Schroeder

Here's a commission I collaged a few months ago.

Beasts!

A few weeks ago, Fantagraphics found themselves short one entry for their forthcoming book BEASTS! BOOK TWO, the follow-up to their amazing book, BEASTS! a compendium of mythological and cryptozoological creatures of every sort depicted by a very wide range of talented artists. To fill this opening in the second book, they put out an open call for artists to submit an image of a not previously (in either book) depicted beast.

Even though I was bogged down with other projects, I couldn't resist. I was already immersed in just this sort of material for SCOOBY-DOO and a forthcoming other project, so it seemed like something I needed to do. For my submissions, I chose the jackalope, the Australian half-man, half-emu Dhinnabarrada, and the giant bird, the Roc.

I had no expectations that one of my submissions would be selected for inclusion in the book, and none of them were. There were over 200 entries submitted for this slot, all done in a wide range of styles and all with great skill. You can read more about BEASTS! BOOK TWO here which also displays many of the submitted entries, and browse the flickr pool of submitted pieces here.

Congratulations to Jennifer Tong, whose winning entry for "Nymph" can be seen here.

In Stores Today

Learn everything you ever needed to know about the Rokuro-Kubi from Velma in a story I wrote for SCOOBY-DOO #130 which is available in comic book stores today.

In Comic Book Stores Today

"The Foundation" #3 hits stores today.

If you still haven't read the sold out issue #1, you can read it for free here.

My Alter Ego

As anyone coming to this website/blog knows, I write comic books. What isn't as generally well known, is that I also appear in them. Beginning in 1989, Marvel Comics published "Damage Control" a 4-issue series created by Dwayne McDuffie, and drawn by Ernie Colon. This series told the comedic exploits of the company whose function was to clean-up and rebuild the damage caused by superheroes, supervillains and related phenomena. Among the cast was John "Bart" Rozum, the slovenly intern, who while being a bit fannish around superheroes was also pretty nonplussed by them. He was not afraid to demand that supervillain Doctor Doom show him I.D. when paying by check, or telling the Punisher to take a number.

Bart ended up permanently on staff and besides the superhero action, found some action with hot receptionist Anne.

"Damage Control" returned as a second 4-issue series about six months after the first series finished, and then for a third 4-issue run in 1991. Now, nearly twenty-years after it's debut in "Marvel Comics Presents" (and after some guest appearances in recent issues of "She-Hulk") "Damage Control" (the official title is "World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control" returns as a 3-issue mini-series written by Dwayne McDuffie and drawn by Salva Espin. I'm happy to see I'm still employed there, still apparently involved with Anne, and unlike the real me, haven't aged a bit in all that time.

Here are some of Bart's moments through the years. From top to bottom...

Bart let's new intern Robby Baldwin know he's onto his superhero secret identity (which comes into play in the new series) as drawn by Kyle Baker in "Damage Control" volume 3, issue #1.

Asking Dr. Doom for some I.D. in volume 1, issue #2.

Telling the Silver Surfer to put the pedal to the metal in volume 3, issue #4.

The moment that made a man out of Bart from volume 2, issue #1.

Bart and Anne in action at the premiere of the Damage Control movie in volume 3, issue #3.

Bart and Anne make their new debuts in the new series.

Don't Forget to Vote!

Today is the last day to vote in the Rondo Awards for the best in classic horror. Don't wait until it's too late, vote now!

Random Objects In My office

Before "Star Wars" exploded on the pop culture landscape, "Planet of the Apes" was the science fiction franchise that people went ape over. I was no exception. I have many examples of "Planet of the Apes" merchandising in my posession, including the figurines shown here, which saw heavy play.

I can't tell you much about them, except that I'm pretty certain they were meant as a tie in to the "Return to the Planet of the Apes" cartoon series, or possibly the final Apes movie, "Battle for the Planet of the Apes." These four figures came packaged with a batch of generic green plastic army men, horses for the ape soldiers to ride on, and a jeep with human soldier driver (which I think is still floating around in a big bucket of plastic soldiers I passed on to my son).