Robert Kirkman's Blog, page 37

December 2017 Books Announced! Solicits!

Hey there guys and gals! September is almost over which means it’s time for us to officially reveal our December solicit to you! We’ve submitted our December books for retailers to check out/order and that means it’s time to show them off to you fine folks. We’re rapping up 2017 with some awesome new books for you! We’ve got a ton of new comics and a bit of a tease with a trade coming out in January. Tell us which books you’re most looking forward to in the comments and make sure to tell your retailer to order your copies TODAY!

BIRTHRIGHT #29

STORY: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

ART/COVER: ANDREI BRESSAN & ADRIANO LUAS

DECEMBER 13

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $3.99

There is a temple buried within a mountain that has never been written about or even dreamed of. Nothing can prepare the Rhodes family for the magic within… but desperate measures must be taken to shift the balance of power against Lore.

EXTREMITY #9

STORY/ART/COVER: DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON

COLOR: MIKE SPICER

DECEMBER 6

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $3.99

As Thea and Rollo risk life and limb to revive a fallen friend, Annora proves that the beasts below aren’t the only monsters prowling the Ancient Dark.

EVOLUTION #2

STORY: JAMES ASMUS, JOE KEATINGE, CHRIS SEBELA & JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

ART/COVER: JOE INFURNARI & JORDAN BOYD

DECEMBER 20

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

Something is happening to humanity across the world. What ties together a college dropout in Santa Monica, a rogue doctor in Philadelphia, and a nun in the Vatican? The answer already lies dormant within you.

GASOLINA #4

STORY: SEAN MACKIEWICZ

ART: NIKO WALTER & MAT LOPES

DECEMBER 27

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

“Listo”

There’s a war going on outside that no one is safe from. Families are being taken by Los Queridos while monsters emerge from the soil. Amalia and Randy have lived on the run for too long. Now, they stand and fight… no matter the sacrifice.

HORIZON #17

STORY: BRANDON THOMAS

ART: JUAN GEDEON & MIKE SPICER

COVER: JASON HOWARD

DECEMBER 20

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

Lincoln is here to teach the Valians an important lesson: you never know as much as you think you do. A lesson Zhia Malen must learn at a cost.

INVINCIBLE #143

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART/COVER: RYAN OTTLEY & NATHAN FAIRBAIRN

DECEMBER 20

24 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

THE END OF ALL THINGS Part 11 of 12

This is the one where Mark Grayson learns he has a son he didn’t know about. But the good news is… that son is AWESOME! Holy crap! One more issue after this until the end. We’re as sad as you are.

OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #32

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART / COVER: PAUL AZACETA & ELIZABETH BREITWEISER

DECEMBER 27

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

INVASION part 1 of 5

The town of Rome, West Virginia has always been a hotbed of demonic activity… but with Kyle Barnes gathering allies to oppose them, the forces of darkness must also rally their forces for the coming WAR!

REDNECK #8

STORY: DONNY CATES

ART: LISANDRO ESTHERREN & DEE CUNNIFFE

COVER: NICK PITARRA

DECEMBER 27

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

You never see the thing that gets you in the end. At least, that’s how the saying goes, but with the Bowmans taking on new blood, is the thing that’s going to end up killing them all right in front of their very faces? And what does a weird albino boy out in the woods have to do with all this?

SLOTS #3

STORY/ART/COVER: DAN PANOSIAN

DECEMBER 13

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

What’s more dangerous than a psychic at a poker table? An angry casino realizing the house doesn’t always win.

THE WALKING DEAD #174

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART: CHARLIE ADLARD, STEFANO GAUDIANO & CLIFF RATHBURN

COVER: CHARLIE ADLARD & DAVE STEWART

DECEMBER 6

32 PAGES | Black & White | Mature | $2.99

“A SOLITARY LIFE”

The sad, sorry, solitary life of Negan. Face it, true believers, he deserves this.

KILL THE MINOTAUR VOL. 1

STORY: CHRIS PASETTO & CHRISTIAN CANTAMESSA

ART / COVER: LUKAS KETNER & JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU

JANUARY 31

184 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $19.99

ADVANCE SOLICITED

Athens lost the war to Crete. Now, they pay tribute to King Minos by sacrificing their best citizens to his unearthly labyrinth. Conspirators believe Theseus can be the hero they need, who can end the mad king’s bloody reign… but no one on this world has ever encountered anything like the savage minotaur.

Chris Pasetto, Christian Cantamessa (Red Dead Redemption) and Lukas Ketner (WITCH DOCTOR) reinvent the most fearsome beast in all of mythology with this horrific tale of heroism.

