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Available Now From CultRetro.com
AC Central News
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It’s A Wrap! New Stormy Tempest in 2012 by Bill Black
Stormy Tempest Vs. The Mossman. Coming in 2012! Principle photography was completed January 9 on a new STORMY TEMPEST feature, the first Nightveil Media production of 2012. Stormy Tempest faces off against a MOSSMAN monster (as created by Chris Casteel) and a new adversary VELOCITY BLAZE (Autumn Sage). Also returning is bounty hunter CLAYTON THE SLEEPER (Pierce Knightley). Filmed on location in the…
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Black Venus Returns In 2012 by Mark Heike
The leather-clad aviatrix was always a favorite of the AC staff, and when we “revived” her (along with a number of other actual Golden Age heroes and heroines) in the Vault of Heroes/Shroud War storyline, we had always INTENDED to make her a regular part of the FEMFORCE supporting cast, and be featured as much as YANKEE GIRL, MISS MASQUE,…
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A Villainess With Teeth by Mark Heike
A mysterious new villainess will debut in Femforce #158.You’ve seen her in living color on the cover, as digitally painted by John Nadeau; now here’s a little sneak peek at what she’ll look like inside the book. Her name is Wampyr, and between that and the closeup (drawn by the incomparable Rock Baker) below you can probably tell what her…
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A New Holiday Classic by Mark Heike
Before the season gets too far behind us, I want to revisit the concept of holiday video and movies. We happened to see a new film this year that Steph and I think may have the potential to become a new Christmas classic- for us, at least. No, I’m not rescinding my classification of the Alistair Sim version of “A…
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Countdown to Yankee Girl by Mark Heike
That speed-demon inker Scott Shriver has begun firing in finished pages on his collaboration with Eric Coile for the Bill Black-scripted story to appear in the upcoming YANKEE GIRL: STARS and STRIPES FOREVER one-shot coming early next year. Check out this page for a look at just how awesome this story will be. In addition, Bill (Big Man) Black has…
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Film Projects For 2012 by JohnJG
Happy New Year everyone! Right now the CultRetro film crew is in full “panic mode” as we juggle multiple projects and get ready for some major releases in early 2012. This upcoming weekend we will be filming an all new set of Stormy Tempest Season 3 adventures with Nicola Rae. We are hoping to film 3-4 episodes for release later this…
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Happy New Year by Mark Heike
New Years is one of those holidays I’ve never really been able to get a good handle on. It just doesn’t have the emotions and memories attached to it that Christmas does; at least not for me. Still, it does mark the beginning of a new 365 day segment in all of our lives, so it does seem like an…
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Stardust In The Spotlight in 2012 by Mark Heike
After a year’s recovery from her imprisonment by the Old Dark Gods ( from FEMFORCE #s 140-150 ), the FF’s resident alien member will play a prominent role in the saga of the FEMFORCE for next year. Starting right out of the blocks; in the action up to her neck in the conclusion of the “Living In Synn” story arc…
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Holiday Family Laughs by Mark Heike
A lot of families tend to gather around the ol’ video at holiday time nowadays. I know Stephanie and I will be doing that very thing with her family in the next few days. We find comedies tend to be the best fare for this sort of event. Who doesn’t like to laugh? My favorite comedic performers made their best…
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Merry Christmas To All by Mark Heike
Some may consider it trite or cliched, but I have great affection for the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”. It remains my favorite Christmas story. I think the lesson that an idividual can choose to change, and that the change can positively affect the world directly around them is very important to remember. For my money, Alistair Sim was…
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2011′s Hot Toy Craze by Mark Heike
Have you seen this year’s big holiday toy craze, Mattel’s “Monster High” dolls? These things actually crept onto the market more than a year ago, but it took awhile for them to really take off. The concept is this: a group of orginal (mostly female) teen characters who are supposed to be the second-generation offspring of famous monster characters-or at…
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Celebrating Great Creators by Mark Heike
Time passes and the old order changeth. Such is the nature of life. Things and people we had come to know grow, change and pass on. We’ve had a number of spirits in the creative world move on in recent weeks. In our world, the field of comic books; we are lucky that a piece of every creator’s heart and…
