-One project ended with ALIEN, but another started the very same day, with the bombastic release of THUNDERCATS. More on both below.
-PROJECT RAVEN is officially approved! I have to say, I was preparing myself for this to not happen, but I am happy to have mis-judged that outcome. The whole series is all outlined as part of the pitch process so I need to start writing soon, once PROJECT EMERALD is wrapped.
-Layouts for PROJECT EMERALD are done [WIP above, below] and I’ve started pencilling. I think it’ll be announced next week, want to have a page finished in time for the promotion/announcement.
-I wrapped my last cover for THE DISPLACED and a THUNDERCATS cover. Took on some Marvel covers too, have a few to take care of before the month ends.
-I’ll be at GalaxyCon Richmond, March 15-17th! I’ll be sitting with Drew Moss flogging a GalaxyCon exclusive THUNDERCATS cover.
-Saw this THRAWN: ALLIANCES #3 cover floating around online, think it’s out in March.
-I currently have a student from my old art college doing work placement with me for a few weeks. She’s doing some errands for me which is helping me out with my workload, and in the latter half of the day, I’ll give her advice on doing a short story of her own. She’s written a two page short and I’m helping her on her layouts today. It’s been a long time since I’ve worked in-studio with someone, it’s been a nice experience. While it takes a little time out of my day, I get that time back with the side stuff that comes with the job. I hope she likes organising comps because I see a lot of that in her future!. It’s good to be actively helping someone interested in a career in comics again and I forgot ow much it helps me take a step back and appreciate how good I have it, do be making a decent living in comics.
-Saw my DUKE cover was finally shown online. This was a fun one. can you spot the easter-egg? Shouldn’t be hard. It’s in disguise.
-I did a big tidy of the studio lately and it’s looking pretty nice! Took the opportunity to take some photos as I’ve been meaning to do a studio tour. I’m a bit tight on time due to THUNDERCATS promo and my deadline with PROJECT EMERALD [and this post is hefty enough already] but I’m going to chip away at it and share in the near future.
-Turns out there’s a deluxe edition of ALL STAR BATMAN being put together. The collections editor reached out to me, seeing if I had any preliminary work to include. Well, I knew I had, such as my designs for Duke’s costume and gear. Also my layouts where I realised this waas the first time I coloured my layouts. I had a specific reason in this case as Scott Snyder had a specific appraoch with colour in the story so I wanted to flesh that out in the appraoch.
THUNDERPODS
I have been doing the rounds on the auld podcast circuit, thanks to Dynamite Comics or past platforms reaching out. Why in the name of god you’d want to listen to all of these, I don’t know, but here’s all I could keep track of:
Tradecraft
ComicPop Returns
The Short Box: A Comic Book Talk Show
Comic Book University
Pros And Cons
More coming too. Sorry!
THUNDERCATS
God forbid people stop buy this book, THUNDERCATS #1 is getting a second printing[!], sporting this version of Rob Liefeld’s cover.
More cool news regarding #2 to come any minute now but in the meantime, you still order #1 exclusives, such as this incredible A-E connecting cover by Jae Lee, a clear homage to Jim Lee’s classic X-MEN #1 cover. How cool is this?
There’s also an exclusive via Dynamite Comics themselves; a foil version of my THUNDERCATS #1 cover.
I’ve been foiled for the first time! Gotta say, this is pretty cool…
Only 200 copies available so get on them while you can.
So yes, this book seems to hot as hell. It’s all a bit mad for both myself and Drew Moss, neither of us were expecting this amount of attention but we’re both delighted to see such a positive reaction. Overall, the consensus seems to be that the book is satisfying to old-school fans and new readers. Mission accomplished. Also, That Tygra’s ‘tash is the best thing/worst thing ever.
We’re both just working away on the book, trying to keep our heads down ad ignoring the chaos, while also appreciating the genuine excitement around the project.
TAPE DEC
Last week I posted the podcast edit of TAPE DEC Ep4 with Rory McConville. We went on a lot longer than I thought we would, with lots of TIME BEFORE TIME, also revealing that we will be releasing a bonus VOL 6 of the series, collecting the four one-shot issues.
And this week, tomorrow in fact, I’ll be livestreaming the next talk with my collab-bro on [the short-lived] DIE!NAMITE and ROGUES’ GALLERY artist Justin Mason! I’ll be talking to Justin about our work together and his upcoming return to SPIDER-PUNK. Justin is a sweetheart and a great talent, this should be a good one.
ART DECO: ART SALES
I’ve recently decided to consolidate things and bring my art sales within my own banner as part of my website, the same way I integrated this newsletter. ART DECO, an ‘imprint’ I made as a means to make art-centric projects via Kickstarter, is now expanding to include original art, commissions as well as books and merch in future. As Decolytes, ye will all get advance notice of any such projects/launches. I already have some plans for art drops, such as my pages for ALIEN: DESCENDANT, etc. But first, a drop for DEADPOOL and WOLVERINE pages, in lieu of the DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE trailer airing at the weekend…
Tomorrow at 6pm GMT/ 1pm EST as a special Valentine’s present [cough] I’ll be launching the ART DECO STORE with the above pages and more [limited Deadpool covers, Dead Man Logan covers, pages from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, Return of Wolverine, etc]. You’ll have a 24 hour headstart to pick up pages before I announce it publicly on socials. You can access the store at THIS LINK with the password WOLVIE. Note; the password won’t work until 6pm GMT so don’t try until then.
And keep your eyes peeled for this newsletter in future for similar advance notices.
OLD DOG
I’m so sick of saying this, but the DOSSIER is neeeeearly done. Dotting I’s and crossing T’s. All other material is either on its way or ready to go.
Otherwise, I’m reviewing operations. Looking at a lot of cool stuff and currently signing off on it.
I’ve secured variant covers but two of the biggest/best cover artists out there right now. More to share when I can.
ALIEN
Soooooo. We’re done. Issue Four of DESCENDANT come out last week and from what I can see, it went down well. It’s strange to be on the other side of that whole big story plan. When I came up with it, the release of the story seemed so far away but it’s all flown by since. I am really, really happy with it overall, as that ‘reveal’ seems to have stuck the landing. I hoped any of ye who read it enjoyed it.
Just checked and I see the collection will be out April 2nd, sporting my cover for the annual. ALIEN BY SHALVEY & BROCCARDO VOL. 2: DESCENDANT, features the DESCENDANT story by myself and Anrea Broccardo as well as the ALIEN ANNUAL illustrated by Danny Earls …completists order it now!
With ALIEN #4 ow out, that’s the last storytelling pages I’ll have released until the summer, when PROJECT EMERALD is out. Plenty coming in later in the year though.
OUT SOON
February 14th
DISPLACED #1 [VC]
February 21st
TIME BEFORE TIME VOL 05 [W,C]
February 28th
DUKE #3 [VC]
RIBBON QUEEN #8 [C]
March 13th
THUNDERCATS #2 [W,C]
March 20th
DISPLACED #2 [VC]
I have no doubt that whatever it is, it'll be Awesome! But I'm hoping that "Project Raven" is you working on a Crow series!
Drooling over that Star Trek case