Lost Squad

Missing San Diego

2011-07-22T08:45:00.006-05:00

For the second straight year and much to my chagrin, I am not in San Diego. I've already heard from a bunch of folks who are attending and they tell me it's a mad house -- again. In a bad economy it's great to see the show remain strong. I do miss it.

The show is supposed to be a week earlier next year and I am shooting for a triumphant return in 2012!

Lost Squad stuff: I don't want to call it news but I am working on a new story arc and toying with the idea of just putting it out online or through a digital platform. I don't want to say too much at this point, but I've got some ideas of how I can pull this off. I'd love to put it out through a publisher in print format. Maybe Image Comics? That I would LOVE but I need to think that through first.

The new arc will have a different artist. I have approached two VERY solid artists about taking on the position as Alan is simply too busy and too high profile now. I am hoping that we can get Alan to do an eight page story as backup for the first issue or maybe to include in an upcoming Digital Webbing Presents issue.

BTW, drop Alan a line and say congrats on the birth of his second child, Matilda, who arrived into the world on May 18th.

Movie Stuff: As always Hollywood moves at it's own pace. The team that is in place right now is simply finalizing contracts and putting together a small LLC production company to handle the rights and such. As I have said before, I am VERY happy with the players involved. They simply get it. The treatment that I've read is very faithful to much of the comic, both in content and spirit, but also expands and changes things in a fantastic way. The new layers really open things up. The writer has been in the news a bit somewhat recently for a mid-profile project that has a tremendously high geek factor. It also helps that he's a WWII buff of the highest order and is British and has a cool accent. The Brits have a great advantage in pitch meetings I'm told because of their accents. Maybe I can fake one.

So I'm spending the week plotting and missing San Diego. Although I don't miss the crowds I will miss seeing friends and playing the networking game.

I will be doing a small show in Indiana in October. I am excited for that. More details to come.

I won't be setting up this year in Chicago in August. It just doesn't make sense. I may be in attendance, but I need to square some things away first.

So, game on for Comicon 2012!

Kody Chamberlain talks creating comics

2011-07-12T09:09:00.006-05:00

My pal Kody Chamberlain the awesome auteur (a little Stan Lee alliteration there) of the dark thriller SWEETS from Image comics has given a tremendous interview to NEWSARAMA about the sausage making that is creating comics. He's not only a great artist but a terrific storyteller as well.

Check out the interview and enjoy the peek-behind-the curtain of one of comics' hottest creators and his process.

Kody gives a checklist of great books for the aspiring creator. I have every book on his "writer's guide" list (save one) and would recommend them unconditionally as well.

Kody is one of the truly good guys in comics and an extremely talented cat as well. Click on over and give the article a read. It's good stuff.

Happy Birthday, Alan Robinson! AND cool new Lost Squad swag!

2011-05-11T10:56:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to Lost Squad artist Alan Robinson!

If you want to give him a grand birthday present, consider heading over to his Red Bubble portfolio site where he's got some cool Lost Squad themed t-shirts and hoodies for sale.

He's got a couple great shots nicked straight from the comic as well as the cover from the collected trade.

You get a terrific looking t-shirt and Alan gets a little coin in his pocket. Win win, in my book!

Back from C2E2 - webstore open

2011-03-23T09:49:00.013-05:00

I am back and just about recovered from C2E2 this past weekend. Had a terrific time and met a lot of great fans who seemed to enjoy the book.

We did brisk business on Saturday and the crowd was very open to

checking out the wares of creators in Artist Alley. The new, smaller venue was perfect with enough room to move through the wide aisles.

I will definitely be returning next year. BIG thumbs up to the guys running C2E2. Give this show a few more years and I think it will turn into an 800 pound gorilla.

My schedule demanded that I leave the show early on Sunday and I'm sure that I missed some sales. I passed out a bunch business cards and web traffic to this here blog has spiked. With that, I've decided to (finally) open up a little web shop here for signed Lost Squad books and art.

For now click here to hit the store.

The web shop uses PayPal to handle transactions, but you do NOT need an account to buy, just a credit/debit card and you log in as a PayPal guest.

I only have signed trades up for now, but I will be adding items and announcing them here.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table and said hello. The feedback I get from people who have read the book and are wanting more really goes a long way for a small creator like myself.

Digital Webbing Presents #1 at COMIXOLOGY

2011-03-16T11:25:00.009-05:00

Digital Webbing Presents the fine independent comics anthology has been resurrected once again (at least in digital form)!

Skeedaddle on over to COMIXOLOGY to purchase and download the latest of the new digital volume. The first four issues are now up over there.

From 2002 until 2008, Digital Webbing Presents was a terrific outlet for up-and-coming (and some well known creators) to try out new story ideas, hone their craft, and have their work appear in print.

Editor-in-Chief and general Digital Webbing grand poohbah, Ed Dukeshire shepherded 36 issues into comic shops, an amazing accomplishment in independent comics.

I was fortunate enough to have stories in 12 of the issues (including the first appearance of the Lost Squad in issue #7!) and I still receive emails from people who are fans and are looking for more.

Ed (along with Kel Nuttall) are looking to keep the book alive with the advent of digital comics. Hopefully they'll be able to put up some of the old back issues one day. I'd love to see that.

My story BARNSTORMING with art by Juan Moreno appears in the first issue of the new incarnation. It's a based-on-a-true-story-ish tale about a rookie Mustang pilot flying cover for B-17's in WWII. It's a fun little adventure tale that I have had sitting around for more than a few years and never could find the right outlet.

If you're itching to create comics, you might click on over to the Digital Webbing forums and check out the amazing community of like minded creators. You can find a collaborator or two and create your own story to submit to the new Digital Webbing Presents. Check out the list of prominent DWP alumni and realize that this could be the first step to a career in comics. What've you got to lose?

I have some back issues of Digital Webbing Presents that I would be willing to sell as well if anyone is interested. I need to set up a Lost Squad back issues shop and I may just toss up some of my old comp copies up there as well.

C2E2 this weekend!

2011-03-14T12:55:00.004-05:00

I'll be appearing once again at C2E2 this weekend, March 18 - 20. I'll be setting up and peddling comics in Artist's Alley at table F11.

I'll have plenty of copies of the LOST SQUAD TPB for sale as well as single issues sales of LS stuff and my two self-published horror anthologies, FREAKSHOW and BRIDE OF FREAKSHOW.

Look for the large Nazi zombie banner and LOST SQUAD logo. Stop by and say hello. I love talking comics.

Tony Lee talks Dr. WHO

2010-12-15T11:31:00.006-06:00

Should have posted this quite a while ago as this was published about two weeks back.

My pal and all-around great guy, Tony Lee was interviewed by Newsarama about his ongoing Dr. Who comic from IDW.

Check it out the video here.

Movie stuff

2010-11-16T10:24:00.003-06:00

Got a few emails in the past couple of weeks from friends asking about the status of the Lost Squad property in Hollywood. Thought I'd do a quick update.

Most of you probably know that Rogue Pictures had let their option lapse as of last January. In the interim, things have moved along the development track albeit at a leisurely walking pace.

Here's what I can say - there are behind the camera creative people who have attached themselves to Lost Squad. I love their take on the story and could not be more thrilled. Honestly, they really get the book and have crafted a terrific pitch to get us on the screen.

The next step is to take it out to people familiar with the book and have interest in a Lost Squad movie. Things are slow usually around this time of year in the movie biz, but we have a number of friendly ears who will listen to the new pitch.

So there we go. Like I always say about things Hollywood related, "It's all vapor."

One more time -- the Halloween essay

2010-10-20T10:07:00.002-05:00

This will be the last year I toss this up on the site. It's a favorite, but it's probably time to retire the essay.

I do need to sit down and write this out and expand it as a new project (a screenplay or novella, perhaps). I'd love to get inside the mind of "Max" our creepy tenant and expand the story.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Language Warning. I get a bit potty mouth in this one.

Back in 2005, I was asked to write a quick essay for the horror blog Dark, But Shining byNewsarama blogger and all-around good guy Kevin Melrose. The piece was to be included in a series of essays by different authors describing what REALLY scares them.

Last year I jetted out to Hollywood and did a round of meet-and-greets with a few movie types and I told this story in one of the meetings. When I finished, the veep in charge of story told me, "Go home and write that one. That's fucking creepy." I've got the bones of the story down, just need to find the time to write it.

Here it is -- PEERING INTO DARKNESS:

When was the last time you were really scared?

I mean really fucking scared.

Not the quick adrenaline shock that comes when you slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid rear-ending the car in front of you, but that sick-to-your stomach, creeping feeling where you are absolutely certain that something awful and vile is going to happen.

True story –

In the year after college I worked for an apartment management company renting units and dealing with tenants. An older woman, the mother of one of the tenants, came in late one dreary September day and needed to get into her son’s apartment. We hadn’t received a rent payment in almost two months and we were fairly certain the guy had just disappeared and abandoned his apartment. The mother was there to pay the balance, remove some of his belongings, and sublet the apartment.

My boss, Steve, wanted me to go over and unlock the door and stay on site until the woman had finished and lock up behind her.

“Go now, man. You gotta see this guy’s apartment,” Steve said. The mother had to fill out some paperwork and I would have a good ten or fifteen minutes at the guy’s apartment by myself.

The guy – I’ll call him “Max,” as I’ve long since forgotten his real name – lived in a basement studio apartment right across from the laundry room of a small, older building with nine units.

Max was a LARGE guy. By large I mean HUGE – easily 6’6” or 6’7” and a flabby 250 lbs. Max was also a very odd guy. He liked to pace between the parked cars in the small lot behind the building for hours, and had taken to sticking his head out his door and glaring at each tenant as they tried to do their laundry. One tenant was certain Max was holding a hammer as he watched her sort her whites from her colors. Most tenants in the building began frequenting Laundromats.

Max’s studio apartment was the only one in the building located below ground, and it had no windows. None. No source of natural light. So, when I pushed open the door to Apartment A, the room was completely dark except for the light spilling in from the hall. The switch by the door failed to produce light of any kind, but I could make out a standing lamp next to a mattress resting on the floor. I stepped over some scattered magazines or newspapers and turned on the light.

And there I was, standing in a room covered from floor to ceiling in images of bondage, S&M and gruesome torture.

Neat stacks of cheap leather-fetish porn mags were against one wall, each about two and a half feet high. More magazines were scattered across the floor along with hundreds of pages torn from other issues and tossed casually around the room, and in piles so deep you couldn’t tell the color of the carpet.

Scotch-taped to every inch of wall was Max’s original artwork, his twisted creativity on display, where he could really amp up the action from the magazine photos and manipulate and control his sadistic fantasies.

A pencil-and-charcoal drawing of a blindfolded woman lashed across a bed of nails.

A woman nailed to a cross and hung upside down, done in marker.

He’d saved the most graphic of the images for the wall and ceiling above his bed. These were the last images Max would see when he went to sleep and the first thing he’d gaze upon when he woke up.

A crayon drawing of a woman with hundreds of small cuts across her back tied to a rack and suspended above a pit of fire.

Women with spikes through their breasts and with flesh pierced by dozens of hooks.

This isn’t what freaked me out. The explicit stuff didn’t really get to me. It was two other things, really.

One was the hammer lying next to the door, sitting there, waiting for Max to take it in hand to defend against perceived threats outside in the hallway.

The other was the small, child-like handwriting underneath the most prominently displayed and most violent series of pictures.

The writing on each picture read, simply: “SARAH.”

That really fucking got to me.

Sarah was someone’s daughter. Maybe someone’s sister or girlfriend. Someone’s mother, perhaps.

Max had decided that she suited his taste.

He knew exactly with whom he wanted to dance. These weren’t random, sick thoughts on paper. The pictures were simply a blueprint for what he really wanted to do to Sarah. She probably had no idea that Max was watching and plotting. I knew damn well that she had no idea her naked image was plastered on Max’s wall, or she would have run to the cops as fast as she could.

At that point, I could feel Max there in the room with me. His presence filled the small space. A door closed loudly somewhere upstairs and I got the fuck out of there, barely remembering to lock up behind me.

I ran into Max’s mother coming down the stairs and had to descend to the basement once again to open the door for her. Before going inside she turned, smiled, and said, “I’ll be just a minute. I only need to get some clothes. I don’t like to be in there.” She knew about her son. She understood when I told her I’d wait out in the hall.

