The rumors of my demise…
are less false than I’d like to admit! Well, not demise really, but I have been working my ass off and that’s kept me from updating here, writing on my blog, or doing anything but the absolute necessary work on my comics. Which sucks, because I really enjoy posting fairly regularly. I’ll try my very best to do better!
So, news wise we’ve had issue #3 hit the streets! That’s right, Fallen Justice #3 is out and available through all the normal outlets, either Indyplanet, Haven, or right here in our very own Red Handed Store! And in keeping with the new release, we’ve also had our newest issue reviewed by Comic Related! Check out Bill Gladman’s review as he continues to show us an incredible amount of love. I will say that he got one thing wrong. We are NOT putting out a book monthly. Fallen Justice is and has always been a bi-monthly book. We couple probably do a monthly…but there would be a lot of give for not a lot of receive. My take on this is, we have a good thing going, so why mess with it? Could I hire an outside inker and speed things up by half? Sure. Could I hire a flatter, and another colorist to speed things even further? Certainly. But it’s not all about speed. To me, it’s about putting the book out on the schedule we promised we’d hit, which we have. And it’s about making this book the highest quality product we possibly can. I think we’ve done that too. So all in all, I’m stoked about this series. We hope you guys are digging it too!
Honestly, there’s a lot more to tell. We’ve got superheroes, supervillains, IPhone apps, new graphic novels, Samurai and all manner of other things to show you in the coming weeks and months so rest assured, there’s going to be some great things coming down the line! Hang in there and we’ll get you up to speed.
Press!
Someone mentioned to me today that we’ve gotten a lot of coverage in various comic circles and that it was beginning to get hard to keep track of! So I figured I’d hook everyone up with a running list of the reviews, interviews, and podcasts talking Red Handed Studios and Fallen Justice!
Comic Related Review of Fallen Justice #1
Comic Related Review of Fallen Justice #2
Project Fanboy Review of Fallen Justice #1
Project Fanboy Review of Fallen Justice #2
Comic Related Podcast featuring Cary Kelley talking Fallen Justice and Red Handed Studios
12 Fingers Interview with Cary Kelley
Jazma Online Review of Fallen Justice 1-5
Jazma Online Interview with Cary Kelley
Jazma Online Interview with Steve Forbes
Jazman Online Interview with Harold Edge
And that’s just the stuff we’ve gotten out so far! there’s gonna be much more where that came from so check back with us and we’ll update as things go live.
Issue #2 in the house!
That’s right folks! Issue #2 of Fallen Justice has arrived! We got pushed back a little bit by the fine folks at UPS, but they came through and got the books here looking awesome! For all subscribers, your books have been mailed so you should get them here very soon!
Also in the news, we’ve held our very first drawing for subscribers! That’s right as you well know if you’ve looked at the subscription page, subscribers get cool stuff! Since we’re on the second issue we held not one but TWO drawings this time around, and selected our winners at random from the subscriber pool! The lucky winners this time around are Lawrence Roach and Richard Case! Lawrence gets a beautiful looking print of the cover to issue #1 of Fallen Justice, and Rich gets the print from the cover of issue #4. So congrats to you guys, those are in the mail as well and you’ll be enjoying them shortly!
We attended a convention last weekend called Comicpalooza at the West Oaks Mall in Houston and had a WONDERFUL time! A huge thanks to all the folks who came out and talked with us, bought the book, and made the show so much fun! We met lots of cool folks and had a great time. And I will say right now that while the Houston area isn’t the most vocal crowd of comic creators, there sure is a TON of talent around here! I think you’re going to see some things really begin to explode out of this area in the next few years, so keep an eye out!
Normally I’m a big fan of the work my friends do, and tend to shout that to the rafters, so get used to it. First off, since I get inside scoops on this stuff it’s easy for me to get excited! Second, it’s really good stuff! Jason Berek-Lewis is doing a follow up to his Tikki’s Phayrie series called Tikki’s Giant, and the stuff looks amazing! Hit those links and check this stuff out, you won’t be sorry.
Next up, is something I rarely do, and that’s pimp a competitor’s work. But I have to say, after reading both the trades of Atomic Robo plus the FCBD issue for 2009…you have to read this book. It’s funny, irreverent, and really quite topical when you boil it all down. Robo is a must read, so go get that book! It’s done by a company called Red 5 comics, and you can find it in the Haven catalog. So go! Get this book! It rocks!
