Frankenstein Starring Boris Karloff GN Signing!

Today was the signing of the Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Starring Boris Karloff graphic novel at Dark Delicacies! There was a number of the creative team for the graphic novel that attended, Story Adaptation and artist, Kerry Gamill, Art by El Garing, Script Adaptation, Robert Napton, and Executive Consultant, Sara Karloff. It is a stunning adaptation that has captured the Mary Shelley novel and the 1931 James Whale film that starred Boris Karloff. Thiis will be available on November 12th. 

Sara Karloff, Robert Napton, El Garing, and Kerry Gamill at the Dark Delicacies signing of the Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Starring Boris Karloff graphic novel!, photo by the author.

The other graphic novel, Bram’s Stoker’s Dracula: Starring Bela Lugosi is available now to order, also highly recommended, by Gamill, El Garing, and Napton. They are part of the Legendary Comics Classic Monsters series. Also, it is always great to walk around Dark Delicacies and look at the books, magazines, toys, and other goods including the 30th anniversary t-shirt! 

       Toothsome’s Ozitavely Pink & Green Shake, delicious!, author's photo.

It was also an opportunity to stop by CityWalk. There was some Wicked merch at the Universal Studio Store; sweaters, shirts, and hats with Wicked and Shizz University logos. The website mentions that the costumes from the film would be at Universal Cinema starting November 7th, but I didn’t see them from the lobby. The special offering was aviable at Toothsome’s Chocolate Emporium. I was able to try Toothsome’s Ozitavely Pink & Green Shake. It is a strawberry and key lime milkshake with pink and green whipped topping. Plus, Strawberry and Oreo crumbs and a white chocolate disk with the Wicked logo. Very delicious.

#MaryShelleysFrankenstinStarringBorisKarloff, #KerryGamill, #ElGaring, #RobertNapton, #SaraKarloff, #BramStokersDraculaStarringBelaLugosi, #DarkDelicacies, #CityWalk, #Wicked, #UniversalStudioStore, #ToothsomesChocolateEmporium, #OzitavelyPinkAndGreenShake 

Storm #1 Review!

Storm #1 is one of the most beautiful comic books out today! She has been a fascinating character since her debut in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975). The landmark comic is by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum, Ororo Monroe has had a few series since her 1996 series by Warren Ellis and Terry Dodson. This new series is by Murewa Ayodele, co-founder of the Nigerian comic book studio, Collectible Comics NG with artist, Dotun Akande. They worked together on Akogun: Brutalizer of the Gods, a stunning swords & sorcery comic that incorporates Yoruba mythology from West Africa.  Highly recommended. They also worked together on I Am Iron Man #1 (2023).

The artwork is by Lucas Werneck, the Stormbreaker artist, has worked on the limited series, Fall of the House of X which ended with #5 this year. The painted cover is by Mateus Manhanini which has Storm, lightning from her fingertips, in a swirl of sparkles and colors of a storm, above a sea. The promise of the cover is fulfilled in the comic pages. “Chapter One: “Grand Opening” by Ayodele and Werneck opens with Storm in a purple gown and headwrap, stunning. It begins with the question, “Who is Ororo Monroe?” This is a news commentator who covers Storm’s past. She walks up to a holographic projection of all of her different looks as a member of the X-Men. The commentator notes she was a pickpocket in Cairo, worshipped as a goddess, and then queen of Wakanda. 

Now she is an Avenger. Storm sees insert panels of her different costumes. This goes into panels that resolve to a golden door of more images of Storm. The reporter mentions that is morning in Atlanta, Georgia. The lead up of small to large panels then goes to the next page, a splash page of Storm in her new black costume with gold lining floating. Some images scream out for a poster! There is a title page of the title and credits, Storm, half in shadow. The comentator says that it is the grand opening of the Storm Sanctuary. We see hippopotamus in water, giraffes walking at the water’s edge, ramps, and structures around them. The fall of Krakoa is mentioned. We see Storm walk and then fly off panel. She reaches a massive wooden door. 

