Happy 70th Birthday, Bob Larkin!

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Larkin_photoIf you’re a fan of comic books, or movies, or pulp fiction heroes, Bob Larkin is a painter whose work you recognize immediately; he’s provided covers and movie posters for just about every publishing house and film studio for more than four decades. Doc Savage, Dazzler, Star Wars, Star Trek, The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian, Piranha, Night of the Creeps, and The Toxic Avenger II are just some of the painted images you’re already familiar with, even if you didn’t know they were Larkin’s work. He’s been an inspiration to artists like Joe Jusko and Alex Ross. If you’re a Panatic, then you know him as the cover artist of the Saga of Pandora Zwieback novels Blood Feud and Blood Reign.

And today is an extra-special occasion because it’s his 70th birthday!

SWC_Larkin_SketchbookIt’s not just his painting skills that are impressive—Bob’s also one hell of a pencil artist, as you’ll see if you order a copy of SWC’s The Bob Larkin Sketchbook. It’s a collection of some of Bob’s incredible pencil drawings, 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!

The Bob Larkin Sketchbook is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page at StarWarp Concepts for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

And to see more of Bob’s stunning work, pay a visit to his art blog, Bob Larkin: The Illustrated Man.

Happy birthday, Bob!

MinCon 2019 Is This Weekend!

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MinCon-logoSummertime and convention season are both in full swing, and so it’s time for StarWarp Concepts to hit the road and meet the public. Sure, it’s been a few years since the SWC crew has made a con appearance (was Big Apple Con really three years ago?), but I think we still remember how to set-up and take down our vending material. It’s just throwing stuff in boxes, right?

Anyway, our first stop is MinCon, being held this coming Saturday, July 13, at the Mineola Memorial Library out on Long Island.

You’ll find the StarWarp Concepts crew stationed at one of the vendor tables, hawking some of our popular titles, including our latest release: Richard C. White’s noir-dark fantasy collection, Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase. I’m not sure where exactly we’ll be placed, so come find us!

And since MinCon is a family-oriented show, we’ll even have stuff for superhero fans—specifically, The Bob Larkin Sketchbook, which features Bob’s pencils for various superhero projects, and copies of my X-Men: The Chaos Engine trilogy of novels, the Sunn young-adult graphic novel I wrote, and the Untold Tales of Spider-Man anthology I contributed to (all while supplies last).

The Mineola Memorial Library is located at 195 Marcellus Road, in Mineola Memorial Park. For more information, visit the MinCon website.

Publishing Industry Shakeup Doesn’t Affect SWC

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highlander-only-oneA note to indie bookstore owners, or anyone who knows an indie bookstore owner:

As you probably know by now, Baker & Taylor announced last week the closing of its retail wholesale business to focus solely on the educational market—a decision that’s affecting indie bookstores just about everywhere. It will leave Ingram Content Group as the one major wholesale distributor.

Does this affect Pan’s publisher, StarWarp Concepts? Not in the least. Her books and the rest of the SWC titles are already handled by Ingram, and are always ready for order. In addition, if you’d rather not deal with Ingram you can always order directly from us; the information can be found at the “About Us” page at the SWC website.

So don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere! 😁

It’s Free Comic Book Day 2019!

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Free_Comic_Book_DayThat’s right, comic book fans, once again it’s time for Free Comic Book Day at brick-and-mortar and online comic shops around the world.

Held the first Saturday in May, this year’s event is timed to coincide with last week’s release of Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame, in which the remaining members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes try to reverse the universal destruction caused by the space villain Thanos in the previous movie, Avengers: Infinity War. And in keeping with FCBD’s fine tradition of gifting comics to fans everywhere, here’s a list of StarWarp Concepts’ offerings that you can download—for free—directly from us!

heroinesandheroes-1Heroines & Heroes: 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). It’s 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.

Heartstopper_CoverHearstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa#1–3: Before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in this short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series from Millennium Publications. A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms? Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen; and issue 3 is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales). Included as a bonus feature in issue 3 is a brief look at the Heartstopper/Trollords crossover project that was planned (but never completed) in collaboration with Trollords co-creator Scott Beaderstadt.

(Warning: Heartstopper is designated a “Mature Readers” comic for violent scenes and some sexual innuendo, so younger Panatics should avoid it.)

All these comics are available for download right now, so visit their respective product pages for more information.

StarWarp Concepts Heroines Assemble!

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As all fans of comic-based movies are aware, today’s the U.S. premiere date for Avengers: Endgame, the payoff to last year’s blockbuster, Avengers: Infinity War, and the culmination of a storyline that’s run through ten years of Marvel flicks. Reviews are positive, fan excitement is at a fever pitch, the Internet broke in half when everyone in North America attempted to log on to Fandango to buy tickets, it’s already on track to make a bazillion dollars…in short, it’s a good time to be Marvel Films.

