Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Part 2 of Heroes: Faces



The second part of my two-part Webcomic for NBC's hit show HEROES is now up, and available for free here. It's about a mother-daughter team of agents that work for the show's mysterious "Company" and should provides a little comic relief from this summer's ongoing story.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Listen to me on Jonesey's Jukebox this Friday May 23rd



Never mind the bollocks! This comic book thing is getting more and more surreal. This Friday, I'm going to be on Jonesey's Jukebox, one of LA's most popular radio shows, hosted by Steve Jones, guitarist of the Sex Pistols. Along with SCUD's Rob Schrab and GODLAND'S Joe Casey, we'll evidently be judging the weeks newest tracks (something I am excited for yet completely unqualified to do) and to promote HAZED. You don't need to be in the LA area to hear me if you've got one of those internets. Press release below.

SCHRAB, CASEY, SABLE ON JONESY'S JUKEBOX 05.23.08
Press Release
This Friday, SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN's Rob Schrab, HAZED's Mark Sable and GØDLAND's Joe Casey will appear on INDIE 103.1 FM's Jonesy's Jukebox, from 12 to 2 PM."Jonesy's Jukebox is a one of my favorite radio shows so being part of it in time to celebrate the end of SCUD is surreally awesome," Schrab said. "It's a perfect way to cap off over ten years of the series."Jonesy's Jukebox, hosted by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols on what Rolling Stone declared the best radio station of 2008, airs every Friday from Noon to 2pm with the first hour repeating at 6pm. Each episode features four guests panelists talking about and judging the newest tracks to hit the radio with this week's including Casey, Hazed and Schrab. In addition, they'll be discussing their latest projects such as the Eisner-nominated GØDLAND CELESTIAL EDITION, CHARLATAN BALL, HAZED and SCUD THE DISPOSASBLE ASSASSIN: THE WHOLE SHEBANG. Joe Casey added, "Big Steve Jones fan. Huge guitar sounds hit me just the right way. Moving into the last year of GØDLAND and launching of CHARLATAN BALL, this is a very cool way to get the word out."Jonesy's Jukebox will air Friday, May 23rd from 12 to 2 PM. Listeners out of the Los Angeles area can listen via http://www.indie1031.fm/4045_Listen_Live.php?id=27. GØDLAND CELESTIAL EDITION (MAY071862), a 360-page hardcover for $34.99, and HAZED (DEC072052), a 160-page graphic novel for $14.99, are available now. SCUD THE DISPOSASBLE ASSASSIN: THE WHOLE SHEBANG (TP - APR082180/HC-APR082181), a 786-page black & white collection, will be available June 25th. CHARLATAN BALL (APR082158), a 24-page full color comic book for $2.50, will be available June 11th.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

CYBORG #1 out today, pre-order issue #4 and Two-Face: Year One #2



Well, the first issue of my new six issue mini, DC SPECIAL: CYBORG, hits stands today, Wednesday May 21st 2008. It's the first solo series for one of the most popular Teen Titans in his 28 years of existence, and I'm really excited to see your reaction to it.


The above cover is for Issue 4, which hits stands August 20th. You can pre-order it while your in the store picking up Issue 1. Here's the solicit:

The mysterious Mr. Orr has transformed one of Cyborg's friends into a killing machine! But is Vic's friend the only victim?Orr has cloned two of the world's deadliest super-villains to prevent Cyborg and The Titans from finding out.On sale August 20

And while you're pre-ordering, why not get Part Two of Two-Face: Year One. Check out this amazing cover by Mark Chiarello:





Here's the solicit.