The post December 2017 Books Announced! Solicits! appeared first on Skybound.

FOC for September 18th

Good morning, retailers! This week’s FOC features BIRTHRIGHT #27. It’s the next issue in our latest story arc and more secrets are being revealed so don’t get caught without it. Don’t forget there’s an awesome Walking Dead variant for this issue as well. As always, let us know if you have any questions. Have a great week!

BIRTHRIGHT #27 [AUG170605] [TWD Var: AUG170606]

  

STORY: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

ART/COVER: ANDREI BRESSAN & ADRIANO LUCAS

OCTOBER 11

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $3.99

To fight against the Nevermind festering within him, Mikey Rhodes must first undergo a baptism of blood.

The post FOC for September 18th appeared first on Skybound.

This Week’s Comics: Birthright #26

Hey everyone! Hope you’re having a fabulous week so far. We’re here to tell you about our comics coming out this week. We’ve got a brand new BIRTHRIGHT for you! The start of a brand-new story arc is here and Mikey’s in for even more craziness. This issue also has a beautiful Lorenzo De Felici variant for all you collectors out there, so don’t miss it! You can check out a 4 page preview below. Make sure to drool a little over that splash page! Pick up BIRTHRIGHT #26 at your local comic shop or on ComiXology Wednesday.

BIRTHRIGHT #26

STORY: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

ART/COVER: ANDREI BRESSAN & ADRIANO LUAS

SEPTEMBER 13

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $3.99

NEW STORY ARC

Mikey Rhodes battled his way back to Earth, only to lose his family because of his service to the God King Lore. Now, the exorcism of Mikey Rhodes begins!

    

The post This Week’s Comics: Birthright #26 appeared first on Skybound.

New York Comic Con 2017 Portfolio Review Information

ATTENTION pencilers, inkers and/or colorists: looking to dive into the crazy wonderful world of comics? Are you fast and reliable? Do you love telling the best stories with the best writers? Do you want to work with the very cool guys and gals at Skybound? Are you attending New York Comic Con this October? If you answered “YES” to most of these questions, then you should submit your portfolio to us at NYCC!

We’ll be accepting open art submissions from aspiring comic artists, with an editor on-hand to review and critique select portfolios. This is your chance to get some one-on-one time with one of the fastest growing companies in comics! Do you think you have what it takes? Then you absolutely do not want to miss this opportunity!

Looking to submit? Here’s the info:

01. Bring your portfolio to the Skybound NYCC Booth #1444 (we’re there with IMAGE COMICS) at any time from Thursday, October 5th through noon on Saturday, October 7th and drop it off with a booth volunteer.

02. When you drop off your portfolio, please make sure it contains your full name, cell phone number and e-mail address (this is really important).

03. If we think you might have the right stuff, we will reach out to set up a review time on Friday, Saturday or Saturday.

04. Please make sure to only include photocopies of art in any submitted portfolios. Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for any lost or misplaced artwork.

05. While we welcome all artists to submit, portfolio reviews will be primarily focused on interior sequential pages (pencils, inks and colors).

06. And as much as we’d love to review every single portfolio, we unfortunately must restrict the number of portfolios we review each day to a limited amount.

See you in New York!

The post New York Comic Con 2017 Portfolio Review Information appeared first on Skybound.

FOC for September 11th

Hey there, retailers! We’ve got a huge FOC for you this week including the start of a brand new series, a ton of variant covers, the first trade for REDNECK & the return of EXTREMITY! Make sure you order up on all of these so you don’t miss out.

As always, let us know if there’s anything we can help you with. Have a great week!

EXTREMITY #7 [AUG170649] [TWD Var: AUG170650]

  

STORY/ART/COVER: DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON

COLOR: MIKE SPICER

OCTOBER 4

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $3.99

NEW STORY ARC

Thea and Rollo enter the Ancient Dark, where they are hunted by things that dare not live in the light above.

MANIFEST DESTINY #31 [JUL170847] [De Felici Var: JUN178588]

  

STORY: CHRIS DINGESS

ART/COVER: MATTHEW ROBERTS & OWEN GIENI

OCTOBER 4

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

NEW STORY ARC

Meriwether Lewis has slayed monsters in the pursuit of taming the wilds of America. Now, if he ever hopes to reach the Pacific coast, he must learn an important lesson: Don’t listen to the voices in your head.

REDNECK Vol. 1 [AUG170579]

STORY: DONNY CATES

ART/COVER: LISANDRO ESTHERREN & DEE CUNNIFFE

OCTOBER 25

128 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $16.99

The Bowmans are VAMPIRES who have quietly run the local barbecue joint in their small town for years, living off cow’s blood. Their peaceful coexistence ends as generations of hate, fear and bad blood bubble to the surface–making it impossible to separate man from monster!

