Articles by chris-ullrich
Wed Mar 26, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Brandon Jerwa on 'Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero'
Like the Cylons, Brandon Jerwa has a plan...
Writer Brandon Jerwa has had a varied and interesting career since beginning in comics early in 2001. Not letting rejection deter him, he persevered and eventually landed a job as a writer for the G.I. Joe comic book series. Later, Jerwa took on other television tie-in comics such as Highlander from Dynamite Entertainment -- which he co-wrote with Michael Oeming.
During that time, he also wrote a backstory series about the Battlestar Galactica television character Tom Zarek. Due in part to his success with Zarek, Jerwa next took on a new comic for Dynamite titled Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero -- a prequel of sorts to the Sci-Fi Channel TV series.
Now, with Season Zero rocketing towards a thriling conclusion in issue twelve, ComicMix caught up with Jerwa to talk about how he became the "go-to" guy for Battlestar Galactica at Dynamite, what we can expect from Season Zero as it finishes up and what other plans Jerwa has up his sleeve.
COMICMIX: Brandon, for people who might not know, can you give us a bit of info on your background? Did you read comics as a kid?
BRANDON JERWA: My first comic was an early issue of Star Wars when I was 4 or 5. I had all those early issues and they were definitely a huge thing to me, but I think Spider-Man and Batman made their way into the house pretty quickly after that! I don't really remember a time when I didn't have comic books.
My parents were supportive of the habit, so I'd always get at least one new book every time we'd go the grocery store or Kwik-E-Mart (ah, those were the days) and a long road trip was a surefire guarantee of a big pile of comics.
CMix: What were your favorites?
BJ: My favorites as a kid were Star Wars, Avengers, all the Spider-titles, including the most awesome one, Marvel Team-Up; along with Marvel Two-In One, Detective Comics, Power Man and Iron Fist, Justice League of America and Teen Titans. G.I. Joe obviously made a huge impression on me.
I also have an undying love for Rom: Spaceknight.
CMix: How did you get started writing comics?
BJ: Well, I'm told that I'm the exception to the rule. I was living with my wife and infant son in Portland, Oregon when I started. It was 2001 and I was unemployed, so I thought I'd use my time playing stay-at-home dad to shoot for the Big Dream.
I wrote two scripts - one a G.I. Joe pitch for Devil's Due and an original superhero piece for Dark Horse. A few months later, Dark Horse had given me my first rejection letter, but Devil's Due apparently thought I was the man for the job.
My two-part script was extended to four parts and became my G.I. Joe: Frontline arc "History Repeating." Just a few months after those issues hit stands, I was the new regular writer of G.I. Joe.
CMix: How much did you know about Battlestar Galactica before you started writing any of the comics? Are you a fan of the Sci-Fi Channel show or the original '80s version?
Continue reading Interview: Brandon Jerwa on 'Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero' ›
Mon Mar 24, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Dark Horse Offers 'Making Of' for 'Serenity: Better Days' #1
Follow a comic book from script to finished page
If you're reading ComicMix, chances are you're a fan of sci-fi, movies, TV and, of course, you probably read comic books on a regular basis. Being a fan and reader of comics, perhaps you've wondered how all the elements from script to art to color to lettering come together to form the finished comic you hold in your hands and read each week?
If you have wondered about this magical process, the folks at Dark Horse Comics have got something for you. At their website, they've put up a "How-To" guide which takes you through the steps from script to finished page of their brand-new Serenity: Better Days comic book.
Clicking through the guide you can see the original script pages written by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews, rough sketches of the panel placement, art and pencils by Will Conrad, colors by Michele Madsen and letters by Michael Heisler -- all the elements that go into a finished comic book page.
It's an interesting look at how things go from normal-looking words on a page to a colorful and exciting final product. Check it out.
Mon Mar 24, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Scott Allie on Serenity, Buffy and the Joss Whedon Universe
Dark Horse editor talks all things Whedon, and more...
Dark Horse Comics editor Scott Allie has an enviable career. As an editor, he's had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest talents working in comics today. Creators such as Mike Mignola and Joss Whedon are just two of the many superstars he collaborates with on a daily basis.
Over the years, he’s also found time to write a couple comics himself, including Sick Smiles and The Devil’s Footprints. Most recently, Allie's been hard at work with Mike Mignola on Hellboy and its spin-offs, editing Buffy: Season Eight and also working on another new miniseries based on a different Joss Whedon creation: Serenity: Better Days.