TWO-FACE YEAR ONE #2
Written by Mark Sable
Art by Jesus Saiz & Jimmy Palmiotti
Cover by Mark Chiarello
The election coverage continues as Two-Face throws his hat in the ring! It’s the shocking conclusion to the tightest race in Gotham City history, and it’s only the beginning of Batman’s struggle with a man who used to be his best friend — and the monster within.On sale August 13 • 2 of 2, 48 pg, FC, $5.99 US

No slight to Cyborg or any of my creator owned works, but I think Two-Face: Year One is the best thing I've ever written. Hopefully it will get a boost from the Dark Knight sequel, which opens the month before. You can read about how I put a "Dent" (as in Harvey Dent) in Two-Face on CBR.


Between Cyborg and Heroes this may be the most readers I've ever had. Huge week, and more to come...

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

New HEROES Webcomic



Last fall, I was privileged enough to write a two-part story for NBC's hit show, HEROES, starring Mohinder Suresh. This week, the first part of my new webcomic, FACES, starts, starring a mother-daughter team of Company agents of my own creation. You can read it FOR FREE here.

Like the last online graphic novel, this one is considered just as much a part of the Heroes canon as any episode. And while ties into this summer's over-arching story that leads into this fall's new season, you can read it without having any knowledge of past chapters. Hell, you can read it without having watched a single episode of Heroes.

With CYBORG coming out this Wednesday, and the second issue of TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE now available for pre-order, this is shaping up to be a huge comics week for me.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Hazed - Video Part 2

The second part of my interview with Comics on Comics about HAZED, my dark comedy about sororities and eating disorders. Robbi and I discuss the creative process as well as what goes into pre-production. Filmed in the green room at Meltdown's Pledge Party.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Chat with me about Cyborg this weekend!



Next Wednesday, May 21st, the first issue of my six issue CYBORG series debuts. This Saturday, May 17th, at 8:30 PM EST, I'll be participating in my first ever live chat.

I'm happy to talk about Cyborg, my past work on Supergirl my unpublished Titans issues (featuring the first ever meeting between the Titans and the Flash's Rogues Gallery), my upcoming Two-Face: Year One mini-series, and anything else you want to ask me about.

(As a disclaimer, this is not an official DC chat, and anything I write is my own opinion, not DC's etc.)

I'm truly honored to get to contribute to the legacy of one of comics greatest characters, and I think old-school fans will be happy with what Ken, Carlo, Jonathan and myself have done with Vic.

As for how it's going to work... you need to have aol or aim to get in on this chat , just make up a screenname. Then either instant message teentitan2002 (who is gracious enough to host this chat) on aim or aol, or reply to this thread on DC's Teen Titans messageboard maybe one lucky fan might get a surprise after the chat.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Emerald City Con Re-Cap




When I go to a new city, I like to do the most obnoxious, touristy thing possible, as revenge for having to take friends to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and direct out-of-towners to Ground Zero when I lived in New York (disgusting how quickly that became a tourist destination). In Seattle, home of this past weekend's Emerald City Con, that meant visiting the world's first Starbucks. How can you tell this Starbucks is special? Check out the logo behind me. Unlike the traditional, ubiquitous mermaid, this one's nipples are exposed.

There were no exposed nipples on display in Seattle, despite the presence of Slave Leias (mandatory at any con) and The Suicide Girls (who I think are teases...have any of them actually killed themselves? Or even tried? They should be like Menudo, but instead of simply being kicked out of the band at age 16, there should be a Logan's Run like rule that they must off themselves as a career capper).

There was something even better on display, however. What's that shirt Marvel editor (and hottest girl in comics) Jen Grunwald is wearing next to Ed Brubaker's trademark Fedora at the Mondo Marvel Panel?




Why it's a HAZED t-shirt. All the cool kids are wearing them, and you should too.



Of course, you'll have to wait for San Diego if you want one of these suckers, as Emerald City will be my last con until then. In order to tide you over, I'm going to give you one of my trademark extra long con re-caps.

Emerald City was definitely one of the better cons I've been to. I'm starting to appreciate smaller cons (at least small relative to SDCC and NYCC) that are more focused on comics than other media, where you don't have to hear Spike TV blasting wrestling music or gamers mangling Rock Band covers.

