A.N.A. Comics - News, Updates, and More

Studio Creator: Meghan Wright

2012-01-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

Meghan Wright - Colorist / Letterer / Designer

Meghan has been a Colorist/Designer with A.N.A Comics for almost 2 years. She has worked on prints, logo designs, coloring for web-comics, and is currently part of the creative team for The Midnight Raider! She sits down with ANAComics.com to let us get to know her a little bit better:

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Anacomics.com: "We know you are busy with all the work you are doing for the new A.N.A Comics website so we'll keep this short and sweet for now. What are your interests?"

Meghan: "Besides the many splendid things that are David Tennant, Bones, Dr. Who, various other TV programs, and of course BATMAN, my interests are quite simple: Being creative."

Anacomics.com: "What creative skills do you bring to A.N.A Comics?"

Meghan: "I went to college to be a Graphic Designer. Since then I have been pursuing work as a Digital Comic Book Colorist and Letterer."

Anacomics.com: "Please share with us what projects have you worked on or created?"

Meghan: "Currently I am working hard as Colorist and Letterer on, The Midnight Raider. I am also the Colorist for, Anthony Hary's Robin Hood, a Web-Comic still in production. Before these projects I was the Colorist on Nicholas P. Myers' Web-Comic, The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby. That project was great fun, but is currently on hiatus while Nicholas finishes other obligations."

Anacomics.com: "You certainly have done a lot in your short career. What then are your creative goals for the future?"

Meghan: "Simply put: To be better than I was yesterday."

You can follow Meghan Wright's journey of improvement here: www.mghnwrght.blog.com

(All art is displayed for portfolio purposes only and is not necessarily the property of A.N.A Comics. The art is copyright to the Artist, with all Intellectual Property copyrights remaining with the Owner/Creator of the property)

Studio Creator: Alfredo Lopez Jr

2012-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Alfredo Lopez Jr.

Known by many as Freddy Lopez, his beautiful rendering fused with an unbridled imagination make his work unmistakable. Truly one of the biggest talents of his generation, it’s a treat to introduce him to you:
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Anacomics.com: “From your energetic line style to your surreal color rendering its obvious to see you’ve been impacted by many sources in your growth as an artist, what are some of your personal interests?

Alfredo: “My interests include long walks on alien beaches, watching paint dry, staying 50 yards away from Molly Ringwald at all times and breeding flesh-eating zombie bunnies.”

Anacomics.com: “Now with your amazing talent, and other worldly interests, what do you do with your skills?”

Alfredo: “I work as a colorist specializing in comic covers and do illustration and concept artwork for comics and games.”

Anacomics.com: “Share with us, please, where you have applied your talents?”

Alfredo: “My client list has included: Rogue Games, Bregent Marketing, A.N.A Comics, Twomorrows Publishing, Ape Entertainment, Image/Shadowline Comics, Markosia Publishing and others.”

Anacomics.com: “Where do you go from here? What are your creative goals?”

Alfredo: “I'd love to work on more concept art as well as collaborate with more artists to bring my style to their cover projects.”

Alfredo’s portfolio can be found at http://www.LopezStudios.com as well as on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArtofAlfredoLopezJr

(All art is displayed for portfolio purposes only and is not necessarily the property of A.N.A Comics. The art is copyright to the Artist, with all Intellectual Property copyrights remaining with the Owner/Creator of the property)

Studio Creator: Adrian Wilkins

2012-01-02T15:04:00.000-08:00

Adrian Wilkins

Adrian Wilkins is a founding member of A.N.A Comics. His drive for the industry and commitment to creating an avenue for quality storytelling were huge catalysts in the creation of A.N.A Comics. Now he talks a bit with us:
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Anacomics.com: “Look at you! You’re the kinda guy where everything you do is synanimus with the word BIG. From your stature to your style, you go big or go home. Share with us a bit about the “who” behind the “what” you are. What are your interests?”

Adrian: “My interests are all over the place. They go from Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to Pro Wrestling to sports in general and back to Comic Books and Film/Television production.”

Anacomics.com: “That is quite the range. From all of those interests, what creative skills do you being to A.N.A Comics?”

Adrian: “Creatively I focus on two fields. I'm a writer as well as a freelance photographer.”

Anacomics.com: “Over the course of your career, what projects have you worked on or created?”

Adrian: “I worked on a short format book called ‘Outlaw Angel’ with Will Caligan that was published in an anthology called Cereal & Pajamas that was published through APE Entertainment. With A.N.A Comics I have contributed Editorial oversight on projects including WE’RE INDY: Rise of the Independents Anthology, and the 2011 A.N.A Comics Breast Cancer Charity Swimsuit Special. Right now I am in the middle of creating an original and unique super power "universe".”

Anacomics.com: “What are your creative goals?”

Adrian: “To have my stories told to the world and help other writers out there that hope to do the same.”

If you are interested in seeing Adrian’s photography work, visit this link:
www.supremeknightphotography.weebly.com

Studio Creator: Kat Hary

2012-01-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

Kat Hary

(8 year old Kat, future Storytelling superstar!)

Kat Hary is the Co-Creator of THE MIDNIGHT RAIDER and is currently writing volume 1. Planned to be released in the Summer of 2012 as a Four issue mini-series through A.N.A Comics.

Kat's has Created or Co-Created: The Midnight Raider, The Osprey, Black Terrapin, and characters set to appear within the BRETHREN: Universe.

Studio Creator: Anthony Hary

2012-01-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

Anthony Hary - Cinematic Illustrator / Storyteller / Editor

Creator, Illustrator, Storyteller, and Entrepreneur, Anthony Hary, sits down with ANAComics.com to talk about his career, his creations, and the future of A.N.A Comics!

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Anacomics.com: “For many people when they think of A.N.A Comics, they think of you and your involvement in the company, but what about you as a person? What are your interests?”

Anthony: “My interests cycle a lot around storytelling and creating an experience for my audience. That’s in everything from comics to cooking. I love comic books, have since I was 8 or 9 years old. Really I love visual storytelling. Which obviously includes Comic books and Graphic Novels, but also encompasses Film and Television, even Video games. After that my interests widen out greatly towards a wide variety of music, and down to simple moments like just sitting and talking with friends.”

Anacomics.com: “Being one of the founding members of A.N.A Comics, you’d think we’d know by now, but we’ll ask anyways. What are your creative skills?”

Anthony: “I coined the term somewhere in 2009 that what I do is ‘Cinematic Illustration’. Its close enough to reality to know exactly what it is, but stylized enough to be visually appealing as an illustration. My primary weapon is the pencil. I will ink, or color as needed, but my greatest strength is in my penciling. Secondary to that is my skill as a writer/editor. For me there is a benefit to knowing and understanding as much of the industry as I can and through that I also have a grasp on the basics of many other practices.”

Anacomics.com: “You’ve been active in the industry for around 10 years now. During that time what projects have you worked on or created yourself?”

Anthony: “I have contributed to many independent books, along with illustrating private commissions for clients and fans, but was it fun about where I am at with my career today, is that its like a full circle growth from where I started. My first full effort into the world comic books as a creator started with BRETHREN, which was originally a web-comic. I was co-writing, penciling, inking, and lettering BRETHREN when we started out. Now, after years of doing all sorts of other things, its fun to be working on these Creator Owned projects again and one of them is BRETHREN! I am also the artist and co-creator of The Midnight Raider! Along with that I have provided covers for different books, including WE’RE INDY: Rise of the Independents Anthology, HARIJAN TPB, and the first volume of TPANVB, all of which were published through A.N.A Comics.”

Anacomics.com: “After all you have done, do you have any further creative goals you are striving for?”

Anthony: “So far in my career I have accomplished much of what I have set out to do, but I have a lot left on my goals list! First and foremost it’s great to have accomplished what I have, but I have done all that while still working a fulltime day job. A huge goal for me is to shed the day job and move into working on my craft full time. Along with that I have some great projects in the pipeline and I plan to complete those, along with the work I am doing on The Midnight Raider and BRETHREN.”

More Anthony Hary on the Web? Just visit ANTHONYHARY.COM

Studio Creator: Richard Evans

2012-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Richard Evans - Writer / Founder of Raven Entertainment Studio

Richard Evans is a visionary writer and the founder of Raven Entertainment Studio. He is the Creator of LEGION UNLEASHED, CANADIAN LEGION, BLACK FLAG and is also the Co-Creator of The Midnight Raider.

A.N.A Comics has joined forces with Richard Evans to bring select properties from Raven Entertainment Studio under our umbrella to aid in the development, oversight, and publication of these properties. We are very excited to share them with you.

Stay tuned!

Visit Richard's Blog HERE

http://legionunleashed.blogspot.com/

Studio Creator: Rob Sherman

2012-01-02T11:06:00.003-08:00

Rob Sherman – Artist / Cinematic Illustrator / Storyteller

One of the Artists involved in the upcoming BRETHREN:Universe titles, Rob Sherman, sits down with ANAComics.com to talk about Comics, Art, and being a Gym Rat...

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Anacomics.com: “ Now Rob, you are one of the newer members of A.N.A Comics, but you are no stranger to the world of comic books. Please share with us what are your interests?”

Rob: “That’s right, I just signed on with A.N.A Comics in December 2011. Which is AWESOME!!! As far as interests go, I have a few. In no particular order...I love comics, film, and music. I'm also a bit of a gym rat.”

Anacomics.com: “From what we here there are some exciting things in the pipeline for you at A.N.A Comics, and though you cant elaborate on that at the moment, how about a hint by sharing with us your creative skills?”

Rob: “Mostly the wielding of a pencil and pen, are my current focus. Along with being an illustrator I enjoy writing and the total storytelling process. I also have some knowledge of film and audio production.”

Anacomics.com: “What projects have you worked on or created?”

Rob: “I've designed a few posters for local Minnesota bands. I've had a Shawn Michaels tribute piece published in WWE magazine. I've also done commissioned pieces for friends and family. But for the most part my venture with A.N.A Comics will be my first opportunity to really create something on a larger scale.”

Anacomics.com: “Well, we are happy to have you with is! With this new opportunity, what are your creative goals?”

Rob: “To take part in the creation of a story that inspires and teaches people. Some of the greatest lessons I have learned in life have been through comics, film, and music. I would like to know that I'm a part of something like that and to know that I touched people on that level. I want to create something that when someone walks away from experiencing it they say to themselves "WOW!" Also, I hope to be able to make a living telling those stories. We all need to eat right?”

Keep up with Rob Sherman and his developing career at ANAComics.com

(All art is displayed for portfolio purposes only and is not necessarily the property of A.N.A Comics. The art is copyright to the Artist, with all Intellectual Property copyrights remaining with the Owner/Creator of the property)

Studio Creator: Nicholas P. Myers

2012-01-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

Nicholas P. Myers

Creator, Artist, Writer and the mastermind behind the 312 page epic graphic novel OASIS: OMNIBUS, sits down to answer a few questions with us:

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Anacomics.com: “Hey Nicholas, you have been with A.N.A Comics from their earliest days in 2009, tell us a bit about yourself. What things do you find that interest you the most?”

Nicholas: “I love finding and reading new Indie print comics and new web-comics. They're very entertaining and also provide some insight into what other creators are thinking and doing. I'm an avid reader of science fiction, some fantasy, and alternate history books, along with everything Stephen King. Right now I'm reading a compilation of mythologies from around the world.”

Anacomics.com: “Describe for us your ‘Creative Skills’.”

Nicholas: “Through my formal training, I have a BFA in Visual Communication/Graphic Design with a minor in illustration. I consider myself an artist/writer. I think they both have to coincide. In order to create an illustration, you have to create the story that illustration exists in. I write and illustrate almost all of my own work. I pencil and ink my own work and have inked other's work as well. I'm working on creating a skill set of coloring as well.”

Anacomics.com: “You mentioned that you write and illustrate most of your own work. What projects have you worked on or created?”

Nicholas: “I've written, illustrated and produced a 312 page graphic novel, OASIS: OMNIBUS. After that I independently released a three issue mini-series, HARIJAN, which was collected into a trade paperback through A.N.A Comics in 2010. Most recently I produced the web-comic, The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby, through A.N.A Comics, along with releasing a collected print edition of the first year’s worth of stories.”

Anacomics.com: “You have accomplished quite a bit in your career. We get the distinct impression though that you are not finished yet, do you have further creative goals?”

Nicholas: “I would love to have enough exposure so that everyone could get lost in my worlds. I love to create entire worlds around my stories. Ideally I will be able to continue to do that, and retain creative control over my properties. I believe that as an artist and writer I need to continuously work to improve my craft. There is never a time where you can stop and say, "I made it.”

Currently I am working on pencilling and inking an incredibly exciting project for Richard Evans (Legion Unleashed), along with finalizing the details on some planned 2012 projects being released through A.N.A Comics!”

Where can you find Mr. Myers on the internet?

Blog: http://floatingislandstudios.blogspot.com/
On-line store: http://floatingislandstudios.bigcartel.com/
And of course, our A.N.A Comics site: http://anacomics.com

As we go into 2012

2011-12-29T12:10:00.001-08:00

Noticing some of my comic industry friends posting on the various social media sites on how they think 2012 will be "their year". I have said similar regarding my own creative goals. The industry is only so big and theoretically there is only so much "success" to go around. I would like to officially say to all my creative peers that I truly hope this is your year!!! I hope you achieve new levels of success and get from 2012 all that you hope to, regardless of how my year turns out, I hope you are given your goals. Please keep posting and keep building this industry. Also keep in touch and let me know how you're doing with everything and I will do my best to promote, support, and assist you all as best I can. Let us, together, make 2012 year the best in independent comic book history!!!

December 2011 Updates

2011-12-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

A.N.A Comics is proud to share that we have teamed with ICG Publishing ( http://www.icgeeks.com/ ) - We've already begun doing great work with them and many of our 2012 plans will involve ICG Publishing. They are trying to take independent publishing in a direction that will be exciting to see. Check them out.

December 7th, 2011 – A.N.A Comics Announcements Continued!!

It’s the seventh and I like the number 7 so I thought it’s a good time for another announcement. – A.N.A Comics is restructuring and becoming an LLC in 2012! Thus far A.N.A Comics has worked as a name plate & virtual studio for a few specific private studios and the plan from day one was to reevaluate where we would go in 2012 after form...ing in 2009. Now 3 years later and that time is here! We have an amazing group associated with A.N.A Comics and its going to be exciting to grow our brand with the new strength of being a registered Limited Liability Company.

The inner workings of the company are not completely worked out and so I can’t fully share those yet, but I can tell you this: We Moving Forward!!! A.N.A Comics will remain consistent in its effort to focus on story first as an All Ages company. Since 2009 A.N.A Comics has enjoyed modest success in the books we’ve printed, and a very positive reaction to the web-comics we host for free on anacomics.com. Our plan is to build on that. No back stepping here. The digital side of A.N.A Comics will continue to grow in 2012 built upon the shoulders of our current active web-comics: Death At Your Door & Miss Ultimate!! Plans are also in the works for the concluding season of The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby to release next year, which is very exciting!! Along with those properties we have some projects in the works, including Anthony Hary’s Robin Hood, that will be joining them in 2012 and we look forward to sharing those with you when the time comes.

That’s not all, because along with our growing web-comic initiative we are expanding our printing efforts. A.N.A Comics has teamed with ICG Publishing for printing and direct distribution to retailers. We are not looking to use Diamond at this point but instead hope to strengthen both our business and the market as a whole by developing stronger personal relationships with Retailers. Our printing effort is not just becoming more active, but it is also growing.

Four titles we are excited to confirm as the initial four pillars in our publishing efforts are: The Midnight Raider, BRETHREN, Dire Capital, and CRIMSON MASQUERADE. Four unique universes, four unique experiences, all of which are currently in development at A.N.A Comics along with other individual titles and creator owned properties. But that is not all! A.N.A Comics is proudly teaming with Raven Entertainment Studio to bring select titles into the A.N.A Comics fold. Current A.N.A Comics Editor in Chief Anthony Hary will also be serving as EIC for these Raven Entertainment Studios properties.

Lastly, we announced a couple days ago about our “mentorship” program. The next announcement will give greater detail about that program and the third A.N.A Comics initiative to Build the Industry from the Inside out.

December 15th, 2011 – A.N.A Comics Announcements Continued!!!

From the beginning the mentality at A.N.A Comics has been “Make It Happen!!!” – meaning no one is going to do it for us. WE have to put in the time and hard work to make our goals and dreams the reality we enjoy every day!

So far this month we have announced that A.N.A Comics has teamed with ICG Publishing. We’ve talked about the planned growth of A.N.A Comics as an LLC and our publishing plans in both the digital and physical markets. While discussing all of those we touched on how all of these efforts stem from the foundational elements of what makes A.N.A Comics uniquely its own. Today we will touch on the third pillar of the foundation of A.N.A Comics. The ideal that started this venture from day one, in which A.N.A Comics was formed, to be a resource and a supportive element within the industry to help other aspiring creators grow, and get their work out in front of the world and all the while helping them become the best storytellers they can be. Let’s talk about the A.N.A Comics Studio Creator Program!

Since our inception in 2009 A.N.A Comics has worked to provide opportunities for creators to showcase what they do and really shine in front of an audience. In 2010 A.N.A Comics released WE’RE INDY: RISE OF THE INDEPENDENTS – an anthology featuring 11 different properties from independent creators from all over the world. In 2011 we released the A.N.A Comics Swimsuit Special benefiting the fight against Breast Cancer. This book also contained art from independent artists from across the industry who donated their talent and original characters to this Swimsuit Special, and we can’t express how proud we are to have so many great creators who were willing to support that book. Along with those publishing efforts A.N.A Comics has regularly performed “Sketch Challenges” online, originally on anacomics.com forum, and now its moved to the ANACOMICS facebook group page. This friendly competition isn’t about winning or being better than the other participants. It is all about pushing one’s self to meet the challenge and to have fun doing it! As we move into 2012 and this new phase of A.N.A Comics it feels like the right time to do something new, something to hopefully be a full step forward for those ourselves and the creators who work with us.

A.N.A COMICS STUDIO CREATOR PROGRAM – This is an invitation only program. This must be stated from the start so we are on the same page. A.N.A Comics will, for the time being, no longer be reviewing submissions. Rather we are taking a more proactive approach. Instead of following the typical model of waiting to see what comes to us, A.N.A Comics is making decisive plans on where we want to go, and will be actively seeking out individuals who will compliment those plans. These “STUDIO CREATORS” will receive input, critiques, and assistance in growing in their craft whether that be writer, artist, colorist, designer, or letterer, A.N.A Comics will be working with them to help them become the creator and storyteller they want to be. Members of the STUDIO CREATOR PROGRAM will also be featured on A.N.A Comics new website. The site will share a photo, short bio, and a sampling of their finest work, which A.N.A Comics will use to help these creators secure work within the industry. Meaning if someone comes in contact with us and they are in need of a service that we know one of our members can provide, we will advocate on the members behalf and help the two parties connect. Accepting the work will be at the creator’s discretion. As announce previously, A.N.A Comics will continue to print, and publish our own properties. With this in mind, our STUDIO CREATORS will have the ability to accept or decline project opportunities before they will be offered to anyone else.

More than anything A.N.A Comics believes there is a success in being united, being proactive, and being committed to the accomplishment of a common goal. At A.N.A Comics that goal is to produce the best All Ages stories we can, Period. Everyone at A.N.A Comics is committed to that goal, and will pursue it in a united and proactive fashion, all the while pushing ourselves and our studio mates to grow and become better and better in our craft.

Our final December Announcement will post soon, and we will discuss further the A.N.A Comics initiative towards ALL AGES Comics. What does that mean? What is ALL AGES according to A.N.A Comics? Look for that before the end of the year, along with some last minute treats.

Thanks for Reading!

VIDEO from ANA Comics time at M.I.X.

2011-11-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

A.N.A Comics enjoyed our time this past weekend at the Minneapolis Indie Xpo (MIX) 2011.

While there, A.N.A Comics EIC: Anthony Hary was part of a panel regarding croud funding. Here is a recording of the panel for your viewing pleasure.

We would like to note the numbers shared and statistics are those the panel participants were aware of at the time of their research, we would encourage you to do your own research to know what the specifics are before going out on any venture you may be considering.

TMR: UPDATE

2011-10-06T09:42:00.001-07:00

The Midnight Raider - Reid. Captain of the football team. Quarterback. 17 years old with popularity to spare. He has it all. He has it all to lose. When the pillars of his world are shaken, and his understanding of life is rocked to its core, Reid will have to make a choice. Does he step up to be the leader he needs to be, or shrink back beneath a blanket of excuses? One thing is sure: To Face His Future, He Must Confront Their Past!

Don’t miss out on this exciting mini-series of mystery, intrigue, and excitement as we follow Reid Liston, watching as he learns the secrets of his family’s past and faces the threat, not just to his future, but to his very life.

You can Donate today & just $10 subscribes you to receive ALL 4 issues of THE MIDNIGHT RAIDER! As they are release, they will be mailed directly to you at no additional charge. Act now, only days remain on this offer!!

http://www.indiegogo.com/MIDNIGHT-RAIDER-COMIC-BOOK

2 weeks 4 free comics

2011-09-29T08:04:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone, Anthony ANMPH Hary here!

I am currently working as Penciller for an upcoming comic book mini-series - THE MIDNIGHT RAIDER. The creative team has been running a fund raising campaign for the last couple months that will soon be coming to an end. A couple generous people were willing to donate, but with only 16 days left, we're hoping to find a few more to help support the project and get some awesome incentives for themselves in the process.

If you still want to get in on The Midnight Raider and learn how you can recieve the full 4 issue mini-series for FREE, the best way to do it is to donate here: http://www.indiegogo.com/MIDNIGHT-RAIDER-COMIC-BOOK

Just a minimum $10 donation and you get the Exclusive Full Color special Edition of issue 1, which feature 24 pages of story & an additional 16 pages of content including art and information that will not be reprinted anywhere again. ON TOP of what ever incentives package you choose, ALL that donate, in any amount, will recieve the following 3 issues as they print for FREE! We'll mail them, signed, right to your door!

By Donating, you're helping us bring this story to our audience, and also ensuring that you wont miss a single exciting moment! Dont miss out, only 16 days remain to donate.

RISE OF THE INDEPENDENTS VOL.2 UPDATE

2011-09-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

With the low amount of submissions & other changes in the market for A.N.A. Comics, for now the second volume of WE'RE INDY: Rise fo the Independents Anthology is on hold and will NOT be printed in 2011.

There is still opportunity out there -

The great guys over at 215 Ink has open submissions for an Anthology going on right now, take a look: http://t.co/IUy6KeR

Dont miss out on this!

If you were going to get a tattoo, what tattoo would you get?

2011-07-31T07:19:00.001-07:00

I have one tattoo and have a whole list of other tattoos I would get but decided instead I would put them on Tshirts eventually, that way I can wear the design but not be stuck with it forever.

Art, Illustration, Comics, Movies, Opinions, ask away, what would YOU like to know?

The Midnight Raider IndieGOGO video

2011-07-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Artist: Anthony Anmph Hary & Colorist/Letterer: Meghan Wright talk about The Midnight Raider - For full details on our campaign visit here: http://www.indiegogo.com/MIDNIGHT-RAIDER-COMIC-BOOK

formspring.me

2011-07-20T06:11:00.001-07:00

Art, Illustration, Comics, Movies, Opinions, ask away, what would YOU like to know? http://formspring.me/Anmph

What celebrity would you most like to meet in person?

2011-02-28T13:18:00.001-08:00

I gotta say I don’t know just one celebrity I would like to meet. I have actually had the chance to interact with many of the people I would actually like to talk to. My focus now days is so focused on trying to get to the next level of my career as an artist/storyteller that I really just want to talk to or associate with people who are either where I want to be or also going where I want to go. That may be lame, but I really don’t know who I’d want to meet.

Art, Illustration, Comics, Movies, Opinions, ask away, what would YOU like to know?

Big News and what is ANA Comics

2011-02-24T14:35:00.001-08:00

Every so often we get asked what is overall our most popular question: “What is A.N.A. Comics?”

This seems like as good a day as any to revisit that question. Even more so in the wake of the news we have to share with you. I will do my best to keep this explanation clear and to the point.

A.N.A. Comics is a collective, similar in a way to how Image Central works. A.N.A. Comics does not own any intellectual properties and works as an umbrella that creators can utilize to produce their work, whether that be in traditional print comics, or in a digital format. Our goal is to help other creators grow and achieve the goals they have for themselves in this industry. We do not hire or pay creators for their work because we do not hire creators to work for us, we find creators who wish to work WITH us. A.N.A. Comics does offer backend percentage compensation on many projects, and each project has a written contract involved to make sure all roles and responsibilities are clear.

At the end of the day A.N.A. Comics is in the business of comics, and helping to make the industry better, fuller, and as rich as all other entertainment industries. We are interested in working with and collaborating with others who feel the same way.

Today is a big, and by big I actually mean BIG day for A.N.A. Comics. We opened our perverbial doors in May of 2009 with a partner in Washington DC, Michigan, and Minnesota. As of today we can officially claim to be international with a new partner coming on board from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada: Rod Salm.

Rod Salm is a Graphic Designer by trade, and has had a great run so far with his web-comic “Death At Your Door”. I had the privilege to meet Rod when we were both guests at the Central Canada Comic Con (C4) 2010. Like the other partners in A.N.A. Comics, Rod is a family man with a lovely wife and kids, who I also had the chance to meet. He does this because he loves it and we are so excited to have Rod on board to bring that enthusiasm and drive with him to A.N.A. Comics.

Rod will be acting in the capacity of Publisher for A.N.A. Comics, and you can also read his web-comic by hitting up the web-comics section on http://anacomics.com .

Please visit anacomics.com for all our current project info, event news, and join The BOARD. Thanks for reading!

~ANMPH

2011-02-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

A.N.A. Comics is proud to announce our new partnership with Rod Salm and his webcomic: DEATH IS AT YOUR DOOR!

Here is the press release & banner link:

Death is at your door, he brought pizza. We suggest you tip well.

Introducing a new weekly web comic about Death trying to live a life. Absurdity ensues as Death’s roommates come to terms with having the grimmest of reapers sharing their home and learning what life has to offer.

