#171: Image Firsts, Terminator lasts
One book ends, an earlier one 'returns'. Plus TERMINATOR art!
Welcome to DECLARATIONS a bi-weekly newsletter by artist/writer Declan Shalvey.
This is a regular workblog featuring exclusive peeks at upcoming projects with advance releases of original art/merchandise.
ALL THE LATEST
Welcome back Decolytes, to your favourite newsletter by an Irish artist/writer of comics [I think I’m the only comics artist/writer with a newsletter but who’s counting?]
As usual, pretty busy but don’t feel like I have a lot done in the last 2 weeks? Here’s my Worklog:
Wrote TERMINATOR #8 script
Re-wrote parts of TERMINATOR #7
Wrote THUNDERCATS #17 outline, mid-writing script
Edited PROJECT NEWARK outline
Roughs for Ghost Machine cover
Coloured IP crossover cover
Rough/ pencilled/ inked/ coloured a DC cover
Pencilled cover for Marvel
Pencilled/ inked illustration for convention
Pencilled/inked cover for upcoming Dynamite series
pencilled/inked/coloured THUNDERCATS LOST #6 cover
THUNDERCATS story meeting
Coloured THUNDERCATS #19 cover
-I’ve started work on a new series. Calling this PROJECT METAL, it’ll be a new work for hire project that I’m co-writing. Myself and the co-writer have already worked out the shape of the first issues. It’s fun to have someone to bounce stuff off of again and having someone else to help with the workload means that I’m not going to be too overwhelmed for the next few months. Should be starting on this properly in a couple of weeks.
-I was offered a short run on covers for an iconic DC Comics superhero, I am delighted to get this short gig. If you told me this would happen when I was starting out, I would have laughed in your face, but it’s actually happening. Can’t say what it is, but can’t wait to share when allowed. Took a Dark Horse cover last week too, been a while since I’ve done something for them, also took a Ghost Machine cover for that imprint over at Image Comics.
-Tomorrow sees the release of TIME BEFORE TIME #1, the Image Firsts edition. Some of my absolute favourite Image books are part of this program, such as CRIMINAL, DESCENDER, TREES, ICE CREAM MAN and many more so it’s really great to be a part of this. For newer Declarations readers TIME BEFORE TIME is a crime/sci-fi series written by myself and Rory McConville [SPAWN] with art by Joe Palemer [WRITE IT IN BLOOD], colours by Chris O’Halloran [ICE CREAM MAN] and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou [YOU’LL DO BAD THINGS]. One shot issues and following arcs were drawn by various artists [including myself]. I’m immensely proud of it, it ran for 29 issues, all collected in 6 volumes. I am pretty sure the reason I got the TERMINATOR job was partly because of my work on this series so if you like my work on that book, I think you’ll like this. Please do try out this new Image Firsts edition of #1 if you haven’t read the book, it’s only $1!
Here’s the preview pages from it, to give you a feel for the book.
-SIGNING! I’ll be signing at Worlds Apart in Birmingham this coming Friday 2nd May
Then on May 3rd I’ll be signing at Forbidden Planet Wolverhampton with Will Robson and Jimmy Broxton for Free Comic Book Day. Come say hello.
-PROJECT SCREAM REVEALED!
Marvel Comics announced the X-MEN: HELLFIRE VIGIL one-shot, I can reveal I’ve drawn a couple of pages [featuring BANSHEE!] in this special, written by Alex Paknadel. The only pages I’ve drawn this year since wrapping MYSTIQUE, more detail below…
X-MEN: HELLFIRE VIGIL #1
Written by JED MACKAY, GAIL SIMONE, EVE L. EWING, ALEX PAKNADEL, COLLIN KELLY, JACKSON LANZING, GEOFFREY THORNE, JASON LOO, MUREWA AYODELE & STEPHANIE PHILLIPS
Art by JAVIER GARRÓN, NETHO DIAZ, SARA PICHELLI, FEDERICA MANCIN, LUCIANO VECCHIO, DECLAN SHALVEY, ROI MERCADO & MARCUS TO
Cover by LUCIANO VECCHIO
Variant Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
Variant Cover by AKA
On Sale 7/2
-I am planning a new Image series, it is essentially approved. Am I teasing you? Yes, but I’m also torturing myself. It’s not something that will be ready for a while [a year, at least] but something I am excited to get into. There’s not enough meat of an idea yet to give it a codename, but I’ll get back to ye.
-I pencilled/inked the below illustration for a European convention I’m attending in the next month or so [don’t think it’s public yet]. They cleared me to do a CONAN piece, so this is what I’ve done for them. Need to get it coloured this week before I head to the UK.
-Excited to see some lovely presentation for Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein’s old DRIFTER series. The series was beautifully designed by Tom Muller and is getting a gorgeous collection printing via Deathray. I’ve pledged for my copy, you should do the same.
-I am building a new retailer list. If you are a retailer and would like me to let you know about any new future series I have coming out, just reply to this email and I’ll add you to this new list. I’ve talked to many retailers over the years but I’m not smart enough to note them down in the moment and then can’t remember where the stores were, etc so I’m hoping some read this newsletter and would like to reach ou with their details. Then again, maybe no retailers read this newsletter, guess I’ll find out…
ART DECO
Tonight I’ll be vaulting all my MYSTIQUE art, so if you’ve been considering getting any pages, now is the time to do it.
And to replace the MYSTIQUE work, I’ll be doing a TERMINATOR drop. As revealed last week [more on that below] THE TERMINATOR #10 will be the last issue of the series with the return of artist Luke Sparrow to wrap it up. To celebrate, I’m offering Luke’s art for the debut issue as well as my ten covers for the series on my Art Deco store.
