Robert Kirkman's Blog, page 42

Negan’s Backstory to be Collected in Hardcover

The most notorious sociopath in The Walking Dead is finally getting his backstory told all in one place. HERE’S NEGAN, which has been collecting incrementally in Image Plus for over a year, will finally get compiled into a hardcover book this Fall. The story focuses on Negan’s life at the onset of the apocalypse, where we discover how he transitioned from normal family man to the Lucille-wielding maniac we met in Issue #100.

Written by Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard, HERE’S NEGAN will be available for $19.99 in comic book retailers on Wednesday, October 4th and in bookstores on Tuesday, October 10th. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, August 7th. HERE’S…the cover:

Do you plan on picking up HERE’S NEGAN this Fall? Tell us in the comments!

San Diego Comic Con 2017 Exclusives & Debuts!

It’s almost time for SDCC! This is not a drill, people! Right here, in this very post, is where you’ll find all of our SDCC exclusives and debuts. You’ll find the first wave below, but check back because we’ll be updating more over the next month! Which items are you most looking forward to?

SAGA – The Will and Lying Cat action figure 2-pack. $50

From the pages of the hit comic Saga, comes the latest action figure set from Skybound and McFarlane Toys, The Will and Lying Cat. These fan favorite bounty hunters are going to be available at the Skybound booth #2729 at SDCC. (And if you haven’t grabbed the Alana & Marko 2-pack yet, get it today at the Skybound Store)

OUTCAST (TV series) – Sidney Action Figure. $25

The evil Sidney makes his action figure debut from the Cinemax TV show, Outcast. This figure will be available at the Skybound booth (2729) during SDCC.

THE WALKING DEAD – Shiva Force Action Figure Set. $100

The Walking Dead Shiva Force four figure gift-box is available in regular color version and a bloody variant. These gift-boxes are limited to 1000 copies each and are priced at $100! You can get them ONLY at SDCC. Check out our full description and the trailer here!

SKYBOUND – Skybound Minis. $10

We’re bringing you a brand new line of 3″ mystery mini figures! We’ve got mini versions of characters from HORIZON, MANIFEST DESTINY, THE WALKING DEAD, and more! Get the full details here!

We’ll have more details and announcements soon so make sure to keep an eye here and on Skybound’s Twitter and Facebook for the latest!

Tips for Being a Comic Book Artist with Kill the Minotaur’s Lukas Ketner!

Kill The Minotaur has hit the shelves! The first issue just came out, and it’s already impressing the fans. An expansive and impressive reimagining of the classic greek Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur that has already been called everything from “a massive tale of violence and sacrifice that is laced with a fair amount of horror and darkness” to simply “grindhouse-y.”

Most of you know the age old story: Athens lost the war to Crete and now they must pay tribute to King Minos by offering up their best citizens to his unearthly labyrinth and the terror contained within it.

We sat down with the artist of the book, Lukas Ketner, who is an Skybound alumn from Witch Doctor! He was a 2009 nominee for the Russ Manning Award for his work on that book, which has earned praise from fans and creators alike! (Seriously check it out, it’s a great title and available if you click right HERE). His other work includes stories for Dark Horse Comics’ Creepy Comics and Supersized: Strange Tales From a Fast-Food Culture, along with covers for BOOM! Studios’ Hellraiser title. His art is beautiful and terrifying and we’re really excited for you to see what he gets to do in the later issues of this book!

Lukas and I talked not only about Kill the Minotaur but about his career and working as an artist in the industry as a whole! He gave us some great knowledge on how to work as an artist in comics, and how to get started if you’re an aspiring young talent. He gave some great advice, and really broke down habits that you should build if you’re serious about making this into a career and not just a hobby.

If you liked this interview and want to see more, make sure to sign up for Skybound Insiders HERE! We are bringing Insiders into the world of comics and creators each week right here on Skybound.com. Thanks for tuning in guys!

Make sure to follow him on Twitter!

Lukas Ketner ► @LukasKetner

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Let us know what you thought about KTM and Lukas’ words and wisdom below!

Go check out our full episode with the amazing Bree Essrig on our Youtube or Facebook pages and come back next week for an exclusive interview with Max Landis & Giuseppe Camuncoli on the end of Green Valley!

See you soon!

Skybound Minis to Debut at SDCC 2017!

Who’s ready for a peek at more Skybound SDCC reveals?! Well, you’re in luck as that’s what we’ve got here today! You’ve seen our 8″ mini figures of Rick Grimes, Invicible & Kyle Barnes from the super talented artist Scott Tolleson. Now, we’re bringing you a brand new line of 3″ mystery mini figures! We’ve got mini versions of characters from HORIZON, MANIFEST DESTINY, THE WALKING DEAD, and more! These bad boys (and girls) will be available at the Skybound San Diego Comic Con booth #2729 for $10 a box. Take a look at the packaging and the figures below, let us know which characters you want and get yours, only at SDCC!

