Tagged: Keith Giffen

Boom Studios October Pulpy Offerings

  • News
  • September 27, 2011

Coming in October from Boom Studios.

THE RINSE #1Written by Gary Phillips

Drawn by Marc Laming
SC, 32 pgs, FC, SRP: $1.00
Diamond Code: JUL110956
SPECIAL $1 DEBUT ISSUE! Acclaimed crime novelist Gary Phillips (THE JOOK, VERTIGO’S ANGELTOWN and COWBOYS) returns to BOOM! with a new brand of crime! High finance and low-down greed rear their ugly heads as Jeff Sinclair, the premiere laundryman in San Francisco—and we’re not talkin’ wrinkled jeans and dirty gym socks—is unwillingly pulled into a dangerous gig laundering $25 million in stolen casino skim money. Forced to truly consider his line of work and the evil that he facilitates, Jeff must find a way to clean the cash and wash away his own sins. A grounded, gritty look at the world of money laundering in the vein of Elmore Leonard, THE RINSE is a modern crime classic in the making! For fans of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ CRIMINAL!

ZOMBIE TALES OMNIBUS: OUTBREAKWritten by Mark Waid, John Rogers, Willliam Messner-Loebs and many more!

Drawn by Andy Kuhn, Keith Giffen, Jon Schnepp and many more!
SC, 220 pgs, FC, SRP: $19.99
ISBN13: 9781608860760
Diamond Code: JUL110957
We’ve got plenty more mad creations spilling out of our zombie kitchen! Delivering smart, accessible, high-quality zombie short stories, this anthology has met with great acclaim amongst both comic and zombie fans, featuring more great zombie stories from more great writers and artists that you know and love. Don’t worry about leaving room for dessert — you’re it! Featuring work from writers Mark Waid (IRREDEEMABLE, KINGDOM COME), John Rogers (Leverage, Transformers), William Messner-Loebs (THE FLASH, THE MAXX), Brian Augustyn (JLA: YEAR ONE, B.P.R.D.), role-playing game master Monte Cook, Karl Kesel (FANTASTIC FOUR, SUPERMAN), Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER), Ian Brill (DARKWING DUCK), Tom Peyer (THE FLASH), Pierluigi Cothran (HEROES webcomic), Bryce Carlson (WALL•E), plus art from the likes of Andy Kuhn (FIREBREATHER), Keith Giffen (52, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES), Jon Schnepp (Venture Brothers, Metalocalypse), Toby Cypress (KILLING GIRL), and more. With talent like this, neither the dead nor the living stand a chance!

DRACULA: THE COMPANY OF MONSTERS VOL. 3 TPBWritten by Daryl Gregory, Kurt Busiek
Drawn by Scott Godlewski, Damian Couceiro
SC, 112 pgs, FC, SRP: $14.99
ISBN13: 9781608860586
Diamond Code: JUL110932
The terrifying conclusion to the critically acclaimed series from comics legend Kurt Busiek! After a powerful, predatory corporation acquires Dracula as a valuable asset, they soon discover one terrifying truth: no one can own the Son of the Dragon! As the vampire armies of the corporation and Dracula face off against each other, our hero Evan must enter into an unlikely alliance with Marta and her team of vampire hunters. As Dracula and the corporation’s fight reaches a fever pitch, can Evan and Marta work together long enough to rally a rebellion that will be able to withstand the onslaught? It’s bloodsuckers vs. bloodsucker, as Busiek brings an incredibly modern spin to the Dracula mythos with award-winning author Daryl Gregrory (PANDEMONIUM, PLANET OF THE APES) and rising star artists Scott Godlewski (CODEBREAKERS) and Damian Couceiro (NOLA).
For a full listing of Boom Studios’s October Release, visit them at http://www.boom-studios.com/.

SDCC: Legion of Superheroes Panel

  • News
  • July 27, 2008

At a convention known for its fans’ devotion and passion, Legion of Superheroes devotees are truly in a league of their own.

