Category: PREVIEWS

Comics Preview: BREAK: RUN, a glow-in-the-dark story, currently offered via Kickstarter

Break: Run

Cartoonist: Nima Afshar
Release Date: Currently part of a Kickstarter campaign ending soon, summer 2021 for campaign backers
Format: Full colour 60-page square-bound comic
Publisher: Three Fold Comics (threefoldcomics.com)
Price: $10 (AUS) for digital, $20 (AUS) for printed via its Kickstarter campaign, which offers more for backers who purchase beyond that. For this crowd-funding campaign, click here.

A post-apocalyptic cyberpunk adventure…

On a deep space colony where nuclear war has already damaged the planet, we find Branko Nourbakhsh and his people trying to find their way. His commanding officer Amon decides to slaughter a mining crew who calls for help, stealing resources in order to help their clan survive. Branko opposes Amon but is unable to stop him.

Ten Years later in the City of Argos, Branko is contacted by an old friend. It’s happening again; he must return. But a bounty has been placed on Branko’s head, he has to get past trackers and bounty hunters. Time is running out.

This is a very ambitious, first full-length glow in the dark comic book graphic novel, using a silkscreen printed technique for separated layers. The experience is further optimized with a ultraviolet black light.

Break: Run‘s creator, writer, artist is Nima Afshar, an Australian cartoonist of cyberpunk, sci-fi, and other imaginative stories. This book is his latest project offered to all through his current Kickstarter.com project, where you can purchase a limited run copy.

Here’s a video explaining more of Break: Run and its creative process:

Here’s a preview of sample pages from break: Run. Nima Afshar offers a larger preview of the first 24 pages at threefoldcomics.com.

Huge thanks to Nima Afshar for providing the information, art, and leads to his great project. Time is running short for his Kickstarter project, so get your copy now if interested!

YA Graphic Novel Preview: Forever Home by Jenna Ayoub

Forever Home

Creator: Jenna Ayoub (writer/artist)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios via their YA Kaboom! imprint Release Date: February 17, 2021
Format: Graphic novel, smaller-sized for younger readers

An all-new story about finding your place and learning to love where you are..

Willow has had a nomadic childhood—with two parents in the military, staying put has become a pipe dream. And when the family arrives at their latest stop— the historic Hadleigh House— Willow encounters something that doesn’t help her chances of finding home…ghosts!

Hadleigh House’s spectral residents have been scaring off would-be homebuyers for decades, and they intend to keep the house to themselves. But Willow’s not about to let some nagging spirits force her to move for the millionth time. As Willow spends time in the house and gains the ghosts’ respect through her own strong will to stay in the house no matter what, they find that all of them belong there. Together, the restless spirits are finally able to find some peace, and Willow finds a home. Then it’s just a matter of convincing Willow’s parents that this old house is the one for them- ghosts included.

Forever Home is a fresh graphic novel for middle grade and younger readers by cartoonist Jenna Ayoub (Adventure Time), from Boom! Studios through its Kaboom! young readers imprint.

Check your local and online comic book stores for availability and order options. Digital version is available at the BOOM! Studios webstore or purchased from content providers, including ComiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.

Huge thanks to BOOM @ Studios for the following preview. For more on this release and more, visit www.boom-studios.com.

New Digital Comic Preview: Scribbles #1

Scribbles #1

Writer: LJ Phillips Artist: Andi Fikri
Publisher: The Pulp Press Release Date: February 3, 2021
Format: A self-contained self-published digital comic book, available now via Comixology and eventually in print.

Jodi realizes that she’s the last human being in the city. Those around her are being replaced by Scribbles, stickmen who impersonate people. And worst of all, only Jodi can see them. Scribbles is a sensitive examination of  identity, PTSD and trauma. Using horror tropes, the comic explores how easily someone can fall apart in an indifferent city. Clean, minimalistic artwork by newcomer Andi Fikri and a tight script from LJ Phillips crafts a haunting tale of pain and salvation.

Scribbles was originally conceived as a self-contained one-shot with themes of gender identity, female friendship, assault, PTSD, hope. Writer LJ Phillips shared with SW this preview below, as he aims to promote this work further into more self-contained comics focusing on art and trauma. He is also working on Entity, a new indie comic series in production as well as Iron Nail Afternoon #2 slated for an early 2021 release.

Scribbles is available now on Comixology.

