February 9, 2011 -Attendees of Image Expo, taking place February 24, 25, and 26 in Oakland, California will get something else in addition to excellent programming, array of exhibiting publishers and artists, and face time with their favorite collectors — the chance to get six comics with convention-exclusive covers.


The first 5,000 attendees of Image Expo will receive a free copy of THE WALKING DEAD #94 by Robert


Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, and Cliff Rathburn with an exclusive cover picturing Michonne, katana at her side, atop an intertwined mass of zombies.


An exclusive GLORY #23 featuring a new cover by Ross Campbell and the slogan “FIGHT CENSORSHIP” will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and will be available only at the CBLDF booth.


Other exclusive covers are THE DARKNESS #100, featuring a sketch cover by Marc Silvestri; ARTIFACTS #14 with art by Stjepan Sejic and a blank back cover for attendees’ favorite artists to sketch on, THIEF OF THIEVES #1 with art by Shawn Martinbrough, and CHEW #24 with art by Rob Guillory.


The Image Expo convention-exclusive variant covers will be available in limited quantities.

Berkeley, CA – 6 January 2011 – The future is now as Eisner and Harvey award-winnerJoe Keatinge and ELEPHANTMEN’s Andre Szymanowicz debut the last generation of superheroes in the new ongoing series HELL YEAH.

“Nothing excites me more than raw, undiluted creativity, and HELL YEAH delivers that in spades,” said Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. “Joe and Andre are dragging superheroes kicking, screaming and spitting blood into a brave new world where the impossible is possible, nothing is sacred and no one is safe. HELL YEAH, indeed.”

Berkeley, CA – 15 December 2011 – IMAGE EXPO, the one-of-a-kind celebration commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Image Comics and celebrating creator-owned comics, is announcing many new guests! Joining the Image Comics partners Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino and Image founders Rob Liefeld and Whilce Portacio, are the following stars of creator-owned comics.

Blair Butler, the host of G4′s Fresh Ink and 2011′s break out writer of HEART, the comic that shows the human side of MMA, will be joining the line up, along with her co-creator Kevin Mellon (LOVESTRUCK). Writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory, co-creators of CHEW, everyone’s favorite Eisner Award winning gross-out detective comic will also be there. Add to that rising star Nick Spencer, the writer behind such hits as MORNING GLORIES, FORGETLESS, Ultimate Comics: X-Men, and soon Robert Kirkman’s THIEF OF THIEVES, and IMAGE EXPO already has a solid line up!

Some of the other guests at IMAGE EXPO include:

Keu Cha (MAGDALENA)
Joshua Fialkov (ECHOES, THE LAST OF THE GREATS, I, Vampire)
Edwin Huang (SKULLKICKERS)
Joe Keatinge (POPGUN, GLORY, HELL YEAH)
Larry Marder (BEANWORLD)
Jim McCann (Return of the Dapper Men, MIND THE GAP)
Marat Mychaels (BLINDSIDE)
Jimmie Robinson (BOMBQUEEN)
Eric Shanower (AGE OF BRONZE)
Kurtis Wiebe (INTREPIDS, GREEN WAKE, PETER PANZERFAUST)
Jim Zubkavich (SKULLKICKERS)

Some of the other previously announced guests include:

Joe Casey (Ben 10, BUTCHER BAKER, THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER, HAUNT)
Jay Faerber (Ringer, DYNAMO 5, NEAR DEATH)
Jonathan Hickman (THE NIGHTLY NEWS, THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS)
Ryan Ottley (INVINCIBLE)
Fiona Staples (SAGA)
Richard Starkings (Comicraft, ELEPHANTMEN)
Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Runaways, SAGA)

IMAGE EXPO is a three-day celebration of creator-owned comics happening at the Oakland Convention Center, and Northern California’s premier comic con experience in 2012. The Berkeley-based publisher will be filling the demand for a 2012 Bay Area comic book convention that was left unfulfilled when WonderCon announced their temporary relocation to Anaheim, California. The three-day event takes place at the Oakland Convention Center in the heart of the bustling nightlife and restaurant center of downtown Oakland, CA on February 24-25-26.

