In celebration of the summer’s most eagerly anticipated film, DC Entertainment is partnering with comic book retailers and bookstores across America to declare Wednesday, June 12 MAN OF STEEL DAY, ahead of the film’s wide release on Friday, June 14. Sponsored by Sears, those visiting their local comic book retailers on MAN OF STEEL DAY will receive a free copy of ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION comic book by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly.
In addition to the free comic, DC Entertainment has partnered with Warner Bros. to provide comic shops with various MAN OF STEEL promotional posters and bags to get fans geared up for the film’s release.
Fans who visit comic stores on MAN OF STEEL DAY can also purchase the first issue of red-hot new comic series, SUPERMAN UNCHAINED, from bestselling creators Scott Snyder and Jim Lee. The series promises to elevate the already high-flying hero to new heights as he faces off against foes familiar and new. SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1 includes a bonus two-sided, tipped-in poster measuring approximately 11” x 18” that can be easily removed for display.
“Comic fans and moviegoers have made it very clear that they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of MAN OF STEEL in theaters and we’re excited to offer our retailer partners a chance to celebrate the occasion and tap into fan’s enthusiasm,” stated John Cunningham, vice president of marketing, DC Entertainment.
Also available at comic retail locations is DC Collectibles’ all-new line of 12” MAN OF STEEL statues that capture the film’s characters, Superman, Jor El, Zod and Faora, in stunning, highly-realistic likenesses. The line is already a top seller for DC Collectibles, further demonstrating retailer and fan excitement for MAN OF STEEL.
Continuing the celebration around the film’s release, DC Entertainment has partnered with Random House to bring MAN OF STEEL to libraries across the U.S. on Saturday, June 15.  More than 1,000 local libraries will offer visitors buttons, bookmarks and Superman comics.
On the digital front, ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 will also be available for free download, courtesy of Sears, and the “Superman 201” digital comics sale kicks off on June 12 at www.readdcentertainment.com, the DC Comics app, and all digital platforms (comiXology, Kindle, iBookstore, Nook). The sale offers hundreds of acclaimed Superman titles like SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW by Brian Azzarello and Jim Lee, SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT by Mark Waid and Leinil Yu – all for $.99 each.

About MAN OF STEEL From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes MAN OF STEEL, starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, under the direction of Zack Snyder.  MAN OF STEEL is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder.  The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer and Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment.  Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters are serving as executive producers.  The film is slated for release beginning June 14, 2013 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

New Image Comics series set in the world of doomsday “preppers”

The founders of the survivalist colony Safe Haven are sure that the end of civilization is at hand. Economic collapse, natural disaster, civil war — they’re prepared for it all in their underground compound deep in the woods of America’s northeast. But, in SHELTERED, the new series from Image Comics by Ed Brisson (COMEBACK) and Johnnie Christmas, the threat to their existence comes from a source they never expected: their own children.

Coming in July, SHELTERED follows the consequences after Safe Haven’s younger generation, raised in paranoia and isolation, rebel against their parents and take over the compound. Two leaders emerge from the rebellion: the teenagers Lucas, who led the revolt,  and Victoria, who leads another group of kids in their escape. With Victoria set to expose Safe Haven, Lucas and his faction are determined to hunt her and her group down before they reach the nearest town, forty miles away through dangerous wilderness.

The idea for SHELTERED grew out of Brisson’s interest in end-of-world scenarios. “Initially, I was researching preppers — people who are actively preparing for natural disasters, nuclear war, societal breakdown — to get and idea of how people would be able to survive any of the above,” said the writer. “My initial idea was to do a post-apocalyptic story. Through my research, I started to get obsessed with the culture — from the outside! I don’t own a bunker! — and how it would affect children raised in that sort of environment.”

With the art, Christmas strives to capture the isolation of the setting and the individuality of each character. “We’re going to be facing down the apocalypse with these people, it’s important to really get a sense of who they are and what they’re capable of,” he said. “These kids aren’t even out of high school, but they are probably the most prepared folks on earth, when it comes to riding out the end of the world.”

SHELTERED is a full-color comic book, with a five-issue first arc. Its first issue can be pre-ordered now (Diamond code MAY130408) and will be in stores on July 10, 2013. A four-page preview is up now at Multiversity Comics.

###

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Welcome to the InvestComics Hot Picks for new comic releases on 5-22-13

(Disclaimer: all comic recommendations are from a speculative vantage point. Not all comics are to guarantee a return on your investment. This article is used as a guide for investments and entertainment purposes. Please use your own discretion when investing.)

In this month’s InvestComics Newsletter, released last week, every subscriber got to see the very first InvestComics Publications cover to The Dawning #1. If you missed it, here it is in its full glory…..

So do you like it? We love it! David Whalen (artist/writer) on the book has outdone himself, a spectacular way to introduce the world to the first published work under the IC Publications banner. If you want to get exclusive news like this and more to come, be sure to sign up to the newsletter and not miss anything! The signup is either at the end of this article or on the front page of the website.

InvestComics has a new sponsor, Comiclink. Comiclink has become a major player in the comic book auction world. They have very sought after, high quality books on their website. The Comiclink website has been in the market since 1996. To learn more about them, click the link www.cominlink.com or click on the super cool banner ad on the left side. InvestComics is proud to have them on board. Go there now and bid, bid, bid!

InvestComics HOT PICKS

This week in the InvestComics Hot Picks we have a combination of 9 number one issues/zero issues. But before we get to that, a comic book run like no other is coming to close to much of the dismay of many fanboys. Geoff Johns will end his run on Green Lantern this week with a double sized issue. Green Lantern (2011 4th Series) #20 will be the issue that every fan will be talking about this coming Wednesday. The only thing we ponder is, why the hefty $7.99 price tag? Ouch. Granted a double sized, but throw a bone here will ya? Anyway, DC played it smart here because they will in fact get their $7.99 being that it’s the climatic final issue of Geoff’s run so kudos to them! (We’re in business here kids, don’t kid yourselves). So with the ending so near, InvestComics went searching for a beginning…..Geoff Johns first Green Lantern work. Well, you’d have to go all the way back to a backup story in 1999’s Green Lantern Secret Files #2. The backup story is called “Lost Pages: Haunting.” He wrote the backup that featured only one Lantern; Hal Jordan. So there you have it, the first and the last. The man single handedly responsible for the “Rebirth” of a character that was in the doldrums since the creative team of Neal Adams/Dennis O’Neil. He was also responsible  for the launching of a Green Lantern movie. So, want to cash in on this? Buy the final issue, couple that with the GL Secret Files #2 and bam! You’re welcome.

With the hit television series Arrow bringing its season finale to the table, It’s only fitting that Arrow (2012 DC) #7 this week brings one of his main adversary’s front and center. The origin of Deathstroke will be revealed. A cult favorite, Deathstroke is a breakout character that seems poised for the big screen someday. When this happens, probably not an IF here, but when it does, be sure to have your paws on The New Teen Titans #2 (1980). Already a collector’s book, this will continue to rise as the years pass us by. It will explode once he makes his appearance on the big screen. The New Teen Titans #2 comic appeared more than 8 years ago in the InvestComics magazine as a solid buy. This still hold true for today.