Throughout Saturday’s “Legion of Superheroes Panel,” fans from across the globe shared their personal connections to the DC superteam with panelists, Paul Levitz, Mike Grell, Keith Giffen, Colleen Doran, Geoff Johns, Tom Bierbaum, and Mary Bierbaum, as well as questions about the varying specifics of a series that has one of the broadest mythos of any in the comic universe.

Being such a beloved series, its no surprise that many in attendance were extremely concerned about the future of the series. Johns let out a minor spoiler, revealing part of Una’s character arc: “You turn the page and she’s multiplied into like a hundred of her and she says ‘I don’t know how I ever got anything done with just three of me,'” he added. “She’s going to be called ‘Duplicate Damsel’.”

Continuing, Legion of Three Worlds writer Johns certainly tried to ease any fears that his run would be lacking anyone’s favorite character, asserting that George Perez, “wants to draw every Legionnaire ever.” Unfortunately, the Superpets will not be making an appearance.

A question about the lack of African-American representation in classic Legion stories drew muffled sighs from the more senior members of the panel. Levitz responded by saying, “I think it’s important to look at the broader context, that’s the way things were being done in comics in ’67 or ’68.”

Levitz went on to say that the Teen Titans were going to introduce the first black superhero, however DC ardently opposed this move and redrew the character as a white character. Allegedly the creative team was blacklisted for a year.

“[There was] a certain trepidation that they wouldn’t do it right,” Mike Grell said, and then added his own anecdote about the trouble he had adding a black Legionnaire, “It was a story about a Science Policeman who makes a mistake at the beginning of the story, and corrects the mistake and becomes a hero by the end of the story… My editor said, ‘No you can’t do that, they’ll send letters.'”

Fortunately, Grell was not completely cowed by DC’s demands, “As my silent protest, I very mildly redrew the character, and sure enough we got letters saying, ‘Hey, that’s a brother painted pink.'”

All of the panelists had numerous fond memories of working with The Legion of Superheroes, and no dearth of appreciation for the fans, but perhaps Levitz summed it up best when he said, “We got to play with some really cool toys, and the only reason we got to play with them was because you guys kept coming around and saying, ‘Go ahead, have fun with them.'”

ComicMix Radio: Keith Giffen Obsesses

ComicMix Radio: Keith Giffen Obsesses

It takes a certain sort of comic creator to oversee 104 weekly comics in a two-year period, not to mention wiping out a bunch of heroes at the other comic company across the street. That guy is Keith Giffen, and he talks to ComicMix about where he’s been and where he’s going, plus:

— Comic creators dominate the Scribe Award nominations

— Finally –  American Flagg

— Stan Lee and Disney team-up

—  Sure, there’s another  exclusive Graham Crackers Comics variant that could be in the mail to you – if you win by e-mailing us at: podcast [at] comicmix.com

While you were waiting to press the button, Keith Giffen just finished three more comics!

 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via iTunes - ComicMix or RSS!

Interview: Keith Giffen on the Final Weeks of ‘Countdown to Final Crisis’

Interview: Keith Giffen on the Final Weeks of ‘Countdown to Final Crisis’

  • News
  • March 31, 2008

With only four issues remaining in Countdown to Final Crisis, the looming end of DC’s year-long, weekly series marks not only the grand finale of a sprawling, epic storyline but also the conclusion of two years of weekly deadlines for industry veteran Keith Giffen.

After serving in the role of "breakdown artist" for the entire run of DC’s first weekly event, 52, Giffen jumped right back into a weekly production schedule last year as the breakdown artist and "story consultant" for Countdown (later renamed Countdown to Final Crisis). Two years and more than 100 issues later, the finish line is finally in sight for Giffen.

I spoke with the prolific creator about the highs, lows and upcoming end of Countdown to Final Crisis, as well as the last two years of weekly deadlines, last-minute changes and prolific output from the creators involved with each weekly series.

[Editor’s Note: For the spoiler-conscious, this interview contains discussion of some events occurring in both this week’s issue and future issues that, although hinted at and likely quite expected at this point in the Countdown storyline, are certainly worth a warning.]

COMICMIX: Keith, last time we spoke, I think you had just turned in the last issue of Countdown, right?

