NEWS
Fri
24
May
2013
Almost done...
Couple other things and this tidal wave of activity, after months of radio silence, will end. You're welcome.
The Appearances page has been updated; Spokane Comicon is fast approaching, and if you're within driving distance, it's worth your time.
For six of the convention's seven years, both Brandon Jerwa and I have been treated like royalty by the Spokane fans; it's always a good convention, and the parade of very strange things that happen on the road trip to and from the show never fail to amuse/terrify me.
Also, there will be a con-exclusive print for Frost: Rogue State, and I think our artist, Geovanni Timpano (aided and abetted by colorist Andrea Celestini) did a marvelous job on it.
Here's a peek at the print:
In other news...
It's not a done deal yet, but I may be contributing some page design to an upcoming creator-owned comic, produced by a creative team that can only be described as "powerhouse."
But if I don't say something, I'm gonna bust.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Okay. There. I think that's the last bit of "news." There's been some general upkeep in the Comics section, too, with all the recent issues and collected editions I'd neglected over the last few months, complete with previews, so if you're inclined, you should check 'em out.
Fri
24
May
2013
Lady Rawhide
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm writing a five-issue miniseries for Dynamite Entertainment: Lady Rawhide & The Sisters of The White Rose.
Lady Rawhide isn't the best known character—her heyday was the 1990s, during the "Bad Girl" craze. A spinoff of Topps Comics' successful Zorro line, the title featured our daring heroine: Anita Santiago. After her brother is mistaken for Zorro and blinded by a corrupt soldier, Anita dons a mask and becomes a Zorro-esque vigilante, bent on avenging her brother, and a cat-and-mouse, love/hate relationship with Zorro began.
In Sisters of The White Rose, Lady Rawhide has been active for several years, becoming a folk hero for her Robin Hood-style shenanigans. But she finds the climate changing when a new group of female vigilantes launch a campaign of terror against the throroughly dishonest Governor.
I'm rather excited about this one, because I get to play in a genre I rarely have the opportunity to, the Western. It's also fun because my normal research routine is shaken up a bit; from the outset, Zorro exists in a historically inaccurate, "Mythic" Old Mexico, so I can relax a bit and just concentrate on swashbuckling and derring-do, and less on historical accuracy.
The book comes out in August; because the character isn't exactly a household name, if you're interested, let your retailer know ASAP: books like this live or die on pre-orders.
Here's the official press release from Dynamite Entertainment.
Official Press Release
Dynamite Entertainment proudly announces the August 2013 debut of LADY RAWHIDE #1, the first chapter of a five-part miniseries that will dynamically reintroduce the iconic Western heroine to comic book fans.
Written by Eric Trautmann (Red Sonja, Vampirella, Flash Gordon) and featuring interior artwork by Milton Estevam, Lady Rawhide #1 features cover artwork by the preeminent "good girl" artist, Joseph Michael Linsner (DAWN).
In Lady Rawhide #1, the masked heroine faces not only the corrupt forces of the government—bent on intimidating the populace through privation and cruelty—but also a new team of vigilantes known as the Sisters of the White Rose. The Sisters, inspired by the legends of Zorro and Lady Rawhide, have taken up the struggle against tyranny. While Lady Rawhide supports their goals, she cannot condone their bloody methods and finds herself facing off against her own devotees!
"Lady Rawhide is a thief, a bandit, a rogue," explains Eric Trautmann, writer of the five-part miniseries. "But she exists in a time and place where, as a woman, society has strictly defined what her behavior should be. Her vigilante, Robin Hood-esque actions are subversive, and her overtly flamboyant costuming rejects those social conventions. She's driven by a desire to control her environment on her terms… and society's encumbrances be damned."
Having contributed long runs to both Red Sonja and Vampirella, Trautmann is no stranger to writing strong female characters, especially those that have iconic status in the comic book medium. "Red Sonja will never simper or back down. Vampirella will never admit defeat. Lady Rawhide will never turn her back on someone in need," says Trautmann. "My job is to make sure that I'm delivering the most authentic take on the characters I'm capable of, and not betray those kinds of fundamental, core elements."
Lady Rawhide (along with her alter-ego Anita Santiago) was introduced into the Zorro mythos in 1994, a masked vigilante skilled with swords, guns, and her signature bullwhip. Driven to avenge her brother's suffering at the hands of a crooked government, she first had an antagonistic relationship with Zorro, but eventually became his confidante and staunch ally. Lady Rawhide's popularity as a Zorro regular grew, leading to her headlining several Lady Rawhide comic series. Trautmann explains, "I want to capture a sense of fun—this isn't a grim, gritty book. It's pulpy, swashbuckling fun at heart."
Lady Rawide #1 is solicited in the Diamond June Previews catalog for release in August. Joseph Michael Linsner, the critically acclaimed creator of Dawn, provides the cover artwork for both the Regular and Subscription-Only editions of the first issue. Each edition is available to retailers for individual order, although the Subscription-Only edition (presented in a "Black & White Line Art" style) is limited to initial orders as a reward for dedicated Dynamite fans.
About Dynamite Entertainment:
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Vampirella, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more!
Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie, Smiley the Psychotic Button, Chastity, Purgatori, and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt.
In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Kevin Smith, Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Jae Lee, Marc Guggenheim, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner, Mark Waid, Gail Simone, and a host of up-and-coming new talent!
Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers—have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011. The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.
Thu
23
May
2013
System reboot...
First, apologies for the poor output here of late; it's been a busy several weeks, but things (knock wood) seem to be back on track.