With issue #1 of Serenity: Better Days hitting comic book stores last Wednesday, ComicMix caught up with Allie to get the latest info on the new comic, what's happening with Buffy: Season Eight, the fan's reaction to the recent Season Eight revelation and how he collaborates with creators like Mike Mignola and Joss Whedon
COMICMIX: Scott, thanks for talking with us. How you doing?
SCOTT ALLIE: Good, busy.
CMix: For those who don't know, tell us a bit about your background? How did you get started in comics and at Dark Horse?
SA: I had a job at a literary magazine that paid really well, and it allowed me to set up a self-publishing project back in 1993 and 1994. I did a horror comic called Sick Smiles, and otherwise jazzed around for a while.
I was living in Portland, and doing Sick Smiles caused me to run into a lot of the Dark Horse people. I ran out of money right around the time they were looking for a new assistant editor, so I took the job.
CMix: Did you read comics as a kid? If so, what were your favorites?
SA: I didn't read a lot of comics as a kid. I remember having an issue of Star Wars and an issue of Man-Thing. I came across some horror comics at a young age.
I loved Spider-man, but purely from the cartoon, the older one with the great theme song. I started writing stories really young, and by fifth grade I'd started drawing stories.
I'd make little books, 20 pages or so, with one drawing and a couple word balloons per page. That was my first foray into comics, I think. They were monster mashes–a combination of Godzilla and Frankenstein, everything I'd see on the "Creature Double Feature" on Channel 56 out of Boston.
I wouldn't start reading comics on a regular basis until I was about thirteen, when a friend gave me a copy of Frank Miller's Wolverine miniseries.
CMix: When did you realize you wanted to have a career in comics? Or that you could?
SA: I think in college. I was torn between majoring in literature or fine art, and my sort of mentor, this guy named Robert Smart, encouraged me to combine them to create my own major, design my own curriculum, and major in comics.
That was the first time I started thinking about turning my official focus toward comics. They'd been my passion for a while, but I didn't see them being remotely practical as far as something to do.
CMix: Once you were working at Dark Horse, what projects did you work on? Was there one in particular that really "made" your career?
SA: Yeah, Hellboy. I got assigned to Hellboy within a couple months of starting, and Mike and I bonded instantly, deeply.
It remains the most significant relationship in my career.
CMix: How did your association with Joss Whedon begin?
Continue reading Interview: Scott Allie on Serenity, Buffy and the Joss Whedon Universe ›
Fri Mar 21, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
'Fantastic Four 3?' Not According to The Human Torch
Flame Off...
If you happen to be one of the people who really liked the first two Fantastic Four films and were anxiously awating a third installlment, you may be waiting a lot longer than you thought. In fact, your wait might be endless.
Why? Well, according to an interview over at MTV with actor Chris Evans, who plays Johnny Storm (aka The Human Torch) in the films, a third film doesn't seem to be in the cards. His main reason for thinking so? He hasn't gotten any scripts or story ideas from Fox.
"After the first one was released we got wind of potential titles and plots [almost immediately], and I’ve heard nothing from anyone at Fox [yet],” said Evans in the interview. “We had all planned on doing [another] one but if there were going to be a third I think a week after the second one was released we would have heard.”
In truth, Evans doesn't seem all that disappointed that a third film probably won't happen. "It takes up a lot of time. It’s a big commitment,” said Evans. “I’m happy with walking away.”
Although he might be willing to walk away from another Fantastic Four film, he's not closing the door completely on playing The Human Torch again -- especially if it was a cameo appearence in some other Marvel franchise like The Hulk or Spider-Man. Said Evans: "Absolutely. If Johnny Storm wanted to make a pop in appearance in one of those movies that would be a treat.”
Of course, the opportunity for another big-screen appearance by Marvel's favorite family might not be a complete impossibility, given the discussion of a potential Silver Surfer spin-off film.
So, now that we know another Fantastic Four film is probably not going to happen, is this good news or bad?
Thu Mar 20, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
IDW Announces 'Transformers: All Hail Megatron' Maxi-Series
Transform and roll out for a new series...