Launched in May of 2010 Death At Your Door is already receiving attention from the online comic community for its whimsical look at Death living. Death moves in with reluctant siblings Lisa and her twin brother Carl, and the house’s bulldog, the ever-loving Zeus. In a complex pact that involves feta and anchovy pizza deliveries, Life grants Death physical form to “try out this living business”. Death gets advice from none other than Life itself, though Life may always have an answer, it turns out that he may not be the best coach on what it takes to succeed at that “life” thing.
“If absurdity is the pillar of comedy, then the premise of Death at your Door is delightfully absurd.” as reviewed by www.saltandbattery.org
Death At Your Door is available free of charge at www.deathatyourdoor.com every week and is available in a high res print version for university and college newspapers.
Web Comics: A New Method for Independent Cartoonists
Web comics are a growing independent method of developing, producing and delivering comics, online and free to all people. Skirting the traditional syndication model of distribution of comics, web comics rely on a small but dedicated fan base for success. Keys to success in this bootstrapping business is a willingness to learn and do everything yourself, including all writing, drawing, promotions, coding, deliveries, and sales.
Background of the Creator
Rod Salm (www.rodsalm.com), the writer and illustrator of Death At Your Door, is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and has been a graphic designer/marketing coordinator with several large national and international companies for over last fifteen years. Having attended the Fine Arts program at University of Manitoba, Rod’s professional development have centered on his career as a graphic artist, while his artistic development spans hosting drawing classes, to illustrating children’s books such as Quintopus and the White Cows That Swim, to working with local artists, such as James Culleton and John Scoles in monetizing their own creative endeavors. Rod’s many interests serve him well in the multi-skill environment of bootstrap web comic development including illustration, writing, coding, print promotions, printing, Google and Facebook advertising and marketing.
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~the videos~

The other night I was inking the cover for Nicholas P. Myers Year one collection of The Preciarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby and I like to have great back ground noise while I work. My studio is right off from the family room, can you hear what the kids were watching while I worked?

Submissions Open Swimsuit Charity book

2011-02-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

::ATTENTION CREATORS::
A.N.A. Comics 2011 Breast Cancer Charity Swimsuit book UPDATE

Hey Everyone!

Do you have a property you would like to get more exposure? A.N.A. Comics is publishing a swimsuit comic book whose profits will be donated to benefit Breast Cancer Research.

We are happy to announce we are opening the doors for a select few creators to donate their creator owned character to the book.

Here are the details:
A.N.A. Comics 2011 Breast Cancer Swimsuit comic book

Room for 10 Creator Owned Illustrations – submissions due AUGUST 31st 2011

Book will be printed in Color – If you want your illustration printed in color, YOU have to color it.

Cost for having your Character included: $0.00
All Illustrations must be approved to be included (No Nudity, Extreme Graphic violence or language)

Release Authorization must be submitted and signed by Intellectual Property Owners to have story included.

Approved submission entries have to be turned in to A.N.A. Comics, formatted and ready for printing by AUGUST 31ST 2011

- The Format specifications can be found here:
http://ka-blam.com/printing/index.php?page=Specs

Email submissions to : submissions@anacomics.com

Book is scheduled to be available through Indyplanet.com by October 2011.

Ad space is available for $15/half page or $25/full page Advertisement.
-------------------------------------------------------

Release Authorization – A.N.A COMICS (must fill out completely)

Name of your Character: ______________________________
Intellectual property Owners name/s: ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Signing this Release I recognize and Authorize the follow terms:
- I am the owner of the above listed Character/Property
- I Authorize A.N.A. Comics to print my Character Illustration in the 2011 issue of A.N.A. Comics Swimsuit issue, alongside other independent properties.
- I understand by signing this release I am in NO way assigning rights or agreeing to share IP copyright or trademark ownership & I retain full ownership of my property and the ability to reprint my Illustration in any other format I should chose.
- I understand A.N.A. Comics is not obligated to compensate me in anyway.
- I understand I will be able to order copies of the publication for my own personal use, sales, or private distribution for 5% over cost through A.N.A. Comics (aprox: $10.00per book)
- I authorize A.N.A. Comics to utilize my Illustration to publicize the publication provided that all due credit will be listed clearly for myself as owner.
- I understand that A.N.A. Comics will be printing, promoting and distributing copies of this publication online, at comic conventions, art shows, in comic book direct market shops.
- I agree and understand that I can in no way sue for monetary compensation or seek legal action against A.N.A. Comics as I entered this project of my own discretion.
Name of Copyright owner: __________________________________________________
-fill out below info for credits area inside the publication-
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Company/Studio: __________________________________________________________
website: _________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________
City/State: ______________________________________ Zip Code: _________________
Signatures :_______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Talking With Teller of Tales Bret Herholz

2011-01-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Extraordinary gentleman Bret M. Herholz is the writer and/or illustrator of roughly half a dozen excellent graphic novels from Alterna Comics. With influences as refreshingly diverse as Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, Charles Addams, and Edward Gorey, Bret's work is stunningly intelligent. And great fun to read.
Here he speaks with Richard Caldwell about Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and ruining the minds of today's youth from the land of Wormtown.

Bret, are you a New Englander by fate, or by design?

By fate I suppose. Yes! Definitely by fate. Every Winter I seem to go through the same cycle. Why do I stay here? And then Spring and Summer roll around and I am reminded why. You don't get a Spring and Summer the way you do in New England.

Were you an avid comics reader in your youth, or did that come later, with your art training? What books and names first drew you into the medium?

I really got into comics around Jr. High School. I was enthralled by a friend's collection of comics. That really got me into it. I think the first comic I owned was a collected edition of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. That was probably my first proper comic I owned. I got that one and my brother got THE KILLING JOKE. I still own his copy of that. From there I really got into Batman, Spider-Man and X-Men. It was shortly after High School I started to get into Cerebus and then Strangers in Paradise. That was really my first introduction into indie comics.

And when did you first feel the need to embark on your thus far prolific career as a graphic novelist? Did that evolve from your teaching?

High School actually. I think I tried to create a graphic novel in High School. I was more enthralled with the format over the standard comic book. Especially since you could tell more of a story via a graphic novel. But I really didn't have the discipline to create one until I started teaching a friend Andy Fish invited me to do short stories for his anthology. Accomplishing a five to eight page story made me want to go from there which eventually lead to me doing DIARY OF THE BLACK WIDOW.

I know one of your stories began life as a playscript. Was it ever performed? I actually recall reading an interview with legendary comic book letterer Tom Orzechowski, where he suggested that new comic scribes should study stageplays in order to properly craft scenes. Do you find similarities in the structure, by your process?

Diary of the Black Widow was originally written as a performance piece. I had written to submit to First Night Worcester's Arty Gras. The idea was the actors would be made up to look like my characters (black and white attire with white face paint and black circles around the eyes) and the set designs would be my illustrations. At the end of the performance people would be allowed to get up and interact with the play as though they had stepped into my drawings.

The idea was rejected.

But both Diary of the Black Widow and Spaghetti Strand Murder borrowed quite a bit from unperformed plays I had written. I suppose I had all this dialogue and lines going to waste. Why not give it a rebirth in the printed form.
Writing a script for comics and a play are slightly similar with the way you describe the scenes and which characters are talking. But the structure of writing a graphic novel is somewhat different where you have to break your scenes down from page to page and panel to panel.

On which project did you feel like you had really found your voice, and were hitting your stride?

As far as things I have written I would say The Spaghetti Strand Murder. I suppose if I am to choose a favorite, that one might be it. Even though I don't like re-reading my own work because I'm bound to find what I could have done better.
I've always wanted to write sketch comedy and this is the closest I've come to that. It celebrates my love for the Goon Show, Monty Python and the Marx Brothers. I think I like the fact that some people misunderstood my intentions in writing the story and thought I was writing a proper murder mystery.
And if certain reviewers want to compare it to the movie Clue or criticize it because the story is all setup with no punch line then they are right. I wasn't writing a proper murder mystery. I was writing in the tradition of Monty Python. Which, by the way, is all set up and no punchline.

And I like the movie Clue.

And another movie I like which is all setup and no punchline is Murder By Death. By a very respected playwright by the name of Neil Simon for that matter.
I used a great deal of the characters and the jokes from a play I had written called Romance with a Croquet Mallet for that story. Most of the dialogue I think was some of the best stuff I have written thus far. I think what I enjoy about the graphic novel is the fact that some reviewers got it. And others just blew right over their heads. But I suppose whenever you put your work out there, you always risk the possibility of being IN THE LINE OF FIRE as far as REVIEWS are concerned.

Has it been easier for you to win over the naysayers face to face? You swing many a store signing, but I know you are also highly active in that wonderful local Arts scene up there in Worcester. Is it possible that cult followings generally tend to build around word of mouth publicity?

I think so. I think it helps people to meet the artist or writer and not only put a face behind the work. But it's more than that. It's building a good rapport and showing the people who read your work that you appreciate the fact that they are buying your work and that they show an enthusiasm towards your work. If you don't show an appreciation towards their kindness then why should they show an appreciation in return?

Talk a little about your teaching work, because I know that's a huge part of your life. You're getting the next generation hooked on comics, right?

That's pretty much my fiendish plot to corrupt the youth of America. Ha ha!! A lot of what I do with my classes is to bring back many of the art classes I enjoyed as a youth in my own fashion. When I started out, I was doing primarily illustration classes but it was inevitable that I started doing cartooning and comic art classes. Cartooning is like riding a bicycle. You never really forget how to do it. It keeps me from getting stale with my own work to be able to do those cartooning classes. And having had books published being able to impart what I know about promoting your work to my students. Not just the technical part. But telling them not to give up and it's worth a little bit of frustration that may come along with it.

My own favorite of your books is the Adventures of Polly and Handgraves. Is there really a sequel in the works? And where did those characters come from?

I actually have a second script written. I ended up putting it on hold because I had a couple projects in the works that have taken my time. But I'm hoping to have the second Polly and Handgraves story realized at some point.
I think with Polly it came from the fact I didn't feel like there were enough female sleuths in classic literature. Apart from Miss Marple and Nancy Drew. That and it felt like the women always ended up on the other side of the "and" as far as billing went with stories like Nick and Nora or Tommy and Tuppy. With Polly I wanted her to be on the top billing. Somebody, plucky. Seemingly flighty only to prove that she is not stupid. Handgraves was very much inspired by characters like Sherlock Holmes, Jeeves and Magersfontein Lugg from the Campion series. More of the man of action than Jeeves with a past that possibly consisted of either military time or the British Secret Service before she came into the employ of Polly's family.

Well I'm sure you've heard the theories that Wodehouse secretly intended Wooster to be the illegitimate son of Holmes, and Jeeves as the bastard offspring of Moriarty, with poor efficient Jeeves there only to make up for the sins of his father. But we don't need to get into that here. You did mention a couple of other projects demanding your time now, though. Would one of those happen to be the Black Dandy collaboration with Andy Fish?

I think I remember reading something about that. It very well might have been something you mentioned to me. But I think the idea is intriguing.

Unfortunately, the Black Dandy was something both Andy and I had to put on hold for the moment because of commitments to other projects we're working on independently. At the moment I am working with Doctor Who and Brenda and Effie author Paul Magrs on illustrating a book he had written. The story is very much in the same vein as the Phantom Tollbooth Roald Dahl and John Bellair's work. Written for young adults but something an adult can read and still enjoy. Which I think are the best types of story. It's scary but scary in a fun way. I can't reveal too much about the project just yet. But I am really enjoying myself.

I've done some illustrative work for Paul in the past. One of which was a comic strip based on the world he created for the Fourth Doctor audio play series "The Hornets Nest"
I'm also in the works on doing a second Sherlock Holmes graphic novel. This time based on a play titled Holmes and Watson by Lee Shackleford. I have expressed to Lee that I feel his play is the ideal companion piece to William Gillette's play. I'm hoping to get that one started sometime after the New Year.

If you could continue shooting off graphic novels for another twenty of thirty years, what would you like for your magnum opus to be?

Hmm? I'm really not sure! I suppose when I think of Magnum Opus I think of an album like Sgt. Pepper, Tubular Bells, Homogenic or OK Computer. And even though those artists made great music following, those albums were a hard act to follow. I don't really feel like I've reached that level yet. Or at least I hope I haven't. I do like the idea of shooting off graphic novels for the next twenty or thirty years.

I do too. Bret, on behalf of the A.N.A gang, thank you so much for talking shoppe for our readers. You know I'm a longtime fan especially, and cannot wait to see what you do next. Any last words or plugs you'd care to share before the defense rests?

I have a few shows coming up in the next couple of months. I'm doing Stitches Needles N' Guns Alternative Craft Fair at the Printers Building in February, Boston Comic Con on May 1st and I am in the works of doing a new show out in Northampton called Paint & Pixals Festival on April 11th!! I'm also hoping to take part in Free Comic Book Day again this year at That's Entertainment as I do every year. And Sherlock Holmes: The Painful Predicament of Alice Faulkner is going to be distributed nationally through Diamond this year for it's third printing. Be sure to ask your comic shop to order copies!

See more of Bret's work through facebook, myspace, twitter, and especially at his very active and interesting blog.

Breyfogle: Philosopher, Statesman, and Rockstar

2010-12-19T02:56:00.000-08:00

Norm Breyfogle is a master storyteller. Considered by many to be one of the premiere Batman artists, he is at once thoughtful, stoic, polite, and unbelievably kind. Since he began life as a commercial artist and graphics illustrator in the early 1980's, his work has encompassed genres such as science fiction, fantasy, pulp, slice-of-life, and super-dudes. From Shadow Of The Bat to Prime to Hellcat to .40 Caliber Mouse to Archie, Norm's work is always distinctive, and always a pleasure to read.
Here Norm talks with longtime fan Richard Caldwell, about this and that.

Norm, in what part of the country were you raised? Do you consider yourself at all the product of your environment?

I was born in Iowa City, Iowa. After my parents' divorce when I was 3, my brother, sister, mother, and I moved to Illinois and we subsequently moved often, living in various suburbs of Chicago until I was 14 and we moved to Michigan. I lived there until I was 22, and right after college I moved to California, where I stayed for about 20 years. 10 years ago I moved back to Michigan to downsize and reconnoiter after being unceremoniously dumped by DC Comics and Marvel Comics. I've lived in Michigan since then.

We're all products of our environments, and our genetics. For a generation or more now, our environmental influences have widened far beyond our mere geographic localities. So, even though I have a lot of the Midwest heartland Plains kid in me, I was very early influenced by, for instance, the cultural revolution of the 1960s centered largely in California. By the time I'd reached adulthood I'd universalized my awareness to include, more or less, all of humanity... at least, ideally and in principle.

Like many children, you drew your own comics when you were young, but were there other forms of creativity that compelled you as well? Was there a singular moment when you were made aware that the realm of graphic arts was indeed the life for you?

You're right; I did draw my own comics. I'd wanted to draw comics ever since I was about nine years old, when I first became aware of Neal Adams' comics work on Batman. However, at that young age I didn't think about it as an actual career, but just as a fun thing to do.
I also felt attracted to acting and athletics while in grade school and junior high school. I also knew that a writer was buried deep inside my psyche.

As I got older, I developed an interest in science, and by the time I was 12 or so I wanted to become either a physicist or an astronomer/cosmologist.

There was indeed a very specific moment in which I decided to pursue visual art instead of science as a real profession. Because I'd continued to develop my drawing abilities all along as a hobby for my own pleasure, when I was 13 my mother started taking me to private art lessons with a commercial artist named Andrew Benson (not Andrew Benson the scientist, by the way; that's someone else, entirely unrelated). After a year of those lessons I felt compelled to make a decision, and because I was becoming a very religious young man at that time, and since I was torn between pursuing science or art, I prayed about it. See, I was afraid that art was too unimportant a contribution in comparison to science.

Well, I didn't hear a voice from the sky answer my question or anything like that, but I did decide then that God wouldn't have given me my drawing ability unless he wanted me to use it. In reality, I guess I simply felt that I was a better artist than I was a scientist. It's definitely WAAAY true NOW! lol

I know that your original Metaphysique books from Eclipse collected much of your college-era work, but what was your first actual published work?

I guess that would be "Tech Team," a one issue comic book which I co-plotted, wrote, drew, and lettered for Michigan Technological University when I was 17. Michigan Tech printed 10,000 copies of it and distributed it to high schools around the nation in 1978, as an advertisement to get graduating high school students to consider attending Michigan Tech. The original artwork for that comic book is still on file in the Michigan Tech Archives.

And as your work generally stands out for always being of the utmost highest calibre, do you feel your earlier contributions still stand well?

Well, I'm my own worst critic. I'd say that some of it stands up quite well, but even the best of it would be better if I did it now. I've often wished that I'd gotten the Batman gig five or so years later in my career, because it might well turn out to be the most popular work I'll have done in my entire life. Still, I did recognize the importance of it at the time, and it was a dream gig come true for me, so I put as much effort into it as I was capable of at that time.

Have your own standards changed much over the years?

Not really too very much, but a bit, yes. I've gained a much greater appreciation for simplicity of technique, and for more personal work. Also, my understanding of storytelling in general (and dialogue, and many other elements in the repertoire of comics) has radically improved.

What resources have inspired you in your approach to graphic storytelling? Your action sequences in particular have always been so marvelously well-thought out, though of course you have tackled a great number of different genres thus far. Are there authors you greatly admire, filmmakers who've influenced your perspective?

When I was a young comics fan and amateur comics artist, I was mostly interested in drawing super-hero action scenes, so much so that, early on, I was able to draw human anatomy in action at a much higher competency level than I could draw anything else. However, I was also always working on single image works of art (paintings and drawings of landscapes, portraits, buildings, science and sci-fi subject matter, etc.) so I also learned about light and shadow and perspective and drawing mundane objects of all sorts, and eventually this improved my comics art, too.

I mentioned that I was an athletic young man, and I loved martial arts films (along with movies of all types), so when I turned pro and drew Batman (for instance) I loved choreographing his fight scenes and exaggerating his cape and shadows for maximum dramatic effect. Martial arts films had an effect on this, especially those starring Bruce Lee.

Many comics artists also mention Sergio Leone's films as an influence, and I'd cite his work, too. Comics art -- especially adventure comics -- is all about maximizing contrasts of all kinds, and Leone excelled at that with his extreme close-ups contrasted against distance shots and with his pacing and with his build-up of mood via music and panoramic movement.

Ultimately, though, I can't say that films had as much an influence on my art as did other static-art artists, from comics art to classical paintings to Impressionism and Expressionism to Modern Art, etc. Although there are some similarities between film and comics, there are just as many differences, and comics is its own art form, with its own rules and parameters. So, when it comes to the influences on my comics art, it's much easier to name other comics artists and illustrators of other types of non-moving (non-filmed) images.

As far as writing and stories goes, I've always been an avid reader, but my reading choices never really included comics very often at all. They used to a bit more than they do now, but that was only ever true for me because I wanted to DRAW comics, not really write them. The only comics that really engaged my writing sensibilities were the more philosophical stories I sometimes saw published in Heavy Metal magazine and other avant-garde books. I even loved writing those kind of comics stories and that's what my first version of Metaphysique (published by Eclipse Comics) contained. Sadly, there is isn't much of a market at all for that kind of comics, at least not in the USA.

Basically, what I'm saying, I think, is that my writing sensibilities may too esoteric for the comics market, but my drawing skills are ideal for it. although I love to write, I've never had any deep desire to write super- hero comics. But, I do love drawing them!

And your painting skills remain in a class of their own. Now to the meat and potatoes. In your experience overall, as a popular graphic artist of the field, do you consider your own growing spirituality as playing a cause in how the larger publishers have, thus far, handled your career? Do you ever worry that your own personal beliefs are exactly what is costing you mainstream gigs?

My spirituality was fully "grown" by the time I turned pro, so the answer to that would be "no."

Now, if you're talking political beliefs, that would be a different question. But, you didn't ask that.

Was it during a specific point for you creatively, when your own spiritual beliefs were no longer something one could so easily leave by the way side? I guess what I am trying for... so many of your fellow creators, by my count, seem to think the world of you and your efforts over the years. You are at least, accepted as well as respected, by so many. What could possibly be missing? Is it at all possible that your thorough spirituality in particular might well be what has cost you limelight from the larger publishers, as bland as they can often be?

I don't think my spirituality has had any negative impact on my career as an artist. I never mixed the two professionally, except once, in my creator-owned, written, and drawn Metaphysique. But that was all mine, and it wasn't so iconoclastic, anyway, arguably not even "spiritual" in any classic sense of the word. But especially, it never spilled into any of my other work.

Despite the big two's bizarre shutting out in recent years of numerous creators with incredible skill and experience, you have been meeting with a deserved attention for your more recent work with Archie Comics. Archie has always been surprisingly experimental, and their longevity speaks for itself. In the minds of some fans, your working on those properties fits like a glove, actually. Despite the many other major icons you've handled previously, does this chance to help tell the tales of Archie, Jughead and the rest appeal at all to your inner fan?

What caused Marvel and DC to boot me out of their fold is a mystery to me. On my website, years ago, I speculated about this in depth and I came up with nine or so possible reasons, but they were - and are still - all speculation. I HAD to speculate, because the companies never gave me a reason, and the things they DID express to me seemed quite self-contradictory.

Politics (not spirituality) was just one of my speculations. My liberal/progressive views might have seemed dangerous to the power elite after 9/11/01 (however, it seems I'm being proven more and more correct with every passing year). Other of my speculations included ageism, trendism, cronyism, personal grudges, page rates, and some others I don't recall off-hand. However, I don't know what the real reason is, and I probably never will.

As for Archie: I remember reading and enjoying Archie when I was a kid, but I was always more attracted to the adventure, heroic, and super-hero comics. I can't say that I was ever a "fanatic" about Archie like I was about, for instance, Batman. I never had a desire to draw Archie, either, because I wanted to draw in what I considered to be a more "realistic" and dramatic style, ala Neal Adams, et al. So, when I hooked up with Archie Comics via a chance meeting with Mike Pellerito (Archie Comics president) at a convention, I just saw it as a job opportunity, since the title I was working on at the time was drawing to a close and I anticipated needing the work.

Well, I've been very happy to discover that I enjoy drawing for Archie much more than I would have dreamed, for four main reasons:
1) I discovered that the Archie drawing style is much more malleable than I thought, and as long as one maintains the same basic formulas for the characters' faces and body proportions, everything else can be more or less realistic or dramatic and it will still look like classic Archie.
2) Now that I've professionally drawn thousands of comics pages over 23 years, I find that I can enjoy drawing "mundane" situations and "talking heads" scenes just about as much as I enjoy drawing cosmic battle scenes and muscular anatomy; the storytelling's the thing, and every page has its own dynamic design.
3) I didn't know when I started with Archie that the story lines from Michael Uslan and Paul Kupperberg were going to be so interesting and profound, nor did I know that we'd be getting published in a magazine format with such fantastic production values. I feel that we're really breaking new ground!
4) Archie is a quintessential American icon, with a great pedigree and publishing history, and they seem to really value my contribution.

I just think that success deserves to result from passion. While you have been passed over by the whims of the current powers that be at certain publishing houses, your work still speaks for itself, as does your ethic. And I think it does show in the Archie stuff, that on some level you do seem to be enjoying it.

However, are there any roads not yet travelled that interest you, any genres that you would still love to take a crack at? And for that matter, freelancing life aside, are there preferences for you, insofar as what map to take in your creative path? Are there specific things in mind that you aim to one day accomplish? Like, would you even be willing to ever return to Marvel and/or DC characters, in light of the assorted and sordid behind the scenes politics at play, or is it just onward and upward?

Yes, there are other things I want to do professionally, besides comics. Mainly, I'd like to finish my prose novel, then illustrate it, then have it published, one way or another. Then, I'd like to finish writing (and then publish) a book of my short prose stories, also illustrated, then a book of my poetry, also illustrated. Someday sooner or later, I'll forego all my other paying work in order to concentrate on these projects.

I've also always wanted to paint fiction novel book cover illustrations. I've done precious little of that, so far. And, I've never worked for the movie industry in any capacity. Haven't even approached any film studios; never looked for that kind of work, yet.

As for Marvel and DC, I'd be happy to work with them again, when and/or if the offer came and if I was able to fit it into my schedule. To me, none of what happened is anything personal; I'm a commercial artist as well as an idealistic one, and when I'm being commercial, I accept any work that pays well enough. There's very little that I wouldn't do for the right compensation; I wouldn't illustrate porn or political or other manifestos which offend me too much but, otherwise, I'm easy to work with, and as long as my clients don't mind my honesty, we can get along just fine.

I wonder if maybe you are just too logical for the business. But if sequential art had not panned out for you at all, what do you imagine that the parallel reality Norm Breyfogle would be doing with himself? (Other than scribing poetry!) Essentially, what outside of the Arts maintains your interests?

What would be the most likely alternate reality Norms' professions? Here's some possibilities, in descending order of my opinion of their likelihood):
"fine" or "gallery" artist
art teacher/professor
fiction writer
philosophy teacher/writer
psychologist/psychiatrist
astronomer/cosmologist
athlete; then, physical education instructor and/or personal trainer

Something else I have wondered about- judging from your dealer's site, as well as the many goodies up for grabs through your own website, you seem willing to part with much of your work. Are there though, any particular pieces of yours that you are especially proud of- to the point of their remaining in your own collection indefinitely?

Simply put: no. Everything but my soul is up for sale, and I've already sold almost all of the comics work I produced up to about 4 years ago. I'm a working man. I have no support other than that which I can generate from my own work...no rich relatives, no stocks or savings bonds, no real investments at all at this point... just me. Been that way more or less for 25 years, except for my house I owned in California that I sold a decade ago. And, I'm not in debt; I paid all of that off, on my own. I refuse to immorally slough off my own debt onto others, as so much of our culture is willing to do.

Regarding an earlier response of mine to one of your questions about influence on my art from movies/films: I was watching Hitchcock's "The Birds" last night (must've seen that film about 15-20 times by now, the first being on TV at 6 or 7 years old, in 1966-7, just 3 or 4 years after its release to theaters), and I was once again struck by its expertly clear visual storytelling. I'm sure there are many other movies by many other directors that have equally influenced my storytelling, but in addition to Sergio Leone, I'd have to list Alfred Hitchcock as being at or near the top of my list, just off the top of my head. Orson Welles would be another such director. Stanley Kubrick, another.

Ya know, I've actually heard before that Hitchcock was one of the first major directors to utilize storyboards for his films, so he surely put tremendous thought into the construction of his visuals, even prior to actual filming. And it is one thing to succeed at survival, but to do so while bringing so much wonderful art to the world in the doing, well that's just incredible. I guess as our dialogue comes close to its end, one other bit I'm sure many fans would appreciate your sharing- what's your literal creative space like? Do you put together a specific atmosphere for yourself, movie in the background and a bowl of snacks, music and ambiance, etc? Are you the sort who can chat on the phone while inking, or does solitude play a bigger role in your practice?

I can't chat while working; way too distracting to me.

One of the bedrooms in my two-bedroom apartment is my studio, and it's functional but messy. At any one time I'll have tons of reference material and even artists' materials all over the place, even all over the floor. I don't eat or drink in my studio, or watch TV (that would create too much temptation to look at the screen rather that at the object of my work). I do listen to music, though. During the thumbnail stages of drawing a comic book (for instance), when I'm reading the script and designing the pages based on it, I can't listen to lyrics because it interferes with my processing of the words of the script, so at that stage I listen only to instrumentals (jazz, classical, or other). Once the layouts are all done and all that's left is the detailing, I can listen to songs with lyrics while I work.

