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Comic Books

Planet of the Big Cats

Flesk Publications have a novel way of taking pre-orders for the newly-completed graphic novel Tribes of Kai: A Kickstarter campaign. Here’s what they say: “The Tribes of Kai is a multi-layered graphic novel about honor, integrity and the trappings of war in which extreme circumstances call for unbridled decisions and finding the strength to cope with them. This is a barbaric and primitive world where the survival of the fittest is put to the test. Artist Daren Bader and writer Lance HaunRogue bring this world to life with lush detail and an incredible sense of pace, color and lighting. They introduce the Mantakai (Man of Kai), a race of six-limbed, feline/humanoid, anthropomorphic creatures. The dominance of the five individual tribes of Mantakai are threatened by a highly evolved race of reptilian creatures called the Tobognai. Tribes of Kai is an oversized, full-color hardbound book boasting sixty exciting pages of story and pinups by top creators.” Since the goal of printing the book has long since been met, now they’re adding more goodies as each new goal-level is reached.

image c. 2015 Flesk Publications

image c. 2015 Flesk Publications

Fraggles in a Frenzy

Got this right from publisher, thanks to Barnes & Noble: “Return to Jim Henson’s world of Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs with an all new story set in beloved Fraggle Rock! When the water supply of Fraggle Rock mysteriously runs dry, the Fraggles will have to journey deep in the caves of Fraggle Rock to find the fabled Everspring where adventure awaits and no Fraggle has ever gone before! Written by New York Times bestselling comic writer Kate Leth (Adventure Time: Seeing Red), this brand new Fraggle Rock graphic novel collects Fraggle Rock: Journey to the Everspring #1-#4.” With art by Jake Myler, it’s available in hardcover from Archaia later this month.

image c. 2015 Archaia

image c. 2015 Archaia

Mutants On The March!

This past spring, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe saw the return of one of the famous four’s most-popular and perhaps strangest friends: The Mutanimals, appearing in their own five-issue full-color mini-series by Paul Allor, Andy Kuhn, and Ben Bates. Well now IDW are about to release the series as a Mutanimals trade paperback collection. “Old Hob, Slash, Herman the Hermit Crab, Mondo Gecko, and Pigeon Pete have become a force to be reckoned with. When someone close to the group is kidnapped, the Mutanimals end up on an adventure more wild and dangerous than they could have imagined! What mysteries lurk at…The Null Group?” Look for it on the shelves August 19th, or you can pre-order it over at Things From Another World.

image c. 2015 IDW Publishing

image c. 2015 IDW Publishing

The Rabbit Gets Bigger

It’s no news to anyone by now that Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai is not only one of the most celebrated anthropomorphic comics ever, but one of the most celebrated comics, period! Well now Dark Horse Press have announced that the ronin rabbit’s adventures will soon be presented as they deserve: Bigger, and in full color! No, not a Usagi animated film (yet), but use this to tide you over: The Usagi Yojimbo Gallery Edition, Volume 1. This large format hardcover (12 by 17 inches) features the Usagi origin story Samurai as well as the very first Usagi comic, plus never-before-seen artwork and a new introduction by Stan Sakai. Check it out over at Barnes & Noble.

image c. 2015 Dark Horse Press

image c. 2015 Dark Horse Press

Island of Adventure

Dark Horse Comics have announced a new 5-issue mini-series written and illustrated by Scott Kolins (Flash, Avengers). In Adam.3 we meet Adam, a super-heroic young man who lives with his family on a tropical island. A most unusual island: Animals of nearly every species live there. They all talk, and they’re all Adam’s best friends. Well, that is until a mysterious and evil alien presence crash-lands on the island. It has the power to mutate Adam’s animal friends into very, very bad things. Check out the interview with the creator over at Comics Bulletin. Issue #1 of this new full-color comic arrives later this month.

image c. 2015 Dark Horse Comics

image c. 2015 Dark Horse Comics

It Always Comes Back to the Cat…

Rachel Dukes is a busy comic book illustrator who works for Boom! Studios on titles like Garfield. But in her “free time” she’s also busy being the best human friend of her own cat named Frankie. She’s spun off Frankie’s adventures around the house into her award-winning on-line comic strip, Frankie Comics. You can see the latest at her web site.  There you’ll also find a link to her publishing company, MixTape Comics, where she sells not only paper collections of Frankie Comics but also posters, buttons, stickers, and other Frankie goodies.

image c. 2015 by Rachel Duke

image c. 2015 by Rachel Dukes

Beware the Bunnies!

Mary Bellamy is an illustrator and comic-book creator known for her manga-style works like Faux Facts and Aw Heck! In the latter, a young girl finds herself mistakenly trapped in Hell — and she wrecks holy, um, heck as she fights her way back to world of the living. Facing horrible dangers along the way of course — among them, killer demon rabbits! Ms. Bellamy rather likes rabbits it seems, because they play an even bigger roll in her new comic series Zorilita Guardians. In fact she even sells plushie versions of the three fuzzy guardians who protect Zorilita and her friends. Take a look at Ms. Bellamy’s web site where you can find out more about all of this.

image c. 2015 by Mary Bellamy

image c. 2015 by Mary Bellamy

Heal the Planet

Recently discovered at San Diego Comic Con: Awake, a new full-color science fiction/fantasy comic series written by Susan Beneville, with art by Brian Hess. “Twelve year-old Regn has the power to wake and heal planets.  But, on her first mission, she lands on Gremon where she discovers an angry planet tearing itself apart, an irresponsible big brother, and a greedy baron who stokes the chaos for his own benefit.  Her power may not be enough when she comes face-to-face with the planet’s consciousness.” That description doesn’t mention that young Regn is helped on her quest by a large talking dog-like “tor” named Operi, as well as a local fox. Awake #1 is due this September from Action Lab.

image c. 2015 Action Lab Comics

image c. 2015 Action Lab Comics

A Feline Detective. In Space.

Leon is the creation of author Pati Nagle, first appearing in her science fiction novel Pet Noir from Book View Cafe (check it out over at Amazon). Now Kymera Press have adapted Pet Noir as a full-color comic book series with art by by Anna G, Laurie Foster, and Liezl Buenaventura. “Feline investigator Leon has opposable thumbs, the ability to talk, and is possibly the most dangerous cat in the galaxy. Indentured to the Security department of Gamma Station until he’s worked off the cost of his ‘creation’, Leon alternates between harassing his human partner and roommate Devin and fighting sleazy criminals, yet he still finds time to flirt with the lovely Leila, an exotic Burmese. Will he win her heart, and more importantly, will he win his freedom?” The first issue is available now.

image c. 2015 Book View Cafe

image c. 2015 Book View Cafe