BC Refugees Blog

  THE MARVELS PROJECT #1 – 8  (Marvel, 2009-2010)  Ed Brubaker, story.  Steve Epting, art.  Dave Stewart, color art.  VC’s Chris Eliopoulos, letters. I’d forgotten what an absolute gem this series is until I pulled out my copies and read this again all in one sitting.  Brubaker is the perfect choice to write this re-imagining of the beginnings of so many of Marvel/Timely’s pre-WWWII heroes. Back in August 2009, I wrote a review of Issue #1 and had this to say about THE MARVELS PROJECT :  “What better way to top off a year-long celebration of 70 years of Marvel Comics than with a limited series that details the beginning of it all?  What better writer to handle with care the heady task of plotting this event and treating these long=term characters properly than Ed Brubaker? What better artist to trust with maintaining accurate historical detail while creating some exciting visuals that Steve Epting?” Boy, do Brubaker and Epting ever deliver on that expectation!  In a highly enter

According to The Comic Book Data Base website, Erica J. Heflin has bounced between the fields of animal care and comics all her life.  She has worked as a screenwriter and producer for independent films, and in 2011 joined Grayhaven Comics as a writer and editor for their comic series THE GATHERING (with Amanda Rachels on art).  She is also the writer, editor and publisher at Felinx Publications ( www.readwebcomics.com ).  She most recently completed THE ENVY for Aazurn Publishing , to be released in August (available through the June Previews catalog).  A review of THE ENVY was posted on the BC Refugees website (see archives for June 14, 2013).  We had a short conversation with Erica recently regarding THE ENVY and her works . . . . . . . . ABOVE PHOTO: THE GATHERING creative team.                                                                              Amanda Rachels on the left.  Erica J. Heflin on the right BC REFUGEES:  After doing a little research, I see that you ha

JOHN CARPENTER’S ASYLUM (Storm King, June 2013) www.stormkingproductions.com Created by John Carpenter, Thomas Ian Griffith and Sandy King. Written by Bruce Jones. Art and cover by Leonardo Manco. A new book showcasing the fantastic art of Leonardo Manco would be reason enough to pick up this book.  There’s also a great story behind the gorgeous art, which continues the photo-realistic style employed by Manco most recently on Radical Comics DRIVER FOR THE DEAD .  The title of this series would seem to indicate that the story takes place within a mental institution.  Instead, this is a very good tale of satanic forces and exorcism.  John Carpenter’s text piece near the back of the book best describes it: “There is no greater villain than Lucifer and no greater challenge than the darkness of man’s soul to explore.” If DC/Vertigo’s Hellblazer/John Constantine ever spent time as a Catholic priest, he would be Father Daniel Beckett - - who will remind you of the Hellblazer in several w

  THE DEEP SEA one-shot (Dark Horse, May 2013) Jimmy Palmiotti + Justin Gray, story. Tony Akins, art. Paul Mounts, colors. Bill Tortolini, letters. The year was 1958, during an unofficial descent by bathysphere into the Mariana Trench.  An accident occurs, and the bathysphere and its occupants are lost in the depths of the trench until a recovery mission succeeds in current time.  The occupants are miraculously alive and have spent fifty-five years without aging.  Sea monsters appear. There is a large amount of exposition here in order to set the scene and tell the story properly. The art is still captivating in spite of there being many panels where characters are just talking.  And the colors and lettering really highlight this book very well.  I’m reminded of some of the good early 1950’s – 1960’s science fiction movies as well as the better issues of DC’s SEA DEVILS title. This story was serialized in the pages of DARK HORSE PRESENTS and is presented in one complete form here.

THE ENVY (Aazurn Publishing, August 2013 - - available only through pre-order in the June PREVIEWS catalog, black and white horror/dark fantasy $2.49)   Written and Lettered by Erica J Heflin.  Illustrated by Rom Friere.  Edited by James O’Callaghan.  Cover Colors by Diana Martinez What happens when envy gets taken to the next level?  Can initial and casual envy lead to greater jealousy?  What are the consequences if envy and jealousy are allowed to fester and grow, building up to a boiling point?  These are the issues that THE ENVY explores as family relationships and friendships alter and change in different and darker fashion. The little independent company that could - - Aazurn Publishing - - takes another step forward with THE ENVY, the first time that Aazurn has published a book-length work from a single creative team. Up to this point (aside from TALES OF FEAR , founder Gary Scott Beatty’s solo anthology) everything from INDIE COMICS MAGAZINE and INDIE COMICS HORROR has

  BATMAN AND RED HOOD a.k.a. BATMAN AND ROBIN #20 (DC, July 2013)                 BATMAN AND RED ROBIN a.k.a. BATMAN AND ROBIN #19 (DC, June 2013) After the heart and soul was cut out from this book, you might think that the creative team would just meander around after its’ central theme was so abruptly removed. Surface appearances (the cover logos with changing titles monthly) would certainly indicate that BATMAN AND ROBIN has been reduced to a simple team-up book with a new guest and new quest each month. That is not the case with the creative team of Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason (assisted in Issue #20 by Cliff Richards). They have ramped up their game, and certainly appear to be up to the challenge to keep this an engaging and meaningful book in the Bat-family. I fear too many readers have dropped this from their pull list after the death of Damian. They are missing out on what remains one of the best Batman titles in a long time. The heart of this book remains Dam

      A-1 #1 (Titan Comics, July 2013 www.titan-comics.com ) The London comics company invades U.S. shores with a fresh new science-fiction/fantasy themed anthology of serialized stories edited by the wondrous Dave Elliott.  Great stuff here!  The Weirding Willows by Elliott with luscious art by Barnaby Bagenda is a fantasy land inhabited by characters and creatures of classic literature.  Dr. Jekyll visits Dr. Moreau regarding a contract for flying monkeys. Moreau’s daughter, Alice, talks to rabbits and they talk back.  We learn what a “gammy kanurd” is.  And is that Mogwai showing up in the last panel?  A good beginning.  An unlikely assemblage of seven heroes/agents make up Carpe Diem as they gobble up the scenery in the satanic kitchens of Aaron The Iron Chef.  A potluck supper of superhero/secret agent/covert team a la G.I. Joe, Carpe Diem is funny and quirky.  The agents are named for days of the week.  Their version of the “Avengers Assemble” call to arms can be easily gue

From the official press release . . . . . . . . VALIANT and PANINI Partner For Foreign Language Print and Digital Publishing in France, Italy, and Beyond This fall, the greatest heroes of the Valiant Universe are taking Europe by storm! Valiant is proud to announce that it has partnered with Panini, Europe's leading publisher of comics and graphic novels, for a new line of foreign language comics, translating Valiant's smash hit monthly series into French and Italian for the very first time. The first Panini-published issues of X-O Manowar by New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord, and Harbinger by New York Times best-selling writer Joshua Dysart and Harvey Award nominee Khari Evans will debut in France and Italy in September/October 2013 with more Valiant series to be added to the publishing roster in subsequent months. Panini will also distribute Valiant's foreign language content digitally with both launch titles be