Norm, it has been a rock-solid honor and privilege to share these words with you. Thank you, sincerely, from the full A.N.A gang, for putting up with my infernal questions and sharing. Your many fans already know how much you have helped lead this medium in terms of graphic innovation, but your candidness and honesty are totally icing on the devil's food cake. Thank you, sir. But before we part ways so that you can return to your bread and butter and satori, what upcoming projects might readers look forward to?

My hands are chock full with 50 pages of Archie comics per month for an indefinite amount of time (basically as long as I wish to continue; they've expressed that they'd like to keep me employed for the rest of my life!), so, other than my eventual finishing of my novel, and short story and poetry books (none of which are on any kind of schedule), that's it for now.

And, it's been a pleasure for me as well, Richard!

To see Norm's latest work, check out the good Archie Comics.

To see some recent non-Archie work, enjoy the Munden's Bar story for comicmix.

For all else Norm, including commissions and forum fun, go to his website.

Introducing...Daniel Woolley!

2010-12-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Daniel Woolley is a new kid on the scene, whose ability to write tales that take seemingly familiar scenarios and turn them on ear will likely draw comparisons to a young Peter David. Here, the writer gets grilled good by A.N.A Ed In Chief Anthony Hary.
Additional editing by that Richard Caldwell guy.

We first met your Henchman as the fun hit from the 2010 A.N.A Spring anthology. Though with your upcoming series, readers will be thrown headfirst into how the Henchman is all about being unhappy with one's place in the world, and wanting to do something about it. It’s a position I think we can all identify with, even if we don’t have the misfortune of being ordered around by a criminal with a color-coated costume. The story takes place in a reality which is a blend between the real world and your typical superhero universe. It revolves around John Wright, the head lackey for a supervillain, who becomes fed up with what he’s doing with his life, and when an accident gives him powers of his own, decides to work for the other side as a "good guy".

Is that about it?

The idea really came from my love of superheroes, and wanting to tell a story which comments on what I always felt was the central concept of the genre, the desire to change the world, in a somewhat more realistic way. I say somewhat more realistic because I didn’t want to do the full-on "people with powers in the real world" story, where the powers are the only thing that’s different, and everything’s just all grim and gritty. Instead I wanted to have a world with all the unbelievable, fantastic tropes of a super-universe, and just have the main characters react in a way more akin to how I would imagine reacting in such a place. Sure sometimes that world would be scary and violent and dark (which the book has in spades), but it would also be freaking hilarious at times and having that humor in the story is one of my favorite things.

I very much liked the idea of getting in on the ground floor of something, joining with a small company that I felt, if they worked at it, had a definite chance to become something bigger. I also really enjoyed the fact that ANA was composed solely by comics artists, like the inmates were running the asylum. So I figured creativity- the art, the story- would be the most important thing to them, just like it is for me. With ANA I found a publisher who I think I could really build something with.

How did you become interested in writing?

Well there’s a saying that to be a great writer first you must be a great reader, and I always had the latter part down cold. ever since I was a kid I would read voraciously and after I finished a story i always found myself imagining what happened to the characters next, and it was just a short leap from there to writing things of my own. And when I was in college (first as a pre-med major, then in the philosophy department) I asked myself what I actually wanted to do with my life. Turned out it wasn’t a very tough question. I completed my degree in creative writing from the University of Arkansas (which believe it or not is a fairly prestigious program) and this, Henchman, is the very first project that I tried to get published after graduating.

Was it always with an eye towards comic books?

Yeah. I’ve always loved comics. I enjoy writing in other formats too- short stories, novels, movie scripts. But comic books were always my favorite and if I could write anything I want, I’ll pick comics every time.

You mentioned going to school for writing, do you recommend to other writers to take that time and learn via a school course?

I really do. Obviously you don’t’ have to get a degree in the field to learn how to write, but you will learn a lot of things in a good program that would take you ten times as long to figure out for yourself. I’d say the 3 best things you get in a creative writing program are:

1. Learning how to actually sit down and WRITE, to produce pages and meet a deadline.

2. Work-shopping, having a group of people read your work, sit down, and actually tell you exactly what they think. It’s a useful experience in several ways.

3. The professors. Lauded, well published, skilled authors looking at your work and giving you the benefit of their years of experience is invaluable, and if you can make an impression on them they can open a lot of doors for you. One of my professors even went so far as to set up a meeting for me with his literary agent (try managing that on your own).

A creative question- how do you as a creator approach picking names? Does it come naturally, or do you have the name before you start or after you have fully realized the character?

The main character of the book Is John Wright, and I’ll admit naming characters probably takes me a lot more time than it should, as I do tend to obsess over it a little. It’s important to me that a character’s name not only fits them thematically but also that it sounds right. In John’s case I wanted a name that was short, to the point, fit his background, and had an everyman quality.

Tell us a little bit about your creative team on HENCHMAN, who is the artist and how did you two get connected?

The artist on the book Is J.C. Grande, whom I can’t say enough fantastic, astonishing things about. He’s a terrific guy and an absolute beast of an artist (imagine a Gorilla swinging through a jungle of 11x17 artboards with a blue pencil and a crow-quill pen). He’s been published by several indy companies already, including Image Comics, and I was somehow lucky enough to have him reply to an ad I put on digital webbing. Not only that but he really liked the script and actively wanted to be involved, which was just so gratifying to a first timer like me.

With this announcement and interview going out, we know you have issue 1 done and on its way to the printer, how are things coming with issue 2?

Issue two is almost completely done. I’ve had the scripts for the entire first story arc done for a while and J.C. turned in the last of the pages about a week ago, and again he did a bang up job. This time he even did his own colors, which I was amazed by. Right now I’m in the middle of lettering it and J.C. and I are working out the cover, and after that we’ll have finished a really fun second installment.

Do you see this as an ongoing series or a mini-series?

The story does have a definitive end point planned, but in the best of all possible worlds I could tell years of stories before getting to it. My plan at moment is for each story arc to be put out as a miniseries, much the same way that Mike Mignola releases Hellboy or Rick Remender does with Fear Agent.

Are there plans in place for an special merchandise or events in the future related to your project?

I’m planning on hitting the convention circuit in support of the book, and there will also probably be a release party for the first issue in Fayetteville, Arkansas (I’ll make information on both of these things available online). As far as merchandise goes, I’d certainly love to have Henchman t-shirts and toys and collectible salt and pepper shakers, and commemorative coins and… but it’s a little early for that yet. Still, in the future you never know.

Where can our readers go to follow your progress and keep up on all things Henchman?

I’m pleased to say that ANA Comics has set up a forum for the book on their boards. I’ll be posting there often and enthusiastically so if you have any questions or comments please come on by. I’m also in the process of building my own personal website at www.danielwoolley.net which will be up by the release of the first issue, you’ll be able to get updates about the book there as well as info on my other projects and some other neat content.

Thanks so much for sitting down with us to chat Daniel, is there anything you would like to share in closing?

I just want to say how happy I am to have the book coming out with ANA and hope you all enjoy it. If you do, please tell your friends and help me get the word out.

I promise I’ll do my best to deliver a great series and a great overall comic book experience to my readers.

See more of Daniel's upcoming work via:
http://twitter.com/thegiantgeek

ORDER ISSUE 1 OF HENCHMAN TODAY

HOPE: HERO INITIATIVE press release

2010-12-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

(note: A.N.A. Comics' Anthony Hary is featured in this anthology as the artist for the final story in the book, Written by Dustin Archibald, with assists on inks by A.N.A. Comics' Nicholas Myers.)

HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE anthology to benefit The Hero Initiative

Ronin Studios' HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE – a 188-page comic book anthology benefiting The Hero Initiative – is available in comic book stores everywhere starting February 21, 2011.

HOPE has 25 short stories and pinups by more than 80 creators from around the world. All have themes focused on heroes and the nature of heroism. The Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.

"Working on HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE is a great experience. There’s a lot of super talent in this book," says HOPE editor Dustin Archibald. "The Hero Initiative is an amazing organization that truly helps people in need. Their efforts of aiding comic creators in need are something any comic reader can get behind."

The pieces in HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE were created by up-and-comers in the comics industry and established professionals including Tom Nguyen (52, Final Crisis), Jake Black (Batman: Brave and Bold, Smallville), Russell Lissau (The Batman Strikes), and Gerry Alanguilan (Ultimate Avengers, Hulk). Ray Anthony Height (The Amazing Spider-Man) drew the cover.The book’s release is part of a fund and awareness raising campaign to benefit comic creators in need with all profits going directly to The Hero Initiative. HOPE shows that the comics community is willing to do its part.

Added Pain Killer Jane creator and Jonah Hex writer Jimmy Palmiotti: " Elegantly told and beautifully rendered, HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE is a must have for any collection. Comics done for the right reason. "

The full color softcover has a cover price of $19.95 and can be ordered from retailers with the Diamond Order Code DEC101038.

More information about HOPE can be found at http://ronin-studios.com. To interview the creators or editors, e-mail hope@ronin-studios.com.

HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE anthology to benefit The Hero Initiative

Ronin Studios' HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE – a 188-page comic book anthology benefiting The Hero Initiative – is available in comic book stores everywhere starting February 21, 2011.

HOPE has 25 short stories and pinups by more than 80 creators from around the world. All have themes focused on heroes and the nature of heroism. The Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.

"Working on HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE is a great experience. There’s a lot of super talent in this book," says HOPE editor Dustin Archibald. "The Hero Initiative is an amazing organization that truly helps people in need. Their efforts of aiding comic creators in need are something any comic reader can get behind."

The pieces in HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE were created by up-and-comers in the comics industry and established professionals including Tom Nguyen (52, Final Crisis), Jake Black (Batman: Brave and Bold, Smallville), Russell Lissau (The Batman Strikes), and Gerry Alanguilan (Ultimate Avengers, Hulk). Ray Anthony Height (The Amazing Spider-Man) drew the cover.
The book’s release is part of a fund and awareness raising campaign to benefit comic creators in need with all profits going directly to The Hero Initiative. HOPE shows that the comics community is willing to do its part.

Added Pain Killer Jane creator and Jonah Hex writer Jimmy Palmiotti: " Elegantly told and beautifully rendered, HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE is a must have for any collection. Comics done for the right reason. "

The full color softcover has a cover price of $19.95 and can be ordered from retailers with the Diamond Order Code DEC101038.

More information about HOPE can be found at http://ronin-studios.com. To interview the creators or editors, e-mail hope@ronin-studios.com.

HOW TO MAKE COMICS by A.N.A. COMICS

2010-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

How to Make Comics!!

There a so many ways to “make comics” or to “break in” to this business. Tim Seeley, I believe said recently that it’s easier to break in to comics, then it is to stay in. I think to a very real level this is true. Think about it, list the names of quote “professional” creators out there, then tell me, who is doing pencils or writing on Spidergirl right now? Do you even know how long they have been on the title? I’m sure there are a few Spidergirl fans out there that would know the answer, yet compared to who could name the creators on titles like New Avengers, Superman, Green Lantern, or even Spiderman, there would be no comparison. Yet even YOU can make a comic.

Now you have options, choices to pick through to determine what it is you want to do. You can mold yourself, and get yourself in to a publisher doing work for hire assignments where you all you have is the pay for your work and occasional royalties from larger sales numbers. You could also do creator owned, self published work, where you are paid nothing up front, yet should your book do well, the money, creative rights, and ownership ALL go to YOU and no one else. Between these two most common paths there seems to be one trend that stands out over the last 15 years in comics. It is the strength of the creative team.

You’ll hear Editors talk about the finer points of storytelling, strength of solid anatomy, or the value in having a depth of knowledge regarding specific characters or the historical continuity of a character. What I am talking to you about is being a student of the game, knowing the business side of things and using that to your advantage. It is not for everyone. And that is ok, some people should only write or draw, ink or color, allowing the editors of the business handle the pairing of groups together, hoping one day to find their Jeph Loeb to their Ed McGuiness. Yet for those out there who have a need to steer their careers a little more there is a simple truth that can be found from studying the history of successful creators in the last 10 to 15 years.

Some creator teams didn’t find themselves until they were at a publisher like Marvel or DC, yet once finding each other; they have made a point to keep working together. They found there band and its time to make music, as it were. A great and very recent example of this pattern can be found in the pairing of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. Joining up on the Civil War Mega Event for Marvel, They followed that up with the HUGELY successful “Old Man Logan” centering around a now aged Wolverine, The pairing have found their stride and have become one of most successful creative team sales wise of the last decade. The Key to this is that THEY have seen it. So much so that the team of M&M are hitting the ground running with their own creator owned comic that is believed to start in March of 2010, printing through Marvels Icon imprint.

You also have guys like Brian M. Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming who made their mark with POWERS through Image comics, and have gone one to huge success as a pairing and found homes at Marvel, bringing POWERS with them. Each has gone on to do work with other creators however they never stopped working together as well.

This is the same with pairing of artist also. Teams like Michael Turner/Peter Steigerwald, Ed McGuiness/Dexter Vines, Jim Lee/ Scott Williams, and the lists go on with teams that have made a commitment to each other and through perseverance and TEAM WORK they have found success in the business. Moving from Independent/ Creator owned comics to work-for-hire at major publishers, and sometimes back again with continued success. WHY? Because they made a brand for themselves, and they stuck together in their work efforts. This gives Editors a package to look at. They have a book, and it needs and art team. They don’t have to find the next Quesada/Miki combo; they can just GO GET THEM, because they are a team. This is KEY behind the methodology of A.N.A. Comics. There are plenty of folks in this business who will promise you opportunities, use you to get THEIR foot in the door, and simply get your work and not pay you and move on once the job is done. When all that is done, where are you really? More times than not you are right where you were to start. That is not acceptable for us, and it shouldn’t be for you. You have to take action, and you need to connect yourself with people that either are already where you want to be, or they are going in that direction. It’s the strength of the creative team. A.N.A. Comics is all about support and development of solid creators. To help them find their Stan Lee for their own Jack Kirby and go out to change the comic scene forever.

At anacomics.com we have a forum set up to share your work, get critiques and grow as an artist. We also use this as a field to develop relationships within the industry. A.N.A. Comics itself is the result of the combined joining of Supreme Knight Studios, Floating Island Press, and Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production. Each was on their own, striving to put together comic books and other creative medium properties. We saw a similarity to our focus and made the commitment to go at this together. Taking the comic book production focus from all three of our studios, we combined to for A.N.A. Comics.

Creators have asked us about working with us or for us. Our business model is different then what most have seen. Really, it all come down to being committed. You have to be committed to be part of A.N.A. Comics. We aren’t in the position to take your creator owned book, drop thousands of dollars of our resources to print and advertise it in the hopes that it would either sell enough for us to recoup our investment or make all of us loads of money. Nor are we in the position to try to hold you financially accountable to the project.

Quite simply it should be said:

At A.N.A. Comics, creators don’t work FOR us, they work WITH us.

This TEAM focus has been the key to our success so far and we believe it will continue to be. All of our projects are handled with open, honest, strait forward communication that eliminates confusion and promotes production. The way we do business may not be the avenue you find best for your strides to make comics, and that is ok. Still I will run down some of the things we are doing here at A.N.A. Comics, and you can see for yourself what we do:

WEBCOMICS:

A.N.A. Comics offers creators, who already have their own web comic strips, the opportunity to submit to us, and if chosen, we would provide a website set up to hold your comic and feature your work. There is no out of pocket charge to the creator for this. There is a signed agreement and a commitment for regular production (at least one update a week) that would be required.

Currently there are Two webcomics running at ANAComics.com/webcomics and 2 more planned for 2011. Take a look and see if you would like to feature your own story in our web-comics area.

ANTHOLOGY BOOKS:

With 2010 A.N.A. Comics began what we hope to be an Annual tradition: A.N.A. COMICS PRESENTS: WE'RE INDY: Rise of the Independents #1!

This Annual Anthology featured 11 unique works from Independent creators in all genre of storytelling. A.N.A. Comics doesn’t ask for any financial commitment from the creators to have their work included, nor is any pay promised back to the creators. A release is signed allowing A.N.A. Comics the privilege to print the submitted story in the Anthology, while the creators retain complete ownership over their property. The goal is simply to showcase the wide range of great comics out there.

If you would ever wish to be included in a future printing, please keep an eye out for open submissions at anacomics.com in The BOARD

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES:

ANAComics.com offers Indy Creators the opportunity to purchase Ad space on our site. If you look around anacomics.com you’ll notice a header and a side bar advertisement. These are set up to cycle through different advertisers we have, changing with each click of the page. With thousands of visitors to our website, your ad would be viewed hundreds if not thousands of times. ANAComics.com offers three packages for advertizing, broken down by how many times your add would appear in a month: 500/Ads for $5 – 1200/Ads for $10 – or Unlimited Ads for $20 a month. All packages are offered in 3, 6, or 12 month increments. Our super saver package is Unlimited Ads for a FULL year for just $200.00. If you are interested in advertising with ANAComics.com please email business@anacomics.com.

COMIC BOOKS :

We wouldn’t be much of a comics company without actual comic books. A.N.A. Comics first comic book was published October 2009.

BRETHREN: Beginnings marked the initial venture into physical comic book printing and also the start to the much anticipated creator owned project from A.N.A. Comics co-founder Anthony “ANMPH” Hary. A.N.A. Comics also has special Directors Cut Trade Paperback of Harijan, a sci-fi epic from the mind of A.N.A. Comics co-founder Nicholas P. Myers. This will be the first time his original mini-series is collected in one book, and it will contain a special interview with the creator along with never before seen art and previews of what is to come! We are very excited about that.

Along with other projects in the works, A.N.A. Comics is working on the completion of a special Charity benefit Swimsuit issue that is set to have the profits benefit Breast Cancer research. All the characters in the book, both men and women, will be characters from A.N.A. Comics & other creator owned indy characters. Making this book not only an awesome way to support a great cause, but also an unique opportunity to get to know characters from within the different worlds of A.N.A. Comics and the Independent world of comics that you may not have had otherwise.

We are always open to creators that would be looking for a home for their project. We have already started discussions with a couple creators and it’s great to see who else is out there. Similar to our other ventures, we do not ask for any financial commitment from creators we team up with, rather we set up a complimentary relationship that helps the creator establish a brand and reach out to a wider audience then they may have been able to on their own.

A.N.A. Comics recently had the pleasure of having Daniel Woolley's HENCHMAN join the A.N.A. Comics fold. With Indyplanet currently showing issue #1 available for purchase!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER A COPY FOR YOURSELF!!

Things to know, A.N.A. Comics is a family based company. Outside of our annual anthology, or special creator owned books, we have no intention to produce products or stories with content that would be above what is typically allowed in a PG13 film. Our commitment is to stories, quality stories, and to keeping them free of fluff or any sort of gratuitous content included simply for the sake of doing it. If your property contains heavy gore, nudity, swearing, or offensive content, we are not who you are looking to work with, as we as a group feel those elements are not necessary at such an excessive level to tell a quality story, but rather they hurt your story.

We’ve considered a lot today. We have looked over how A.N.A. Comics goes about the business of making comics. How will YOU make your comic? Will you work for someone else, or do you have the commitment and dedication to make your dream happen all on your own. There is not one path that is better than the other. You simply have to know which path is for you. Please feel free to visit The BOARD forum at anacomics.com and talk to us, share work, and bounce ideas around. We are here to help, and build up the Indy side of comics.

Thanks for reading.

Wild & Wonderful Wednesdays

2010-10-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here is the comic release list for your local direct retailer for WEDNESDAY - OCT 20

25 to Life #2
Amory Wars KSOSE 3 #5
Archie #614
Azrael #13
Batman and Robin #15
Batman Beyond #5
Betty & Veronica DD #185
Boys Highland Laddie #3
Brightest Day #12
Bruce Wayne TRH Catwoman #1
Bruce Wayne TRH C. Gordon #1
Calling Cthulhu Chronicles #4
Carnage #1
CBGB #4
Chaos War #2
Conan the Cimmerian #24
Daredevil #511 SL
Darkwing Duck #5
DC Universe Legacies #6
DCU Halloween Special 2010 #1
Deadpool #28
DMZ #58
Doctor Solar Man of Atom #3
Doctor Who Ongoing #16
Donald Duck & Friends #359
DV8 Gods and Monsters #7
Fables #99
Farscape Ongoing #12
Gen 13 #38
Ghostbusters Holiday Special
GI Joe a RAH #159
Green Hornet PL #4
Green Hornet Year One #6
Green Lantern Corps #53 - BD
Guarding the Globe #2
Halo FORBC #2
Haunt #10
Hellblazer #272
Hulk #26
Ides of Blood #3
Image Firsts Mage #1
JP Murder of King Tut #5
JM Dead Soldier #2
JLA #50
Kick-Ass 2 #1
KODT Black Hands 2010 #1
Last Unicorn #5
Legion of Super Heroes #6
Logans Run #4
Loki #1
Morning Glories #3
Muppet Show #11
New Mutants #18
Night o/t Living Dead #1
Off HandbookMU A to Z #4
Pilot Season 7 DFH#1
Power Girl #17
Punisher Max TUWorld #1
Ragman Suit of Souls #1
Ratchet and Clank #2
Shadowland Power Man #3 SL
Simpsons Comics #171
Sixth Gun #5
Skullkickers #2
Soulfire Vol Two #8
Spirit #7
Stan Lee Soldier Zero #1
Stand Hardcases #4
ST Captains Log Jellico (one shot)
Stargate Vala Mal Doran #4
Steve Rogers Super-Soldier #4
Supergirl #57
Superman Batman #77
Tales of the Dragon GITV#2
Telara Chronicles #2
Thor First Thunder #2
Thousand Arts One Shot
Tiny Titans #33
Tony & Cleo #2 & 3
Transformers Drift #4
True Blood #4
Turf #3
UC New Ultimates #4
V.Price Presents #21 & 22
Walking Dead #78
WS Presents Tek War #8
WS Quest for Tomorrow #1
X-23 #2
X-Factor #210
X-Files 30 Days of Night #4
GRAPHIC NOVELS &
TRADE PAPERBACKS
Alice the 101st Vol 2
Amory Wars KSOSE 3 TP
Astro City the DA Book 2 HC
Blab World Vol 1 HC
Black Butler Vol 3
Blood Rose Easter 1916 GN
C. Sakura DH Omnibus Vol 1
Charles Burns X GN
Chi Sweet Home Vol 3
Classics Mutilated MMPB
Daniel X Manga Vol 1
DC + Year by Year Chronicle HC
Dragon Girl Vol 1
Dragon Puncher Book 1 HC
Essential Avengers Vol 3
Farscape Uncharted Tales Vol 1
FC Legion of 3 Worlds TP
GPC Doubles the Spider Vol 17
Green Hornet Chronicles SC
Hardy Boys NC Files Vol 1
Heart Transplant
Hellblazer India TP
Henry & Glenn Forever GN
Hero Tales Vol 4
Higurashi When they Cry Vol 9
HJ Ward HC
Horror Comics Didn't Want You
Hulk Vol 5
Hulk Vol 6 HC
Imagination Manifesto Vol 1 HC
Johnny Boo Vol 4 HC
Kevin Smiths Green Hornet Vol 1
Kingyo Used Books Vol 2
Luthor HC
March Story Vol 1
Marvel Her-oes TP
Marvel Zombies 5 HC
M. of H. Suzumiya Vol 7
M. of S. Haruhi Chan Vol 1
NU 20th Century Boys Vol 11
Night School Vol 4
Nightmare World Vol 2
Omamori Himari Vol 1
Pandora Hearts Vol 3
Picture This HC
P. Superpowers Chapte r2 Vol 2
Saga of Rex TP
Showcase Superman Vol 1
Sin City Vol 1
Soul Eater Vol 4
Spawn Origins Vol 2 HC
Spider-man Gauntlet Vol 3
Spider-man Grim Hunt HC
Superman Archives Vol 8 HC
Sweeter Side of R Crumb SC
Thor vs Hercules TP
Tokyo Underground Vol 2 HC
UD Love Revolution Vol 2
UCs Avengers C&PHC
Vagabond Vol 33
Vampire Knight Official FB
Victorian Undead TP
Wrong Place GN
WWE Heroes Vol 1
X-Factor Vol 9
X-Men Forever Vol 5
Y the Last Man Vol 4 HC
Zombie Loan Vol 10
Zombo Can I Eat You Please TP
Zorro Matanzas TP
MAGAZINES
2000 AD Pack Sep 2010
CSN #1218 - FREE!
Doctor Who #426
Dodgem Logic #4 & 5
Fangoria #298
Locus #597
Torchwood #23 Special
PRECIOUS
TREASURES
CM Figs - Gladiator
CM Figs - Grim Reaper
CM Figs - Annihilus
CM Figs - Drax Destroyer
Clem Lemon Plush
DC Dynamics GL Statue
DC Figs - Black Lightning
DC Figs - Cosmic Boy
DC Figs - Jonah Hex
DC Figs - Mr Freeze
Domo Party Lights
Guillotine Model Kit
Kick Ass Hit Girl 12" AF
Peanuts Snoopy Fig Set
Pez Snow White Set
SW Figs - R2D2
SW Figs - A. Ackbar
SW Figs - Darth Maul
SW Figs - Chewbacca
SW Figs - AT-TE
SW Figs - Sandcrawler
SW Figs - Tank Droid
SW Figs - T16 Skyhopper
SW Lightsaber Chopsticks
SW Logo Bookends
Vampiresmarts CG
WOZ Flying Monkey Statue
And much more!

Cancer Initiative - A.N.A. Comics 2010 - Fighting Breast Cancer

2010-10-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

October 15th, 2010

Many are already aware that A.N.A. Comics is working on producing a special swimsuit pin-up comic book, with profits from the book being donated to Breast Cancer Research. This is an all volunteer process. From the Artists to the Editor, no one is being compensated monetarily for their contributions to this project, which now has a 2011 projected release date.

From working on the A.N.A. Comics Swimsuit Charity book we have become more aware of the statistics around those with cancer. It has been an eye opening experience, and it got us thinking.

It is our pleasure to announce that A.N.A. Comics will donate a percentage of its profits on every project towards Breast Cancer Research going forward!

And we mean EVERYTHING. If you see one of the A.N.A. Comics founders at a Comic Convention or Event & you pick up copies of any A.N.A. Comics book, print, or other merchandise a portion of the profits made form that sale will be donated towards Breast Cancer Research. This can also include purchasing of original art, commissions, and private sales.

To kick it off, Anthony Hary, current Editor in Chief & VP of Brand Management will be at MCBA FallCON ( http://midwestcomicbook.com ) this Saturday, October 16th from 10am to 4pm. He will have original art, prints, calendar posters, books & more for sale, along with doing Con-Sketches and taking commission orders. A portion of all profits from this show will be donated towards Breast Cancer Research.

