May the (Gothy) Fourth Be With You!

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In case you were unaware of it, today is Star Wars Day around the world. It’s an annual celebration of George Lucas’s creation—taking its name from the famous saying “May the Force be with you”—that may or may not have begun in the late 1970s but which became an official “holiday” in 2013.

Well, good for sci-fi geeks, you might say, but what does it have to do with our favorite teenaged Goth monster fighter? Well, a few years back I did a sketch-cover drawing giving Pan and her best friend, Sheena McCarthy, a Star Wars spin. Naturally, they’d be attracted to the Dark Side…

StarWars-Pan-Sheena

Happy Star Wars Day, everyone!

Horror Street: The Brooklyn Vampire

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Even though we’re all hunkered down these days, staying in place and self-isolating from the constant threat of the coronavirus, there are still chances for yours truly to exit the offices of ’Warp Central and wander the deserted streets of SWC’s home borough of Queens, New York.

On one such journey this past weekend, I crossed into the industrialized section of a neighborhood in Brooklyn called East Williamsburg, in search of graffiti art to photograph. I’m not much of a fan of tag art, although some of it can be extremely intricate in its design, but I love finding fully rendered murals.

That’s where I came across this stunning lady vampire piece on a corrugated metal fence. Click to embiggen, as they say:

BklynVampire-April2020

The face looks familiar, maybe from a movie poster or something that was used for reference, but I can’t place it. Can you?

Stay tuned for further installments of Horror Street—there’s plenty of macabre graffiti art to be found on the streets of New York, if you look in the right creepy places!

Free Comics for the Self-Quarantined

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With the coronavirus on everyone’s minds these days, “social distancing” the go-to option in order to potentially avoid contracting the virus, and comic and horror conventions shutting down right and left as a means of lowering the risk of infection, the comics industry has started an outreach program of sorts to fans who find themselves staying home and self-isolating—specifically, by offering free PDF downloads of certain titles.

Well, if you’re sheltering in place and in need of some comics to help you pass the time, then allow me to recommend a couple of titles that Pan’s publisher, StarWarp Concepts, offer for your reading pleasure:

heroinesandheroes-1Heroines & Heroes is a collection of comic stories and pinups all drawn by me, dating back to my days in the early 1990s small-press movement—that age of dinosaurs in which creators like me used to make our comics by printing them out on photocopiers and then stapling them by hand. In H&H you’ll find mainstream heroes and small-press heroines, and even a couple of anthropomorphic bikers. Leading off is “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime),” a three-page Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn story that I wrote and drew in the late ’90s as a sample for a DC Comics editor who thought I’d be a good fit for their Batman: The Animated Series comic (it didn’t work out). If you enjoyed Harley’s recent animated series or her latest movie, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), you might get a kick out of her matching wits with the Amazon Princess (whose own movie, Wonder Woman 1984, comes out later this year). The WW/Harley matchup is followed by an adventure of small-presser Jeff Wood’s rabbit-eared superspy, Snowbuni; three pages from the long-canceled indie comic Motorbike Puppies; and an adventure of the indie superheroine The Blonde Avenger.

Pandora0_CoverThe Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A full-color introduction to the young adult novel series of the same name, hosted by Pan herself. Pan is a 16-year-old New York City Goth who’s not only a horror fangirl but someone with the rare ability to see the for-real monsters that regular humans can’t (she calls it her “monstervision”), and with the help of a 400-year-old, shape-shifting monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, she’s learning how to protect her family, her friends, and the world from the supernatural dangers out there—and maybe even have some fun while doing it. This 16-page comic features a seven-page story written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Carmilla, A Princess of Mars), and includes two sample chapters from Blood Feud, the first Pan novel.

Both comics are available for download right now, so visit their respective product pages at StarWarp Concepts for more information.

IndyFest85-cvrSomething else for our fellow shut-ins to read while we’re avoiding one another these days. Back in 2015, I did an interview with IndyFest Magazine to promote StarWarp Concepts:

“Back when I was a teenager dreaming of becoming a professional comic writer, I’d never even heard of self-publishing, and when I finally did, my first thought was, Why would I want to do that? I’m gonna write Spider-Man someday! (laughs) Unfortunately, that never worked out, but I still had that desire to do something in comics. And then, around 1988, I was visiting a comic shop and came across a magazine called Small Press Comics Explosion (published by Tim Corrigan), and that’s when I found out about all these people who made their own comics and, after I ordered some, I thought, Hey, why not me, too?”

You can read the rest of that interview for free over at the mag’s site. Best of all, you can see Eliseu Gouveia’s incredible Pandora Zwieback/Lorelei crossover cover art without all the text crowding it!

Stay safe, and stay well!

It’s Will Eisner Week 2020!