Critically-acclaimed writer DONNY CATES (God Country) and artist LISANDRO ESTHERREN serve up the tale of a DIFFERENT kind of family just trying to get by, deep in the heart of Texas.

Collects REDNECK #1-6.

SLOTS #1 [AUG170587] [TWD Var: AUG170588]

  

STORY/ART/COVER: DAN PANOSIAN

OCTOBER 4

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

NEW SERIES

You can say this about the life of Stanley Dance: he did it his way. Unfortunately, his way never took getting old into account. Now, the former boxer is on his last legs, looking for redemption… but he’ll settle for going down swinging.

Roll the dice with superstar artist Dan Panosian as he creates a bold and breathtaking vision of Las Vegas, where everything old can become new, and superstition influences just how the chips fall.

THE WALKING DEAD #172 [AUG170744]

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART: CHARLIE ADLARD, STEFANO GAUDIANO & CLIFF RATHBURN

COVER: CHARLIE ADLARD & DAVE STEWART

OCTOBER 4

32 PAGES | Black & White | Mature | $2.99

HILLTOP REBORN

The Hilltop is rebuilt as other parts of the world are torn down.

THE WALKING DEAD Omnibus Vol. 7 [AUG170759] [Special Edition: AUG170760]

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART: CHARLIE ADLARD, STEFANO GAUDIANO & CLIFF RATHBURN

COVER: CHARLIE ADLARD & DAVE STEWART

NOVEMBER 1

560 PAGES | Black & White | Mature | $100.00 | S&N EDITION $150.00

This deluxe hardcover features 24 issues of the hit series, THE WALKING DEAD, along with the covers for the issues all in one massive, oversized slipcased volume.

After a devastating encounter with the Whisperers, Rick must rally the communities to take action. But have they already reached their breaking point?

Collects THE WALKING DEAD #145-168.

The post FOC for September 11th appeared first on Skybound.

Bear McCreary talks Career, Influences, and Undead Instruments!

 

Guys. We sat down with Bear McCreary and didn’t even get through half the questions I have!

As someone who not only works for the company behind The Walking Dead Universe but is also simply a fan, I’ve long been an admirer of many aspects that go into telling the story of survival horror we all know and love. There are all of the in-your-face pieces that people often discuss and remember – the writing, the locations, the actors – but then there’s all the little bits and pieces that hold the entire thing together that often times get less attention. These include the costumes, editing, art direction, and lighting and that’s not even getting to the myriad of jobs that don’t make it on screen.

Did you know there was a job for some daper man or lady on film and TV sets called a Greensman? Exactly.

 

Bridging the gap between the popular and the forgotten frequently lies music. Who can forget the unforgettable opening title sequence to shows we love like The Walking Dead? But many times there’s so many other themes that populate the narrative that really define our emotional experience. Think about the dread you feel for characters you love while watching Game of Thrones when the Rains of Castemere plays. Similarly, think about the feeling of power and confidence many people describe while listening to the Ready for Battle Wonder Woman Theme from the recent film by Patty Jenkins.

There’s something that’s always been constant about the underlying music hon the Walking Dead, but there’s also been some subtle evolutions – like The Governor’s Theme – when the story shifts more seriously to showing off the humans as the villains instead of the walkers – and the first synthetic sounds enter the audioscape and create a different feeling than ever before. It’s always been consistent in it’s quality, regardless of both it’s own changes and evolution and how anyone feels about particular seasons or episodes.

I’m clearly fangirling right now, so i’ll stop trying to wax poetic about the value of composers move onto what we’re all here for. This is exactly why having an interview for Insiders with Bear McCreary excited me so much – you guys will get to see one of the most creative people on the show who isn’t talked about a lot. And this interview delivers.

First of all, Bear has done so much more than just The Walking Dead.

He scored Battlestar Galactica. COME ON

 

Just throwing out some more projects he’s composed like it’s no big deal.

Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 Cloverfield Lane

Adam Green’s Digging Up The Marrow (if you’re a horror fan, you should see this)

Joe Lynch’s Knights of Badassdom

ABC & Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Starz’ Black Sails & Outlander

And that’s not even a quarter of it all.

The graduate from USC’s prestigious Thornton School of Music was one of only a few proteges of the award-winning composer Elmer Bernstein. I’m not even going to begin to list off his resumé (just got his , it’s absurd). Needless to say, he had himself arguably the best sensei you could ask for if you were studying to be a composer at the time.

