Author: Gabe Llanas

Review: Goon #1

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

GOON #1With the rebirth of Eric Powell’s The Goon on Albatross Funnybooks, we get a return of one of comicdom’s most entertaining characters.  One part period piece, one part horror show the world of The Goon is populated with mobsters, monsters and of course monster mobsters, all of whom are there for The Goon to beat up while cracking wise.  It is the kind of pure entertainment that people have come to expect from Powell and his work.

Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the character Powell is releasing his first original stories in The Goon universe since 2015 when the book was last published by Dark Horse.  Now working on his personal imprint Albatross Funnybooks Powell has said in a press release that he wants to bring to book back to its hilarious over the top roots; “I’m returning to the roots of the series with a heavy emphasis on the weird, twisted humor the book has been known for,” said Powell. “The world around us is dark enough right now. I want to make readers laugh and forget their troubles for a little bit.”  This first issue delivers on that promise.

With The Goon returning to his home town (The Town With No Name) he immediately learns that in spite of his best efforts to rid the city of gangsters and evil creatures the town is still beset by them.  The Goon’s toady, Frankie, starts a list of who they are going to have to beat up and violent hilarity ensues.  There are new threats and old frenimies all throughout this first issue that is off to a roaring start.

With witty dialogue and Powell’s unique brand of amazing art, this is a book that you should be on the lookout for.  If you haven’t read previous iterations of The Goon those are coming out in omnibus form from Albatross Funnybooks as well.  This is the kind of celebration of 20 years that any great comic should have.  A return to what made it great and a promise of more in the future.

The Goon #1 came out at your local comic book shop Wednesday March 13th, 2019.

Stephen Chow Confirms Kung Fu Hustle 2 Is Coming!

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

Here’s the deal.  You may not be as excited about this as I am, but that is just because you maybe haven’t had a chance to see this comedy kung fu classic!

This 2004 Stephen Chow action comedy takes place in a fantasy China where the notorious Axe Gang wants to take over a tenement slum run by The Landlady.  The residents of the slum have a secret though, magic Kung Fu powers!  If it sounds crazy, it is.  If it sounds hilarious, it is.  Even better, the fight scenes are amazing, and as a consequence, it has developed quite the cult following.

According to M.A.A.C.:

“During his recent promo interview for The New King Of Comedy, Chow revealed that Kung Fu Hustle 2 is officially in the works. He will direct and possibly cameo in the film after the Mermaid sequel is complete. However, it would not be a traditional sequel but more of a spiritual follow-up that actually takes place in modern day.”

If you haven’t seen the original, get off your ass and check it out!

 

If You Have an iPad Dark Horse Needs You!

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

Here is the message Dark Horse sent out for Beta Testers.  Join up and get something free!

 

We’ve been working hard to improve the Dark Horse iOS app and now we need your help!

PRIZES FOR SUBMITTING THE BEST BUG REPORT

We’re looking for beta testers for the next update. We will be rewarding testers that provide the best written, most actionable feedback that help us make the Dark Horse app the best it can be. The tester who, in our judgement, provides the best feedback will receive $50 in-store credit on Dark Horse Digital. The second and third best will each get $25 credit. We will select and notify the winners within 7 days of the release of this update.

Got the point already and want to get started? Just click this link from your iPad or iPhone, and follow the instructions here: https://testflight.apple.com/join/Otko4RrC.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK?

A crash, a bug, or something we need to fix. Here’s what we’re looking for:

  • A crash or bug has consistent steps to reproduce it.
  • A crash either causes the App to close or freeze/lock up.
  • A bug is unexpected behavior. This doesn’t mean it’s not doing what you want. It means that the app isn’t doing what it is designed to do.
  • If you are not sure if it’s a crash or bug but something is definitely off/not behaving well, please submit it!

WE’RE ALSO LOOKING FOR FEATURE SUGGESTIONS

This app is for you, our comic readers! A feature is something that enhances our app’s usability, improves the reading experience, purchase path, etc. Here are some examples :

  • Displaying your bookshelf as a list
  • Allowing you to select multiple books on your bookshelf and download them or archive them all at once.
  • From the store or bookshelf, download whole bundles or series all at once.

Please note: We have no control over the quality of your internet connection. Also, we cannot make very, very old iPads work faster, would that we could.

HOW DO I REPORT BUGS?

Please use the contact form in the app Settings, which is available by tapping the gear in the upper right-hand corner and then tapping “Help”. You can also send email to iosbeta@darkhorse.com. Please don’t forget to include steps to reproduce any bugs you are reporting.