Experience the creativity of the men and women making the best creator owned comics in America at this one-of-a-kind celebration commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Image Comics!

Berkeley, CA – 8 December 2011 – What if the union of a generation’s brightest minds like Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer was not a signal for optimism, but foreboding? What if everything… went wrong?



In the year 1945, the atomic bomb proved its capacity for immense devastation, but what if the creation of that ultimate killing machine was just a cover for a series of other, more unusual, programs? A brand new, monthly ongoing series from Image Comics will pose that question by taking a look at one of the most critical periods of change in the 20th century through a lens both darkened and strange. Join us, for what is poised to the breakout hit of 2012, THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS!



Award-winning writer Jonathan Hickman (THE NIGHTLY NEWS, FF) and one of the best new talents to debut in comics during the last year, Nick Pitarra, are teaming up once again to present THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS. Following the completion of their critically acclaimed science fiction success, THE RED WING, the duo are taking the cautionary aspect of science fiction and applying it not to the future, but to our past!

“I think anyone that’s followed my work knows about my affinity for near-future/alt-history, and THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS pretty much represents the crown jewel of all the stories I’ve ever cooked-up in that vein,” detailed Hickman. “Honestly, if we do this right — and at this point in the process, it sure feels like we are — I think this might the perfect example of why I do these stories: It takes a world everyone knows, and blurs the lines between fiction and reality in a way that makes you question where one ends and the other begins. I can’t wait for people to read it!”



“Jonathan is a great collaborator, he really sees the page as an artist first,” explained Pitarra, “With THE RED WING and with this new series, his guidance has meant everything. I have freedom in the layouts and planning stages, but I know that with him, as careful a storytelling as he is, if he suggests a change the page always comes out better. It’s good to work with a writer you can trust.”

THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #1, a 32-page full-color science fiction comic book for $3.50, will be on sale in stores on March 7 and available for order in the January issue of Previews. In the mean time, both THE RED WING TP (OCT11047, ISBN: 978-1-60706-479-4), a 144-page full-color trade paperback for $14.99, & THE NIGHTLY NEWS ANNIVERSARY EDITION HC (SEP110423, ISBN: 9978-1-60706-4619), a 272-page full-color hardcover graphic novel for $34.99, will be on sale in stores December 14.

Berkeley, CA – 7 December 2011 – In Judith’s short life, the street smart punk has already proved to be a survivor, but now she’ll have to fight to remain the last one standing!



It’s 1984 – Reaganomics are in full swing, Herbie Hancock ruled the first MTV Music Video Awards, movie-goers met The Ghostbusters and The Terminator, Indira Ghandi was assassinated, B.A. Baracus pitied fools, and a third rate cosmetics company single-handedly destroyed civilization. Is Judith, a 17-year-old chain smoking delinquent humanity’s last hope?



In the upcoming ALPHA GIRL miniseries, co-creators Jeff Roenning and Jean-Paul Bonjour are plotting plenty of trouble for Judith. Robert Love is illustrating Judith’s close calls with the masses of flesh-hungry zombie women and the men who hunt them. ALPHA GIRL promises to be the action-packed gore fest that you’ve been waiting for!



“When I got hooked on comics in 1980 I quickly found that the best titles were relegated to the 25 cent box. Creepy, Tales From The Crypt, and Ghostly Tales were my favorites, but they never went far enough,” explained Roenning. “ALPHA GIRL has been a chance to not only quench my blood lust, but to do it with a kick ass heroine.”



“As a child of the 1980′s, it has been a blast drawing a comic that takes place during my formative years,” said Love. “The Adidas track suits, big hair, and the ’80′s rock ‘n’ roll and hip hop – I’m definitely having fun!”



“I cut class my sophomore year of high school to go hang out, smoke cigarettes, and check out girls. I ended up watching a movie called Evil Dead 2. When I saw that flick I had found my calling in life,” added Bonjour. “When Roenning approached me with the concept of a cosmetic company turning all women into man-eaters, with a kick ass protagonist like Judith, I was all in. If you’re like me and a fan of the zombie horror genre when the lead character has a flash of attitude, you are in for a hell of a ride.”