Ultimate Wolverine (2013) #4 will introduce a new villain, as Wolverine & Cap fight a villain “unlike anything we’ve seen.” In A Plus X (2012 Marvel Now) #8. Journey into Mystery (2011 3rd Series) #652 will bring back Beta Ray Bill!

Two sleeper issues coming at us this Wednesday. Deep Sea (2013 Dark Horse) #0 from the creative team of Jimmy Palimiotti and Justin Gray and Green Team (2013 DC) #1. Green Team looks like a very interesting read, definitely need to check that out.

Mike Mignola’s creation; Buster Oakley will star in Lobster Johnson Satan Smells A Rat (2013 Dark Horse) #0. Buster’s first appearance was in Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 (1999). Our friend Tom Mumme along with Blue Juice publishing bring Accelerators (2013 Blue Juice) #1 this Wednesday. Must check that out.

Rounding out the week (in no particular order) of MUST looks/reads/have’s; Solid State Tank Girl (2013 Titan) #1, Bounce (2013 Image) #1, DMC Devil May Cry Vergil Chronicles (2013 Titan) #1, Sex (2013 Image) #3, Half Past Danger (2013 IDW) #1, Jirni (2013 Aspen) #2, Akaneiro (2013 Dark Horse) #1, and Werewolves Hunger (2013 Zenescope) #1.

Be sure to sign up to the InvestComics Newsletter below.

