jhonen Vasquez - (FRIDAY-SUNDAY ONLY!)
Landry Walker

[Batfreak]

MuZz Review:

Joe Hilliard at Pop Thought has reviewed the first volume of MuZz by FSc, calling it a "foray into a Byzantine dreamworld." Of the art: "It's an amazingly drawn book. The surreal fades into the grotesque, the grotesque into the sublime." And of the story: "we traverse regret, suffering, familial pain that make up so much more of [Farllee's] journey than any simple remembrance."

Hilliard notes that this is a difficult graphic novel: "The art is dense. The writing is dense. I found myself re-reading sections looking for deeper understanding. I found myself staring into the corners of the panels to decipher the lines. It's challenging. It's frustrating. It will make you a bit paranoid. But, it is also worth that effort it takes."

When I was reading and editing MuZz, this is something I really came to appreciate. It was necessary for me to read it closely, on a word-by-word, image-by-image level -- immerse myself, really -- to understand it. FSc builds a complex world, with many kinds of creatures and "people," and I found myself quite attached to them by the time I had finished work on MuZz. (Can I just say, it is a travesty that I do not have an Elephanee.)

The nature of the work makes reviewing MuZz tricky, I think, because a reader must already be invested in the work at some level to put this kind of commitment into reading it. In the case of Joe Hilliard, I'd guess the immediate attraction of FSc's art drew him into the story, as is the case for most people who appreciate FSc's unconventional work. However, if there isn't that immediate connection, that can lead to mixed -- or negative -- reviews from readers who find MuZz overly complicated and confusing.

Andrew Wheeler at Comics Art, is one of these -- he acknowledges he is not the target audience -- noting, however, that "MuZz is definitely a unique, idiosyncratic story, and readers willing to stretch will find a lot of fascinating stuff here."

[Batfreak]

Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter recently made a list of "Twelve Mostly Overlooked Comics Published In The Last Twelve Or So Years" and among them was Paris by Andi Watson and Simon Gane, a "lovely romance" between an American artist and British socialite set in the eponymous city. Spurgeon calls it "A deeply pleasurable comic to read..."

I agree. It's been a few years since we first published Paris #1, and I still have a swoon-crush on this comic. I like to think the two main characters, Juliet and Deborah, today are like real-life couple Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, who met in 1950 and were married on June 16 in San Francisco.

[Batfreak]

Comic-Con International
San Diego, California
July 24 - 27

Signing at the SLG Booth:

Aaron Alexovich (Serenity Rose)
Karine Charlebois (Gargoyles: Bad Guys)
Camilla d'Errico (Nightmares and Fairy Tales)
Roman Dirge (Lenore)
Jennifer Feinberg (Little Scrowlie)
Aleister Gilgrim (The Cemeterians)
Jenny Goldberg (Jellyfist)
Jon "Bean" Hastings (Haunted Mansion)
Faith Erin Hicks (Zombies Calling - Thursday, Saturday, Sunday ONLY)
Derek Hunter (Pirate Club)
Eric Jones (The Super-Scary Monster Show)
Kenny Keil (Tales to Suffice)
Neil Kleid (Ursa Minors)
Tommy Kovac (Wonderland)
Karl Christian Krumpholz (Byron)
Todd Meister (Little Scrowlie)
Ethan Nicolle (Chumble Spuzz)
Drew Rausch (Haunted Mansion)
Chris Reilly (Strange Eggs)
Andy Ristaino (The Babysitter)
Ian and Tyson Smith (Dream Maiden Megan)
Jhonen Vasquez (Johnny the Homicidal Maniac - Friday - Sunday ONLY)
Greg Weisman (Gargoyles)
Landry Walker (The Super-Scary Monster Show)

[Batfreak]

Guy's (and Gal's) do any of you read this stuff?? Is there any Comic News You'd like posted?? Is there anyone out there who would like a free reading issue to see what SLG is like??

[Batfreak]

All you nerds from way back now have something to show that you were into being a dork way before it was cool. One color on a color ringer shirt, available in men's and ladies sizes.


100& Cotton T-Shirt
Men's and Ladies Sizes

[Batfreak]

Chumble Spuzz Invades Comic-Con!