As it turned out, Max had been committed to an institution and she was taking him some of his things. I hope he’s still there rotting, frankly, and that Sarah is far away.

The apartment was soon cleaned of the filth and closed up never to be rented again.

As for Sarah, I never did find out who she was exactly. I checked the tenant list for the building and didn’t find a Sarah listed. She’ll never know how close she came to, what I believe, was a monster.

When it comes to movies that really creep me out, it’s not the flicks with demons or monsters or undead stalkers in hockey masks that get to me. It’s always the film where the human mind is the real villain that scares me. Give me a well-done and cliché-free serial killer movie, like The Silence of the Lambs or Seven. I think it’s because of my short time in Max’s apartment, where I peeked into the window of a really dark and twisted psyche. I found that, for myself, the scariest of monsters lives inside the disturbed mind

Chicago Comicon

2010-08-16T11:44:00.004-05:00

This weekend marks my triumphant return to Wizard World Chicago Comicon or whatever it's being called this year.

After missing it last year for my sister's wedding, I'm looking forward to being on the floor and slinging comics on Thursday.

I will be setting up in Artist's Alley at table # 3428 with LOST SQUAD singles and trades along with my little horror anthology FREAKSHOW and BRIDE OF FREAKSHOW for sale.

I have some gorgeous Alan Robinson original art pages available as well.

Stop by and say hey!

Not in San Diego.

2010-07-21T15:00:00.008-05:00

Long time between posts and there's much I'm dying to reveal but sadly can't at the moment.

I know, I know. I'm a tease. Guilty as charged.

For the first time in seven years, I'm not in San Diego. Feels weird to be honest. I'll be extremely busy this weekend and my goal is to go into my bunker and ignore the comic news coming out of the left coast. Fat chance, most likely.

I will be at Comicon Chicago FKA WizardWorld Chicago. I'm splitting a table with fellow Digital Webbing Presents alum and all-around good guy, Glenn Jeffers. More on that as we get into August.

I'm asked a lot about the Lost Squad movie and I can't get into to too much detail but there is movement. There are people interested and I'm very encouraged by the progress. The people involved are all VERY talented and have a lot of enthusiasm toward the project. They really seem to get it. More news as I'm allowed.

I've still got a bunch of projects in various holding patterns which seems to be a running theme for this blog in the last few years.

One thing I can confirm is I'm going to have a short story in an upcoming issue of the relaunch of DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS. The story is called BARNSTORMING and is a WWII tale about P-51 pilots flying an escort mission near the end of the war. Art by the amazing Juan Moreno who did DARK SIDE OF THE MOON for me in DWP #3 (my first published comic!). He's solid. Check out the sample above.

We're having it colored and it's slated to be in one of the first issues of the new launch.

So everyone have fun in San Diego. Think of me pouting at home and missing the action.

C2E2 this weekend.

2010-04-15T10:43:00.004-05:00

I will be heading up to C2E2 this weekend in Chicago. Looking forward to hanging out with old friends and slinging some comics. I'll be setting up in Artist Alley at table O8 on your bingo card.

I'm sharing space with the incomparable Joe Judt creator of KUNG from Moonstone Books.

I'll have LOST SQUAD trades for sale along with selected single issues. I still have a few FREAKSHOW and BRIDE OF FREAKSHOW issues, so if like the classic EERIE or CREEPY books, then you will enjoy these four story horror anthologies I wrote.

Swing by our table and say hello!

Lost Squad covers - part II

2010-03-02T11:17:00.005-06:00

I had tossed up a slideshow of the cover gallery last week, but some are having trouble viewing the images, so I'm reposting the covers from issues # 1, 3, 4, 5 and the trade. Enjoy!

Click on the pics to view larger images of the covers.

Lost Squad covers

2010-02-25T09:42:00.007-06:00

Sprucing up the site a bit. I noticed some new people visiting and wanted to upload this slideshow of Lost Squad covers.

Artwork by Alan Robinson.

Here's the pitch -- It's the DIRTY DOZEN by way of the X-FILES - weird war tales created for a new audience! When a mission is too weird for the U.S. Army the brass calls in the Lost Squad. It's 1942 and the seemingly unstoppable Wehrmacht is on the march. AS the Nazis swallow more and more of Europe, Hitler's scientists perfect a mechanism that could guarantee his ultimate victory!

Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars - INDYCOMICREVIEW.COM

"The Lost Squad is three parts high adventure and one part humor" - COMICREADERS.COM

"This series has a lot of character" - SEQUENTIALTART.COM

"An interesting tale, one a bit off the beaten path." - BROKENFRONTIER.COM

New Project

2009-12-15T16:07:00.002-06:00

As we're go for the launch of 2010, I thought I'd share a quick peek from one of the new things I'm working on:
Pencils by Tommy Patterson
Inks by Michael Babinski

My annual Halloween post.

2009-10-14T12:38:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I posted and now that we're approaching Halloween I thought I would toss up my essay on what really scares me again as I have the last two years. It's gotten good play in the past and I think it's a fun read.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Language Warning. I get a bit potty mouth in this one.

Back in 2005, I was asked to write a quick essay for the horror blog Dark, But Shining by Newsarama blogger and all-around good guy Kevin Melrose. The piece was to be included in a series of essays by different authors describing what REALLY scares them.

Last year I jetted out to Hollywood and did a round of meet-and-greets with a few movie types and I told this story in one of the meetings. When I finished, the veep in charge of story told me, "Go home and write that one. That's fucking creepy." I've got the bones of the story down, just need to find the time to write it.

Here it is -- PEERING INTO DARKNESS:

When was the last time you were really scared?

I mean really fucking scared.

Not the quick adrenaline shock that comes when you slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid rear-ending the car in front of you, but that sick-to-your stomach, creeping feeling where you are absolutely certain that something awful and vile is going to happen.

True story –

In the year after college I worked for an apartment management company renting units and dealing with tenants. An older woman, the mother of one of the tenants, came in late one dreary September day and needed to get into her son’s apartment. We hadn’t received a rent payment in almost two months and we were fairly certain the guy had just disappeared and abandoned his apartment. The mother was there to pay the balance, remove some of his belongings, and sublet the apartment.

My boss, Steve, wanted me to go over and unlock the door and stay on site until the woman had finished and lock up behind her.

“Go now, man. You gotta see this guy’s apartment,” Steve said. The mother had to fill out some paperwork and I would have a good ten or fifteen minutes at the guy’s apartment by myself.

The guy – I’ll call him “Max,” as I’ve long since forgotten his real name – lived in a basement studio apartment right across from the laundry room of a small, older building with nine units.

Max was a LARGE guy. By large I mean HUGE – easily 6’6” or 6’7” and a flabby 250 lbs. Max was also a very odd guy. He liked to pace between the parked cars in the small lot behind the building for hours, and had taken to sticking his head out his door and glaring at each tenant as they tried to do their laundry. One tenant was certain Max was holding a hammer as he watched her sort her whites from her colors. Most tenants in the building began frequenting Laundromats.

Max’s studio apartment was the only one in the building located below ground, and it had no windows. None. No source of natural light. So, when I pushed open the door to Apartment A, the room was completely dark except for the light spilling in from the hall. The switch by the door failed to produce light of any kind, but I could make out a standing lamp next to a mattress resting on the floor. I stepped over some scattered magazines or newspapers and turned on the light.

And there I was, standing in a room covered from floor to ceiling in images of bondage, S&M and gruesome torture.

Neat stacks of cheap leather-fetish porn mags were against one wall, each about two and a half feet high. More magazines were scattered across the floor along with hundreds of pages torn from other issues and tossed casually around the room, and in piles so deep you couldn’t tell the color of the carpet.

Scotch-taped to every inch of wall was Max’s original artwork, his twisted creativity on display, where he could really amp up the action from the magazine photos and manipulate and control his sadistic fantasies.

A pencil-and-charcoal drawing of a blindfolded woman lashed across a bed of nails.

A woman nailed to a cross and hung upside down, done in marker.

He’d saved the most graphic of the images for the wall and ceiling above his bed. These were the last images Max would see when he went to sleep and the first thing he’d gaze upon when he woke up.

A crayon drawing of a woman with hundreds of small cuts across her back tied to a rack and suspended above a pit of fire.

Women with spikes through their breasts and with flesh pierced by dozens of hooks.

This isn’t what freaked me out. The explicit stuff didn’t really get to me. It was two other things, really.

One was the hammer lying next to the door, sitting there, waiting for Max to take it in hand to defend against perceived threats outside in the hallway.

The other was the small, child-like handwriting underneath the most prominently displayed and most violent series of pictures.

The writing on each picture read, simply: “SARAH.”

That really fucking got to me.

Sarah was someone’s daughter. Maybe someone’s sister or girlfriend. Someone’s mother, perhaps.

Max had decided that she suited his taste.

He knew exactly with whom he wanted to dance. These weren’t random, sick thoughts on paper. The pictures were simply a blueprint for what he really wanted to do to Sarah. She probably had no idea that Max was watching and plotting. I knew damn well that she had no idea her naked image was plastered on Max’s wall, or she would have run to the cops as fast as she could.

At that point, I could feel Max there in the room with me. His presence filled the small space. A door closed loudly somewhere upstairs and I got the fuck out of there, barely remembering to lock up behind me.

I ran into Max’s mother coming down the stairs and had to descend to the basement once again to open the door for her. Before going inside she turned, smiled, and said, “I’ll be just a minute. I only need to get some clothes. I don’t like to be in there.” She knew about her son. She understood when I told her I’d wait out in the hall.

As it turned out, Max had been committed to an institution and she was taking him some of his things. I hope he’s still there rotting, frankly, and that Sarah is far away.

The apartment was soon cleaned of the filth and closed up never to be rented again.

As for Sarah, I never did find out who she was exactly. I checked the tenant list for the building and didn’t find a Sarah listed. She’ll never know how close she came to, what I believe, was a monster.

When it comes to movies that really creep me out, it’s not the flicks with demons or monsters or undead stalkers in hockey masks that get to me. It’s always the film where the human mind is the real villain that scares me. Give me a well-done and cliché-free serial killer movie, like The Silence of the Lambs or Seven. I think it’s because of my short time in Max’s apartment, where I peeked into the window of a really dark and twisted psyche. I found that, for myself, the scariest of monsters lives inside the disturbed mind

San Diego plans.

2009-07-20T08:08:00.008-05:00

Off to San Diego and Comicon on Wednesday.

I will be camped out with LOST SQUAD artist Alan Robinson at Exhibitor's Table C04. We are right around aisle 600 tucked in the back corner of the convention hall.

The group I'm hanging with are listed as "Friends of Ed".

We'll have a few trades for sale along with singles issues of LOST SQUAD and FREAKSHOW, original artwork, and Alan will be slinging sketches as well.

It's Alan's first time at Comicon so stop on bye, say hello, and watch his eyes bug out at the sheer madness of it all.

TRIGGER HIPPIE

2009-05-05T11:14:00.006-05:00

I'm a sucker for a crime story and I've had this one percolating in my head for a while.

It's called TRIGGER HIPPIE. I nicked the title from a MORCHEEBA song, but it fits.

Here's the idea --

Meet Paul "Trig" Trigger -- lover of women, fish tacos, and a good spliff.

Trig does odd "jobs" for a specific criminal clientele, big time pot farmers, taking care of a laundry list of unpleasant duties. In exchange he gets a little walking around money and enough smoke to make it through the week.

Only problem: Trig is a pacifist.

Where an old school mook would rough up a deadbeat dealer, Trig has to cajole, beg, outsmart, and outhustle people. With his charm and wit, he just manages to keep the peace without anyone resorting to violence.

But, when a hottie with a bag full of cash takes off to spite a small time dealer, Trig and his new Samoan bodyguard Lars go looking for her before she ends up getting hurt - or worse. Things really go south when her body turns up and the money is missing and Trig starts looking good to LA Homicide for the deed. Being firmly in the crosshairs of a murder investigation is enough to turn this peace-lovin' slacker into a bad ass mofo looking for a little payback.

Trig finds that for a pacifist, he's got a mean right cross.