KEITH GIFFEN: Yeah, I had just popped in the final issue. Now, I can put weekly comics behind me for a while.

That was 104 in a row, man. Come on!

CMix: So, how are you feeling now that, for the first time in two years, you don’t have another issue that needs to go out as soon as you turn the last one in?

KG: Well, it wears on you. When I handed in that last issue of Countdown, the next day I was like, "I don’t have to do it anymore. The pressure is off."

It’s kind of nice. I can go back to my regular books now, and I can get back to my regular workload again. In a weird way, just like an abscessed tooth, you kind of miss it. It’s not there, but you’re kind of grateful it’s gone.

CMix: How did Countdown compare to 52?

KG: it’s really a whole different animal. It would be unfair to draw any comparisons between 52 and Countdown. The tone was different, the entire approach was dfifferent. The first time you do it, especially when it unfolds in real time, it’s an accomplishment. You did it!

The second time, you’re kind of expected to do it, because you did it the first time. It’s like a sequel to a movie — it’s not going to be as satisfying as the first time you saw it.

The overall thing is getting it done and putting these issues out. Certainly it wasn’t just me — it was an entire team of people pulling these projects along. Getting it out on time when so many monthly books seem to have trouble hitting the target, to do two years of a weekly and just nail it week after week, there’s a real sense of satisfaction there. Were there certain things I’d go back and redo if I had the chance? Sure. But I can say that about anything I’ve ever done. Hindsight’s always 20/20.

CMix: Was there anything you wanted to do in Countdown but couldn’t fit in due to the time constraints or other factors?

KG: Oh, yeah. We had lots of  leftover ideas on 52 and we had lots of leftover ideas on Countdown, as well. I’m not going to go into them here because I never waste an idea, and I don’t want other people to waste the ideas, either. If everyone thought that it was a great idea and it didn’t make it into the series, you can pretty much guarantee that it will pop up somewhere else. Good ideas don’t die easy deaths.

(more…)

ComicMix Radio: Keith Giffen Is A Free Man!

ComicMix Radio: Keith Giffen Is A Free Man!

The grind of weekly comics is tough on fans, so imagine the guy who has just finished off TWO weekly series! Fresh over Countdown (and still reeling from 52), Keith Giffen vents and talk about returning to fun stories again in this clip from an interview that will be on the site in full next week, plus:

— Buck Rogers – and Alex Ross!

— Got a late comic? Just make it fatter!

—  You should be crazy to work in comics – so let’s welcome Britney Spears…

—  There was a trick answer to our last trivia question, but we had a winner.  Here’s a new one and another chance to grab an exclusive Graham Crackers Comics variant by e-mailing us at: podcast [at] comicmix.com

Yes, we said Britney – Just Press The Button: 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via iTunes - ComicMix or RSS!

Interview: Keith Giffen on DC’s ‘Reign in Hell’

Interview: Keith Giffen on DC’s ‘Reign in Hell’

  • News
  • March 13, 2008

Not long ago, Keith Giffen was charged with making Marvel Comics’ catalog of cosmic characters relevant again. Little more than a year later, Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy and various other spin-offs from Giffen’s critically praised Annihilation storyline are still finding success on the shelf, and the results of Marvel’s grand experiment speak for themselves. That’s why it seemed like a no-brainer that DC would turn to its now-exclusively held contract with Giffen to revitalize one of its own subsections of characters.

Starting in June, Giffen will begin redefining DC’s magic users alongside artist Matthew Clark in an 8-issue miniseries titled Reign in Hell. The story will focus on a battle for dominion over the plane of hell waged between the forces of Neron (last seen imprisoned in Doctor Fate’s tower at the end of 52) and  the combined efforts of Lord Satannus and his sister, Blaze, who gained a foothold over the realm in Neron’s absence.

According to Giffen, one of the initial plot points of Reign in Hell will include a roll call for DC’s magic users — especially those with ties to the "real" underworld. I spoke with Giffen recently about his plans for the series, what impact he hopes it will have, and some of the characters that might be called into service for a "war in hell."

COMICMIX: Keith, you’re becoming an old pro at this type of story, it seems. How do you approach the task of kick-starting an entire subsection of a publisher’s universe?