Creator And New Volume Will Be On Hand At SLG Publishing Booth


Ethan Nicolle, creator of the critically acclaimed Chumble Spuzz, will be one of the many talented creators signing at the SLG Publishing booth at the San Diego Comic-Con. Featured in Wizard Magazine's Indie Watch 2008, Chumble Spuzz continues to gain buzz for its first volume, Kill the Devil. Now, SLG Publishing is proud to announce that volume two, Pigeon Man and Death Sings the Blues, is off to the presses and will be available just in time for the San Diego Comic-Con. Nicolle will be available at the SLG booth to sign copies of both volumes of Chumble Spuzz. "I love Comic-Con. It's something I look forward to every year," says Nicolle, "last year I at Comic-Con I handed out promotional stuff for Chumble Spuzz. This will be my first year selling the actual book—along with volume—and possibly meeting people who have read the book already." Nicolle will be signing at the SLG Publishing Booth (#1815) all four days of Comic-Con from 11:00AM-12:30PM and 2:00PM-3:30PM.

In the second volume of Chumble Spuzz, join Gunther and Klem in their next set of adventures as they deal with…The Pigeon Man? Who is this feral gentleman and what does he have to do with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Why doesn't anybody stop Klem's obsession with adopting demented pets? Will Gunther teach his new robot the true meaning of love? You'll have to check out the second volume of Chumble Spuzz, Pigeon Man and Death Sings the Blues to find out all these answers (and some you weren't even expecting!) But wait! There's more! The second part of this collection features everybody's favorite drinking buddy, Death as Gunther and Klem somehow find themselves responsible for cheering the guy up. It seems that after all these years of pain and suffering, Death has developed an acute sense of guilt and decides to call it quits. It's up to our favorite pair of anthropomorphically ambiguous heroes to bring him back from the light and make him see the dark side again!

Chumble Spuzz Volume Two: Pigeon Man and Death Sings the Blues (ISBN 978-1-59362-130-8) will be available this July, arriving with a generous 144 pages and retailing at $12.95. The first volume, Kill the Devil is out now and is available in my store

SLG Publishing is a San Jose, CA based publisher of comic books, graphic novels and related merchandise. Established in 1986 some of SLG's more notable comics and creators have included Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez, Lenore by Roman Dirge, Milk & Cheese by Evan Dorkin and Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks.

[Batfreak]

Comic-Con Calling!

Zombies Calling Creator Faith Erin Hicks Scheduled to Make her Comic-Con Debut!


Faith Erin Hicks, creator of the acclaimed and fan-favorite graphic novel Zombies Calling, is among the numerous artists who will be appearing at the SLG Publishing booth at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego, taking place between July 24th – July 27th.

In addition to promoting her next eagerly anticipated project with SLG, The War At Ellsmere, Hicks is looking forward to attending Comic-Con for the first time. "I'm looking forward to the spectacle of it all! I've never before been to such a huge convention and I've heard it's an insane whirlwind of geekdom," says Hicks, "I'm hoping to meet up with fellow comic artists, see the sights and not get trampled by the roving hordes."

Hicks' Zombies Calling marked the first in what is hoped to be a long line of collaborations with SLG. "I've really enjoyed working with SLG. They're very supportive and enthusiastic about graphic novels, and really seem to be ahead of the creative curve. I hope they'll be okay with me sticking around for a bit," says Hicks. SLG Editor-in-Chief Jennifer de Guzman echoes Hicks' excitement: "Faith is a new voice in comics that is lively and smart, and her stories have a wide range and wide appeal [with] her unique perspective and great protagonists…I am very excited that she will be at Comic-Con because I know there are a lot of her fans who want to meet her in person -- her editor among them!"

The War At Ellsmere continues Hicks' tradition of portraying strong, female leads against incredible circumstances. Set in the fictional, prestigious Ellsmere girls' boarding school, Hicks brings us the story of Jun, the newest scholarship student, and her discovery that things at the school aren't exactly what they seem. Intertwined with Jun's orientation and adjustment to her new surroundings are stories about man-eating unicorns and whispers of other mythical beasts. "[The story] was somewhat inspired by the books I read as a kid," says Hicks, "by authors like Lloyd Alexander, Diana Wynne Jones and Jane Yolen, books about resourceful, engaging heroines having adventures and battling evil."

You can find both Faith Erin Hicks and a free preview of The War at Ellsmere at the SLG booth (#1815) at Comic-Con. She is scheduled to appear on Thursday, July 24th between 10:00-11:00 AM, 1:30 - 3:00 PM, and 5- 6:00 PM. Please note that dates and times are subject to change.