It's two parts Raymond Chandler and one part Cheech and Chong peppered with a little Tarantino humor and an oddball cast.

Artwork is by the man-with-the-skilled-drawing-hand Ulises Carpintero.

Again, this another project we hope to drop in San Diego.

Feedback welcome.

CRESCENT CITY

2009-05-04T15:57:00.016-05:00

As promised, here's a glimpse of one of my new projects - CRESCENT CITY.

Here's the quick pitch:

The Musso crime family, kings of New Orleans, is in trouble.

The competition is moving in on their corners, a shipment of uncut product is missing and the new hotshot District Attorney is working the Grand Jury for indictments of the mob’s top people.

But, worst of all, the family shaman has lost his mojo.

Antony Musso is the family voodoo priest and it seems that his spells and rituals may not be as potent as they once were. A terribly superstitious lot, the Musso family has run New Orleans’ crime rackets since the mid 1800’s using intimidation, business savvy, violence and voodoo. From protection spells to calls for good luck to the blackest of arts - voodoo murder - the family has employed the occult to further their fortunes.

Now, someone has whacked Antony’s Uncle Nicky using a bit of the old school juju and the top suspect is someone who’s been at the bottom of the Gulf for 30 years. If Antony can’t protect the family from the forces aligned against them, the family’s karmic debt – years of murder and magic – is going to come due with one hell of a vig on top!

Artwork is by the amazing Damian Couceiro. Here's a preview of the first six penciled pages.

We're buttoning the extended pitch down and polishing the project bible to take this out to publishers. You can see by the artwork if we fail to get a publisher it'll be because the writing stinks. Damian's stuff is fantastic!

Drop me some feedback,

This will be a part of my creative neutron bomb I plan to unleash on San Diego Comicon. Run for the fallout shelters, editors!

More project previews soon.

"So where the hell are you???"

2009-05-01T10:56:00.006-05:00

That's from an email I received. I'm touched that people still care.

So where the hell are we?

Here's what I know -- Alan and I have severed our relationship with Devil's Due. We'll no longer be putting out any LOST SQUAD comics through them. All rights have reverted to us going forward.

I want to thank Josh Blaylock and Sam Wells and everyone at Devil's Due for all their support and hard work.

We are looking at other opportunities. That's about all I want to say on that for now.

Rogue Pictures still holds the option for a LOST SQUAD movie until early 2010. At this point, I have no news on that front. The development process has been hampered by the writer's strike and by Universal's sale of the company to Relativity Media. Things could still change and the ball could get rolling, but it's not looking good.

I'm sure we will be shopping the project around if rights revert back to us, but it would be great if things got rolling with Rogue Pictures.

So where the hell are we going?

I have a TON of new projects in the works including a horror idea with Alan Robinson.

Artwork has been steadily coming in and I should have at least FIVE new projects to pitch for San Diego.

In the next week or so I will toss up some sample art for the new projects just to give a taste.

So thanks for hanging with us. There will be more artwork and news to gander at both LOST SQUAD related and info about new projects.

So keep checking back. More posting as time allows.

NYCC - Robot 6

2009-02-11T10:50:00.006-06:00

The ROBOT 6 blog over at the Comic Book Resources site has picked up on my pal Neil Kleid's Lost Squad recommendation. I slipped him a copy of the trade on Sunday. Thanks for the shout out Neil and Robot 6! Click over and check out the blog.

If you're new to the site, take a look around and if you're looking for a copy of the trade, click on the Amazon button I've set up over on the sidebar.

Tell 'em I sent ya'!

A longer con report is forthcoming starring Tony Lee, Kody Chamberlain, Neil, and other good pals. Special guests -- Jon Stewart, Ethan Hawke and Sec. of State Hillary Clinton.

Stay tuned.

New York Comic Con

2009-02-03T16:07:00.005-06:00

Thursday, I'll be jetting to New York for Comic Con. My first time in NYC in forever. I won't be setting up anywhere and I'm not on the signing schedule at the Devil's Due booth at the moment. I'll update that if something happens, but for now it's all about networking.

I will be the guy stalking editors, pimping artwork, and hanging with friends. I am also looking for an artist for a new project. I've had to amicably part ways with an artist who wasn't able to put the time on the gig as he's busy doing work for BOTH Marvel and DC. So, if you're an artist looking to do some darker capes stuff (yeah, I know. It's capes), then drop me a line at mailcall {[at]} lost-squad dot com. I'd love to see who's paying attention to this blog.

If you see me, stop me and say hello. I'll be the guy trying to ride the coattails of Tony Lee and Kody Chamberlain.

An interesting take on WATCHMEN

2009-01-07T23:45:00.005-06:00

Here's a thought provoking essay from Jonah Goldberg over on the BIG HOLLYWOOD group blog dissecting where Alan Moore got it wrong in WATCHMEN. Good stuff even if you're political leanings don't swing that way.

Don't miss the comments section with intelligent discussion and featuring comics' own Bill Willingham, James Hudnall and everyone's favorite "Mad Alaskan" (and Lost Squad letterer) Kel Nuttall.

Haven't posted much. Personal stuff going on that I'll relate to in a post shortly. December 2008 sucked. And, that's being kind.

Enough gloom, here's to a better 2009!

Con Season 2009

2008-11-30T12:18:00.003-06:00

My sister is getting married in August and that means for the first time in eight years I will not be at Wizard World Chicago.

I won't be crying too much as I'll be in California with the family for the nuptials, but it does mean that I won't be hanging with friends in what has become an annual rite of drinking, bullshitting, and slinging comics. WW-Chicago is just down the road from me and sales the last two years have been very strong. I will definitely miss it.

The plan is too head to San Diego again this year for Comicon and possibly add one more sometime throughout the year. NYC is out, but WW- LA and Philly are options as is HeroesCon and WW- Texas.

I'd love to hear some pros and cons from peeps. Any suggestions?

Peering into darkness - reprise

2008-10-24T12:48:00.002-05:00

Language Warning. I get a bit potty mouth in this one.

Back in 2005, I was asked to write a quick essay for the horror blog Dark, But Shining by Newsarama blogger and all-around good guy Kevin Melrose. The piece was to be included in a series of essays by different authors describing what REALLY scares them.

Last year I jetted out to Hollywood and did a round of meet-and-greets with a few movie types and I told this story in one of the meetings. When I finished, the veep in charge of story told me, "Go home and write that one. That's fucking creepy." I've got the bones of the story down, just need to find the time to write it.

I've posted the essay before but I thought I'd dust it off again. So, for your reading pleasure, here's PEERING INTO DARKNESS.

---------------------------------------------------------------

When was the last time you were really scared?

I mean really fucking scared.

Not the quick adrenaline shock that comes when you slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid rear-ending the car in front of you, but that sick-to-your stomach, creeping feeling where you are absolutely certain that something awful and vile is going to happen.

True story –

In the year after college I worked for an apartment management company renting units and dealing with tenants. An older woman, the mother of one of the tenants, came in late one dreary September day and needed to get into her son’s apartment. We hadn’t received a rent payment in almost two months and we were fairly certain the guy had just disappeared and abandoned his apartment. The mother was there to pay the balance, remove some of his belongings, and sublet the apartment.

My boss, Steve, wanted me to go over and unlock the door and stay on site until the woman had finished and lock up behind her.

“Go now, man. You gotta see this guy’s apartment,” Steve said. The mother had to fill out some paperwork and I would have a good ten or fifteen minutes at the guy’s apartment by myself.

The guy – I’ll call him “Max,” as I’ve long since forgotten his real name – lived in a basement studio apartment right across from the laundry room of a small, older building with nine units.

Max was a LARGE guy. By large I mean HUGE – easily 6’6” or 6’7” and a flabby 250 lbs. Max was also a very odd guy. He liked to pace between the parked cars in the small lot behind the building for hours, and had taken to sticking his head out his door and glaring at each tenant as they tried to do their laundry. One tenant was certain Max was holding a hammer as he watched her sort her whites from her colors. Most tenants in the building began frequenting Laundromats.

Max’s studio apartment was the only one in the building located below ground, and it had no windows. None. No source of natural light. So, when I pushed open the door to Apartment A, the room was completely dark except for the light spilling in from the hall. The switch by the door failed to produce light of any kind, but I could make out a standing lamp next to a mattress resting on the floor. I stepped over some scattered magazines or newspapers and turned on the light.

And there I was, standing in a room covered from floor to ceiling in images of bondage, S&M and gruesome torture.

Neat stacks of cheap leather-fetish porn mags were against one wall, each about two and a half feet high. More magazines were scattered across the floor along with hundreds of pages torn from other issues and tossed casually around the room, and in piles so deep you couldn’t tell the color of the carpet.

Scotch-taped to every inch of wall was Max’s original artwork, his twisted creativity on display, where he could really amp up the action from the magazine photos and manipulate and control his sadistic fantasies.

A pencil-and-charcoal drawing of a blindfolded woman lashed across a bed of nails.

A woman nailed to a cross and hung upside down, done in marker.

He’d saved the most graphic of the images for the wall and ceiling above his bed. These were the last images Max would see when he went to sleep and the first thing he’d gaze upon when he woke up.

A crayon drawing of a woman with hundreds of small cuts across her back tied to a rack and suspended above a pit of fire.

Women with spikes through their breasts and with flesh pierced by dozens of hooks.

This isn’t what freaked me out. The explicit stuff didn’t really get to me. It was two other things, really.

One was the hammer lying next to the door, sitting there, waiting for Max to take it in hand to defend against perceived threats outside in the hallway.

The other was the small, child-like handwriting underneath the most prominently displayed and most violent series of pictures.

The writing on each picture read, simply: “SARAH.”

That really fucking got to me.

Sarah was someone’s daughter. Maybe someone’s sister or girlfriend. Someone’s mother, perhaps.

Max had decided that she suited his taste.

He knew exactly with whom he wanted to dance. These weren’t random, sick thoughts on paper. The pictures were simply a blueprint for what he really wanted to do to Sarah. She probably had no idea that Max was watching and plotting. I knew damn well that she had no idea her naked image was plastered on Max’s wall, or she would have run to the cops as fast as she could.

At that point, I could feel Max there in the room with me. His presence filled the small space. A door closed loudly somewhere upstairs and I got the fuck out of there, barely remembering to lock up behind me.

I ran into Max’s mother coming down the stairs and had to descend to the basement once again to open the door for her. Before going inside she turned, smiled, and said, “I’ll be just a minute. I only need to get some clothes. I don’t like to be in there.” She knew about her son. She understood when I told her I’d wait out in the hall.

As it turned out, Max had been committed to an institution and she was taking him some of his things. I hope he’s still there rotting, frankly, and that Sarah is far away.

The apartment was soon cleaned of the filth and closed up never to be rented again.

As for Sarah, I never did find out who she was exactly. I checked the tenant list for the building and didn’t find a Sarah listed. She’ll never know how close she came to, what I believe, was a monster.

When it comes to movies that really creep me out, it’s not the flicks with demons or monsters or undead stalkers in hockey masks that get to me. It’s always the film where the human mind is the real villain that scares me. Give me a well-done and cliché-free serial killer movie, like The Silence of the Lambs or Seven. I think it’s because of my short time in Max’s apartment, where I peeked into the window of a really dark and twisted psyche. I found that, for myself, the scariest of monsters lives inside the disturbed mind

Lost Squad miniatures announced!

2008-09-13T16:08:00.012-05:00

I got caught a bit flat footed here and didn't have anything prepared for the announcement.

Sorry about that as things are crazy here for the moment.

Here's the skinny -- Brian Cottrell from What The?! minatures approached Alan and I about putting out a set of Lost Squad wargaming minatures. We jumped at the chance to see the boys in minature and it seems like a perfect match to me.

Pictured at right are The What The?! Boys.

Here's the announcement from The Minatures Page and over on Tabletop Gaming News .

If you're new to the site (and site traffic has DEFINITELY spiked) have a look around.

Some Lost Squad info:

Here's the Comic Book Resources interview for the Lost Squad launch that I did back in Sept. '05. It features a terrific nine page preview of Issue #1 along with some unlettered artwork from Issue #2.

Reviews are scattered throughout the archives, but here's a Steven Grant quick shot review about LS #4. Scroll down to near the bottom of the page.

You'll find another review here from the fine PopMatters.com site.

