Cullen Bunn's Blog, page 31

Little Bunny Cthulhu

As we all dream of a cute and fluffy bunnies delivering baskets of brightly-colored Easter eggs to good little girls and boys, I thought I'd remind everyone of the cute and fluffiness of true EVIL… as presented by Brian Hurtt and myself in 1999 in the pages of Whispers From The Shattered Forum #1. I guess this was one of our first collaborations. Brian's bunny went on to become the mascot of Undaunted Press.

Little Bunny Cthulhu

Little Bunny Cthulhu

sloughing through the forest

grabbing up the mi-go

and gobbling up their heads

And down came Nyralathotep, and he said:

Little Bunny Cthulhu

I don't want to see you

grabbing up the mi-go

and gobbling up their heads.

And now I'll give you three chances, and if you keep it up,

I'll seal you in a tomb!

Little Bunny Cthulhu

kept slithering through the ocean

snatching up the Deep Ones

and gnawing on their heads.

And down came Nyralathotep, and he said:

Little Bunny Cthulhu

I don't want to see you

snatching up the Deep Ones

and gobbling up their heads.

And now I'll give you two chances, and if you keep it up,

I'll seal you in a tomb!

Little Bunny Cthulhu

kept creeping through the Dream Lands

catching all the moon beasts

and slobbering on their heads.

And down came Nyralathotep, and he said:

Little Bunny Cthulhu

I don't want to see you

catching all the moon beasts

and slobbering on their heads.

And now I'll give you one more chance, and if you don't stop,

I'll seal you in a tomb!

Little Bunny Cthulhu

went writhing through old Arkham

enveloping the rat-things

and slurping up their heads.

And down came Nyralathotep, and he said:

Little Bunny Cthulhu

I'm not very proud of you

enveloping the rat-things

and slurping up their heads.

You disobeyed me, so in sunken R'leyh I seal you in a TOMB!

Interview Round-Up – 4/6/2012

Here a couple of interviews that posted this week! Let's talk about Captain America & Hawkeye,The Sixth Gun, and digital comics!

Earth's Mightiest Team-Up, wherein I talk about the first arc of Captain America & Hawkeye.
Ghosts, Gun Slingers, and the New Frontier of Digital Comics, wherein I discuss The Sixth Gun and digital comic books.

C2E2

Next week, I'll be heading to C2E2 in Chicago. You can find me (and my Sixth Gun co-creator, Brian Hurtt) in Artist Alley. We'll be at Tables N8 and N9. In addition, you can find me throughout the weekend in the following places:

Friday

6:00 – 7:00 Signing at Marvel Booth

Saturday

2:00 – 3:00 Signing at Marvel Booth

Sunday

1:30 – 2:30 Marvel Panel: The Next Big Thing (Room S401abc)

2012 Eisner Nominations

This year's Eisner Award nominations have been announced, and I'm super proud to be nominated in the Best Writer category along with so many other amazingly talented people. Also of special note is fellow Sixth Gun ne'er-do-well Bill Crabtree in the category of Best Colorist.

EISNER AWARD NOMINEES 2012

Best Short Story

"A Brief History of the Art Form Known as Hortisculpture," by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #12 (Drawn & Quarterly)

"Harvest of Fear," by Jim Woodring, in The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)

"The Phototaker," by Guy Davis, in Metal Hurlant vol. 2 (Humanoids)

"The Seventh," by Darwyn Cooke, in Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition(IDW)

"The Speaker," by Brandon Graham, in Dark Horse Presents #7 (Dark Horse)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

Daredevil #7, by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)

Ganges #4, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)

Locke & Key: Guide to the Known Keys, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)

Princeless #3, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)

The Unwritten #24: "Stairway to Heaven" by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Al Davison (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series

Daredevil, by Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

Rachel Rising, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli (Marvel)

Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Limited Series 

Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5)

Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)

Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (Vertigo/DC)