KEITH GIFFEN: I love world-building. That’s always been my favorite thing to do since I took on Legion of Superheroes. When DC approached me and asked me to rethink hell, that was right up my alley. I just looked back over different versions of hell in Marvel, DC and other publishers, and realized that I didn’t want to do any of that.

What I’m trying to do is create an infernal realm that stands on its own — that’s unique. The DC hell will not resemble, aside from the fact that it’s about damnation and torment, any of the hells that we’ve seen in comics before. It’s a different take on the environment, with different characters and motives, how  it runs, its hierarchy and what it means to have a "war" in hell.

CMix: What characters will play significant roles in the series? What characters should readers be watching out for?

KG: Doctor Occult is definitely a major player. I’m going to go in and see what makes that character tick. It will mostly be the DC mystics that you would expect to be involved in something like this. [It will be] Zatanna, Doctor Fate and some of the newer guys from that Countdown to Mystery series, like Sargon the Sorcerer, Ibis the Invincible — or whatever he’s calling himself these days — and Black Alice.

It utilizes some of DC’s matchbook characters, and also unearthes this magic bible — these rules of magic that Michael Moorcock had done for DC years ago that had never really been implemented. There were some spectacular ideas in there about the nature of magic and the price you pay for wielding certain kinds of magic. For example, every time you use infernal magic, you’re putting your soul in jeopardy. How does that affect the character?

(more…)

On This Day: Peter Gross and Cully Hamner

On This Day: Peter Gross and Cully Hamner

  • News
  • March 7, 2008

Peter Gross has been working in comics since the 1990s, when he self-published the black-and-white series Empire Lanes. He’s best known for his work on DC’s Books of Magic and Lucifer but he also did artwork for Marvel’s Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme and Hellstorm: Prince of Lies lines and for Dark Horse titles Chosen and The Mask: The Hunt for Green October. Gross also taught at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, where he helped set up a comic art program.

Cully Hamner has done art on such series as The Authority, Green Lantern, Uncanny X-Men, and Spider-Man. These days he’s best known for his work on the relaunched Blue Beetle series for DC, initially written by Keith Giffen.

Keith Giffen on DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar

Keith Giffen on DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar

  • News
  • January 20, 2008

Good news for fans of Keith Giffen’s run on Legion of Superheroes: He’ll have another chance to play with the team this April, when DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar hits shelves. The six-issue miniseries will pair Giffen with artist Lee Garbett (Midnighter).

Newsarama has an interview with Giffen about the series, the inevitability of a brawl whenever heroes meet and the relevance of the miniseries in the greater DC and Wildstorm Universes.

Legion of Super-Heroes is a concept that always exerts this weird type of siren song to me. I swear, I’m walking around, going "I’ve got to touch them again." And I wind up back toying around with them. This is something I thought would be interesting to play around with. I haven’t dealt with the characters for awhile. This is an opportunity to go in and remind people of my take on the characters without violating anything that’s gone on since I was on the book. And that’s fun. It’s fun to play around with those characters again. I’ve got a fondness for the concept.

The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special fan film

The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special fan film

  • News
  • December 18, 2007

So we first told you about this back in August. You’ve probably expunged it from your memory already, and you need it, now more than ever. So we re-present to you the video adaptation of The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, and Simon Bisley, now all in one piece and with a nice Christmas border.

(Do we really have to tell you that it’s not safe for work or kids? NOT SAFE FOR– ah, you know.)

The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special video

The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special video

  • News
  • August 3, 2007

Ah, August. The birds are singing. The bees are buzzing. The barbecues are cooking. And that means it’s time for — Crazy Eddie’s Christmas Sale!

Oh, wait. They closed down that chain. Never mind. Well, what do we have that’s Christmas themed and deranged beyond all possible belief?

How about this: some happy clowns took The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, and Simon Bisley, and made a movie out of it– and it’s actually one of the better adaptations out there. Take a look at Part 1 and decide for yourself.

(Do I really have to tell you that it’s not safe for work or kids? Oh, all right.)

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