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Will-Eisner-2020Yes, it’s time again for Will Eisner Week: an annual celebration—held this week from March 1 to March 7—run by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, to promote literacy, graphic novels, free speech, and the legacy of the late Will Eisner, the creator of the 1940s masked crimefighter The Spirit, and one of the founding fathers of American graphic novels. A Contract with God, A Life Force, Dropsie Avenue, and The Dreamer are just some of the fascinating tales Eisner wrote and drew, featuring ordinary people in extraordinary (and sometimes not-so-extraordinary) situations. And even though he passed away in 2005, Eisner continues to inspire generations of writers and artists. Events are being held this week around the world; visit the Will Eisner Week site for more information.

StarWarp Concepts, of course, has its share of graphic novels and comics that might pique your interest. Here are just a couple:

troubleshooters_lrg_coverTroubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings: Perfect for superhero fans, this graphic novel is about a supernatural team of superfolk-for-hire, consisting of a wizard, a sorceress, a female ninja, a high-tech-armor-wearing rock concert lighting designer, anda werewolf. Not every superhero team has Tony Stark’s billions to play with, you understand, and the Troubleshooters are just looking to earn a living while fighting the monsters that have always lurked in the shadows. Makes sense, right? Of course it does! Written by the husband-and-wife team of Richard C. White (For a Few Gold Pieces More, Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase) and Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman, Night Stalkings presents the TSI members on their first mission: protecting a multimillionaire from a trio of Middle Eastern demons out to raise a little hell!

pan_annual_coverThe Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1: Although it may not be a graphic novel, at 56 pages it’s still a pretty thick comic book, with three stories of Pan and the monsters that live in her New York City hometown. The Saga of Pandora Zwieback chronicles the adventures of sixteen-year-old Pandora Zwieback, a Gothy horror fangirl who possesses amazing powers that she just learned about, including the ability to see past the human disguises worn by monsters to blend in with society. And The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is a 56-page, full-color special that contains stories by Steven A. Roman (yep, me) and Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up, The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold), and art by Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0) and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld).

Both titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages. Happy reading!

Happy Women in Horror Month 2020!

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whitefell-werewolf-cvrWomen in Horror Month is here again, that annual celebration that shines the spotlight on the contributions of all the female creators—writers, artists, movie directors, producers, special makeup artists, special effects experts, etc.—who’ve brought thrills and chills to generations of fans around the world.

And speaking of women writers, Pan’s publisher, StarWarp Concepts, happens to have a title you just might be interested in checking out in celebration of this special month…

White Fell—The Werewolf, by Clemence Annie Housman, was originally published in 1896 as The Were-wolf, and is regarded by scholars as perhaps the first feminist werewolf story. In it, a beautiful woman named White Fell wanders into a snowbound village—and into the hearts of twin brothers, one of whom immediately becomes smitten by her. The other brother, however, soon grows suspicious of the enigmatic White Fell. Where did she come from? Why does she always carry an ax? And is her sudden appearance somehow related to the recent sightings of a bloodthirsty wolf in the area?He may come to regret being so inquisitive…

White Fell—The Werewolf is available as an e-book, so visit its product page at StarWarp Concepts for further information. If you enjoy tales of horror and empowered women (and werewolves!), be sure to give it a read!

Tomorrow Is Take Your Child to the Library Day 2020!

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ghostbusters+library+sceneTomorrow, February 1, is the 9th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day.

Founded in 2011 by librarians Nadine Lipman and Caitlin Augusta, the event is held the first Saturday in February and encourages librarians to reach out to their communities and show folks just how wonderful reading can be.

Before the Internet, libraries were the source for information and reading, and these days they can use our support. So head out now, introduce your children to that big brick building with all the free books to borrow, update the library card that’s been stuck in the back of your wallet for all these years, and renew your acquaintance with a vital partner in the ongoing literacy campaign.

For more information, including the list of participating libraries, visit the TYCLD website.

Pow Con 2020 Report at the StarWarp Concepts Blog

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PowCon2020-BadgeThis past weekend, StarWarp Concepts (and, of course, me) made its first appearance at the second annual Pow Con, held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

So how’d it go for SWC and me? Well, if you head over to the StarWarp Concepts blog, you can read my Pow Con 2020 report and see for yourself. I won’t say the place was really loud, but I hope you like club music…

Greetings, Pow Con 2020 Attendees!

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blood_feud_lg_cover_2013Thanks for stopping by the StarWarp Concepts booth this weekend, and for your interest in my Goth adventuress, Pandora Zwieback. If you’re here because you spoke with me, then click on the cover you see to the right and download the Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0 digital comic that I showed you. Not only is it an introduction to Pan and her world, hosted by Pan herself, but it contains two sample chapters from her first novel, Blood Feud. Give it a read.

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback is the young adult, dark-urban-fantasy novel series that I write. It’s the story of a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets a shape-shifting monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, in the first critically acclaimed novel, Blood Feud, that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world. But before Pan can learn more about what she can do, she and her parents are drawn into a conflict between warring vampire clans that are searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father.