The New York Five, by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly (Vertigo/DC)

Who Is Jake Ellis? by Nathan Edmondson & Tonci Zonjic (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

Beauty and the Squat Bears, by Émile Bravo (Yen Press)

Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking, by Philippe Coudray (Candlewick/Toon Books)

Dragon Puncher Island, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)

Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)

Patrick in a Teddy Bear's Picnic, by Geoffrey Hayes (Candlewick/Toon Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)

The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, by Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett, and Dan Davis (DC)

Amelia Rules: The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum)

The Ferret's a Foot, by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue (Graphic Universe/Lerner)

Princeless, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)

Snarked, by Roger Langridge (kaboom!)

Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke (First Second)

Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)

Anya's Ghost, by Vera Brosgol (First Second)

Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)

Level Up, by Gene Yang and Thien Pham (First Second)

Life with Archie, by Paul Kupperberg, Fernando Ruiz, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Norm Breyfogle et al. (Archie)

Mystic, by G. Willow Wilson and David Lopez (Marvel)

Best Anthology

Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)

Nelson, edited by Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix (Blank Slate)

Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)

The Someday Funnies, edited by Michel Choquette (Abrams ComicArts)

Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land, edited by Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Humor Publication

The Art of Doug Sneyd: A Collection of Playboy Cartoons (Dark Horse Books)

Chimichanga, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Coffee: It's What's for Dinner, by Dave Kellett (Small Fish)

Kinky & Cosy, by Nix (NBM)

Milk & Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad, by Evan Dorkin (Dark Horse Books)

Best Digital Comic 

Bahrain, by Josh Neufeld, www.cartoonmovement.com/comic/24

Battlepug, by Mike Norton, www.battlepug.com

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, by Tony Cliff, www.delilahdirk.com

Outfoxed, by Dylan Meconis, www.dylanmeconis.com/outfoxed

Sarah and the Seed, by Ryan Andrews, www.ryan-a.com/comics/sarahandtheseed...

Best Reality-Based Work

Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)

Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case (Dark Horse Books)

Marzi: A Memoir, by Marzena Sowa and Sylvain Savoia (Vertigo/DC)

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)

Vietnamerica, by GB Tran (Villard)

Best Graphic Album – New

Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)

Freeway, by Mark Kalesniko (Fantagraphics)

Habibi, by Craig Thompson (Pantheon)

Ivy, by Sarah Olekysk (Oni)

Jim Henson's Tale of Sand, adapted by Ramón K. Pérez (Archaia)

One Soul, by Ray Fawkes (Oni)

Best Graphic Album – Reprint

Big Questions, by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)

The Death Ray, by Dan Clowes (Drawn & Quarterly)

Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition, by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

WE3: The Deluxe Edition, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo/DC)

Zahra's Paradise, by Amir and Khalil (First Second)

Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips

Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, by Alex Raymond and Don Moore, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)

Forgotten Fantasy: Sunday Comics 1900-1915, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)

Prince Valiant vols. 3-4, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)

Tarpé Mills's Miss Fury Sensational Sundays, 1944-1949, edited by Trina Robbins (IDW/Library of American Comics)

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse vols. 1-2, by Floyd Gottfredson, edited by David Gerstein and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project – Comic Books

Government Issue: Comics for the People: 1940s-2000s, edited by Richard L. Graham (Abrams ComicArts)

The MAD Fold-In Collection, by Al Jaffee (Chronicle)

PS Magazine: The Best of Preventive Maintenance Monthly, by Will Eisner (Abrams ComicArts)

The Sugar and Spike Archives, vol. 1, by Sheldon Mayer (DC)

Walt Simonson's The Mighty Thor Artist's Edition (IDW)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)

Isle of 100,000 Graves, by Fabien Vehlmann and Jason (Fantagraphics)

Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot, by Jacques Tardi and Jean-Patrick Manchette (Fantagraphics)