What struck me most about ECCC were the fans. I did better than expected business-wise, but most of my interaction with fans was not trying to sell books, but rather readers who brought copies to sign, and more importantly, came to discuss the work. I think the strangest thing for me was how many people brought copies of the one issue of Supergirl that I co-wrote with Joe Kelly. Granted, that issue (which is collected in Supergirl: Identity trade if you want to contribute to my royalty fund) features a new origin for Kara Zor-El, but I didn't realize it had made anyone's radar. I don't know how much the increased recognition was a function of the show, or whether I'm slowly but surely building a fan base, but I've never seen a more engaged group of convention attendies.

What's cool was that it wasn't all "I love your work/what are you doing next". Not that I don't appreciate either of those sentiments, but oddly enough one of the best experiences I had was from someone who read Hazed, liked it, but was offended by my portrayal of fraternity and sorority life.

I give the guy a lot of credit for having the guts to come up to a creator and express their feelings in person, without the safe anonymity of the internet. That said, his argument essentially boiled down to two things. One, his fraternity (AEII) wasn't like the one I portrayed in HAZED. Ironically enough, when I was at Duke, I got in a bit of trouble for ridiculing that particular frat. I had a satirical weekly newspaper column, and I wrote, having attended the self-styled "Jewish fraternity's" lame "Disco Inferno" party, that I haven't felt this sorry for the Jewish people since Schindler's List. I'm a Jew, so I thought it was okay to say that, but evidently the letter-writers calling me a KKK hooded Nazi and the phone callers who threatened my life disagreed.

His other criticism was and that I should have shown the "good side" of fraternities. Which - if you are looking for a fair and balanced portrayal of the Greek system, Hazed isn't for you. I don't think it's my job as a satirist to be even handed. It's my job to make you laugh, and tell the truth, even if it's ugly.

The reaction to Hazed has been pretty much what I thought it would be - extremely polarizing. People seem to love it or hate it, identify with it or find it completely incompatible with their own experiences...and not much in between. As a writer, I think that means I was successful. I'd much rather readers have a negative reaction than no reaction at all. I felt proud that I was able to engender such a strong reaction from someone, and he walked away with a free copy of Grounded #1 (the least offensive thing I could think to give him).

The more intimate setting also allowed me much more quality time with fellow creators. Ed Brubaker was nice enough to play host to a bunch of pros visiting from out of town by showing us some of his hometown drinking establishments. Ed may be the last person in comics in need of a plug, but Criminal is without a doubt the best crime book out there, and it's a book that's worth getting in single issues because it's got some of the best backmatter in comics.

I was a bit nervous meeting Ed, because Two-Face: Year One features the first appearance of many of the characters he and Greg Rucka created for their classic series Gotham Central. In Two-Face, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent assemble those characters as a team of the only honest cops in Gotham to bring down the - their version of "The Untouchables". I was afraid to mention to Ed that I was mucking around with their creations, so I didn't bring it up. I did get to speak to Greg Rucka, however, and he was extremely gracious, encouraging me to use his characters, essentially saying that's what they are there for.

Other pros I got to drink with Ivan Brandon, editor of the Eisner nominated anthology 24/7, and his girlfriend/my letterer and designer Kristyn Ferretti; and Jerry Duggan and Phil Noto, writer and artist respectively of the Einser nominated book Infinite Horizon (the Odyssey retold in modern day Iraq). So, I was the token non-Eisner nominated creator, which probably explains why I was not allowed to speak unless spoken to.

Dan DiDio and Ian Sattler of DC were nice enough to host a big DC dinner for all their creators in attendance. There to make me feel small were Kurt Busiek, Bill Willingham and Gail Simone. I got to sit at the kids table with Ian, Phil Noto and Rick Remender. There, Rick suggested that we share our most embarassing stories. Phil's involves a hurricane, Rick involves an enema. Sorry Rick, but I love the idea of people coming up to you at cons asking you about it. If it makes you feel better, everyone should check out his Crawlspace book XXX Zombies...a zombie story set in the porn industry - it's like a grindhouse film in comics form. And my story involved pushing a retarded girl in the subway.

