INTRODUCING RED 5 COMICS

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

In 1977, a farmboy by the name of Luke Skywalker showed the world that he could become the greatest hero the galaxy has ever known in a George Lucas-written and directed space opera film known simply as Star Wars.

Two decades and two sequels, three prequel films, three spin-off films, five television series and an extensive collection of licensed comic books, novels, video games, trading cards, action figures, and other related merchandise later, two internet veterans announced the formation of Red 5 Comics in February.

Founded by Paul Ens, former director of LucasFilm’s Star Wars.com and Lucas Online, and Scott Chitwood, co-founder of TheForce.net, Red 5 aims to “produce cinematic-style stories that appeal to the same avid movie and comic fans who already frequent their websites.”

For the uninitiated, the name Red 5 comes from young Skywalker’s pilot call sign during the Battle of Yavin in the original 1977 Star Wars film, which has since been re-titled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

With the first two of five new titles scheduled to debut in October, Newsarama.com reached out to Ens and Chitwood for a chat about all things Red 5 Comics, Star Wars, and the internet.

Newsarama: Scott, Paul, the both of you are co-founders. Can you tell our readers more about yourselves?

Paul Ens: I actually joined TheForce.net in 1996 as one of its earliest members. I was obsessively reviewing Star Wars comics on Usenet at the time, so Scott brought me aboard. That eventually lead to a fateful lunch at Skywalker Ranch in 1999, where for some reason I decided to unload on the LucasFilm marketing team with everything I thought they should be doing with StarWars.com. The next day, they called me about giving me a job and suddenly I was moving my family from Canada to San Francisco.

Scott Chitwood: We were sad (and jealous) to see Paul go work at LucasFilm, but we continued working on TheForce.net through the prequels. Over the years I split my time working between TFN as well as IGN Filmforce and then MovieHeadlines.net. I finally ended up working over at Superherohype.com and Comingsoon.net. I do movie reviews, DVD reviews, and set visits for the sites. It gave me a chance to still play in the Star Wars universe while exploring other new movies from other studios.

NRAMA: What got you into comics in the first place?

PE: I actually don't remember a time when I could read, but wasn't reading comics. It was probably re-runs of the 60's Batman TV show and the Super Friends cartoon that got me started. Back then, I was splitting my reading between Richie Rich and the Batman titles.

SC: I've been a lifelong comic fan. In fact, I was a comic book fan before I was a Star Wars fan. I grew up with the Mego dolls, Spider-Man Underoos, Super Friends cartoons, and other superhero merchandise. It wasn't until I was around 13 that I started seriously collecting comics. I was living in Norway at the time and I couldn't find many English publications to read. Finally, I found a newsstand that carried American Mad Magazine and some Marvel comic books. They carried Web of Spider-Man (the “Kraven's Last Stand” issues) and Iron Man (the “Armor Wars” issues). I got hooked on those. Later, I found a comic store that carried back issues of Classic X-Men, the John Byrne era Fantastic Four, and various other titles. I fell in love with those titles and have been in the store every week for new comic day since then.

NRAMA: In saying that, how did the idea to form Red 5 Comics come about then?

SC: I was actually at Skywalker Ranch covering the debut of the Revenge of the Sith DVD for Comingsoon.net. While there, Paul and I met for dinner one night with our families. We chatted most of the evening and eventually, towards the end of the dinner, we both revealed that we'd love to create a comic company one day. It was like a lightbulb went off. Paul and I quickly discovered we had similar ideas about how to do a company, numerous contacts we could both call upon to create comics, and a successful history in promoting things online. It was a crazy idea that just might work. Somehow we convinced our wives to support us and the rest is history.

NRAMA: On the subject of Star Wars, there're rumors that you guys are pursuing the Star Wars license, which is currently held by Dark Horse. While you have denied such a rumor on Dark Horse's Star Wars boards, the fact that the both of you have had a history with Lucas and his creation from a "galaxy far, far away," what do you think of Dark Horse's take on Star Wars in comic book form?

PE: I don't think Dark Horse gets enough credit for helping to resurrect the Star Wars franchise in the early 1990s. Dark Empire had as much to do with it as the [Timothy] Zahn books and Kenner action figures. Star Wars fans owe them a debt.

In those online reviews, I'm on record as both loving some and hating some of the Star Wars comics. I think every Star Wars fan feels that way about every aspect of the franchise. It becomes very personal.