I think my run on THE TERMINATOR covers have been some of the more creative ones I’ve produced in a while, channeling some vibes from my run of PUNISHER covers. Luke’s pages from #1 are phenomenal [as you’d know from reading the issue], but are especially beautiful in black and white so you should all at least go to the store and give them a look.
The store will be password locked after the MYSTIQUE art is vaulted, you can access the site with the password JUDGEMENTDAY
TAPE DEC
New TAPE DEC! I managed to nail down my THUNDERCATS and TERMINATOR editor Nate Cosby for an interview. Between those two books alone there was a lot to cover, but there was far far more to get into so I wasn’t short on questions. For that reason and also that I’ve been worried the livestream has been affecting views of the actual podcast so as an experiment, I decided just to record this interview with no live questions. Will see how this one performs. I’ll release it publicly tomorrow but ye Decolytes can give it a watch right now.
I was especially glad to talk to an editor for once to get a different perspective on the process. Will try line up another one soon, as well as a colourist and letterer. I have my next interviewee lined up and looking forward to digging into their process.
THUNDERCATS
Issue 15 is out tomorrow! It’s essentially a CONAN-inspired issue featuring LION-O, what happened to him after escaping Mumm Ra’s Black Pyramid. Very fun issue to write and Joe Mulvey returns for another THUNDERCATS one-shot after doing such a great jon on the SLYTHE issue[#10]. Here’s preview pages, art by Joe, colours by Dearbhla Kelly and letters by Jeff Eckleberry.
We also have covers by Lucio Parrillo, Jae Lee, Felipe Massafera, Manix And Drew Moss.
I’m just wrapping up the script for Issue Seventeen at the moment. The book is in a great place where I’m getting to play with stuff that’s been built over the past year and I have to say, it’s a lot of fun to write. Artist Drew Moss is currently working on Issue Sixteen. Here’s a page he recently handed in, I love how Drew handles action, it’s so dynamic and I thik we’ve a very simmilar sense of pacing that’s showcased so well here.
And here’s an advance peek at my cover for Issue 19. Shhh.
Here’s something I don’t show much of but I think is very worthwhile. Below are Drew’s layouts for the first half of Issue 14. I love seeig another artist’s process, and writing for other artists has meant I get to see process work all the time.
Myself, THUNDERCATS LOST writer Ed Brisson and series editor Nate Cosby had a big Thunderverse creative call last week where we had a biiiig talk about where we are with the books and where they could go from here. The answer? Lots of cool places. I have a much better idea of where to lock in the book in the run up to Issue 25 [and beyond…?] and how Ed’s books are affected/compliment our main book. It was a long call, but also fun and very fruitful.
Lastly, was cool to see Screenrant plug our upcoming Knights of Thundera storyline.
TERMINATOR
Two different issues or the book are actively being worked on right at the moment, last week three issues were in the mix. Colin Craker is currently at work on Issue 8. I had Colin specifically in mind for this story. In fact, I wanted him to draw a whole issue in Vol 1, but then he got busy drawing Sal Crivelli’s backup story. Colin has been such an important part of this series as a colourist with how he’s wonderfully highlighted each artist in every story, so I’m very glad we can work together on a whole issue. It’s going to be a strange one, and I’m really relying on him to pull off my wacky concept. No pressure, Colin. But don’t worry, there’s also some hot T-800-on-T-800 action!
We hit a bit of a speed-bump on Issue Seven. The book was about to go to print when the licensor raised an issue, something that required significant work to address. It’s pretty frustrating to be honest, as I was quite proud of the issue we had, I argued my case, but the licensor has given us LOTS of leeway up to this point so I had to take it on the chin and work the problem. I think it actually turned out okay so all things considered I’m pleased with the end result. Many thanks to Dave O’Sullivan and Colin for hopping back on the issue and making it all work, especially Colin as he was already working on the next issue[He really is the unsung hero of this book]. As a result, Issue Seven is going to run a bit late, as well the following issues, possibly.
And yes as mentioned above, Luke Sparrow has is returning and has started work on the final issue of the book. I’m so happy to have Luke bookend the series, it started so strong with his artwork in the first issue, it’s all the more satisfying to have him end the series too.
Wait, did I say end the series? Yes, Issue Ten is the last issue of the THE TERMINATOR. 10 issues was the plan from the very start and the title has performed quite well, I’m told. I just have one more issue to write, a fun idea to be drawn by Joe Mulvey for Issue 9. This series has been such a creatively challenging and satisfying experience, I’m very happy with the title as a whole, I thik it’s made me a better writer and I’ve loved all the artists I’ve gotten to work with. I’ll get more into that as we get closer to the final issue coming out and I’m all wrapped up.
“But Declan, didn’t you say you were working on more TERMINATOR stories…?” i hear you ask…? Well, I can’t elaborate at the moment, but for now all I can say is…
OUT SOON
April 30th
IMAGE FIRSTS: TIME BEFORE TIME #1 [W/C]
THUNDERCATS #15 [W/VC]
TERMINATOR #7 [W/C]
May 07th
DEADPOOL MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION VOL 05 [C/A]
May 14th
THUNDERCATS LOST #3 [VC]
May 21st
TERMINATOR #8 [W/C]
THUNDERCATS #16 [W/VC]
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #7 [VC]
June 11th
THUNDERCATS LOST #4 [VC]
June 18th
TERMINATOR #9 [W/C]
TERMINATOR VOL 01 OUT OF TIME [W/C]
July 16th
MYSTIQUE MOST WANTED TP [W/C]
Loved this convo with Nate. Really interested to hear about the packaging/building of books as an independent editor. So far his partnerships with dynamite have been pretty stellar
That Manix TC cover is so fun! Thanks for turning me on to their work.