Ah, even more news! Virginia Mills-Barfield, who previously graciously agreed to take on the Kansas Hit project is also working on something a little different these days! Don’t worry, the Kansas Hit is still rocking, we’re just tweaking up some of the story to give it more punch and deliver some extra pages to you guys, so trust me when I say we’re making it better all the time! Currently, Ginny is rocking something called Ignition! which puts her character Bandit in a team up with our very own Dynagirl and tosses both of them into the deep end of the pool without floaties! So what’s better than a strong female lead character kicking major ass in her own book? How about TWO of them fighting side by side to battle tyranny! Woo! You can’t beat it. The Ignition Graphic Novel will most likely be out later this year and looks to be followed by a sequel if all goes well. These girls are a blast to write and Ginny makes my job crazy easy, so you may well be seeing even more of these team ups!
If you haven’t been checking out the Zone 4 podcasts we’re doing every week over at Comic Related…you should be! We’re having a blast doing them and even though we have to work through the occasional technical issue and random otter, we seem to be getting a good reaction. You can subscribe to the cast through itunes or go over to the Zone 4 page on Comic Related and catch it there. Also, feel free to leave feedback if you want, we’d love to hear from you!
And that’ll do it for the moment folks. More scripts to write, pages to letter, and monsters to slay!
Mixed feelings
Harold has been such a rock in this whole comic making process. Not only has he completely spoiled me, but he does things out of the blue that really show his commitment and desire to see this project succeed in ways far beyond what most anyone else would put forth. I got some art in the mail today, most of which was the second third of issue #7, the final issue of Fallen Justice. He’s got 12 more pages to ink in this extra sized blow out issue, but he took the time to ink this piece up for me and send it along because he figured I’d like it, and because she’s such a bittersweet character. This promo kinda sums up everything I’ve been feeling about this series lately, coming to the end of it…looking forward to the future and our plans for the Dynagirl series. It’s just…pretty damn cool. So here you go. Ms. Anarchy in the clouds. This one i’m having painted.
See how cool that is? I’m still freaking out! And I got a mail from Ross today, as we discussed back and forth with the colors for issue 6, and he said something that just kept that whole feeling going. I mentioned to him that I’d scanned the second third of the issue 7 inks, and he said: “It’s hard to believe we’re almost done…”. Truer words I’ve never heard.
When you step back and you look at this thing, we’ve been working on this project for a while! I posted the ad for an artist in late 2005. So we’re into our 4th year on this baby! That alone represents a huge chunk of time and life’s blood. I still get a “wow” every time I think about it.
And now it’s almost over. Unreal. But, that’s the point of a limited series. It’s LIMITED! And the whole Dynagirl project pretty much takes the sting out of any empty nest feeling we might start getting trust me! That thing is going to be a serious monster when we get it rolling, you have no idea.
In other news, an interview I did for Jazma Online went live today, and you can check that out here.
And that, as we say, is a wrap.
Short skirts and utility belts!
You know, I’ve pretty much always been a comic book fan. I have memories prior to turning 2 years old, but they’re fuzzy things, incoherent and clipped. So pretty much ever since I can remember with any clarity, meaning the age of 4, I’ve loved comics. And it wasn’t long after I fell in love with comics that I wanted to make my own. Started out with little doodles, school projects and the like, and that’s taken me through a twisted path of starts stops and restarts to the point where I’m now making my own comics. But it always goes back to the beginnings. Always. Any good story does, really.
I have a point, trust me. I’ll get there. Let the writer write would ya? Sheesh.
Anyway, in my making comics adventure, I’ve made it a point to surround myself with some of the most talented people out there. At the same time, mostly by pure luck, I’ve also found that those same people are lifelong comic book fans just like me! Some of them not dating back to the stone age of comics necessarily, but still. They dig comics and pay homage to what’s come before without a doubt. You can see it in so many places in Fallen Justice. From the characters, to some of the scenes, even in the colors and the Easter eggs Ross leaves you…we’re comic lovers making comics. And I think that’s important. First off, if I didn’t love comics, I wouldn’t bother. Second, the people who read the book get it in so many subtle ways. It resonates with comic book fans almost unconsciously. To me, that’s the ultimate reward, to know we connect like that. Brings huge smiles to my face! But I’m also cognizant of the huge responsibility we have as creators to stay true to the work, honor the story, and tell the truth. That might sound funny when you consider we’re telling fictional comic book stories, but there’s a truth there regardless and if you aren’t telling it, it shows.