When I decided to leave LucasFilm, after 16 years of reading every Star Wars comic and book that came out, I also decided to take a deserved Star Wars fiction hiatus. As such, I haven't read any issues of Legacy, the new KOTOR or Dark Times yet. It's going to be a real bugger to try to catch up again once I decide to.

SC: I completely agree with Paul's assessment. I've been a fan of the Dark Horse Star Wars comics since Dark Empire and I've read every issue they've published to date. I like how they've actually had an influence on the movies. The double bladed lightsaber first appeared in their comics. Aalya Secura was a comic character that was added to the movies. Quinlan Vos even was slated to appear in Episode III but ended up on the cutting room floor. I think that's a real testament to their work. If Lucas liked it enough to include it, that's saying a lot.

I like the diversity in Dark Horse's lineup, too. They have shown a wide variety of art styles, short stories, mini series, ongoing series, kids titles, adult titles, etc. They have also jumped around in various eras. As a book fan, I was worried about how Legacy was going to constrain the novel authors, but I've since warmed up to the title.

NRAMA: And prior to that, i.e. pre-early 90s, Marvel Comics was home to Star Wars comics. What're your thoughts on the House of Ideas' version of Lucas' hugely popular franchise back then?

PE: Even when I was seven, I thought that Han Solo fighting with a giant green rabbit was stupid. I gave up on it pretty early in the run, thinking it didn't capture the spirit of the movies. However, I later took another look at the series in the 1990s, and actually really enjoyed most of it.

In the last arc of the Star Wars: Evasive Action webstrip I wrote for StarWars.com, I was actually able to incorporate and create the origin story for Baron Orman Tagge, a prominent villain from the Marvel Star Wars series. He's definitive modern canon now.

SC: I have to admit that I've bought all the Marvel titles, but every time I try to read them, I have a very difficult time getting through them. I love the artwork and what Marvel tried to do, but something about them has never engaged me. Maybe it was the giant green bunny.

NRAMA: Now, with your links to Lucas and Star Wars, would you mind telling us what you would have in mind or at the very least, what could be done to improve Star Wars comics in general? Bear in mind that Dark Horse has done stories based on pre-, during and post-Republic, Clone Wars, Empire, and now, New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force eras...

PE: Star Wars is such a rich universe, there are many compelling stories to be told in all eras. I don't think the era is the key, just great story telling and strong characters.

If for some strange reason I were placed in charge of the Star Wars comic line, I'd definitely bring some significant philosophical differences... but only the fans could judge if those would be improvements or not.

Randy Stradley at Dark Horse is a good guy, and I wish them all the best with the Star Wars line. As a fan, I'd love to see them take sales back up to "Buffy numbers".

NRAMA: Paul, you mentioned the Star Wars: Evasive Action webstrips earlier and with your history with LucasFilm and StarWars.com and you’re now working with artist Tom Hodges on Midknight, do you know if there are plans to compile these popular stories into collected print editions?

PE: I've heard rumblings, but Dark Horse owns the rights, so it's up to them. I know that they, rightfully so, are focused on putting out new stories. Maybe in an Omnibus some time, if enough fans ask for it.

NRAMA: Okay, with that out of the way, let's focus our attention on Red 5 Comics' upcoming projects then. Some of your first releases include Abyss, Atomic Robo, Midknight, Neozoic, and Afterburn. Can you tell us more about these titles, the creators behind these creations... and some other secrets that no one knows about until now?

PE: Atomic Robo is from the imagination of Brian Clevinger, creator of 8-Bit Theater -- one of the most popular web comics in existence. It features the action-science exploits of the 80-plus-year career of a robot invented by Nikola Tesla. He fights Nazis, giant ants, mummies and more. I fell in love with the art, but it's the hyper-intelligent dialog that keeps me smiling.

SC: Abyss is a superhero comedy by Kevin Rubio. You might remember him as the director of fan film, Troops, that helped kick off the internet film revolution. The title reteams Rubio with his Star Wars: Tag & Bink artist, Lucas Marangon.

Abyss is "Batman meets My Name is Earl". Our lead character discovers that his deceased father was the world's most hated super-villain, Abyss. So he assumes his father's identity and goes about setting right all his father's wrongs, with mixed success.

PE: Neozoic is my creation, illustrated by fellow Canadians J. Korim and colorist Jessie Lam. The premise is that dinosaurs didn't go extinct, so human society has developed side-by-side with giant predators. One society has survived by building walled cities and creating a force of warriors, the Predator Defence League.