Thanks to Brian Cottrell and superfan Chris Jachimowicz for the hook up. Hopefully we'll have more news, photos, and updates about the process of creating the minatures.

I'm always grateful to have new eyeballs checking out the book and perusing the site. Feel free to drop me a line at MAILCALL [{at]} lost-squad [{dot}} com.

Thanks for reading.

Back from San Diego -- a bit of Alan Robinson news

2008-07-29T09:56:00.004-05:00

I'm back from San Diego and have survived the convention.

I'll have a full on con report posted some time this week.

In the meantime, I wanted to share the exciting news about Alan's new project.

He and writer Dara Naraghi are teaming on IDW's Terminator Salvation prequel.

The story takes place about a year before the upcoming Terminator Salvation movie with Christian Bale. Click on over to Newsarama to check out coverage and quick interview with Dara.

It's funny, I've known Dara since he and I both had stories in Digital Webbing Presents #4 and checked his terrific self-published work from Ferret Press. He's a great guy and a terrific writer.

His webcomic collection LIFELIKE is out in hardcover from IDW. You can check out LIFELIKE for free on the web by clicking here or moseying over to the excellent KOMIWERKS website.

I caught up with him a bit this past weekend in San Diego and he didn't mention once that he's the one stealing Alan!

For the record I couldn't be more happy for the both of them.

Lost Squad -- In Living Color

2008-07-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Colorist extraordinaire Garry Henderson tossed up some awesome colored pages from issue one of Lost Squad on his DeviantArt page and the Digital Webbing message boards. I just had to share.

DAYUM, if the boys don't look sharp! Garry colored the pages as if the story was taking place in Africa instead of Poland as an experiment. I say these make a fine addition to his portfolio.

Sharp stuff! Garry's done work for Devil's Due and Zenescope. Check out more of his stuff here. If you're a publisher looking for a talented colorist, hire the man already!

Hmmm...Lost Squad versus Rommel's Afrika Corps. Might make a good story.

Chicago con report

2008-07-16T10:28:00.011-05:00

Wow this is incredibly late.

I've been toiling at the real job and scrambling to get some work done on a few other projects. The good news is that I've knocked out a ton of script pages in July. Bad news is I'm still scrambling and there's little time to post.

Chicago was again a terrific show. I sold a ton of trades and few single issues. The Freakshow horror combo sold better than expected and I didn't have to cart as much home as I usually do.

Feedback on the Lost Squad was terrific. I had a nice (but short) conversation with comics heavyweight Phil Hester who was very complimentary and had some nice advice as well. I will buy him a beer in San Diego if the opportunity presents itself.

I set up next to writer Ivan Brandon and artist Andy McDonald who are both terrific guys, very professional and talented and put up with my repetitive and annoying sales pitch for Lost Squad. NYC MECH is a terrific book and I highly recommend it. I picked up the second trade from them and I can say it's as crisp and sharp as the first.

Chicago is all about hooking up with old friends and this year didn't disappoint. I hung out with artist Kevin Mellon and writer Dennis Hopeless of GEARHEAD fame and the upcoming CUPID from AiT/Planet Lar. A nicer and more talented pair of guys you will not find. They're my homies.

Here's a Flickr picture of Kevin and myself enjoying ourselves in the midst of the insanity that is the Hyatt on Saturday night.

Kevin's entire set of photos is here if you're interested.

Marvel Adventures Spider-Man artist Ryan Stegman is one of the funniest dudes in comics and, along with Ryan's Fiance', artists Erik Jones (who is a riot himself), Ray Dillon and Renae De Liz (two of my favorite people), and Mellon and Hopeless, we all backed up the truck and went for deep dish pizza one night and had a fantastic time.

Ray and Renae witnessed my rant about how much I think the Goonies sucks. They just listened politely and shook their heads. I'm pretty sure they avoided eye contact for the rest of the weekend. We will continue this conversation in San Diego. Bet on that!

Caught up with artist Ryan Bodenheim who has hooked up with the terrific Johnathan Hickman on the new mini-series RED MASS FOR MARS from Image Comics. I picked up #1 at his table and it is fantastic.

Rich Molinelli and his better half/partner-in-crime Sam were in attendance although I didn't even hang with them until Saturday.

Talked about the UNION STATION movie with writer/inker/sharp dresser Ande Parks. I got my hands on the screenplay a while back and thought it was great and I told him so. BTW, I sold my first comic ever, DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #3 (featuring my story DARK SIDE OF THE MOON with artist Juan Moreno), to Ande waaay back in '02, I think (?).

Can't forget Phil Kost, military adviser and all-around good guy. He and I talked about putting the Lost Squad in a different historical setting and had some terrific ideas. Good to see you, Phil!

Saw Michael Kasinger (MEK71 on the DWP boards), Andy Jewett and a ton of others I'm forgetting. I'll update as the memories come back to me.

Can't wait for 2009.

On to San Diego!

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T22:12:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Wizard World Chicago recap coming soon, I promise!

Wizard World Chicago 2008

2008-06-21T22:38:00.003-05:00

WWC kicks off on Thursday.

I'll be set up in artist's alley at table # 5114. I'm all the way back against the wall. Look for the LOST SQUAD stand up.

I've got great table placement again this year. I'm setting up next to such comic heavyweights as Ivan Brandon and Andy McDonald, Mike Norton, Bryan Glass, David Mack, Taki Soma, Mike Oeming, Brian Bendis, the Kansas City comics crew -- Clay Moore, Jeremy Haun, Dennis Hopeless, Kevin Mellon, Jason Hurley, and Jason LaTour.

Devil's Due is setting up at booth 1123 and I'll be signing there at some point this weekend. I'll update as I get that info.

Come on back and say howdy! I'll be the imposter hawking the zombie nazi comics.

Sweet nectar of the gods.

2008-06-16T12:25:00.006-05:00

I spent Father's Day fishing with the kids which conjurs certain Norman Rockwellian images, but all being said, it was a terrific way to spend the day.

I capped off the evening alone on the couch, flipping channels and enjoying my new found drink obsession -- Avery's MAHARAJA Imperial IPA.

It is the sweet nectar of the gods!

When it comes to beers, I'm a hop-head. I LOVE that flowery smell and this baby delivers. The taste lives up to the initial smell test. It has a bitter, citrusy flavor with a hint of malt. It's much stronger than you're regular IPA. It packs a punch at nearly 10% alcohol and something like 110 IBU's.

A fantastic way to end a terrific Father's Day.

FIGHT!

2008-06-03T16:46:00.010-05:00

Teaser image from the new project.

Art by co-creator and digital wunderkind Ryan Scott.

And another.

The first rule of the new project is that you don't talk about the new project.

YET.

And, then you'll wanna stick your fist in my mouth 'cause I won't shut up about it.

Blogger hiccup

2008-06-03T15:53:00.005-05:00

Seems that Blogger had a bit of a hiccup recently.

They've chewed up and spat out a few postings.

Sorry about that. In the meantime, and for no reason in particular, here's a picture of Mr. T.

The funny thing is, the hat isn't even the most ridiculous thing about this photo.

That is just an INSANE amount of bling. Never mind the weapon, but how does the man get through the metal detectors at airports?

I think it's just one LONG ass gold rope chain he swiped off an anchor aboard a Saudi prince's yacht.

Are those Wonder Woman's bracelets and Mandarin's rings he's wearing? (geekjoke)

More T as the mood strikes me, foo'!

Happy Birthday Alan Robinson!

2008-05-11T12:47:00.009-05:00

Alan turns 30 today and in his honor I thought I'd toss up a few samples of his latest artwork.

Here's a few pages from Star Wars Legacy #22 from Dark Horse.

This is a cover Alan created for the Chilean comic CALEUCHE.

The pages below are from YONCHI! Written by Richard Meyers, colors by Cristian Gonzales, and appearing in the POPGUN anthology from Image.
If you want to take a gander at more of Alan's artwork, check out his DeviantArt page, Alan's ComicSpace page, or his blog.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALAN! Thanks for everything, my friend. Have a great birthday!

Lush Life

2008-04-30T23:30:00.006-05:00

Yes, there's been a dearth of blogging in April. Guilty as charged. I've been working and writing and spending a little time in Fargo, ND recently (six inches of snow in late April).

Not much Lost Squad news recently and I'm not ready to let the cat out of the bag on the new stuff I've been writing so I thought I'd post a quick book review.

I'm about half-way through the new Richard Price novel LUSH LIFE and it's fantastic.

If you're not familiar with Richard Price, I'll clue you in: he's the author of CLOCKERS and FREEDOMLAND and writer of such movies as SEA OF LOVE, RANSOM, THE COLOR OF MONEY and a smattering of THE WIRE episodes amongst others. If you dig the crime beats of Lehane and Connelly, you need to go find you some Richard Price. Right. Now.

LUSH LIFE spins a yarn around a tale of murder, a mugging gone wrong on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Told from the perspective of a survivor turned suspect, the homicide detective working the case, and the perps, the book elevates beyond a simple police procedural into social commentary and potrait of an ever-changing urban neighborhood. Some are comparing this book to Tom Wolfe's writing in tone and texture. You'll feel like you're walking the same streets past tenements and upscale watering holes just as the characters do. The prose paints a vivid picture.

And, don't get me started about the dialogue. It crackles. Price is a master. You can have Mamet and Sorkin (both of whom I love), but I'll take Price and have seconds on Sunday.

I'm only half-way through, but already I can't endorse this book enough. Go and read it.

More Lost Squad minatures.

2008-03-13T14:06:00.010-05:00

As promised, more Lost Squad minatures from Chris Jachimowicz.

Sgt. Lymangood.

"Bazooka" Jose'.

The Nazi leader Kessler looking particularly evil.

The biker Nazis from issue #1.

Once again, thanks Chris for sharing!

Alan's Newest Gig

2008-02-27T16:38:00.006-06:00

Alan is definitely movin' on up!

I got word from him last week that he's been signed on to provide one issue of fill-in artwork on Dark Horse's Star Wars Legacy book. He's slated for issue #22 which is already solicited and set to arrive in your local comic shop on April 8.

Anyone who knows Alan knows that he is a MAJOR Star Wars fan and this is a dream project for him.

Check out his Darth!

We've put our projects on the backburner for now, but for the record, I couldn't be happier for him!

His artwork keeps getting better and his career, in my opinion, is starting to take off. He's got his foot in the door now at Dark Horse and I predict big things from him.

Now, if Dark Horse could just use a writer, on say, their revivals of my old faves EERIE and CREEPY, they could pair the two of us up once again.

Lost Sqaud Minatures.

2008-02-19T12:50:00.015-06:00

Uber-fan Chris Jachimowicz is back with more cool Lost Squad stuff.

This time he's painted and modified some 28mm pewter minatures into our beloved ragtag team of soldiers.

Here's Captain Boudreau.

Here's the email I received from Chris: "I’ve attached several pictures of the Lost Squad figures that I have painted up for 28mm play. They are from Artizan Designs, Bolt Action Miniatures, Brigade Games miniatures and West Wind.

I did a little sculpting, such as glasses on the Corporal, hair on Kessler, and the ribbon on Lymangood’s arm to make them more LS-like. I also added built-in MG-42’s to the front of the motorcycle sidecar and a point to the driver’s helmet. All in all I think they came out rather good!"

Damn! So do I!

Major Smithenry and Corporal Berg

The "Chicago Boys": Tinker, Evers and Chance

Nazi Demon Soldier

You can check Chris's earlier creative efforts here. I'll post the rest soon.

Strike over.

2008-02-15T15:51:00.002-06:00

Good to see the strike finally come to an end. From the reading I've done and the people I've talked to I get the impression that they believe that they got as good of a deal as they could get. There are a few quibbles (17 days of residual free streaming before the writer sees a dime?), but that it was good to get everyone back to work.

We're waiting on a second draft of the Lost Squad screenplay. Hopefully once that's turned in Rogue will give it a greenlight.

Still working on the hosting issues. My provider is not forwarding the domain properly and I'm thinking about installing a blogging tool to get around this, although I'd rather just stick with Blogger for now.

I got caught up on some TV and will post some reviews shortly.

More to come.

Switching hosts.

2008-01-09T12:46:00.000-06:00

We're switching hosts and having a few issues with forwarding the domain to blogger.