Except, of course, now I'm battling Death Lung again. Hack wheeze kaff die.
Because my lungs were trying to murder me all week, I neglected to post updates of new stuff that came out this week. Better late than never, I suppose.
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun FLASH! AH-AAAAAH!
Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist, the ten-issue series I wrote for Dynamite recently concluded, and is now available in a single, oversize volume. Superscience, space heroes, evil megalonmaniacs, and Hitler punchin'. Plus, lots of Alex Ross art, which is definitely rather unshabby.
The book clocks in at a healthy 200+ pages, for about $30, featuring the art of talented illustrators Daniel Indro (who handled the bulk of the series) and Ron Adrian (who finished out the book, and also illustrated Scott Beatty's excellent companion volume, Merciless: The Rise of Ming).
For the full skinny, plus preview art, pop over to my Collected Editions page.
An ending written in blood and fire.
Also out this week is my final issue of Red Sonja. It really doesn't feel like it's been that long, but I've written twenty-five chapters of Sonja's story, over two years' worth of comics.
I'm as shocked as anyone, but the experience writing Red Sonja is possibly the most fun I've had in comics. I grew up adoring Robert E. Howard's "Hyboria" setting, so this has been a longtime dream come true.
If you've read my complete run on the title, I hope you'll find this issue a pretty thorough resolution to her arc. It's got a fair bit to say about loyalty and camaraderie.
And yeah, I'm sure going to miss her.
RED SONJA #75
Written by: Eric Trautmann
Art by: Marcio Abreu
Covers by: Walter Geovani, Erik Jones, Mel Rubi.
On the crimson-stained steppes of Hyrkania, Red Sonja faces off against a rogue Turanian army, commanded by Omaju—royal torturer to Yezdigerd, Sultan of Turan. Bent on crushing her homeland, Omaju pursues the She-Devil with a Sword... but who is truly the prey in this hunt? Old scores are settled, alliances are broken, and rest assured, with the She-Devil With A Sword entering the fray, blood will surely flow...
Dynamite Entertainment | 32pg. | Color | Teen+ | $3.99US
But wait, there's more...
Shooters, the original graphic novel I wrote with Brandon Jerwa, illustrated by Steve Lieber, is now available via the Kindle platform. And it's at a reasonable price (I'm currently seeing it at $9.99US).
Shooters is a contemporary military drama about the Iraq war, with emphasis on the human side of the soldier's experience, and the cost of battle on the soldier's psyche. Shooters recently won a PRISM award for it's authentic portrayal of PTSD and other related issues, and is easily the work I am most proud of.
Shooters was reported to have a softcover printing this month, but as it's not shown up in the solicits anywhere I can find, I fear it may be lost in the shuffle. On my list of things to do is track down the status of that printing.
For more info on Shooters, you can click over to my Vertigo work page, or the book's "Unofficial Official" fansite, Steel River Security.
...and MORE...
If you remember the cover image displayed off to the right, then, like me...
...yeah, you're probably a fossil, too.
Lady Rawhide was a spinoff of Topps' Zorro line back in the days of chromium covers, trading card inserts and Bad Girls. Driven to don a mask and seek vengeance (after her brother is mistaken for Zorro and generally messed with by the authorities), she made a great foil to Zorro and a strong female lead in her own right.
It was a fun book—reveling in a more "good-girl" / classic pin-up style (courtesy of the excellent work of writer Don McGregor and illustrators like Mike Mayhew, Adam Hughes, Esteban Maroto, and others). I enjoyed it immensely back then.
So I'm pleased to mention that I'm writing a new five-issue miniseries featuring Lady Rawhide for my pals at Dynamite Entertainment.
I'll have more details soon, in a separate post, because this one is groaning under it's own weight. But some details can be found over at Comic Book Resources.
Tue
16
Apr
2013
Red Sonja #74 in stores on Wednesday, April 17
The penultimate issue of my (good grief) twenty-five issue run on Dynamite Entertainment's Red Sonja arrives in stores tomorrow. I've had an unreasonably good time penning Sonja's last couple years' worth of adventures. Hope you have, too.
RED SONJA #74
Written by: Eric Trautmann
Art by: Marcio Abreau
Cover by: Walter Geovani
An ancient land, a centuries old blood feud, and old enemies and allies colliding on the crimson-stained ground of Hyrkania's most storied battlefield. Add Red Sonja to the mix and you have a recipe for sharp-edged savagery...
Dynamite Entertainment | 32pg. | Color | Teen+ | $3.99
PREVIEW:
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Tue
09
Apr
2013
FROST: ROGUE STATE #1 inbound...
The first issue of Frost: Rogue State is available for sale tomorrow via Monkeybrain Comics & ComiXology (though you can pre-order now, which I would sincerely appreciate). Frost is currently only available in digital form, and can be acquired for a mere ninety-nine Yankee cents.
FROST: ROGUE STATE #1
Written by: Brandon Jerwa & Eric Trautmann
Art by: Giovanni Timpano
Colors by: Andrea Celestini
Lettered by: Simon Bowland
There are lies. There are secrets. And then, there's FROST. A rescue operation to recover an American asset from the heart of an Afghani warlord's stronghold turns into a deadly struggle for survival...and there's nowhere else Frost would rather be...
Monkeybrain Comics | 19 pages | Color | 15+ | Military Action/Thriller | $.99US
To pre-order or purchase Frost: Rogue State, visit ComiXology here.
Print Version