Storm closes her eyes, “Inhale” and then lets out an “Exhale”, Her arms are to the side as a bright light is before her. The camera flashes burst from shadowy reporters as Storm goes to a podium. Apart from the crowd is the reporter covering Storm’s announcment. This goes back to “Oklahoma City. Seven days ago.” We see the cooling towers of a nuclear plant and then an explosion! Closeup of Storm’s eyes crackling with electricity. Narration says that Storm was a child when she lost her parents. She flies in a black outfit carrying Frenzy with sunglasses, shirt with suspenders, and trousers. This is the former super villain, Joanna Cargill, who first appeared in X-Factor #4 (1986). I didn’t recognize her from the business clothes and new look. The designs are incredible. 

The aftermath has leveled the neighborhood like a natural disaster. Storm is in the air wreathed in lightning and we see a closeup of Frenzy landing in an epic splash page! The single art page is usually a showcase, but here is a epic introduction of the characters that tells the story. Frenzy notes that she can call in her X-Factor team. Then, she points out the shock wave. Storm channels her powers to half the shock wave! A family huddles amoungst some rubble and Storm descends to help them from it. Frenzy is lifting a mass of debris and says there is another shock wave. She lifts it upwards and holds out her hand, love it, and a worried bald man in an Orchis shirt draws back. Orchis is an organization to stop mutants. It was introduced in House of X #1 (2019). Storm holds out her hand and reminds Frenzy, “We save everyone.” 

There is beautiful two page spread which has scenes of Storm using her powers, Frenzy helping an older woman, Storm hugging a child, and then Frenzy lifting up more rubble as Storm bandages the leg of a boy. Then, Frenzy yells that there is another shock wave. Storm sees two shock waves coming, it is explained that Storm is controlling the air molecules to stop the shock wave. Still, a shard of a branch plunges into Storm's shoulder. She pauses and then painfully rips out the sharp branch. It is said that this was the "universe's first attempt" to take Storm's life! Ororo is on her knees recovering, Frenzy runs up to her, and then Storm use her power on the wound. She says that she has to stop the shock waves. Frenzy says her wound has to be treated, but a lightning strike  sends Storm away! She flies, her yellow headwrap torn away, lightning embracing her. 

She sees dead fish by a shore, torn trees, and animal skeletons, destroyed by the disaster. It looks like snow is falling on the shattered cooling towers. An explosion blasts Storm back. Frenzy sees the shock wave and sends the bystanders away. She then goes all Hulk slamming her hands together to counter the shock wave! Storm wipes away blood about to get back into action, but then doubles over vomits from what is said to be radiation poisoning! She stands up and picks up a broken metal door. She holds it up to protect herself, walks down stairs, to reach the reactor. A splash page shows the globe of radiation as a boy says he can't stop his power over the boides of researchers! It is explained that Storm knows that at the "day of adolescence" mutant powers can activate, sometimes without any control! The boy asks her to kill him. 

Five+ Shock Waves out of Five! 

#Storm, #GiantSizeXMen, #LenWein, #DaveCockrum, #WarrenEllis, #TerryDodson, #MurewaAyodele, #LucasWerneck, #DotunAkande, #AkogunBrutalizerOfTheGods, #IAmIronMan, #Frenzy, 

Dracula The Return: The Cult of the White Worm #2 Review!

Dracula has returned and now he starts paying for his resurrection by the White Worm! Dracula The Return: Cult of the White Worm is a four issue limited series crafted by Dacre Stoker and Chris McAuley. It is published by Scratch Comics and the copy was provided by the zoop rewards. The comic is available to order at comic stores for November 13th. The first issue covered the end of Bram Stoker’s novel. This had the hunters; Jonathan Harker, Arthur Holmwood, and John Seward. Jonathan slashes Dracula and the vampire drifts into dust. Quincey Morris died in the battle. Also with them is Mina Murray, who was freed from Dracula’s control, and Abraham Van Helsing. The dust, though, is collected by Renfield. He takes it to the cult of the White Worm and Dracula has made his return! 

“Chapter Two” features a cover by Mike Colins that has a closeup of a woman’s face, lit by spectral light, a finger tip of blood from her red lips with fangs! An epic cover! Stoker continues the story with McAuley with art by Chris Geary. Dark, foggy streets has a carriage move past a cemetary. It stops and we get a closeup of the rider, a woman in a gold mask, she is helped out by the driver. Then, the woman in black cloak tells him to wait until summoned. She walks away in fog, great effects by colorist Matt Soffe. The woman and the cold of the outside, seen in green, is watched by a man at a window in warm, almost hellish red. She has a door opened for her by a servant who says the countess is expected by the duke. Carmilla, who has taken off her cloak, revealing her evening dress. I love the name, Carmilla (1872) was a vampire novel by Sheridan Le Fanu that was published before Dracula (1897). 