See you soon,

Jay Katz

InvestComics HOT COVERS

ACE COMICS – HAND OF FATE (1951) 19 ISSUES
ACE COMICS – SUPER-MYSTERY COMICS (1948-1949) VOL 7 #6 and VOL 8 #5
ACE COMICS – THE BEYOND (1950) 30 ISSUES
ACE COMICS – WEB OF MYSTERY (1951) 29 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – FANTASTIC FEARS (1953) 9 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – HAUNTED THRILLS (1952) 18 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – MIDNIGHT (1957) 6 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – STRANGE (1957) 6 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – STRANGE FANTASY (1952) 14 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – VOODOO (1952) 19 ISSUES
AJAX-FARRELL – VOODOO ANNUAL (1952) 1 ISSUE
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN (1948) 174 ISSUES
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – FORBIDDEN WORLDS (1951) 145 ISSUES
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – MIDNIGHT MYSTERY (1961) 7 ISSUES
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – OUT OF THE NIGHT (1952) 17 ISSUES
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – SKELETON HAND IN SECRETS OF THE SUPERNATURAL (1952) 6 ISSUES
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – THE CLUTCHING HAND (1954) 1 ISSUE
AMERICAN COMICS GROUP – UNKNOWN WORLDS (1960) 57 ISSUES
ARCHIE – TALES CALCULATED TO DRIVE YOU BATS (1961) 7 ISSUES
ATLAS – ADVENTURE INTO MYSTERY (1956) 8 ISSUES
ATLAS – ADVENTURES INTO TERROR (1950) 2 ISSUES
ATLAS – ADVENTURES INTO TERROR (1951) 29 ISSUES
ATLAS – ADVENTURES INTO WEIRD WORLDS (1952) 30 ISSUES
ATLAS – AMAZING MYSTERIES (1949) 2 ISSUES
ATLAS – ASTONISHING (1951) 61 ISSUES
ATLAS – CAPTAIN AMERICA’S WEIRD TALES (1949) 2 ISSUES
ATLAS – COMPLETE MYSTERY (1948) 1 ISSUE  #3
ATLAS – JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1952) 82 ISSUES
ATLAS – JOURNEY INTO UNKNOWN WORLDS (1951) 56 ISSUES
ATLAS – MARVEL TALES (1949) 67 ISSUES
ATLAS – MENACE (1953) 11 ISSUES
ATLAS – MEN’S ADVENTURES (1952) 6 of the ISSUES #21-26
ATLAS – MYSTERY TALES (1952) 54 ISSUES
ATLAS – MYSTIC (1951) 61 ISSUES
ATLAS – MYSTICAL TALES (1956) 8 ISSUES
ATLAS – SPACE WORLDS (1952) 1 ISSUE
ATLAS – SPELLBOUND (1952) 34 ISSUES
ATLAS – STRANGE STORIES OF SUSPENSE (1955) 12 ISSUES
ATLAS – STRANGE TALES (1951) 100 ISSUES
ATLAS – STRANGE TALES OF THE UNUSUAL (1955) 11 ISSUES
ATLAS – STRANGE WORLDS (1958) 5 ISSUES
ATLAS – SUSPENSE (1949) 29 ISSUES
ATLAS – UNCANNY TALES (1952) 56 ISSUES
ATLAS – WORLD OF FANTASY (1956) 19 ISSUES
ATLAS – WORLD OF MYSTERY (1956) 7 ISSUES
ATLAS – WORLD OF SUSPENSE (1956) 8 ISSUES
ATLAS – YELLOW CLAW (1956) 4 ISSUES
AVON – CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (1952) 1 ISSUE
AVON – DIARY OF HORROR (1952) 1 ISSUE
AVON – EERIE (1947) 1 ISSUE
AVON – EERIE (1951) 17 ISSUES
AVON – NIGHT OF MYSTERY (1953) 1 ISSUE
AVON – PHANTOM WITCH DOCTOR (1952) 1 ISSUE
AVON – SECRET DIARY OF EERIE ADVENTURES (1953) 1 ISSUE
AVON – THE DEAD WHO WALK (1952) 1 ISSUE
AVON – WITCHCRAFT (1952) 6 ISSUES
BAILY PUBLICATIONS / STAR – SPOOK COMICS (1946) 1 ISSUE
CHARLTON – STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES (1954) 7 ISSUES
CHARLTON – STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES (1955) 51 ISSUES
CHARLTON – TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER (1956) 13 ISSUES
CHARLTON – THE THING (1952) 17 ISSUES
CHARLTON – THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED (1952) 7 ISSUES
CHARLTON – THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED (1957) 5 ISSUES
CHARLTON – UNUSUAL TALES (1955) 49 ISSUES
COMIC MEDIA – HORRIFIC (1952) 13 ISSUES
COMIC MEDIA – WEIRD TERROR (1952) 13 ISSUES
DC – HOUSE OF MYSTERY (1951) 324 ISSUES
DC – HOUSE OF SECRETS (1956) 80 ISSUES
DC – PHANTOM STRANGER (1952) 6 ISSUES
DC – SENSATION MYSTERY (1952) 7 ISSUES
DC – STAR SPANGLED STORIES (1951) 9 ISSUES (#122-130)
DC – TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED (1956) 104 ISSUES
DELL – DRACULA (1962) 7 ISSUES
DELL – GHOST STORIES (1962) 37 ISSUES
DELL – TALES FROM THE TOMB (1962) 1 ISSUE
DELL – THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1962) 2 ISSUES
EC – CRIME SUSPENSTORIES (1950) 27 ISSUES
EC – CRYPT OF TERROR (1950) 3 ISSUES
EC – HAUNT OF FEAR (1950) 28 ISSUES
EC – SHOCKING SUSPENSTORIES (1952) 18 ISSUES
EC – TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1950) 27 ISSUES
EC – TALES OF TERROR (1951) 3 ISSUES
EC – TERROR ILLUSTRATED (1955) 2 ISSUES
EC – THREE DIMENSION TALES FROM THE CRYPT OF TERROR (1954) 1 ISSUE
EC – VAULT OF HORROR (1950) 29 ISSUES
EC – WAR AGAINST CRIME (1950) 2 ISSUES
EC – WEIRD FANTASY (1950) 5 ISSUES
EC – WEIRD FANTASY (1951) 17 ISSUES
EC- THREE DIMENSIONAL EC CLASSICS (1954) 1 ISSUE
FAGO PUBLICATIONS – TENSE SUSPENSE (1958) 2 ISSUES
FAWCETT – BEWARE! TERROR TALES (1952) 8 ISSUES
FAWCETT – STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1952) 4 ISSUES
FAWCETT – STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES (1952) 5 ISSUES
FAWCETT – THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED (1951) 14 ISSUES
FAWCETT – UNKNOWN WORLD (1952) 1 ISSUE
FAWCETT – WORLDS BEYOND (1951) 1 ISSUE
FAWCETT – WORLDS OF FEAR (1952) 9 ISSUES
FICTION HOUSE – GHOST (1951)  11 ISSUES
FICTION HOUSE – MONSTER (1953) 2 ISSUES
GILBERTON – CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED (1943) #13 18 26 29 40 41 153
GOLD KEY – BORIS KARLOFF THRILLER (1962) 2 ISSUES
GOLD KEY – TWILIGHT ZONE (1962) 100 ISSUES
HARVEY – BLACK CAT MYSTERY (1951) 39 ISSUES
HARVEY – CHAMBER OF CHILLS MAGAZINE (1951) 26 ISSUES
HARVEY – MAN IN BLACK (1957) 4 ISSUES
HARVEY – TOMB OF TERROR (1952) 16 ISSUES
HARVEY – WITCHES TALES (1951)  28 ISSUES
HASTINGS ASSOCIATES – EERIE TALES (1959) 1 ISSUE
HILLMAN – MONSTER CRIME COMICS (1952) 1 ISSUE
I.W. – STRANGE MYSTERIES (1958) 1 ISSUE
I.W.  - EERIE (1958) 3 ISSUES
KEY – PRIZE MYSTERY (1955) 3 ISSUES
KEY – WEIRD CHILLS (1954) 3 ISSUES
KEY (ARAGON PUBL.) – WEIRD TALES OF THE FUTURE (1953) 4 ISSUES
KEY (GILMOR PUBLICATIONS) – WEIRD MYSTERIES (1952) 12 ISSUES
KEY (GILMORE MAGAZINES) – CLIMAX (1955) 2 ISSUES
KEY (MR PUBL.) – MISTER MYSTERY (1951) 18 ISSUES
KEY (SPM PUBLICATIONS) – WEIRD TALES OF THE FUTURE (1952) 4 ISSUES
LEV GLEASON – SPOOKY MYSTERIES (1946) 1 ISSUE
MARVEL – AMAZING ADULT FANTASY (1961) 8 ISSUES
MARVEL – AMAZING ADVENTURES (1961) 6 ISSUES
MARVEL – TALES OF SUSPENSE (1959) 38 ISSUES
MARVEL – TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) 33 ISSUES
MASTER – DARK MYSTERIES (1951) 24 ISSUES
MERIT – SECRET MYSTERIES (1955) 4 ISSUES
P.L. PUBLISHING – WEIRD ADVENTURES (1951) 3 ISSUES
PASTIME PUBLICATIONS – WEIRD MYSTERIES MAGAZINE (1959) 1 ISSUE
PREMIER MAGAZINES – HORROR FROM THE TOMB (1954) 1 ISSUE
PRIZE – BLACK MAGIC (1950) 50 ISSUES
PRIZE – FRANKENSTEIN (1945) 33 ISSUES
PRIZE – STRANGE WORLD OF YOUR DREAMS (1952) 4 ISSUES
QUALITY – INTRIGUE (1955) 1 ISSUE
QUALITY – WEB OF EVIL (1952) 21 ISSUES
RIBAGE (TROJAN MAGAZINES) – CRIME MYSTERIES (1952) 15 ISSUES
ST. JOHN – AMAZING GHOST STORIES (1954)  3 ISSUES
ST. JOHN – DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES (1957) 2 ISSUES
ST. JOHN – HOUSE OF TERROR (1952) 1 ISSUE
ST. JOHN – NIGHTMARE (1952) 1 ISSUE
ST. JOHN – NIGHTMARE (1953) 4 ISSUES
ST. JOHN – STRANGE TERRORS (1952) 7 ISSUES
ST. JOHN – WEIRD HORRORS (1952) 9 ISSUES
STANDARD – ADVENTURES INTO DARKNESS (1952) 10 ISSUES
STANDARD – OUT OF THE SHADOWS (1952) 10 ISSUES
STANDARD – THE UNSEEN (1952) 11 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – BLUE BOLT (1949) 9 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – BLUE BOLT WEIRD TALES OF TERROR (1951)  9 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – GHOSTLY WEIRD STORIES (1953) 5 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – SHOCK DETECTIVE CASES (1952) 2 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – SHOCKING MYSTERY CASES (1952) 11 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – SPOOK (1953) 9 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – STARTLING TERROR TALES (1952) 5 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – STARTLING TERROR TALES (1953) 8 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – TERRIFYING TALES (1953) 5 ISSUES
STAR PUBLICATIONS – THE HORRORS (1953) 1 ISSUE
STEINWAY – DARK SHADOWS (1957) 3 ISSUES
STEINWAY – STRANGE JOURNEY (1957) 4 ISSUES
STERLING – SURPRISE ADVENTURES (1955) 3 ISSUES
STERLING – THE TORMENTED (1954) 2 ISSUES
STORY COMICS – MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES (1951) 25 ISSUES
STREET AND SMITH – GHOST BREAKERS (1948) 2 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – HAUNT OF FEAR (1950) 13 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – JOURNEY INTO FEAR (1951) 21 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – MONSTER (1953) 1 ISSUE
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – MYSTERIES (1953) 11 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – STRANGE MYSTERIES (1951) 21 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1950) 13 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – TALES OF TERROR (1952) 4 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – VAULT OF HORROR (1951) 12 ISSUES
SUPERIOR PUBLISHERS – WEIRD SUSPENSTORIES (1950) 5 ISSUES
TOBY – TALES OF HORROR (1952)  13 ISSUES
TOBY – TALES OF TERROR (1953) 1 ISSUE
TOBY – THE PURPLE CLAW (1953) 3 ISSUES
TOYTOWN PUB / ORBIT – WANTED COMICS (1950) 32 33 50
TRANS-WORLD PUBLICATIONS – MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER COMICS (1948) 1 ISSUE
TROJAN – BEWARE (1953) 11 ISSUES
TROJAN – BEWARE (1953) 4 ISSUES
YOUTHFUL – BEWARE (1952) 3 ISSUES
YOUTHFUL – CHILLING TALES (1952) 5 ISSUES
ZIFF-DAVIS – EERIE ADVENTURES (1951) 1 ISSUE
ZIFF-DAVIS – NIGHTMARE (1952) 2 ISSUES
ZIFF-DAVIS – WEIRD ADVENTURES (1951) 1 ISSUE
ZIFF-DAVIS – WEIRD THRILLERS (1951) 5 ISSUES

The entire list can be found sorted with all Overstreet Price Guide values for each condition in this latest book in my series called INVESTING IN COMIC BOOKS found at our site www.HoknesComics.com

I am always happy to hear your comments and thoughts/criticisms on any of my posts.

