Dispatches from the Flying M

You Must Read 1000 Comic Books You Must Read

I got my copy of Tony Isabella's book 1000 Comic Books You Must Read yesterday afternoon.  So far I have only had a chance to flip through, page by page, admiring Tony's choices and the beautiful cover art shown.  I have read only a few of the descriptions, and there are, of course, books I'd have left out and others I'd have put in.  That's half the fun of a project like this--letting it stimulate you to come up with the things you'd have done different.  The other half is seeing things you used to have, things you always wished you had, things you never knew about but now wish you had, and things you do have and can go re-read at any moment.

One of the most glaring omissions, of course, is that the book only includes one comic I wrote among its 1000 choices.  I'd have put far more than that in, personally.  But the one Tony did pick, Desperadoes #5, is a personal favorite of my own stuff, and from the caption it's clear that he means it to stand for the whole series, not just that single issue.  And it shows up on the book's cover (just two over from Superman's first appearance in Action Comics #1.  It doesn't get much better than that.

So thanks, Tony, for including me.  And thanks for putting together an amazing book.  

Anyone who loves comics needs to put their hands on a copy of this.

Graveslinger review

A new review of a book that came out early this year, Graveslinger. This one is the horror Western that I wrote with Shannon Eric Denton, with art by John Cboins and Nima Sorat. It was a 4-issue miniseries from Image Comics/Shadowline, then was collected into a single volume by IDW Publishing. Here's the review's takeaway: "Strong writing and strong art, well worth reading."

So pick up a copy today!

Fade to Black

I'm pleased to announce my collaboration with the great Italian artist Daniele Serra on a horror miniseries for Image Comics/Shadowline (publishers of my graphic novel Zombie Cop and horror/western miniseries Graveslinger, among other things) called Fade to Black. It's a five-issue mini that'll debut in March. The solicitation copy for the first issue will read:

Desert survival is hard, even without a cannibal cult in the mix.
Five people will find that out as they embark on the most terrifying journey of their young lives-only none of them are what they seem, and neither is anything else in this gut-wrenching horror miniseries.

Written by award-winning novelist Jeff Mariotte (Zombie Cop, Cold Black Hearts), with art by internationally acclaimed illustrator Daniele Serra (Pray for Death).

Here are the first three pages of issue #1 (in low-rez copies):

    

Obama in hardcover!

The hardcover collecting my three-volume comic book biography of President Barack Obama goes on sale tomorrow, October 28.  With the excellent Tom Morgan illustrating, this story follows Obama's life from his birth through the campaign, election, transition and first 100 days in office. 

Obama's candidacy and election were history-making, but in a lesser way so was this project: the first comic book biography of a candidate, president-elect and president that followed him through those steps, the first that wasn't sponsored, authorized or approved by any campaign or political party. The book is strictly nonpartisan, thoroughly researched and documented.  It was covered on CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, various network news programs and newspapers from coast to coast and around the world.

In hardcover, it's a complete document of the president's life and successful campaign, for the low, low price of $14.99.  It's published by IDW Publishing. Give it a look at a comic shop or bookstore near you!

ZOMBIE COP on CSI

Well, the CSI episode aired last night.  Zombie Cop's appearance, as expected, was brief, but it was there.  Here's a screen capture in case you missed it.

ZOMBIE COP makes the New Yorker Magazine

Well, the online version of the New Yorker, anyway, with a nice write-up about the CSI appearance next Thursday.  And they point back to this blog--specifically, to a recent cow photo...

Disney Buys Marvel

For $4 billion.  Good deal for Marvel.  Considering the profitability of Marvel's movies, maybe good deal for Disney too.  Now the big two comics companies both belong to huge multinational entertainment conglomerates--I hope the Marvel folks are ready to have lots more meetings and layers of bureacracy.

ZOMBIE COP hits the big time

My original graphic novel Zombie Cop will make its small-screen debut on October 15, in the teaser segment of hit CBS-TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

 It started on Wednesday, with an email from the publisher, forwarding an email from the show's property master, seeking permission to use the book on an upcoming episode.  I responded positively (of course!).  By the end of business that day I'd had a conversation with the property master, signed the necessary paperwork, and the publisher had shipped copies of the book over to the production office.  They shot the scene last night.  In the scene, someone's reading the graphic novel in a diner, and that serves as the lead-in to a gunfight.

 Now, I have various connections to CSI.  I used to edit a line of CSI comics.  I've met Anthony Zuiker, the creator of the hit franchise, been a guest on the set of CSI: Miami, and written graphic novels based on CSI and CSI: Miami.  I wrote a CSI: Miami novel called Right to Die that came out last year.  This coming Tuesday, August 25, my first CSI novel (based on the original series), CSI: Brass in Pocket, goes on sale, and I'm just wrapping up the final polish on the next one, CSI: Blood Quantum.  I know people who work on the show, and people in CBS licensing in New York.

 But the property master who selected the book was unaware of all that until we talked on the phone.  He just liked the cover and title and thought it was an appropriate way to lead up to the gunfight.

So the six-degrees thing here is more like two degrees, or one--but those connections had nothing to do with my book making its small-screen debut.  It's more like a cosmic coincidence... but I'll take it!

Herewith the covers of Zombie Cop, and CSI: Brass in Pocket, so you know what to look for...

GARRISON Interview

There's an interview with me about upcoming DC Comics/WildStorm miniseries Garrison up at Newsarama.  Check it out!

 

Obama bio in hardcover in October

My three-volume comic book bio of our 44th president will be collected into a nice hardcover (slightly revised) this October by IDW Publishing.  It's called Barack Obama: The Comic Book Biography.  Every American citizen--and everyone living in other countries who has ever heard of the United States of America--should own a copy of this.  Plus maybe a back-up just in case.