Occupy Comics: Homestead

Last year's Baltimore Comicon is memorable for me for many reasons. One of them being it was when I first met Josh Fialkov (I, Vampire, Elk's Run, Echoes, Tumor). Now, only a few months later, we've been able to put together this little six page story for Occupy Comics. Homestead (the first page can be seen above) tells the story of Russian immigrant and steelworker, Stanislaus who participates in the now historic Homestead, PA strike of 1892. This story is now available in comic shops in Occupy Comics #1. I'm happy to report it's the first story in a book full of exemplary and important comics work. Please consider supporting this project as I believe Black Mask Studios' progressive output deserves an audience.

Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnston had this to say about Occupy Comics #1:

There’s an energy to it, a life to it, it doesn’t feel like you just bought a missive from a zealot or a manifesto from a mercenary. It feels real and it feels hopeful, it allows you to feel and it doesn’t do your thinking for you. It’s a comic unlike any other comic you’ll find in the shop, for now…

Thanks so much for reading.

Please consider visiting any of the links above and you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it using the social network of your preference. Thanks!

There Will be Buttons

The Deluxe version of the upcoming Time F*cker book is coming into focus. This deluxe edition will come packaged in a resealable black plastic bag with special labeling. It will also include one of the very limited edition buttons described in the image above. There will be more extra special bonuses but this is all I can confirm for now. I'll have more information as we get closer to release.

Time F*cker Goes Analog

With the files off to the printer, it looks like Time F*cker will be a book before long. Stay tooned for more updates about print run, a deluxe edition, début etc. This is exciting!

Time F#cker Gets a Front and Back Cover

Since it's completion at the end of April, I've been both brainstorming story ideas for the next few installments as well as prepping the first Time Fucker story for print. It's going to be an expensive venture so I can't make any promises about a release date so I'm offering these images as incentive and update. Folks who've seen versions of this material on Twitter or Instagram will notice that all instances of the F word have been 'censored'. Having an explicit cover would certainly be ballsy but it would also severely hobble this already tough sell. If comics sites can't show the cover, then that's a problem. Fear not, the interior pages will be in their original presentation. The book will have a full color cover with black and white interiors. It will be 32 pages saddle stitched and the print run will likely be very limited (500 or less).

The Anchorage Press 'Enshrines' MUSH! . . .in the Outhouse!

In his review of MUSH!, Anchorage Press writer Jamie Smith exclaims,

This book should be enshrined in the outhouse as required and repeat reading

For a book like MUSH, I'm not sure there's much higher of a compliment than that! He also had many nice things to say about the book's refreshing take on talking animal comics and its authentic depiction of mushing. Jamie also talks at length about the art. Unlike most reviewers, Jamie brings a great deal of comics related experience to the table. He's taught comics and comic art at the University of Alaska as well as being a comics creator in his own right. His weekly cartoon, Nuggets, has appeared in the Anchorage Press and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner since 1988. In talking about the art for MUSH! he had this to say,

Infurnari’s artwork here is exceptional—his loose, sketchy linework using a Japanese manga quill pen lends a spontaneity to the drawings that thoroughly suits the subject matter

I could continue to quote this piece but I think it best for you to read it in its entirety here.

**Jamie Smith has also written an extended, 'redux' version of this review on his own blog, Ink and Snow. That review is available here.

It was a pleasure talking about MUSH with Jamie who brings a rare enthusiasm for the medium informed by decades of experience creating comics. Please go take a look at the review and while you're at it, go take a look at this nice gallery of Nuggets and other work by him.

Thanks!

On Your Mark. . . Get Set. . . GO! MARATHON in Stores THIS WEEK!

It all comes down to this. This week, my book with Boaz Yakin called MARATHON will finally be available in stores. Please consider picking up a copy at your local comic book shop, independent book store or Barnes & Noble. If you are in the New York area, please accept my invitation to come celebrate the release this Friday June 22nd at 8pm at Bergen St. Comics (Facebook event page here). If you do, you'll also have the pleasure of celebrating another important release, HADES by George O'Connor! Thanks so much, everyone!

MARATHON and HADES Book Launch Party at Bergen St. Comics!

I am so happy to announce the upcoming book launch party and art exhibition for MARATHON and HADES. HADES, in case you didn't already know, is the fourth book in the critically acclaimed Olympians series of graphic novellas by George O'Connor. Marathon is my latest book with writer, Boaz Yakin. As you can see from the poster above, the event goes down June 22nd at 8pm at Brooklyn's finest comic shop, Bergen Street Comics! There will be a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available as well. This is likely to be the only event celebrating MARATHON's release, so please come out and help me celebrate the culmination of a long and endurance-testing book.

Praise for Marathon:

Booklist, Starred Review, 4/15 “A finely tempered forge of heroism and exhaustion, history and adrenaline.”

Kirkus, Starred Review, 5/1 “Marathon gets righteous due – and so does its greatest hero.”

Broken Frontier, 4/19 "…dramatic, engrossing…"

MARATHON Earns a Star from Booklist!

It's come to my attention that my upcoming book, MARATHON has been awarded a starred review over at Booklist! Here's an excerpt:

A finely tempered forge of heroism and exhaustion, history and adrenaline.

For those of you who subscribe to Booklist, the full review is available here.