Carmilla is met by the duke and she asks if the plans of her uncle is made. Duke Spencer says the ball has been arranged. He brings up if her uncle was nobility. We get Carmilla next to broken panels of her uncle, Vlad II, and his battle agains the Ottomans. In his armor, he cuts into his enemies, Carmilla says she joined him, and we see the blood pour into her mouth! She tells the duke that they are from the Dragon’s blood and wants their blood to join the British Empire. Duke Spencer says the Privy Council, Prime Minister, and Prince Regent will attend the ball. We see a series of thin panels of Carmilla and the duke’s faces, she draws him in close to kiss him. His eyes widen and then we see Carmilla revel with her claws as blood pools from the duke’s neck! In the mist, Mina is running with Jonathan as they are being chased. This is also seen in thin panels. Dark wolves with red eyes pounce on them. Mina sees the wolf shift into the face of Dracula. In the darkness of the mirror, he says this is the fate of those who defy him! 

Mina is startled awake. Jonathan sleepily asks what is the problem. Mina tells him it was a bad dream. She puts on a green dress and holds a letter. Mina goes to the lavatory and  wearily wipes the steam from a mirror. A grinning reflection looks back at her and arms pull her in! Evil reflections are a horror movie trope. In darkness, Mina looks up to see the form of Dracula tell her that she will fulfill his revenge in days. The transformation is very quick. A closeup of the morning paper, “Lady in White Stalks Highgate!” Arthur Holmwood asks Professor Van Helsing if it is “her”, Lucy Westerna. We see Van Helsing’s eyes as he says it is impossile. They had struggled to stake Lucy with elder wood and he took her head which he had stuffed with garlic. Arthur brings up her dress and the missing children. He says Lucy has returned. Van Helsing tosses away the paper and then says dark powers are capable of the impossible. Arthur wants to know if it is Lucy. 

We see the gloomy green of the cemetary as a lady in white walks through it.  An older colleague discusses an invention to oxgenate blood to Arthur. He could use it to stop night terrors in his patients. Arthur cheers to it and then Jonathan bursts in the door. He says Mina is gone. She left behind a letter, an invitation by the Duke of Devonshire to a Grand Masquerade Ball. Jonathan says that Mina was having nightmares. The bearded gentleman says he knows the Devonshires and can get an invitation. Bait by Dracula to the hunters. In shadows, Van Helsing and Arthur watch as the woman in white brings along a little girl to the Westerna tomb. Closeup of Lucy eying the men behind her. Van Helsing asks if Arthur has brought his pistol with the silver bullets. They enter the tomb lit by torches. Van Helsing realizes that the lit torches means they are expected! Arthur notices a trianble symbol on the mauseleoum wall. The same as on Dracula’s forehead on the first issue cover! 

Van Helsing presses against it, the symbol glows, and this opens stairs that they descend. A torch is held by Van Helsing. They are in a tomb of vampires that hiss! They rush away and find Lucy in white, pregnant belly?, over the child on a stone table. Van Helsing holds up a cross, but it has no effect on her. I get that the Cult of the White Worm has supercharged Dracula and his allies, but it seems strange that all of the weapons that can be used against the undead are useless. She says the family of Dracul are more powerful! Arthur is dragged under by the undead and fires his pistol. Van Helsing tries to drive them away with his torch. The pistol is emptied of bullets. Van Hesling is by himself! A gold devil mask of a host turns to see his guests. Masks are put on by Jonathan Harker. They are met by the host in the devil mask who says his name is Mephistopheles! The character in the form of actor, Henry Irving, was said to be an inspiration for Stoker in creating Dracula! A new villain, leader of the Cult of the White Worm? 

Dracula in a coat, seen from behind, faces a mirror which he detests. The White Worm says he posseses its soul and enters the mirror which drains him. This is followed by the first chapter of “Sherlock Holmes and the Unholy Pact”, a supernatural murder for the famous detective, with an illustration by David Hitchcock. “The Devil Within” is a story told in black and white. It features Henry Irving, obsessed with his part as Mephistopheles, he is discovered by Bram Stoker in a devil’s mask. This is the new villain? In a mirror, Bram sees the figure of Death on a chariot. He tells Henry that he doesn’t like the smell of sulphur and we see a hellish vision of the cholera epidemic which sulphur was used to ward off the evil. On stage, at practice, Henry is troubled by his performance.