This “Return of the Living Dead meets Zombieland” new miniseries will appeal to fans of the dark humor and horrors of CHEW and HACK/SLASH. For those that can’t wait until February, Cassie Hack fans will discover another kick ass femme fatale in the back pages of HACK/SLASH #11, where we’re sharing a sneak peek of ALPHA GIRL #1!



ALPHA GIRL #1 (DEC110475), a 32-page full-color horror comic book for $2.99, will be on sale in stores and on digital platforms on February 1, and is available for order in the December issue of Previews. HACK/SLASH #11 (Seeley & Badilla Cover A: OCT110549, Laiso Cover B: OCT110550), will be available on December 28.

To learn more about the ALPHA GIRL comic, visit http://alphagirlthecomic.com/. You can also get the latest ALPHA GIRL news by following the team on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/alphagirlthecomic and on Twitter @AlphaGirl_Comic.

Don’t ask me why, but it’s always surprising to meet someone who’s never been to New York before. It just seems like one of those place everyone should have already visited at least once in their lifetime. But as it happens, Image writer Kurtis Wiebe found himself in NYC for the first time this past weekend, and we took a few minutes to talk about his book, Green Wake, and some other projects he’s got going on in the coming months.

New York Comic Con 2011: Artist Alley Intervew – Kurtis Wiebe from Popcultureshock on Vimeo.

The New York Comic Con found its way back to the Javits Center this past weekend, and it was nice to see that it’s still the chaotic zoo of a convention that it’s always been! Even with all the headaches that come with such a convention, that’s growing bigger and bigger with every passing year (and has a separate anime convention going on simultaneously), I still enjoyed myself immensely. And as always, I had the most fun in Artist Alley.

I set out with the goal of getting as many interviews as I could (riding solo-dolo for PCS, as it were!), and hopefully spotlight a few creators that I felt were worth checking out. So first up is my interview with Enrique Carrion, currently working on his creator-owned title for Image Comics, Vescell.

While at Emerald City ComiCon this year, we bumped into Chew’s John Layman (literally! in the elevator! and he recognized us from our videos!), who very graciously agreed to a video interview. Here, he talks about Chew’s next story arc, “Just Desserts,” the return of Mason Savoy, the awesome fold-out, poster-sized cover of Chew #15 (his description is hilarious), and what it’s like having the biggest “sleeper” hit of the year:

Kudos to Josh, who has loved and supported Chew from the beginning–just check out his reviews and previous interviews! Haven’t tried this awesome comic yet? Now you can buy Chew #1 for just $.80!

BUY CHEW COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

But wait! There’s more! Next week’s raffle item is a copy of Chew Vol. 1: Taster’s Choice, signed by Layman himself! To enter, head to one of our three Oregon locations between March 29 and April 4, and you’ll receive a raffle ticket with any purchase. Or, if you live outside the Portland, Oregon area, you can sign up for our weekly Newsletter instead!

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading Chew, you’re missing out on one of the funniest, quirkiest, most surprising titles of the past year. You can check out our past videos, as well as an early interview by Josh, right here on our blog!

But remember, for the latest news, come back Monday and get the full scoop–you’ll be glad you did!

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

On the verge of the Cowboy Ninja Viking debut, Image Comics announced yesterday that writer AJ Lieberman and artist Riley Rossmo’s highly anticipated action-packed mini-series with a multiple personality twist will expand to regular ongoing series!

“Even before its release, Cowboy Ninja Viking has seen a reception much like Chew’s explosive launch, making it evident writer AJ Lieberman and artist Riley Rossmo shouldn’t be contained to a mere four issues,” Image Comics Vice President Jim Valentino said. “In a time where it’s very hard to launch an all-new title, the pre-release buzz for this book has been massive. We’re extremely excited to keep it going for a long time coming. Considering we’ve had to already double our print run to meet demand, we think the fans will highly enjoy the now ongoing series.”

Cowboy Ninja Viking is the birth child of Doctor Sebastian Ghislain, a psychotherapist who recruits Multiple Personality Disorder patients to create a unit of counter-intelligence agents called the Triplets. But what happens when those guys become out of control assassins? That’s when the deadliest Triplet of them all, Cowboy Ninja Viking, is called in to take down his own brethren. In order to ensure the timely schedule, the series will ship in monthly arcs with two-month gaps in between each storyline.