Please, take a moment to spread the word and support A.N.A. Comics. Support the fight against breast cancer. We can all make a difference!

Make It Happen!!!

- A.N.A. COMICS

A.N.A.Comics' Co-Founder/EIC to be at FallCON

2010-10-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone, Anthony ANMPH Hary checking in. Its been a while, so lets get to it!

This Saturday is the One Day Wonder - FallCON!! I will be there with 11x17color prints for sale, original art, books, and I will also be doing sketches all day for just $20!! You may remember the announcement made that the MCBA made SpringCON thier big 2 day show, and reduced FallCON to the more personal single day event. So dont miss out on the fun and mayhem this saturday. Below is all the info as of today, give it a read, pass it around, and make a point to be at FallCON this Saturday, Oct. 16th, open from 10am to 4pm!!

FallCon 2010 Update
Hello Everyone!
The date for FallCon is quickly approaching! Yes, it’s the MCBA 2010 FallCon Comic Book Party at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, coming up on Saturday, October 16!
The all-volunteer, not-for-profit, Midwest Comic Book Association has been hard at work putting together the fantastic event we call FallCon, aka “The One Day Wonder!” You’re invited to participate and we really hope you’re able to make it! In addition, we hope that you’ll consider inviting your friends and family to attend FallCon as well. Over the past few years our community has grown significantly larger and it’s been a lot of fun to be part of the excitement!
As always, there’ll be a lot to see and do at FallCon! It’s great way to spend a Fall day with your family & friends! So please plan to come early and stay late!
GENERAL INFO
Saturday – October 16 – 2010 – 10AM to 4PM at the centrally located Minnesota State Fairgrounds! In the Progress Center! It’s all true! Once again, the MCBA FallCon is returning to the 45,000 square foot Minnesota State Fair Progress Center. This spacious, historical building provides enough room for all of the extreme comic book action to take place under one roof, in one giant room!
http://www.mnstatefair.org/general_info/get_here/maps.html
ANOTHER WAY TO PARTICIPATE!
Jumpin’ Joe’s Charity Booth/Rummage Sale!For the second consecutive year, the MCBA will be having a Charity Booth/Rummage Sale. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to our two charities, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Minnesota Lupus Foundation, and this year we’re inviting you to help out! Click to find out how YOU can participate!
CREATOR & DEALER INFORMATION
MCBA FALLCON 2010 Guest List as of Today!
MCBA FALLCON 2010 Dealer List as of Today!
FACTOIDS! THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW!
* UNUSUAL DISPLAYS will be found throughout FallCon this year! Make sure you circulate throughout the whole building–otherwise you might miss something new and exciting!* FREE PARKING! Follow the signs when entering the fairgrounds via the Snelling Avenue main entrance.* FREE GRAB BAGS to the first 500 FallCon Attendees on Saturday!* FREE Creator Autographs!* ONCE AGAIN, the MCBA will be supporting three charities at FallCon. They are the Minnesota Lupus Foundation (http://www.lupusmn.org/), the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (http://www.cbldf.org/) and the Minnesota Food Shelves.* THERE WILL BE an ATM in the building, located near the front entrance.

Cow Tipping

2010-09-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Wild & Wonderful Wednesdays #7

2010-08-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Listing of new comics & other goodies coming out this week to your local direct market retailer. Check with your local store to pick up yours. Any with a ** next to it are titles we enjoy at A.N.A. Comics

WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 18 - 2010
$1.00 Hellboy Seed of Destruction
$1.00 Usagi Yojimbo
Age of Heroes #4 (of 4)
Air #24
Amazing Spider-Man #640 **
Angel #36
Archie #612 **
Atlas #4
Authority Lost Year #12
Avengers & I Gauntlet #1
Avengers Academy #3
Azrael #11
Batman Beyond #3
Batman Streets of Gotham #15 **
Boys Highland Laddie #1
BRIGHTEST DAY #8 **
Buffy One Shot Bulletproof Coffin #3
Cavewoman Toy Story OS CBGB #2
Chew #12
Comic Book Guy #2
Darktower Gunslinger JB #4
Darkwing Duck #3 **
DC Universe Legacies #4
Deadpool #26
Deadpool Corps #5
Dr. Who Ongoing #14
Donald Duck & Friends #357
Dragon Age #3 **
DV8 Gods & Monsters #5
Ex Machina #50
Fables #97
Farscape Ongoing #10
Finding Nemo LD #2
Free Realms #12 (of 12)
GI Joe Cobra II #7
GI Joe Origins #18
Gold Digger #120
GL CORPS #51 - BD
Grotesque #2
Hellblazer #270
Hellcyon #3 (of 4)
HONEY WEST #1
Hulk #24 **
Ides of Blood #1
Image United #3 (of 6) **
Interiorae #4
JP Witch & Wizard #4
JSA #42 - BD
Last Phantom #1 **
Light #5 (of 5)
Lone Ranger #23
MU VS Punisher #2 (of 4)
Mediterranea #1
MGM Drive In Theater #2
New Avengers #3 **
New Mutants #16
Niger #3
Off MU Handbook #3
Pale Horse #3 (of 4)
Pals N Gals DD #144
Phoenix Without Ashes #1
Power Girl #15 **
Rotten #7
Sammy the Mouse #3
Secret Avengers #4
Shadowland Daughters #1
Shadowland Power Man #1
Shield DC #1
Simpsons Comics #169
Sixsmiths #1
Sixth Gun #3
Skeleton Story #1
Star Trek BOK #3
SR Super Soldier #2
Supergirl #55
Sweets #2 (of 5)
Thunderbolts #147
Tiny Titants #31
Transformers Nefarious #6
TRUE BLOOD #2
True Story Swear TG #13
Uncanny X-Men #527
Very Zombie OS
Web of Spider-Man #11 **
WW Of Jack Staff #4
Witchblade Due Process OS
Wolverine Weapon X #16
X-Files 30 Days of Night #2
X-Force #28 - 2nd Print
X-Force S & V #2 (of 3)
Zornster #898

GRAPHIC NOVELS &
TRADE PAPERBACKS
Bad Kids GTH TP
Boris Karloff TOM Vol 3 HC
Bride of the Water God Vol 6
Buffy TVS Vol 2 Novel
Dark Rain HC
Deadworld Classic TP
E. Captain America V2
Hack/Slash Omnibus Vol 1
Hell City TWDT TP
Hodge the Hedgehog HC
Jersey Gods Vol 3 TP
Killapalooza TP
Loosely Based GN
Marvelman Vol 1 HC
Mice Templar Vol 2 TP ****
Muppet Show Vol 4 TP
Phanton Jack GN
Philosopher Rex GN
PS238 Vol 8 TP
Reading With Pictures GN
Rebels Vol 2 TP
San Fran Panorama TF
Seedless OGN
Showcase Doom Patrol Vol 2
Siege Thor HC
Spider-Woman HC
Transformers Armada OB
Unsinkable Walker Bean
X-Factor SC HC

MAGAZINES
CSN #1209 - FREE!
Comic Buyers Guide #1670
Iron Man #3
Locus #595
Mad #505

PRECIOUS
TREASURES
Batman Red Hood Maquette
Gotham City Statue Part 3
Legends of Marvel T/C
Marvel Phoenix Statue
Marvel Dark Phoenix Statue
Star Wars Luke Figure
Star Wars Anakin Figure
Super Soldier Poster
SW Darth Maul Bank
When Worlds Collide Model
And Much More!

Swimsuit issue looking for contributors

2010-06-28T09:25:00.001-07:00

ATTENTION CREATORS: A.N.A. Comics 2010 Breast Cancer Charity Swimsuit book
Hey Everyone!
Do you have a property you would like to get more exposure? A.N.A. Comics is publishing a swimsuit comic book whose profits will be donated to benefit Breast Cancer Research. We are happy to announce we are opening the doors for a select few creators to donate their creator owned character to the book.
Here are the details:
A.N.A. Comics 2010 Breast Cancer Swimsuit comic book
Room for 10 Creator Owned Illustrations – submissions due August 31st 2010
Book will be printed in Color – If you want your illustration printed in color, YOU have to color it.
Cost for having your Character included: $0.00
All Illustrations must be approved to be included (No Nudity, Extreme Graphic violence or language)
Release Authorization must be submitted and signed by Intellectual Property Owners to have story included.
Approved submission entries have to be turned in to A.N.A. Comics, formatted and ready for printing by August 31st 2010 - The Format specifications can be found here:
http://ka-blam.com/printing/index.php?page=Specs
Email submissions to : submissions@anacomics.com
Book is scheduled to be available through Indyplanet.com by October 2010.
Ad space is available for $15/half page or $25/full page Advertisement.

Release Authorization – A.N.A COMICS (must fill out completely)
Name of your Character: ______________________________
Intellectual property Owners name/s: ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Signing this Release I recognize and Authorize the follow terms:
- I am the owner of the above listed Character/Property
- I Authorize A.N.A. Comics to print my Character Illustration in the 2010 issue of A.N.A. Comics Swimsuit issue, alongside other independent properties.
- I understand by signing this release I am in NO way assigning rights or agreeing to share IP copyright or trademark ownership & I retain full ownership of my property and the ability to reprint my Illustration in any other format I should chose.
- I understand A.N.A. Comics is not obligated to compensate me in anyway.
- I understand I will be able to order copies of the publication for my own personal use, sales, or private distribution for 5% over cost through A.N.A. Comics (aprox: $10.00per book)
- I authorize A.N.A. Comics to utilize my Illustration to publicize the publication provided that all due credit will be listed clearly for myself as owner.
- I understand that A.N.A. Comics will be printing, promoting and distributing copies of this publication online, at comic conventions, art shows, in comic book direct market shops.
- I agree and understand that I can in no way sue for monetary compensation or seek legal action against A.N.A. Comics as I entered this project of my own discretion.
Name of Copyright owner: __________________________________________________
-fill out below info for credits area inside the publication-
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Name: _______________________________________ Date:_______________________
Company/Studio: __________________________________________________________
website: _________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________
City/State: ______________________________________ Zip Code: _________________
Signatures :_______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Join the Rise!!

2010-06-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

WE’RE INDY: RISE OF THE INDEPENDENTS #2
06.24.2010

Many of you may be aware A.N.A. Comics released in May We’re Indy: Rise of the Independents #1. If you haven’t checked it out you can order a copy for yourself for just $10 through indyplanet.com.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW INDY PLANET'S PAGE FOR THE BOOK

With the great response we have received so far, A.N.A. Comics is excited to announce our plans to have issue 2 put together for Fall of 2011. The whole point to this project is to help showcase the awesome work being done by Independent Creators throughout the comic book industry. If you would like to be a part of our next book, here are the details:

We’re Indy: Rise of the Independents #2
approximately 60 pages
Black & White interior

We’re looking for Writers or full creative teams to submit their Creator Owned property to the project. Each team can only submit ONE property, and the stories need to be between 8 and 12 pages total. You MUST be the owner of the property to submit it for consideration. You will be required to sign a release form granting A.N.A. Comics permission to print your property. Owners retain 100% ownership of their property. A.N.A. Comics assumes no rights or liabilities regarding your intellectual property beyond the written permission to include it in the Anthology.
You will NOT be paid, nor will you be charged to participate. A.N.A. Comics is simply interested in helping you to promote your project.

Creators included in the project will have the opportunity to purchase copies of the Anthology at 5% over cost, to sell at shows and distribute to their fans however they see fit.

For those Writers who do not have complete creative teams but a story they would like to submit, we encourage you to do so. A.N.A. Comics is interested in helping talented Writers get the attention they deserve. We have 3 slots set aside specifically for Writers in this position.

More info as it develops, we look forward to hearing from you.

Anthony ANMPH Hary
VP of Brand Management/EIC

Free Comic/Sketch offer!!

2010-04-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

Follow Up Friday – FCBD
04.30.2010

Who’s ready for one of the best days of the year? I am! That day is Free Comic Book Day and it takes place this Saturday at your local comic retailer, will you be there?

Source Comics & Games…

This Saturday I will be at the BEST Comic Book Direct retailer in Minnesota! The doors at Source Comics & Games at 10am. Come on by and pick up your share of the thousands of comics that will be handed out for free to fans! I’ll be there doing sketches for just $5, talking with fans and I’ll have original art for sale.

Also as part of Free Comic Book Day my production company will be making available, to all interested, the opportunity to get a FREE Digital copy of BRETHREN: Beginnings. It will be available exclusively through carbonhallway.com Saturday and Sunday. Follow me on twitter or just be sure to visit carbonhallway.com Saturday morning for all the info.

You Can’t Make it…

In the case that you aren’t able to make it to the show, but you wish to get a $5 sketch, you are able to order them Saturday and Sunday via Paypal.com.

Sketches are $5 per Character, It can be ANY fictional character you want, and ALL Sketches ordered now through Sunday will be complete & in the mail by next Friday, May 7th 2010.

Just click the link below and send in your order.

You all have a great weekend! See you next week!

Stephen Lindsay Interviewed!

2010-04-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Stephen Lindsay writes 10,000 comics a month. Best known for his Jesus Hates Zombies series from Alterna, he is the kinda guy who gets things done, with style. Richard Caldwell has enjoyed Stephen's comics for a long time, so this interview was a kick in the pants. Read it.

Stephen, thanks for sharing your notes with the readers. I understand that you dabbled in movie making before. With your having hit so many different genres in comics, did any of the books or characters begin life intended originally for film? Or are your creations medium-specific?

I have a comic in the works called Being Super which is about a support group for over the hill heroes (and one reformed villain) who are losing their powers or just don't feel very super anymore. That one started out as a short film of the same name that I made for a national competition called The 48 Hour Film Challenge. Truth be told, the film, while a TON of fun to make, kinda sucked. That's just the nature of only having 48 hours to write, direct, edit, score and finalize an 8-11 minute film! But taking it into the comics medium has allowed me to really play with the characters more.
Other than that, the comic characters have pretty much stayed separate from the film characters, and I think the main reason is that independent filmmaking is very, very limiting. You're constantly held in check by budgetary constraints. So something may seem really cool when you're writing a screenplay, but if you plan to make that film yourself, you're always thinking "I'll never be able to afford this, or to even find a creative (and cheap) way around it. So I guess I'd better scrap it." And eventually that thinking becomes so ingrained that those cooler elements don't even make it into your scripts. Comics, on the other hand, are limited only by your imagination. You can do ANYTHING! As a writer, it's very freeing, and you still get that rush of seeing your creation come to life. Only instead of actors breathing that life into your characters, it's an artist doing it. I love that!

What was your first published comic book work? And what were the circumstances that led up to it?

My first published work was the anthology Jesus Hates Zombies: Those Slack-Jaw Blues.
I was originally doing a serious zombie survival drama called After the Rising which had started life as a screenplay, then an abandoned novel. Once I decided I wanted to make comics, I began taking what I'd written as a novel and adapting it for comics. But about mid-way through the first script I discovered The Walking Dead and realized that zombie survival drama comics had hit their peak- it just doesn't get better than The Walking Dead. So I decided I better switch gears.
Looking over the zombie comics at the time, none of them had really gone the comedy route. Most were gore-fests with little else going on. So I knew I wanted to make mine a comedy. And being a fan of old B Movies, the first thing I wanted to come up with was a really killer B Movie title. That's when Jesus Hates Zombies popped into my head. It literally made me laugh out loud, but I didn't know if it would end up being a one-note joke. So I started writing it and realized it had some legs. The only problem was, when you're a nobody writer who can't afford to pay page rates, getting an artist on board for a full book is really, really hard. BUT, if you can find talented artists who are hungry to get their work shown, convincing them to do a five page story ISN'T as hard. So that's what I did. I networked online on a site called comicspace.com telling every artist who would listen about this anthology I was putting together. And to my surprise, a bunch of them were into it! So the stories were being written, the artists were sending me pages, and it was awesome! That was such an exciting, creative time! Every day felt like Christmas when I would check my email and find new pages pouring in from artists all over the world!! That was when I started my daily regiment of heavy online promotions. I went onto as many comics, horror, and zombie-related bulletin boards as I could find and talked up the book. And it was working! People were into it! At that point I was planning on self-publishing the thing by taking pre-orders and paying for the printing with them. And I did that for the first fifty books. It was at that point that I started talking to Alterna Comics. They were into the book, but a little apprehensive at first. It didn't take long for them to just say "To hell with it! Let's see how this thing does if we put it out!" And the rest, as they say, it history.
Long story short, I hit comicspace at the right time with a catchy idea that a lot of really talented artists were into...I got lucky as hell!

And that has lead you to more Jesus Hates Zombies stories, as well as other collaborations with those collaborators. With so many projects going at once, do you see an end to your Jesus Hates Zombies series? And has there really been that much negativity thrown at you because of the content?

The 'Zombie' portion of Jesus Hates Zombies is coming to an end with the publication of Volume 4 in May. But that doesn't mean that the adventures of Jesus and Lincoln won't be continuing on! And, to be honest, I haven't really caught any flak over the series. I think the reason is that I'm still indie enough to fly below the radar of any groups that would get a real hate on for the books. So I've dodged that bullet thus far. Not that I wouldn't mind a little controversy or a nice theological discussion about the books! Hell, I was an altar boy for several years back in my Catholic School days! I can dish the religious with the best of 'em!

Oh, I was raised so Roman Catholic we only attended Latin masses until I was in my early teens or so. So I can relate. But thankfully folks have been giving you a chance, at least enough for you to have all of these other books in effect. The webcomics you host at your site alone- where do you find the time? Has it gotten easier for you to wear so many hats, or is there still a struggle, in getting your work out there and finding audiences for it?

The popularity of Jesus Hates Zombies has definitely made it easier to find an audience for my other work. But along with that comes an obligation to make that work the highest quality I can. Getting people to check something out is one thing. Getting them to stick with it is another thing entirely! Personally, I think I do my best work when I've got several projects going at once. It helps all of them feel fresh. If I was only working on one book, I think I'd get bored with it. But when I've got several books and three webcomics going at the same time, it's much easier for me to stay interested in all of them! And I've gotten better over the last few years of knowing when I've hit my limit. If I take on too many projects at once, then the work can suffer. So there's a balance to it. When I hit that sweet number of projects to juggle, that's when things really click!

You have collaborated the most with artists Lauren Monardo and Daniel Thollin, each on JHZ as well as The Slightly Askew Adventures Of Inspector Ham And Eggs with Lauren, and Happy Panda Funtime Show and Vaempir Testament with Daniel. In your experience, is there a fine line between business arrangement and all-out creative alliance? And as an experienced creator, do you prefer now these longer-term collaborations, or does it rely entirely on the individual?

I think you go into each project hoping for an all-out creative alliance. But sometimes it just doesn't progress beyond being a business arrangement. I've been very lucky to work with such amazingly talented people like Lauren and Daniel, and now also Jim McMunn and Dave Myers.
What happens when, as a writer, you click with an artist is that aside from simply the joy you get from working with them, a very high degree of trust evolves. And when that trust is a two way street, then the all-out creative alliance is formed. So when I'm writing something for Lauren, Daniel, Jim or Dave, I know they're going to totally get what I'm trying to do. I know that they're going to send me back work that exceeds the meager words I've put down on the page. I never have to worry about whether they're going to 'get it'. And I think, conversely, they know that I'm going to write to their strengths and that I have complete faith that they're going to do what best serves the story. I'm not the type of writer who insists 100% that an artist follows my panel layouts or scene descriptions. If the artist feels that a page would be better served with five panels instead of seven and they can combine a few to make it flow better, I'm all for it! But the freedom for them to do that and to know that I'm going to be totally cool with it comes from that built up trust. And when you've got it between you...making comics can be one of the most fun experiences on the planet!

Nowadays, small press and indie writers really do need to multi-task, like producers. You yourself have done a bit of lettering and packaging. Were these things that were difficult for you to get into, or does it just add to the overall fun, the immersion into the work?

Getting into the lettering was actually fairly easy. I love having that final pass at the writing that lettering affords me. And, I often tweak dialogue based on the art. So yeah, it definitely adds to the fun and immersion into the work. The other things, like packaging and logo creation come from the fact that I'm a graphic designer by day. So again, it was a fairly easy thing for me to get into.

You actually designed and maintain your own proper website as well, right?

Yes. I'm not exactly a whiz when it comes to the back-end workings of web development, but I do know HTML and would rather have that level of control over my sites than to use a template or a service. It just allows me to do whatever I want to do without any constraints.

So how do you kill your free time? What beyond funny books interests you?

Free time? What the hell is that! Aside for working and comics, I'm married and I have two kids. So the time not spent working in one form or another is usually spent with my family. But I'm also a total movie buff. I love all manner of flicks, so I'll watch just about anything. And I read as much as I can, too. Oh, and I'm also working on my first novel which will be published in Spain sometime next year (hopefully it'll be published in the US at some point as well).

Congratulations on the novel! What other projects do you have coming up, other than the aforementioned webcomics in progress?

Jim McMunn and I have the first issue of a 4 issue mini series coming out in May called "The Devil's Trail". It's a supernatural Western and new publisher Creators Edge is putting it out. Dave Myers and I (along with colorist Freddy Lopez) are currently shopping around an all-ages book called "Warriors of the Dharuk". That one is along the lines of a Mice Templar or Mouse Guard, and it's about a young koala who's a warrior in training that ends up in the midst of a fight to save his entire clan. I'm also working on a horror book with artist Michael Montenat called "The Tipper Ripper". It's a fairly psychotic book that's loads of fun!

The Devil's Trail especially sounds like a boatload of fun. Any final words you'd like to share, before I let you jump back ever so eagerly into the salt mines- for readers or fellow creators?

For fellow creators, just keep doing what you're doing! With the wave of digital comics growing bigger and bigger, it's a terrific time for all of us to carve out our niche. There's plenty of room on the shelves, the internet, mobile devices and in whatever comes along next for all of us. It's not about competing, it's about community. We can all grow as storytellers if we all stick together!
And for the readers, you've all got my most heartfelt thanks. Without you, I wouldn't be realizing a dream by doing this!

Follow Stephen's work on comicspace, facebook, myspace, and twitter, but especially via his own website, captions and balloons.

Interview with Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener!

2010-04-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

Atomic-Robo is a very original series from Red5 Comics, co-created by writer Brian Clevinger and artist Scott Wegener. Nominated for awards, and with talk of movies and toys, Atomic-Robo is one smart and cool comic book with a bright future. As their fourth mini draws to a close, Richard Caldwell was fortunate enough to stage a hostage negotiation with Scott and Brian...

Guys, thanks for taking the time to share with the readers like so. Let's begin with a little background info on each of you. Were you both really rocketed here as infants from dying planets?

Scott- I applied for the position of Superman, but when I told them that capes were just not fashionable anymore and blue-red-yellow was an offensive color combination, they turned me down. So rather than Krypton, I'm from New York City.

Brian- I emerged fully formed from the Nexus Of All Realities in the swamps of Florida, exactly where you'd expect to find it. Later, I was bitten by a radioactive writer.

And what sort of creative lives were you leading before the dawning of Atomic-Robo? And where exactly did Atomic-Robo come from? Has he been with you for awhile?

S- Atomic Robo is actually one of the first creative-type jobs I've ever had. I've always been doodling and sketching and drawing for my own enjoyment. Brian and Robo just happened to come along at a period in my life when I was looking to do something completely different. I had a couple of options at the time, but drawing was the only thing that I could do that I absolutely loved.

When Brian first approached me with the concept for Robo I was instantly hooked. With Brian's help, we rolled a lot of the ideas I was messing around with on my own into Atomic Robo, and the end result is the comic book we've got now.

Brian, as the initial idea originated with you, is science something you are passionate about? I mean, the stories are all very clearly science fiction/adventure, but there have been more than a couple of soliloquies along the way, that makes one wonder at the research that goes into a work like this.

B- Yeah. When I was growing up, all the kids I knew were into sports. They'd watch games, collect cards, etc. But I was watching Nova and Cosmos and obsessively scouring astronomy books from the library. Other kids looked up to Dan Marino, but my hero was Carl Sagan. It's no coincidence he's popped up more often than any other guest star.

So, yeah, I developed a respect for the practice of science over the years. Its development is probably the greatest single achievement in history if only because so many other contenders for that title came about through scientific inquiry, however informal.

And a tremendous amount of research can go into these comics. A ridiculous amount really. It's doubly ridiculous when you consider how little of it actually gets into the final product. I looked into about thirty years of Sentai teams during the production of Volume 4, Issue 2 because it involves a parody of one. I researched the history of cartography just to make a throwaway joke about longitude inside another joke in Volume 3, Issue 4. There's one or more moments like that in nearly every issue.

The funny thing is, I've been accused of writing scripts that show off all this research I've done. I spent a week figuring out a timeline of Nazi advances into the islands of the English Channel, their strategic value to both sides, attempts to fortify and retake them, the fate of the civilians there under Nazi rule, etc. Do you know how much of that made it into the comic book? The year and name of the island in Volume 2, Issue 5. Information people probably forget a page later. That's showing off? A simple date and place tucked into the corner of a panel, as you would do in any comic book when making a big jump through time and space, is seen as this huge effort to draw attention to how smart I think I am? Moron.

Don't even get me started on the research Scott conducts for the architecture, fashions, advertising, vehicles, and technology of the times and places we're always jumping around to.

People, or most people anyway, deserve to be intimidated by intelligence. There is nothing wrong that can possibly come from that.
I'm finding though, in reading up for this dialogue, that you both actually have a heckuva diehard following. I know you have each been able to slide in side projects too; Brian with an array of webcomics and Scott with Image's Killer Of Demons. As you are rising stars, is it becoming at all difficult to balance the storytelling with "real life"? Do you live and breathe this stuff or what?

B- I have the unhealthy habit of focusing on my work to the exclusion of everything else in life. So, that helps.

S- I'd say yes, we do hyper-focus on making comics. Not exactly because we want to, but because that's the only way to make a living doing what we do. I was told once that comics are not a job. They are a lifestyle, and it's true. Work is constantly intruding on family life. I find I have to be very deliberate in saying, "These days and these times are for family and I am not allowed to work."

It doesn't help that I love what we do, so I'm constantly trying to sneak off and draw.

If making comic books was absolutely not an option in any way, shape, or form, what would you be doing with your time and your lives instead?

B- I don't even know. I'll cheat and say, "Go back to webcomics."

S- I'd be living a life of quiet desperation. Kind of like I was before I started drawing comics.

I guess like too many people, I'd have a job to pay the bills and put food on the table, and then what little free time I had would be channeled into something creatively fulfilling; cooking, sculpture, music. The things I used to do, I guess. The only downside (if you can really call it that) to working for myself, on Robo and other books, is that it consumes all the time I used to put into other things. But I don't mind at all.