Email has been spotty, but is now back in full effect.

We'll have everything fixed soon and will be backing posting soon.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

*Side note: I've noticed a few Hollywood industry types browsing the site. If you work in the biz and are inclined, drop me a note at mailcall {at} lost-squad [dot] com. I'd love to pick your brain.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T11:42:00.000-06:00

Looking forward to 2008!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

2007-12-24T14:50:00.000-06:00

I wanted to wish everyone a terrific Holiday season!

Looking forward to a fantastic 2008!!

Advice from Neil Gaiman

2007-12-20T10:46:00.000-06:00

A month since my last post. Apologies for the dearth of posting. With the WGA strike shutting down Hollywood (and thus no movement on the Lost Squad movie) and my real job sucking most of my time (and thus not a lot of movement on new projects), there hasn't been much news or tidbits to post.

So, allow me to ramble a bit...

I was talking with a friend a week or so ago and he asked me when it was I knew that I could write. When had I received validation that my stuff was good or entertaining (or, at least, didn't suck)? I'm my own worst critic when it comes to my stuff and I have HUGE bouts of self-doubt every time I sit at the keyboard. Writing is hard for me and when I first started noodling with short stories and short comic scripts I found the self-doubt to be almost crippling.

Back in 2001 I had a hard drive filled with unfinished stories that I had abandoned after my inner critic's whispering voice would become a shriek. I would quit writing rather than produce something I thought sucked.

In June of that year Neil Gaiman came to town promoting the release of AMERICAN GODS. I'm a huge fan of his work (SANDMAN is brilliant) and it's always a treat to hear him read his work aloud. At the signing I asked him if he had any advice for someone struggling to write and find their voice. He wrote an inscription to me in my copy of his short story collection SMOKE AND MIRRORS which read, simply: "FINISH THINGS".

He explained that much can be learned from writing a story which is bad. It was better to have a completed story that was lacking than a terrific unfinished tale. I know it sounds simple and obvious, but it was this blunt bit of wisdom that actually helped me break through. It was just the medicine that I needed.

I believe that the reading took place on a Wednesday night and the next day I decided to put the advice to good use and enter the ETC magazine short fiction contest. Problem was, the deadline was Friday. I came up with a story about an engaged couple who visit a psychic to have a reading about their future and the message the bride-to-be receives on the sly from the medium. It was called SONDRA'S PSYCHIC READINGS. I wrote it quickly all the while pushing that inner critic to the back of my mind and revised it in haste. I just managed to deliver it in person under the 4:00PM Friday deadline.

You probably see where I'm going so I'll cut to the chase: I won second place. Not bad for a 2000 word story that I dashed off just to prove a point. I learned that maybe I could write and that I needed to let my mind go and just get the story out of my head and onto the paper. That's when the real writing can take place.

I continued to write short prose and took a shot at writing short comic stories that eventually found their way into Digital Webbing Presents.

So, thank Neil Gaiman for the Lost Squad. He had a hand in it as well.

Thanks, Neil.

L' ESCADRON PERDU

2007-11-20T14:39:00.000-06:00

The Lost Squad invades France!

French publisher Akileos are publishing the adventures of the Lost Squad in Europe.

Here's a shot of the cover.

The Akileos representatives approached Devil's Due and myself about the foreign reprint rights at Comicon in 2006. They were very enthusiastic about the project and at that time, wanted to have the black and white artwork colored.

While they didn't opt for color, they have put together a terrific looking volume for the European market.

And, I can add the title of "Scenariste" to my resume.
Check out the squad speaking French.

Anyone interested in purchasing the Akileos volume can find it available from Amazon.fr , FNAC.com, or Sceneario.com

Indie Pulp interview

2007-11-16T09:27:00.000-06:00

The fine folks over at the Indie Pulp blog turned their gaze on little ol' me for their Sketchbook Spotlight interview. It's 20 questions where I ramble about myself.

The site went live last June and contains a ton of cool commentary about Comics and DVD's. Give it a gander.

BIG thanks to Bernie Gonzalez for the exposure.

Check out Bernie's artwork over at the Element X Studios site. SHARP stuff!

Lost Squad on your phone.

2007-11-01T10:32:00.001-05:00

I missed this announcement last month.

Devil's Due is really making an effort to put their comics in people's hands in different media. Whether it's Pullbox Online or this particular deal with uclick.

I am all for pushing Lost Squad onto different platforms (any videogame developers out there?) and finding new markets. Hopefully, slowly, more people will give comics and graphic novels a chance. Anything that can potentially bring in more eyeballs is fine with me.

And, I really dig that they used the LS #1 cover as well. That rocks.

Peering into darkness

2007-10-22T16:47:00.000-05:00

Back in 2005, I was asked to write a quick essay for the horror blog Dark, But Shining by Newsarama blogger and all-around good guy Kevin Melrose. The piece was to be included in a series of essays by different authors describing what REALLY scares them.

With the Halloween approaching I thought I'd dust the essay off and share again.

Update: Language Warning. I get a bit potty mouth in this one.

Here's PEERING INTO DARKNESS.

---------------------------------------------------------------

When was the last time you were really scared?

I mean really fucking scared.

Not the quick adrenaline shock that comes when you slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid rear-ending the car in front of you, but that sick-to-your stomach, creeping feeling where you are absolutely certain that something awful and vile is going to happen.

True story –

In the year after college I worked for an apartment management company renting units and dealing with tenants. An older woman, the mother of one of the tenants, came in late one dreary September day and needed to get into her son’s apartment. We hadn’t received a rent payment in almost two months and we were fairly certain the guy had just disappeared and abandoned his apartment. The mother was there to pay the balance, remove some of his belongings, and sublet the apartment.

My boss, Steve, wanted me to go over and unlock the door and stay on site until the woman had finished and lock up behind her.

“Go now, man. You gotta see this guy’s apartment,” Steve said. The mother had to fill out some paperwork and I would have a good ten or fifteen minutes at the guy’s apartment by myself.

The guy – I’ll call him “Max,” as I’ve long since forgotten his real name – lived in a basement studio apartment right across from the laundry room of a small, older building with nine units.

Max was a LARGE guy. By large I mean HUGE – easily 6’6” or 6’7” and a flabby 250 lbs. Max was also a very odd guy. He liked to pace between the parked cars in the small lot behind the building for hours, and had taken to sticking his head out his door and glaring at each tenant as they tried to do their laundry. One tenant was certain Max was holding a hammer as he watched her sort her whites from her colors. Most tenants in the building began frequenting Laundromats.

Max’s studio apartment was the only one in the building located below ground, and it had no windows. None. No source of natural light. So, when I pushed open the door to Apartment A, the room was completely dark except for the light spilling in from the hall. The switch by the door failed to produce light of any kind, but I could make out a standing lamp next to a mattress resting on the floor. I stepped over some scattered magazines or newspapers and turned on the light.

And there I was, standing in a room covered from floor to ceiling in images of bondage, S&M and gruesome torture.

Neat stacks of cheap leather-fetish porn mags were against one wall, each about two and a half feet high. More magazines were scattered across the floor along with hundreds of pages torn from other issues and tossed casually around the room, and in piles so deep you couldn’t tell the color of the carpet.

Scotch-taped to every inch of wall was Max’s original artwork, his twisted creativity on display, where he could really amp up the action from the magazine photos and manipulate and control his sadistic fantasies.

A pencil-and-charcoal drawing of a blindfolded woman lashed across a bed of nails.

A woman nailed to a cross and hung upside down, done in marker.

He’d saved the most graphic of the images for the wall and ceiling above his bed. These were the last images Max would see when he went to sleep and the first thing he’d gaze upon when he woke up.

A crayon drawing of a woman with hundreds of small cuts across her back tied to a rack and suspended above a pit of fire.

Women with spikes through their breasts and with flesh pierced by dozens of hooks.

This isn’t what freaked me out. The explicit stuff didn’t really get to me. It was two other things, really.

One was the hammer lying next to the door, sitting there, waiting for Max to take it in hand to defend against perceived threats outside in the hallway.

The other was the small, child-like handwriting underneath the most prominently displayed and most violent series of pictures.

The writing on each picture read, simply: “SARAH.”

That really fucking got to me.

Sarah was someone’s daughter. Maybe someone’s sister or girlfriend. Someone’s mother, perhaps.

Max had decided that she suited his taste.

He knew exactly with whom he wanted to dance. These weren’t random, sick thoughts on paper. The pictures were simply a blueprint for what he really wanted to do to Sarah. She probably had no idea that Max was watching and plotting. I knew damn well that she had no idea her naked image was plastered on Max’s wall, or she would have run to the cops as fast as she could.

At that point, I could feel Max there in the room with me. His presence filled the small space. A door closed loudly somewhere upstairs and I got the fuck out of there, barely remembering to lock up behind me.

I ran into Max’s mother coming down the stairs and had to descend to the basement once again to open the door for her. Before going inside she turned, smiled, and said, “I’ll be just a minute. I only need to get some clothes. I don’t like to be in there.” She knew about her son. She understood when I told her I’d wait out in the hall.

As it turned out, Max had been committed to an institution and she was taking him some of his things. I hope he’s still there rotting, frankly, and that Sarah is far away.

The apartment was soon cleaned of the filth and closed up never to be rented again.

As for Sarah, I never did find out who she was exactly. I checked the tenant list for the building and didn’t find a Sarah listed. She’ll never know how close she came to, what I believe, was a monster.

When it comes to movies that really creep me out, it’s not the flicks with demons or monsters or undead stalkers in hockey masks that get to me. It’s always the film where the human mind is the real villain that scares me. Give me a well-done and cliché-free serial killer movie, like The Silence of the Lambs or Seven. I think it’s because of my short time in Max’s apartment, where I peeked into the window of a really dark and twisted psyche. I found that, for myself, the scariest of monsters lives inside the disturbed mind

First appearance of the Lost Squad

2007-10-03T12:56:00.000-05:00

The trade is in stores today and it contains a reprint of the first appearance of the boys from Digital Webbing Presents #7. What it DOES NOT contain is the short introduction I wrote for that eight page story. Readers will no doubt be VERY confused so I thought I'd toss it up here for all to read.
-----------------------------------------------

FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE LOST SQUAD

I originally hooked up with artist Alan Robinson in 2002 when I’d caught his artwork posted on the Digital Webbing message boards. A cross between Mike Mignola and Travis Charest, his style drew me in instantly and I wanted to write something tailored specifically for him.

I had already published two short stories in Digital Webbing Presents, the terrific anthology comic and training ground for comic creators, and had another accepted for print when I dropped Alan an email with the offer to write a short story for him. I wanted to create something that was a self-contained story but also had the opportunity as on ongoing for DWP.

Alan signed on for the eight page story and his art samples served as inspiration for the ragtag team of soldiers sent to fight the untold battles against strange beings and fantastic weaponry across the European battlefield. Alan knocked it out of the park with his designs and storytelling and has become a terrific collaborator and also a good friend. Thank you, Alan.

The Squad’s first adventure, UBER-JAEGER was published in early 2003 in Digital Webbing Presents #7. The story actually takes place after Operation: Crystal Ball and during the very real Operation: Market Garden when in September 1944, the Allies dropped behind enemy lines into the Netherlands to capture bridges into Germany. Our story opens as the boys parachute in and move to secure a very different objective from the rest of the Allied forces.

The reaction was strong enough to encourage Alan and I push on with the further adventures of the Lost Squad and expand the ideas. And, thus, here we are.

Thanks to Ed Dukeshire for giving the world the Digital Webbing Presents anthology and for the opportunity to try out our little WWII action-horror-sci-fi concept on readers.

I’ve been asked if this story is “in continuity” and the answer is, “Not yet. Wait and see!” We’ve got more in store for the squad and have outlined their adventures all the way until the end of the war. So stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Chris Kirby
May 2, 2007
----------------------------------------------------------------

So there it is. I hope that clears up any confusion. Anyone with questions can email me at the Mailcall! email address. I'm hoping that future editions of the trade (sales allowing) will include the proper introduction.

Trade is out on Wednesday!

2007-10-01T16:04:00.000-05:00

Diamond Distributing just updated their shipping list for October 3rd and the LS trade is listed.

Finally!