Terry Hoknes (author) of Hoknes Comics loves analyzing statistics and watching the growth and fall of comic titles over a period of time.  He sells all of the latest hot back issue secondary market new comics at www.HoknesComics.com and also self-publishes a series of books called “Investing In Comic Books” that focus on the Golden, Silver and Bronze ages of comics.   hoknes@hotmail.com

BUT

can you make any money doing it ?

Here are some examples at different price levels of what it really costs to sell on ebay!!

EBAY & PAYPAL FEES – SELLING A  $2.99 ITEM !
List an item for $2.99 plus $2.50 shipping – here is what you actually get from your sale
Ebay charges you $0.25 to list the auction = $0.25 to ebay
Ebay takes 13% of commission of the $2.99 = $0.39 to ebay
Ebay also takes 9% commission off your shipping charge EVEN if you charge exact shipping rate at post office = $.23 to ebay
Customers pay through Paypal whom gets a flat rate of $0.30 plus a further 3% rate of the full $5.50 amount which is $0.17 + $0.30 = $0.47.   (If shipping outside North America Paypal takes another 1%)

So in total you had to charge $5.49 for your item = Ebay/Paypal take $1.34 if this amount plus you have to pay the $2.50 at post office for a total of $3.84 costs you do not see.

The amount left is $1.66
So you get $1.66 minus the cost of what you paid for the item in the first place. Let’s hope you didnt pay more than $1.66 !

Your ebay costs were 45% of listing price !

Also if you spent any money on packing materials (box,tape,envelopes,gas) that also has to be included into your original shipping cost or you are losing even more money!        What about your time ?

EBAY & PAYPAL FEES – SELLING A  $5.00 ITEM !
List an item for $5.00 plus $2.50 shipping – here is what you actually get from your sale
Ebay charges you $0.50 to list the auction = $0.50 to ebay
Ebay takes 13% of commission of the $5.00 = $0.65 to ebay
Ebay also takes 9% commission off your shipping charge EVEN if you charge exact shipping rate at post office = $.23 to ebay
Customers pay through Paypal whom gets a flat rate of $0.30 plus a further 3% rate of the full $7.50 amount which is $0.23 + $0.30 = $0.53.   (If shipping outside North America Paypal takes another 1%)
So in total you had to charge $7.50 for your item = Ebay/Paypal take $1.91 if this amount plus you have to pay the $2.50 at post office for a total of $4.41 costs you do not see.
The amount left is $3.09
So you get $3.09 minus the cost of what you paid for the item in the first place. Let’s hope you didnt pay more than $3.09 !

Your ebay costs were 38% of listing price !

Also if you spent any money on packing materials (box,tape,envelopes,gas) that also has to be included into your original shipping cost or you are losing even more money!        What about your time ?

EBAY & PAYPAL FEES – SELLING A  $10.00 ITEM !
List an item for $10.00 plus $5.00 shipping – here is what you actually get from your sale
Ebay charges you $0.50 to list the auction = $0.50 to ebay
Ebay takes 13% of commission of the $10.00 = $1.30 to ebay
Ebay also takes 9% commission off your shipping charge EVEN if you charge exact shipping rate at post office = $.45 to ebay
Customers pay through Paypal whom gets a flat rate of $0.30 plus a further 3% rate of the full $15.00 amount which is $0.45 + $0.30 = $0.75.   (If shipping outside North America Paypal takes another 1%)
So in total you had to charge $30.00 for your item = Ebay/Paypal take $3.00 if this amount plus you have to pay the $5.00 at post office for a total of $8.00 costs you do not see.
The amount left is $7.00
So you get $7.00 minus the cost of what you paid for the item in the first place. Let’s hope you didnt pay more than $7.00 !

Your ebay costs were 30% of listing price !

Also if you spent any money on packing materials (box,tape,envelopes,gas) that also has to be included into your original shipping cost or you are losing even more money!        What about your time ?

EBAY & PAYPAL FEES – SELLING A  $20.00 ITEM !

List an item for $20.00 plus $10.00 shipping – here is what you actually get from your sale
Ebay charges you $1.00 to list the auction = $1.00 to ebay
Ebay takes 13% of commission of the $20.00 = $2.60 to ebay
Ebay also takes 9% commission off your shipping charge EVEN if you charge exact shipping rate at post office = $.90 to ebay
Customers pay through Paypal whom gets a flat rate of $0.30 plus a further 3% rate of the full $30.00 amount which is $1.00 + $0.30 = $1.30.   (If shipping outside North America Paypal takes another 1%)
So in total you had to charge $30.00 for your item = Ebay/Paypal take $5.80 if this amount plus you have to pay the $10.00 at post office for a total of $15.80 costs you do not see.
The amount left is $14.20
So you get $14.20 minus the cost of what you paid for the item in the first place. Let’s hope you didnt pay more than $14.20 !

Your ebay costs were 29% of listing price !

Also if you spent any money on packing materials (box,tape,envelopes,gas) that also has to be included into your original shipping cost or you are losing even more money!        What about your time ?

EBAY & PAYPAL FEES – SELLING A  $50.00 ITEM !
List an item for $50.00 plus $15.00 shipping – here is what you actually get from your sale
Ebay charges you $1.00 to list the auction = $1.00 to ebay
Ebay takes 13% of commission of the $50.00 = $6.50 to ebay
Ebay also takes 9% commission off your shipping charge EVEN if you charge exact shipping rate at post office = $1.35 to ebay
Customers pay through Paypal whom gets a flat rate of $0.30 plus a further 3% rate of the full $65.00 amount which is $1.95 + $0.30 = $2.25.   (If shipping outside North America Paypal takes another 1%)
So in total you had to charge $65.00 for your item = Ebay/Paypal take $11.10 if this amount plus you have to pay the $15.00 at post office for a total of $26.10 costs you do not see.
The amount left is $38.90
So you get $38.90 minus the cost of what you paid for the item in the first place. Let’s hope you didnt pay more than $38.90 !

Your ebay costs were 23% of listing price !

Also if you spent any money on packing materials (box,tape,envelopes,gas) that also has to be included into your original shipping cost or you are losing even more money!        What about your time ?

EBAY SITE – EXACT CHARGES !

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/storefees.html

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/news/Feecalculator.html#

I am always happy to hear your comments and thoughts/criticisms on any of my posts.