So if you’re interested in picking Bear’s brain, take a ride with our friend Sam Bashor in the video. Bear’s favorite score is Robert Mulligan’s To Kill A Mockingbird (1960) by none other than Elmer Bernstein. The medium doesn’t matter to him – it’s about building a world, regardless of the project being built as a video game, movie, or tv show. For The Walking Dead, he worked to try to make “undead” versions of bluegrass and folk instruments.

 

If all you care about is his favorite instrument, I’ll save you some time: it’s the Hurdy Gurdy.

 

But I won’t spoil anything else. Dig into the interview and find out for yourself what lies in the mind of Bear McCreary.

If you haven’t checked out last week’s interview, make sure to go back and watch Ian’s chat with David F. Sandberg, director of Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation!

Make sure to follow our friends on the socials:

Sam Bashor: https://twitter.com/SamBashor

Bear McCreary: https://twitter.com/bearmccreary

Make sure to share with your non-Insider Friends the social version of The Skybound Insider on our Youtube or Facebook channels! Thanks for watching!

SNEAK PEAK: Next up is Lorenzo Di Felici! (THIS GUY)

The post Bear McCreary talks Career, Influences, and Undead Instruments! appeared first on Skybound.

This Week’s Comics: Extremity Vol 1, Manifest Destiny Vol 5, Outcast #30 & The Walking Dead #171

September is here already and we’ve got a heaping helping of comics just for you! This Wednesday sees the release of volume 1 of EXTREMITY and volume 5 of MANIFEST DESTINY. It’s a great time to catch up on both. We also have a new issue of OUTCAST and a new issue of THE WALKING DEAD (with a super sweet Lorenzo De Felici variant). Both of these books feature new characters that are going to play a huge roll in their respective series’ so don’t miss out!

Pick up all 4 books on Comixology or at your local comic shop this Wednesday. Also, make sure to look out for our comment contests for both OUTCAST & THE WALKING DEAD. Have great week!

EXTREMITY, VOL. 1: ARTIST TP

Story / Art / Cover: Daniel Warren Johnson

Colors: Mike Spicer

September 06

136 pages | Full Color | Teen+ | $16.99

Thea dreams. Not of a better life, but of revenge on the clan that ruined her family. With ferocious battles between man, machines, and monsters ahead…who knows where her quest for vengeance will take her? Creator DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON (Space Mullet) and colorist MIKE SPICER present a bold new vision, where the beauty and imagination of Studio Ghibli meet the intensity of Mad Max, in this all-new Skybound Original.

Collects EXTREMITY #1-6

MANIFEST DESTINY Vol. 5

STORY: CHRIS DINGESS

ART / COVER: MATTHEW ROBERTS & OWEN GIENI

September 06

128 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $14.99

Lewis & Clark hunker down for the winter, and all is calm… until old enemies emerge from the fog. As their fortifed walls are overrun, the Corps of Discovery have a front row seat to the American Dream gone mad.

Collects MANIFEST DESTINY #25-30.

OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #30

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART / COVER: PAUL AZACETA & ELIZABETH BREITWEISER

September 06

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $2.99

THE COMING STORM

The forces of evil are closing in.

THE WALKING DEAD #171

  STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART: CHARLIE ADLARD, STEFANO GAUDIANO & CLIFF RATHBURN

COVER: CHARLIE ADLARD & DAVE STEWART

SEPTEMBER 6

32 PAGES / Black & White / M / $2.99

FEAR THE PRINCESS

Who is she and what does she want?

The post This Week’s Comics: Extremity Vol 1, Manifest Destiny Vol 5, Outcast #30 & The Walking Dead #171 appeared first on Skybound.

David S. Sandberg Talks about His Journey from Youtube Shorts to Horror Hit “Annabelle: Creation”

 

 

David F. Sandberg’s introduction to the entertainment industry has been anything but conventional. With his new film “Annabelle: Creation” recently dropping into theaters, resident Skybound producer and genre fanatic Ian Start sat down with David to talk about how he got his start, hidden scares in his films, and where he is heading.

Hailing from Sweden, David spent a lot of his earlier years working at a video store and soaking up as much VHS goodness as his body could handle. Eventually, he caught the bug and bought a camcorder to make films of his own.

With the dawn of the digital age, David could now also make his own animations and upload them to this little thing no one had heard of at the time called “YouTube.”

Over time, David’s skills grew and his childhood love of horror and genre films began to rear it’s head within his art. If you want something done right, then you make short horror with your wife in your apartment (or something like that). This is exactly what David began to do with his wife Lotta Losten to tremendous results.