UPDATE ON THE TRADE

2007-09-26T15:44:00.001-05:00

*UPDATE* *UPDATE* *UPDATE* *UPDATE*

I am told that the Lost Squad trade is indeed at the Diamond Comics warehouse, but due to a snafu on their end, the book didn't make this week's shipments.

I'm hoping that come Monday the LS trade will be on the updated shipping list for October 3rd.

I'll keep everyone posted. That is all.

Super secret strike memo

2007-09-25T09:37:00.000-05:00

A bit of LS movie news - Hollywood is gearing up the machine to put into production a large number of movies before all hell breaks loose and the town shuts down due to actors/directors/writers going out on strike.

Comingsoon.net has gotten their hands on a memo that's being circulated around talent agencies that lists the fast-tracked projects. And, wouldn't ya' know it, Lost Squad has made the list.

Click on over to Dave's Movie Corner for some fun commentary and juicy tidbits from the list.

Lost Squad trade street date

2007-09-07T11:13:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week I made the trek up to check out the new Devil's Due Publishing digs in Chicago The new office is very sharp.

Had a great time lunching at a local tavern with Sam Wells and Sean Dove. I grabbed a bunch of boxes of Lost Squad comics and got the skinny on the Lost Squad trade.

Looks like the LS trade will be at Diamond in time for release either the Sept. 19th or Sept. 26th.

I will update with more info as I get it.

We've had to update our orders as the price on the book changed. I'm still very pleased with the initial orders.

Quick hit interview with Comics Continuum.

2007-08-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

Rob Allstetter has a quick write-up about the Lost Squad movie over on Comics Continuum. Scroll down to the second story.

Just a few quick quotes from me from behind the artist's alley table at WizardWorld Chicago.

There's this cool new thing called myspace. Ever heard of it?

2007-08-24T12:10:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I may be the only person in cyberspace without a myspace page. Now the Lost Squad has a page.

Phil Kost has taken it upon himself to create a cool little Lost Sqaud outpost on myspace.

Give it a gander here - http://www.myspace.com/thelostsquad.

Add the Squad as your new friend!

WORDBALLOON podcast up!

2007-08-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

John Siuntres, the Chicago based creator of the comic book conversation show Wordballoon, did yeoman's work stalking Artist's Alley at Wizard World this year and got a ton of quick audio interviews right from the floor from a bevy of comic heavies...and me.

The podcast was just posted and you can check it out here at Newsarama (right click and hit SAVE LINK to download) or over at the Wordballon homepage (including an in-browser player) here. The list of guests is very impressive, but if you want to skip to my jibba-jabba about the Lost Squad stuff I come in at around the 44:32 mark.

You can also subscribe to Wordballoon using your iTunes software. Some highlights for me from the Wordballoon library: the Bendis episodes are a riot and the Greg Rucka stuff is terrific as well. Two of my favorite creators.

Thanks for stopping by the table John!

Back from Chicago!

2007-08-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I had a fantastic time in Chicago. At the risk of being crass, sales were terrific and it was far-and-away the best show I've ever had.

I wasn't going to sell the nine copies of the Lost Squad trade that I had, but I sold out of Issue #1 on Friday and people were interested in grabbing the entire six issue run. So, I put the books out on Saturday and seven were gone in the first hour. I could have sold another 20 or so if I'd had them.

Reaction to the book has been very strong and I appreciate all the kind comments from readers. I can't thank you enough for picking up the book and giving us a read. One reader picked up the first three issues of the Operation: Crystal Ball storyline and came running back for the rest to have something to read while in line for the DARK KNIGHT panel.

I was set up next to my bro, Kody Chamberlain. We had fantastic booth placement along the back wall of Artist's Alley. Kody was next to superstar Bill Sienkiewicz and I had inker Rodney Ramos on my left. The rest of the row included Mike Norton, Tony Moore and B. Clay Moore - a very solid group. Spot the imposter in that row!

Kody and I hung a bit with Bill Sienkiewicz on Friday night and listened as he told old war stories and talked artistic technique. Great guy and it was an honor to meet him.

I had a great time hanging with some of the Kansas City comics guys - writer Ed Lavallee (REVERE), the GEARHEAD guys - writer Dennis Hopeless and artist Kevin Mellon. Sean Dulaney made it up Friday night and stuck around until Sunday. Glenn Jeffers made it out Thursday and Friday to have a few cocktails.

The Devil's Due crowd were fantastic as always. Thanks to Josh Blaylock, Tim Seeley, Sam Wells and Susan Bishop.

Met a bunch of great people. Phil Kost is the military adviser for Devil's Due and the G.I. Joe comic. Terrific guy. He sent me this picture of he and I by the Lost Squad banner. Phil's on the left. I'm the dork on the right. I must have run into him about thirty times Friday and Saturday night at the Hyatt bar.

Jeffery and Tonya, Kody's pals from Louisiana went to dinner at Gibsons' Thursday night with Kody and I. Great people.

Good to see Jon Malin, Dash Martin, Ryan Stegman, Erik Rose, Joe Judt, Jeff Stevenson and Matt Silady.

Stood around late Saturday night/Sunday morning listening to Kody and B. Clay Moore talk about the comics biz and the reality of it. Clay's a good guy who knows his stuff, so I just listened and absorbed. Also, I was kinda drunk, so that had something to do with not jumping in on the conversation.

Said hey to IDW guys hanging at the Hyatt - Chris Ryall, Nick Stakal and Chuck BB. I wanted to talk a bit with Chris about projects and such, but I figured it was bad form and just said hello. I'll try and drop him an email.

John Siuntres of the WORDBALLOON podcast came by and did a quick hit from the con floor for an upcoming podcast. I can only hope I don't sound like a complete moron. John's podcast is terrific. Give it a listen.

I'm probably forgetting a bunch of people and I apologize.

UPDATE: Dammit! I forgot to mention a couple of great DW message boarders. Mike Kasinger (MEK71) on the boards dropped by the table and picked up a Lost Squad trade. Send me a Lost Squad pin-up MEK and I'll see if we have room in the next issue.

I got a terrific Zombie Hulk sketch card from Rich Molinelli, who's always a blast to talk to as well as his significant (more significant?) other Samantha. I'm going to do my damnedest to make it to New York next year just to hang with them. I'll scan the card and send it your way, Rich.

Also got to meet Dirk Manning of Newsarama and NIGHTMARE WORLD fame in the flesh and in costume. Nice guy. Good to finally meet you, Dirk!

Thanks to everyone who bought comics or just came by to say hello.

Looking forward to next year.

Wizard World Chicago

2007-08-08T09:27:00.001-05:00

I'll be setting up in Artist's Alley at table #5512 right next to artist Kody Chamberlain. We're there tomorrow for Preview night and thru the weekend. Come by and say "Hi!". We're all the way in the back along the wall next to the concessions stand.

I'll have LOST SQUAD books for sale along with my self-published horror anthologies FREAKSHOW and BRIDE OF FREAKSHOW.

And, I'll be hawking some terrific original LS artwork from Alan Robinson as well. Sharp looking artwork! Buy it now before Alan gets huge!

I'll also be signing at the Devil's Due booth #435. UPDATE: I'll be signing on Friday from 9am to 10am, Saturday from 12pm to 1pm and on Sunday from 1pm until 2pm. Come by their booth and you can preorder the Lost Squad TPB and qualify to win a free copy!

THE INTERROGATION

2007-08-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

I was goofing on the web and found this short comic story online that artist Gil Agudin and I created.

Published back in 2004 in Digital Webbing #13, it was great fun to write and I hope to return to the scene for a sequel.

I love Gil's artwork and would love to work with him again.

Check it out here - THE INTERROGATION.

Back from Comicon

2007-07-30T14:24:00.000-05:00

Back and decompressing from Comicon. Had a terrific time.

FINALLY, got my hands on a copy of the Lost Squad trade. That was definitely one highlight of the con. The downside is that the book won't even arrive on these shores in the U.S. until Aug. 30th. ugh.

The Devil's Due crew were, as always, a blast to hang around. Thanks to Susan, Josh, Cassie and Liz for the hospitality. Thanks to Sam Wells for shlepping copies of the trade to San Diego.

Got to hang with Andrew Dabb - writer on DRAGONLANCE, Mark Powers - writer/creator of DRAFTED and the talented Tim Seeley, who is always cool to hang with. Josh Blaylock had some nice things to say about the new project I'm working on and he dropped a few scoops on what DDP has up their sleeves in Hollywood as well.

Dropped by the AiT/PlanetLar booth and saw Larry Young and took a look at pictures of his newest creative triumph - his son Walker. Met former Champaign native and author of the amazing book THE HOMELESS CHANNEL Matt Silady. Terrific guy and very talented.

Dan Taylor from IDW is always up for a beer and talking comics. Danny is a good man. Good luck with everything, bro. You're doing what I can only dream about.

Had a good visit with Courtney Huddleston from Penny Farthing Press.

Talked a bit with Mel Smith and his crew from Wildcard comics about working on...something. Wilcard publish the new GUMBY comic which is a great read. I'd love to find something to work with them on.

Met up with the talented Chad Hardin about something we're working on that we might actually get paid to create. Got some mixed signals here and there, but I got my fingers crossed. Chad and I have something else up our sleeves if this gig falls through, something creator owned that we hope to shop around once we hear the verdict on this other deal.

Had a good time eating and drinking around SD and met a ton of cool people. Colorist Mark Sweeney, THE ENGINE governess Rachel Young, the talented Phil Hester, All The Rage's Stephen Saunders, artist Steven Perkins, and a bunch of Digital Webbing message boarder's: Ray and Ranae, Joanne, Rich Nelson, Jeff Stevenson and Michael Colbert.

Hung a while with Kody Chamberlain, Rob Guillory, and their significant others. Always a good time.

Artist Ryan Scott and I were able to peel ourselves from the convention floor and actually get some work done on our new project. I was able to slip it in the hands of a few people and I'm VERY pleased with the reaction. More on that when I have something concrete to talk about.

Bunked up with Sean Dulaney, Barry Buchanan, and the all-networking Tony Lee. Good mates one and all. Sean made the Top 50 in the Platinum Studios contest and got us into the rooftop party they tossed for the winners. The one bummer of the entire con was the Sean just missed the top 10.

Talked briefly with Daniel Alter producer on the Lost Squad and met his pal, producer Howard Sun. These are the guys that always seem to have some kind of ace up their sleeves.

Tried to talk with Ryan Ottley, but every time I dropped by the Image booth, the guys was swamped with fans looking for sketches. I got to talk with him a bit. He's right at the top of the list of guys I want to work with.

Felt bad about not being able to toss in with the Epic Proportions guys for a booth next year. I've got some things going on right now that won't allow me to commit to the con next year. Hope I didn't piss them off. It was going seeing Ken Knudtsen and Jerry Ma along with their pal Fisk. Ken, I promise I WILL finish part two of MINDGAMES!

Congrats to Shawn Granger another DW regular who did make the Final 10 in the Platinum Studios contest. Shoot on over to their website and vote for Shawn. We palled around a bit with him and one of his sometimes partners-in-crime, the too-damn-funny Jason May. Jason and I share the same kind of twisted sense of humor.

The highlight of the con for me came when I went back to the Devil's Due booth on Saturday to meet one of my screenwriting idols Stephen E. De Souza writer of such movies as DIE HARD 1 & 2 and 48 HOURS. IMHO, DIE HARD is a perfectly constructed script. Currently, he's writing the Sheena book for DDP and was signing copies on Saturday. I found him at the signing table reading the LOST SQUAD trade during a lull in the crowd. How cool is that? He was kind enough to spend the next 30 minutes or so letting me pick his brain on writing for the movies.

I'm probably forgetting a lot of people. Sorry, the booze took it's toll. I had a couple of really great meetings that I'm hoping will pan out into something larger and the reaction to the new project was above expectations.

Here's to hoping that I can make it out to San Diego next year.

Sandy Eggo plans - UPDATED!

2007-07-13T16:41:00.000-05:00

Headed to the left coast for Comicon. I'll be there Wednesday through Saturday and jetting out on Sunday.

No table this year so I'll be roaming here and there doing the grip-and-grin networking thing. Hoping to have a few meetings as well.