Terry Hoknes (author) of Hoknes Comics loves analyzing statistics and watching the growth and fall of comic titles over a period of time.  He sells all of the latest hot back issue secondary market new comics at www.HoknesComics.com and also self-publishes a series of books called “Investing In Comic Books” that focus on the Golden, Silver and Bronze ages of comics.   hoknes@hotmail.com

SALES MARKET REPORT by Terry Hoknes hoknes@hotmail.com

Diamond publishes a list of the 300 best selling comics each month which is where these statistics are compiled from.

If a comic sold very poorly it may not have even made the top 300 list so we are only using data for those comics that did make the chart.

Here are a sample of the Top 10 worst/lowest sales for various comics from the main publishers during the past 4 years.

On one level this just proves these titles are not popular BUT it also will prove in the long run to be the rarest comics to collect as back issues in the future.

ANTARTIC – Some very rare zombie themed comics with sales as low as only 1,305 copies in 2012.

ARCHIE COMICS – Some of the most recognized characters in the history of comic books but comic stores in North America keep orders very small with the average comic store not even ordering 1 copy of the monthly digests as seen here.

BLUEWATER – A tribute comic to legend Steve Jobs had less than 900 sales on the entire continent.  Other celebrity comics also had very small print runs.

BONGO COMICS – It is clear that some of the Classics series sold so little that they did not even chart making these ultra rare with print runs around 1500 copies.

BOOM COMICS – This popular publisher usually sells fairly decently but here are the comics at the bottom of the ordering chart.

DARK HORSE COMICS – One of the biggest comic book publishers but here are the comics nobody ordered and nobody remembers!!!

DC COMICS – the worlds #2 publisher has released some comics with some very weak sales numbers.  Some are not surprising as there are many titles aimed at young child readers as well as some expensive 100 page giants “DC Comics Presents” and some short lived titles.  This list ranks all 82 comics of the past 4 years that had sales of under 4,000 copies.    This list is in fact not the worst as I do not have sales data for the few kids comics titles that sold so poorly they did not chart.  This would include numerous issues of: Cartoon Network Action Pack, Billy Batson and Mad Magazine.

IDW COMICS – Here are 10 comics with many licensed characters that had the smallest print runs for this company over the past 4 years.

IMAGE COMICS – the worlds #3 publisher does not sell the numbers that they used to.  They publish a lot of mini-series and one-shots and many titles have very low sales/orders.

This list ranks all 37 comics of the past 4 years that had sales of under 3,000 copies.

This list is in fact not the worst as I do not have sales data for the Image comics that did not even sell enough to rank on a monthly Top 300 chart.

This would include numerous issues of titles such as:  PVP, Sweets, Elephantman etc.

This list is truly a list of rare and forgotten comics as the average comic store in North America did not even order a single copy of any of these !

MOONSTONE COMICS – A company that specializes in licensed vintage TV show characters  Some of these sales are ridiculously low and these books would be appealing to non-comic readers.

These Top 10 worst selling comics did not even have print runs of 2,000 copies.

VALIANT COMICS – this company was restarted in 2012 renewing their early 1990′s titles.  This companies sales are better than most but here are their top 10 lowest !

ZENESCOPE COMICS – now one of the biggest comic publishers which their line includes some TV/movie licensed titles.  Here are their worst sales under 3,000 copies each.

MARVEL COMICS – the worlds biggest publisher. They usually dominate the best selling comics but due to also publishing more monthly titles than any other company they also find some of their releases lost in the shuffle and ignored at the bottom of the scale.    71 comics made the monthly Top 300 chart that sales of under 4,000 copies.  Many of these are expensive issues or unique one-shots.  A few series made their way numerous times on the list proving to be Marvel’s worst selling titles before being cancelled.

Thanks to John Jackson Miller at www.comichron.com  for the initial Diamond sales figures data – see complete monthly Diamond sales chart and more stats at this site !

I am always happy to hear your comments and thoughts/criticisms on any of my posts.

Terry Hoknes (author) of Hoknes Comics loves analyzing statistics and watching the growth and fall of comic titles over a period of time.  He sells all of the latest hot back issue secondary market new comics at www.HoknesComics.com and also self-publishes a series of books called “Investing In Comic Books” that focus on the Golden, Silver and Bronze ages of comics.   hoknes@hotmail.com

Welcome back, boys and girls! Due to some unforeseen personal circumstances, I had to skip last week’s column, and I apologize. But, to make up for it, I come to you this week with five, count ‘em FIVE new Kickstarters for you to feast upon! I’ll be much briefer with each one, since there are so many, but I assure you, they are well worth your time and money!

Weapon of God

First off, we have Weapon of God, from the illustrious writing duo Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Jimmy and Justin are two of the finest writers to ever contribute to the comic book industry, and two of my absolute favorites. They have many credits to their name, from many different companies, but they are most well known over the past few years for writing Jonah Hex for the old DC Comics, and are the current writers for both All Star Western and Batwing in the New 52.

Weapon of God is a mature audiences book, and is the 4th Kickstarter project from Paperfilms, which is made up of Justin, Jimmy, and the amazing artist (and wife of Mr. Palmiotti) Amanda Palmer. It is an 80 page graphic novel about the Vatican’s secret warrior, the Weapon of God, as he is sent to battle a terrorist that is wreaking havoc in America. The exclusive Kickstarter edition will have a cover by Amanda Palmer, and interior art by Giancarlo Caracuzzo. The book was originally slated to be only 60 pages, but it has already achieved it’s goal and even broken the first stretch goal, so now it will be 80 pages as well as square bound. There are 21 days left, and stretch goals are being added all the time. There are a multitude of reward tiers to choose from, starting at $5, which gets you a digital copy of the book, all the way up to the $300 tier, which gets you a mystery box full of signed goodies as well as a copy of the book, plus whatever else they want to throw in! I chose the $25 level, which gets you a physical copy of the exclusive book, signed by Jimmy Palmiotti, and your name printed on the thank you page! This book promises to be amazing, so make sure you get in on it while you can. You won’t be sorry.

Rocket Girl

Next up, we have Rocket Girl, by Eisner Award nominated artist Amy Reeder and accomplished writer and editor Brandon Montclare . Rocket Girl is about a teenage cop from the future, who is sent back to 1986 to investigate crimes against time by an evil mega-corporation. Along the way, she discovers that things aren’t what they seem, and that the time she is from shouldn’t even exist at all. The art is spectacular, and the plot is incredibly interesting. Rocket Girl is a wholly creator-owned ongoing series, and this Kickstarter is being used to fund and promote the book, as well as provide some cool stuff to all the backers. They will be announcing a publisher to help them distribute the series later this summer, but since it is creator owned, they are responsible for all costs. That’s where we come in, folks. This book looks like a lot of fun, so go take a look. The goal has been reached, but there are nearly 3 weeks left, and the more money they raise, the more they can make happen. For as little as $1, you get a weekly behind the scenes insider update on the process of creating the book, with great stuff like sneak peek art, scripts, and podcasts. for $9 you get a full digital insider package, which includes a PDF of the book, and over 100 pages of extra digital material, such as concept art, the full script, and more. If you’d like a physical copy of issue #1, it’s only $10, and comes signed by Amy and Brandon, and comes with a Kickstarter exclusive double sided 6″x9″ full color print! This book looks really cool, so don’t miss out!

