Jan Strnad: The Summer We Lost Alice

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Independent,

I’ve talked before about my friendship with Jan Strnad - we go way way to the days when Jesus rode a dinosaur, and he was the guy who taught me the secrets to writing comics.

Jan’s cred includes a ton of collaborations with Richard Corben, some of the best of the old underground comix, the occasional work for Marvel and DC (Sword of the Atom), a run on Dark Horse’s Star Wars comics, animation writing (Darkwing Duck), indy comics (Dalgoda) and novels.

I read and enjoyed the heck out of his first novel, Risen, and I’m pleased to report that he’s got a new one coming out this month. Jan’s always been drawn to darker, fantastical material, and The Summer We Lost Alice continues down that path as a supernatural mystery.

Here's what it says at Jan's website:

Click to continue reading Jan Strnad: The Summer We Lost Alice

Jan Strnad & Richard Corben: Ragemoor

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Dark Horse Comics,

I’ve been fans of Jan Strnad and Richard Corben for years. They do great work separately, but the times that they’ve teamed up (like say, Mutant World, Jeremy Brood, Arabian Nights) it’s like funnybook magic.

And now they’re back together again, this time for a new mini-series at Dark Horse called Ragemoor.

Here’s what Dark Horse has to say about it:

“Ragemoor! A living castle, nurtured on pagan blood, harborer to deadly monsters! A fortress possessed of its own will and ability to change itself, with the power to add and destroy rooms and to grow without the help of any human hand. Its owner is mad with jealously, its servants aren’t human, and its secret’s horrific!”

That sounds awesome, and I’m looking forward to it.

The first issue goes on sale at the end of March, which means you can pre-order now through your retailer.

Click to continue reading Jan Strnad & Richard Corben: Ragemoor

Read More | Ragemoor

Weird War Tales #1 With Jan Strnad

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

You know what’s great about searching through the new releases each week? Finding a comic by a friend of mine that I want to recommend.

It’s a one-shot anthology from DC Comics, Weird War Tales #1, and it’s got a story in it by my pal, Jan Strnad. There’s also stuff by Darwyn Cooke and Ivan Brandon and art by Cooke, Nic Klein and Gabriel Hardman, and a cover by Cooke as well. But Jan’s story is the one I want to read first.

According to Jan, “Joey Cavalieri hired me to write a Spirit story for Richard Corben and also offered us the Weird War job.”

Corben turned down the Weird War story, leaving Jan’s script orphaned. But not for long, says Jan. “Joey still liked the story and said he had a fantastic artist for it. I was skeptical but Gabriel Hardman did a great job…I couldn’t be happier!”

Click to continue reading Weird War Tales #1 With Jan Strnad

Weekend Reading: Plastic Man, iPads, Clowns, Jack Kirby & Top Cat

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Is everyone ready to read Bluewater’s J.D. Salinger comic book on the iPad? Now that’s a game-changer I can believe in! Let’s see what I’ve got on my desktop this week:

Apple’s iPad: Apparently Apple changed the game with some kind of game changer that’s supposed to be the Jesus of print that’ll save newspapers from their own stupidity and ineptitude and also change the way we read comics and make a BLT just the way I like it and find me a room at Comic Con International. Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter coalesces his thoughts on the matter. Me? I’m waiting for the iPad with wings.

Plastic Man: There are other places that are dropping it, but my favorite is over at John Kricfalusi’s blog. He’s imbedded the 10-minute Plastic Man pilot that was created by Tom Kenny (the voice of Spongebob) and Stephen DeStefano (simply one of the great modern cartoonists, and co-creator/artist of the much-beloved ‘Mazing Man). Says John: “It’s a real cartoon and you can tell the creators like the audience. It sure stands out from most of what’s out there.” Go check it out.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Plastic Man, iPads, Clowns, Jack Kirby & Top Cat

Starr The Slayer #1: Daniel Way & Richard Corben

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

As I’ve said in the past, I’ll buy pretty much any comic book that lurks on the outer edges of DC and Marvel. That’s where the off-the-wall, non-continuity stuff can be found, and there are some real gems that feel like someone’s sliding them under my door and running off. Starr The Slayer is one of the latest, written by Daniel Way (Deadpool) and illustrated by the most-excellent Richard Corben (Den; Hellboy; Cage).

In the first issue of this four-part mini-series, pulpy genre writer Len Carson enjoys wild success with a series of Conan-like books called Starr The Slayer. So successful that he’s soon churning out books like crazy and driving fast cars packed with top-heavy women. Y’know, just like real life. He soon tires of success because “the lit scene calls to me.” Twenty years after he’s abandoned his barbarian creation and failed to crack the world of tweed jackets, college professors and Borkum Riff, he’s ready to tackle his greatest creation one last time.

In a parallel story, Starr, a barbarian with a hot temper, journeys from his village to “civilization” with his family. They promptly hit a wall of trouble, his family is killed and Starr is forced to fight in an arena, where he brutalizes a local named Trull so badly that the disfigured guy runs away to concentrate on the black arts—and making these two parallel stories collide.

Click to continue reading Starr The Slayer #1: Daniel Way & Richard Corben