The Manara Library, vol. 1: Indian Summer and Other Stories, by Milo Manara with Hugo Pratt (Dark Horse Books)

Night Animals: A Diptych About What Rushes Through the Bushes, by Brecht Evens (Top Shelf)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia

A Bride's Story, by Kaoru Mori (Yen Press)

Drops of God, by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto (Vertical)

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)

Saturn Apartments, vols. 3-4, by Hisae Iwaoka (VIZ Media)

Stargazing Dog, by Takashi Murakami (NBM)

Wandering Son, vol. 1, by Shimura Takako (Fantagraphics)

Best Writer

Cullen Bunn, The Sixth Gun (Oni)

Mike Carey, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)

Jeff Jensen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Dark Horse Books)

Jeff Lemire, Animal Man, Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (DC); Sweet Tooth (Vertigo/DC)

Mark Waid, Irredeemable, Incorruptible (BOOM!); Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist

Rick Geary, The Lives of Sacco and Vanzetti (NBM)

Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)

Sarah Oleksyk, Ivy (Oni)

Craig Thompson, Habibi (Pantheon)

Jim Woodring, Congress of the Animals (Fantagraphics), "Harvest of Fear," inThe Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)

Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson's Tale of Sand (Archaia)

Chris Samnee, Captain America and Bucky, Ultimate Spider-Man #155 (Marvel)

Marcos Martin, Daredevil (Marvel)

Paolo Rivera/Joe Rivera, Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Cover Artist

Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC)

Francesco Francavilla, Black Panther (Marvel); Lone Ranger, Lone Ranger/Zorro, Dark Shadows, Warlord of Mars (Dynamite); Archie Meets Kiss (Archie)

Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)

Marcos Martin, Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel)

Sean Phillips, Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (Marvel Icon)

Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)

Best Coloring

Laura Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)

Bill Crabtree, The Sixth Gun (Oni)

Ian Herring and Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson's Tale of Sand (Archaia)

Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)

Cris Peter, Casanova: Avaritia, Casanova: Gula (Marvel Icon)

Best Lettering

Deron Bennett, Billy Fog, Jim Henson's Dark Crystal, Jim Henson's Tale of Sand, Mr. Murder Is Dead (Archaia); Helldorado, Puss N Boots, Richie Rich (APE Entertainment)

Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff(Atheneum)

Laura Lee Gulledge, Page by Paige (Amulet Books/Abrams)

Tom Orzechowski, Manara Library, with L. Lois Buholis(Dark Horse); Manga Man(Houghton Mifflin); Savage Dragon (Image)

Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

Best Comics-Related Journalism

The AV Club Comics Panel, by Noel Murray, Oliver Sava et al., www.avclub.com/features/comics-panel/

The Beat, produced by Heidi MacDonald et al., www.comicsbeat.com

The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, and The Comics Journal website, www.tcj.com, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (Fantagraphics)

The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon, www.comicsreporter.com

TwoMorrows Publications: Alter Ego edited by Roy Thomas, Back Issue edited by Michael Eury, Draw edited by Mike Manley, and Jack Kirby Collector edited by John Morrow

Best Educational/Academic Work

Alan Moore: Conversations, ed. by Eric Berlatsky (University Press of Mississippi)

Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice, by Ivan Brunetti (Yale University Press)

Critical Approaches to Comics: Theories and Methods, edited by Matthew J. Smith and Randy Duncan (Routledge)

Hand of Fire: The Comics Art of Jack Kirby, by Charles Hatfield (University Press of Mississippi)

Projections: Comics and the History of 21st Century Storytelling, by Jared Gardner (Stanford University Press)

Best Comics-Related Book

Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW/Yoe Books)

Caniff: A Visual Biography, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)

Drawing Power: A Compendium of Cartoon Advertising, edited by Rick Marschall and Warren Bernard (Fantagraphics/Marschall Books)

Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)

MetaMaus, by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)

Best Publication Design

Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)

Jim Henson's Tale of Sand, designed by Eric Skillman (Archaia)

Kinky & Cosy, designed by Nix (NBM)

The MAD Fold-In Collection, designed by Michael Morris (Chronicle)

Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition, designed by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Ballots with this year's nominees will be going out in mid-April to comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers. A downloadable pdf of the ballot is available online, and a special website has been set up for online voting:www.eisnervote.com. The results in all categories will be announced in a gala awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 13 at Comic-Con International.