So what's the technical process of your collaboration like? Do you plot together, or does Brian just write too far ahead? And what tools are your favorites right now, Scott?

B- It's hard to say. But basically we'll talk about the kind of storyline we want to do, or about a specific historic event we want to wrap a story around. Then we'll figure out the major beats to hang issues on. Then I get to writing the scripts.

When Scott gets them he puts his own spin on them, which is just as well because I'm more concerned with the gags and narrative than what the page will actually look like or how it'll work. So, lots of times, he'll have to change things around to make what's in the script work in pictures. As Scott finishes his pages, I go back to the script and make changes to better accommodate his changes so everything flows naturally.

And throughout the entire production process, we're sitting around on AIM bitching at one another about the changes we have to make to each other's work so the pages make sense.

S- Yeah that sums it up nicely. I can't really add anything to that.

As far as my tools go, I keep it pretty simple. I've got a fist full of mechanical pencils (the "clicky" kind), with .03 through .09 leads, and one loaded with blue lead. I don't even ink my work anymore. I just do really tight pencils.

That's shocking, on the pencils. And I'm sure you gripe at each other only because you care, really. What's been the craziest thing yet to come from the overall Atomic-Robo experience? Convention groupies? Mark Millar begging to direct the film?

S- We gripe at each other because we're jerks. Haha.

Yes, we both do care, an awful lot. It probably seems silly, especially with a book as lighthearted as Robo, to put that much effort into research, or getting a line of dialogue just right, etc. But we both want to make the best book that we possibly can, and whether that book is about deep interpersonal relationships, expressing a political agenda, or just about a Robo who punches things, if it's not as good as we can possibly make it then I'd feel like we were cheating people.

Are my pencils shocking? I just hate inking. It's as simple as that. I want things to be light and have bounce on the page, and most of the time, when you ink over pencils, things get stiffer. I'm very restricted in what I can and cannot do because it's no longer inked. But so far I'm very happy with the results.

What's the craziest thing to come from the Robo experience so far? Hmm, that's a hard one. I wish I could say it was the movie that almost got made- but that was more like a giant pain in the ass that left us shattered and discouraged.

I'd have to say it's the fans and what they do with Atomic Robo. The art, the emails, the guy who made a life-size Atomic Robo costume. Right now there are three animation studios working on Atomic Robo short films- not because anyone's going to make money off of it, but because they love Robo and want to show people that they love him. A big check from Hollywood would be great, but nothing can ever be as gratifying as these people who get involved just for the love of it.

I could tell you about the time Brian and I had to parachute to safety from the top of the Seattle Space Needle to escape a horde of lunatic fans. But that's not really what you want to hear about...

So what does the future look like from where you both are sitting?

S- Oh you know. Multi-million dollar movie, television, and video game options. Living a life of luxury. The usual stuff.

Realistically? It's hard to plan more than a few months ahead. I'd like to see the book increase in popularity so that we can focus on Atomic Robo to the exclusion of everything else. Comic books are a tricky market though. Who can say if that will ever happen.

We've got another eight or nine mini-series plotted out or in rough-outline form. It's at the point now that it will take us several years to tell the stories we have lined up, and that assumes we don't keep adding to the list!

Excellent. And Brian- any closing thoughts or parting shots?

B- Please buy Atomic Robo. I need new shoes. Not even kidding.

Learn more (and buy the books) at www.atomic-robo.com.

To see more of Brian's work, check out his website here, and his twitter here.

To see more of Scott's work, check out his website here, and his twitter here.

Special Offer & Request for Help

2010-04-01T11:39:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I need to come up with some funds for a project, so I am offering this HUGE deal if you are interested:

Special offer: CUSTOM FULL COLOR Illustrations Printed on heavy Card Stock- $50/per character –

Do you have a favorite Fictional/Fantasy Character? Comic book Character? Or perhaps you wanted to see a loved one Illustrated as one of their favorite characters - Place your order & I will mail out to you (at no extra charge) a full color 11x17inch print of whatever you order.

Pass the Word, tell EVERYONE. If 5 people order custom prints based on your referral, you get an order for FREE!! Offer only good through April 15th 2010.

If you would like to see my art, and what I have created for others in the past, you can either look at http://anthonyhary.com or in my art folder here: http://www.facebook.com/anmph

Thanks

Anthony Hary

Here are some custom prints I have done in the past:

Rise of the INDEPENDENTS - Pre-Order Special!!

2010-03-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

A.N.A. Comics is proud to offer you a special opportunity to be the first to order a copy of our 2010 Spring Anthology: Rise of the INDEPENDENTS!

This Pre-Order Special is Exclusively available through A.N.A. Comics directly, and is only available through April 25th 2010.

Rise of the INDEPENDENTS – Anthology
Cover by: Anthony ANMPH Hary (lines), Freddy Lopez Jr. (Colors)
Interiors (black and white): Various Independent comic book Creators
50+ pages
Release Date: May 2010

Pre-order Special price: $10.00 >(shipping costs included for USA/Canada Orders)

Only Available through April 25th 2010. *** Every Pre-Order recieves a FREE Sketch from one of the Indy Creators involved with this project!***

To order simply use the link found below the cover image. Thank you in advance for your support!

HC Noel Interviewed!

2010-03-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

HC Noel is a dedicated writer and artist whose Tara Normal strip is soon to enjoy its first anniversary, so he was cool enough to sit and chat with our resident Galactus impersonator, Richard Caldwell...

Howie, thanks for speaking and sharing with our readers. To begin, was Mr. Scootles really your first published comic strip work? What was the production and timeframe like?

Thank you for interviewing me! I had a comic strip published once in my local newspaper and I did some cartoons for my college newspaper, but Mr Scootles is my first comic work professionally published. I created the character in 2000 and self-published the first chapter in 2003. It's been a long journey!

As that book is what you're best known for (so far), where did the character come from? Is there some Tex Avery and Chuck Jones influence in there? I know there is a great modern cartoonist named Rich Koslowski who explored some similar themes in his excellent book Three Fingers, but ya know, I think you actually beat him to the punchline by a few years there.

There's definitely some Tex Avery and Chuck Jones in that book. A lot of influence from early black and white Walt Disney films too. I love that stuff! I definitely wanted the look of the book to tribute animation. My other work like Vincent: The Painter of Death and Tara Normal, all have a different stylistic approach to the art side of the storytelling.

Did you take classes for this stuff in school, or were you just a natural doodler? When did you know undeniably that you wanted to be a storyteller?

I've always drawn, since I was young. My mom is an artist and art teacher and she always encouraged me. Growing up, teachers were also encouraging, so I kept drawing. I went to Pratt Institute and received a BFA in Illustration. A lot of Mr. Scootles is based on my time at Pratt. I've always had stories in my head and when I was younger I had wanted to be a syndicated cartoonist, but switched to long form cartooning as it was more suitable for the larger stories I wanted to tell. For me, my imagination plays like a film in my mind and I'm just trying to capture it on paper to share with my readers.

I think you do pull off that connection. You really do seem to be one of the ones who leave folks divided- either they love your work or they just haven't read it yet. As sharp-tongued as Mr. Scootles is, your next book, Vincent: The Painter of Death, was a very different creature. Were you actively trying to keep from being pigeon-holed as a "cartoon guy"?

I think I was in, a way. I wanted to show more of my ability. When I draw, you can always tell I've created it but it does change depending on the story. With Vincent, I wanted a more realistic feel to the characters and I wanted a darkness to the linework. I like to think of that story as a Dr. Seuss murder story because of some of the linework I implemented and the use of only red, black and white as colors.

Experimenting with different styles as you have, has it been at all intimidating? I mean, is it harder to find an audience for your stories, or does the compulsion for creativity itself take precedence, like cause over effect?

I draw for what fits each story so I don't feel any intimidation that way. Once people hear the idea for the book, it's either something they'd like to read or it's not. Mr. Scootles is about a living cartoon character who gets sent to Hell and his journey to get out so I think the art being stylistically cartoony, while also portraying darkness, is a neat combo for the reader. I really want them to enjoy the visuals as much as the text. The experimentation of the art is really natural so it's not a problem. It's fun to expand on my style.

What sort of writers do you like to read? What artists impress you regularly?

My favorite authors are Stephen King, Charles Bukowski, and Edgar Allen Poe. I love the art of Mort Drucker, J. Scott Campbell, Berkley Breathed, Dr. Seuss and many, many more!

What can you tell us about your new webcomic, Tara Normal? When did she launch, and what's her story? Have you been satisfied by the reception thus far?

Tara Normal is a female paranormal investigator who solves cases involving the supernatural. She tries to find the truth behind each mystery. She believes in the paranormal but also looks to debunk things as she investigates. It's like X-Files meets Scooby Doo. She hangs around with her friend Shadowman, an inter-dimensional traveler who looks like a living shadow and is currently being followed by Baby Cthulhu. I started the webcomic last April and will soon be celebrating a year working on it without missing an update on Wednesday. Tara Normal is also published in TAPS Paramagazine, the official magazine from the crew of Ghost Hunters. That's a huge honor for me because I love the show, everyone on it and their philosophy of doing paranormal investigating. I love the reception so far. I started doing the comic because I really enjoy seeing a project grow and gain new readers. I also run a blog on the site pointing out weird things in the world and the usual favorite government conspiracies. I love hearing monster sighting stories and ghost stories so I encourage readers to send me things they want posted.

Is this a premise that you would like to keep going for awhile, or do you have a distinct end in mind?

I would say I know the middle moreso than the ending. There's a large storyline that everything's leading to but Tara's the kind of character I could write forever. I know where the overall arc leads and each case has an ending. However, she'll always be investigating and there will always be stories to tell.

Have you ever found interest in working outside of comics? For that matter, are you a purist, or would you be open to seeing any of your properties become animated films, games, toys, etc?

I would love to see my work in other mediums. A movie of my properties would be great. There is an interest in a Tara Normal TV show in Hollywood and I'm very open to that. It's a great fit with the episodic format and I'm big fan of the medium. I would love a video game and toyline, as I'm a collector myself too.

As your work has gone more and more into digital formats, have your tools of choice changed along the way as well? How do you get those crisp ink lines?

I pencil and ink on paper and then scan them into Photoshop for coloring. Thank you for the remark about my linework. I spend a lot of time on the linework to make sure it's varied and crisp. I'm glad you appreciate it!

Before I cut your chains loose, how do you stay so upbeat and focused? If there is a common theme to your stories, it does seem to be humor in the face of darkness. Is that something you especially believe in, in the real world?

I think you nailed it. That's how I strive to be in life. My characters have an easier time living that way than I do sometimes. I think it's important to keep a sense of humor when times are really rough. It will help you through it.

http://www.hcnoel.com

Look for HC Noel on the web via cafepress, comicspace, facebook, myspace, and twitter.
And follow his Tara Normal on facebook and twitter, too!

J.K. Woodward Interview!

2010-03-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

Phenomenal graphic artist and illustrator J.K. Woodward found the time in his nonstop schedule making IDW look good (like they really need the help) to answer these bothersome questions from our own man hipdeep in the frontlines, Richard Caldwell...

James, thanks for taking some time out to share with us. You've had one of those lives thus far that has pulled you all over the country. Do you think the travel, the exposure to so many different places and people, has sharpened your creative mind's eye?

In all honesty, its hard to say. I've been bouncing around for so long. But, I think so. I remember my first move in 1986 (to Los Angeles) was an almost culture shock experience. I quickly moved back to New England but tried again for L.A. 2 years later. If I hadn't done that I'm not sure I'd be the painter I am today. I had taken myself outside of my environment and found that it was a lot easier to say "why not". It's as if I was giving myself all these restrictions based on peers and surroundings that were completely unnecessary and I wasn't even aware of it until I was separated from it. There are "rules" that govern people's behavior in every location and/or scene within it. When you're new somewhere, you're not aware of it yet and I think that can open you to new things. For me, in L.A., it was art. I had always been penciling comic pages and had dabbled in some acrylic and watercolour painting, but never really explored the art scene outside of comics until I got to L.A. If you had told me in '86, that I'd be experimenting with surrealism, impressionism or even abstract; that I'd be painting in oil on 6 foot canvas instead of brush and ink on 11x17 bristol board, I wouldn't have believed it.
I think this is just part of a person's natural development and growth, but I think by making big and sudden changes in your life, you can accelerate it and even take it to levels you hadn't considered before. So in that sense I would have to say that yes, the exposure to so many different places and people, has sharpened my creative mind's eye, because that kind of exploration is what it takes for me, personally to grow.
In addition, if you're working in comics, it's always nice to have experiences in different regions and cities because you never know what a script may call for.

So which came first for you, the commercial art or work in comic books? And how did you land that very first comic book gig?

Commercial work.
In the 90's I was doing a lot of freelance album covers for a German record producer. This would later (1999-2000) lead to a move to Frankfurt to do this full time. After moving there I worked full time for this record company for about a year and then it all went to hell. I started getting work for advertising agencies as a freelance illustrator, but found this new career EXTREMELY unrewarding. I started painting a lot more and I was doing a lot of small gallery shows around the Frankfurt area. It kind of took the sting out of working in advertising, but what I really wanted to do was publish something.
Here's where I got back into comics. At the time I was working on an oil painting series called Flesh Angels and I really wanted to publish all the pieces as an art book. I arranged the pieces and worked out the story with writer and long time friend, M.D.Koffin. She wrote some first person narratives to go with the paintings and the art book was ready. Finding a publisher to take a chance on an unknown was going to be near impossible, so having no patience for that I published it myself as a comic. It had the same dimensions as a comic and a saddle stitched spine, but any similarity to an actual comic ended there. It was basically 32 paintings, though I still consider it my first work in comics.
Flesh Angels got the attention of Phil Smith who was looking to self publish a story himself and needed an artist. We did two and half issues of a book called Gelding, but it never went anywhere. Phil and I went our separate ways professionally, but are still friends today. Phil is now an editor at Top Cow. During and after this time working with him I also did two other very important twelve-page stories. One was for A David Lewis' Mortal Coils and the other was Michael Colbert's Crazy Mary. Both got a great deal of attention for indie titles, but it was my work on Crazy Mary that got the attention of Chris Ryall over at IDW. He started me on a four issue mini for CSI:NY and while I was still finishing up issue 3 he told me Peter David was bringing Fallen Angel to IDW and had decided on me as the artist. I worked on this series for the next three or more years as well as X-Men Origins:Beast, a few Star Trek books and a myriad of covers for IDW, BOOM! and DDP.
So it all started because I hated working in advertising and I couldn't afford to publish a proper art book and I couldn't be happier it worked out the way it did. Comics are a huge part of my life and I kind of turned my back on them in the 90's. I'm glad I got pulled back in.

Why had you turned your back on comics? I know everyone even remotely related to the industry still holds grudges and regrets over the implosion, but were there other reasons for you? Are you passionate about the medium now, beyond it just being your trade of choice?

I didn't really make a choice to consciously abandon comics, life just started to get in the way. The early 90's were a crazy time for me. I was just distracted for a few years and then when I tried to come back on board I was lost. A lot happens in superhero comics in just a few years.
But the 90's weren't a total comic reading void. Because I was so lost in what was going on in the big 2 (and the new and blossoming 3rd), I directed my attention to stuff I had previously ignored. I would buy the Cerebus phone books because it was something I could just keep by the bed and read some pages every night, or not, whatever. It required very little commitment from me. Reading comics like that was a lot more fun at that time. I had enough on my mind and didn't want to worry about getting to the comic book store on time every week. When I was done with my Cerebus phone book, I would go get or order another one. I could read at my own pace which was crucial at this time in my life.
That all changed in or around 2000-2001. I started reading Jones' Hulk, Grant's X-Men and Arcudi's Doom Patrol. This was also around the time I discovered Alex Robinson's Box Office Poison, so it was a VERY good year for me and comics, be it superhero titles or indie cartoonists. So, yeah, I would definitely say I'm passionate about the medium now! I always have been. I just took a small break for a short while.

Who has influenced what you do, in or out of comic books? And what's your studio space like- are you big on ambiance, beit movies, podcasts, music?

Influences outside of art are just too numerous to name, but if I keep it to just art influences, then the great cubists Braque and Picasso, surrealists from Dali to Giger, contemporary I like Warhol and Hockney and comic artists John Byrne and Bill Sienkiewicz. Byrne for form, Sienkiewicz for style.
My studio? Well I rent a space separate from my home at a place called Juvenal reis studios (http://www.juvenalreisstudios.com). The atmosphere here is different from day to day, depending on things like what I'm working on, when the deadline is, how much sleep I've gotten (or haven't gotten as is generally the case). But most of the time it's music or podcasts, as movies or tv can demand too much visual attention.
Usually for music in the studio, I prefer classic 77 punk or some Kalifornia 80's hardcore. I need that constant energy feed it gives me. When it comes to podcasts, it's usually comics related. I don't have any friends in NYC yet that are into comics, so it doesn't come up much as a topic of discussion in my social life. In comics it's good to know about stuff even if it is outside your area of interest. That's where podcasts come in.

If you had been unable to pursue art so directly over the years, what do you think that alternate reality you would be doing with himself? What else interests you?

The alternate reality me would be doing life without the possibility of parole.
Seriously though, I'm not sure. I spend every waking moment (literally 16-20 hours a day, 7 days a week) painting. I can't imagine doing anything else. My work IS my life. It IS me. There is no distinction. I can't see how I would exist without art. It's rare that it happens, but if I'm not working and still awake, I'm usually drinking. So I guess without my work, I'd be an alcoholic...or a sex addict...a junkie perhaps. Point is, without art, I'm left with only base, animal-like, self-indulgent interests. I think without art I'd be this barely human thing scurrying around the city in an effort to satisfy whatever particular craving or lust happens to be rolling around in my primal beast head at that particular moment, with nary a thought of consequence or future. By night I'd be a frontman for an 80's style hardcore band called "Testicular Fortitude".
Either that or I'd probably do something in computers. I actually have an associates degree for it that I'm still paying for.

There is a lot of honesty to that. Not in working with computers, but in the connections between obsession and addiction. So many great writers and artists have danced on that thin grey line, throughout history.
So what do you have to look forward to in the future? What current and upcoming projects are you at liberty to plug away with here for our readers?

Yeah, you're right. There is a lot of truth in that. It's a little frightening (and invigorating) to think about.
Let's see, what am I doing? There's a lot of uncertainty in the future because I'm planning out all these ambitious but secret endeavors. So I'll have to wait to tell you about that stuff. But in the meantime, I'll be plenty busy with freelance work. I just finished a Star Trek: Captain's Log and am currently working on an 11 page guest spot on GI Joe: Cobra II. I have another Captain's Log after that and a project lined up with Chris Ryall, but it's too early to talk about that one. Somewhere between finishing the next Captain's Log issue and starting the Ryall project, I expect Peter will have the script for the next Fallen Angel mini. I'm anxiously awaiting that one!

How is it, working with Peter David? I've heard he can be the artist's writer, but I know he really has formed some great rapports in the past, like with Larry Stroman on X-Factor and Dale Keown on the Hulk. Do his scripts challenge you, or does he play into your strengths?

Both. When Peter needs something for a scene, it's going in the script. I have no doubt about that and sometimes that means a challenge.The apocalyptic New York battle scene between Fallen Angel and Illyria at the end of Reborn is a good example of that. But he also seems to pay attention and remember when something works with an artist. I hear a lot of artists complain about underwater scenes. And yes, if you're penciling, it can be hard to pull off. You often have to rely a lot on the colourist to make the underwater atmosphere believable. But as a painter these scenes are easier for me and in issue 3 or 4 of Fallen Angel he had written a short underwater scene and it really worked. Underwater scenes came up two more times after that. They were longer and more complex. I think he knew I enjoyed them or at the very least, noticed I could do them well, remembered this, and made a point to accentuate any water scenes that came up. There are many examples of this kind of thing that leads me to believe he pays close attention and knows how to get the best out of me, but that doesn't mean he goes easy on me. In the end the script needs what it needs and we both understand that it's my job to deliver. I really do enjoy working with him. I feel like I have an understanding of what he expects from me and he has a good grasp of what I can do and what I enjoy.

That is fantastic. Now let's end this on a silly note. Your jetpack is soon to crash on an otherwise deserted isle. What tools of the trade could you absolutely not live without? Presuming alcohol and wi-fi are already in the picture, of course.

Brushes, canvas, and oil paint. That would be the absolute minimum. Though since I have wi-fi, I'd probably want a laptop. That way I don't have to worry about which books or music I'd have to bring with me since I'd have access to all of it. Though I think I'd still want a paperback copy of Catcher in the Rye. I always found Holden Caulfield to be good company. Does it have to be deserted? I was kind of assuming that I crash landed on Themyscira. Yeah, if I crash land on Themyscira, then all I need are brushes, canvas, oil paint, a laptop, and a paperback copy of Catcher in the Rye... and a toothbrush.
Brushes, canvas, oil paint, a laptop, paperback copy of Catcher in the Rye and a toothbrush on Themyscira.

ah paradise island...

http://www.jkwoodward.com

read his blog here and follow his tweets here.

And of course, all images trademark of their respective copyright holders.

A.N.A. Comics Weighs In on its team

2010-03-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

After February's set of Featured articles on the main tallent behind A.N.A. Comics the company itself is weighing in on their value and why these men are the type of men you should want to work with.

________________________________________________________

Nicholas Myers – VP of Intellectual Property Development with A.N.A. Comics – What Qualities does Myers bring to the position? Myers is a Storyteller above all else. If anyone in this business is confused or delusional enough to believe we are doing anything else when we create comics they need to reevaluate their understanding on the craft. Story always comes first for Myers. His art does not standout due to a strong application of anatomy or realism. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Myers’ overwhelming need to get his stories out into the hands and minds of readers requires speed and dedication. Often at the sacrifice of a certain level of consistency in his art quality or anatomical structure to his characters, Myers pushes on to deliver an easy to read, well told story. In his other works, Myers has displayed the ability to create life like images. Making the dramatic contrast between those “fine art” pieces and his sequential work seem more like a conscious decision than any lack of skill. Yet in this decision regarding his line work, Myers never stops raising the bar on his character development. All his characters have full personalities, back stories, and motives uniquely their own. Just another example of how he puts the story first. This well rounded view to his own process makes Myers a HUGE asset to A.N.A. Comics as the VP of IP Development. He is the man who heads up working with both internal and external properties of A.N.A. Comics. Helping creators form their worlds and get their pieces lined up so they have as much depth to play with as possible. His enthusiasm is contagious. Any creator that takes the time to work with Myers is putting themselves in good company and will no doubt produce a better product because of it. Myers also understands a position many creative people face, the feeling of unsatisfied in the balance that is required to create and yet care for life’s responsibilities. Working, creating, and having a family to take care off can put a unique kind of weight on a creative person. Myers intimate understanding of this adds to the value of his input and encouragement for other up and coming creators.

Anthony Hary – VP of Brand Management & Editor in Chief with A.N.A. Comics – Why is Hary a good choice for EIC/VP of Brand Management? The easy first answer is that he is not afraid to hurt your feelings. Hary’s position is really a compliment to what Myers does at A.N.A. Comics. He is a perfectionist, his work is far more reality driven, and his commitment to a specific level of quality in his storytelling is key to his position at A.N.A. Comics. As Editor in Chief, Hary serves as a kind of “step 2” in the development process that starts with Myers. With the formation of the company there was an agreed standard of quality in the storytelling and content to the properties that would bare the A.N.A. Comics logo. His grasp of story pacing and balance are complimented by his unwavering commitment to moving the company forward. Hary has also spent a lot of time studying and researching storytelling, panel construction and composition. As EIC of A.N.A. Comics he often is called on to look over work, scripts, and pages to make sure that the story is told in the strongest way possible. As VP of Brand Management, Hary is responsible for the overall image and reputation of the company. This is a unique challenge as in essence A.N.A. Comics is the combination of THREE different production studios, and yet also its own entity all together. Hary applies a similar perspective to this task as he does in creating his own creative works. He never starts a project without first having a clear view on how he wants it to look visually, and read as a complete work. Whether this means implementing a detailed style, or a more simplified cartoony style there are certain factors that never change: 1. Everything is based in a realism that can be easily recognized by the reader. Proportions and perspectives are balanced so the art doesn’t take away from the story. 2. No matter what the weight or stress of the situation, the quality of the production cannot change, and does not change. This carries over to his Management responsibilities. Whether it be coordinating with numerous creative teams for the Spring Anthology, or contributing to support forum activities on the website, Hary strives to keep it all as accessible to others and all the while maintaining the established level of quality. Really as the bottle neck of the company there is a lot on his plate, yet you’ll never hear him complain. Even in his brash blunt demeanor he stays positive and forward thinking in his actions. Often maintaining the disposition that we can all come for the journey but it’s on us to keep up.

Adrian Wilkins – President of A.N.A. Comics – Is it true he writes comics also, or does he just sign checks? If A.N.A. Comics was a comedy group, Wilkins would be the strait man. To this date he is the least publically active member of A.N.A. Comics, yet that is just publically. Overseeing the internal workings of the company is hard work when you have to work with the guys he is stuck with. Overseeing bi-weekly meetings, creative contacts, and the incredibly entertaining legal/business side of A.N.A. Comics keeps Wilkins a relatively busy man. Yet the rumors are true, he is a writer. In that capacity he is overseeing the development of three A.N.A. Comics original properties at the moment. This fact leaves what we have to say about him rather limited as we can’t give away too much of what he is doing. What can be said is that he is a right man for his position at the company. His network connections and ability to cross media connect will soon prove to be invaluable to the future of A.N.A. Comics. His laid back, jovial nature make Wilkins a treat to work with, and the right guy to lead the forces of A.N.A. Comics!

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Anthony Hary Interviewed!

2010-02-19T02:12:00.000-08:00

Richard Caldwell completes his study of the A.N.A. founders with Anthony (ANMPH) Hary, wanted in 15 separate galaxies for dangerously illicit usage of a pencil sharpener...

Anthony, you are one of those guys who has been drawing your whole life, aren't you? When did you first make the association that working in comic books was something you wanted to pursue?

