THE WEB #1 Alternate Cover

Here's the variant cover to THE WEB #1 featuring artwork by JG Jones depicting the Hangman.

Available For Pre-order

Coming in December and available to pre-order now at your local comic book store are the following comic books which contain stories I wrote.





















CARTOON ACTION PACK #44 - Available December 2. The Secret Saturdays investigate a possible cryptid dinosaur and find more than they were looking for. Art by Scott Jeralds. Cover by Jay Stephens.


















SCOOBY-DOO #151 - Available December 9. A reporter tags along with Mystery Inc. hoping for a story . He lucks out as he finds himself tagging along as the gang investigates a mystery involving a strange painting and an even stranger creature bent on stealing it. Art by Fabio Laguna.



















THE WEB #4 - Available December 23. In the second of two parts, THE HANGMAN's investigation into a human trafficking ring brings him face to face with an Umi-bozu, a powerful supernatural being with a secret tie to the traffickers. Art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz.

In Comic Book Stores Today

THE WEB #1 hits comic book stores today. The lead feature begins the ongoing adventures of the selfish rich-boy hero, the Web. Written by Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S., THE L WORD, HERBIE - FULLY LOADED) with art by Roger Robinson and Hilary Barta.

The co-feature follows the continuing adventures of the noirish supernatural hero, the Hangman. This portion of the comic book was written by me with some great art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz, and Guy Major and Travis Lanham.

THE WEB is published by DC Comics.

Ahoy, Mateys!

"Greetin's, buckos! Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day. Reckon t' conduct all o' yerr affairs o' t' day, be they business, or social in t' appropriate manner o' speech, that bein' of a seafarin' hearty. "

The Hangman - Script

My last 2 posts showed the same comic book page in it's pencilled form, and in it's later inked and lettered form. Shawn Robare requested that I also post the first part of the process, the script. After failed attempts to figure out a way to attach a text document to a blog post, I decided just to copy and paste the text itself into this entry.

The following is the page of written script for the same comic book page in the previous two entries. You'll notice it's not pretty. With a comic book script, no one will ever read it (usually) beyond the editor, and artists involved in putting that comic book story together into its final comic book form. With this in mind, it's more important to make sure that the artist knows what you want visually put on the page. By artist I mean everyone involved; penciller, inker, letterer, colorist. I often use short cuts by sending them visual reference, or referring to a scene in a movie that evokes the same mood, or physical sense of place. The script is not meant to contain literary flourishes with its description. My scripts vary in length quite a bit. I've written scripts for a 22 page comic that were nearly 40 pages long. For this story, I think things came in at about a page and a half of script in most places to a page of finished comic book art. For this particular page, it was a page of script to a page of art.



Page 6, panel 1
THE HANGMAN STANDS ON A DOCK BY THE FERRY BUILDING. HE HOLDS A NEARLY UNCONSCIOUS TEENAGER BY THE LAPELS OF HIS JACKET. WE CAN SEE THE RED-PURPLE NOOSE BRUISE AROUND THE BOY’S NECK. FOG SWIRLS AROUND THE HANGMAN, SEEMINGLY TAKING ON SPECTRAL SHAPES OF ANGRY GHOSTS PREPARED TO BACK HIM UP.

Hangman Caption: When they do, they’ll find me waiting and know that nothing passes beneath my notice.

Hangman: This will be the only warning given by me, the only chance.

Page 6, panel 2
FROM BEHIND THE HANGMAN AS HE TURNS HIS HEAD AND LOOKS UP AT THE CLOCK ON THE TOWER ABOVE THE FERRY BUILDING. THE HANDS ARE AT 5:20.

Hangman: Change...

Hangman:...or else.

Page 6, panel 3
AGAIN, SHADOWS AND FOG SWIRL AROUND THE HANGMAN.

Hangman Caption: In minutes, dawn will be upon the city. My work this night is through.

Hangman Caption: I call the fog and the darkness to me, shape it...

Page 6, panel 4
WE ARE INSIDE THE BEDROOM OF SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF MONEY, BUT RESTRAINT IN HOW THEY SPEND IT. THE FURNISHINGS ARE ALL OF HIGH QUALITY, BUT NOT SHOWY. AMONG THE DECOR OF DICKERING’S HOME ARE PAINTINGS, SMALL BRONZE STATUES, AND A FEW ARTIFACTS OF THE AMERICAN WEST. THROUGH THE GAP OF A SLIGHTLY OPEN WINDOW, THE FOG AND DARKNESS POUR INTO THE ROOM...