OK, I WANT TO HELP! HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Just click this link and follow the instructions: https://testflight.apple.com/join/Otko4RrC.

Thanks for your continued support! And for the help!
~The Dark Horse Digital Dev Team

Love Is Love Raises Additional $51,000 in Support of LGBTQ Community

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

SAN DIEGO, CA (December 3, 2018) – IDW Publishing, with the support of DC, is proud to report that Love Is Love, the impactful graphic novel anthology published as a response to Orlando’s Pulse nightclub tragedy, has raised over $51,000 for this year’s charity recipient: The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.

Curated by writer Marc Andreyko, the Love Is Love anthology was published in December 2016, and by March 2017, it raised $165,000 for the OneOrlando Fund supporting Pulse victims and families. All proceeds are donated to LGBTQ charities, with a new recipient designated each year. The anthology made the 2018 donation at last night’s TrevorLIVE LA gala, which celebrates the organization’s work to save young LGBTQ lives.

“The Trevor Project hears from LGBTQ young people every day who fear violence, victimization, and bullying just for being who they are,” says Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “The support of Love Is Love and its prolific editors and contributors sends a message to LGBTQ youth everywhere that they are loved, valued, and never alone.”

Marc Andreyko says, “It is incredibly humbling to see how Love Is Love continues to resonate with readers around the globe and continues to raise money for the LGBT community, and I could not think of a more deserving organization than The Trevor Project. Helping at-risk LGBTQ youth is a beautiful way to honor the 49 lives lost at Pulse and celebrate their too-short lives.”

“We’re grateful that so many have embraced Love Is Love’s message of awareness, acceptance, and support, and that the project continues to benefit vital organizations helping the LGBTQ community,” says Greg Goldstein, IDW President and Publisher.

Contributors to the Love Is Love project included such comic and entertainment luminaries as Brian Michael Bendis, Marguerite Bennett, Marc Bernardin, Paul Dini, Ming Doyle, Kieron Gillen, Sina Grace, Phil Jimenez, Jim Lee, David Mack, Brad Meltzer, Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, Nyambi Nyambi, Patton Oswalt, Ivan Reis, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, Cat Staggs, José Villarrubia, and G. Willow Wilson, among many others.

Love Is Love is currently in its sixth printing, available via online booksellers and comic book specialty retailers. The anthology is also available through digital platforms.

 

VALIANT HEROES Collectible Card Game App Now Available

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

London (November 28, 2018) – VirtTrade and Valiant Entertainment have announced the official launch of VALIANT HEROES – CARD BATTLES, available now for iOS devices. Developed by VirtTrade, the card-collecting and battle game features characters from the vast Valiant Universe, including Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, and Faith, plus many more. The game was initially announced in September.

In VALIANT HEROES, characters join forces to fight in single and multiplayer battles across the Valiant Universe. Players can collect cards and battle with them to gain XP, and build collections to improve their ranking against other players globally.

Additionally, players can compete in the “Fight Zone,” where they are able to trade and upgrade for cards with improved health and attack scores, giving them enhanced skills and powers for the battles ahead. Players can also earn regular rewards, including coins and free cards, as they return to the game each day.

VirtTrade has previously found success developing apps for the NFL, NBA, Discovery and, most recently, partnering with Formula 1 to make F1 Pack Rivals.

VALIANT HEROES is out now and free to download on the App Store and will be available soon on Google Play for Android devices.

Dynamite Delivers The Boys Omnibus Publishing Schedule!

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

Volume One of Ennis & Robertson’s
Critically-Acclaimed Series Releasing March 2019

November 21, Mt. Laurel, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment is releasing Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s Eisner-nominated series, The Boys, in a brand new format for fans and readers looking to jump on board with the critically-acclaimed series before the television adaptation debuts with Amazon Prime Video in 2019.

At a massive 344 pages, the fan-favorite series draped in controversy is now presented in an omnibus edition as Dynamite releases the first 14 issues of the acclaimed series in one oversized trade collection! Join the most brutal government operatives ever assembled in tales of mayhem and dark humor, as chronicled by Garth Ennis, Dennis Robertson, and Peter Snejbjerg. Meticulously restored, The Boys Omnibus Edition Volume 1 also features bonus art materials, the script to issue #1 by Garth Ennis, a coboysomni.jpgmplete cover gallery with iconic artwork by Darick Robertson, and much more.

Some superheroes have to be watched. Some have to be controlled. And some of them — sometimes — need to be taken out of the picture. That’s when you call in The Boys! In a world where costumed heroes soar through the sky and masked vigilantes prowl the night, someone’s got to make sure the “supes” don’t get out of line. Billy Butcher, Wee Hughie, Mother’s Milk, The Frenchman, and The Female are The Boys: A CIA-backed team of very dangerous people, each one dedicated to the struggle against the most dangerous force on Earth – superpower!