  

Announcing: Gasolina!

Folks, this new series announcement is unlike the rest.

Normally, I’m here to tell you how great our latest comic is, how the creators are supremely talented and a pleasure to work with… and that’s not untrue here. Just… I’m a little biased. Because on this one book, I’m not the editor. I’m the writer.

Skybound is the most creatively stimulating environment I’ve ever experienced, so in creating this comic with artist Niko Walter—and joined by colorist Mat Lopes and letterer Rus Wooton—I’m putting to use everything I’ve learned from all the talented creators I’ve worked with…and also Robert Kirkman. I can’t imagine publishing my first comic anywhere but at Image.

So, the pitch: GASOLINA is a horror-crime epic set in Mexico, full of gun fights against cartels armed with tanks and perverse creatures… shot through the eyes of newlyweds fighting against a world quickly going to hell, who put a human face on a conflict that’s both harrowing and outrageous.

The short version: shit goes down.

The first issue hits stores September 20. Check out the preview pages and the trailer, and if you dig it, please pre-order it with your local comic book shop. Every pre-order helps sustain new series. I’m also on Twitter @seanmackiewicz where I’ll be posting new art and answering your questions, such as, “Are you quitting your day job?”

(Not a chance. We have two more series launching this year, and this job is way too much fun.)

Sean Mackiewicz

Beachbum, CA

GASOLINA #1

STORY: SEAN MACKIEWICZ

ART: NIKO WALTER & MAT LOPES

SEPTEMBER 20

40 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

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.

      

New Redneck Shirt to Benefit The Trevor Project!

One of our favorite things to come out of our June Pride month variants was the “F’ing Immortal” t-shirt from the cover of REDNECK #3! Designed by artist Ed Luce, this awesome shirt became one of the number one requests we got on our social media channels. Well, we listened and we’re excited to announce today that you can now get your very own “F’ing Immortal” shirt from the Skybound store!

As an added bonus, a percentage of the sales for these t-shirts will be donated to The Trevor Project the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth!

Take a look at the cover (out June 28th) and the final t-shirt design below! The shirts will start shipping at the end of June so order yours today!

Skybound and Skydance Announce The Walking Dead VR!

You love the comics, you love the tv show, you love the mobile games! Now we’re partnering with Skydance Interactive to bring you a cutting edge, interactive, virtual reality story-telling experience featuring The Walking Dead! While we can’t give away all the details just yet, we know you’re going to love these all new interactive experiences (that’s right, plural) that puts you in the middle of the zombie apocalypse action! Check out the full press release below and check back for more details soon!

E3 2017: SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT AND SKYDANCE INTERACTIVE PARTNER TO BRING THE VISCERAL WORLD OF THE WALKING DEAD TO VIRTUAL REALITY WITH MULTIPLE VIDEO GAME ROLL-OUT

June 14, 2017 (Los Angeles, CA) – Skybound Entertainment, the creator-focused multiplatform entertainment company founded by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and David Alpert, has partnered with Skydance Interactive, a division of Skydance Media, to develop a number of original virtual reality video games based on the expansive world of The Walking Dead universe. The Walking Dead VR game will be the inaugural co-developed title from both companies.

In a multi-year strategy, the two companies are collaborating to produce an unparalleled gaming experience that will offer millions of fans and gamers the opportunity to engage, interact, and immerse into the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead and its characters in virtual reality. The first game will feature an entirely new setting and cast of characters, which players will experience through an innovative contextual interaction system – a first-of-its-kind for The Walking Dead in VR.

“Skydance’s ability to build worlds and tell compelling stories matches with our goal to bring The Walking Dead fans new narratives and ways to engage with the world Robert Kirkman created, while staying true to his original vision,” said Skybound Entertainment CEO David Alpert and Skybound Entertainment Managing Partner Jon Goldman in a joint statement. “Skydance Interactive is the ideal partner for the team Dan Murray has created for Skybound Interactive.”

“The Walking Dead is an iconic phenomenon and it is absolutely thrilling to work with Skybound to bring its incredibly diverse cast of characters, settings, and storylines together into a complete VR game package,” said Skydance Media Chief Executive Officer David Ellison and President and Chief Operating Officer Jesse Sisgold in a joint statement. “Our goal at Skydance Interactive is to honor the visceral world that Kirkman has created while giving The Walking Dead’s fans something to really sink their teeth into with robust games that take the franchise to a completely new level.”

The Walking Dead has expanded from an Eisner award winning comic book series to captivate audiences around the world as the #1 show on television, a blockbuster game franchise, licensing business, and ongoing publishing success.

Skydance Interactive, a division of Skydance Media that launched in April of 2016, recently announced that its first original VR title, Archangel, will be available across all VR console platforms starting in July of 2017. Skybound Entertainment recently released its first original VR game, Giant Cop: Justice Above All with partner Other Ocean.