Cowboy Ninja Viking #1 just became available as an in-stock product and you can still pick up your copy…but they’re going fast.

Anna Mercury #1, Anna Mercury Artbook, Astounding Wolfman #17, Bad Kids Go To Hell, Buffy: Season 8 #26, Escape from Wonderland #0, GI Joe: Rise of Cobra #1, Gold Digger #107, Gold Digger #108, Locke-n-Key #6, Prince of Heroes #4, Savage Dragon #149, Soulfire #10, Star Wars: Invasion #1, The Sword #18.

How does the star of one of the biggest movies of all time spend the Saturday after his movie opens? Calling comic book stores, of course.

Though Tyrese Gibson’s name isn’t above the title of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, he is front and center through most of the movie, which looks to be on pace to break The Dark Knight‘s opening weekend record of $205 million. But Gibson isn’t concerned with that today. Instead, he’s working hard getting comic book stores, and non-comic book fans to order his upcoming book, Mayhem.

Fans of Tyrese have been hitting up his Twitter feed (@Tyrese4ReaL) all day long, after the star has urged his 155,096 followers to call their local comic book shop, and order the book. Here’s the kicker: if the fans call the shop, and the shop says they haven’t ordered the book, they’ve been tweeting back Tyrese with the shops’ phone numbers… At which point the star has called the shops himself to ask them to order the book.

Given that he’s starring in the number one movie in the country, that probably holds quite a bit of sway over the owner of any comic book store.

Even more important, the majority of tweeters comprising this virtual street team have had one common thing to say: “I’ve never bought a comic before, never been in a comic book store before, but I’ll buy your comic, Tyrese.”

There’s been other pieces of evidence that the actor has been looking to the music street team model to spread the word, including forum postings, YouTube videos, and a website called BuyMayhem.com, which previews the book, and shows you just how to buy, and help promote it as well.

Will every single follower of Tyrese on Twitter buy the book? Probably not. And I honestly have no idea how many will be printed to meet the demand. But considering the top selling comics the past few months have peeked well under 100,000, and Gibson is getting the word out to far, far more than that, the question remains: have you ordered enough copies of Mayhem?

As always, email us your questions or comments at pcs@popcultureshock.com or give us a call at 1-888-817-5766 and we’ll address your feedback on the next show.

Or they would be, if we can just get people to look past their solid-but- ‘non-flashy’ art.

Wait a minute, Luna fans. We LOVE the Luna Bros.

It’s just that the art seems to be a closed point of entry to too many. And when you’re churning stories as strong as The Sword, well, it might be time for a PopCultureShock intervention.

The Sword stars Dara Brighton, a former paraplegic-turned god-slaying heroine. When super-powered beings kill her entire family in search of an enchanted sword, they make the mistake of leaving her alive.

Finding the sword changes her destiny and puts her one of the bloodiest revenge dramas of the year.

The Luna Bros aren’t scared of a little gore. The clean, simple art reminiscent of The Bros Hernandez work on Love and Rockets, almost plays like animation. Arguably boring in the age of anime-inspired page design, the wide screen panel layout keeps the action flowing and cinematic.

The cool photo shop background effects don’t hurt either.

Past the art, it’s the drama that hooked us.

Dara’s in pain, clearly, at the violent death of her family. The miraculous powers and mystery of the sword has given her an incredible strength, and she means to use it.

Teamed with her faithful friend Julie, and reluctant guide Justin, they’re on the trail of three man gods who live freely on the earth. The only power keeping them in check from their desire of wanton destruction, is The Sword, and the integrity of she who wields it.

It’s light revenge plot, but characterization is the Lunar Brothers’ specialty. It all comes together like a small-budget movie, and book 2 picks up as Sara chases the god Zarkos and his deadly control of WATER.

Gory, thrilling, and driving in its bleakness, The Sword is, ironically, a really FUN read.

Volume 1 and 2 are both available in comic specialty shops, and the series continues via IMAGE comics.