Henry strikes an assistant and almost raises a column prop to smash on him! He is stopped by Bram and shrugs him off to walk away. At a strange room of ancient artifacts, Henry tells Brother Perdurabo that he wants to give a defining performance. Brother Perdurabo gives him a book with a dark ritual that may give him the secret. He must make a sacrifice, an innocent soul, that will make his acting last for ages. Henry wants to know more from Crowley, as in Aleistar Crowley, the English occultist! The last part has an except, March 18, 1897 of “The Dairy of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde.” It is about the dangers of exploring the dark part of human nature. This is something that ties this comic together, it strays into evil with dark powers, no counter like Stoker’s novel. The ties to vampire lore and Stoker's life is interesting, but this comic can really pull you into its darkness. “Chapter Two” brings the beginning of Dracula’s revenge, but the evil feels limitless.  

Four Stakes out of Five! 

#DraculaTheReturn, #TheCultOfTheWhiteWorm, #ChapterTwo, #DacreStoker, #ChrisMcAuley, #ChrisGeary, #MattSoffe, #Carmilla, #MinaMurray, #JonathanHarker, #AbrahamVanHelsing, #ArthurHolmwood, #SherlockHolmesAndTheUnholyPact, #TheDevilWithin, #TheDiaryOfDrHenryJekyllAndMrEdwardHyde, #HenryIrving, #BramStoker, #DukeSpencer 

Alien: Romulus #1 Review!

Alien: Romulus #1 is a comic book prequel to the film which covers the characters hinted at with the intro of the asteroid with xenomorph! The beginning of Alien: Romulus had the ship, Echo Probe, to retrieve a fragment from the wreckage of the Nostromo. It is taken into the ship and watched over by masked, voiceless personnel. This gives more about the unseen characters and fills in their story and what happened until discovered by Rain and Andy in the film. There is a brief preface by director, Fede Alvarez, about how his dreams was to a comic book and also an Alien film. He provides the story along with co-writer, Rodd Sayagues. 

So this comic is an official part of the Alien: Romulus canon and essential to the Alien universe. I hope it would be part of a bonus feature for Blu Ray or home release. It is written by Zac Thompson, the author of Into the Unbeing, the horror comic, and the artist is Daniel Picciotto. The other work by Picciotto includes the comic limited series, Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider. The cover by Leinil Francis Yu has a dripping red background with the hissing head of the Xenomorph and its claws! We see the fragment taken into the ship’s cargo hold. This is at the Zeta Reticuli system near moon LV-426. The moon was named Acheron by later colonists and the world that led to the Alien infestation. The asteroid is hled in a reserach lab on the Renaissance Station and examined by a team in space suits. Picciotto's artwork resembles the dark pencils of Ghost Rider artist, Javier Saltares. 

We find that this is Science Officer Rook (who resembles Ian Holm) holding up a flashlight and stating that it is made of a “secreted resin”, a cocoon. Mattos wearing glasses asks Rook about the risk and with approval begins cutting free the cocoon, self preservation for the Alien in the vacuum of space? The automated laser cuts into the cocoon. We are told that it “oozes rotten energy” from a woman with an eye patch, Hyla. She observes it on the upper floor overlooking the bay with a bearded man, Adrian. We see the xenomorph curled insectoid in the cocoon. Hyla pulls out her pulse rifle, but is held back by Adrian. He says it is dead and is confident in Rook. At the Remus Lab, Mattos remarks that the xenomorph killed seven crew members, the Nostromo crew in Alien (1979). Rook corrects him that is six victims, with one survivor, Ripley! Great hint at the original! 

Mattos is eager to weaponize the xenomorph and Rook says that is a human reaction like nuclear fusion and sarin gas. This moves from Mattos over the xenomorph to a closeup of Rook. He says Synths could exterminate humankind if is needed! A Terminator solution. Of course Synthetics are programmed not to harm humans. He turns to work on a computer discussing the “Nostromo event” and remarking about the xenomorph’s rapid evolution. Also its tissue regeneration and ability to “survive almost any environment.” We move from Rook reaching for a surgical laser to a worm’s eye view from the xenomorph of him. He notes the dream of the “founding father”, Peter Weyland. The founder and CEO of Weyland-Yutani was played by Guy Pearce in Alien: Covenant (2017). I do like how Alien: Romulus ties all of the Alien threads together. 

