Mike Grell | ComicMix

Subtle reminder: ‘The Pilgrim’ #1 on sale today

News
April 14, 2010

Available today in the finest comic book stores you frequent, The Pilgrim #1 from Mark Ryan and Mike Grell can now be yours! Weaving together true timelines from WWII and
the present day, The Pilgrim is a tale of war and the
supernatural, drawing on the history of the occultism used by both
British and Nazi forces and fusing it with a modern day
intelligence and espionage story ripped from today’s headlines.

Buy it now. It’s OK. We’ll hold down the fort while you go get it.

$3.99, 32 pages, Mark Ryan and Mike Grell. What else need we say?

On sale today: ‘Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden’ #4!

News
January 6, 2010

For those who came in
late: Jon Sable has been
hired by a businessman to deliver both a rare, valuable diamond and a beautiful
yet troublesome woman from Africa to New York City. He’s done that, he’s back
home, and he’s reconnected with old friends and flames.

Last issue, Jon
attended Prinsloo’s party for the Maguffin Diamond and, wouldn’t you know it,
everyone’s favorite thief Maggie the Cat was hanging out. While Jon and Maggie
were back at her hotel getting … you know, reacquainted … someone stole the rock.

Compelled to return
to the scene of the crime, Jon is ambushed on his way to keep his date at the
annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony… and things promise to go much worse for him.

Mike Grell on story and art, John Workman on letters, yours truly on colors and Mike Gold waving a baton.

On sale today: ‘Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden’ #1 by Mike Grell

News
October 14, 2009

Jon Sable returns in his latest adventure, Ashes of Eden. Sable is hired to deliver a diamond
and a girl safely to New York; a simple enough job if the rock wasn’t
the size of a bomb and the girl wasn’t Bashira– who, of course, is as
unbelievably gorgeous as she is completely spoiled rotten. Mike Grell writes and does the art, with John Workman lettering and yours truly coloring, assisted by Shannon Weaver and Matt Webb.

Published by ComicMix and IDW and available at finer comic shops everywhere– with the really good ones having a variant pencil sketch cover available as well.

ComicMix Six: Every Panel You’ve Ever Visited At A Convention!

Uncategorized
August 5, 2009

With the Chicago Comic-Con and WorldCon both around the bend, you may be tempted to waste your days away at the panels off the main floor. But I say, gentle geeks… NAY! Why waste your precious con time in stuffy rooms with stale ice water and tons of other mouth-breeders, when you can peruse the artist alley (where local, hip and trendy comic creators like to be… ahem…), grab schwag at the big booths (or not if YOUR local con has no big booths this year… epic fail…) or spend all of your inheritance on the dealer floor!

But Marc, you plead, I’m tired! I want to make my voice heard! I need to learn hot new tips and skills on how to make my portfolio Marvel worthy! Well, I said it once, and yes… I say it again: NAY. Why, you ask? Because ALL panels at comic conventions break down into one of these top 6 over-done panels:

1. “Mondo-Nation-Neighborhood-Universal-Pow-Wow”
Yup, this is the stalwart gotta-go-to panel they hype and hype and hype. Hey! Do you want HOT, never-seen-before, uber-rare, special sneak previews of all the things to come?! Well cart your XXL self on down to Hall H for a sensational panel that’s sure to knock your sock and sandals combo clear off! Drooling yet? Well, sop it up, fanboy. Thanks to the interwebs, all you’re gonna get is a rehash of the solicits you read about months ago on ComicMix, IGN, Newsarama, Comic Book Resources, CSN, or a hundred other places. And those special sneak peaks you’re just vibrating to see? Yup… posted on the artist’s message boards about the same time you were reading those months-old solicits! And you were counting on some tantalizing rumors about all your favorite characters? Well Bucko, are you in for a treat! Turns out the big boys can’t tell you anything you can’t (and most likely DID) read in Wizard itself, last month. Sounds fun? Sounds to me like 2 hours of time you could have spent waiting in line to get that Red Hulk Sketch Holofoil Variant Cover 17B signed, kiddo.

(more…)

The return of ‘The Pilgrim’ by Mark Ryan & Mike Grell coming soon

News
June 24, 2009

No, it’s not impossible.

We have more of The Pilgrim, the groundbreaking series written by Mark Ryan (Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen) and drawn by Mike Grell (Jon Sable Freelance), with colors by Jason Millet and letters by John Workman, coming out soon. The artwork to the left is from an upcoming page… we just wanted to make sure we have a few more pages in hand before we resume a regular publishing schedule.

It also may not be a surprise that recent events in the Middle East have also caused us
to rewrite some of the material– it’s the drawback of writing this
close to the real world.

But if Warren Ellis can get away with showing a page from Planetary #27 two months ago as proof, we can show a panel here.

We also have footage of Mark Ryan and Mike Grell explaining some of the backstory of The Pilgrim:

But we’re telling you when we could be showing you. So start reading The Pilgrim from the beginning.

Mark Ryan, Mike Grell, and the legend of the .45

News
June 22, 2009

Mark Ryan (Bumblebee in Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen) talks with his collaborator on The Pilgrim, Mike Grell, about the times Mike has tried to kill Mark and whether or not it’s true that Mike took out a .45 automatic during the contract negotiations with First Comics for Jon Sable Freelance.