SC: The pitch for Afterburn would be "Indiana Jones meets Mad Max". In this story, half the Earth is hit by a superflare from the sun. All of Europe, Asia, Africa, India, and Australia are essentially microwaved. People out in the open were killed while the survivors were mutated by the radiation. However, all their treasures remain intact. Our anti-hero, Jake, is a treasure hunter that raids this post-apocalyptic wasteland for profit. It's a pulp adventure filled with big action scenes, unique international settings, and a lot of fun.

PE: Finally, we have Midknight from the imagination of Star Wars fan-favorite artist, Tom Hodges. It's the story of a husband-and-wife crime-fighting team, who have to balance daytime careers and raising a daughter with the scum of Philadelphia. It has a great blend of dark tones and animated style.

Secrets, huh? Let's see...

-- Abyss #2 will introduce a character inspired by G4TV's comic reviewer, Blair Butler.

-- Midknight was initially in development as “D'Vilknights", but the animation company developing the property had concerns about heroes who were "devils".

-- Warren Fu, the artist who designed General Grievous for Star Wars Episode III, has created an alternate cover for Neozoic #2... stay tuned on where that will be available.

-- the cover for Atomic Robo #1 was drawn by Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Bulletproof Monk, etc). I'm not sure why we're not mentioning that more.

-- And Afterburn has a sequence with a mutant shark -- c'mon, who doesn't wanna see a mutant shark?

NRAMA: What do you hope to offer with these first titles?

PE: Comic books are an entertainment medium, so first and foremost we hope to offer an entertaining experience in each one. The initial titles will also set a stake in the ground establishing the "Red 5 level" of quality and fun.

SC: As you can see from our debut titles, we're aiming to have a diverse lineup. We have a superhero title, a comedy, a fantasy title, and an action adventure. We intend our future offerings to be just as diverse. When I go to the comic store each week, I'll buy superhero comics, horror comics, etc. We want our comics to be just as varied as what we read each week.

NRAMA: All right. You've got Abyss created by Troops' Kevin Rubio, who's also reuniting with his Star Wars: Tag & Bink artist Lucas Marangon. And artists Matt Busch (Afterburn) and Tom Hodges (Midknight) collaborated on a book called You Can Draw Star Wars. How did you pitch Red 5 Comics to prospective creators? Or did they come to you with their ideas?

PE: Tom Hodges has been the artist on my Star Wars work for several years. He's been working on Midknight in various forms since well before that. When I told him about my plans for Red 5, I was barely through the first sentence when he said, "Dude, do I have a property for you."

SC: Getting our Star Wars friends on board was the easy part. Kevin Rubio has been a friend for many years. (In fact, the other day I pulled out my cell phone and my 2 year old son said, "You calling Wubio?") He was more than happy to write for us. Matt Busch also pushed aside his busy schedule to whip out our Afterburn cover art. He really blew us away with what he produced.

The real challenge was finding new talent. When we put out a call for artists, we had literally 1000 submissions. And believe it or not, we looked at every single one. As you can probably see from the sample artwork, everyone is doing first rate stuff. Taking a chance on newer artists has really paid off for us.

NRAMA: And with these creators on board, there is no way that you're going after Star Wars comics…

PE: Well... never say never, but I left LucasFilm to spend some time playing in my own sandbox.

SC: Talk to us after we have our second issues on the stand.

NRAMA: The first issue of Midknight is scheduled to hit stores in November, along with the second issue of the Atomic Robo monthly series. So, I definitely look forward to talking to you about this very subject again.

Printed versions of Abyss, Atomic Robo and Neozoic are currently scheduled to hit stores in October. How are the initial pre-order numbers looking like coming from the August issue of Diamond Previews catalog?

PE: We haven't heard yet, we'll know in a few weeks. The folks at Diamond have been extremely supportive and have become fans of Red 5. They gave all three of our opening titles "spotlight" or "feature" placement in the catalog... that's pretty rare for a new publisher.

NRAMA: Apart from Atomic Robo, which is a six-issue monthly mini-series, Abyss and Neozoic are bi-monthly series. How do you guys manage the production side of things to ensure that the issues ship out on time and without glitches?

PE: As comic fans, we're definitely aware of the negative impact a slipping schedule can have on a title. As a new publisher, we're obviously experiencing some learning curve as well, so we combat that by leaving ourselves a lot of lead time. We began working on our five series in January, and most titles are into issue #3 or beyond already.

The second aspect is working with artists who conduct themselves professionally, including with respect to deadlines. So far, we've been really fortunate on that front. I can't say enough about the talent and reliability of the men and women working with us.