Hangman Caption: ...and use it to transport me across the city, unseen, unnoticed.

Page 6, panel 5
...AND FROM IT EMERGES THE HANGMAN, AS THE FOG AND DARKNESS BEGIN TO WITHDRAW.

Hangman Caption: The night was a busy one. Twenty-six guilty individuals had to answer to me. All received their one and only warnings from me.

Hangman Caption: None required my delivering final justice upon them.





The above script page is for THE HANGMAN #1, which appears as the co-feature in THE WEB #1, which goes on sale next Wednesday.

Not Just Tracing

For anyone who still thinks that inkers are merely tracers, I invite you to compare the above page taken from the forthcoming first THE HANGMAN story appearing in THE WEB, published by DC Comics, with the exact same page as posted sans inks, yesterday.


The inking was provided by one of my favorite illustrators of all time, Bill Sienkiewicz . I was privileged to get to spend a bit of time around Bill back in my early days at Marvel when he was working on ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN. Now, I'm even more excited to have him contributing to something I'm writing. You can see that he's really taken Tom Derenick's pencils and made them into something that really melds both their abilities, and is surprising and exciting. I'm impressed by Tom's ability to anticipate some of what Bill brings to the page by leaving a lot of open areas for Bill to drop in shadows and highlights. This work really suits the mood of the series to a t.

The fine lettering is by Travis Lanham. Guy Major will be providing colors, the only step I haven't seen yet.

I'm very proud of how this series is coming along, and really looking forward to the next batch of artwork to make its way to me. THE HANGMAN is the regular backup feature in THE WEB. The first issue goes on sale September 23rd at a comic book shop near you.

The Hangman - Pencil Preview

Here's a look at a sample page of the detailed pencil work that artist Tom Derenick has put into THE HANGMAN. I'm very excited to be working on this project. There's a lot of pleasure to be had in shaping a new character from the ground up. I'm also feeling a lot of gratification as the pages of artwork come across my desktop.

THE HANGMAN appears monthly as the back-up feature in THE WEB, starting on September 23rd. Drop in tomorrow to see what the above page looks like inked and lettered.

Halloween Countdown 2009

There are now less than 20 days left before this year's Halloween Countdown begins. If you're planning to participate, and haven't contacted me yet, please do so. I'm putting together this year's link list to participants.

To make things easier this year, Shawn Robare put together a Countdown to Halloween launch page. The purpose for this page is to give people a starting point to visit all of the wonderful blogs and websites which will be delivering fantastically horrible tricks and treats throughout October.

Bookmark that site now, and visit it often between now and October 31st.

At midnight on October 1st I will post the list of links to participants there (and here). If the last two years are any indication, more blogs and websites will join the festivities as the month progresses. I will update the list as often as necessary until Halloween is behind us. The past three years were a lot of fun, and I expect even greater things from everyone this year.

Random Objects in My Office

Big Changes at DC Comics

Hot on the heels of last week's announcement that Disney was acquiring Marvel Entertainment, some big changes have been announced today for DC Comics as well. You can read Heidi MacDonald's article on the developments at DC here .

How any of this will affect me personally is probably at a minimum, though the article does mention "Midnight,Mass." as one of the projects currently in development for television. As many of you know, this was a series I created for DCs Vertigo imprint a few years back (which, incidentally, Heidi MacDonald was the editor on).

The Mouse and the Spider

Disney is buying Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. This will no doubt mean all manner of merchandising of Mickey Mouse dressed as Spider-Man, Donald Duck as the Hulk or Wolverine, and so on, and undoubtedly some sort of theme park attraction, probably at Disney Studios. Hopefully it will also mean the return of Disney Comics, which have been pretty absent in this country (excepting reprints of archived material).

Details, as they are known at this time, can be found here.

Happy Birthday to the King

When I was a kid, I doubt I knew his name, but I sure knew his art. It seemed like every comic book I read (except for the Disney ones) was drawn by him. All hail Jack Kirby!

Miscellaneous

Jay Stephens has posted his pencil roughs for the cover to CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #44 here. This issue contains a two-part THE SECRET SATURDAYS story that I wrote.

One of my earliest work in comics (be warned) has been posted at Bosch Millennium

Rik Offenberger discusses the Red Circle comic books from DC, including THE HANGMAN, with editor Rachel Gluckstern at Newsarama .

A couple more takes on MIDNIGHT, MASS. going to NBC here , here and here .