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What Exactly DOES an Editor Do? by Mark Heike
Dan Gorman's original Page 1 rough I’ve been asked that question a few times over the years. At a streamlined operation like AC, an editor’s duties can (and do) encompass ANYTING related to getting the product out. In terms of working directly with creators to try to produce a product everyone is happy with, there are a number of…
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Angel Avengers 02: Bionic Bombshell Download
NOTE: Downloadable purchases will be added to a separate “download only” cart. Price: $6.95 Featuring Tsvetanka Vergilova as Nikki, a destructive agent known for her incredible strength, power and exotic beauty. High-tech bionic implants ripple just below her skin allowing her to stop thugs in their tracks with a single blow. Nikki is dispatched on a solo mission to take…
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Crypt of Horror Volume 13
Price: $29.95 The latest- and GORIEST- selection of classic horror reprints in this acclaimed series celebrating the great horror comics of the past. Normally, this title confines itself to the exploration of the Pre-Code scaries out of the comics of the early 1950′s (and there are PLENTY of those here, too), but this edition of COH carries a…
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‘Tis The Season by Mark Heike
I don’t know if comic books and Christmas go together for most people, but I have some memories of a few key moments in my life as a young collector that come back to me at this time of year. Now I inherited my mania for comics from my mother’s step-brother, my Uncle Wally. An avid reader, Wally passed on…
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Paragon Anew by Mark Heike
It looks as if AC Comics will be starting off 2012 with a bang, based on advance reaction to the planned January/February Bizarre Thrills: The Paragon Publications Story TPB! Diamond Comics Distribution executive Steve Leaf has made that book his Staff Pick in the December issue of Diamond Previews, which is at your local comic shop right now. A long…
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Nedor At The Movies-The Rest Of The Story by Mark Heike
Okay, let the suspense come to an end. The Nedor-related costumed hero that made it onto movie screens in the 1940′s was none other than…Superkatt! Superkatt appears in a 1947 Columbia Studios cartoon titled “Leave Us Chase It, and was a headline feature in Giggle Comics, officially published by a company known as Creston. Now pay attention, because things get…
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Yankee Girl Art by Mark Heike
Yankee Girl fans had better hang onto their socks and get ready for the big Yankee Girl: Stars and Stripes Forever one-shot coming in February of 2012. Just take a look at these scans of the first few pages of pencils from the lead story drawn by Eric Coile. If this isn’t the best on-paper rendition of YG yet seen, I’ll…
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FF Promos for 2012? by Mark Heike
Femforce #122 Joe Staton cover With the success of the Will Meugniot art contest reorder promotion for Femforce #157, we at AC are looking toward other promotional ventures to increase the visibility and circulation of FEMFORCE in 2012. We are currently examining other ideas for #’s 160, 161 and beyond. One of the possibilities would be trying some form of…
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Another New Art Star by Mark Heike
Look for another artistic luminary to make his debut in FEMFORCE #158, inker Scott Shriver. Scott is new to the AC Comics lineup, but a veteran of the independent comic book scene, having worked on series like The Holy Knight, Assassinette and The Venger. Scott’s slick and precise inking will debut in #158 over both Eric Coile’s pencils (on Stormy…
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Bill Black is… The Shade!
Most of you know I have been making movies all of my life starting back in high school. A decade later while working at FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY Media Center, several of my buddies urged me to make another. We had been inspired by the old serials being shown on weekends at FSU and decided to make our very own action…
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Femforce 159 Shipping April 2012
Writers and Artist’s Names: Writers include Will Meugniot, Chad Halcom, Eric Johnson, Mark & Stephanie Heike and Eric Lindberg. Artists include Will Meugniot, Rock Baker, Jeff Austin, Scott Shriver, Dan Gorman and Eric Alan Nelson. Cover by Will Meigniot. Intended Audience: All-ages fans and readers who like Silver-Age style superheroics as well as fans of classic “good girl” art and…
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Jim Bannon by Bill Black
Jim Bannon I love old movies and constantly watch TCM to catch rare gems from Hollywood’s past. Lately actor JIM BANNON has been turning up in various noir films (I LOVE A MYSTERY). I met Bannon at a Western film festival in the mid-1970′s. Where I remembered him from my childhood was co-starring in a few WHIP WILSON B Westerns….