This is the first year in a while that I won't be setting up somewhere to peddle comics, but I will be signing at the Devil's Due booth # 2415 located across from the Diamond Comics booth.

UPDATE: Susan at DDP is being cruel to me as she's stuck me on the morning shift! I'll be signing on Thursday and Friday from 10AM - Noon and on Saturday from 9:00AM until Noon. Please bring breakfast nosh and hangover remedies.

Got a coupla things in the hopper to show around. Hoping to find a home for one of the projects.

Looking forward to the good food and good folks. It's always great catching up with people every year.

Fan email! This is pretty cool.

2007-07-06T12:42:00.000-05:00

I received a terrific email on the Fourth from reader Chris Jachimowicz. He gave the Lost Squad some nice props but also sent along photos of a project he's been working on inspired by the Lost Squad's Spider Tanks.

Here's part of the email:

"The photographic results of my first project are attached. I spent about three months scratch-building a Spider Tank or, "Spinnergewehr." The body is a combination of styrene plastic sheeting for the sides and basswood for the top and bottom (due to the difficult angles). The legs are all styrene plastic rods and tubes. The legs are joined to the body with half-spheres of wood. The neck is a piece of sump pump tubing and the head is a used "Bubble Tape" container. The gun itself is a 1/35 scale 88 gun - "36 FLAK" without the carriage. I then added bits from a tank model to add some realism. The driver/gunner is from a West Wind miniatures "Secrets of the Third Reich" walker model (I did it "buttoned up" so the figure wasn't needed).

I've been purchasing other 28mm figures and should soon begin work on Nazi zombies, rocket troops and the Squad itself.

Thank you again for your imagination and for the opportunity to share these with you."

Check out the photos.

How cool is that?

For the record, I nicked the idea of the Spider Tanks from Jonny Quest (and not the awful Wild Wild West movie), but the actual design of the tanks came from the mind of Alan Robinson. He's really the one who brought them to life.

Thanks for reading, Chris. Make sure to send photos of your next project.

Cat no longer in the bag - St. Leger & Mather to write/direct Lost Squad

2007-06-27T09:12:00.000-05:00

News Headlines from Variety: Irish duo join Rogue's 'Lost Squad' and The Hollywood Reporter: Saint, Mather put 'Squad' into action.

For the record: I couldn't be more thrilled!

I was blown away after seeing their 15 minute short 'Prey Alone' - a balls-to-the-wall action stunner with terrific effects. The project's live action elements were shot in only 4 days on a green screen soundstage back in 2004. Digital Animation and effects were added later.

Check out the trailer.

Click on over to their website to view more videos and photos of the shoot. There's some terrific video comparing the raw live action footage to the finished project.

Cool stuff. YouTube has the entire fifteen minute short posted in two parts.

Part one.
Part two.

It's one more (HUGE!) step down that road to making the movie.

Sláinte!

Lost Squad mention on Fanboy Radio.

2007-06-26T16:33:00.000-05:00

Writers Phil Hester and Chuck Satterlee , along with penciler Kevin Mellon, were interviewed on Fanboy Radio a few weeks back about their new book THIRTEEN STEPS from Desperado Publishing.

Chuck gives a nice shout out to Lost Squad in the podcast at about halfway mark. Thanks, Chuck!

If you haven't checked out the Fanboy Radio podcast, give it a listen. GREAT stuff and a terrific guest list. It's available on iTunes. Chuck, Phil and Kevin are on Episode #396 recorded on 6/6/07.

Speaking of THIRTEEN STEPS, it's a werewolf book with a twist. Here's the solicit copy: "Semi-pro baseball player Justin Ullrich has a problem… he’s a werewolf and he wants to talk, but nobody’s listening. Not his Mother, Priest, stoner pal or his ex… the succubus. So where does a monster with bloodlust issues go? He enters a twelve step self-help program, of course! But instead of finding answers he finds himself swept up in the identity politics of the monster set. Super-sized 40 page first issue! Thirteen Steps…. Because when it’s supernatural you need that extra step!

Written by Phil Hester and Chuck Satterlee with art by Kevin Mellon (GEARHEAD)".

SOLD!

Interview with Lost Squad producers Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter

2007-06-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

The men behind the Lost Squad movie have a ton of stuff on their plate but they found time to sit down with IESB.net's Robert Sanchez and talk a bit about their upcoming movie HITMAN and some other projects.

Lost Squad gets a little love in there as well.

UPDATE: IGN has the HITMAN teaser trailer up.

Broken Frontier debriefs the Squad

2007-06-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

Fletch Adams takes a long look at the first arc of Lost Squad over on the terrific comics portal Broken Frontier. Thanks for the write-up, Fletch!

I wish it hadn't taken as long between issues #5 and #6 and, believe me, readers have told us so in more ways than one. We're hoping to do the next installment either as a super-sized one shot or as a short two part mini-series. We'd like to follow the same model HACK/SLASH followed before becoming a regular on-going.

Alan is penciling another project currently for another creator. The artwork looks fantastic. Once this is in the can, he can start on the next installment of LS. I don't want to solicit until we feel comfortable with the pages we have in the can.

"Dude, what's up with the movie?"

2007-05-15T15:29:00.000-05:00

That's a good question and something I get asked all the time.

So, here's the skinny as I understand it: Rogue Pictures has an offer out to a director(s) who will both write and direct. I've seen this person(s) work and let me say that I am thrilled and hope a deal can be reached.

I'm not sure I can say much more than that. Things are moving forward and I'll post more when I can.

PUNKS!

2007-05-01T16:51:00.000-05:00

Gotta give a shout out to my homies Kody Chamberlain and Josh Fialkov who's new book PUNKS is in Previews this month and published under the Digital Webbing banner.

Click on over to the official site and give it a gander. I guarantee you that it's not like anything else out there. Here's the funny-as-hell press release with a ton of links to make your clicky finger happy.

Fantastic stuff and a couple of damn fine creators. Josh is the Harvey nominated writer of ELK'S RUN and Kody's handled the art chores on Boom! Studios TAG book (written by Keith Giffen) and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOODSUCKER TALES from IDW.

Make sure to pre-order this one and support indy comics.

5 page preview up at the Devil's Due site.

2007-04-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at Devil's Due have tossed up a five page preview of Lost Squad #6.

Go there and read and be amazed.

That new comic smell.

2007-04-18T15:18:00.000-05:00

A box showed up on the doorstep yesterday jam packed with 50 copies of Lost Squad #6.

FINALLY!

I'm anticipating the book will be on shelves next Wednesday, April 25th, at finer comic shops everywhere.

Believe me when I say that this issue, without a doubt, contains THE strongest work from Alan to date. He knocks the action out of the park but also shows off his storytelling chops with some of the quieter moments and reaction shots.

And, there is one large splash panel which is absolutely gorgeous.

Featured inside LS#6 is an ad with artwork by Invincible artist Ryan "WyA" Ottley for DDP's newest horror comic CHUCKY. He's handling the incentive cover for this issue. WyA's stuff really is fantastic and he's a good man. If you haven't been reading Invincible, well, then you've missed a terrific super-hero comic. Check it out.

Chucky looks like a fun horror book with Brian Pulido writing and Josh Medors handling the art chores. Josh has done some really solid artwork for Steve Niles on FUSED and 30 Days of Night. Give it read.

More on the release date of LS #6 and the collected trade when I have it.

Some new reviews from non-comics websites.

2007-03-23T16:36:00.000-05:00

Did a bit of vanity googling for the Lost Squad and found a couple of mentions out in the blogosphere from some non-comic websites.

Armchair General's online magazine has a nice review of the Lost Squad written by Paul Glasser. Give it a read and stay for the cool military history and in-depth war game reviews. I'm a huge fan of this stuff and this site delivers in spades. Check out the article on the movie adaptation of Frank Miller's '300'. Good stuff.

Check out the comics roundup over on war game publisher Shrapnel Games community blog. Scroll down and you'll find a nice Lost Squad mention. Thanks to Shrapnel staffer Scott for the kind words.

Issue #6 preview artwork.

2007-03-07T15:59:00.000-06:00

Apologies are in order from everyone here at Lost Squad HQ for the cancellation of Issue #6 back in October.

We've regrouped, resolicited and the big finale to the Operation: Crystal Ball will appear on comic book store shelves in March.

Here's a few sample pages to tide everyone over in the meantime.

More goodness from Alan.

Sequential Tart reviews Lost Squad #5.

2006-10-24T21:42:00.000-05:00

Wolfen Moondaughter takes a look at issue #5 and likes what she sees.

Give it a read here.

Bad news/Good news

2006-10-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

Received word last week that Diamond has canceled Issue #6 due to lateness. Disappointing, but yet we are late and thems the rules.

So, the plan is to resolicit for February and as soon as we get the new order count in, we'll go ahead and release the book early. I apologize for the lateness. It could not be helped. Resoliciting sucks. It's costly and it kills all the momentum we may have garnered from the movie announcement. I don't plan on going through this ever again. That's the bad news.

The good news is that we're pushing ahead with a 48 page one shot to be put out in March. I'd love to do it in color and Alan and I are talking a bit about this.

More info soon.

Newest member of the Lost Squad!

2006-10-06T12:15:00.000-05:00

BIG NEWS!

Congrats to Alan and his wife Jessica on the birth of their first child Agustin.

Born October 4 at 8:39PM.

Mother and son are doing fine and Alan is, of course, thrilled.

Coupla quick things...

2006-09-01T10:36:00.000-05:00

I'm STILL in hangover mode from the movie deal. I'll try and post more after the Labor Day holiday including some inside skinny on the movie thing and the long delayed Chicago Con report.

I owe a ton of peeps email responses (or script pages, for that matter), I should be back in radio contact with most everyone this weekend.

One last thing that I've been asked about a lot in emails --

I DO NOT have representation in Hollywood. No manager. No agent.

That means I can't forward your script or comic book project along to anyone. I have no juice. And, if I did have juice, I'd use it to try and get MY stuff out there.

That also means that if someone is interested in repping me, I'd love to talk.

My email is MAILCALL [at (@)] lost-squad DOT com

Lost Squad #5 review at Jazma Online

2006-09-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

Richard Vasseur over at the Jazma Online Forums gives Lost Squad #5 four out of five stars.

Thanks, Rich.

What I did on my summer vacation.

2006-08-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

We* sold the Lost Squad to Hollywood.

No biggie.

If you're new to the site (and so far today a TON of you are) and you're not familiar with LOST SQUAD, scroll down two posts to check out the overview I posted to bring you up to speed, then stroll down to your local comic shop or make with the clicky and check out the DDP webstore to pick up the back issues.

For those of you I owe emails to for the last week and have wondered what's been going on, well... now you know.

More later as things settle down.

UPDATE: Here's a few handy links from the post below I thought I'd include for the people who are too lazy to scroll down two posts (and you know who you are). Here's the CBR interview I did back in Sept '05 that includes the first 9 pages of issue #1 and sample pages from issue #2.

Devi's Due has 5 page previews still online for issue#3, issue #4, and issue #5.

2ND UPDATE: * The "WE" in the above statement doesn't actually include me to be honest. The men behind the deal are actually the attached producers, Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter, who deserve MAJOR props for getting this deal done. Thanks for the support and encouragement, guys. I will name my next born either Daniel Adrian Kirby if it's a boy or Adriana Daniela Kirby if it's a girl.

Thanks to Josh Blaylock and the Devil's Due crew -- Sam Wells, Susan Bishop, Tim Seeley, Brian Torney, Caitlin McKay for their hard work. Thanks to Marshall Dillon who brought the project to DDP in the first place. Thanks to Ed Dukeshire E-I-C of Digital Webbing Presents (still going strong!). Also, thanks to Scott Agostino at William Morris and the fine folks at Rogue Pictures.

More updates as I get the chance.

LS #5 makes the top 300 for July '06.

2006-08-16T07:27:00.000-05:00

I know talking sales numbers is a bit crass, but...

Checking the sales charts for July, we're back in the top 300 at # 281.

Kinda cool.

Howdy, folks! Yup, I see you lurking...

2006-08-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

PROMO TIME!

Checking my web stats I notice that not only is traffic up dramatically since the two cons, but we've also got a slew of media types checking out the site.

Now, this is where I go to ramble on about the book and stuff surrounding it and most people already know about the book when they digitally saunter on over here. It can be a bit disjointed and you might not get the gist of the book.