Horror-Web Reviews Blood Feud!

Horror-Web has posted a new 5-star review of my vampires and spiders novella Blood Feud.

Blood Feud is a great read – funny, gory and, thanks to the spiders, pretty creepy.   This is definitely not your typical vampire story.  If you think the genre has gotten old and tired, give this a try.

Read the entire review here.

And if that's not good enough for you, check out what Dreadful Tales said:

Blood Feud is the perfect novella. It heaps on the blood, the laughs and the action leaving the reader completely satisfied in the end. I think I'm still in awe that a vampire yarn told through the eyes of a country bumpkin would work so amazingly well.

Read the entire review here.

And once you're done reading reviews, you can purchase Blood Feud for the Kindle here.

 

 

The 2011 Ghastly Awards

The Ghastly Awards for 2011 have been announced and I couldn't be more proud of their choices for Best Ongoing Series and Best Writer!




The panel judges are proud to announce the winners of the 2011 Ghastly Awards. Winners were chosen from entries nominated by their professional peers: comic book artist, writers, and publishers. The Ghastly Judicial Panel congratulates all 2011 nominees and winners. It is an honor to be so recognized by your fellow professionals for such outstanding work in horror comics.
The 2011 Winners are: 

Best Ongoing Title: 

Sixth Gun (Oni Press)

Best Mini-Series:

'68 (Image Comics)

Best One-Shot:

Hellblazer Annual 2011 (Vertigo)

Best New Series:

Green Wake (Image Comics)

Best Anthology:

Creepy (Dark Horse)

Best OGN:

Flesh & Blood (Monsterverse)

Best Archival Collection:

Bob Powell's Terror (IDW Publishing)

Best Writer: 

Cullen Bunn – The Sixth Gun

Best Artist:

Riley Rossmo – Green Wake

Best Inker:

Mark Bloodworth – Deadworld Last Siesta

Best Letterer:

Menton Matthews III - Monocyte

Best Colorist:

Jay Fotos – Locke & Key, '68

Best Web Comic:

Disappointing Monsters

Hall of Fame Inductee:

"Ghastly" Graham Ingels

Named for acclaimed comics creator "Ghastly" Graham Ingles, the awards are in their 1st year. Created to honor excellence in Horror Comics, every comic creator has a say in who the nominees are by nominating for their favorites throughout the year.The 2011 judging panel consists of Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com), Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com), Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/), Mike Howlet (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Weird-World-of-Eerie-Publications) and Mykal Banta (http://www.bloodypulptales.com/).
We thank everyone who took the time to nominate in this years awards. Nominations are now open for the 2012 Awards!

Upcoming Marvel Comics – June 2012

I have a few new books coming out from Marvel in June. Here's a quick look at them. Make sure to tell your comic book retailer of choice that you must have these books!

Captain America and Hawkeye #632

The Hybrid Queen awakens-in a big way-and only Cap, Hawkeye, and Stegron (?!) stand in her way!

And whose side is the mysterious Kashmir Vennema on? (Hint: It's not Cap and Hawkeye's!)

Hybrid Queen? What the Hell? I thought this thing was about dinosaurs! That is one big snake!

Captain America and Iron Man #633

Captain America and Iron Man head to Madripoor for a technology expo! What could possibly go wrong? Everything! That's what!

Especially when Batroc's Brigade shows up and a technological nightmare threatens to brings the world to its knees!

Madripoor! Cap in a tux! Batroc's Brigade! It's like a Cullen Bunn dream come true!