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Art Giveaway Continues by Mark Heike
Wehave been thrilled with the response thus far to Will Meugniot’s art contest giveaway tied in with Femforce #157!! If you haven’t thrown your hat into the ring yet in an attempt to snag one of those great original art pieces created by Will, there is still time. You have about ten days left to enter. Check out the GREAT…
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Will on Jennifer by Mark Heike
How about this stunning Will Meugniot graphic? Is this a beauty, or what? Will did this for his Facebook page a few weeks back, and has since offered it to us here at AC for use as a Femforce cover. We’re not crazy enough to say “no” to an offer like that, so it will be gracing the front of…
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Nedor At The Movies? by Mark Heike
Okay, Golden Age experts- put on your thinking caps- it’s trivia time. What costumed character from the pages of Standard/Nedor Comics made it to the Silver Screen in the 1940s? We’ve discovered something we had not previously seen documented, and we want to let our regular readers in on it. DON’T let the graphic at the head of this…
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Golden Age Greats Spotlight Special Volume 7
Golden Age Greats Spotlight Volume 7 cover Price: $100.00 ONLY ONE COPY LEFT!! WILL BE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT SOON!!Commemorating the 100Th birthday of the greatest movie cowboy of them all and the comic book history of the matinee Western movie stars! Within a breathtaking color photo cover of ROY ROGERS himself, you’ll find a bonanza of great vintage cowboy…
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Men of Mystery 86
Price: $29.95 The latest action-packed issue of comicdom’s premiere Golden Age superhero reprint anthology focuses exclusively on the World War II heroes of Fawcett Comics- including two FULL ISSUE reprints featuring a pair of rare, sought-after gems from the early heydays of Fawcett’s costumed champions of justice! Appearing here in this issue, it its entirety is the very…
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Back In Stock
Two AC Comics trade paperbacks that have been sold out and unavailable for some time are back in stock as of today in the accomics.com web shop. Having been invited by our friends at Diamond Comics Distribution to be a part of their “Unsung Heroes” promotion in Previews last month gave us the distributor orders needed to go back to…
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Fresh Baked Stuff by Mark Heike
Excitement reigned at the AC offices yesterday, as the latest batch of artwork from our ace FEMFORCE penciler Rock Baker arrived in the mail. Check out the Rocksters’ stunning rendition of the FEMFORCE in this splash page for “Living In Synn, Part II” and DINOSAUR GIRL in action, both to be seen in the upcoming FEMFORCE #158, after the first…
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The First Comic Book Artist? by Mark Heike
If you’re one of those people to whom “firsts” are important, who might YOU guess would be considered THE FIRST American comic book artist? I’ve never seen a discussion of this topic anywhere, but if anyone would like to start one, I have a surprising name I’d like to nominate-one Victor E. Pazmino. As popular wisdom states, one of the…
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An Unknown Great by Mark Heike
Among the best-remembered artists of the Golden Age of comics, names like Simon and Kirby, Bob Powell, Frank Frazetta, and Paul Gustavson stand out- not just because they were great artists who were very prolific during the early days of comics, but also because they SIGNED their work. It was easy to remember and appreciate their stellar craftsmanship since there…
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Comics Fan #1 by Mark Heike
Jerry DeFuccio was a unique and interesting character. To people who have only heard the name, he was a longtime Associate Editor at Mad Magazine. To those of us who had the privilege of getting to know him a bit, he was someone very special. The son of a prominent New Jersey physician, Jerry grew up at almost exactly the…
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1950′s Media by Mark G. Heike