“Blood Feud is far and away one of the best young adult supernatural fantasy novels released in the last few years. Pan is exactly the kind of teen heroine that readers should be standing up and cheering for.”—Melissa Voelker, HorrorNews.net

“One of those fabulous books that manages to straddle the young adult/adult fiction divide, catering equally for teens and more, ahem, ‘mature’ readers alike with a light touch that makes it a joy to read.”—Kell Smurthwaite, BCF Book Reviews

blood_reign-coverPan’s debut adventure continues in the second novel, Blood Reign, in which she and Annie face challenges from not just vampires but legions of monsters led by a fallen angel—who happens to be one of Annie’s ex-lovers! Blood Feud ended on such a shocking cliffhanger that Blood Reign picks up right where the previous novel left off and hits the ground running, in a story filled with danger, high-speed car chases, vampire hit squads, and a generous helping of romance—all while Pan tries to make sense of her increasingly weird life. Pan fans (I call them “Panatics”) can’t seem to get enough of StarWarp Concepts’ resident Goth girl, so feel free to join their growing ranks—we love adding new members to Zwieback Nation.

“If Blood Feud, the first volume, took some deliberate pacing steps to build Pandora’s character, Blood Reign eschews that as it thunders along at breakneck speed, barely pausing for breath at any given time (and, I must say, the volume was devoured at speed as well)… I thoroughly enjoyed this volume.”—Andrew Boylan, Taliesin Meets the Vampires

“If you thought the first book, Blood Feud, was high powered, you’ll love this book! To paraphrase movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn’s quote: Blood Reign starts with an earthquake and builds to a climax…. This was one fun read!”—Dwight Jon Zimmerman, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Lincoln’s Last Days

Pan’s first prose adventure concludes in the upcoming Blood & Iron, in which she, as well as her friends and family, will try to stop the legions of monsters from taking over the world.

pan_annual_coverAlong with Blood Feud and Blood Reign, also available is the 56-page comic book The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, which features two adventures (written by me) of Pan and her friends that are separate from (and take place after) the novels: a full-color drawn by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback#0), in which Pan and her boyfriend, Javier, run into one of his ex-girlfriends…whom Pan can see is really a mythological siren that can enrapture men with her voice; and a short story that pits Pan, Annie, and Javier against a trio of Elegant Gothic Lolita vampires—in a shopping mall! An additional backup tale, “After Hours,” is provided by DC Comics writer Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo! Team-Up) and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld).

Give the site a look-over—we’ve got plenty of free stuff you can download, and a gallery called “The 13 Days of Pan-demonium”: 13 unique drawings of Pan and Annie by a host of talented artists.

A special shout-out to teen readers and Pandora Zwieback fans who are budding authors, but who may think their work isn’t all that good and worth continuing: Check out “Again, He Who Stalks”—a science-fiction story I wrote for my high school’s literary magazine when I was 16. Take a look at that and tell me you can’t do better! 😀

And please keep in mind that Pan’s publisher, StarWarp Concepts, is not just a YA fiction house. It also publishes illustrated classics (including J. Sheridan’s Le Fanu’s vampire romance Carmilla, Edgar Rice Burroughs’s A Princess of Mars, and the official 1932 novelization of the original King Kong); graphic novels for superhero fans and adult horror aficionados; digital and print comic books; artist sketchbooks; and writing guides for budding authors. Give them a visit and check out all they have to offer.

Pow Con 2020 Is Next Weekend!

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This coming weekend, January 25–26, New York’s pop-culture fans of all ages will be gathering in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, at the second annual Pow Con, being held at the Brooklyn Expo Center. It’s The ’Warp’s first convention appearance of the year!

PowCon-2020Map

 

You’ll find us at table A9 in Artists Alley. And since we’ve luckily been assigned an endcap booth at the corner of two aisles that means we’ll have two tables on which to display all our finery.

Pow Con’s show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Guests include comics legend Larry Hama (Wolverine, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero) and the usual complement of Power Rangers, wrestlers, and anime voice actors that have become the norm at today’s pop-culture shows.

For more information on the convention, visit the Pow Con website.

Holiday Gifts for Art Fans 2019

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SWC_Larkin_SketchbookThe Bob Larkin Sketchbook: It’s a collection of incredible pencil drawings by the acclaimed cover artist of Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Doc Savage, and what you’ll discover when you see them is how wide-ranging his subjects are. Sci-fi, horror, Westerns, pulp adventure, crime fiction, movie merchandise, even wrestling stars—as we say on the book’s back cover, there really islittle that he hasn’t painted. And the sketchbook features three pieces created especially for it: the Pandora Zwieback cover art; a portrait of Patricia Savage, the fightin’ cousin of pulp fiction’s top-tier adventurer, Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze; and a two-page spread in which Doc faces off against another Golden Age crimefighter—The Shadow!

PanPrintBlood Feud full-color print by Bob Larkin: Have you ever looked at the cover of Blood Feud, the first novel in our exciting Saga of Pandora Zwieback novel series, and thought, “Man, that’s some awesome artwork. I would so buy a poster of that!” Well, now here’s your chance! Presented without logos or book-cover copy, this 11” x 17” cardstock print features the art of master painter Bob Larkin, and is limited to just 100 copies. Order yours today while supplies last!