Venom #19

Flash Thompson and Betty Brant are on the run and there's nowhere to hide!

Venom's secret identity has been compromised… both to his enemies AND his friends!

Cullen Bunn (WOLVERINE) teams with series regulars Rick Remender & Lan Medina as the Savage Six stage their most brutal attack on the people closest to Flash Thompson!

This one has as much mayhem and chaos as we could squeeze into a comic book!

Wolverine #308

Wolverine versus Dr. Rot for control of Wolverine's brain

Can Wolverine destroy the last vestiges of Weapon X's programming?

This is a dark, gruesome Wolverine story… just like mama used to make.

Fear Itself: The Fearless Premiere Hardcover

When FEAR ITSELF ends, the hunt is on! Mystical hammers lie strewn across the entire Marvel Universe, and it's Valkyrie's mission to find them – no matter who stands in her way…even if it's Captain America and the Avengers! The Serpent's hammers could be the most dangerous artifacts in the world, and Valkyrie knows this all too well as she pursues the villainous Sin and Crossbones across the globe – from the Fantastic Four's headquarters to the Sub-Mariner's undersea vault, from the Thunderbolts' island prison to Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. and Utopia island! But as Sin and Crossbones launch a vicious attack, the final Sleeper awakens, and a universe fights for its very survival! Valkyrie and Sin face their final destinies – and they'll never be the same! Collecting FEAR ITSELF: THE FEARLESS #1-12 and material from FEAR ITSELF #7.

Battle Scars Trade Paperback

The post-FEAR ITSELF Marvel Universe begins here! Who is Army Ranger Marcus Johnson? How could he tear the Marvel Universe apart, and why is he the most wanted man in the world? S.H.I.E.L.D., Taskmaster, Captain America and more want him – dead or alive – but when Deadpool joins the hunt, the greatest secret in the Marvel Universe begins to unravel. What does Nick Fury have to do with this long-buried conspiracy? Taskmaster knows more than he's saying, and Marcus wants answers! The mystery deepens as the hunted becomes the hunter. And when Marcus finally discovers the truth about himself, his life – and the Marvel Universe – changes forever! Collecting BATTLE SCARS #1-6 and material from FEAR ITSELF #7.

In Case You Blinked – 3/16/2012

Here are a few interviews that have posted recently.

Comic Book Movie chatted with me about The Sixth Gun, Spider-Man: Season One, and Wolverine.
The Hourly Planet posted a pretty rad interview covering everything form comic books to mountain lion attacks.
Over on the Orbital Comics site, I answered five questions about funnybooks.
If podcasts are your thing, I spoke with the guys from Panel Culture for close to an hour on all sorts of comic-related stuff.
I talked with Newsarama about my upcoming Captain America and Hawkeye series.
Comic Book Resources sat down with me to discuss my upcoming run on Wolverine.
Speaking of Wolverine, I spoke with Newsarama about the book, too.
What's the deal with me co-writing the Savage Six arc of Venom? Find out in this iFanboy interview.

One Year Later…

Yesterday marked the anniversary of my last day at my day job and my transition to a full-time writer. I've learned a lot in the last year, and I'm still making new discoveries every day. My pal Brian Hurtt asked me how I feel now that the first year is behind me. My answer? I feel about the same as I did on Day 1… namely scared, anxious, like I'm not getting enough work done, like there aren't enough hours in the day, like I've made a big mistake…

…And pretty awesome.

I'm supposed to be scared. I'm supposed to be anxious. I'm supposed to constantly be looking at what's on the horizon and how I give myself a little more longevity as a writer. When I stop feeling that way… when I'm no longer hungry… I stop moving forward.

