#140: Hooooo-ly crap

The ThunderCats train keeps rolling! Tape Dec upgrades.

Jan 30, 2024

ALL THE LATEST

Sorry this is going out later than usual, some business stuff just blew up behind the scenes and been dealing with it. I’m fine, nothing to worry about, just sorry to be late.

This year seemed to start off at a nice, slow pace but seemed to have knocked up a gear pretty fast!

-A reminder I’ll be at WATERFORD INTERNATIONAL COMICS ARTS FESTIVAL this weekend. Looking forward to it. Here’s details for my talk…

2.15-3.15: A Life In Comics with Declan Shalvey - moderator PB
Comics superstar Declan Shalvey will discuss his amazing career as both writer and artist on some of the best comic books released in recent years. Declan will do a visual retrospective and discuss what it’s like to be a working professional in today’s international comics and film industries.

-My PROJECT EMERALD script is done and I’m just waiting on approval. I’ll be looking to start layouts and pencils next week. This is a VERY fun project. Between this and THUNDERCATS I’m really reliving my childhood this month. This should be announced later in February.

-I’ve written the first draft of the pitch pages for PROJECT ARCA, as well as a first draft for the pitch outline. Also did a rough for what would be a variant cover, seen below. Need to clear some stuff and take another whack at all this.

-Reviewing some scripts for various projects today, as well as starting my final THE DISPLACED cover.

-I just got offered a surprise THUNDERCATS cover connected to a big reveal in that issue. Needs to be done soon so… to the drawing board!

-I somehow forgot to plug this cover for Rick Remender/ Andy Samberg/ Joe Trohman/ Roland Boschi series THE HOLY ROLLER. I’m a big fan of most of these guys but I have to especially give the Roland Boschi art [with lovely Moreno Dinisio colours] as while this is a very fun book, it is also very VERY pretty. Was flattered to be asked to provide a variant for the book.

-Been doing a lot of BLADE related covers lately. Here’s a peek at a variant I did for Issue Ten of the book.

-Still waiting on news for PROJECT RAVEN. I’m told all of editorial have their last notes and it’s been sent up the chain to the big wigs, so we’ll see what happens. Been plenty busy with THUNDERCATS, PROJECT EMERALD and OLD DOG OPERATIONS in the meantime anyhoo.

TAPE DEC

Been busy with this too! Because we need more podcasts, right? A proper edit of TAPE DEC 04 with Ed Brisson now up!

So the plan going forward is to do a livestream where people can post questions into the chat that we can respond to. After the livestream, I’ll remove the video from my YouTube page and post a proper edited version [like above] the following week along with some clips. That way, people have a chance to contribute live, otherwise they can just watch to the tidy/edited version later. Will soon be putting out audio versions on Spotify too.

I know I’m pretty ramshackle with how these are rolling out, but I’m learning as I go. You’ll notice a serious upgrade with this new video as I’ve hired a great editor Jamie Wood to help me out with all this stuff, which is the only reason any of this is looking presentable. Thanks Jamie!

Happy to report there’s another TAPE DEC imminent! I’ll be talking to TIME BEFORE TIME collaborator and SPAWN writer Rory McConville tomorrow. We’ll be talking about both projects, especially with Vol 5 of the former out Feb 21st and SPAWN #350 out the same day! So like, subscribe, all that jazz.

THUNDERCATS

Source: Screenrant

Jesus, this book is blowing up… over 170,000 copies ordered!?!?!

I can’t believe it’s taking off the way it has been with these orders for Issue One. You’ll all be able to decide if it’s worth the hype as it’s out next week! Dynamite released covers for Issue Three, including my own. Really happy with this one.

Solicits:

As the wary ThunderCats continue to explore their new home, Lion-O finds himself inexplicably drawn to Calica, the beautiful and mysterious survivor of the crashed Mu'Tant ship. But Panthro and Cheetara view the unfamiliar Thundarian with suspicion, and the ensuing confrontation threatens to fracture their fragile new society - leaving them vulnerable to enemies from both outside and within!