We’ve recently been enjoying the 2007 CBS Video release of “Suspense- The Lost Episodes: Collection 1″ on DVD, re-presenting the 1949-54 television in- carnation of the long- running (1945 shows over 20 years ) classic radio drama anthology of the same name. Our good friend Wayne Markley sent us a used copy of the DVD set of these vintage programs…
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The Golden Age Superhero Champ by Mark Heike
When comics historians talk about the great superhero artists of the Golden Age, all the familiar names come up-Jack Kirby, Mort Meskin, Reed Crandall, Joe Kubert, Alex Toth- and with good reason. They all did their share to construct the visual mythos that became the great American comic book costumed hero, and no one could question the quality of the…
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Does Anyone Remember John Giunta by Mark Heike
When I was a kid reading comic books off of the stands in the 1960s, one of my least-favorite artists was John Giunta. I perceived him as someone who had a very open, threadbare, slightly awkward style that I found unappealing. If I saw his work show up on a backup story in Thunder Agents or The Fly, I was…
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Mansion Comics Returns
Screenwriter David Watkins always had one foot in the comic book business, going back to his own independent publishing house Mansion Comics, back in the early 1990′s. His unique take on the standard comic book conventions (such as his superhero team strip, The Union of Justice) holds a fond place in hearts of many a long-time collector, even though his…
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N.E.D.O.R. Agents #0 / FEMFORCE #158 by Mark Heike
If you liked the teaser in FEMFORCE #156, and you loved the first full length installment in FEMFORCE #157, you’ll flip for N.E.D.O.R. Agents#0, which will be a flip book feature with FEMFORCE #158, coming early in 2012! Not only will FF #158 showcase another feature length N.E.D.O.R. Agents adventure by creator/writer/artist Will Meugniot, but the group will make…
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Durango Kid – Rough, Tough West
During the Sarasota appearance I invited Jock Mahoney to appear in September, 1980 at ORLANDOcon. A couple months later he called me from North Dakota (or Montana, some state way up north) where he was on location filming “Mountain Men”. He was concerned about conflicting schedules but they finished on time. This film was probably never released. It’s not in…
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Pyrofolks In N.E.D.O.R. Agents #0 by Mark Heike
Check out this killer interior page from superstar artist Will Meugniot’s upcoming N.E.D.O.R. Agents #0 story featured in FEMFORCE #158! If you think this example of Will’s pencils and inking looks spectacular, you should see his originals! Will does sell original comic book pages, pinups and private commissions, by the way. They went pretty fast as I understand it, but…
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Stormy Tempest 2.1: Torment in Time Download
NOTE: Downloadable purchases will be added to a separate “download only” cart. Price: $14.95 Smokin’ Rockets! Sexy sci-fi space outlaw Stormy Tempest returns in her darkest and most titillating adventure yet! The evil Gorla Monks pursue interstellar hotshot Stormy Tempest back in time to the early 21st century where an awesome laser battle ensues. Outnumbered and injured, Stormy Tempest is taken…
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Stormy Tempest in Trouble
Stormy Tempest: Torment in Time Smokin’ Rockets! The new Stormy Tempest is almost ready for release as I hammer out the last of the soundtrack and try to remember the names of all of the many Gorla Monk actors that we used for the end credits. As you can see from this preview picture, Stormy winds up in yet more sci-fi…
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Nick Cardy- Still Going Strong by Mark Heike
Be on the lookout for yet another new book showcasing the art of the legendary Nick Cardy, coming from Little Eva Ink Publishing in 2012. Hot on the heels of 2011′s acclaimed “Nick Cardy: The Artist At War ” volume, editor/publisher Renee Witterstaetter is putting together a look at the humorous side of Nick’s career. If you haven’t seen “The…
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Meugniot Art Giveaway Goes Live!