Their second attempt, “Lights Out” was submitted to the Bloody Cuts Horror Challenge and received sixth place. Damn. But David won best director and the short garnered OVER 20,000,000 VIEWS ON YOUTUBE! Hooray!

Ultimately, the short caught the eye of filmmaker James Wan who was then pitched a feature-length adaptation of the short by Sandberg who was then given the green light. Double hooray! Fast forward to the present, Lights Out was a huge success and David went on to direct the Conjuring universe prequel – Annabelle: Creation which recently hit theaters.

Now that you know a little about Mr. Sandberg, jump into the interview and hear how he created his own success with the help of his wife, doing EVERY job on set, and his dream animation adaptation! :0 (Hint: it’s an anthropomorphic Pekin duck).

That’s it for us this week everyone, but please make sure to follow David!

David F. Sandberg – @ponysmasher

If you missed our in-depth look at the all new The Walking Dead: March to War with Creative Director Joey Lapegna CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT! This game is looking incredible and that art… Oh man that art… One other thing about this – THE GAME IS AVAILABLE NOW!!! Go download it on IOS and Android!

For more interviews, features, fan videos, et al – make sure to check us out on YOUTUBE.

And to get your questions in the next interview join our Insiders Facebook Group HERE!

See you guys next week!

The post David S. Sandberg Talks about His Journey from Youtube Shorts to Horror Hit “Annabelle: Creation” appeared first on Skybound.

Redneck “Texas Forever” Shirt to Benefit Houston Charity

No doubt recently you saw the devastation that Hurricane Harvey has brought upon Houston, Texas. We at Skybound want to do our part to help those impacted by the storms and flooding. Today, we’re releasing a new limited edition version of our REDNECK “Texas Forever” shirt in the Skybound store. The proceeds from the sale of this shirt will go to the Houston Coalition for the Homeless. This Houston based charity’s “mission is to provide leadership in the development, advocacy, and coordination of community strategies to prevent and end homelessness.” REDNECK writer and Texas native, Donny Cates, picked this charity and we’re very excited to help how we can.

Below you can see the “Texas Forever” design. Make sure to order yours today and help a good cause while you’re at it!

The post Redneck “Texas Forever” Shirt to Benefit Houston Charity appeared first on Skybound.

FOC for August 28th

Good morning, retailers! We’ve got a huge FOC for you this week so don’t miss any of the goodness. The debut issue of GASOLINA is on FOC along with the Lorenzo De Felici variant cover. It’s the debut of our Editor-In-Chief, Sean Mackiewicz and he’s threatened to stop publishing Walking Dead if you don’t order it, so don’t take that chance! We also have De Felici variants for HORIZON INVINCIBLE & KILL THE MINOTAUR, so don’t miss those.

As always, let us know if there’s anything we can help you with. Have a great week!

GASOLINA #1 [JUL170702] [Felici Cover: JUN178586]

  

STORY: SEAN MACKIEWICZ

ART: NIKO WALTER & MAT LOPES

SEPTEMBER 20

40 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

NEW SERIES

Fugitives. Rebels. Newlyweds. In their journey south from El Norte, Amalia and Randy have played many roles in order to survive. Now, they must become unlikely leaders in the fight against a new cartel, who uses inhuman tactics to ignite the most monstrous war Mexico—and the world—has ever seen. 

Everything burns in this new series from Sean Mackiewicz and Niko Walter, where love and devotion can only be measured in fire and blood.

HORIZON #14 [JUL170806] [Felici Cover: JUN178590]

  

STORY: BRANDON THOMAS

ART: JUAN GEDEON & MIKE SPICER

COVER: JASON HOWARD

SEPTEMBER 20

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

The great Valian train robbery commences! But like all of Commander Zhia Malen’s plans, there is more than meets the eye.

INVINCIBLE #140 [JUL170816] [Felici Cover: JUN178587]

  

STORY: ROBERT KIRKMAN

ART/COVER: RYAN OTTLEY & NATHAN FAIRBAIRN

SEPTEMBER 20

24 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $2.99

THE END OF ALL THINGS Part 8 of 12

Thragg has done the unthinkable, again, and pushed Mark to his breaking point. Wait… there’s FOUR more issues after this one? How?!

KILL THE MINOTAUR #4 [JUL170842] [Felici Cover: JUN178589]

  

STORY: CHRIS PASETTO & CHRISTIAN CANTAMESSA

ART / COVER: LUKAS KETNER & JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU

SEPTEMBER 20

40 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

The origin of the minotaur is revealed, but what other secrets does Princess Ariadne possess? Each issue contains 30 pages of story!

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