We've also done test runs with our printer, to work some of those kinks out as well. One of the first things people notice when we give them sample issues is the print quality.

We're going to have hiccups along the road, I'm sure... but we're committed to minimizing impact to the reader. I sometimes laugh to myself at the notion that we're building a business based upon the reliability of artists.

NRAMA: Moving on, is Red 5 Comics open to submissions? Or is it a solely exclusive club?

PE: Red 5 is definitely open to submissions. We're looking for artists for upcoming series, plus I'm really hungry to find a handful of great creator-owned titles, like Atomic Robo. Anyone interested should contact us through red5comics.com

It was sheer happy accident that someone forwarded me a link to some Robo sketches online, and I decided to strike up a conversation with the guys behind it. We'd never had any kind of relationship before that stray email.

NRAMA: In terms of web presence, Red 5 Comics is "proud to be presented by ComingSoon.net and SuperheroHype.com." How has this relationship/partnership been to the continued presence of Red 5 Comics on the world wide web?

SC: Mirko Parlevliet is not just the editor of CS/SHH, but he's a good friend, too. He lives close to me in Houston and has even babysat my kids, believe it or not. So when we started looking at ways to promote Red 5 Comics, he was more than willing to help out.

Where CS/SHH has been big for us is in getting our name out in front of a large audience that may not frequent the comic news websites. It's already been opening some exciting doors. We're looking at other ways to expand that relationship in the future.

NRAMA: For a new company, Red 5 Comics’s presence has definitely been felt and seen around the net. I’ve observed that solicitations for upcoming titles are posted on various Star Wars-related and entertainment sites. Do you mind sharing some of your outreach plans around the internet? Is it because of the relationships that you’d built over the years? Or you’re looking to make yourself known to not just the comic book aficionados but also the generation that grew up with video games, multimedia, internet and the like?

PE: We've been fortunate over the years to forge relationships with many great people, and to have been involved with some successful projects and sites. So our initial promotion plans certainly included friends who were inclined to give us a public introduction. We're in our next phase now, which is simply to put our product out there and let strangers decide if it's any good or not. So far, the response has been great.
Red 5 Comics titles are being made by and for video game and internet generations, so it makes sense to be where they're hanging out. Sometimes, people read websites that aren't Newsarama. (Shocking, but true!) That said, we're not naive enough to think that Red 5 is somehow going to bring a mass of new comic readers into the shops where comic movies or major events haven't.

NRAMA: Are there plans for digital or Web comics to further promote your titles/projects to the more Web-savvy individuals?

PE: Our experience is on the web side of the business and I've done web comics in the past, so this is definitely in our plans.

I'm a strong believer that in the coming years, the comic industry will figure out a way to have supporting print and digital revenue streams. I'm keeping a careful eye on the efforts of Slave Labor Graphics, the creator portal by DC, the mySpace comic books partnerships and the like.

NRAMA: Paul, I have to go back to Evasive Action again for a minute here. The webstrips proved to be popular with those who subscribed to Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club. Are you looking to develop a similar model for Red 5 Comics?

PE: It's not top on the priority list, but we're looking for ways to return to web comics, yeah. Telling a story in that daily format is incredibly enjoyable.

NRAMA: Do you think that subscription-based web memberships are the next way forward for Red 5 Comics? Why, or why not?

PE: I don't think so. Subscriptions worked for a time on the web, but with Google legitimizing internet ads, even AOL is getting away from the subscription game. For the segment of the comic audience that decides to go digital, I think the two models that will emerge are advertising-supported free content, and cheap pay-per-download content (some future iTunes-like store for comics). The important thing for us is to build a library of content that can be distributed by whatever means our readers want.

NRAMA: Some of the titles started as ideas for an animated or game projects, right? So, in saying that, are you also developing these into animated series, video games, movies as well? Or is doing the comics the sole aim for the time being?

SC: Creating the best comics possible is our primary focus. That said, we're obviously passionate about movies, TV and video. It's our philosophy to create cinematic-style stories. We'd love to see Red 5 characters in other mediums, and some small steps have been taken.

NRAMA: Finally, what does the future look like for Red 5 Comics? What other projects are in the pipeline?

SC: If one or more of our debut titles do well, we have ideas in mind for sequels. We have an extremely large batch of new title ideas, and we'll be making decisions in the coming weeks about which ones to pursue next. We are also in talks with some other established Star Wars talents to create non-Star Wars stories. In the mean time, we're always on the lookout for creator-owned titles too.