Yes, the big N.E.D.O.R. Agents original art contest we’ve all been screaming about is finally underway!! Check out the Diamond Comic Distributors PreviewsWorld Facebook page for all the information about this special promotion, including the official rules, animated and live-action video, and sneak peeks at current and upcoming N.E.D.O.R. Agents artwork by creator Will Meugniot. Find out how you can…
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The Return of MLJ? by Mark Heike
I heard an interesting snippet on the radio last week, during the morning “financial minute” of all places. It was an announcement that Archie Comics was planning to revive it’s superhero properties in 2012, for distribution through a digital platform. Unfortunately, I can find nothing referring to this currently on the Archiecomics.com official blog site, but I did talk to…
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Forgotten Greats of Universal Horror by Mark Heike
In our household, the last week in October gets us into the Halloween mode, which means a steady diet of horror movies on video until the big day arrives. Since we’re big fans of the classic Universal monsters, we usually go through the whole library on an annual basis, from the 1931″ Dracula” right on through 1956 “Creature Walks Among…
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Free Art From Will Meugniot!
N.E.D.O.R. Agents contest image No, this is not a scam! To promote his new N.E.D.O.R. Agents series (currently running in every issue of FEMFORCE) Will is running not one, not two, but three separate contests, the prize for winning each being a piece of his own hand drawn (and inked) original comic book art. Check out the color graphic here…
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Jock Mahoney Part 2
Jock Mahony speaking to class at Sarasota School of Performing Arts 1980 During the later years in his life, Jock took to wearing a full beard but his handsome features still shown thru. The ladies at the Sarasota School of Performing Arts loved him! I was impressed at how well he was received by young students who were in diapers…
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21st Centurions graphic novel in November
All-ages comic book fans will be in for a treat in November with the release of the trade-paperback, graphic novel compilation of artist/writer Stephanie Heike’s self-published 21st Centurions teen superhero/science fiction series, “21st Centurions: New Clear Day”. Six years in the making, this full digital color GN on glossy paper collects issues 0, 1 & 2 of the regular series,…
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N.E.D.O.R. Agents
Will Meugniot is one of the biggest names in TV and theatrical animation. If you don’t believe that, just check out his credits, but you’d better have some time, as they run about a mile long. G.I. Joe, Jem, X-Men, Ultimate Avengers and the Real Ghostbusters are just a handful of the series and features he’s been at the helm…
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Jock Mahoney
Currently on Saturdays on Turner Classic Movies, they are running the TARZAN movies one each week. Recently they showed TARZAN GOES TO INDIA and that got me to thinking about the film’s star, JOCK MAHONEY, whom I met back in 1980. Jocko was coming to Florida to appear at the Sarasota School of Performing Arts. Arthur David Rothel, whom I…
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New Stormy Tempest! Coming Soon!
Nicola Rae as Stormy Tempest. An all new Stormy Tempest release is almost ready! We hope to have it online in just a few more days!