Comics Bulletin Interview

Andre Lamar has posted an interview that he conducted with me with at Comics Bulletin where we discuss the two hats I wear in writing comics; the more adult oriented comics like MIDNIGHT, MASS. and the forthcoming THE HANGMAN and the child oriented work I do in SCOOBY-DOO and THE SECRET SATURDAYS.

H.P. Lovecraft's Birthday

Today is the birthday of H.P. Lovecraft. To celebrate I may end up reading one of his stories over some seafood. For more info start here.

New XOMBI comic available today

XOMBI was a comic book series I wrote for Milestone Comics between 1994-1996. It lasted 22 issues and was well regarded by my peers and a cult following. The series was illustrated by J.J. Birch with color by Noelle Giddings and others, and letters by Agnes Pinaha. There were also a handful of guest cover artists including John Byrne, Walt Simonson, Howard Chaykin, and one that unfortuantely went unused by Kent Williams. There was also, sadly, an entire Hanukkah Special that was completed, but never published, with art by Guy Davis and a cover by Guy Davis and Vince Locke.

The series followed David Kim a medical researcher working with nanotechnology. His laboratory is broken into by supernatural creatures sent to steal his research. The creatures mortally wound David with occult weapons, and David's assistant saves him by infusing his body with his experimental nanomachines which restore him at her expense. David soon discovers that he can't die. Cut off a limb, he'll grow it back. Infect him, his body will get rid of the disease. The nanomachines also keep him at an ideal age, and weight, correct his eyesight, and keep him from ever needing to brush his teeth or use a toilet.

Due to the nature of his transformation, David also discovers that he's a weirdness magnet. He becomes the center of a number of bizarre supernatural and just plain weird adventures, assisted and mentored by an odd assortment of paranormal combattants including Rabbi Sinnowitz, Vatican endorsed Nun of the Above and her superpowered sidekick, Catholic Girl, and magician infect with supernatural VD, Julian Parker.

After a thirteen year absence, David Kim returns to comics today in BRAVE AND THE BOLD #26, along with Julian Parker, and DC's spirit of vengeance, THE SPECTRE. The artwork is by Scott Hampton and features a cover by Michael Kaluta.

You Can Now Spend Eternity As A Severed Head

Forget the coffin. Spend eternity gazing down on your loved ones in the form of a severed head. Here's how.

MIDNIGHT, MASS. - The television series

The troubled comic book series, "Midnight, Mass." which I created for DC/Vertigo in the early 2000s may be headed to television.

According to the Hollyood Reporter:

NBC to adapt 'Midnight' comic
Drama among the most heavily pursued DC titles
By Nellie Andreeva
Aug 16, 2009, 11:00 PM ET
"Midnight, Mass." is headed to television.

NBC has picked up a live-action drama adaptation of the comic book series from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.

Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts are on board to write the project for Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Jinks/Cohen Co.

"Midnight," which has received a script commitment with penalty from the network, revolves around Adam and Julia Kadmons, a sophisticated, sexy, globe-trotting husband-and-wife team who solve mysteries and crimes of the supernatural.

John Rozum's "Midnight, Mass." has been among the most heavily pursued of DC Comics' properties for a TV series adaptation by sister company WBTV.

Over the years, almost a dozen producers at the studio had taken a stab at the comic, but this is the first time such a project has been set up at a network.

Berg and Harberts are executive producing "Midnight" with Jinks and Cohen.

ICM-repped Berg and Harberts serve as executive producers/showrunners on NBC/UMS' new medical drama "Mercy" with creator Liz Heldens.

For the record, the main characters are Adam and Julia Kadmon, not Kadmons, and error made in every report I've seen so far.

This is the second attempt to turn Midnight, Mass. into a television series. Hopefully, this one will work out.

To read other reports on the project visit Bleeding Cool and UGO .

In Comic Book Stores Today

Piecemeal returns to plague the Saturdays in a new story written by me, with art by Scott Jeralds and Mike Manley and a great cover by Jay Stephens. It all happens in the pages of CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #40, from DC Comics, on sale today at a comic book store near you. With the second season of THE SECRET SATURDAYS having just finished on the Cartoon Network, this makes the perfect gift for any fans who can't wait until the third season begins this Fall.

40 Years of Ghosts and Ghouls

Forty years ago today, one of my favorite places in the world opened its creaking doors to the public for the first time. Happy Birthday to Disneyland's The Haunted Mansion.