So, for our new friends checking things out and who want to know more about the Lost Squad, here are some handy links to introduce you to the book.

Here's the Comic Book Resources interview for the Lost Squad launch that I did back in Sept. '05. It features a terrific nine page preview of Issue #1 along with some unlettered artwork from Issue #2.

You can also check out the five page previews that DDP puts together for each issue by clicking the links below:

Issue #3
Issue #4
Issue #5

Reviews are scattered throughout the archives, but the latest is Steven Grant's quick shot about LS #4. Scroll down to near the bottom of the page.

Back issues are available at your finer comic shops. Check out the Master List in the sidebar to find a shop near you. You can also order online by clicking over to the Devil's Due webstore.

And thanks for clicking by! I appreciate the interest. You can always contact me with questions and comments by dropping my an email at mailcall AT lost-squad DOT com. I'd love to hear from you.

Con Report 2006 - part one.

2006-08-10T14:07:00.000-05:00

Finally finding some time to post some quick (and somewhat disjointed) thoughts and reactions from my travels to the big two conventions. Here's the first of two con reports.

San Diego -

Let me start by saying that the fans were fantastic and gave the Lost Squad a lot of love. I went out to San Diego with a loaded-down-over-the-weight-limit suitcase and flew back with a bag as light as air. Suffice to say, that sales were brisk. I'm completely sold out of issue #1. Kody as usual is terrific to hang with while trying to move our stuff. Hoping to setup again with him next year.

Here's me using my superspeed to sell Lost Squad comics.

See how fast I can move!

Thanks to Dario Carrasco of Panday Studio for the photo (nicked from the DW message boards).

Had a good time at the booth, all-in-all. A little crowded, but the company in our little foxhole was solid. Thanks to Shawn Granger and the May brothers for making the time fly by. Sean Dulaney is the king DWP pimp and deserves big props for setting things up. Michael Colbert also was selling his fabulous CRAZY MARY books.

This year, San Diego seemed to be about comics once again. I did more networking and schmoozing at this con than at all the others combined. Business was getting done in San Diego, I can tell you that. Had more than a few conversations with editors at several different companies and am trying to figure what I want to do next.

Had a few shots of vodka and saki with my homies at Epic Proportions - Jerry Ma and Ken Knudtsen. Good men, those two. They had sweet booth placement right across from the Devil's Due setup. I'd grab a little liquid refreshment each day before sitting down to sign. I'm just sorry I didn't have more time to hang with those guys.

Ken, I SWEAR I'll finish part two of MINDGAMES. Promise, dude.

Although people were in the mood for comics, man, were the Hollywood development guys out in full force! It may all be a scam to get free comics, I don't know, as I gave out ten or so full runs of LS to guys with nothing more than a business card with a production company printed on it.

My one regret: director Robert Rodriguez stopped by our little booth and I was out on the floor and wasn't able to slip him a set of comics. He'd be perfect to direct the Lost Squad movie.

I need to thank the whole Devil's Due booth crew who made a new guy signing for the first time at a big con feel right at home. Top notch people, one and all. Special thanks to Susan Bishop, Brian Torney, Caitlin McKay, Sam Wells, Tim Seeley, and Josh Blaylock.

Nightlife in SD was fantastic. The fine dining around the convention center is impressive. Went to Little Italy one night for pasta, headed to Old Town for margaritas and chimchangas the next and then sampled the seafood at Croce's our last night there.

Had a good time hitting the bars around the convention center. Hung and had drinks and/or dinner with Kody Chamberlain and Kristie, Sean Dulaney, Dan Taylor, Michael Colbert and his pal Eric, Tony Lee, Ron Domingue, Chuck Satterlee, Ben Templesmith, Ray and Renae, Sara and Diana, Rob Guillory, Ryan Scott, Chad Hardin, and a bunch more people I'm forgetting.

I love the San Diego con and after having some doubts about writing for comics and where I fit in the grand scheme of things, I can say that the trip re-energized me and made me want to make comics again. Special thanks to Larry Young who always seems to give me a needed kick in the keister to get motivated again just when I need it!

Wizard World Chicago

2006-08-02T10:29:00.000-05:00

Wow. Time is flying.

Haven't had time to toss up a Comicon report and here we are on the eve of Wizard World Chicago.

I'll be in Artist's Alley at table # 3160 all four days with artist Ryan "Sarge" Sargeant of Dreah and DWP fame. We'll have Lost Squad issues for sale as well as copies of both Freakshow books. Sarge will have Digital Webbing Presents for sale as well as his fantastic original artwork. Stop by and say hello.

I'll be signing at the Devil's Due booth # 832 on Friday August 4th from 1pm - 2pm and on Saturday August 5th from 10AM - 11Am.

I'll try and toss up a dual con report next week with highlights from both. If Chicago is only half as good as San Diego, I'll consider the summer a tremendous success.

Comicon signing schedule.

2006-07-15T10:46:00.000-05:00

I will be signing copies of Lost Squad at the Devil's Due booth (#1732) on Friday the 21st from 3pm - 5pm, Saturday the 22nd from 12pm -2pm, and on Sunday the 23rd from 12pm - 2pm.

Stop by and say hey.

Lost Squad TPB

2006-07-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at Devil's Due have solicited the Lost Squad TPB this month.

"Join the group of elite WWII U.S. Army soldiers knows as the 'Lost Squad' as they take on vengeful spirits, flying Nazi commandos, mechanized spider-tanks and crazed demon solders. Collects the Lost Squad's first two thrilling missions ...

Product Code: JUL063088
Regular Price: $14.95

Estimated Ship Date: 09/27/06
CATALOG PAGE 265 (JUL 2006)"

Lost Squad #5 in stores July 19th.

2006-07-13T23:40:00.000-05:00

Got my books in the mail today and they look fantastic!

Look for #5 to hit shelves next Wednesday just in time for San Diego.

Issue #5 has part one of the big finale showdown between the Nazi forces and our little ragtag team defending a small village and a little girl with the gift of "sight". We packed it chock full of zombie soldiers, flying commandoes, and mecha spider-tanks. How can you go wrong with that formula?

I'll have copies on hand for sale at both the Digital Webbing booth and at the DDP booth.

San Diego Comicon

2006-07-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

One week to go!

And...I'm woefully unprepared (as usual). I've been putting the final touches on some pitches and trying to get some banners and promo stuff printed.

I'll be arriving Thursday and will miss the preview night (again). I'll be setting up shop at the Digital Webbing booth #1430 and putting some face time in at the Devil's Due booth # 1732.

Come by and say hey.

More Permanent Damage for the Squad.

2006-06-12T09:40:00.000-05:00

Steven Grant has a quick blurb about Lost Squad #4 in his latest Permanent Damage column over at Comic Book Resources. Give it a read here.

Grant also has a few more quick reviews including looks at BOOM! Studios' upcoming book TAG with art by my creatordirect.com mate Kody Chamberlain , and a nice review of Josh Howard's BLACK HARVEST from Devil's Due. These are two books you should be buying.

Fonzie says...

2006-04-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

AAAAYYYYY! Lost Squad #4 is looking good!

Got my books in the mail today. Look for #4 in
your local comic shop either this Wednesday or next.

Silver Bullet Comics takes aim at issue #3.

2006-04-17T10:43:00.000-05:00

John Hays over at Silver Bullet Comics has a review up for LS #3. Make with the clicky and check it out. Nice review and a big thanks to John. It's always terrific to have people checking out your work.

John mentions that he isn't a big fan of the pacing of the story. I'd like to touch on this a bit (and this isn't directed at John, it's just probably time I mentioned the creative process for the book ).

Originally, the Operation: Crystal Ball storyline was an OGN that Alan and I were working on for Devil's Due's D3 digest sized TPB line. When we switched to the floppy format we cut some material and added a bit here and there to hit each issue break (we also added a prologue story that became issue #1). For the most part, we didn't have to force the breaks and invent cliffhangers to make it work. The breaks were already there organically. But, the whole story was indeed initally "written for the trade" because, well, it was a trade.

The Comics Review gives a thumbs up to LS #3.

2006-04-12T21:28:00.000-05:00

The Comics Review website digs issue #3.

Now here's a picture of David Hasselhoff and Gary Coleman.

They've obviously just finished reading issue #3 and posed for this picture to share their feelings.

Thanks for the support guys!

Steven Grant causes some Permanent Damage to the Squad.

2006-04-10T16:20:00.000-05:00

Writer Steven Grant posted a review of LS #3 in his March 29th column. I'm pretty religious about checking out Comic Book Resources columns, but somehow I missed it.

Check out the review in the archives here and tune in every week to catch Steven's take on comics, television, politics and pop culture in his Permanent Damage column on CBR.

Thanks to Sean for the tip.

Sequential Tart takes a look at Lost Squad #3.

2006-04-10T16:16:00.000-05:00

Wolfen Moondaughter has given #3 a read and has posted a review over at the excellent Sequential Tart website. Give it a read. Thanks, Wolfen!

Creator Direct blog

2006-04-08T14:47:00.000-05:00

Kody Chamberlain, artist extrodinaire, has invited me to join in the fun over at creatordirect.com, a comics creator blog created by Kody and Josh Fialkov and featuring a solid stable of creators. Check it out for comics and pop culture commentary as well as previews of upcoming work.

Proofs are in for Issue #4.

2006-04-08T14:34:00.000-05:00

Got the proofs in the mail for Issue #4 which should mean we'll be hitting stores in the next few weeks.

The books looks fantastic. I'm really pleased how it all came together. Brenner has done a really nice job.

Got a couple of LS #3 reviews I need to post. The main complaints seem to be that readers have a hard time telling the squad apart and that #3 is pretty much ALL ACTION.

We've got a little character guide printed in the inside front cover of #4 which should clear up some confusion. As to the second complaint, issue #4 is pretty much balls-to-the-wall action, even more so than #3.

BUT, we do get the big twist at the end that changes the mission completely as we discover the true nature of the SYBIL device.

CBR's 2005 year-end review

2006-03-14T13:52:00.000-06:00

Quick note -- Lost Squad got a short mention in Comic Book Resources' 2005 year-in-review article back in January. It's a nice article - check it out here. Thanks, Dave!

I'd failed to post this back in January when it was emailed to me and thought I'd toss the link up.

Got a package in the mail.

2006-03-07T13:44:00.000-06:00

And, no, it wasn't Anthrax.

Got my copies of Issue #3 from Brenner last night. The book looks terrific!

Alan's sharp B&W artwork really pops off the glossy pages. Very nice.

That means that issue #3 should be in stores tomorrow making the masses delirious!

Rumors of our demise and such...

2006-03-05T20:36:00.000-06:00

Greatly exaggerated.

Thanks for the emails inquring about my health (both mental and physical). I assure everyone that all is well and that issue #3 is at the printers.

Speaking of printers, we've changed over to the fine folks at Brenner. Devil's Due and I are pleased to be working with them.

We should find ourselves getting back on track.

Thanks to everyone who has stuck with us and is enjoying the book. Keep the comments coming! Alan and I are always pleased to hear from readers.

More brilliance from Alan.

2005-11-11T15:54:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd toss this up. Issue #5 cover.

Again, genius.

Got the issue# 6 cover as well that I'll toss up next week.

I love what Alan is doing with the coloring on the covers. Very dark with lots of olive and brown colors.

Simply terrific.

Keep those cards and letters coming!

2005-11-10T11:48:00.000-06:00

Haven't posted in a while. The real world invades and I shuffle along making excuses.

But, alas, I digress...

I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who dropped me a line at the Lost Squad Mail Call email (and I know the name has been used before - it's a hat tip to my favorite comics from my youth). The response has been terrific!

We're going to collect the emails and try and put out a letter page in issue #4. Here's the email if you want to give us a shout out - mailcall AT lost-squad DOT com.

Got some new cover images to post here in the next couple of days and I hope to have an update on the issue #2 ship date. I also want to do a bit of breakdown on some of the little easter eggs and inside jokes I dropped into issue #1 and maybe put up a little prose piece about Captain Boudreau giving some insight into his back story.

So stay tuned!

Jazma Online review of LS#1.

2005-10-27T16:20:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at Jazma Online have posted a review of LS #1.