I guess that is one way to put it, or as long as drawing was the available option. My favorite story is from WAY back when I was going into kindergarten. I actually remember this day pretty vividly. My Aunt and Uncle had just had my cousin and they came over to show off the baby. Well knowing I was a boy and not to entranced by babies my Aunt thought ahead and brought along a Sesame Street writing pad. The ones with the inch tall lines and the dotted line in the center to help little kids, like myself at the time, learn to write upper and lower case letters. I loved it, more so because I love most anything Jim Henson or puppet related. Anyways, my
Aunt was showing me the pad, and my new cousin, and challenged me to copy my new cousin’s name just how she wrote it. Then left me there laying on the floor as she went to sit in the kitchen and do that talking thing adults like to do so much. Well I can say I tried, but after getting to the second letter it just wasn’t for me, instead I chose to draw my Aunt holding her new baby. And I drew it from the perspective of where I was on the floor. It was close enough were they knew what I drew without me telling them and it was all art supplies as gifts from that point on.
Comics came later. Something I have to credit my Uncle Keith for. If it wasn’t for him, I would have not gained the relationship and appreciation for comics at the time that I did. My Mom became aware that I had acquired a comic book, an old X-men comic drawn my Marc Silvestri. Her husband at the time was an abusive jerk off and didn’t think comic books were appropriate. Kinda like a male version of the mom from the Adam Sandler film “Waterboy”, ya know “Comic books are from the Devil”! Needless to say their relationship ended and my Mother being so loving told her brother that I had found comics. A passion of his for years, he is quite a collector. He is also an artist in his own right, quite a painter, and has a bachelors of fine arts from the University of MN I believe. Either way he knows his stuff and he began to teach me, almost like a sensei would. Showing me how to pick out good books, and how to draw like they did in the comics. He gave me Spawn 1-5 as a birthday gift, and I was blown away by McFarlane and Capullo’s work. I also had the big X-men #1 comic drawn by Jim Lee (notice a trend yet?). It was the early 90’s and in the thick of my growing love for comics Image exploded onto the scene and these artist that had introduced comics to me visually, I became aware that they started their own company and it was so fascinating. In 91 or 92 my Uncle took me to my first comic convention: MCBA FallCON. At that time it was held at the Thunderbird hotel in Bloomington, MN. This was the day that changed my life forever. Walking around, looking at all the comics and
toys I was in heaven. But then we passed a table, and there was just this guy, I don’t even remember who he was. All I remember was he talked to me. Talked to me about what I liked in comics and that I liked to draw. While talking he sketched up a quick picture on a 11/14 inch legal sized printing paper, of my favorite character at the time WOLVERINE. Gave it to me, and I was so amazed at what he did. How fast he was. The picture had Wolverine saying “Keep reading comics bub!” Today I don’t know what happened to that drawing, but I know that in that moment I had one thought. I wanted to be the guy on the other side of the table someday
inspiring kids and entertaining fans. That was the day I knew. 12 years later I went to FallCON again, but this time I was a guest artist, sitting with the likes of Doug Mahnke, Tom Nguyen, Shawn Moll, Patrick Gleason. I wasn’t with them, but I was in the same table area as they were sharing fans and getting critiques from them. It was amazing and I was hooked.

Tell us about some of your past projects. And who has influenced you along the way, in or out of graphic arts?

My first comic was a 26 page story I drew just in pencil back in 6th grade. It sounds silly right? My 6th grade teacher actually supported comic book reading to my mother and allowed me to bring in comic books for our reading time during class. We can all admit now, that I was NOT
reading, I was studying. I think my mom may still have that original story I drew. It was like a mix between X-men and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but all the characters were cat mutants. I was so proud of that work. Used to carry it with me in my bag in a folder.
Soon after that girls started to get my attention and needless to say my attention was pulled in an alternate direction from comics. I was still drawing, doing comic strips for my high school paper, and illustrating for the year book which was fun. It was during this time that I began doing custom art for friends. There was, and still is no better feeling then when someone loves your work enough to hang it on their wall. More than a couple times I would visit people’s homes and see in their house, or bedroom, my art on their wall, which is success to me. I love it.
In 1999 I won best of category in a poster contest. The objective was to illustrate a poster depicting one of the statistical facts regarding violence against women. It was sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Center in Minneapolis, and the late Senator Paul Wellstone. The category that I won in was “Every 15 Seconds” because at that time the statistic showed that every 15 seconds in the United States a woman is admitted to the emergency room due to some sort of violence committed to her by a man. I utilized my familiarity with sequential story telling to show the stages of the process all in one image, rotating about an elapsed second hand on a clock that has moved 15 seconds. It was a fun experience and a huge honor. I was nationally published, with my poster being showing in public transportation bus stops in Washington DC and across the country. It felt good to win obviously, but it also felt good for two other reasons. One was that my mother was a victim of abusive relationships with men, and the second was that my art teacher forced me to do it because she believed in me. She said, the first day I was in her class; “You have until the end of the day to get this done and enter. If you don’t you will fail my class.”
Well I had never failed an art class and I wasn’t going to start now. HA! In a time frame of 45 min I drew, inked and colored with colored pencils a full illustration 11/14 inches. I was even impressed. I believe my mother or father have a copy of the poster, I should get it and try to include it in this interview. We’ll see. (note to reader: if no image appears with this question, it means I have failed in gaining access to said image and we should just move on with the interview.)
Eight years ago I decided to give into my dream and begin the chase of comic book glory. I created BRETHREN with good friend Robert Muller, and it started as a web comic. Ran for a while and was a LOT of fun. The current comic book mini-series is actually a continuation of that story and what we established during that time. Kind of gives a perspective on how long I have been working on BRETHREN. After BRETHREN went on hiatus I attended MCBA FallCON here in Minnesota where I live. It was there I met some guys that would independently and collectively have a huge impact on my path to comic book glory. First and foremost has been Tom Nguyen. Severely underrated talent in the industry. He is best known for his work with DC Comics as an inker on books such as JLA, Batman, Green Lantern Corps, and Major Bummer, along with his beautiful portrait paintings of pageant models. He is also an accomplished author of two art instructional books through Impact Publishing, and also the Hardcore DVD instructional series through UMH productions title Tom Nguyen Style of Comic Book Inking. He tolerates me well and has taken the time to help me improve in my craft. I have also been guided by the wise input of Doug Mahnke and Pat Gleason. Their practical advice has helped me enormously.
My first comic book gig was on a fun little book called Deep Salvage, created and written by Gordon Smuder. LOVED that project, and even though Gordon has had his hands full with his Awesome TV show “Transylvania-TV”, I keep bugging him to let me play with those characters again. Even in just fun little 4-8 page ashcan format. From there I have done a few short stories for different indy publishers. I’ve illustrated covers, acted as an Editor on projects, and helped in the development of a few properties out there. Most recently I penciled and inked (with assists by Nicholas P. Myers) a 9 page story for Ronin Studios Hero Initiative anthology project titled: HOPE: Hero Initiative. That book should publish later this year. (check out ronin-studios.com for details)
Outside of the creative world I have to say my parents have been great. My Mother is a fanatic, and comes to all of my shows that she can. Of course she is bias, but her enthusiasm for what I do feels really good and I hope I make her proud. My Father is the opposite. He shows up for nothing, and loves what I do, but he lets me know when it sucks. Between he and my amazing wife I am not allowed to get comfortable with where I am. I HAVE to improved on each project or illustration I do. That kind of support is invaluable. At the end of the day, I do what I do to entertain people, to make me happy, and to hopefully give my family something they can be proud to be associated with.
I think that answers your question. HA HA!

What works outside of comics do you dig, such as other artists, films, music, etc? And I know this might lead to another lengthy response, but do you have dream projects aside from the future of A.N.A. Comics, or are you more attracted to work where you can incorporate more of yourself and your own philosophy into?

Yes, well… Lengthy is good right? Give people more for their money, or in this case time. I LOVE LOVE LOVE movies. There, that’s it. Next question…
I’m kidding. Before I chose to pursue comics my dream was to make movies. It’s still a dream of mine. Acting, directing, writing, I would do it all. I would love to do storyboards. In high school I was in Drama, and also took a mass media class where I wrote, directed, and edited a short film.
It was just an awesome experience. My Biggest dream would obviously be to see my creations make it to other media, whether it is TV, Film, Toys, or Video Games. I love to create and that is really what this is all about for me.
Filmmakers that I love to watch or that inspire me are guys like Spielberg, Lucas, and Scorsese. I also love newer guys like Guy Richie, love his work. Kevin Smith, his dialogue and humor just wow me. I am a newly converted JJ Abrams fan. His visuals and story pacing are impressive to me. I also love pretty much anything Jerry Bruckheimer touches.
Music really inspires me when I am working. Bands like The Counting Crows, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Metallica, All American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, Eric Clapton, John Mayor, Jack Johnson, Steve Vai, Lifehouse, Matchbox 20, Lynard Skynard, Snow Patrol, Damien Rice and the list goes on. What I listen to can vary based on the work I am doing. When I work out, high tempo rock like My Chemical Romance hit the spot very well, but if I am writing it helps to listen to musical scores from films. I love musical scores. It all just plays into me and what I do. I illustrate, write,
cook, play music, anything expressive and creative.
It is always nice to have the freedom to put a bit of yourself in to a project. To have that personal attachment to it. Some creator can ONLY work in those parameters. Where they make the rules, set the guides and have all the freedom. I love it and I get it, but I don’t need it. If I like a project I am happy to just be hired help. It just has to be a project I can believe in.
I am actively pursuing work with DC and Marvel, along with helping to keep A.N.A. Comics moving forward. If one of the big publishers, which includes IDW, Dark Horse, Top Cow or even Aspen comics came and hired me on for a project. Even an ongoing project, I wouldn’t stop my work with A.N.A. Comics. Hopefully it would help bring attention to what we are doing here and we could use that success to grow as a group. Why limit yourself, ya know? Just go for it and Make IT Happen!!! That’s our slogan here, it’s what I am trying to live by. Because its true and it works.
If I get my way, before my comic book illustrating career is over, I will have done the following– at least!

- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Wolverine
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Batman
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Spider-man or Hulk
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series of Aquaman or Green Lantern
- Illustrate a project written by Kevin Smith
- Illustrate a project written by Mark Millar, anything with him would rock
- Illustrate a project written by Keith Champagne

More than any of that, I just hope what I do is enjoyed by someone out there. I love the fans I have. They are so fun. And their support continues to push me to do more and try harder. There is nothing better than seeing them like my work.

Do you push the skill level of your craft constantly, or is experimentation just not as vital in what you do? 50 years from now, when readers look over your work, what do you want them to see?

To answer the first part of your question it really has to do with the subject matter. My Wife has been invaluable to me as an Editor. She checks easily 80% of my work. Whether it is for comic book projects or private commissions, ANYTHING that others might see, she tries to check it out. She NEVER says what I did well. HA HA!! Rather she always finds something I could change or improve upon. I haven’t had one piece of art pass by her that she didn’t ask for some level of revision on. This really helps me because when you are drawing, staring at that piece for hours and hours, you just don’t see everything that you should.
I view every artistic work I do as part of my BRAND, ya know what I mean? When you see ANMPH signed on a piece of art, or my name on a comic, there has to be some level of an established relationship there between the quality of my work and the person interested in looking at that work. I take that very seriously. You’ll hear people say “That’s a Bruckheimer
style film” or “it’s a Kevin Smith movie” and people know EXACTLY what you mean when you say that. Because those creators have established a BRAND for their work. They are their own Brand. I want to be that. It does me no good to go out and try to copy other artist, or be the next Jim Lee (Whose art I love), Ed McGuiness, or even Doug Mahnke. I need to be the ONLY Anthony “ANMPH” Hary! I’m not saying I am going to be the Will Smith of comics. I mean for one, I am not black, nor that good looking. So Adrian can have that distinguished position if he wants it. What I do want is for people to see my work, or just see my name and have a sense of confidence in what they can expect from me as a creator. That is Extremely important
to me.
This conviction of mine is actually what helped lead to the weekly sketch challenges we have been running on the BOARD at anacomics.com. We’ve covered drawing Oversized hulking physiques, basic human anatomy, character likenesses with the Wolfman challenge, and this week we are considering the use of shadows in art through a Contrast challenge. The whole idea is to create an environment where other artists can try what may be new things for them, or even try what they ‘think’ they know already and get feedback from peers so we can all improve.
So yea for your first question, I find it very vital. But I also think we need help to actually experiment, the inspiration or challenge has to come from somewhere. We can’t think of everything on our own.
For part two, I love this question. I am an overly analytical person, just ask Nicholas or my Wife. I am also an idealist, always day dreaming and thinking of all the “could be” great things that are going to happen. In 50 years huh?
I would want readers 50 years from now, 10 years from now, or even later this year to see that I never quit on them. I never got comfortable and “OK” with where I was, but I have tried to grow and develop as an artist to put out the best work that I know I can do.
Hopefully most of what I do are projects that can transcend age, race, and life circumstance to give lasting quality work to be enjoyed for years. Its always been sort of a love me or hate me mentality with me, granted I would rather be loved, but I know some people just won’t like the work I do. And that is cool with me, because I have no control over that. More than anything I hope that the work I do proves my character, my commitment to the craft, and earns the respect of my contemporaries and those who come after me.
When you really break it all down, storytelling in any form is a back bone to human history and social growth. I respect that and approach all my work keeping that in mind. Somewhere in the fabric of life I am adding to that rich history of storytelling. I don’t want to be part of that area of
the fabric that gets trimmed off. I don’t expect to the biggest piece of it, just hope that I actually contribute something worth remembering.

I know there is the constant and ongoing debate over the availability of reader-friendly and all-ages comic books, and much in the same vein A.N.A. strives for family-accessible works themselves. Being a family man, what are your thoughts on censorship today? Do some folks, some agencies, go too far, or have we in truth as a medium come a long enough way since the days of Fredric Wertham's bigoted Seduction Of The Innocent?

Oh baby! Now we’re getting good! HA! Opinion questions, I love ‘em, mainly due to the over abundance of my strong opinions. Fredric Wertham was entitled to his opinion, as skewed, flawed and utter retarded as it really is. I only read enough of what he said to determine we would most likely NOT be friendly with each other, and I would have enjoyed annoying the daylights out of him.
Reader-friendly and All Ages are king of suggestive terms and yet subjective at the same time. I think that fact is what really is at the heart of the issue when you look at it. What I think is ok for kids, may not match what you or someone else thinks is ok for kids to be exposed to. The best advice I was ever given was to make sure it supports the story. If it doesn’t actually support the story or the work your doing, then it’s gratuitous. You’re doing it just to do it. Why do that? Its stuff like that which I think fuels peoples need to censor art and expression.
People say “I should have the right to do it, to express myself how I see fit.” Sure that’s true, but if you are doing something gratuitously, a term which doesn’t just apply to sex and nudity, it means to do something with our cause or justification, if you do something just to do it aren’t you lessening the value of your work? I think you are. The more we do it, the more reason we give people to STOP paying attention to what we do. There really isn’t any need to have vulgar offensive language heavily throughout your story; there isn’t any need to show graphic violence or sexual content. It’s a creator’s prerogative to do it or not. I don’t. My focus is the story first.
All Ages is a term I hope can be applied to the majority of the work I do. When I think all ages my thought is that a person my age should be entertained and challenged by my story, but it should be clean enough that if they shared it with their 11 or 12 year old sibling, they won’t be traumatized. I don’t think anyone under 8 should read my books, or really any comic books. They have a special KIDS category for parents who want to let their kids read on their own. Comic books even have special kids stuff. I’ll probably be putting that in my books. Not recommended for people under the age of 11. I don’t know.
Really Parents need to take some ownership over the development of their kids. Why do we as parents rely so heavenly on the MPAA or the comic book authority code, or even the video game rating system out there? If you’re a parent, YOU are responsible for your kids. Man up and take control of that. I don’t let my kids watch things that I know some parents would allow their kids to watch, and yet I have allowed them to watch or read things that other parents would not allow their kids to be exposed to. That’s ok, that is MY CALL as the Dad in that situation. I take pride in that. I don’t need some Dr, or supposed expert to tell me what is ok for my kids.
It’s important for our industry to widen out. We need more than just super hero books, or adult themed books. Movies only go so far; if we can’t get books into the hands of young people we will lose the strength of our fan base. Reading sequential storytelling is a learned skill. Not everyone has the capacity to do it. If we don’t create properties that have a wide potential fan base, we are missing out.
I think almost any establish comic book fan enjoys the moment where Wolverine gives into his berserker rage and takes out a couple hundred bozos. It’s that conflict resolution that we love to read. That stress and picking our side, rooting for our hero, which is where the magic is at. Along with, this conflict doesn’t always have to involve violence or bloodshed. So the argument is valid, we do need more reader friendly all age titles. This will only happen when people think outside the box and get back to telling the story for the sake of the story. Not for their need to fictionally rape, pillage, and murder.

Hey now, some of my best friends are pillagers. But before this turns into a series of books waiting to be burned by future generations of naysayers, do you have any regrets about your creative livelihood thus far?
Are you happy?

Yes, no need for undo soapboxing at this time. Hahaha! It was a great question though. Thanks.
At this time I can’t really say I have any regrets creatively. Sometimes I fight my overly analytical nature, my opinionated way of thinking, and I have to remind myself not to compare where I am with other creators out there. I see some artists get published, or get to work with other creators as assistants or what have you on projects, and I look at their work and mine… I just don’t see it sometimes. So I fight with that because I don’t want to think that way. Don’t want to give in to thoughts about “Oh, I am better then so & so, what about me? Where’s my gig at this publisher?” There is nothing productive in that line of thinking.
Taking the time to look at what I have done, its been a good run so far. I have done more then I originally thought I would when I started. Even now with moving the comic book side of my personal company Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production over to join up with Nicholas and Adrian’s respective studios to form A.N.A. Comics, that’s awesome! Who has really done that? Not many, and we’ve already published books, and have a whole slew of stuff to look forward to later this year. Feels really good!
I am happy, but I am no where near satisfied. I don’t often feel satisfied. BRETHREN could sell a million copies over the course of the whole mini-series, become a movie, with toys and games to boot, and here I would be with my nice paycheck and happy smile thinking of what to do next.
It took me longer to get to certain areas in my life then I would have liked. Moments where I ‘thought’ I was on the right path, yet that was proven to not be the case. Its good to be with my partners and to have A.N.A. Comics. Hopefully it continues to grow and we can support the
Independent side of the comic book industry and we can all gain success together. I would enjoy that. If I make thousands of dollars on a project, I want to be able to help someone else gain that as a reality for themselves too. Why not? I’m not selfish. Lets all get some pie and ice cream. It is more fun that way!!
That is why its fun to do these interviews with you. Thanks for doing them with us here by the way. I really hope other creators see it as an opportunity to get showcased and have their corner of the Indy market showcased with A.N.A. Comics. Its been great to see the interviews with my
partners before me. Good to be last and I learned a thing or two about them that I didn’t know. I enjoyed that a lot. We’re spreading the word and hope that this avenue gets utilized by other creators too.
Right now, for me, its all about getting the next issue of BRETHREN done. I do the book all by myself mainly, and I have the goal of putting out issues 1 and 2 this year, with issue 3 coming early 2011 thus completing my first mini-series for BRETHREN. If that happens I will be a very VERY happy Anthony. I am also finishing up organizing our A.N.A. Comics Spring Anthology, which features short stories from all over the Indy scene. I’ll be illustrating the cover for that, and hopefully providing a fun 5 page story as well. Later this year we have the 2010 A.N.A. Comics Swimsuit issue, where our profits are being donated towards Breast Cancer Research,
making that a very awesome project and we have a lot of artist lined up for that project too.
My Wife would tell you I can talk all day, and most friends would support that but I hope I didn’t over talk here today. If anyone wants to catch info about myself, planned comic book convention appearances, along with project news and art galleries, there is info on anacomics.com along with
an event calendar. I also have anthonyhary.com for my own work, and carbonhallway.com is the other side to my business which contributes to comic books, but is doing other things too. Design, custom illustration works are just a couple of the items Carbon Hallway covers. So check that out.
Of course hit up the BOARD on anacomics.com also. Lots of stuff going on there, and more is coming in the next few months.

Follow Anthony Hary on twitter: http://twitter.com/ANMPH

SwimSuit Charity book - Updated Details

2010-02-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

A.N.A. Comics is still open for a few more Artists to sign up to contribute to our 2010 SwimSuit issue to benifit Breast Cancer Research. For the most up-to-date info on the project details, simply read through the creator agreement below. If the project sounds like something you would like to be a part of please email submissions@anacomics.com:
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STUDIO CREATOR AGREEMENT-2010 Swimsuit Special
03.01.2010

This Studio Creator Agreement is being entered into by A.N.A.COMICS(Studio) and _______________(Artist), and will take effect 03.01.2010.

Purpose of Studio/Creator is work with A.N.A. Comics, and to Produce and Donate at least ONE illustrated piece to the A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit breast cancer charity book.

This Agreement is active 03.01.2010, with illustration deadline set at 07.31.2010.

Description of project:
A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1
Printed in Full Color
Cover by a Superstar Artist TBA
aprox 32 pieces of Art
All Characters featured are owned by A.N.A. Comics

Artist and Studio agree to the following terms of the project:

1. Artist understands not all submissions will be approved, your illustration is subject to editorial review and you will be asked to make adjustments if needed to ensure continuity for the book. Nudity or explicit content will not be allowed in the publication.

2. Artist agrees to send original art to Studio to be auctioned off to benefit charity, shipping cost is Artists responsibility. Studio will in return supply Artist with the dollar amount the piece sold for, allowing the Artist to keep track of this amount for tax purposes. Actual Funds from the art auction are donated to the charity. No funds are returned to the Artist. NOTE: This process is voluntary, the Artist retains the right to keep his/her artwork for their own purposes, however it cannot be reprinted without the written consent of A.N.A.Comics.

3. Artist agrees and understands Studio will not be compensating for your work as this is a charity book, however Artist will receive at 5 complimentary copies of the book for as a thank you for each piece of artwork approved to be included in the book.

4. If an artist is only a Pencil illustrator, Studio will work with them to get work inked and colored for the book if they do not have a team in place.

5. Artist agrees to sign this agreement with Studio understanding his/her work could not be included in the project unless agreement is signed.

6. Studio agrees that No cost for the project will be passed on to, nor will any money be asked from the Artist to be included on this project.

7. Artist understands All Characters pictured in the book are owned by Studio, due to liability issues and copyrights no other Characters will be used in the book. Characters illustrations created for the book is copyright A.N.A. Comics, with full name credit being given to the Artist.

8. Artist agrees for Studio to use illustrations submitted for promotional use in which ever format the Studio chooses.

9. Studio agrees to list Artist name on front cover and inside contents of the book, along with promotion through anacomics.com and affiliated websites.

10. All parties agree to have publishing, distribution, and property management conducted through A.N.A. Comics.

A.N.A. Comics agrees to promote, produce and support the development of A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1 through appropriate channels and supervise all advertising and networking opportunities. Profits from the book designated to go to Breast Cancer Research.

Artist agrees to produce an illustration of an A.N.A. Comics Character to be included in the A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1 which is to be printed in comic book format. Profits from the book designated to go to Breast Cancer Research.

Studio & Artist agree to not disclose any private or sensitive material about the Studio/Partners/or Anyone associating with A.N.A. Comics, or pursue litigation against the other.

Any addendums or changes to this agreement must be signed and approved by all Parties.

--------------------------------------------------------

Spaces are filling up, and its really exciting for me to coordinate this book. The art is going to be fun, sexy, and demonstrate a HUGE range of tallent. We've got local tallent, tallent from across the country, even tallent from over seas on this project. It's for a great cause, and we really hope you can be part of it.

Thanks,

Anthony Hary

Nicholas Myers Interviewed!

2010-02-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Richard Caldwell continues his dissection of the A.N.A. braintrust, this time with writer, artist, and undead ninja, Nicholas P. Myers...

Nic, what was the first comic book you remember reading?

Wow, hmmm. I want to say Spider-Man. There has to be a reason he resonates so strongly with my childhood. I got a lot of hand me down comics growing up. My dad would show up with a box of them when he picked me up for the weekend and I'd devour them that afternoon and tell him I was bored the rest of the weekend.
But the strange thing was I was always interested in making my own comics rather than reading someone else's. My worlds were always more interesting to me. A bit conceited, right?

Not conceited, not at all. Anyone is capable of observing or even destroying in life, but few can create. How old were you when you were first getting bit by that creative bug? And did it stay with you, or was it something you returned to later on down the line?
What was your journey?

My earliest memories are of creating other worlds and making stories.

All throughout school, all I did was draw, and write stories. I think it was in third grade that I won a writing contest for a local college when I wrote the story of a boy and his Swamp Dragon. They had my mom bring me to the college with some of the other winners and they presented us with awards and everything. I felt like the bees knees.

In the summers, my brother and I would spend all day out in the woods behind our house and we would make up stories. I look back at that time in the woods with my brother and I think that's where my real creative fire came from.

The Creative Bug has always been with me. Only with me, it's more of a Creative Monster- always feeding and always demanding more.

When was the first time that you finally saw some of your work in actual, grownup, comic book industry print? What are your thoughts on that work now?

The first print work that I saw was the graphic novel, Oasis: Omnibus. I self published the collection through Lulu.com after various failed attempts at TRULY self-publishing, which included printing the pages, and the cover, binding the work, trimming the finished book and hawking it to anyone who was willing to listen.

It was an incredible feeling to have this hefty 312 page book in my hands that I had created. It was 5 years worth of work collected into that one book and at the time, I was quite disappointed at it's limited success.

Looking back at the book now, I cringe at how some of the pages look and the halting, jerking of the story in some places. But I'm still proud of it. I always will be proud of it because it's proof positive that you can accomplish almost anything if you work hard and long enough at it. It helps to be bull headed as well.

How did Floating Island come about? What was your involvement, if any, with Cadre Corner- was that setup a true precursor to A.N.A. Comics?
And speaking of bull-headed, do you as an artist find it difficult to balance sundry creative pursuits with a family life and day job responsibilities? Any coping tips that have worked for you? Meditation? Midget tossing?

If I were to participate in midget tossing, I would be the one being tossed.

As far as how did Floating Island coming about? There used to be this show on PBS that was called the Imagination Station and this guy would draw all kinds of crazy things and one of the things that stick in my mind in particular was a series of different floating islands. That and my favorite painting is most likely Castle in the Pyrenees by Rene Magritte. I often see myself as the individual whose floating in that island castle, alone and misunderstood. A bit melodramatic? Perhaps. But I'm an artist. I can't help it right?

I was brought into Cadre Corner through Comicspace. Jesse Hansen, who was the founder of Cadre Corner, recruited me you might say, and I came on board. That was where Anthony and Adrian and I met each other and we found out that all three of us had many things in common. There were many little things, I think, that lead to the formation of A.N.A. Comics and through some of these difficulties, Anthony and Adrian and I strode forth with our A.N.A. Comics banner proudly held high. If one were to become victim to absurd visualizations that is.

As far as the balance with family and the creative life? That's one of the cornerstones that the three of us share at ANA Comics. We are all very passionate about comics and all equally as passionate, if not moreso, about our families. It's been awesome for me. My wife has been completely supportive of all my creative ventures and Anthony and Adrian have both been supportive and understanding if family comes first.

But the other thing that makes it so easy is that my oldest daughter is very interested in art as well. So, we can sit and paint things together and we have been ever since I forced a brush into her tiny little hand.