Following up on last month's release of untitled, yet very cool promotional art featuring Transformers villain Megatron, IDW Publishing today announced it will be bringing a new chapter in the Transformers saga to the shelves of your local comics shops in the form of a 12-part maxi-series called Transformers: All Hail Megatron.
IDW, whose titles also include other Transformers books, Angel: After the Fall, 30 Days of Night and Fallen Angel, is planning for a June release for issue #1 of the comic.
According to the release, the maxi-series will take the Transformers:
"... in a new direction courtesy of writer Shane McCarthy and artist Guido Guidi. Together, they tell the tale of an Earth decimated by the DECEPTICONS. Where are the AUTOBOTS, and how did they come to be exiled from Earth? Who has changed sides, who will live, and who will die? These questions, as well as the introduction of an all-new TRANSFORMERS character, will be answered in the pages of the series."
Series writer McCarthy is very excited about the new story:
“This thing is going to knock the fans’ socks off,” McCarthy says. “This is exactly the kind of story I’ve always wanted to see done, and I think the fans will be right there with me.”
IDW head honcho Chris Ryall is equally enthusiastic about Transformers: All Hail Megatron:
“ALL HAIL MEGATRON is what the AUTOBOTS fought so hard to prevent, the ultimate culmination of MEGATRON’s plans. It’s destruction on a grand scale; it’s a story of sacrifice, lost heroism, betrayal, and hopefully at the end, renewal.
Wed Mar 19, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: Photo Gallery - People, Places and Events
More of the sights of Wizard World LA
In addition to the costumes, comics, movies and occasional booth babes, conventions like Wizard World LA often provide the opportunity to see a few celebrities (and, of course, give them $15 to sign a photograph). This year's WWLA was no exception, and some of the entertainment industry's most semi-famous people turned out for the show.
There were also some cool booths, events, panels, artists and a bunch of other things that made Wizard World an enjoyable time. Following the jump are a few images of some the celebrities, booths, panels and other sights from this year's show.
And if you haven't seen our gallery of costumes from Wizard World LA posted earlier today, be sure to head on over and check that out, too.
Continue reading ComicMix at WWLA: Photo Gallery - People, Places and Events ›
Wed Mar 19, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: Photo Gallery - Costumes
It's the difference between 'fan' and 'fanboy' (or 'fangirl')...
When attending conventions like Wizard World Los Angeles you often get to see just how devoted to their favorite character some hardcore fans really are. How can you tell?
Well, these fans generally don't just pay their money and passively attend the show going from one panel to another, buying the latest action figures, comics or t-shirts and generally having an "okay" time.
No, these hardcore fans go the extra mile and take their fandom to an altogether different level. They come in costume.
Following after the jump are a few photographs spotlighting these true hadcore fans. It can't be easy putting costumes like these together.
So, for doing all of that hard work and going the extra mile, we at ComicMix salute you.
Check back later today for the second part of our WWLA photo gallery, featuring some of the other people, places and sights from this year's convention.
Continue reading ComicMix at WWLA: Photo Gallery - Costumes ›
Tue Mar 18, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: The Mondo Marvel Panel
More Marvel news than you can shake a gloved fist at...
Wrapping up our coverage of this weekend's Wizard World LA convention, we have this report from Sunday's Mondo Marvel panel at the Los Angeles Convention center.
Like the X-Men panel, leading the discussion again this time is Marvel Comics marketing guru Jim McCann. Once things settled down a bit and got organized, he introduced the distinguished panel of Marvel creators including Matt Fraction, Chris Gage, Aubrey Sitterson and Charles Knauf.
Knauf, who is currently co-writing Iron Man: Agent of SHIELD, said of the book, "It's kind of interesting to write the most hated man in the Marvel Universe. I can't wait till the movie comes out; it's going to bring a lot of attention to the book."
Among Knauf's future plans for the book are the introduction of a new "femme fatale" and an attempt to return Iron Man to his "hero status." He will also be trying to make the book "a little more fun."
"The flaws are what make him so great," chimed in Fraction, who's also writing an Iron Man title: Invincible Iron Man. Said Fraction: "I'm looking forward to sending Iron Man on a big redemptive arc. He is his own arch-rival. I'm looking forward to grinding him to dust and seeing where he ends up," said Fraction.