Here is a 4-page preview:

New Comic Series Preview: Luna #1

Luna #1

Creator: Maria Llovet (writer/artist)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios Release Date: February 3, 2021
Format: Monthly comic mini-series (with a mature readers label)

When Teresa fatefully crosses paths with the Family of the Sun, she believes them to be exactly what anyone else in the late ‘60s would expect – a hippie cult whose leader claims to have met the divine. But secret blood rituals, powerful drugs and sex runneth amok will bring Teresa face-to-face with the truth about the Family, herself and the dark secret behind her dreams.

BOOM! Studios presents its first look at LUNA #1, the premiere issue of a new original five-issue series by comics creator Maria Llovet (Faithless, Heartbeat). In this darkly erotic series, an innocent young woman finds herself drawn to a mysterious commune where the search for immortality collides with the true power of enduring love, available in February 2021.

LUNA #1 features main cover art by series artist Maria Llovet and variant covers by fan favorite artist Jenny Frison (Something is Killing the Children).

Check your local and online comic book stores for availability and order options. Digital version is available at the BOOM! Studios webstore or purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.

Huge thanks to BOOM @ Studios for the following. For more, visit www.boom-studios.com.

Graphic Novel Preview: Concrete Surfer, Pat Mills and Christine Ellingham

Concrete Surfer

Creative Team: Pat Mills (writer) Christine Ellingham (artist)
Release Date: Digital version – June 25, 2020. Print edition September 17, 2020
Format: Softcover, 80 pages
Price: £9.99 (UK) $13.99 (US)
ISBN: 9781781087633

A Skateboarding rivalry, timed to coincide with skateboarding’s 2020 Olympic debut! Sent home to Britain after her parents fail to establish a new life in Australia, Jean Everidge is forced to rely on family charity, moving in with her Aunt, Uncle and cousin Carol, successful gymnast, beloved of teachers and pupils alike, and all round charming “top girl”. Jean has one solace left to her – skateboarding, surfing the concrete pavement, while forgetting all her troubles, and feel free. But Jean’s freestyling talent soon attracts attention, and if there’s one thing Carol can’t stand, it’s being out of the spotlight. With the new skatepark freestyle contest coming up, just how far will Carol go to stay number one?!

Concrete Surfer is scheduled for release digitally on June 25, 2020 and in print on September 17, 2020. Check your better retail book stores, comic stores for availability and order options. Digitally available through Treasury of British Comics webshop & apps for iPad, Android and Windows 10.

Huge thanks to 2000 AD Publishing for the following. For more, visit 2000ad.com.

Comics HC Preview: The Complete Johnny Future

Creative Team: Alf Wallace (writer) Luis Bermejo (artist)
Release Date: April 28 (US). April 30 (UK) 2020
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
Price: £19.99 (UK) $24.99 (US)
ISBN: 9781781087589

One of the most memorable comic strips of the 1960s, which asks the question “What if King Kong became Superman”? This is the complete hardcover collection of breathtaking Pulp adventure comics – beloved by fans and the creators it inspired – Alan Moore among them! ‘The Missing Link’ – a creature of limitless strength, is drawn to Britain in pursuit of an expedition party he encountered in his homeland. The man-ape causes havoc until he accidentally stumbles into an experimental nuclear research facility and is bombarded by radiation. Instead of killing him, the creature evolves into an advanced human. Now possessing a genius mind, super-strength, enhanced senses and the ability to fly, as Johnny Future he protects mankind from such sinister beings as The Master, Disastro, Animal Man and the Secret Society of Scientists. Perfect for fans of Rebellion’s only other superhero property – ‘Zenith’, the first superhero saga penned by comics legend, Grant Morrison!

Johnny Future is scheduled for release on April 30 in the UK, April 28 in the US. Check your favorite retail book stores, comic stores for availability and order options. Digitally available through Treasury of British Comics webshop & apps for iPad, Android and Windows 10.

Huge thanks to 2000 AD Publishing for the following. For more, visit 2000ad.com.

New Gaming Preview Trailer: Streets of Rage 4 Retro Reveal Trailer

Games publisher Dotemu revealed a new trailer for Streets of Rage 4, promised soon for all the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This latest video reveals retro elements the original Sega Genesis trilogy.

This glorious tribute to the original to the original trilogy includes unlockable pixel art characters with move sets and abilities unique to their respective games, including Axel, Blaze, Dr. Zan, Skate, Max, Shiva, and maybe more. They all appear to have their original sound effects, attacks, and fighting styles. Also present in the game will some original retro tunes from the Streets of Rage 1 and 2, well appreciated by fans.