More information about the five debut titles from Red 5 Comics are listed below:

Abyss - Kevin Rubio’s short-film, Troops, was one of the first true video events on the internet. His latest creation, Abyss, tells the comedic and dysfunctional tale of the relationship between a son and his powerful supervillain father. Lucas Marangon is drawing the series, re-uniting the popular creative team behind the wildly imaginative Star Wars: Tag and Bink comic series. [Read a Best Shots team member’s review of issue #1 by clicking here.]

Atomic Robo - Brian Clevinger (NuklearPower.com 8-Bit Theater) and Scott Wegener (Negative Burn, Wicked West 2) chronicle the Action Science adventures of Nikola Tesla’s robot across the twentieth century and beyond. [Click here for Best Shots’ advanced review of the first issue.]

Midknight - Tom Hodges (How to Draw Star Wars, WizardUniverse.com’s “Artists to Watch” 2006) creates and illustrates the exploits of a husband-and-wife team who fight crime from the office by day and on the streets of Philadelphia at night.

Neozoic - Created by Paul Ens (Star Wars: Evasive Action), Neozoic imagines a gritty sci-fi / fantasy world where dinosaurs did not become extinct, and humanity lives under the constant threat of giant predators. The art of J. Korim (Rotogin: Junkbotz) brings the world to life.

Afterburn - When half the planet is destroyed by a solar flare, out of the ashes emerge the action adventures of Jake and his treasure-hunters for hire. Afterburn is written by Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens, drawn by Wayne Nichols (Lady Supreme: Supreme Sacrifice), with covers by “Rock Star of Illustration” Matt Busch.

Visit the official Red 5 Comics website at red5comics.com Look for previews of Red 5's launch titles tomorrow on Newsarama.

[SifuD]

These look pretty sweet.

[Blackbeard]

Best of luck to Red 5. Looks like you've got some fantastic properties on your hands!

[NightRiver]

These comics look great. Ill def pick up Atomic Robo, Neozoic, and def Midknight(I haveto being that im from Philly ) But all of them sound pretty good.

[Quetzal]

Why the new or another companies use famous covers of other comapnies? Thats not original or creative... poor!

[Tirpen]

I'm definitly picking up Atomic Robo, Abyss and Neozoic, they sound like great fun.

Good luck with the company!

[ToneyT]

A MAJOR GOOD LUCK IN THIS INDUSTRY.

[trialsze]

Stuff looks good. I do have a question. The cover that is shown for Neozoic her left hand is turned in a way that is not possible. Or is that just me? I am pretty sure the thumb would be closer to the hilt and not the other way around. Or am I seeing things. LOL

Good luck and I can't wait to see the books.

[Javier Lugo]

Originally Posted by trialsze

Stuff looks good. I do have a question. The cover that is shown for Neozoic her left hand is turned in a way that is not possible. Or is that just me? I am pretty sure the thumb would be closer to the hilt and not the other way around. Or am I seeing things.

Hey, you are right, she's drawn with a right hand on her left arm. Otherwise, great interview and exciting plans from Red5Comics. Best of luck.

[johnturned51]

Some of their ____ looks good, I'll be getting some probably, but if they ever did steal the SW license, i'd be pretty mad ....

[toddmichaelr]

I think I'll buy your comics just to keep you in business! This is excitingly commendable and exactly what fans of the medium should be doing. Put yourself on the line and share your stories with the world. Fantastic!

[Midas]

Once again, a Newsarama article on an indy publisher comes out AFTER the Previews order cutoff for the comics showcased.... I'm not sure who to criticize here (if anybody), but it doesn't do anybody any good that you can no longer place orders for these comics at most comic shops. Here's hoping that DCBS can get these into my August order.

Matt, I implore you to get these articles up earlier in the month and/or encourage creators to get their interviews done earlier in the month (so you can post the articles earlier as well).

[deadjacket]

Originally Posted by Midas

Once again, a Newsarama article on an indy publisher comes out AFTER the Previews order cutoff for the comics showcased.... I'm not sure who to criticize here (if anybody), but it doesn't do anybody any good that you can no longer place orders for these comics at most comic shops. Here's hoping that DCBS can get these into my August order.

Matt, I implore you to get these articles up earlier in the month and/or encourage creators to get their interviews done earlier in the month (so you can post the articles earlier as well).

lets hope this comes about:-

(from August 27th's Lying in the Gutters)

I understand that at the Baltimore Retailer Summit in September, Diamond are going to announce either a reduction or abolition of the Diamond reorder penalty on most or indeed all non-Premier publishers.