Next, McCann turned to Chris Gage who is currently working on Avengers: The Initiative with Dan Slott -- which has issue #10 at comic's shops now. According to Gage, Issue #11 will feature the Mighty Avengers and Gage also said fans of the New Warriors may want to check it out, too, "just in case."
Mon Mar 17, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Jacen Burrows on Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis and 'Crossed'
Jacen Burrows embraces his dark side with Avatar projects
Artist Jacen Burrows has already had an impressive career in a relatively short amount of time. His talent, bold visual style and penchant for the darker, more sinister aspects of life have already earned him a place collaborating with some of the most popular and successful writers working in comics today.
Some of these writers include Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis and Alan Moore on projects such as Dark Blue, Scars, The Courtyard and 303. More recently, he's worked on Chronicles of Wormwood with Ennis.
And, just yesterday at Wizard World in LA, it was announced that he's doing a brand-new project with Ennis called Crossed -- described by Avatar Press' William Christensen as "a story about the worst people can possibly be, as a group of good people attempt to survive in a world of pure evil."
ComicMix caught up with Burrows at Wizard World LA to get some more details on Crossed, his other work with writers like Warren Ellis, what artists he admires and much more.
COMICMIX: Jason, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. Let's get right into it with a little background. When did you first start drawing?
JACEN BURROWS: I've been drawing from the beginning. Three years old I was doing more drawing than anything else. And I think everyone does that. All kids draw but it was just the thing I happened to stick with because everyone would tell me I was good at it so I never stopped. When other kids were outside doing things I was inside working on my drawing. So, its kinda my curse.
CMix: Your parents encouraged you?
JB: Oh yeah, they were like "do what you want" and let me do my thing. Early on I had a tendency to draw the things that were fun to me, like war scenes with tanks and dead bodies.
Teachers would freak out and my mom would come in and tell them I was just being creative. Later, when I had art teachers, they would say it's all perfectly normal.
CMix: You liked that kind of thing? Monsters, severed heads, etc?
JB: Yeah, I had a nice healthy obsession with drawing monsters, werewolves and things like that. It's the fun stuff.
Continue reading Interview: Jacen Burrows on Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis and 'Crossed' ›
Sun Mar 16, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: The Screenwriter's Panel
Successful screenwriters share their thoughts on the process
Sunday, Day Two at Wizard World in LA and this time around its the Screenwriter's panel. Moderator Rickey Purdin introduced a distinguished group of successful screenwriters including Mark Verheiden, Carl Ellsworth, John Cox and Zak Penn. With the intros finished, Purdin launched into a short video montage featuring clips from some of the projects the members of the panel had written.
Some of these clips included scenes from The Mask, X-Men 2, Disturbia, Smallville, Red Eye and Battlestar Galactica. Following the clips, Purdin started in on the questions for the panel.
First up, how each of the writers got their various starts in the "business."
Cox started it off saying that, infortunately, he didn’t have a “sexy story" to tell. Instead, like many others, he went to film school with the intention of being a director. However, he soon found out that directing was “too much like working for a living" and decided to switch to screenwriting.
“My story is pretty sexy,” joked Penn. “I was a stripper for a couple of years. It’s a weird job. It was in a female strip club and I was the only guy there, and I stood out.”
"No, I'm joking. Obviously," he continued. "Actually, I got really lucky and wrote Last Action Hero pretty much right out of college and then sold it pretty fast. So that was it for me."
Continue reading ComicMix at WWLA: The Screenwriter's Panel ›
Sun Mar 16, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: The X-Men Panel
Matt Fraction joins 'Uncanny X-Men' and more!
Day Two at Wizard World LA and this time around it's the X-Men Panel, hosted by Marvel Marketing Honcho Jim McCann. Featured on the panel are X-Force co-writers and "life partners" Chris Yost and Craig Kyle, as well as Matt Fraction, Marvel editor Aubrey Sitterson and X-Factor writer Peter David. Young X-Men writer Marc Guggenheim ran a bit late but managed to phone in and confirm, via speakerphone, that he would be arriving shortly.
And so, with introductions over, McCann went right into the announcements and the slideshow.
The first slide showed three of the "Divided We Stand" titles which include X-Force, Cable and X-Men Legacy. Seeing the slide, McCann jokingly referred to Cable as "Two men, two natural arms, and a baby."