This trailer is the latest reveal for the long-awaited successor to the original series; for 25 years, the last official 3rd hit the release shelves. The new one looks to carry on its hard-hitting beat-em-up dance-track powered tradition, with some fresh new graphics from hand-drawn art, crisp beats, and co-op challenge well-loved by fans.

These retro characters combine with Streets of Rage 4’s five hand-animated leading fighters to bring the total playable roster’s count to 17. For a full nostalgic trip, players can also switch to the series iconic original soundtrack, handing out beatdowns backed by tracks from Streets of Rage 1 and Streets of Rage 2. Taking down thugs with these timeless songs cranked up makes for an incredibly satisfying retro experience.

Streets of Rage 4 will be released this spring for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One for $24.99, with the release date still unconfirmed.

Captain’s note: I personally am super excited for this. I love and still play the original Streets of Rage Sega games, sometimes with different mods, and the unofficial Streets of Rage Remake. Seeing the inclusion of these retro elements show a real love by the new developers, and look forward to other surprises that I feel will be included. I am super pumped to see the Streets of Rage franchise fresh again!

Image Comics unveils new Adventureman series, by Matt Fraction, Terry & Rachel Dodson

New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award winning writer Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals, Hawkeye), artist Terry Dodson (X-Men/Fantastic Four), and Rachel Dodson (X-Men/Fantastic Four) team-up for an all-new, ongoing adventure series blending high-octane pulp action, low-flying dirigibles and more art-deco rayguns, titled Adventureman.

Adventureman from Image Comics begins this April, massively with 64 pages for its first issue at the regular price of $3.99.

The story of beloved pulp hero “Adventureman” ended with a never-resolved cliff-hanger for his legion of fans as their hero faced execution at the vile hand of his ultra-nemesis “Baron Bizarre.” And now, eighty years later, single mother Claire and her Adventurefan son Tommy seem to be the only two people alive that remember the thrilling Adventureman sagas… but from that memory burns the spark of… resurrection. What if it was all true? What if it all really happened? And what if it was happening again? Where his story ended… her story begins!

“Terry and Rachel and I have been working together a long time on Adventureman and I’m thrilled our giant baby is finally ready for the world. It’s a high-flying, senses-obliterating, earth-shaking, imagination-quaking, adventure and we can’t wait to share it with everyone,” said Fraction in a recent press release.

Dodson added: “Creating Adventureman has been a heck of a journey! It’s been an amazing opportunity to develop new worlds of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Worlds inhabited by enduring and believable characters, making a family. This project allows me to tick off numerous ‘wants’ on my creative list! I hope everyone enjoys the ride as much as we did making it.”

Adventureman #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, and on popular digital comics apps on April 29,for the introductory cover price of $3.99.

In the meantime, here’s a little preview of the upcoming, exciting series!

Graphic Novel Preview: Pulp, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

A small preview here for Pulp, an upcoming graphic novel tale from the multiple Eisner Award-winning creative team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Criminal, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies), published by Image Comics and set for this May.

Max Winters, a pulp writer in 1930s New York, finds himself drawn into a story not unlike the tales he churns out at five cents a word—tales of a Wild West outlaw dispensing justice with a six-gun. But will Max be able to do the same, when pursued by bank robbers, Nazi spies, and enemies from his past?

A darkly mysterious meditation on a life of violence, Pulp is unlike anything the award-winning team of Brubaker and Phillips have ever done. A celebration of pulp fiction, set in a world on the brink.

The Pulp hardcover edition will be available on Wednesday, May 20 and in better bookstores on Tuesday, May 26.

New Gaming Preview Trailer: Lost Words

Publisher Modus Games and developer Sketchbook Games, recently unveiled at the New York Game Awards, Lost Words: Beyond the Page, “an inventive and touching tale of a young girl’s personal growth.” Also, a puzzle platformer, mixed with fluid, dreamy animation.

This new trailer above is narrated by the game’s female protagonist, Izzy, provides a glimpse of the fantasy world of Estoria and the moving emotional journey of a young writer using creativity and her journal to deal with life’s adventures. Izzy’s recollections and imagination inspire breathtaking scenes of a vibrant, evocative world, unfolding new moments within an emotional story brimming with joyous, childlike zeal and mounting poignancy as that innocence adapts to life’s realities.

Lost Words: Beyond the Page featured a narrative script from writer Rhianna Pratchett (daughter of fantasy writer Terry Pratchett). Her writing credits span through two decades, and includes such notable story-driven hits hits as Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider, the Overlord series, Mirror’s Edge, and more.

Lost Words is set for a Spring 2020 launch on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. To read more about Lost Words: Beyond the Page, visit the official site, www.lostwordsgame.com.