What am I talking about?

One of the bugbears of comic retailers and non-Premier publishers is the reorder penalty. Any book that's reordered after it was initially solicited, has a reduced discount to retailers. Only books from the designated "Premier" publishers - Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image and, bizarrely, Acclaim - can be reordered at full discount. It's basically a penalty for not ordering those books when they were initially solicited. It forces retailers to order heavy upfront if they want to minimize costs. But it also discourages retailers from reordering from non-Premier publishers at all. Indeed, why support a non-Premier book when, if you sell out of it, it will cost you more to get more copies? Some publishers have chosen to pay for the reorder penalty to retailers themselves to get retailers to keep their books in stock. It's a system that has entrenched the comics publisher ghetto.

However, of late, a number of retailers have discovered that if they order through bookstore distributors, they can get near enough the same discount as reordering a non-Premier publisher title. Which has led to a number of retailers deserting Diamond for all their non-Premier books. Diamond's decision to change things will no doubt help many publishers, increase the diversity of comics in many stores, encourage growth - and also stop the bookstore trade from stealing Diamond's direct market share.

[chrissama200]

Originally Posted by trialsze

Stuff looks good. I do have a question. The cover that is shown for Neozoic her left hand is turned in a way that is not possible. Or is that just me? I am pretty sure the thumb would be closer to the hilt and not the other way around. Or am I seeing things. LOL

Ha, I wish you hadn't pointed that out. I overlooked it and thought it was a pretty cool cover, but now that I think about it, it's kind of sloppy for them to have a mistake like that.

[mrhelm]

Atomic Robo, Abyss, & Midknight all look pretty cool.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Red 5 get the Star Wars lisence. Honestly, I think Dark Horse is becoming rather creatively stagnant. Even Ostrander & Duursema have somehow went bland on Legacy, although I am surprisingly enjoying Knights of the Old Republic.

[Xero]

I love that Abyss cover.

[80Pork]

I gotta admit...a lot of these titles look and sound really good!! I may have to check them out...if they are a good as they sound, I guess some of the "Big 2" will hit the chopping block to make room.

[nwspencer]

The lineup looks really great-- a lot of good, strong concepts here.

One complaint though: no writer submissions? Bummer.

[Derek Ruiz]

Atomic Robo is awesome. Scott Wegener is a good guy and a great artist so I'll be sure to support anything he works on.

[RayRieck]

Yeah, maybe the Neozoic chick has two right hands -- it's evolution. Must suck buying gloves.

[djcoffman]

These titles look FUN!

That "two right hands" thing does look odd though. How did they miss that?

[Jiminy Snick]

Gut-feeling?

These guys are already in talks - probably pretty firm talks - about taking over the Star Wars licence the moment Dark Horse's option ends.

The way they talk about it all seems like there is more going on than they can presently reveal.

Anyone know how much longer Dark Horse has on the Star Wars deal?

That aside from that comment I have to say that some of their inital titles may be just what my comic book taste-buds are crying out for.

Thankfully, I seem to end up with more and more money every month with all the DC titles I have been droping.

I wish I was kidding.

[kidvictory]

Just the other day I was checking out their site and the Atomic Robo series. That is a title I will definitely be picking up. I read some pages from it and it's hillarious and energetic - just cool . . .Hellboy-ish cool.
Something different, yet familiar.

For some reason I was reminded of both Hellboy and the Rocketeer - while it was still something completely new.


I hope it's a property that returns after the initial series.

Good luck Red 5!

[Drizzt3]

Originally Posted by mrhelm

Atomic Robo, Abyss, & Midknight all look pretty cool.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Red 5 get the Star Wars lisence. Honestly, I think Dark Horse is becoming rather creatively stagnant. Even Ostrander & Duursema have somehow went bland on Legacy, although I am surprisingly enjoying Knights of the Old Republic.

KOTOR is gold! And i,too wonder about how much time does Dark horse have with Star wars license?

[Alextron]

I think it's great what their doing. However, it's important to remember 'comics is comics'.
I don't go to many movies these days... because I don't want to. But comics success isn't dictated by how many adaptions they have on screen. When SPider-man 3 was #1, Amazing Spider-man wasn't. Infact, when the whole industry was booming in the 90s, the movie industry had about two good comic book adaptions in the years previous: Batman and those kwazy turtles.

Again though, it looks fantastic. <--- not being sarcastic.