The drama intensifies in this third chapter of the highly anticipated new series from award-winning author DECLAN SHALVEY (Old Dog, Hero Killer) and fan-favorite illustrator DREW MOSS (Gargoyles: Dark Ages) - both of whom contribute a cover for the issue along with acclaimed artists DAVID NAKAYAMA, LUCIO PARRILLO, and JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG!

There goes that reveal I mentioned! Ah well. Here’s the other covers for the issue..

ThunderCats #3 covers; A by Nakayama, B by Parillo, D by Lee, E by Tao

If you like watching/listening to me on Youtube podcasts, you’re in luck. If you hate it, I’ve got bad news for you. Doing somethign of a podcast junket/tour at the moment talking THUNDERCATS with variaous outlets. I’ll post them here as they go live but first here’s one with Traversing the Stars

Heads up! Customers of Forbidden Planet Dublin might find this Lion-O headsketch in your issue!

As of now, the first arc is all written which I can reveal will be collected as THUNDERCATS Vol 1: OMENS.

I have been doing a crazy amount of press for this book, maybe 10 different podcasts?

Speaking of promo, I’ll be doing an AMA on Reddit ahead of the THUNDERCATS release on Feb 7th. Get your questions in on Feb 2-5 and I’ll be answering on the 6th. I don’t know why I’m telling YE this, as you Decolytes can always ask me whatever in the comments ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I saw this great CHEETARA piece online by Claudio Pozas, and WLIYKAT/WILEKIT piece by Jason Browne. Hope to see more of Drew’s designs out in the wild.

All the hype has been amazing, and thanks to everyone who’s reached out with congratulations. I took this gig as I thought it’d be fun, wasn’t expecting this level of attention, but it’s undoubtedly brilliant to see this much excitement about a new comic, and even more so to be part of it. I’ve already sold my first 4 covers! That’s never happened before.

OLD DOG

Script pitches have come in for OLD DOG OPERATIONS. “Wait, what? Script pitches…? What the hell are you talking about Dec? Stop talking nonsense and get back to work, you handsome devil,” I hear you say. More on all that to come.

Dossier: 'Sealed Envelope' prints, exclustive Kickstarter print, bookmarks

I have a lot of the rewards for the Dossier together, the prints, bookmarks, headsketes, etc. Need to sort out the pins still, which is a new thing for me.

Final Dossier headsketches: self portrait and TIME BEFORE TIME's Sebastian.

I am waiting on the designer to get me the finished book. He is really busy in fairness to him, but I am getting antsy as I told everyone books would be posted in Feb, and it’s basically Feb now with no books printed. There aren’t as many books to ship with this campaign though, so hoping the turnaround is faster.

ALIEN

I’s kinda crazy that my final issue of ALIEN comes out the very same day as THUNDERCATS #1 next week! So hey, when you’re picking up the new book, pick up the last [and previous] issues of the last one! I haven’t seen any of Andrea Broccardo’s pages online yet, and mine are WAY too spoilery so here’s a page of his pencils, along with his inks.

Lovely stuff. He’s so good.

I was also talking about ALIEN Traversing the Stars, you can watch below

I’ll talk more about ALIEN once it’s all out, but it’s been a brilliant ride and I’m sad to see it end.

DEC RECS

HELEN OF WYNDHORN

Written by Tom King

Art by Bilquis Evely

Colours by Matheus Lopes

Lettered by Cleyton Cowles

Published by Dark Horse

Both Mat Lopes and Tom King sent me a PDF of this book recently. I was going to add it to my pull list anyway but Jeeeesssuuus Christ… I added it straight after just looking at the PDF. Bilquis Evely… hands down must be one of the most fantastic comics artists of our generation, or her generation at the very least. The art, along with Mat’s meticulously beautiful hues and highlights is overwhelmingly stunning. To be expected from the team of SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW sure, but it’s another thing to actually see it. Wonderfully rendered characters, clothing, immaculately constructed environments. God, this thing is amazing to look at.

Once I adjusted my brain, I went back and actually read the issue and was really blown away. I’m not much of a period/fantasy guy, but those elemts are intercut and told in a modern way with great characters that guide you through the story effortlessly. I love anything of Tom’s I’ve read and this is very much included. A beautifully told comic, all round.