[Batfreak]

Ocean-farers Beware! Next Spring, The High Seas Will Be Marked By Blood!

SLG Publishing to Release Adaptation of Classic Pirate Tale, Captain Blood

Having turned the zombie genre on its head in SLG Publishing’s Dead Eyes Open, writer Matthew Shepherd returns next spring with a new pirate tale set in the volatile high seas of the Caribbean. Based off of the classic 1922 novel by Rafael Sabatin, Captain Blood: His Odyssey, Shepherd and artist Mike Shoykhet (Tron) bring you an exciting new interpretation starting next spring with the debut issue of Captain Blood #1.

Peter Blood had always been a driven man. He was a soldier, a sailor, a captain, and a doctor. Nothing seemed unattainable for the skilled Dr. Blood. But when an act of compassion during a rebellion thrusts him into the bottom trenches of slavery, Peter must use his wits and experience to fight his way back to freedom. Shepherd’s Captain Blood promises to chronicle Blood’s ascension to power as he eventually becomes one of the most notorious pirates to roam the seven seas.

The book will be filled with epic sea warfare, forbidden romance, drunken debauchery, unrelenting action, and yes, even political intrigue. This isn’t any ordinary pirate story, however. It’s as much a story of one man’s journey of transformation and strength in the face of defeatist-inducing circumstances as it is a tail of revenge, violence, and adventure. “Blood is no cardboard-cutout hero,” Shepherd says, “he's a tactical genius, but also a rash, bullheaded leader whose sense of nobility gets him into as much trouble as it gets him out of it.”

And just how did Shepherd go from writing about zombies to writing about pirates? As part of SLG Publishing’s new initiative, internally developed concepts are being pitched to creators. “When [SLG Publishing president] Dan Vado approached me about doing Captain Blood, I'd already been hearing about pirates as an alternate social construct,” says Shepherd, “and oddly enough, most of my comics work, especially Dead Eyes Open, has to do with shifting social and political structures, so the book was a perfect fit.”

Captain Blood #1 is set for a full-color spring 2009 debut. It will also mark the first of many internally developed SLG projects.

SLG Publishing is a San Jose, CA based publisher of comic books, graphic novels and related merchandise. Established in 1986 some of SLG's more notable comics and creators have included Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez, Lenore by Roman Dirge, Milk & Cheese by Evan Dorkin and Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks

[Batfreak]

Spectacular Spider-Man Producers Announce Two New Exciting Projects In Collaboration With SLG Publishing

Fresh off the hit animated series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, producers Greg Weisman (Gargoyles) and Vic Cook (Hellboy: Blood and Iron) in collaboration with SLG Publishing announce their latest all-ages creations: Progeny and Mecha-Nation.

In Progeny, teenager Mike Talan's world is turned upside down when he discovers that he's inherited his grandfather's legacy. You see, Mike's grandfather wasn't an ordinary man. Mike's grandfather is a legend. The greatest hero of them all: Night-Ray. Confronted with the discovery of his grandfather's power-band, flight boots, costume, and journal, Mike decides to try out being a super-hero. He quickly finds himself working alongside other super-powered individuals as they work together to build the foundations of a new era of heroes. An era for Progeny, the next generation of legends that will fight to bring back hope to a weary world.

The New Kid. The Geek. The Rocker. The Cheerleader. The Goth. An unlikely group of friends under normal circumstances, right? But in Mecha-Nation, Glass Lake High School's newest transfer student, Kevin Cho, discovers that he has a lot more in common with these individuals than just econ class! These kids are more than just homo-sapiens, they're Mecha-Sapiens! Empowered with the ability to transform into robotic warriors, they are Earth's latest batch of unlikely heroes; the first of a brand new Mecha-Nation!

Weisman and Cook forged a creative partnership when they were both working for Disney's Gargoyles animated series in the nineties. "[We] are very excited to reveal the secret world of the Mecha-Nation and Progeny as SLG comic books," Weisman says.

Progeny and Mecha-Nation will be published by SLG Publishing in late 2009. Greg Weisman will be appearing at the SLG Publishing booth (#1815) during Comic-Con International and will also discuss the two new projects at the SLG Panel on Saturday July 26th.

SLG Publishing is a San Jose, CA based publisher of comic books, graphic novels and related merchandise. Established in 1986 some of SLG's more notable comics and creators have included Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez, Lenore by Roman Dirge, Milk & Cheese by Evan Dorkin and Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks.