CBNAH Interacts with Jim Dietz and Shawn Pryor of Action Lab Comics...

Since it was founded in 2010, Action Lab Comics has been building a strong following with fans and critics. One of the first publishing companies to use Kickstarter to successful fund Fracture. Along the way company has released a great number of all-ages titles and created a mature imprint line called "Danger Zone". 2013 looks to be a huge breakout year for the company with Jamal Igle's MOLLY DANGER, Gayle Middleton's VAMPLETS and Jeremy Dale's Skyward gaining a lot of buzz and public interest from old to new comic readers. CBNAH caught up with Jim Dietz, PR Representative and Shawn Pryor, VP, Digital Media Coordinator/Project Management to chat about SDCC, Skyward, Danger Zone imprint and more.

CBNAH: Can you tell us a bit about the history of Action Lab Comics?


Jim: Action Lab began as, and still is, an amalgamation of writers, artists and other creatives who have banded together to, quite simply, help each other put out the best print and digital comics money can buy. Part mad science, part indie comics makers: that’s the best way to sum up what we do.
Shawn: Jim is correct; the core of Action Lab had spent years self publishing comics, and even collaborating with each other on various projects. It was after a convention in 2010 we all decided to combine our talents instead of struggling to do things on our own. We started a Kickstarter in late 2010 to create FRACTURE, a mini-series about a super hero, a super villain and an average man named Jeff who is the same guy intent on killing each other. In 2011 we began our journey in the Direct Market publishing comics and never looked back.


CBNAH: How was this year at SDCC for Action Lab Comics?

Shawn: It was the best year we've had to date. We were able to introduce a slew of new and upcoming series from both the Action Lab proper line as well as our mature readers imprint known as Action Lab: Danger Zone.

Jim: Not only were many of our talented writers and artists front and center to sign their works, but we also hosted a panel about the future of the company and debuted several SDCC variants and exclusives at the show, including some showcasing our newer titles like Jamal Igle’s MOLLY DANGER, Gayle Middleton’s VAMPLETS and Jeremy Dale’s runaway hit SKYWARD.

Shawn: The amount of people that demanded VAMPLETS & MOLLY DANGER was astounding. Danger Zone books were constantly in demand all weekend and we were able to introduce new readers to books such as GHOST TOWN, EHMM THEORY, FINAL PLAGUE, NIGHT OF THE 80's UNDEAD, and many others. In fact the amount of requests from our fan base and new readers of Action Lab books for both our labels was strong. The team and the creators at the show were busy all weekend and seldom had time to breathe. That's a good thing. We also showcased a SDCC exclusive of the upcoming BO: PLUSHY GANGSTA from Action Lab: Danger Zone as well as THE GARLICKS, which I'm sure we'll be talking more about in our upcoming questions.

CBNAH: For people who missed your panel at SDCC what were some of the big announcements from the panel?

Jim: There were a ton of announcements at our panel, including the Encore Edition of Jeremy Whitley’s Eisner-nominated PRINCELESS priced at $1(!), the debut of Lea Hernandez’s “new all-ages vampire yarn” book THE GARLICKS and the October launch of Gayle Middleton’s VAMPLETS based on her very successful toy line of baby vampyres, monsters and mayhem!

But above and beyond all of those announcements, Action Lab announced the “Return of the Hero”, a launch of several titles that all take refreshing looks at the story convention of the “superhero”, kicking off with Jamal Igle’s critically-praised MOLLY DANGER, continuing through JACK HAMMER, about a former superhero turned PI who specializes in cases involving superpowers (think POWERS meets THE ROCKFORD FILES), the action-packed and powerful THE FIRST HERO and culminating in a new volume of stories from Action Lab’s very first direct market comic mini-series, FRACTURE.

Shawn: Also, for those that were not able to attend the panel at SDCC, you can now watch it on our YouTube page.

Here's the link to Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhkhgEsc2tM
And here's the link to Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmI2V_Ci9h0

This will give you the complete rundown on everything that Jim just talked to you about. Kevin Freeman (President of Action Lab), Jason Martin (President of Action Lab: Danger Zone) and Dave Dwonch (Creative Director of Action Lab) did a great job running the panel, and our creators were very open to talk about their projects.

CBNAH: Outside of SDCC what other cons will you guys be attending?

Shawn: Action Lab will have a presence at Baltimore Comic Con and Pittsburgh Comic Con in September, and we'll be running strong at New York Comic Con as well.

Jim: Don't forget that during the weekend of New York Comic Con that there are plans are in the works for a MOLLY DANGER launch party, and that there will be a party the weekend of Pittsburgh Comic Con spotlighting the return of FRACTURE, and we will be making more convention announcements on our social media feeds and on our website as plans become more concrete.

Shawn: There's always something going on in the lab.

CBNAH: Skyward has been getting a lot of buzz lately. What can you tell us about this title?

Shawn: I can say that SKYWARD is one of our most adventurous books to date. Jeremy Dale is a talent, and it shows on every single page of that comic. It's one of the better blends of Sci-Fi fantasy that I've seen in awhile, and I'm proud that Action Lab is publishing this book.

Jim: Indeed, SKYWARD has been a both a popular and critically-acclaimed book, so much so that we recently announced it as Action Lab’s first ongoing monthly title. In fact, the earlier issues of the series are becoming very scarce. The demand for this book is very high.

Starting with issue 3 of SKYWARD, we will be featuring alternate covers by some of the best artists in the business, including Stephanie Roux on issue 3, Mike Norton on issue 4 and Khary Randolph on issue 5, and future issues with artists such as Randy Green, and other talents such as Phil Noto, Todd Nauck and others in the future.


CBNAH: How has the Danger Zone imprint been doing and what are some of the stand out titles?

Shawn: It's doing quite well. Copies of THE FINAL PLAGUE, GHOST TOWN, and EHMM THEORY have sold out at the distribution level, and THE FINAL PLAGUE from JD Arnold and Tony Guaraldi-Brown continues to be a best seller for the Danger Zone label. EHMM THEORY from Brockton McKinney and Larkin Ford is possibly one of the best (and only) meta-mystery-journey comics out there, and GHOST TOWN by Dave Dwonch, Ryan Lindsay and Daniel J Logan, which deals with terrorists who weaponize a time machine is also a great read. THE FINAL PLAGUE turns the conventional virus/zombie comic on its ear, and is the best selling comic in the history of Danger Zone.

Jim: NIGHT OF THE 80’s UNDEAD from Jason Martin and Bill McKay is like watching a movie co-directed by John Hughes and George Romero, and I should mention a couple of upcoming digital-first releases I’d like to spotlight: SCUM OF THE EARTH, a grindhouse style Southern-fried ultra-violent romp and Mike Hunau's CRIMSON SOCIETY, the story of one of the last humans in a world ruled by supernatural beings.

Shawn: You can't talk about the Danger Zone without mentioning DOUBLE JUMPERS. Combine "Freaky Friday" with RPG gaming and raunchy humor in Las Vegas during a computer gaming expo/convention and you'll be laughing for days. Dave Dwonch is the ace of writing inappropriate humor for this comic and Bill Blankenship's art is astounding.

CBNAH: Are there any other titles that people should check out?

Jim: We have so much stuff going on and in the planning stages right now, but I guess the book I am most excited for people to read is Jamal Igle’s MOLLY DANGER. Jamal is single-handedly bringing fun back to comics with this book which has the free spirited anything-can-happen appeal of the best adventure stories mixed with a fresh take on the superhero story. And his art is just stunning. I think a lot of people are going to be impressed with what he has created. I know I am.

Shawn: Something I would recommend that people check out is ACTION LAB CONFIDENTIAL, which is a FREE digital sampler of some of our great works which we've published over the years. You can get it for FREE at ComiXology and other digital vendors. Also, take a look at the art book/storybook MONSTERS ARE JUST LIKE US by SuperUgly, Martheus Wade's action-packed ninja thriller JETTA: TALES OF THE TOSHIGAWA, Shawn Gabborin's horror-filled SNOWED IN and the pirate-noir filled PIRATE EYE by Joe Grahn and Carl Yonder.

CBNAH: Where do you see digital comics in the next few years?

Shawn: I see it as a continuing way to get readers the access they need to all forms of comics if they don't have a comic book retailer close to them. I also see digital changing the conventional forms and methods of storytelling as well. Another thing I see it doing now for readers, and hopefully even more in the future is pique interest in print versions at their local retailer. I've already seen in happen at my local shop, so both markets will end up supporting each other and not cutting one another off.

Jim: Digital is a huge focus for us at Action Lab. For example we not only have offered some of our biggest titles as digital-first exclusives we also have several new and exciting titles that will be making their debut in a digital format. We are very aware of how big a part of the future of the medium digital comics has the potential to be and we are always looking at new ways to use the advantages of the digital marketplace to our advantage.


CBNAH: What does the future holds for Action Lab Comics?

Jim: A lot more of what we have always been known for: a wide spectrum of comics that celebrate everything we love about the medium without being tied to the conventions of it. Our only real litmus test is quality, as a quick look through our catalog will show you. All of our books are very different but the one thing they all have in common is a standard of quality. We want people to know when they pick up any Action Lab or Action Lab: Danger Zone book that they will enjoy the experience and that they are getting some of the best comics out there. That’s the goal.


CBNAH: Is there anything you would like to say the fans who supported the company throughout the years?

Shawn: The entire team is thankful and humbled by all the support that Action Lab has had over the years in all of its endeavors. We take pride in being the Small Company with Big Ideas, and we pride ourselves in the diverse line of comics and original graphic novels that we publish every single month. We have some of the best readers and fans out there and in turn they spread the word of what we do every single day, and we continue to grow our readership every single month because of each and every one of them. Without them, there is no us, and we are forever thankful for that. I'm thankful.

Jim: We have nothing but the highest admiration and gratitude for our longtime fans and we are glad to have them along for what has been a wild ride that is only going to get wilder. Action Lab would be nothing more than an idea without the heartfelt and massive support of our fans. All I have to say to them and everyone else who is just discovering Action lab for the very first time, is that while things have been awesome so far, they are only going to get even better.

CBNAH: 'Kid Havoc': Kicks Back...

KID HAVOC ON KICKSTARTER

Renaldo continues his interview with Eric Pfeiffer-

1. Elaborate more on the fashion and comics mash-up? - 

The fashion side of the project is meant to be as vital to the story as the comic itself. The story is told in its entirety through the issues so you could read through all of the trade-backs and not feel like you were missing anything. However, since the issues are released every other month we are releasing limited runs of clothes in between those months that actually foreshadow what is to happen in the next issue. These moments of foreshadowing are seen through the artwork featured on the clothes as well as the actual design of the clothes. For instance the jacket you may be wearing could play a vital part in a characters design that has yet to be introduced.

2. Influences? w.r.t. art, music, family etc -

I have so many influences it’s hard to name them off. I acquire at least a few new ones every day. I’m in to all the classics, Otomo, Crepax, Moebius, Toppi and the more contemporary artists like Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba, Paul Pope, Guy Davis, Asaf and Tomer Hanuka, Becky Cloonan, Mike Mignola. Just met Ron Wimberly the other day, the creator of Prince of Cats, and I have to say that guy is quickly climbing to the top of my inspiration list. Plus he’s cool as shit, which is always refreshing. There’s no room for ego in comics. Besides comic influences music plays a huge role as well. I make a playlist for each character I’m creating to play through whenever I’m drawing their scenes. I try not to spend too much time on each panel to force out a fair amount of confidence behind my marks and I find that the right music for the scene really helps project that confidence onto the page.

3. How's the backing of your friends and family on your art career and what do you draw/paint apart from comics? - 

Like I said before my friends have been an incredible and an essential part of everything that I do. My family has been especially supportive. I owe them everything. Both of my parents are artists and extremely hard working. So if my little brother actually. Growing up surrounded by that pressure to succeed and creative energy is vital to being a successful artist.

4. Do you think you can innovate and penetrate markets outside US such as Caribbean and Europe etc and how would you plan on doing this? -

I definitely hope so. I think websites like Kickstarter have already opened those doors a great deal. We’ve been receiving a quite a few pledges from people all over the world with our Kid Havoc Kickstarter campaign and I really hope that they keep reading. It’s really an incredible feeling to know that you’re reaching people all over the world. These social avenues have opened up so much opportunity in the world and we share so much of a common interest. It’s really fascinating to me.

5. Finally, what's the end-game that you guys envision for Kid Havoc? -

I want to tell the story of Kid Havoc as long as I can, or as long as I see fit. The great thing about Kid Havoc is that the business structure we’ve set up with the clothing line allows us the luxury of taking our time with telling the story. I really want to be able to dive into some deep secrets with Kid Havoc and offer readers something vast and deep to dive into. I would also love to be able to have a studio that Fern and I could work in and be able to collaborate in person. Right now she works out of LA and I’m based in Richmond. We work really well together with the distance, maybe the space helps, but I’m really curious to see what would come out if we could operate Kid Havoc from the same space. Maybe we could even have a small storefront/gallery in another room with a cool receptionist like the one from Ghostbusters. Time will tell.

CBNAH: We Kick It With Kickstarter and 'Kid Havoc'...

'Kid Havoc' on Kickstarter

Kid Havoc tells of a boy trapped in a world torn by social hierarchy as he's forced to live underground with the rest of his people - deemed unworthy by the Monarchy to live on the surface. In this tale of caste, the boy, Isaac, finds himself torn between youthful curiosities of chasing fireflies through streets and tunnels, and between the social war that keeps his people oppressed and underground. As the war continues, a secret press develops under the name Kid Havoc to spill propaganda to overthrow the Monarchy. While it is up to Isaac to find his way to the top layer to spread their propaganda in this political yet emotional tale, he battles with his child-like sense of curiosity and follows these fireflies deep beneath their city...only to uncover an ancient horror that will change the course of the war!

Yeah…that blew my mind away. Throw that concept in with the amazing art of indie-artist, Eric Scott Pfeiffer, and a novel ideal called 'fashion'...And there you have it...KID HAVOC! It's a comic series and clothing company created by Eric, a freelance illustrator based in Richmond, VA and Fernanda Chavez, a freelance fashion designer based in Los Angeles, CA. They tell an immersive story intricately spun through a series of comics and limited clothing lines. All items are designed and inspired from elements within the story and all artwork is pulled from the next issue so that the apparel will act as a teaser, or sneak peak, into what will happen next in Kid Havoc. Since the characters progress through the story, the clothing will progress alongside them, changing and adapting to the character's new surroundings. Issues will be released bi-monthly with small runs of clothing released in-between giving insight into what will happen next in the storyline.

KID HAVOC KICKSTARTER PROMO

Here’s my interview with Eric, the talented –

1. Can you explain more about Kid Havoc? - 

Kid Havoc is an industries mash-up of comics and fashion. It’s a way for us to merge the storytelling abilities of each unique medium.

2. Why use Kickstarter? As an indie freelancer in the US, is funding that hard to get for projects? - 

I don’t think Kickstarter is just about funding. The fact is we could get funding from other avenues i.e. investors etc, but Kickstarter allows us to build a fan base while simultaneously gathering funds to start our project. With this system you know before you launch that you have a solid customer base to start with. Plus, what you owe them in return is a good, honest product and not just money with interest tied to it.

3. What inspired you and your team to go on a comic line and a fashion route? - 

Right now the team is just Fernanda Chavez and I. We freelanced together in the past for a defunct clothing company. Through the years Fern gathered the skills and connections necessary to start her own line. When she asked me to produce artwork for her line I pitched her idea of what is now Kid Havoc. At the time it was a little different. I think we wanted to produce two sides of the same story told through a men’s line and women’s line, each with their own comics.

4. Could you elaborate on the fashion part of this? – 

The fashion side of the project is meant to be as vital to the story as the comic itself. The story is told in its entirety through the issues so you could read through all of the trade-backs and not feel like you were missing anything. However, since the issues are released every other month we are releasing limited runs of clothes in between those months that actually foreshadow what is to happen in the next issue. These moments of foreshadowing are seen through the artwork featured on the clothes as well as the actual design of the clothes. For instance the jacket you may be wearing could play a vital part in a characters design that has yet to be introduced.

5. How's the art scene in Richmond? -

Incredible. There’s really something fundamentally different about having so many talented and professional artists in such a small city. You can walk into one of the best comic shops on the east coast and see one of the greatest working illustrators and one of the best indie publishers browsing comics and not think twice about it. There’s a community surrounding these tight-knit groups in such a small atmosphere that creates a healthy competition as well as a strong support system. With Kid Havoc I’ve benefited from this first hand. I’m not lying when I say I seriously could not have done any of this without my friends in Richmond.

-Interviewer, Renaldo Matadeen

Fargo-Moorhead Comic Con Indie Comic Review..!

by Chris Grisby


This past Saturday I attended the Fargo-Moorhead Comic Con, my first con in a while. While it was mostly local shops shilling their bin comics and some notable issues, there were a couple of booths of people selling their self-published comic books. And since we're all about not giving Bendis money, I decided to support some local artists.

Reviews:
'Impure Blood'



Published by NA Squared out of St. Paul, Minnesota, 'Impure Blood' is an indie fantasy comic with professional polish that follows the adventures of an escaped gladiator and his accomplices. Written by Nadja Baer, issue 1 is a solid introduction to the main characters and their "universe" as a whole. The characters' personalities are clear and distinct but also show a hint of depth that goes beyond the typical fantasy roles of "tank", "rogue", and "magician".

While there are no glaring examples, the dialogue does read a bit... modern. That's not a bad thing (especially since I personally hate "Thor-speak"), in a world with coliseum battles, magic and robotic-sword arms, pretty much anything can fit. Baer's humor and general tone of the story work well with the dialogue and make this an enjoyable read.

The interior and cover art, by Nathan Lueth perfectly compliments the story laid out by Baer. The line work is clean and colors, vivid. The panel layouts and pacing is spot on. Dynamic with cool overlaps, at times, but never distracting or hard to read. At $4 for 24 full color pages (no ads), you certainly get your money's worth, an entertaining read, intriguing subplots, and rich art. I just wish I hadn't been a cheap bastard and bought the following two issues they had on sale at the booth. (but hey it could've been horrible and I would've been out two vodka crans worth of money, lol...)

Luckily, the comic is online for free (or you can order for $5 plus S&H) here so you can see if I'm just talking out of my ass...

http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter001/ib001.html

check it out and then add your comments below...



2nds: Another Anthology



2nds is a collection of four comic stories by Minnesota State students under the banner of Dragons Den Comics.



First up, 'Rocket to the Sun' by Steven Andy Stalboerger which is a short ethereal-ish comic with Snake Plissken-short dialogue. Some of the best art in the book and a strong start to the anthology though. This story of the first flight post World War III is simple, yet effective...



'Dragons Den: Chapter I' by Emilie bailey and Danielle Holzschuh is sort of a character study in nerd and romance with a generous helping of humor (and tiny pet dragons no one seems to think is odd). The simple (and black and white) art style works for the story but slight pixelation, from what I assume was the enlarging process to fit the larger page format, hurts the experience. While it sort of seems obvious where the story is going, likable characters and great execution more than make up for a simple plot...



'Galina Powers, Monster Hunter' by Carl Stewart is by far my favorite. It sort of reads like "What If... MTV's Daria and Jane had a lovechild that grew up to kill monsters?" Weird, but it works. I'm on the fence about the sketch-style ink pen work and brushstroke painted style. But I think that is just because I like th concept of the comic so much I want to see it in the traditional comic style. I do however hate the lettering/speech bubbles. Its jarring that their styles don't mesh with the comic art at all...



'Honor Alliance: Exposed Pt. 1' by John Berdahl and Tate Mlady was the hardest comic to get into. Even though this was part one of the story I felt left out of the loop of previous happenings within this comic world. The comic sports MAD magazine styled adaptations to DC's Justice League archetypal characters and a 'Watchmen'-type attitude and story. Their interesting aspects but this is decompressed to DCNU Justice League level. Can't say that I'd definitely buy a future issue but I'd definitely be tempted. The last panels of the space station scene and the section on the character in Africa are so well done and the comic's saving grace. The art and writing in those parts set a high bar for where future issues would need to be to bring me back in...

Check out the Dragons Den Comics site here (or order copies)... http://web.mnstate.edu/ddcomics/


All the above work is copyrighted and all rights reserved to their respective owners/creators...