Hinges Book 1: Clockwork City

Now we have a really interesting and different sort of book for you. It’s called Hinges, by Meredith McClaren. Hinges is about a doll named Orio and her companion familiar Bauble, and their struggles to survive in the clockwork city of Cobble. (Yes, I may have a particular interest in reading a book set in Cobble.) Hinges is currently a webcomic that you can read for free on Meredith’s blog right here, and the goal of this Kickstarter is to print the first arc as a 109 page hardcover book. I can’t even begin to describe this comic, but it’s beautiful and interesting and unique, and you should really go read it right now. Since it’s already available online for free, you can see what you’re helping fund, before you decide to do it. But I assure you, after you read it, you won’t hesitate to contribute. You can get a .pdf of the book for $10, and a digital and physical copy together is only $30. The goal hasn’t been reached yet, but there are 4 days left and it’s SO CLOSE! So I urge you to go right now and help make this project happen. This is what Kickstarter is all about, people!

Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether Vol. 1

Our fourth Kickstarter of the day is Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether Vol. 1, by Eisner Award winners Greg Rucka and Rick Burchett. Greg is a prolific and highly decorated writer, with a slew of spectacular books on his resume, including his Atticus Kodiak novels, Whiteout for Oni Press, Gotham Central, 52, and a fantastic run on Wonder Woman for DC Comics. Rick is known for tons of excellent work for indie companies like First, Pacific, and AC, and eventually found great success at DC comics, becoming a multiple Eisner winner for his work on The Batman & Robin Adventures and Batman: The Gotham Adventures.

Lady Sabre is a grand, swashbuckling epic set in a world that combines Victorian England, 19th century Europe, and the Old West. Now fill that world with pirates, magic, zeppelins, guns, monsters, heroes, and villains, along with all of the wonderment that comes with a good old fashioned steampunk adventure. What more could you possibly ask for? Nothing, I tell you! It’s perfect! And you can go read it for free, right now, at www.ineffableaether.com, just to see how utterly amazing that it is.  This project is being used to fund an exclusive Kickstarter-only physical hardcover edition that will contain the entire first volume of Lady Sabre, and it is going to be a masterpiece. Coming in at a whopping 192 foil stamped cloth-bound pages, this jacketed, landscape oriented tome will be a beautiful centerpiece to any book collection. The Burchett’s full color art is breathtaking, and Rucka is one of the finest writers to ever put pen to paper. I can not say enough good things about this project. If you haven’t done a Kickstarter before, then this is the one to start with. This edition will contain Kickstarter-only material, including a new short story by Rucka, and pin-ups by other well known artists. You can get a DRM-free .pdf version of this for a paltry $10 pledge, but I went with the $30 level, which gets you all of the digital content,  plus a wallpaper and icon pack, plus a physical copy of the book itself. I challenge you to find a book this nice ANYWHERE for $30. It can’t be done. The rewards keep getting more and more generous from there, up to and including some really cool art, patches, dog tags, signatures, and even being drawn into the story! This is truly a wonderful project, and I urge you to be one of the lucky ones that helps make this project happen.

The Good, The Bad, and The Monkey

Finally, we have a wacky little book that I know very little about, but it looks pretty darned cool, and it has monkeys. How can you not love monkeys? The Good, The Bad, and The Monkey is pretty much what it sounds like: a Sergio Leone-style spaghetti western, where all of the characters are primates. And the hero is The Ape With No Name. Seriously. That’s awesome! The creator is hoping to fund a 100+ page hardcover with this Kickstarter, and he’s very, very close, with about a week and a half left to go. The only problem that some of you might have is that the project is being done in England, so if you get a physical copy of the book, you’ll have to tack on shipping in addition to your pledge. It’s still not so bad, though. A physical copy of the book comes to about $38, plus about $8 more for shipping to the U.S. So for $46 bucks you get a physical copy of a really freaking cool primate spaghetti western, all the way from  the U.K., along with a bunch of digital extras. If that’s too rich for your blood, then you can get a digital copy of the book, along with some screen savers, for around $12, and you don’t have to worry about shipping. There are some really cool higher level rewards as well, including a chance to be drawn into the book as a primate! Hell yeah! So, go take a look at the project and see what you think. The art is really cool, and the concept is great, and it has gunfighting primates, for god’s sake! Why aren’t you pledging already?

-Shaun Cobble

Getting into a DUST UP with Indie (Film) Creator Ward Roberts

Well, it’s been a while peeps. Yours Cruelly has drifted a bit from Comics and dove deep into the world of indie filmmaking. I’m proud to say my ultra-low budget film BLESSID is well into Post Production and should hit the film festival circuit by late Summer. But this IndieCreator column isn’t about me. Noooo … it’s about a very talented writer/director/producer/actor named Ward Roberts who happened to go to the same college and be in the same fraternity as me (although I’m about 15 years Ward’s senior Bro).

Ward is an inventive creator who is unafraid to embark on bold filmmaking ground. He is also usually successful at whatever he takes on, as is testament to the wildly positive reviews his latest western/grindhouse/dark comedy DUST UP have garnered.

Chances are you’ve seen Ward on TV in such shows as NCIS, CSI: New York, MANSWERS and most recently Hawaii Five-O. Or you may have caught him in edgy indie films like Lo, Chillerama and Dreamland and in mega-entertaining shorts such as THE BOY SCOUT and SICK PUPPY.

If you haven’t, well it’s time to open your eyes to DUST UP. Ward is behind the camera as writer/director but still delivers big time on screen. This is one of those little films that is getting ready to blow up. So saddle in, shake the sand out of your sandals and brace yourself – because this interview is going down!

1.    First things first − you recently appeared on a most unique episode of Hawaii Five-0 that utilized social media enabling people to vote who the killer was. Fess up … Did you do it??

(WR:)  Innocent!!!  America voted that I, in fact, was a non-murderer.

2.    Give us the elevator pitch on DUST UP.

(WR:)  An eye patch-wearing vigilante and his hipster Native American sidekick battle a flesh-eating drug-lord who’s terrorizing a desperate single mother in this frenetic action comedy.

Here’s the artful poster … 

And here’s the trailer: 

3.    What other films, or combination of films, do you compare it to?

(WR:)  My favorite so far is when friend and filmmaker Joe Lynch called it Beyond Thunderdome meets Raising Arizona. Someone else said if Tarantino and Wes Anderson films had a baby it would be Dust Up… that made me rather happy. At this point it has been compared to dozens of film… some I haven’t even heard of… so folks should watch it and tell us what films it evokes for them.

4.    Two words: Amber Benson. She’s very selective about what films she acts in. How did you rope her in?

(WR:)  Amber said she laughed out loud when she read the script… and that rarely happens… so I think that was huge.

5.    Start to finish, how long did it take to complete the film? What was the biggest challenge? What was the most pleasant surprise?

(WR:)  A little over two years to create the film, another year to distribute and publicize it. 

Doing it all in the middle of the desert in the middle of the summer.  BRUTAL.  Don’t recommend.   And oh yeah, we had to get 60 extras out there from Los Angeles for three nights for FREE.

