Free Mike Grell Forever
Starting Friday, November 2, ComicMix is proud to present, online and for free, Mike Grell’s newest graphic novel, Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden.
Jon Sable is many things: freelance bounty hunter, bodyguard, mercenary… even a children’s book author. It’s true. Under the pen name of "B. B. Flemm," Sable is the author of a popular series of children’s stories about a troop of leprechauns living in Central Park. How did he get to this point in his bizarre life? Ivory poachers slaughtered his family when Sable was a professional hunter in Africa. Deported back to the States, he drank himself to the bottom. With the help of his mentor, Sonny Pratt, and his literary agent, Eden Kendall, he struggled to put his life back together.
In Ashes of Eden, his newest adventure, Sable is hired by the head of an African diamond cartel to transport a magnificent raw diamond to an exhibit in New York. But his task is complicated by having to play escort, bodyguard and babysitter to the cartel’s corporate spokesperson, Bashira, a temperamental model with a history of drug problems. While Sable struggles to keep her under control and out of tabloid headlines he finds himself the center of a deadly hunt and a plot that reaches beyond the world of glamour and into the world of terror. But when diamonds are on hand, who would you expect to find behind the scenes, lying in wait?
Jon Sable: Ashes of Eden also marks the long-awaited reappearance of another classic Mike Grell, Maggie The Cat. The Jon Sable series was the best-selling title published by First Comics, one of the most important independent publishers at the birth of the direct market. Created (and owned) by Mike Grell, the character of Jon Sable is so popular that he was the inspiration for the ABC network series, Sable, in 1987. Rene Russo was a regular cast member, and guest stars included Lara Flynn Boyle and Del Close.
To celebrate, ComicMix is launching the first internet publication of two major works by Mike Grell, Shaman’s Tears and Bar Sinister. Shaman’s Tears was published by Image Comics in the 1990s, featured Grell’s Joshua Brand and guest-starred Jon Sable. Bar Sinister, with art by Rick Hoberg, contained a super-hero team introduced in Shaman’s Tears, was published by Valiant soon after. These will be full, 22-page issues, free and in color, online and for free at ComicMix.
Here’s the schedule: Shaman’s Tears Issues 0-4 runs 11/1 Shaman’s Tears Issues 5-8 runs 11/8 Shaman’s Tears Issues 9-12 runs 11/15 Bar Sinister runs 11/22 — Thanksgiving.
Great news. I'm looking forward to new Jon Sable.
Excellent news! Really looking forward to it. Sable's probably my favorite character of all time (although, Grimjack is catching up.)Question: Any chance of you ComicMix folks putting out collectibles to go with the characters – i.e., coffee mugs, t-shirts, baseball caps? I would happily order some. Thanks.
It's about bloody time! "Grassy Knoll" Grell is back! And what a great big slab of Grell it is. Fantastic.
I'll be honest–I was kinda hoping there would be more Sable, and Grell, to BUY. (What can I say? I like throwing money at artists whose work I enjoy.)But it would be foolish to look a gift horse–or a gift Hippotragus Niger–in the mouth.
Remember, all of the new free comics here are supposed to be eventually available as trade paperbacks. So, at that time you will be able to throw money at artists.
Oh. Okay. That'll teach me to post before reading on. :)
I'm sure the Mikes will correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading that everything put up here on ComicMix will eventually be published in TPB format.I'm already preparing my bank account for drainage.
ok am I the only one that thought the title of this meant "Free Mike Grell Forever from Jail"? LOL I'm kidding. Happy Comicmix Publication Day Mike! XOXOXOP.S. If it was freeing you from jail then I would do I could to help – I bake a mean cake you know.
You could take it that way, Kai. Mike's on deadline, and Jon Sable's weekly. So if he's in the slammer, he better have a drawing board.As opposed to waterboard.
By the way, is Munden's Bar taking a break while Sable starts up or will there be a new installment of that later today?
Munden's is taking a break. We've got a half-dozen stories in one phase or another; the cool part is, we CAN take a break instead of just rushing any old filler into place.Trust me: you won't be disappointed. Particularly if you're a Badger fan.
Any chance of getting the Maggie the Cat series, also put out by Image, posted online at some point?