If I had waited until the perfect time to leave my day job, I wouldn't have left. I know there are many people out there who hope to one day leave the confines of a job that doesn't light their pants on fire and embark on some endeavor that is their dream. I'm not suggesting that you tell your boss to "take this job and shove it" this afternoon or anything. You have to make sure it is the right thing to do… at the right time… for you. Right, not perfect. I let fear guide my decisions for 15 years, as that will always be one of my biggest regrets in life.

In the next year, I'm going to focus on diversification. I'm tackling some new comic book projects. I'm dipping my toes back into prose. I'm working on some screenplays. It's going to be a busy, exciting time that will probably fly by even more quickly than the last year.

Behind the Scenes: Fear Itself: The Fearless #10

This week I'm breaking down the 10th issue of Fear Itself: The Fearless. 

This issue was co-plotted by Matt Fraction, Chris Yost, and myself. I handled the script. Paul Pelletier and Mark Bagley did the pencils. Danny Miki and Andy Lanning inked the book. Matt Wilson did colors. This is the Part 10 of a 12-issue limited series.

Here we go!

Page 1. This issue is the first in the series that does not start with a flashback. I wanted to let readers know right away that this issue was the beginning of the end. From this point forward, we're barreling toward the conclusion!

Captain America injured. Tolor dead! As we'll see in the next few pages, Valkyrie's gonna kick somebody's ass!

Page 2. When I wrote "Valkyrie stands with her sword in one hand, Cap's shield in the other," I knew I was setting up one of my favorite panels in the series. Paul didn't let me down.

By the way, teleportations are annoying to write, especially with limited space to get the idea across that characters are suddenly vanishing.

Page 4. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have added a line somewhere to remind readers that Host (the creepy ninja-looking dude) had used his spider to track Valkyrie. It's been a few issues since I referenced that.

Page 7. Shield to the face! C'mon. Admit it. Even when Hellstrom was on the side of the angels, you kind of wanted someone to hit him in the face with an adamantium shield.

Page 9. Valkyrie's interrogation of Innards is one of my favorite scenes this issue. I was kind of proud of her threat: "For centuries I have ushered fallen warriors into the afterlife. Do you think I couldn't find you no matter where you end up in Hell? Do you think death can protect you from me?"

Pages 10 & 11. Okay. Time for a little exposition. The origin of the Sleepers has been hinted at throughout the series, but I wanted to go ahead and drive home the idea that the Sleepers we've seen in the Marvel Universe for years have connections to the Serpent's Destroyer that Sin has been trying to raise.

Page 12. I know Hellstrom can burn Crossbones to ash and bone where he stands, but I think the Son of the Devil would rather hurt someone emotionally. He has a gift for getting under someone's skin… and he enjoys doing it.

Page 13. Aww. Sad Crossbones. Here we have Crossbones crisis of faith. Has Sin been using him all along? He may be a cruel, merciless killer, but he's got a heart. It's funny. After all the mean stuff Crossbones has been doing this series, all I need to do to give him a little heart is slow him down and give him a few silent panels. Don't worry. The beatings commence again on the next page.

Pages 15 & 16. Two pages… 22 guest stars. 11-to-1 is a good ratio, I guess. Most of the characters who have appeared in the series so far (and plenty of extras) show up here for the final showdown. The tough thing with this many guest stars is that it runs the risk of taking away from Valkyrie's story. At the same time, I needed to show that the stakes are high now, and all of these heroes are needed to turn back the darkness.

Also, I love the look of glee on Valkyrie's face.

Page 17 & 18. The D.O.A. vs. the Avengers. I needed a few pages to show the chaotic battle both sides are plunging into.

Page 20. And now the final chess piece is on the board! The Final Sleeper, fueled by Sin's soul and armed with all of the Serpent's hammers, steps out of the pit. The fight is about to go really, really bad for our heroes. The design of the Final Sleeper is great, conjuring images of Odin's Destroyer as well as the Sleeper robots of the good old days. Putting the hammers on a cat-of-nine-tails was my idea, but I'm thrilled with the way Paul pulled it off.