The Midnight Raider IndieGOGO video

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

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?

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

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

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

::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

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.