Other pros I should mention - new Birds of Prey writer Tony Bedard and DC mainstay Tom Peyer were cool, and it was great hanging out with Dark Horse's Rachel Edinin, who invited me to participate in a feminists in comics lunch (yes, despite the fact I enjoy writing about sorority hazing rituals like circling the fat and group purging, I consider myself a feminist). Josh Williamson, who I met at Meltdown a few months ago, a comics newcomer who has a great book coming out from Image/Shadowline called "Dear Dracula" about a kid who writes to Dracula...I think it's going to be huge.

Coolest of all , however, was Bryan Lee O'Malley, creator of Scott Pilgrim. He did an amazing sketch (which, like my NYCC sketches, will have to wait until a new blog entry when my scanner is hooked up)...for free. He actually refused money, which I then spent on his tablemate Hope Larson's book Salamander Dream, which I highly recommend.

Hopefully you enjoyed this recap as much as I enjoyed the con. Sorry if this was overly name-droppy, but I feel like plugging others work balances that out karmically. Certainly, you've learned quite a bit about me: I think I have a free pass to make Holocaust jokes, I push retarded women on the subway, and if you come up to be at a con and tell me my work sucks, you can get a free book.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Emerald City Con




This weekend, May 10-11, I'm going to be attending Seattle's Emerald City Con for the first time. It will be my last con until San Diego.
I'm sharing a table with Jeremy Haun. Not only is he was he a great artist on one of my favorite Image Books of the past few years, B. Clay Moore's Battle Hymn, I also just found out he's doing the flashback sequences for Two-Face: Year One. He joins an already impressive art team - Jesus Saiz handles most of the pencilling, Jimmy Palmiotti's on inks and Mark Chiarello is doing the covers (which are not what you'll find in previews).
I'll be there with copies of Grounded, Fearless and Hazed, and I'll be showing off art from Cyborg and Two-Face. Oh, and Hazed T-Shirts...I'm going to have to get a picture up soon, Kristyn Ferretti did a great job designing them - women's tees with the Hazed logo, and unisex "Stop The Spread of STDs" shirts that I hope to become a staple at comic conventions - Green Lantern shirts for the cool kids (STDs being the name of the fictional sororities in Hazed).
I'll also bring my sketchbook and annoy any artists I know. Hopefully, upon my return, I'll not only have one of my lengthy post-con reports, but have my scanner hooked up so I can show off my sketches from here and NYCC.

Comic Book Tattoo



It's official - a week after the release of Two-Face: Year One (July 16th), and the same week as Cyborg #3 (July 23rd), Comic Book Tattoo, an anthology dedicated to the songs of Tori Amos that will be released. It features a story by myself and artist Salgood Sam (Sea of Red, Therefore Repent) based on a song which I am not allowed to name yet.

If you don't know who Tori Amos is, she's not only an incredible singer/songwriter, but a comics afficianado who was Neil Gaimain's inspiration for Delerium in his Sandman books.

This is my third anthology story, my others being my Midget Western "They Shoot Ponies, Don't They", drawn by Rob Guillory in Popgun Volume 1 and my paen to New York, LA and Grand Theft Auto entitled Coast2Coast, drawn by The Amazing Joy Buzzards Dann Hipp in the Eisner Award nominated 24/7 Volume Two (if you are a pro or retailer, you can still vote for it.)

Newsarama has a good story on it here - http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=156091, featuring the full track list of creators. Like my other anthology work, I'm surrounded by yet another stellar cast of writers and arstists, for which I have to thank editor/mastermind Rantz Hoseley for including me. This book is something special though, a 12” x 12” 480-page anthology.