I think the MAIN reason that I'm doing A.N.A. Comics is so that I can do something that my family can be proud of. So that I can create something and have my two girls point it out to their friends without being embarrassed. Perhaps one day, I can only hope, being proud of what their Old Man Pop has accomplished.

You currently have two webcomics being hosted at the A.N.A. website. How has the feedback been for TPANVP? And are you finding much cause for tweaking Oasis at all to make it work better as an online strip, or does it stand the test of time well enough?

I thought a lot about tweaking Oasis. I kicked around the idea of redrawing some of the pages or even rewriting it and redrawing it. But I think I'll let it stand for what it is. I did take out some of the language that I had in there as I was putting it up through ANA which were trying to make an all ages company. I think the story of Oasis works well still for all ages and so I just trimmed out the offensive parts.

And as far as feedback on The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby (I'm proud of that title by the way, can you tell?) I couldn't be happier. I've gotten feedback from other artists and writers as well as even some comments from readers themselves. Most of it has been positive and the few that aren't are only that way because it's more constructive criticism and that's definitely needed.

And no, I'm not going to rewrite the ending of Oasis for you just because you think it was sad.

You son of a blue meanie! So what do you like to read in your comics nowadays? Who is doing the formula best, in your mind?

Wow, that's harsh.

The most important thing in comics for me has always been the art. If the art isn't good then I can't get drawn into the story. Once we get past that, I want to make sure what I'm reading is unique. And I also look for stories that can inspire me in my own adventures. But it's also a hodgepodge of different things as well.

Some of favorites include Freakangels by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield, Kukuburi by Ramon Perez. I also like Chickenhare which is a very unique world and represented properly by strong art. Some of the funnier stuff that I enjoy is PvP Online and Penny Arcade as well as XKCD and Perry Bible Fellowship.

But I think the MAIN reason I like those properties is because their creators OWN it. I don't mean in just the property sense, but they've put their heart and soul into the work and it shows through when you read it.

That is something wonderful about smaller press. You can tell more often than not, when a job is just a job, and when it's something the creators have lived with for awhile, slept with, eat and drink with.
Any closing comments before the jury rests? What does the future look like from way over there?

I guess the only thing I want to close with is to thank you for the opportunity to talk about this stuff. In the last couple of years I have been absolutely amazed by the depth and support that's out there in the indy community. You'd think it would be cutthroat but I've found that if you look in the right places, there is a tremendous lattice work of support and cooperation with other artists and writers who truly get the reason why we're doing what we're doing.

The future looks rather bright if you ask me.

Follow Nicholas Myers on twitter: http://twitter.com/NicholasPMyers

Adrian Wilkins Interviewed!

2010-02-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

Richard Caldwell (aka nilskidoo) talks with A.N.A. co-founder, writer, and Suge Knight stuntdouble Adrian Wilkins...

Adrian, as one-third of the A.N.A. tribunal, where the heck did you get your start? Did comic books just present an outlet for your writings, or are you a lifelong fanboy?

I first got into comics watching the old Super Friends cartoons on Saturday mornings with my father. We'd watch it and then we'd go to this drug store and that was when I first saw Green Lantern. My eyes grew WIDE and I begged my father to buy it for me. He tried to be slick with me by saying that I can either get the ice cream cone or buy the comic book. I was a fat kid so I got ice cream. But I was a smart fat kid. I got home and got up another 75 cents and went back to that same store and bought that book. That was in 1983. As time went on I started collecting other books. Then I read what really made me want to write comics...The Dark Phoenix Saga. There was something about how I felt the emotion that Claremont put into the entire story. The love story, the anger that Wolverine seemed to have all the time, and the action and the power that Phoenix had. I mean, she wiped out an entire star system just because she's hungry...AWESOME.
Now comics actually, were not exactly an outlet for my writing. Writing comics was a way I got extra credit in my sophomore year in high school. Crazy, I know. We read an article in my English class about Milestone coming out and for me being an African-American young man at that time...as if I'm old now at 35...my English teacher challenged me to write a story using Icon, Superman, Phoenix, Green Lantern, and Static. I thought it was cool and I did the assignment and when she gave it back to me, she challenged me to come up with my own characters and write stories for them. So I guess you can say I've been a lifelong fanboy as well. I always said back then if I could be any character in any comic book, I would be Thor. Everyone else wanted to be Wolverine or Cyclops, but me..I wanted to be the Norse god of thunder and that would play in my writing in the many years to come. Along with my love of the Green Lantern and the GL Corps.

That sounds like an ideal teacher. All high school students should be so lucky.
You live in the DC area, right? Do you see some irony there, between writing stories about fictional power struggles while living where real power struggles happen everyday? And what genres interest you nowadays?

Yeah, right now I do live in Washington, DC, and we got here totally by "accident". When I say "we", I mean my wife and me. We are planning on moving back to the NY/NJ area as soon as she finishes law school this semester and passes the bar. But to answer your question, it is kind of ironic that I write comics and even some stories that have to do with power struggles and big corporations "ruling the world". The wildest thing to me was when I saw the Barack Obama comic books and the shirts that Alex Ross did depicting Obama taking his shirt off to reveal the "O". Really cool. I got two of them so my wife doesn't say that I stole hers.
I tend to drift while "rambling" from time to time. Just ask Nic and Anthony. I don't say much but I never seem to stay on subject at times when I do talk. Now about the genres that interest me. WIDE variety. Mecha. Love the giant robots. Superhero most definitely. I don't know what you'd call the DragonBall Z/Street Fighter type of comics, but that style. I also like Invincible. I don't know whether to have that as a superhero or as a spoof. I like a good spoof here and there.

So share with us some of the projects you worked on before A.N.A. was unleashed on the unsuspecting world. And what's the origin story behind your Supreme Knight alias?

Well there are a few projects that I have been working on before A.N.A. came about and I hope to unleash onto the world through A.N.A. One is a spoof comic called Earth Zoners. Have you ever wondered how superhero teams would always fight to save the planet, but do more destruction than anything? Well, that's what happens to this group of heroes and they received a BILL to pay for damages to one major city. They didn't have the money to pay for it so they do what any washed up celebrity would do. No, not commercials, but reality TV!

My baby project is 12 Rings. That goes ALL the way back to my sophomore year in high school when I was challenged by Mrs. Johnson, my English teacher, to create my own characters. Now granted the characters I have now are lightyears ahead of what I came up with in my sophomore year. 12 Rings, although I can't reveal too much of the story at this time, is an action-packed story. This one is aimed directly at those people that miss DragonBall Z. It's not DragonBall Z, I can't even try to recreate what Akira Toriyami came up with, but the action is there. There's also a merger of projects so to speak as I am merging The Further Adventures of James & Medes and Solar Phoenix together. I haven't come up with a name for that yet, so I'm calling that Project X.

Now the Supreme Knight alias/persona...it actually came from my time in the wrestling ring. When I started pro wrestling I was known as Supreme in New Jersey. I was also known as Supreme in a lot of forums that talked about championship belts. That's a huge thing I'm into. Anyway, when I made my debut people said that I looked like Suge Knight. The fans started chanting "You killed Biggie! You killed Tupac!" It was a lot of fun! Shortly after that a few of the fans actually came up to me and said, "Hey Supreme Knight, can I get your autograph?!?" I looked over at the promoter, Mike Morgan, and he was like, "You got a new name. I like it!" And that name was born right there in New Jersey. And the Supreme K night that's in 12 Rings is actually how I wish I could be. I think that's somet hing all writers do. They put a part of themselves in the characters they write.

Is wrestling still a big part of your life then?

I don't watch wrestling as much as I used to, but I still keep in touch with some of the guys I worked with in the ring. Shortly after my mother passed away last year I went up to the old promotion I worked in up in New Jersey and talked to the promoter, and he expressed interest in me writing some storylines for the promotion. That really piqued my interest. I have been to a few shows and I have some storylines I'd love to have injected into Ace Championship Entertainment. And you never know...Supreme Knight may make another appearance real soon.

So as both a creator and a fan, what today gets you enthusiastic about comic books?

As a creator I get excited just by thinking about the art and seeing the stories come to life. To me, if you don't ge t excited about what you're writing or drawing or coloring or inking, you really need to stop! How can you NOT get excited about what you're creating and other people reading it and talking about what you've done on forums- whether it's good or bad? For me, I get VERY excited thinking about the end of 12 Rings. Back when I finished the story, I got to thinking about having cartoons made out of it, and then I met Dr. William Hanff at the University of the District of Columbia. I had him for SEVERAL classes and he found out I wrote comics and I really gave him the "Map of 12 Rings". He read it and said it has potential to be as big as DBZ, which to me made me giddy, but he challenged me to keep the story going so, I am currently adding another chapter to it. Now as a fan, I get excited from the wait. Take Fall of the Hulks right now. I'm rea ding and then I get to the end of a part and I'm like, "DAAAANNNNGGGG!!!! I can't wait for the next part!" I may be one of the very few to like the wait til the next issue. Also as a fan, I love reading the stories and at times I put myself in the shoes of say, Sinestro or Rulk. To me it's a way of escaping "real life".

I don't know man, I'm not the biggest fan of J eph Loeb, but I like what Greg Pak has done with Herculese.
What persons have influenced and inspired you, in or out of comics? I mean the folks that really expanded your views, your passions, your personal drive.

Well, I have mentioned my English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, and one of my college professors, Dr William Hanff, to instill that creative drive in me to keep going; but as far as people in comics, I would have to say that I wanted to be like Claremont. I mean, I just loved what he did on the X-Men. Chuck Dixon actually made me want to research more into what I was writing. Imagine that...not researching anything. One guy that really lit a fire under me is a writer named Brandon Easton. I met him when I moved to Brooklyn, NY from South Carolina and when he found out that I was trying to get into comics he took me under his wing. At that time he was writing Arkanium for DreamWave. At this time I was still a little green behind the ears and he told me how to be when I meet other creators and editors. Another big influence to me is Dwight MacPherson. I met him on the Arcana boards and then not too long after that I met him at HeroesCon down in Charlotte, NC with my good friend John DaCosta who is a budding comic artist as well (man, I'm name dropping), and just the few moments I spent talking with Dwight and the encouragement he gave me kept me in, because I was close to stopping altogether. I got a little down with hearing about all these other projects coming out ahead of mine and people getting jobs that I was trying to get.
I really thought that I wasn't good enough to write in comics. If it wasn't for Dwight, John DaCosta, Brandon Easton and Will Caligan, I may have stopped altogether. I'm glad they encouraged me in ways they don't even know.

Any parting shots for the future A.N.A. readership?

Well, I would say that I am offering a $1,000,000 cash prize to anyone that can name all my characters, but I barely have $10 so that's out the window. Really, I want to say that we're a family friendly company. We're working on producing quality stories in which everyone in the family can sit down and enjoy together. We're planning on growing slowly and we're looking on building great working relationships, and our roster, in the future.

Follow Adrian Wilkins on twitter: http://twitter.com/SupremeKnight

Support a good cause, and get your art seen!

2010-02-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

We have a HUGE opportunity for artists to try to be part of, and as part of A.N.A. Comics initiative to grow an open and trusting relationship with creators, below is the Creator agreement for our Swimsuit Breast cancer charity issue.

Give it a read over and if you want to be involved, email us at submissions@anacomics.com

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STUDIO CREATOR AGREEMENT-2010 Swimsuit Special
01.01.2010

This Studio Creator Agreement is being entered into by A.N.A.COMICS(Studio) and _______________(Artist), and will take effect (date).

Purpose of Studio Creator is work with A.N.A. Comics, and to Produce and Donate at least ONE illustrated piece to the A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit breast cancer charity book.

This Agreement is active 01.01.2010, with illustration deadline set at 07.31.2010.

Description of project:
A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1
Printed in Full Color
Cover by a Superstar Artist TBA
32 pieces of Art
All Characters featured are owned by A.N.A. Comics

Artist and Studio agree to the following terms of the project:

1. Artist understands not all submissions will be approved, your illustration is subject to editorial review and you will be asked to make adjustments if needed to ensure continuity for the book. Nudity or explicit content will not be allowed in the publication.

2. Artist agrees to send original art to Studio to be auctioned off to benefit charity; shipping cost is Artists responsibility, address to ship original art to is: A.N.A. Comics. Studio will in return supply Artist with the amount the piece sold for.

3. Artist agrees and understands Studio will not be compensating for your work as this is a charity book, however Artist will receive at 5 complimentary copies of the book for as a thank you for each piece of artwork approved to be included in the book.

4. If an artist is only a Pencil illustrator, Studio will work with them to get work inked and colored for the book if they do not have a team in place.

5. Artist agrees to sign this agreement with Studio understanding his/her work could not be included in the project unless agreement is signed.

6. Studio agrees that No cost for the project will be passed on to, nor will any money be asked from the Artist to be included on this project.

7. Artist understands All Characters pictured in the book are owned by Studio, due to liability issues and copyrights no other Characters will be used in the book. Characters illustrations created for the book is copyright A.N.A. Comics, with full name credit being given to the Artist.

8. Artist agrees for Studio to use illustrations submitted for promotional use in which ever format the Studio chooses.

9. Studio agrees to list Artist name on front cover and inside contents of the book, along with promotion through anacomics.com and affiliated websites.

10. All parties agree to have publishing, distribution, and property management conducted through A.N.A. Comics.

A.N.A. Comics agrees to promote, produce and support the development of A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1 through appropriate channels and supervise all advertising and networking opportunities. Profits from the book designated to go to Breast Cancer Research.

Artist agrees to produce an illustration of an A.N.A. Comics Character to be included in the A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1 which is to be printed in comic book format. Profits from the book designated to go to Breast Cancer Research.

Studio & Artist agree to not disclose any private or sensitive material about the Studio/Partners/or Anyone associating with A.N.A. Comics, or pursue litigation against the other.

Any addendums or changes to this agreement must be signed and approved by all Parties.

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If this is a project you would like to contribute to, please email submissions@anacomics.com and get on board!

Thanks

Web-Comics = A.N.A. Comics + You

2010-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Web-Comics = A.N.A. Comics + You
01.25.2010

A.N.A. Comics is happy to announce our new initiative for Creators looking to break into web-comics! There are two ways a creator can have their web-comics find their home here at ANAcomics.com.

1. SUBMIT – We are always looking for Creators to team with us, if you would like to submit your web-comic for consideration, please follow our submissions guidelines found here: http://www.anacomics.com/contact-info.html - some things to remember is that if your web-comic is accepted, there is no cost to you for us to host your property, you retain all rights and ownership, and a contract will be signed and put in place to detail the relationship. A.N.A. Comics also reserves the right to exercise editorial guidance regarding content, art, and quality of the property.

2. PARTNER - A.N.A. Comics is opening up an opportunity for Creators to Partner with A.N.A. Comics in hosting their own web-comics. How the partnership works is a little different than if you submit your work to be part of A.N.A. Comics. Aside from the standard rule of NO excessive violence, sexuality, or other explicit content (being an all ages company we try to keep everything PG-13 at most), a web-comic partnership affords the creators complete independence with their property. A.N.A. Comics will work with you, set up your own website for your comic (example: web.anacomics.com/YOURWEBCOMIC), and utilize our resources to help you build your property. Similar to the SUBMIT option, all final details will be in writing protecting YOU, A.N.A. Comics, and especially your property.

Packages start at $5/month for a basic web-comic site design, and are available for purchase in 6 month increments. ALL packages have a $25 set up fee.

Level 1 site
6 months @ $5/month (basic site $25 setup fee) = $55
1 year @ $5/month (basic site $25 setup fee) = $85

Level 2 site includes Web-comic logo at the top of site, and one RSS feed in content sidebar.
6 months @ $10/month (Level 2 site $25 setup fee) = $85
1 year @ $10/month (Level 2 site $25 setup fee) = $145

Level 3 site includes everything in level 2 plus 2 additional side bar items: Links, additional RSS feed, etc.
6 months @ $20/month (Level 3 site $25 setup fee) = $55
1 year @ $20/month (Level 3 site $25 setup fee) = $85

Level 4 site includes everything in prior levels and allows unlimited updates and add-ons with site access given to Creator.
6 months @ $30/month (basic site $25 setup fee) = $205
1 year @ $30/month (basic site $25 setup fee) = $285

SPECIAL OFFER: Get 25%off all 1year orders through March 31st 2010!!

Simply email: Business@anacomics.com for more detail or if you have questions you can visit the Board on our website, Thank you!

As part of our initiative, and constant effort to be very candid with our fans and supporters I have included below a very nice Web-comics questionnaire that was posed to me by Freddy over at the anacomics.com Board. This questionnaire was answered by our EIC/VP of Brand Management, Anthony Hary, Enjoy the read:

I would like to first share that I have been part of 5 web-comics prior to coming to A.N.A. Comics. I have learned a lot and have a lot of opinions about web-comics. Many of my answers will be from my current view point and not necessarily where I started with web-comics.

-Why do you do them? I think they are a very unique medium that allow for a lot of freedom of expression at a low monetary investment from the creators.

-Is it for the publicity? Sure. Anyone who creates wants some level of attention. I do NOT however create properties to be in a web-comic format just to get publicity for say a printed property. You can do that, but I think it helps to do a web-comic for what it is. Show it due respect.

-for the practice? That isn't really a motivator, but it is great practice. Especially if you are wanting to draw comic books. Do a web-comic and LEARN your craft. I recommend it.

-is there a story you just had to get out that didn't fit in any other format? No. that has never been an issue.

-How strict are you with deadlines? I am strict with deadlines. (ask Nick lol) But deadlines for web-comics are not like deadlines for a comic book. You have a little more flexibility. Everyone who does web-comics with A.N.A. Comics will be required to have at least 2-3 months of strip updates ready to publish before the web-comic ever goes live. This is just better for everyone.

-How often have you dropped the ball? I've dropped the ball plenty in the past. When I did everything on my own and had no support network. I was updating the website. Doing press, writing, drawing, inking, lettering, and coloring. It was nuts and too much work.

-did you have back-up strips? I had all my strips archived and accessible to new readers if that is what you are asking. I think this is key to success.

-Guest artists/writers? At times I have been a guest artist or writer, but I have never utilized one for myself. I may have to someday. lol

-Do you write and draw your strip yourself? Yes, indeed I did. On a couple I had a co-creator, whom I still work with. Most of the heavy lifting I did alone however.

-are they a series of stand-alone strips(like Garfield?) or do you have a clear story arch scripted that connects each strip OR do you just make it up as you go along? ALL of mine are written before hand, even if its not a timeline based story and it jumps like Garfield. I always knew and know where I am going. This is key in my opinion for a successful strip. You have to have a path mapped out or you can get burned out and feel overwhelmed. But everyone has their own style.

-If you hire a writer (or an artist) how protective are you about your concept? Put EVERYTHING in writing. That is super important. I don’t care who are you are working with. Don’t just protect yourself, protect your investment and that means agreements and contracts are written up before ANY kind of creative collaboration takes place.

-Do you let the other person have creative input on story/design? Yes. If I am on a team for a project, everyone should be welcome to contribute. Its better that way too. Helps with the revision and development process.

-How concerned are you about readership stats? The only stat that matters is that those people who take a chance on us and read our web-comic like it. I want them to like it, love it, come back and read it again. That is the goal. Whether its 10 or 10,000, that stat is still secondary to whether people like it. Now having 10,000 readers is also a goal, and would ROCK!! Things take time and you have to take care of first things first. You gotta put out a GOOD PRODUCT!

what the-?!?

2010-01-18T23:21:00.000-08:00

Howdy mahalo shalom, readers!

My name is Richard Caldwell, though I sometimes use the nom de plume of nilskidoo in certain online dealings. I have accepted the offer of joining the A.N.A. team in the form of scribing some upcoming interviews with a variety of stunningly creative and comic book-minded folks, to be posted here and nowhere else in coming months!
If my name is recognized at all, it may be for my spell with ComicNews.Info, where I served time as a reporter, reviewer, columnist, interviewer, and Managing Editor. I've written for other media as well, both online and print, but that site was where I met A.N.A.'s very own Nicholas Myers! So the rumors of us fighting in 'Nam together are unfounded! Mostly!
I am stoked to the Nth to have been invited to write for this blog-group, and hope to take no prisoners! So who will I be interviewing then? Wait and see. Oh, you just wait and see, faithful followers of A.N.A...

But to see what I do in my non-A.N.A. time, just check out my own blogger/blogspot, the sometimes infamous jalopy. And as is custom with this team, any and all feedback is generally welcome, so fire away.

Face true, front believers! Cheers!

You Gotta Make IT Happen

2010-01-18T13:13:00.001-08:00

You Gotta Make IT Happen…
01.18.2010

There are a lot of people who talk about how they wish they were making comics. There seems to be an equal amount of folks out there telling you how you can break in to comics. All their advice is good. And by all means, if you want to keep spending your money travelling to convention after convention hoping to woo the eye of an editor and get your shot, by all means do. A.N.A. Comics offers you something else.

We are looking for creators, writers and artists, who are willing to work with us, on an internship type basis. You’ll gain experience and exposure, you’ll have published work you can show to editors rather than a flip portfolio, and you will gain knowledge on yourself and your abilities that you simply cannot gain working alone. You will not however be guaranteed any monetary compensation. We are looking for you to work WITH us, not for us. Our goal is to provide a platform for creators to cut their teeth and create a body of work that will allow time to truly showcase why they are ready to work for the big boys or perhaps they’ll find that independent comics is really where they want to be. Either way is fine, but its up to you to Make IT Happen!!!

If you want to be part of where we are going, head to ANAComics.com, join the forum and let’s see what we can Make Happen together.

“Make IT Happen!!!” - course of A.N.A. Comics in 2010

2010-01-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

“Make IT Happen!!!”

Looking too been seen? Have you toiled on your project and often had to fight off the chains of discouragement and doubt? Every creative person has. We at A.N.A. Comics see this as an opportunity. Don’t wait for some big name publisher to give you a ‘shot’. Don’t sit and feel things are meant for you, or that you are owed anything in this business, because you are just fooling yourself. You want to succeed; you surround yourself with likeminded individuals that share similar goals. You set out your course, support each other in your efforts, and then you will see an accomplishment! Join A.N.A. Comics as we move forward in 2010. Join us as we Make IT Happen!!!

What is IT…

“IT” is your goal, what you are going to Make Happen. This isn’t some subscription to forceful tactics or inconsiderate actions just too selfishly attain your goal. NO! Behavior like that isn’t needed to succeed. What are needed are Commitment, and a support network. People who try to say “I did this all on my own” are either rare or completely lying. Also your support network isn’t a group of people that baby you and do things for you, they are a group of people and contacts that work with you and fill in the gaps in areas you may need it. Through this relationship of Commitment and a support network you will create for yourself the opportunity to be able to focus on what you want to do most, which for most of us reading this is CREATE.

Here at A.N.A. Comics 2010 is going to be all about Making IT Happen. With our “We’re Indy” anthology featuring the works of a wide range of independent comic book creators, is set to print this Spring. It will contain the whole spectrum of Indy genre comics, not just what we do here at A.N.A. Comics. Why would we do that? Why invest in putting out a book that features people not with A.N.A. Comics? A.N.A. Comics isn’t just about building our own brand, we are also about supporting the industry as a whole. There is a depth to Indy comics that people rarely get to see, and we want to help these committed creators Make IT Happen for them!

We’re also putting out a Swimsuit benefit issue to support Breast cancer research. This book will contain only A.N.A. Comics owned characters however will feature art from some extremely talented Indy artists! If you are an artist looking for a chance to get published, please email submissions@anacomics.com and we’ll send you the information on how to get set up. We have no limit on how many pages will be in this book, just that it will contain the best of the best that we can bring to you. All the while providing another level of exposure to the work of Indy Artists in comics.

Be there when it happens. Or be the one to Make IT Happen!!!

A.N.A. Comics
2010

!!HUGE NEWS from the MCBA!!

2009-12-17T07:26:00.001-08:00

!!HUGE announcement regarding MN comic-cons!!

Wednesday December 16th 2009, a HUGE announcement came to us from the Midwest Comic Book Association (MCBA) regarding their plans for Minnesota’s annual comic book conventions. ALL of us at Carbon Hallway Graphics and Production, along with our partners at A.N.A. Comics 100% support the MCBA. They represent the type of passion and dedication we love in this business and sincerely ask you to support them also. Especially in the face of this change, it gives us the opportunity to make this year the biggest convention season ever for the MCBA. We hope to see you there.

Below is the email we received from them. Please give it a read:

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MCBA SPRINGCON - COMIC BOOK CELEBRATION

May 15 & 16 – 2010
10AM-5PM - Both Days
MN State Fairgrounds
In The Grandstand
1265 Snelling Ave N
St. Paul MN 55108

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MCBA FALLCON - COMIC BOOK PARTY

October 16 – 2010
10AM-5PM
MN State Fairgrounds
Progress Center
1621 Randall Ave N
St. Paul MN 55108
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MNCBA@aol.com  Email if you have any questions
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Dear Friends,

We got really good news last week! As most of you know, a lot of the national comic book conventions have changed their event dates for 2010. It started when one of the largest conventions in the country suddenly moved their date to the late fall and quickly, in response, a good chunk of the other conventions followed suit in changing dates. As a result, the MCBA was put into the position of having to move our dates so we wouldn't have to compete for guest creators. Easier said than done!
Fortunately for all of us, our preferred venue, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, came through with flying colors! They were able to make space for us in the new world comic book convention date order with a slight and very interesting twist!
The Midwest Comic Book Association is pleased to announce our 2010 event dates:
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MCBA SPRINGCON COMIC BOOK CELEBRATION
May 15 & 16 2010 - 10AM to 5PM Both Days!
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
In the Grandstand
1265 Snelling Avenue North
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108
Something For Everyone
22ND ANNUAL TWO DAY EVENT!
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MCBA FALLCON - COMIC BOOK PARTY!
October 16, 2010 - 10AM to 5PM
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
Progress Center
1621 Randall Ave
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108
Something For Everyone
THE ONE DAY WONDER!
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So, in other words, the two day convention will now be held in the spring (SpringCon) and FallCon will be the new one day convention in the Fall!

We're really excited about the opportunities and challenges that our new journey presents to all of us and invite you and all members of our community to join us as we set sail into the great and exciting unknown!
Finally, a request. We need your help to get the word out to our community about our new dates and times. We humbly request that you provide any assistance you might be able to offer via your e-mails, secret messages, magic, websites, tweeting, blogs, internet, snail mails, telegraph, word of mouth, Pony Express, etc. Any effort you can extend would be noticed and gracefully accepted!
We appreciate your being a part of our community and THANK YOU for letting us be part of yours! Look for more info and data bits in the near future!
The MCBA Geek Squad (The Original Geek Squad) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The MCBA
Founded in 1988 by Comic Book Fans and Creators, the Midwest Comic Book Association is a not-for-profit, non-aligned, diverse, all volunteer association. Dedicated to participating in and the promoting of the world of comic books. Providing access, service and developing the overall community of comic book creators of all types, publishers, retailers, media and fans.