He says the dream was eternal life, which Rook calls, “Prometheus fire”, closeup of the laser cutting into the green, burning blood of the xenomorph. Mattos is startled by the Alien arm whipping to the side! Rook explains that it was a muscle spasm. He adds that the control rig it is in keeps the temperature at subzero. Hopefully to keep it in stasis. Hyla and Adrian are posted as guards outside of the lab. She doubts that the xenomorph is dead, Adrian asks what it is doing, and Hyla says it is playing dead, a tactic she learned from the Colonial Marines. This was the military seen in Aliens (1986). She points to her eyepatch and then tells Adrian about her deployment to LV-147. She is blasting bugs, multiple legged, spider-like with tails, with her pulse rifle. Hyla has killed three of the bugs, leans to examine one, and it leaps at her slashing her eye! It is fascinating to see another world and also the xenomorph, bugs, that Pvt. Hudson was mentioning as a "bug hunt" in Aliens.

Adrian says she never told that story. Hyla states that the rock is a threat to everyone. He backs her up. Hyla's plan is to wait when the lab is empty and send it into space. I think the loss of Hyla's eye, these two who see the Alien as dangerous, makes them sympathetic. The scenario of Rook surviving in the film kinda sets the station's fate, but still my heart was racing when they deal with the xenomorph. We get "Days later" at the lab where Rook records that they have taken the Alien's DNA and found that it is made up of human and extraterrestrial that he dubs the XX121 Xenomorph. He examines a fleshy box which Rook reports as its basic form. They have also made the "parasitoid" second stage that seed the host, yeek! Closeup of the Facehugger as he says it has the accelerant that quickly grows the creature. Rook has formed a compound which is the ticking clock for this story. Mattos wants the parastoids for the bio-weapons division. 

Rook has formed a compound which is the ticking clock for this story. Mattos wants the parastoids for the bio-weapons division. Rook says he needs all of them to find the secret of immortality. Mattos storms away. This all the set up for the film. Hyla and Adrian see them and share a brief kiss. Then, Huyla tells Adrian to de-rig the cocoon to strap it on the station's defense rockets. He starts to do so with the xenomorph hanging above him. Hyla rushes over to take an axe to open the cryochamber. It hisses open. In shadow, Hyla sees the chamber that is synthesizing the parasites! She swings the axe to shatter the chamber holding fluid. Adrian turns to see what is happening and then Hyla hears his scream! She rushes over to see the empty rock with Adrian slumnped over it. She finds his peeled face and then opens fire with her pulse rifle! Rook is stunned. He explained that it wakened when they tried to take it from the control rig. 

Rook checkes on Compound Z01 and tells the Romulus lab to start trials. Closeup of fluid extracted from a Facehugger, injected nto a rat, then, it is crushed! Rook says the xenomorph needs to be killed in case it stops his research. Hyla is ready with her pulse rifle. In a way, I like the team up of Rook and Hyla, but can't trust Rook. He gives Hyla a tracker and says that it will likely protect its young! In the Remus lab, Mattos is impressed that the xenomorph could clean failed colonies! Just a total unfeeling, cruel person. He says to a colleague that it is easier to wipe out colonist, plausible deniability, than extract them. Then, he hears a guttral sound in a dark chamber! Then, we get a full page spread of the Alien hissing while it grabs a researcher's and two others scream! Mattos starts running and seals the door for his collegues. The xenomorph sees the encased Facehuggers and with its tail swipes them free. Hyla is the last chance of the Renaissance Station to stop the Alien and we know the dark fate from Alien: Romulus!  

Five+ Control Rigs out of Five!  

#AlienRomulus, #FedeAlvarez, #RoddSayagues, #ZacThompson, #DanielPicciotto, #LeinilFrancisYu, #Hyla, #Adrian, #ScienceOfficerRook, #Mattos, #PeterWeyland 

Comic Creators Block Party!