Sitterson then chimed in and talked about X-Men: Legacy, saying "There is a nostalgic aspect to it, but it's also a story picking up directly from 'Messiah Complex.'" He continued: "X-Men Legacy picks up what's going on with Professor X after he takes a bullet to the brain. We're checking in with these giants of the Marvel mutant universe. Gambit will be among those that show up in the series."
Next, McCann let the audience know about the current story arc of Uncanny X-Men -- particularly why everyone seems to be heading for San Francisco. "The San Francisco stuff is not just for fun, this is definitely leading up to something," he said. 'It all makes sense what Brubaker is doing."
Sat Mar 15, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
David Fincher Onboard for New 'Heavy Metal'
Fincher puts the pedal to the 'Metal'
According to Variety, director David Fincher, whose credits include some of the most visually innovative and interesting films of the last 20 years (Fight Club, Zodiac and Se7en), has signed on to direct a segment of Paramount's updated and re-imagined version of the cult-classic Heavy Metal.
The new film is inspired, as was the earlier '80s version, by the erotic and violent magazine of the same name, which first came to our shores in 1977 and billed itself as "The Adult Illustrated Fantasy Magazine." It will consist of eight or nine individual animated segments, each helmed by a different director.
In addtion to Fincher, some of the other directors taking on segments include Kevin Eastman, of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fame, and effects specialist Tim Miller, whose Blur Studios will handle the new feature's animation. Fincher, Miller and Eastman will also produce the film which, according to Variety, was conceived from the outset as an adult-oriented, R-Rated project.
As I mentioned previously, in addtion to Heavy Metal, Fincher is a busy man, having just completed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, again starring Brad Pitt, and developing a film based on the Charles Burns graphic novel Black Hole. He's also working on several other projects including The Devil in the White City, The Killer and Torso -- which is based on the Brian Bendis graphic novel.
Sat Mar 15, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix at WWLA: The DC Nation Panel
Dan DiDio and company take your questions
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Day one at Wizard World LA and we're in the Mike Wieringo room for the DC Nation Panel featuring DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio, VP of Sales Bob Wayne and writer Adam Beechen.
Getting right to it, DiDio introduced the other members of the panel and then, as is his style at events like these, launched right into the Q&A, taking question from the eager fans in attendance.
First question out of the gate was about the "New Gods" and their story. Specifically, the fan wanted to know about their deaths.
To answer, DiDio explained that the stories originally created by Jack Kirby during his DC period were great but subsequently some of the later writers were trying to hard to honor his creations and execute what they thought Kirby would want.
Consequently, according to DiDio, "the Fourth World and the DCU never really fit together harmoniously."
"And now you're killing the New Gods off?" another fan chimed in.
"Yes, but they'll get better," DiDio answered. "Death of the New Gods is about closure to that story."
Pushing further on the Fourth World questions, another fan asked about Batman's potential involvement, citing rumors on the Internet to that effect.
"You can't react to rumors," answered DiDio. "They're often misinterpretations of information or personal agendas. The rumor involving Batman is a silly idea."
Fri Mar 14, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Dark Horse and Universal Announce Production Deal
Dark Horse goes to the movies.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Entertainment today announced an exclusive production and distribution agreement which effectively makes Universal the new home for all of Dark Horse's film, television and comics properties for the next three years.
Specifically, this deal gives Universal the rights to all of the properties currently held by Dark Horse as well as anything that the company may want to aquire or develop in the future. It's not a one-way street, however, as Dark Horse is able to tap into Universal's vast financial and development resources to develop, finance and distribute projects of its own.
Of course, many of Dark Horse's properties have already been made into films including The Mask, Barb Wire, Timecop and Mystery Men. In addition, Universal is currently behind the latest Dark Horse comic book project: Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.
Given this new deal one wonders if we might end up seeing feature film version of some of the most popular Dark Horse titles like Angel: After the Fall or or even Buffy: Season Eight? As a fan of both of those comics, I hope so.
Thu Mar 13, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Full 'Incredible Hulk' Trailer Hits the 'Net
Hulk smash now!
I first brought you word of the upcoming trailer for the new Incredible Hulk movie last week when it was originally announced. Then yesterday, there was a sneak-peek available that showed some great bits from it to whet your appetite for the release of the full trailer.
And now, the wait is over and the actual full trailer is finally here and posted over at MTV's website.