“The Boys has long been one of our proudest achievements in our 14 years of publishing,” said Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. “Garth and Darick poured blood, sweat, and tears into the project for six years and 72 issues and we’re excited to see new, affordable, collected editions for fans on stands in time for the much awaited Amazon Prime Video adaptation. There’s never been a better time to read this series.”

The Boys Omnibus Volume 1 will be released in stores everywhere March 2019. The Boys Omnibus Volume 2 and The Boys Omnibus Volume 3 are expected to see May and July release dates, respectively.

The Boys Omnibus Volume 1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ December 2018 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in February 2019. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve a copy of The Boys Omnibus Volume 1 with their local comic book shop or pre-order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or retailer of their choosing.

Rolled and Told #3 – Lion Forge

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

Let’s talk about the remarkable resurgence of Dungeons and Dragons over that last couple of years.  With the release of Fifth Edition (AKA 5E), a new D&D clothing line, it’s imagery used in the immensely popular show Strange Things, and issues of a D&D comic from IDW (and a Rick and Morty crossover); the D&D brand has become cool and interesting to the world in general and not just for nerdlingers like myself.  Much in the same way that the D20 system was very open-ended and lent itself to people creating their own worlds and adventures 5E has done a lot of the same things.  We are starting to see a new crop of creative projects that can be used in your personal D&D campaigns.

Enter Rolled and Told, this new line of books from the people at Lion Forge and Quillion.  Rolled and Told is a single adventure wrapped up in a comic book.  By using comic book pages and art to create the framework for an adventure, as well as having maps, adventure hooks and even tips and tricks on how to create better adventures, this foray into the world of comics and Dungeons and Dragons is really pretty brilliant.

Issue 3 revolves around a school names Varacadabara that has lost control of time and space and the monsters that they are hiding inside.  As adventurers, you are tasked with going into the school to rescue the students that are trapped inside.  Time and space shift and warp as you make your way through the school, new creatures confront you and there is plenty of mystery to be solved.  It is a good stand-alone adventure that can be fit into any campaign setting, and as long as you have the core rulebooks for the game you are good to go.

The best part of any supplement like this is that there are new monsters, spells, and concepts that can be spread out through the rest of your campaign to flesh out your world even more.  This 66-page book from Lion Forge is a perfect example of what makes D&D great.  You can create your own worlds and adventures, but when you don’t have the time to make something new for your group there is always something like this that you can lean into and rely on.  So if you are a fan of the old Dungeon magazines, or just have a campaign that needs a little fleshed out:  Rolled and Told is the book for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

There is a time-honored tradition in the Llanas household, and that is the Thanksgiving viewing of the greatest Thanksgiving movie of all time. That, of course, is the 1987 John Hughes film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

I love my family, my kids and my wife, but as I have talked about on the show a lot of time I’m not extra close to my actual family.  Don’t talk with my mom much, my dad lives out of state, so the holidays are less about the family that I was born into than the family I have made and chosen and in a lot of ways that is what this movie is about.  The family that I have are people that I have chosen to surround myself with.

That is what this movie is about.  The people that come into your life are the people that should be in your life.  Every new friend is a chance to have new family.  So take today and be thankful for the people in your life, you never know how long you have with them.  Take today to do something good for someone in need, you never know when you will meet new family members.  When it is all said sit down, have a good laugh, have some feels, and enjoy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

 

Love Town #0 In Stores Now!

Posted on by Gabe Llanas

The very first issue of Matt and John Yuan’s (Serving Supes, Inspector OH) latest series Love Town #0 is now available at a fine comic retailer near you!

Love Town follows Detective Allie Saxon who is not only the first female on the Los Amores police force; she’s also the department’s only vampire. On her first case, Allie learns that on the mean streets of Love Town, money, power, and magic can make anything happen if you’re willing to pay the price. Magic in Love Town isn’t the usual witch or magician casting a spell that we’re all accustomed to. Magic consumes the user in profound ways. Once a fraction of your being is spent, there’s no getting your soul back.

According to ThePullBox.com’s review “It’s got all the makings of a hard-biting murder mystery, with a heroine determined to prove herself – as a cop, a woman, and a vampire – in a world that’s set against her making it”.

Can’t make it to your local comic shop this week? Order Love Town #0 and reserve your copy of Love Town #1 directly from the Devil’s Due/1First Comics web store!