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Thanks for reading this information. We plan to have members of our community at both of these events. Mark your calander and make a point to stop by and say hello. We’d love to meet you.

Sincerely your friends,

Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production

And

A.N.A. COMICS

How to make comics

2009-12-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

How to Make Comics!!
12.10.2009

There a so many ways to “make comics” or to “break in” to this business. Tim Seeley, I believe said recently that it’s easier to break in to comics, then it is to stay in. I think to a very real level this is true. Think about it, list the names of quote “professional” creators out there, then tell me, who is doing pencils or writing on Spidergirl right now? Do you even know how long they have been on the title? I’m sure there are a few Spidergirl fans out there that would know the answer, yet compared to who could name the creators on titles like New Avengers, Superman, Green Lantern, or even Spiderman, there would be no comparison. Yet even YOU can make a comic.

Now you have options, choices to pick through to determine what it is you want to do. You can mold yourself, and get yourself in to a publisher doing work for hire assignments where you all you have is the pay for your work and occasional royalties from larger sales numbers. You could also do creator owned, self published work, where you are paid nothing up front, yet should your book do well, the money, creative rights, and ownership ALL go to YOU and no one else. Between these two most common paths there seems to be one trend that stands out over the last 15 years in comics. It is the strength of the creative team.

You’ll hear Editors talk about the finer points of storytelling, strength of solid anatomy, or the value in having a depth of knowledge regarding specific characters or the historical continuity of a character. What I am talking to you about is being a student of the game, knowing the business side of things and using that to your advantage. It is not for everyone. And that is ok, some people should only write or draw, ink or color, allowing the editors of the business handle the pairing of groups together, hoping one day to find their Jeph Loeb to their Ed McGuiness. Yet for those out there who have a need to steer their careers a little more there is a simple truth that can be found from studying the history of successful creators in the last 10 to 15 years.

Some creator teams didn’t find themselves until they were at a publisher like Marvel or DC, yet once finding each other; they have made a point to keep working together. They found there band and its time to make music, as it were. A great and very recent example of this pattern can be found in the pairing of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. Joining up on the Civil War Mega Event for Marvel, They followed that up with the HUGELY successful “Old Man Logan” centering around a now aged Wolverine, The pairing have found their stride and have become one of most successful creative team sales wise of the last decade. The Key to this is that THEY have seen it. So much so that the team of M&M are hitting the ground running with their own creator owned comic that is believed to start in March of 2010, printing through Marvels Icon imprint.

You also have guys like Brian M. Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming who made their mark with POWERS through Image comics, and have gone one to huge success as a pairing and found homes at Marvel, bringing POWERS with them. Each has gone on to do work with other creators however they never stopped working together as well.

This is the same with pairing of artist also. Teams like Michael Turner/Peter Steigerwald, Ed McGuiness/Dexter Vines, Jim Lee/ Scott Williams, and the lists go on with teams that have made a commitment to each other and through perseverance and TEAM WORK they have found success in the business. Moving from Independent/ Creator owned comics to work-for-hire at major publishers, and sometimes back again with continued success. WHY? Because they made a brand for themselves, and they stuck together in their work efforts. This gives Editors a package to look at. They have a book, and it needs and art team. They don’t have to find the next Quesada/Miki combo; they can just GO GET THEM, because they are a team.

This is KEY behind the methodology of A.N.A. Comics. There are plenty of folks in this business who will promise you opportunities, use you to get THEIR foot in the door, and simply get your work and not pay you and move on once the job is done. When all that is done, where are you really? More times than not you are right where you were to start. That is not acceptable for us, and it shouldn’t be for you. You have to take action, and you need to connect yourself with people that either are already where you want to be, or they are going in that direction. It’s the strength of the creative team. A.N.A. Comics is all about support and development of solid creators. To help them find their Stan Lee for their own Jack Kirby and go out to change the comic scene forever.

At anacomics.com we have a forum set up to share your work, get critiques and grow as an artist. We also use this as a field to develop relationships within the industry. A.N.A. Comics itself is the result of the combined joining of Supreme Knight Studios, Floating Island Press, and Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production. Each was on their own striving to put together comic books and other creative medium properties. We saw a similarity to our focus and made the commitment to go at this together. Taking the comic book production focus from all three of our studios, we combined to for A.N.A. Comics. Creators have asked us about working with us or for us. Our business model is different then what most have seen. Really it all come down to being committed.

You have to be committed to be part of A.N.A. Comics. We aren’t in the position to take your creator owned book, drop thousands of dollars of our resources to print and advertise it in the hopes that it would either sell enough for us to recoup our investment. Nor are we in the position to try to hold you financially accountable to the project. Quite simply it should be said:

At A.N.A. Comics, creators don’t work FOR us, they work WITH us.

This TEAM focus has been the key to our success so far and we believe it will continue to be. All of our projects are handled with open, honest, strait forward communication that eliminates confusion and promotes production. The way we do business may not be the avenue you find best for your strides to make comics, and that is ok. Still I will run down some of the things we are doing here at A.N.A. Comics, and you can see for yourself what we do:

WEBCOMICS:

A.N.A. Comics offers creators with their own web comic strips to submit to us, and if chosen, we would provide a website set up to hold your comic and feature your work. There is not out of pocket charge to the creator for this. There is a signed agreement and a commitment for regular production (at least one update a week) that would be required.

Currently there is one web-comic running at ANAComics.com/webcomics and 2 more planned for 2010. Take a look and see if you would like to feature your own story in our web-comics area.

ANTHOLOGY BOOKS:

With 2010 A.N.A. Comics starts what will be an Annual tradition: A.N.A. COMICS PRESENTS: We’re Indy #1! This Annual Anthology will feature works from Independent creators in all genre of storytelling. A.N.A. Comics doesn’t ask for any financial commitment from the creators to have their work included, nor is any pay promised back to the creators. A release is signed allowing A.N.A. Comics the privilege to print the submitted story in the Anthology. The goal is simply to showcase the wide range of great comics out there. The 2010 Anthology is full, however if you would ever wish to be included in a future printing, please keep an eye out for open submissions at anacomics.com

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES:

ANAComics.com offers Indy Creators the opportunity to purchase Ad space on our site. If you look around anacomics.com you’ll notice a header and a side bar advertisement. These are set up to cycle through different advertisers we have, changing with each click of the page. With thousands of visitors to our website, your ad would be viewed hundreds if not thousands of times. ANAComics.com offers three packages for advertizing, broken down by how many times your add would appear in a month: 500/Ads for $5 – 1200/Ads for $10 – or Unlimited Ads for $20 a month. All packages are offered in 3, 6, or 12 month increments. Our super saver package is Unlimited Ads for a FULL year for just $200.00. If you are interested in advertising with ANAComics.com please email business@anacomics.com.

COMIC BOOKS :

We wouldn’t be much of a comics company without actual comic books. A.N.A. Comics first comic book was published October 2009.

BRETHREN: Beginnings marked the initial venture into physical comic book printing and also the start to the much anticipated creator owned project from A.N.A. Comics co-founder Anthony “ANMPH” Hary. The story is set to continue with issue one printing in May of 2010, and issue 2 in October 2010. A.N.A. Comics also has special Directors Cut Trade Paperback of Harijan, a sci-fi epic from the mind of A.N.A. Comics co-founder Nicholas P. Myers. This will be the first time his original mini-series is collected in one book, and it will contain a special interview with the creator along with never before seen art and previews of what is to come! We are very excited about that.

There are a couple other projects in the works, along with a special Charity benefit Swimsuit issue that is set to have the profits benefit Breast Cancer research. All the characters in the book, both men and women, will be characters from A.N.A. Comics. Making this book not only an awesome way to support a great cause, but also an unique opportunity to get to know characters from within the different worlds of A.N.A. Comics that you may have had otherwise.

We are always open to creators that would be looking for a home for their project. We have already started discussions with a couple creators and it’s great to see who else is out there. Similar to our other ventures, we do not ask for any financial commitment from creators we team up with, rather we set up a complimentary relationship that helps the creator establish a brand and reach out to a wider audience then they may have been able to on their own.

Things to know, A.N.A. Comics is a family based company. Outside of our annual anthology, or special creator owned books, we have no intention to produce products or stories with content that would be above what is typically allowed in a PG13 film. Our commitment is to stories, quality stories, and to keeping them free of fluff or any sort of gratuitous content included simply for the sake of doing it. If your property contains heavy gore, nudity, swearing, or offensive content, we are not who you are looking to work with, as we as a group feel those elements are not necessary at such an excessive level to tell a quality story, but rather they hurt your story.

We’ve considered a lot today. And we have looked over how A.N.A. Comics goes about the business of making comics. How will YOU make your comic? Will you work for someone else, or do you have the commitment and dedication to make your dream happen all on your own. There is not one path that is better than the other. You simply have to know which path is for you. Please feel free to visit the forum at anacomics.com and talk to us, share work, and bounce ideas around. We are here to help, and build up the Indy side of comics.

Thanks for reading.

A.N.A. Comics – 2010 Swimsuit Issue benefitting Breast Cancer Research Details.

2009-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

A.N.A. Comics – 2010 Swimsuit Issue benefitting Breast Cancer Research Details.

Attention Artists!!

A.N.A. Comics is putting together a Swimsuit Issue to benefit Breast Cancer Research scheduled to print in October of 2010. If you would be interesting in donating your talents for the book please continue reading!

A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1
Printed in Full Color
Cover by a Superstar Artist TBA
32 pieces of Art
All Characters featured are owned by A.N.A. Comics

NOT AN ARTIST?? You can donate towards the publication of this book, anything over $10 also secures you a copy of the book for yourself!! Just click this button to make a donation of any amount you are comfortable will. Thank you!!

Artists interested in contributing read through the following requirements for being included:

1. Artist must submit sample of your art for approval to work on project, not all submissions will be approved. If brought on as a contributing Artist, your illustration is subject to editorial review and you will be asked to make adjustments if needed to ensure continuity for the book.

2. Artist is asked to send original art to A.N.A. Comics to be auctioned off to benefit the charity.

3. A.N.A. Comics will not be compensating for your work as this is a charity book, however will make sure every contributing artist will receive at least 5 complimentary copies of the book.

4. If an artist is only a Pencil illustrator, A.N.A. Comics will work with them to get work inked and colored for the book if they do not have a team in place.

5. Artist will be asked to sign an agreement with A.N.A. Comics regarding the project.

6. No cost for the project will be passed on to, nor will any money be asked from the artist to be included on this project.

7. All Characters pictured in the book are owned by A.N.A. Comics, due to liability issues and copyrights no other Characters will be used in the book.

If you are interested in contributing to the project email your samples to submissions[at]anacomics.com You will get a response back usually within 5 business days.

***UPDATED INFO***

Just to add. As already stated, Proceeds are going to charity. Its benifiting Breast Cancer Research. If you would like to donate the ORIGINAL art, we are also going to be doing an auction on all contributed original art, to have that donated to charity also, and you would be notified what your piece sold for incase you would want to use that info for tax purposes.

Otherwise if you wanted to keep the art, that is up to you. we would then need a high rez .TIF file to format for the book. The file would need to be 10/15 inches @ 300ppi. Also it would need to be of an A.N.A. Comics character. Either male or female, but in a swimsuit wearing scene. If you are interested please let me know and what type of character you would enjoy and we'll get refferences sent out to you.

The book is printing in coordination with Breast Cancer awareness month, October 2010. We'll need to have all art finished and ready to print by August 2010. The book will be full color. If you dont have the ability to color your piece, that is fine we can take care of that on our end.

I also need to know if you intend to donate your illustration to our auction. Once I know that I will send a creator agreement to you for the project. You will also recieve comp-copies (5 copies for sure, more depending on how many illustrations you have included in the book) of the book for your own about a month or so after it initially prints. These will be yours to do with what you will.

After the creator agreement is returned I will be emailing to you the characters to chose from. you can do any type of scene you want. Make it fun, make it scary, sexy, cool. doesn't matter. We do ask it stays PG13 or less, making it as all ages as we can. So no nudity or graphic scenes.

Thanks for your interest. Let me know if you have any other questions.

– Anthony Hary
Editor In Chief – A.N.A. Comics

Support Breast Cancer Research

2009-11-20T11:43:00.001-08:00

A.N.A. Comics is also looking for ARTISTS who would like to contribute to our first ever Swimsuit issue. Scheduled to print next October with the profits goign towards Breast Cancer research. If you are interested please email submissions[at]anacomics.com, we'll then reply with the guidelines and time frame. Pass the word! We'd love to make this book a HUGE event next Fall. Thanks!

Get to know the founders of A.N.A. Comics

2009-11-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

A.N.A. COMICS BIOS

Name: Adrian Wilkins

Where you live: Washington, DC

Family status: Married

Years in comics: If we count the time I joined an old studio...5 years

Favorite comics: Green Lantern & Green Lantern Corps

Creative Influences: Geoff Johns, Akira Toriyami

Favorite moment in comics: When Magneto stripped Wolverine of his Adamantium back in 1996 I believe..I could be wrong on the year.

Role at A.N.A.: President/Managing Director and Babysitter of Nic Myers

Current Project/s: 12 Rings: Liu & Athena, The Further Adventures of James & Medes

Biggest goal for 2010: Get some more work done for A.N.A. and market our name and get us more exposure! Although I'd love to see us grow, we want to do it right and take it slow! I really don't know what to say what my biggest goal would be because to me every goal we set is equally as big.

Name: Anthony “ANMPH” Hary

Where you live: Belle Plaine (just outside the suburbs of the Twin Cities), Minnesota.

Family status: Married with three Teenagers

Years in comics: I’ve be at this comics game for about 8 years now. Love it, hope to keep going strong and stay here for a lot more years to come.

Favorite comics: Currently I am loving New Avengers, Green Lantern Corps and anything Doug Mahnke or Jim Lee do pencils for. I am a sucker for good art. Thankfully most of the good artist are getting good writers too. I am also loving JMS & Coipel on Thor! Some of the best story & art ever, Love Olivier’s work.

Creative Influences: Nicholas Myers…. LoL!! I just couldn’t help myself. Creatively.. well… I’ll list them in order of appearance: Marc Salvestri, Jim Lee, Todd McFarline, Eric Larson, Dan Jurgens, Doug Mahnke, Tom Nguyen, Travis Charest, Ivan Reis, Stuart Immonen, and Olivier Coipel along with a few others have influenced my growth. I would have to say though that guys like Lee, Mahnke, Nguyen, Charest, Reis, Coipel and Immonen have had the biggest and lasting impact on me.

Favorite moment in comics: As far as stories go there have been so many memorable moments. The ones I like the best are those with real heart. Everything from the look on Clark’s face in Secret Identity, when he realizes he can fly to the look of pure and unabridged pain and frustration in Peter Parker as he smashed the boardroom table at the end of House of M. Love that stuff.
As far as in the industry it has been the release of my labor of love, BRETHREN. Really was a fun day when I got the first copies in my paws!

Role at A.N.A.: I serve currently as VP of Brand Management and Editor In Chief. There is too much involved to really detail it but those are my ‘titles’.

Current Project/s: BRETHREN, and Virtual Girl are my two biggest comic projects. Both are creator owned titles. Also working on some other things, covers, and a fun property called the Expletives that will see some action later in 2010.

Biggest goal for 2010: Get Issues #1 and #2 of BRETHREN out. I do all the work on that book. Stupid? Perhaps. Especially in an industry so streamlined by the assembly line creative process, but BRETHREN is my baby and I’m going to be stubborn on this one. So if you want to wait for the trade, feel free, but for now I’ll be cracking away on those. Also have the preview book of Virtual Girl that I am SO SO excited to get out. That book is a polar opposite to what BRETHREN is and I can’t to get in to that more. Beyond my personal projects it is just to keep A.N.A. moving in the direction we are. There are some awesome things in the pipeline for us and I really believe in our team here.

Name: Nicholas P. Myers

Where you live: Caledonia, MI

Family status: Married with two wonderful little girls
Years in comics: publishing, writing, and illustrating? 15 years. A lot longer if you add in the reading part of the equation.

Favorite comics: Past: Spider-Man, Maxx, Savage Dragon, Spawn, Cerebus. Now: Bone, Atomic Robo Web: PvP Online, Penny-Arcade, XKCD, Perry Bible Fellowship, Freakangels

Creative Influences: Erik Larsen, Sam Keith, Neil Gaeman, Warren Ellis, Todd McFarlane, Dave Sim, Jeff Smith, Scott Kurtz and the list keeps growing as I meet more artists and writers in the industry

Favorite moment in comics: I truly can't nail it down to one event, but I had to describe it in one sentance, it would be when I discovered life outside of Marvel, DC and Image. The world of independants is so full of texture and life. And that feeling extends into webcomics as well. There is a lot of junk out there but there is also some exquisitely beautiful stuff out there for people to discover, if they just take the time to look.

Role at A.N.A.: My official title is Vice President of Independent Properties, but I write and illustrate The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby plus various other projects on the back burner. I'm also the official hand wringer and nail biter of the 3 of us.

Current Project/s: The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby, I'm also working on a continuation of the Harijan Mini-series and will be bringing my graphic novel, Oasis to the web in 2010.

Biggest goal for 2010: My biggest goal is to continue to have fun. Right now I'm having a blast working with Adrian and Anthony. I think, trying to look any farther ahead is always a mistake. Just enjoy the moment that you're in and see where life takes you. Hopefully, it's up, but at least I'm still enjoying myself.

(Look for more interviews and inside info on the guys that make up A.N.A. Comics to be coming soon. You'll see it all here first. Bookmark and subscribe to our blog so you won't miss an update!)

You can buy our comics!!

2009-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

Available now and coming SOON!!!

We get asked a lot “Where can I buy your books?” and now we are here with the answer!

Currently there are a couple different options for ordering out books. One is through indyplanet.com or if you are a diehard collector you can order signed copies of all our books by emailing business@anacomics.com.

Here are the books currently available:

A.N.A. COMICS:WELCOME TO OUR WORLD
Currently only available to order using the buy now Paypal button to order your own signed copy of the book.

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BRETHREN: Beginnings - Written/Illustrated by: Anthony Hary
Click the image to order through indyplanet.com

Or you can also order a signed copy by using this link:

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IF WE WERE HEREOS #3 - Anthony Hary's annual spring sketchbook.
ONLY available through indyplanet.com
If you want to snag a signed copy from him you'll have to head to MCBA's MicroCON
Held every spring in St.Paul Minnesota.

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For a limited time you can still order signed copies of Nicholas Myers' Harijan series.

If you didn't wish to order them seperately, you can also order all three at a special reduced rate:

Keep an eye out for more updates coming SOON!!

Anmph's FallCON 2009 Report part 1

2009-10-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

:::The following is taken from Anthony Hary's personal Blog:::

2009 FallCON report – part one

There wasn’t much denying it, the excitement could not be cooled by brisk weather here in MN this weekend. The 21st annual MCBA FallCON comic book celebration was the largest and most ambitious effort made to date by the MCBA and I would like to share with you my experience from this years FallCON.

-Last minute bad news

This year’s FallCON was more than just the 21st time this show would take place, but it was the FIRST time that A.N.A. Comics would appear as a group in a show. Sadly due to health issues that are not my place to disclose, Nicholas P. Myers was un able to be there for the show. It was disappointing, but also a blessing in disguise. In the end it turned out to be a good thing, let me explain:

At last year’s BIG 20th anniversary show, I shared a table with another creator as part of Blue Collar Studios, a joint venture we were trying out. This was our 3rd show appearing together at a table. Needless to say after two years people were getting used to seeing us together. A couple months after FallCON2008 I had to make some changes to my priorities, and that I was going to need to back off the projects we had going on to get things right with my family and my home life. I was spreading myself too thin and it was either make this call or burn out, and I emailed him about these things I needed to do. In all of this I never said I wouldn’t have any interest in working with him in the future, but rather that I still wanted to. These other things, my family, had to come first. I soon got my reply from this other creator. He simply said “ We are done, I have nothing left to say to you.” He was an unmarried man with no one to care for but himself, and perhaps that made it hard to grasp the importance of my decision. Regardless I emailed back expressing my apologies and that I had no ill feelings toward him and didn’t understand his anger, but wished him the best. From that moment on, as he said, We were Done.

Fast forward to this year’s FallCON2009 and here I am at a table all by myself; in fact it was in the same spot that I was in last year just one table over. He was there also, but on the other end of the room at a table with a different guy… wouldn’t you know PEOPLE NOTICED!! On top of that, they asked me about it. And so I wanted address it openly to avoid any unnecessary rumors. We have decided to go separate ways. He is doing his thing and I hope nothing but success for him. I have gone on to get my projects tightly organized, co-founded A.N.A. COMICS and things are going great.

Though it was hard to hear that my table mate was dealing with his health situation, it was fun to be the star for a weekend. I won’t lie about it. I loved it. Loved having the table for myself and just rocking it out. Look for Nick to be at MicroCON though, let’s keep hoping.

-All the UN-Usual suspects

I had Meghan with me again as my assistant for the how. She is the best. MicroCON2009 she was my assistant and it was my best MicroCON EVER, true to form, she is helped make this my best FallCON EVER!!! Ben was there also, He was going to be Nicks assistant but with that not being a factor, Ben stayed true to his pattern and did some shopping, took a few photos of the show that I will post in part two of my FallCON2009 report. He also helped with covering the table and was a real pinch hitter during the weekend. Their help make it possible for me to just focus on the attendants , talking with them and doing sketches for fans.

Seemed that all the local favorites showed up this year for the show, with a nice sprinkling of new faces. FallCON2009 boasted over 225 total guest creators, which included comic book artists, writers, sculptors, puppeteers and prop makers. Along with those crazy cats we also had loads of dealers offering new and classic comics, toys, games, and specialty products. We even had a guy that had a book where he sold creative supplies. That was fun.

One thing that is fun for me at the show is that it is pretty much the only time I get to catch up with or say hello to other creators that I respect and have developed friendships with. I didn’t get to visit as much this year, which is NOT a bad thing. Just means I was busy. I did get to say hello to some of my favorite creators such as: My good buddy Tom Nguyen (inker on GL&GLC also an author through impact publishing art instruction books), Chad Spilker & Chris Rich-Mckelvey (who I think of as the dynamic duo of hot chick art work, were there), Doug Mahnke popped in for a quick cameo Saturday and rocked the show Sunday, it’s always a pleasure to see him. Brent Schoonover, one of the brightest stars shining here in MN brought it to the show. Always a highlight for me is seeing Gordon Smuder, If you haven’t checked out TVTV you are missing out. Then to round it all out I had a great time visiting with JJ, Christina, and David Kocholek, the minds and hearts behind the McGuffin Exchange (great comic, read it, especially if you want to get a break from the normal boring superhero format out there).

The best part of my weekend was all the awesome folks that stopped and visited with me at my table. Met some new faces and a whole slew of familiar ones, let’s take a moment to thank: Lisa, Mike, See, John, Alex, Mike, Mark , Steve, Kelly, Brian, lil’ Justus and his family, Austin & Kristi, Chad, Willis, and a guy I just loved visiting with over the weekend, Jeff. You are the man! Thank you to all the other fans and friends that stopped in, my Mom for sneaking in at the end of Saturday just to see her son chasing the dream!

See, it was tops visiting with you, and I can NOT wait for the awesome art we are going to create over the next few months.

-All in for Canada

The big goal for me this weekend money wise was just to make enough to make it to C4 in Winnipeg Canada the 31st of Oct-1st November. It is one of the fastest growing shows with an attendance well over 16,000 in 2008 (from 1200 in 2005!) and it is Central Canada's largest convention celebrating the best in comic books, science fiction, gaming, anime, fantasy, horror and pop culture!

AND I AM GOING!!!

Big thanks to everyone who bought sketches, ordered commissions and purchased BRETHREN: Beginnings. Thanks to you I can make this show without putting some abnormally dumb stress on the family finances. That is always my goal in my work in comics, Can I keep making enough to keep making comics. This past weekend brought all that to a whole other level. If you plan to go to C4 or want to check out its info visit: www.cccomiccon.com and I will be a guest in artist alley, come by and say hello!

This year has been a humbling year of seeing how much what I do is so reliant on whether you awesome people out there support it with your hard earned cash, and please know that I don’t take that for granted. Thank you very much for making this my most successful year in comics. My most eventful year as an artist, and I hope you keep thinking I am good enough to keep around.

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon….with PICTURES!!

Wild & Wonderful Wednesday (late) - FallCON 2009 Edition

2009-10-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Anthony Hary here! Thanks for tuning in.

Tomorrow marks the start of the 21st annual MCBA Comic book Celebration lovingly known as FallCON! This will be my 6th FallCON, and this year I will be joined by Nicholas P. Myers, Creator of Harijan and The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby – web comic appearing on anacomics.com. Nicholas is also the VP of IP Management at A.N.A. Comics and founder of Floating Island Press. This is his FIRST appearance at FallCON and we are both very excited for the show.

BRETHREN begins NOW!!

Huge news for the show is the release of BRETHREN: Beginnings! Inside you will find the first part to the upcoming BRETHREN mini-series that starts Spring 2010. It’s an exciting first look at the world of BRETHREN. You are introduced to our two main characters: Tax and Lotus, along with a view of the mystery behind the origin of the world they live in. BRETHREN: Beginnings is a jam-packed Primer that is a MUST READ!

We’ll have a limited number of copies available at FallCON for purchase.

BRETHREN: Beginnings was Written, Illustrated, Lettered and formatted by Anthony Hary, who will be at the show to sign Your copy when you come to pick it up! Additional merchandise for BRETHREN is also available!! We’ll have an 11/17 inch Mini-Poster and Special Convention Exclusive BRETHREN Bookmarks. Be sure and stop by to meet the creator and get your merchandise right away on Saturday so you don’t miss out!!

A.N.A. Comics invades FallCON!!!
Along with the release of BRETHREN: Beginnings, the guys from A.N.A. Comics are bringing another FallCON special!!

A.N.A. Comics: Welcome to Our World

This book contains around 40 pages of previews of art and story, along with an interview with the Founders of A.N.A. Comics – Adrian Wilkins (President), Nicholas P. Myers (VP of IP Management), and Anthony “ANMPH” Hary (EIC/ VP of Brand Management)! Within those pages you will get a rare look at the projects coming out through A.N.A. Comics in the next year. It is also the ONLY book that you can get printed pages from Nicholas P. Myers’ web-comic TPANVB. There is too much awesome stuff in this book to not pick it up for just $5!

Visit www.midwestcomicbook.com for all the info on admission cost and hours for FallCON!

We will See YOU there!!!