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Angel Avengers 01: Girl Power Download
NOTE: Downloadable purchases will be added to a separate “download only” cart. Price: $11.95 Who are the Angel Avengers? Are they comic book heroines? Bionic femme fatales? Paranormal government operatives? Supernatural super spies? World-class martial artists? Agents of a higher power? The embodiment of feminine grace, beauty, virtue and strength? All of the above!!!! The Angel Avengers series will feature…
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Gargantarama-The Comic Book 20
Gargantarama 20 cover Price: $9.95 Cover feature DINOSAUR GIRL faces off with an Asian giantess determined to swing World War II in favor of the Axis by controlling the Pacific Theater. If she can prevail against DG, there well may be more titanic distaff terrors created from the “Blood Of The Giantess”; a 17-page battle royal written and…
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Yankee Girl: Stars and Stripes Forever Shipping February 2012
Yankee Girl: Stars and Stripes Forever Writers and Artist’s Names: Writers include: Bill Black, Rock Baker, Frank Tra, Chris Allen and Mark Heike. Artists include Will Meugniot, Eric Colie, Rock Baker, Jeff Austin, Scott Shriver, Dave Roberts, Mark Heike, Chris Allen and Bill Black Cover by Will Meugniot. Intended Audience: All-ages fans and readers who like Silver-Age superheroics as well…
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Bizarre Thrills – The Paragon Publications Story Shipping February 2012
Bizarre Thrills- The Paragon Publications Story Writers and Artist’s Names: Writers include: Bill Black, Martin Greim, Bob Cosgrove, Gary Brown and Adriana Gomez. Artists Include: Bill Black, Jerry Ordway, Marc Hempel, Dan Adkins, Mike Royer, Steve Vance, Tom Lyle, Joe Staton and John Beatty. Cover by Joe Staton & Bill Black. Intended Audience: Fans of classic comic-related material of the…
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Golden Age Greats Spotlight 8 – Outrageous Good Girl Art Comics Shipping January 2012
Golden Age Greats Spotlight #8 – Outrageous Good Girl Art Comics Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Artists include Matt Baker, Frank Frazetta, Bill Ward, Bob Lubbers, Bob Powell, Jim Mooney, Dan DeCarlo, Ed Good, Ray Gotto and Jack Kamen. Intended Audience: Fans and collectors of pin-up style “good girl art” and glamour material of all eras. Suggested for a mature audience,…
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Femforce 158 – N.E.D.O.R. Agents #0 Shipping December 2011
Femforce 158 Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Writers include Bill Black, Mark & Stephanie Sanderson, Eric Johnson, and David Watkins. Artists include Will Meugniot, Jeff Austin, Rock Baker, Eric Coile, Scott Shriver and Dan Gorman. Cover painting by John Nadeau. Intended Audience: All ages fans and readers who like Silver-Age style superheroics as well as fans of classic “good girl” art…
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Crypt of Horror Volume 13 Shipping November 2011
Crypt of Horror Volume 13 Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Artists include Dick Ayers, Chic Stone, Carl Burgos, Bob Powell and Myron Fass. Intended Audience: All-ages fans of classic horror comics material; comics historians and fans of vintage reprint material of all kinds. Format: Standard comic book size; saddle-stitched, ULTRA-THICK 120 pages, black & white interiors with color covers. Retail Price:…
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Men of Mystery 86 Shipping October 2011
Men of Mystery #86 bookshelf format!! Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Writers include France Herron, Otto Binder, Carl Formes and Bill Woolfolk. Artists include Dan Barry, Charles Sultan, Emil Gershwin, Al Plastino. Bob Fujitani and others. Intended Audience: All-ages fans of Golden Age superhero reprint material; art aficionados, comics historians, collectors of bookshelf compilations and fans of classic action, adventure and…
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Golden Age Greats Spotlight 7 – Roy Rogers Western Movie Hero 100th Anniversary Special Shipping September 2011
Golden Age Greats Spotlight #7 – Roy Rogers Western Movie Hero 100th Anniversary Special Format: Standard comic book dimensions, but in a special 150-plus page squarebound bookshelf format TPB. Black & white interiors with full color covers. $29.95 Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Writers include Bill Black, Paul S. Newman, Ray Krank, and Joe Gill. Artists include Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson,…
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Femforce 157 – Gargantarama 20 Shipping September 2011
Femforce #157 – Gargantarama #20 $9.95, DOUBLE THICK 84 pages, extra-thick, saddle-stitched Black & white interiors with full color covers. Writer’s and Artist’s Names: Writers include Bill Black, Mark & Stephanie Heike, Eric Lindberg and Eric Johnson. Artists include Rock Baker, Eric Coile, Will Meugniot, Mark & Stephanie Heike, Jeff Austin and Eric Allen Nelson. Intended Audience: All-ages fans and…
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Femforce For All Seasons by Mark Heike
Art by John Nadeau As the weather gets cooler and the month of October approaches, my thoughts turn to Halloween. In the early days of AC Comics, we would annually produce a Halloween Special, a one-shot putting the FF into some sort of scary, seasonally-appropriate story situation. In order to have these books ready in time for a late October…