Hey, creator ownership wasn’t as popular back then as it is now…

Mark Ryan and Mike Grell at CUT! Film Festival 2009 this weekend

News
March 13, 2009

Mark Ryan will join former Robin of Sherwood mate Jason Connery at CUT! Film Festival 2009 for a screening to celebrate the show’s 25th Anniversary and a discussion about the show’s loyal fan base. Ryan will also sit on a Comics panel with Mike Grell, with whom he partnered to create The Pilgrim. CUT! Film Festival 2009 is a benefit and celebration of cinema dedicated to the art and imagination that goes into the creation of film. This year’s event takes place the weekend of March 14-15, 2009 at the historic Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA.

WHEN: March 14, 2009:
· 11:20 am – “Comics and the Impact On Film Today” – Mike Grell, Steve Niles, Mark Ryan, Daniel Vest
· 6:45 pm – Celebrating “Robin of Sherwood” 25th Anniversary with Mark Ryan, Jason Connery & other guests TBA – Screening of episode: Sheriff of Nottingham plus a charity auction.

“Robin of Sherwood” has enjoyed a loyal fan base that keeps the show alive via web groups, fan clubs and conventions both in America and the U.K. Mark, of course, has had a successful career since his days as a merry man, including voicing Bumblebee in the box office hit, “Transformers” and partnering with legendary illustrator, Mike Grell to create The Pilgrim graphic novel. Ryan recently launched a musical project nearly 20 years in the making, based on Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights,” which he plans to bring to the big screen soon and is currently available on iTunes. He has also signed on with Mighty Finn Productions for 3 upcoming projects including “Robbing Bingo,” which will reunite Ryan with Sherwood cast mate, Ray Winstone (Beowulf.) Ryan will pull triple duty on the film as Associate Producer, Actor & Action Coordinator.

Photoshop for old school comics artists

News
November 22, 2008

For a guy who wrote Iron Man, Mike Grell is a self-described Luddite, constantly at odds with technology. He once claimed he had a steam-driven fax machine. He was constantly amazed at the things I did to his art in Photoshop during my coloring stint on Jon Sable Freelance.

With that, I was amused that he sent me this:

He also sent a note: "SOMEONE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TROUBLE – PROBABLY SOME POOR BASTARD OLD (!) ARTIST WHO SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF HAVING TO LEARN HOW TO USE A COMPUTER…"

Yes, he types all his email in capital letters. I told you.

The Pilgrim by Mark Ryan and Mike Grell debuts on ComicMix

News
November 14, 2008

Today on ComicMix, we’re starting a new story from Mark Ryan (Transformers) and Mike Grell (Jon Sable Freelance, James Bond: 007) that goes places no other story will go, starting from World War II to today’s war on terror to realms unknown. It’s an espionage story unlike any other, based in historical facts that are almost impossible to believe– why did Ian Fleming recruit Aleister Crowley for the war effort, anyway?

The Pilgrim is written by Mark Ryan, who has one of the most varied careers you will ever encounter in your life: as an actor, going from originating the roles of Magaldi in Evita and Nasir in Robin of Sherwood to playing Bumblebee in Transformers and appearing with Eric Idle at Carnegie Hall while wearing a green dress; as a fight director, he taught Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard and Clive Owen how to swordfight; as a writer, he’s written Green Arrow for DC Comics and The Greenwood Tarot for Harper Collins– and those are the jobs we can tell you about. When he says "If I told you, I’d have to kill you", believe that he would and that he can.

Mark was inspired to write The Pilgrim upon learning about the use of psychics and occultists during World War II by Allied forces to influence the minds and strategies of the Nazi leadership, which helped save Britain from invasion. “The Pilgrim intertwines historical characters with modern paranormal capabilities used in intelligence-gathering operations to infiltrate hostile governments,” said Mark. “It unveils a dark secret history involving classified occult research and the unmarked graves of unsung heroes who gave their lives in these desperate yet vital operations.”

Mike Grell, the comic legend behind Jon Sable Freelance, the Warlord, Green Arrow, Iron Man, James Bond, and many others, was so impressed by Mark’s script that this is the first project that Mike Grell is drawing that he didn’t write himself in over 25 years. And with the talents of Jason Millet coloring and John Workman lettering, The Pilgrim is a heck of a ride.

If you’re a fan of Warren Ellis’s Gravel or Charlie Stross’s Laundry series (or you can’t get tickets for Quantum of Solace this weekend) you’ll love this tale. But don’t take our word for it– start reading!

Alysse Soll joins DC Sales from NHL

News
September 8, 2008

Alysse Soll, formerly the Vice President of Marketing of the National Hockey League, joins the DC Comics staff as Vice President, Ad Sales & Custom Publishing, it was announced by DC Comics President and Publisher, Paul Levitz. In this position, Soll will develop and manage new advertising initiatives, oversee DC’s innovative custom publishing program, identify cross-platform opportunities with other media companies and supervise the advertising sales team.

Normally we wouldn’t make reference to this sort of a hire, except that Ms. Soll used to work for the NHL. Which is a perfect excuse for us to run this Mike Grell artwork from a hockey superhero comic book project that never materialized… hockey stars by day, superheroes by night!