The question is, who’s going to survive the final battle with Thanos, the Mad Titan who used the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life in the universe in the final moments of Infinity War? There’s a chance the team might have some open slots in their roster by the time the war’s over, and that reminded me of an old Avengers comic cover during one of their recruitment drives—and who might be perfect candidates for reserve members…

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I know who I’m voting for: Goth Girl and Temptress! 😀

“Goth Girl,” of course, is our very own Pandora Zwieback, teenaged Goth monster fighter and star of my Saga of Pandora Zwieback books and comics. Pan made her debut in the novels Blood Feud and Blood Reign, before starring in her own comic book special, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1.

“Temptress” is Lorelei, SWC’s first lady of horror who’s celebrating her 30th anniversary this year. You can find her supernatural adventures in the Mature Readers graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City and the anthology comic Lorelei Presents: House Macabre.

Smart, funny, talented women who protect the world from monsters—who wouldn’t want them on their team?

Who will you vote for?

A Day and Night of World Books

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Uriel_PanArtLGToday is a double event for book lovers, as it’s the annual celebration of both World Book Day and Work Book Night!

Run by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), World Book Day (aka World Book and Copyright Day, and the International Day of the Book) is, to quote their website:

“World Book Day is a celebration! It’s a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world.”

To explain this event further, let’s turn to Wikipedia for its origin story:

“The original idea was of the Valencian writer Vicente Clavel Andrés as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes [author of Don Quixote], first on October 7, his birth date, then on April 23, his death date. In 1995 UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is also the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and [16th-century Spanish author] Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as that of the birth or death of several other prominent authors.”

So then it’s really World Book Death Day? Hey, as long as it gets people to read…

Around the world (except for Ireland and the United Kingdom), World Book Day is held every April 23—so if you live in that part of the world, visit the World Book Day site for all the latest news and events listings.

But the celebration doesn’t end at sundown, because April 23 is also World Book Night!

Run by The Reading Agency, this annual gathering of book lovers is, to quote theirwebsite:

“World Book Night is a national celebration of reading and books which takes place on 23 April every year. Books are given out across the UK with a focus on reaching those who don’t regularly read, and are gifted through organisations including prisons, libraries, colleges, hospitals, care homes and homeless shelters, as well as by passionate individuals who give out their own books within their communities.”

For more information, visit the World Book Night site.

Now get to reading!

It’s National Library Week 2019!

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National-Library-2019Hey, book lovers! It’s time to recognize another annual reading event, because if there’s one thing I think we all enjoy around here, it’s reading. Today, it’s National Library Week that we’re celebrating!

According to the American Library Association (ALA), the organization that runs the event:

“First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries—school, public, academic and special—participate.”

This year’s theme is “Libraries = Strong Communities” and stresses the importance of libraries as “the heart of our cities, towns, schools and campuses, providing critical resources, programs and expertise.”

National Library Week runs through April 13, so be sure to see if your local library has any special events planned for the celebration.

And Yet Another Roadstop…for Next Year!

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pow-con-logoSo far, the StarWarp Concepts list of 2019 convention appearances has included comic shows, horror cons, and even a library. Well, add one more to the list—but this one doesn’t happen until 2020!

January 25–26, 2020: Pow! Con 2: This Brooklyn-based comic show debuted this past January in the neighborhood of Bay Ridge, and was apparently received so well that it needed to expand to a larger venue. In 2020, it’ll be held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint.

I’ll admit there was a slight hesitation before we signed on: The Expo Center was also the location for BoroughCon 2018 last June, and the reports on that were extremely discouraging—poorly run, no promotion, practically no attendees other than the vendors and artists, the fact that security doesn’t lock the doors at night when more than one event is being held there. Things turned out so badly that the BC showrunners decided they needed to take a year off to take stock of their situation.

But Pow! Con creator and showrunner Salvatore Lo Medico has assured me that the doors will be locked at night for this show, and hopefully they’ll do some heavy promotion as 2019 progresses for peak fan attendance. Considering how expensive it’s become to exhibit at conventions these days, especially in Manhattan, it’d be nice to have a moderately priced, successful outer-borough show to go to.

More news to come on other SWC convention appearances as information becomes available!

There’s More Than One Cosmic Superheroine…

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Sure, everybody’s talking about Captain Marvel, the new Marvel Studios film that stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, aka the titular cosmically powered heroine, but StarWarp Concepts has a superheroine of our very own, as evidenced by this illustration by artist Chris Malgrain, creator/writer/artist of the superhero-team indie comic The Formidables (which I also happen to co-script and edit).

Say hello to…Green Pantern!

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It’s Will Eisner Week 2019!

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Will-Eisner-Week-2019Yes, 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. (Also, click on the poster here to see it at full size.)

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 (Harbinger of Darkness, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination) 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_lgThe 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 #1is a 56-page, full-color special that contains stories by Steven A. Roman (yep, that’s me) and Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up), 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 at StarWarp Concepts for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Happy reading!