About Skybound Entertainment

Founded in 2010, Skybound Entertainment is a multiplatform entertainment company that houses projects ranging from television, film, digital content, comics, interactive gaming, and live events. Skybound Entertainment is responsible for such television hits including The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast. Moving into the digital content space, Skybound produced the first-ever narrative VR series, Gone, for Samsung’s Milk VR platform and in 2017 will produce VR horror series Delusion: Lies Within, which is the first project out of Skybound’s partnership with immersive theatrical company Delusion. Skybound recently announced the film adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s second-longest running comic series Invincible, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attached to direct, write, and produce the movie for Universal. Additional newly announced Skybound projects include Five Year, Mastermind and Heroes and Villains: The History of Comics.

This Week’s Comics: Kill The Minotaur #1, Manifest Destiny #29, Green Valley #9 & Birthright #25

It’s another huge week for comics here and Skybound so let’s get to it! Up first, we’ve got the debut issue of our newest series KILL THE MINOTAUR! This issue (and every issue in the series) is 30-pages of awesome and you won’t want to miss it. We’ve also got the final issue of GREEN VALLEY which wraps up our medieval time-travel shenanigans. On top of that we’ve got new MANIFEST DESTINY and the 25th issue of BIRTHRIGHT! It’s a crazy week of awesome Skybound books and we can’t wait for you to see them. We’ve got previews of all 4 issues below. Make sure to pick them up at you local comic shop or on Comixology!

Have a great week!

KILL THE MINOTAUR #1

STORY: CHRIS PASETTO & CHRISTIAN CANTAMESSA

ART/COVER: LUKAS KETNER & JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU

JUNE 14

40 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99

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. Each issue features 30 pages of story!

    




  

BIRTHRIGHT #25

STORY: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

ART/COVER: ANDREI BRESSAN & ADRIANO LUCAS

JUNE 14

32 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $2.99

For 25 issues the Rhodes family has seen it all—the return of their lost son Mikey, his transformation into a hero of legend, and the existence of mages and horrific monsters on Earth. But nothing can prepare them for what happens in his extra-sized anniversary issue!

  

GREEN VALLEY #9

STORY: MAX LANDIS

ART/COVER: GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, CLIFF RATHBURN & JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU

JUNE 14

40 PAGES | Full Color | Teen+ | $2.99

MINISERIES FINALE

GIANT-SIZED final issue!

The knights of Kelodia were once the finest in the land, until they faced the wizard of Green Valley. Now, their epic, time-bending quest comes to a close in this extra-sized issue, and history will never be the same again.

  




  

MANIFEST DESTINY #29

STORY: CHRIS DINGESS

ART/COVER: MATTHEW ROBERTS & OWEN GIENI

MAY 17

32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $2.99

A new kind of monster emerges from the fog, as an unsavory finally makes his move against his enemy.

    

Introducing Shiva Force! Skybound SDCC Exclusive!

It’s that time of year when the forces of good and evil descend upon sunny San Diego for Comic-Con. And as the streets and aisles break out into an ALL OUT WAR, the only people that can save the day at San Diego Comic-Con are The Walking Dead’s SHIVA FORCE!!

Skybound and McFarlane Toys bring you the most epic action figures of the summer. Straight out of an 80’s action flashback comes Shiva Force.

This exclusive four figure gift-box features Rick Grimes, Michonne, Ezekiel and Shiva (action figure debut), featuring new Shiva Force paint deco.

Each 5” tall figure is also individually packaged on a vintage styled card back with new painted artwork by Jason Edmiston.

The Walking Dead Shiva Force four figure gift-box is available in regular color version and a bloody variant. These gift-boxes are limited to 1000 copies each and are priced at $100.

Keep an eye out for Shiva Force’s secret fifth member, Jesus! He’s only available in the summer MegaBox from Skybound. Head to The MegaBox website to sign up today.

Not only that, but fans of The Walking Dead: Road to Survival can get Shiva Force versions of their favorite characters in game starting July 20th (SDCC weekend). King Ezekiel will be available for free for a limited time in game, so don’t miss out!

Keep it tuned here for even more exciting SDCC news in the next couple weeks. We’ll have more announcements with regards to panels, signings and new merchandise soon!

Skybound Heroes Con Exclusive Announced!

On June 16th, Skybound is heading over to Heroes Con 2017 in North Carolina! We’re super excited to be joining the con and celebrating their 35th anniversary. We’re bringing along all our usual awesome Skybound swag and we’ll have a very special exclusive with us as well. Just for Heroes Con, we’ve got a blank variant fro REDNECK #3! The variant will run $10 and is limited to just 1000 copies. Grab one at our booth: C-602, C-604, C-701, C-703. Donny Cates will also be at the show so make sure to get yours signed. Take a peek below and we’ll see you at Heroes Con!