The most pleasant surprise was that nothing went terribly wrong … for long.  Our pony ran away for a day but even that turned out okay.  The pony couldn’t run in a straight line so she ended up getting fired anyway.  But seriously, if even a minor disaster had struck it could have derailed the whole project.  Thank the heavens everything went smooth and we finished a day early.

6.    What’s the best blow-your-mind review you’ve gotten thus far?

(WR:)   This one. 

7.    OK, now give us the second best. How satisfying is it that people “get” your movie … and rave on it?

(WR:)   This one.  It is HUGE folks “get” it.  You spend 3 years putting something together and praying strangers in far off places will be delighted for 90 minutes.  Every time I hear or read about somebody loving the movie it makes it all worth it all over again.

8.    It’s always a hold-your-breath adventure cutting the film in Post. For some, the Ah-ha! Moment is when your spouse actually laughs at the movie − and it’s a good thing! Was this the case with you?

(WR:)   My incredible wife Annie and I watched the very first rough cut that was 20 minutes longer that the final cut.  After it was over we looked at each other and were like “That wasn’t bad. That actually went by fast.”  We expected it to drag and be awkward but it really wasn’t… it was enjoyable even in that terribly rough stage.  That was a boost to my confidence without a doubt.

9.    How fun is it being a regular on MANSWERS … and how hard is it to be around hot babes and be happily married?

(WR:)   MANSWERS was always a good time on set… fun, nice people all around… but as a married guy in the film & TV business you really just have to murder and bury that part of you before you walk down the aisle.  Otherwise it would drive you insane.  I basically consider myself a eunuch in those situations.

10.  What is your distribution strategy — are you focusing on film festivals to get the word out or doing a limited theatrical release? Are you doing VOD concurrent with your festival submissions?

(WR:)   We did about 20 screenings around the country, including a week-long theatrical in New York, during the first few weeks of the VOD release to build awareness

11.  Are you using a producer’s rep and/or sales agent for US and foreign distribution?

(WR:)   I just used a lawyer to do our domestic deals… one for digital, the other for DVD… and a have a foreign rep taking it around to all the international markets.

12.  You used crowd funding, Facebook, and Twitter. You’ve got over 1000 likes on the Dust Up FB page. What was your Social Media strategy going in, and how are you using it now?

(WR:)   We decided to wait until as late as possible to do all of that.  A lot of folks say star building all that up before you even make the movie but for Dust Up we didn’t know what we would have to say to an audience for YEARS.  We liked the idea of just firing all our publicity guns at once… right when the film was released… so when folks hear about the film for the first time they can go and watch it.  The idea is that you are lucky to get somebody’s attention once so lets have the movie available when that happens.

13.  What was the budget? Aside from IndieGoGo, how did you raise the cash?

(WR:)   Can’t say… still making deals.  Our budget came from private equity folks.

14.  Location: why did you pick Joshua Tree?

(WR:)   When my mom moved out there and I visited her for the first time it was a done deal.  That place is just so epic in its vistas, so inspiring; I HAD to make a movie there.

15.  How much sweaty fun was it filming in the sweltering desert heat? And then turning to ice cubes at night?

(WR:)   Exactly.  No pain, no gain.

16.  IMDB tells us you are a relative of music composer icon Cole Porter. Did you inherit any music ability?

(WR:)   Not much.  My father Daniel and my sister Kati have it, me not so much.  I was always a very self-conscious musician and it killed me, especially my singing.  I’ve been playing piano again over the last few years and it is coming along but don’t expect to see me on tour anytime soon.

17.  Segue into music: the music tracks and poster art have gotten major kudos on line. How did you pull all that together?

(WR:)   As inspiring as Joshua Tree was the music of Spindrift, Gram Rabbit and Ted Quinn… I literally wrote and edited the film to their albums.  If they hadn’t liked the film and not given their blessing to use those songs I’m might have blown my brains out.  Without that music there is no Dust Up, period.

18.  Did you get exclusive music rights or non-exclusive? Can we buy the sound track? Is Cole Porter in there as an homage?

(WR:)   Non-exclusive, except for the scoring Spindrift did.  And yes, get the soundtrack on iTunes or Amazon! And no, I can’t afford Cole Porter music.

19.  The films that you choose to write, direct and act in are edgy, arthouse and outside the lines. Tell us about Lo.

(WR:)   Well Lo of course was written & directed by Travis Betz and I had the great honor of playing the lead human, Justin.  Travis is incredible… his imagination and drive are beyond comprehension… he inspires me every day.  The success of Lo, both creatively and as a film many, many people have seen and loved, really gave me confidence that in this digital age we could find an audience for a film like Dust Up.

20.  You’ve also done some great short films. A particular favorite is THE BOY SCOUT where you star in the title role. The film’s logline, “Be prepared … Be VERY prepared”, tips the hand that this is not your average Good Deed tale. SICK PUPPY is another good short but with an un-Boy-Scout-like lead. Tell us about these.

(WR:)   In film school they teach you to “Show. Don’t Tell.” Here is the full-blown short for The Boy Scout …

And here is the 30-second trailer for SICK PUPPY …

21.  Aside from filmmaking, we share another common bond: we both went to Indiana University and were members of Lambda Chi Alpha. The Lambchop fraternity house in Bloomington is a pretty cool, creepy location (especially late at night for a pledge during Hell Week). Ever think about doing a film there?

(WR:)   Most definitely.  I have a couple in mind… one comedy, one creepy.  The problem is I have 30 projects in mind and I don’t know how to get them all done!

22.  Finally, where can we follow DUST UP and, more importantly, see it on screen or buy it as DVD? And “what up” next with Ward Roberts?

(WR:)   No new screenings on the schedule at this moment but if anybody out there wants to do one… it is a perfect midnight movie or arthouse or college cinemas… hit us up at dustupfilm@gmail.com .  The DVD is in Best Buy, Blockbuster and of course can be ordered on Amazon and a bunch of other websites.  You can also download it on iTunes and Amazon for now and a little ways down the road on Netflix and Hulu, too.

Thank you, Ward. Loved the film. Keep ‘em coming!

An award-winning indie comic creator and screenwriter, Bob Heske wrote THE NIGHT PROJECTIONIST. This graphic novel is available at comic shops, on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Nook, Comixology and other venues.

Bob has also published COLD BLOODED CHILLERS, the award-winning anthology BONE CHILLER and his end times tome 2012: FINAL PRAYER. BONE CHILLER and 2012: FINAL PRAYER are also available on Amazon Currently, Bob is in Post Production on his ultra-low-budget indie drama BLESSID.  “LIKE” it on Facebook. Tweet it on Twitter. The website is www.blessidthemovie.com.

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (May 16, 2013) —Toho Company, Ltd. the producer of twenty-eight GODZILLA motion pictures, and Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels and pop-culture merchandise, have reached an agreement that will bring the best GODZILLA merchandise from Japan and beyond to the United States and Canada. Diamond will choose, market, and distribute the highly desired and sought after GODZILLA toys, comics, collectibles, and lifestyle products, many of which have previously been available only in Japan.

“GODZILLA has been a pop culture icon since he was unleashed on the world in 1954,” said John Parker, Diamond’s VP- New Business Development.  “Now that Diamond can provide a complete offering of awesome GODZILLA merchandise from Toho, the long lost and unavailable figures and collectibles will be easily accessible to the fans of the nuclear beast. With a new film in production and scheduled for release in May, 2014 the monster merchandise will be here just in time to make its way onto the shelves of North American retailers.”

”We are very excited to be teaming with Diamond Comic Distributors in this opportunity to share a wider and more complete line of Godzilla merchandise,” said Masaki Fujiwara, General Manager at the Los Angeles office of Toho Co., Ltd. “I hope the Godzilla fans in North America are as thrilled as we are.”

An initial round of merchandise is featured in Diamond’s May PREVIEWS catalog, and is expected in retail stores starting in July. To pre-order GODZILLA merchandise, find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook. Retailers interested in purchasing GODZILLA products are encouraged to contact Diamond’s New Accounts Department at newaccounts@diamondcomics.com.

***

PHOTO A – GODZILLA, 1954 Version: From X Plus USA! The greatest of cinema’s thunder lizards will batter his way into your collection with this 12” tall vinyl figure of Godzilla’s 1954 incarnation! (SRP $160) Available in Oct 2013.

PHOTO B – MECHA-GODZILLA, 1974 Version: From X Plus USA! Godzilla’s cybernetic foe MechaGodzilla will terrorize your collection as this 12” tall vinyl figure that depicts the kaiju as he appeared in 1974! (SRP $160) Available in Oct 2013.

ABOUT TOHO COMPANY, LTD: Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Tokyo, Toho Company, Ltd. is one of the leading entertainment conglomerates in Japan. Toho is best known worldwide as the producer of twenty-eight Godzilla motion pictures, based upon a character the company unleashed on the world back in 1954, and masterpiece films directed by Akira Kurosawa. Toho has been the number one distributor of motion pictures in Japan (both domestic and foreign) for nine consecutive years since 2003.  The company is also, throughout Japan, the leading producer of theatrical works and one of the largest owners of office buildings and theaters.

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels, and related pop-culture merchandise, serving thousands of retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

Check here for a full interview at CBR.

 
Welcome to the May InvestComics Newsletter. Spring is upon us as the summer months quickly approach. Summertime means fun, sun, beach, concerts, barbeques, and the first issue of the new InvestComics Publications. Yes that’s right fans, not only will your summer be filled with all the aforementioned, but you’re first crack at owning the historic first issue release from InvestComics Publications. “The Dawning #1” by David Whalen will hit next month and in this newsletter is the number one issue cover! Bask in its glory, we sure are!

The InvestComics website has a new writer on board; Terry Hoknes. Terry is the author of “Investing In Comic Books.” He will be filling up the new article section titled “Comic Market & Stats.” Terry is going to bring articles with the most comprehensive comic book stat list you will find on the internet. We guarantee it. Don’t just take our word for it, take a look at these articles already posted on InvestComics (Click on the title to jump to the article) “The Walking Dead – Complete Print Run History”, “Best Selling Comic Books of this Decade”, and “Best Selling Non-Super Hero Comics of April 2013.” Yes these are a comic book collectors dream to have such an extensive list broken down like this. We all look forward to these fantastic articles and stats.

A new tab went up on the top of the InvestComics web page recently; it’s called “Conventions.” InvestComics has visited many shows over the years and it only made sense to have a separate section all to its own. For many years the convention articles, photos, and videos were scattered throughout the site. Now it’s all contained in one area. The section is far from done, more to be added, but it has filled up nicely so far, so go check it out.

InvestComics Media is building an exclusive video catalog on BlipTV. Be sure to see many videos you will not find on Youtube or anywhere else. Click right HERE to check things out. Included within those exclusive videos will be the new contest that involves Walking Dead. An autograph from Michael Koske; a Featured walker on the show. Stay tuned for that!

The latest Comic Broker’s Report from Topher Seal went up on InvestComics. Check out the Comic Broker’s Report May 2013 right HERE.

Be sure to check out the weekly video review show FFFIC with Sebastian Piccione & Shaun Sorenson as well as the best podcast on the internet; Breaking the 4th Wall with Shaun Cobble, Kirstie Cobble, Jason Craycroft, and Shuan Sorenson. Recently, InvestComics got a hold of Premiere Grader Paul Litch of CGC to be interviewed on BT4W. Fantastic interview done by Shaun Cobble, check that out right HERE.

InvestComics has a vast hub of social media outlets, but the one place to find out about news/articles/contest/videos and so much more is the InvestComics Facebook page. Go right HERE to join the fans and talk things up. Speaking of talking things up, be sure to drop comments on the InvestComics website comment section below every article too.

Bob Heske of Heske Horror, graphic novels, screenwriter, and longtime contributor to the IndieCreator column here at InvestComics has a movie that will be coming out called; Blessid. Bob says the movie is coming along and we will see it soon. To get updates on the film, fans should LIKE the Facebook page Blessid the Movie; click right HERE to that. There will be a new IndieCreator column coming up shortly, so be on the lookout for that too.

InvestComics has a couple of conventions scheduled. So far Miami SuperCon and New York Comic Con. And as always, we will bring you all some goodies (contest) back as well as some interviews, and photos.

See you next month.

Jay Katz – CEO
InvestComics/InvestComics Publications

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This July, acclaimed comic book creators Matt Fraction (Hawkeye, Casanova, Iron Man) and Howard Chaykin (BLACK KISS, AMERICAN FLAGG) will take readers back to the Golden Age of Television, a time when innocence was as manufactured a fiction as the perfect families in the comedies that captivated audiences at home. Their new Image Comics series SATELLITE SAM, debuting in July, takes a look at the darkness behind the small screen when, in 1951, Carlyle Bishop, the star of the beloved serial “Satellite Sam” turns up dead in a filthy flophouse.

Carlyle’s son Michael has a hunch that his father’s death was anything but natural, but the only clue is a box full of photographs of women in various states of undress — and Mike can’t bring himself to stay sober long enough to make any sense of it.

For Fraction and Chaykin, SATELLITE SAM is a chance to tell a murder mystery while simultaneously divesting the 1950s of its mantle of moral purity.

“It’s a detective story, a history of television, and a record of addiction, sex, and depravity during a time when the antiseptic shine off Ozzie and Harriet obscure what was really happening in the world,” said writer Fraction. “And these are just a few of the many joys that come from telling a story about television while it was being invented as a mass medium in New York City.”

The creative team researched television’s early days in preparation for the series, getting a feel for the era and for the people who lived real lives while inventing an idealized — and fictionalized — image of families and relationships.

“We’d been talking about SATELLITE SAM for a while, but what really got it going was a long Winter’s day Matt and I spent wandering New York, feeling the city’s ghosts, its lost and found architecture, ending up at the Paley Center, where we watched kinescopes of long dead men and women, acting out children’s fantasies, while living complex lives off-camera,” said Chaykin. “To say that I’m both having the time of my life collaborating on this project, and getting my ass kicked in the process, is to grossly understate the case.”

SATELLITE SAM is an ongoing black-and-white series. Its first issue can be pre-ordered now from the May issue of Previews and will be in stores on July 3.

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ABOUT IMAGE COMICS Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.