Today was the Revenge Of presents Comic Creators Block Party with Patton and Jordan! Comic cons, including the ones I have attended this year, are expensive. Admission, which takes out a part of what you can spend, then there are exclusives that you could buy, and creator signatures. Add in any food and drink costs, transportation, and possible photo ops. Besides the cost, there may be some flyers and a booklet. I do remember when I had full bag of freebies of posters, comics, and bookets at Comic Con. Then, unloaded it at the parking garage, and then went back to refill it again! Those days may be long gone, but there is something new with the Comic Creators Block Party now in its second year that puts to shame mega cons. 

Comic Creators Block Party, author’s photo. 

This was at the Revenge Of store which has comics, graphic novels, and pinball! It had a great selection of back issues so much so that it is worth a return visit. I really wanted to try the Godzilla and John Wick pinball machines. The Golden Apple Store had a raffle for signed items. Past the store was a gate to let in the patio area. There was no admission, just a queue that formed to get in, then open to walk ins until the end of the day. 

Also note that there was a security guard at the gate and at the back area of the store. The covering was needed later when it started sprinkling towards the end of the day. This split into two tables with an upper area for tables that leads into the store. Past the fence was Hot Tongue pizza which was baking the pizzas and most of the guests picked up slices! There were signing blocks, A-D, from 11-12 with a half hour between signers. Then, an hour for each signing block. 

Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Heath Corson, the Minor Threats team!, photo by the author. 

Also note with the music playing and the dull roar of talking in the enclosed area that it can get overwhelming. I took a few breaks to give my ears and feet a rest! Brian Michael Bendis was so popular, I think he signed until 4 p.m.! Also popular was Mark Waid and David Dastchalchian. The signers with stamina, though, were the presenters, Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum, who lasted the day! Also author, Jody Houser! At one of the tables to the right, had the exclusive for Revenge Of, a Francesco Francavilla cover for the horror comic, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, by Hannah Rose May who was one of the signers. 

There were trade paperbacks of Minor Threats including Vol. 2: The Fastest Way Down before its release. The co-creators of Minor Threats, Oswalt and Blum, at the next table. Oswalt is a comedian, the best IMHO, currently on his Effervescent tour. Blum created the stop motion animated show, M.O.D.O.K., voiced by Oswalt. Also at the table was Heath Corson who joins Oswalt and Blum on The Brood. It is in the world of Minor Threats and they offered free posters of the comic set to be released on December 11th. Minor Threats is going to be a live action show on Netflix. 

Pornsak Pichetshote, writer of The Manchurian!, author’s photo.  

J. Holtham had The Horizon Experiment comic for free that samples the different stories found in the one-shots. The creators take marginalized protagonists into a twist like The Manchurian, a Chinese spy like James Bond, by Pornsak Pichetshote. He was there to sign and also had a copies of The Manchurian. The line was formed outside of the gate for Bendis. A surprise for Signing Block B was seeing Thomas Krajewski and Jennifer Muro, the writers for the graphic novel and comic series, Primer. 

Ashley Rayburn is a teen girl whos e body paints can used for super powers. A popular superhero for young readers, she has entered the DC universe with her new series, Primer: Clashing Colors. I think young readers sustain the comic book industry so give the comic to them! The next block had Geoff Johns and also, writer, Maytal Achut. The store had copies of her latest comic set in the Hyde Street section of Ghost Machine, Devour. The surprise was Brian Lynch, he is the writer of Illumination animated films, Minions (2015) and The Secret Life of Pets (2016). Free posters for both films! 

David Dastmalchian!, signing DC Horror Presents, photo by the author. 

The last block featured David Dastmalchian, he stars in The Life of Chuck based on the 2020 Stephen King novella. The store offered copies of his comics; Count Crowley and Knights vs. Samurai. Also, DC Horror and Headless Horseman with writer, Leah Kilpatrick, who was also signing. Dastmalchian was in last year’s horror film, Late Night with the Devil (2023). I was impressed that he played Wojchek in The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023). Kilpatrick stars in this year’s crime comedy, Best Man Dead Man. Hannah Rose May was a few tables down from them. She played the Synth Woman in the sci fi show, Altered Carbon. 

She previously wrote the limited series, Rogues Gallery (2022). The surprise was seeing writer, Rodney Barnes, who adapted the Ahsoka series into comic form. The only downside for the event is that there were attendees who brought cases of comics to get signed, just to sell, which results in long lines. It should be maxium ten or something. This could be just for the creators with lines. There was a number of comic creators who fans had a chance to chat and get comics signed at Comic Creators Block Party. Comics were a big part of the event, but there were some filmmakers there too! 

#ComicCreatorsBlockParty, #RevengeOf, #MinorThreats, #PattonOswalt, #JordanBlum, #TheBrood, #HeathCorson, #JHoltham, #TheHorizonExperiment, #TheManchurian, #PornsakPichetshote, #ThomasKrajewski, #JenniferMuro, #Primer, #PrimerClashingColors, #GeoffJohns, #Devour, #MaytalAchut, #BrianLynch, #Minions, #DavidDastmalchian, #LastVoyageOfTheDemeter, #CountCrowley, #KnightsVsSamurai, #HeadlessHorsemanm #LeahKilpatrick, #HannahRoseMay, #TheExorcismAt1600Penn, #AlteredCarbon, #RodneyBarnes, #Ahsoka

Tribute to Greg Hildebrandt

Greg Hildebrandt has died and his artwork leaves an eternal vision of fantasy and science fiction. The artist with his twin brother, Tim, formed the Brothers Hildebrandt that painted the iconic Star Wars (1977) poster. The image was used on many t-shirts and other merch. It was symbolic to me of Star Wars, fantastic, lush colors that gave me an early idea that people made art. Greg Hildebrandt and his brother contributed to magazines like Heavy Metal and album covers for Trans Siberian Orchestra and others. 

The brothers produced artwork for Lord of the Rings calendars starting in 1976 to 1978. In 1977, they illustrated the Sword Of Shannara novel by Terry Brooks. This is one of the first books I read so was really pivotal in my interest in fantasy. It was finally in 2016 that the fantasy vision was put on film with the series, The Shannara Chronicles. The Brothers Hildebrandt worked with Jerry Nichols on an illustrated novel, Urshurak (1979), which had all of their fantasy and sci fi concepts merged into an incredible world. 

Also in 1979, The Art of the Brothers Hildebrandt was published. Then, the brothers painted the poster for Clash of the Titans (1981), the last Ray Harryhausen film, another important figure for me, it had the vibrancy of the Star Wars poster. Greg Hildebrandt worked on his own, producing a Mary Stewart’s Merlin calendar in 1984. He later painted in 2004 the book cover for the Merlin Trilogy collecting Mary Stewart’s novels. The first novel was adapted into a BBC film, Merlin of the Crystal Cave (1991).

In 1984, Hildebrandt began illustrating a series of books; Greg Hildebrandt’s Favorite Fairy Tales, and some of the other novels were Dracula (1985), Wizard of Oz (1985), Robin Hood (1989), and Alice in Wonderland (1990). From Tolkien To Oz: The Art Of Greg Hildebrandt was published in 1986. In 1990, Hildebrandt painted a series of calendars, American Beauties, in the pin up style. Greg and Tim Hildebrandt returned to paint a series of trading cards for Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire adapting the novel, comics, and video game! 

The trading cards, Marvel Masterpieces Series III (1994), was illustrated by Greg and Tim Hildenbrandt. Also in 1994, Tim and Greg painted the cover and a story in the independent comic, Xenya #1. The brothers had painted the cover for Spider-Man 2099 Special #1 (1995). In 1996, Greg and Tim Hildebrandt painted the graphic novel, X-Men 2099: Oasis! The book, Star Wars: The Art of the Brothers Hildebrandt was published. (1997). The New Adventures of Terry and the Pirates (1999) comics featured artwork by Greg and Tim Hildebrandt. Their paintings were found in over 150 Magic: The Gathering cards. In 2006, Tim Hildebrandt died. 

Hildebrand illustrated the covers for the Marvel Illustrated: Treasure Island (2007) comics. Greg and Tim Hildebrandt: The Tolkien Years was published in 2001. The variant cover of Captain Phasma #2 (2017) was painted by Greg Hildebrandt. In 2019, he painted for the first time, Star Trek with the cover of the conic, Star Trek: Year Five #1. He painted a variant cover for Marvel Comics #1000. Hildebrandt contributed to the 2022 benefit comic anthology, Comics For Ukraine. He posted on Facebook, "OREO just announced their new Star Wars cookies with my art on the packaging!” There is an upcoming documentary on Greg Hildebrandt. The artwork of Greg Hildebrandt gives us the beauty of fantasy and other worlds that allows everyone to dream their own worlds. 

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