So this week marks a lot of changes or advancements rather at RHS. First off, if you haven’t read the previous post get down there and read it silly! We’re announcing all manner of convention appearances this summer so that should kick off some fantastic fun for the whole team! Now in addition to the Seppuku Blues news (honestly, not rhyme intending here!) we’ve got some exciting Dynagirl news! Harold Edge, who you know already from the Fallen Justice series, and I have begun principle production work on the Dynagirl series. The scripts are written through issue #8, and now we’re working up character designs for some of the new characters you’re going to be spending time with!
Now I’ll tell you a couple of things about this new series while I have the chance. It’s going to feature Dyangirl of course, but it’s also going to have a lot more in way of supporting cast than a single hero book might normally show you. Why? Well because I dig team dynamics first off, and so does Dynagirl. That doesn’t mean she’ll get lost in the shuffle by any means, it just means she’ll have plenty of backup when it comes time to kick some ass!
Also, Harold will be flexing his artistic muscles a little with this book. Like he hasn’t already, right? But see while you’ve been out there reading the books, Harold has been in school working his hindparts off getting better every day. And I can tell you without a doubt, it shows. For someone who was terrified when he mentioned changing his style…I have to say you’ll be blown away when you see the results. He’s taking things to a whole new dimension.
Ready to tie it all together yet? I told you before the whole team is made up of long time comic book fans, right? So Harold sends me some sketches the other day of two of the new heroes that will be teamed up with Dynagirl in the new book. Mindfire and the Knight. Those paying close attention will see them cameo in issue #7 of Fallen Justice, but we’ve refined them for the new series, grown them up a little bit, which makes sense as the series starts five years later. I could give you a breakdown on powers and such, but I won’t. I’ll let you see for yourself. But what I will do is show them to you, because in doing that I can show you what I mean by long time comic book fans. Check out Mindfire. (click the thumbnail to see it full sized)
Hot. Yes. WAY hot. She as that innocent look going on, but she’s also mentally hard. There’s nothing of the soft naïve kid in there. Plus I dig the short skirt. Makes me think back to the 70s Neal Adams stuff where Marvel Girl barely covered herself up in that green costume. (That’s still one of my all time favorite looks by the way, goofy yellow mask and all.) There’s just something about this design that immediately screamed ‘hell yeah!’ to me. You’ll also see a couple of Ms. Anarchy elements in there as well, which makes good sense as Mindfire is her oldest daughter.
On the Knight, we’ve got something else entirely. He’s got even more edge than his wife (yep, another husband and wife team. Think that will end badly?) and he’s just dynamic as hell. We wrestled back and forth with the whole cape/no cape thing, but in the end it was the cool jumping off the building thing that sold me. I’m a sucker for capes, Incredibles be damned. But the cape was so far down the list of things to mention when I saw the pouches. Now anyone who knows me knows I’m a lifelong Batman fan, and I make no apologies for that. In fact, I’ve got a Batman script in the drawer waiting for the day when those DC guys call and ask me to pitch something! But one of the things I always wondered was how he got all that cool stuff in that little bitty utility belt! The Knight won’t be having that problem. Way I see it he could be carrying the kitchen sink in that thing! So stay tuned because if you think you’ve seen cool gadgets…you ain’t seen nothing yet.
So there you go. Some cool as hell sketches, an update of sorts, and a little behind the scenes peek into the mind of madness.
Oh and I’m making a movie. But more on that later.
And to wrap it up, check out the AWESOME review/coverage we got over at Comic Related today! Huge shout out to Bill Gladman, Brant Fowler and Chuck Moore for treating us not only with a huge amount of respect but making us feel like part of the family. Can’t say enough good things about this group of folks. Comics needs more places like Comic Related.
Till next time folks!
Wicked update!
Wow. What a difference a few days makes! I’ve told you about the new book we’re doing here soon called Seppuku Blues, right? Well let me tell ya some more. First off, the team consists of Scottie Ray Watson on pencils, RD Hall and myself (Cary Kelley) on writing chores, Peter Palmiotti on inks, and Jeff Balke on colors. I’ll be wrapping things up with the letters and we’ll be out the door. But that’s not the cool part. The cool part is a big part of the team will be attending the Chicago Comic Con this summer! Woo! Scottie and I are sharing a table in artists alley, an d RD will be out on the main floor, where we’ll be doing some special signings and showing off this phenomenal book for all to see! What we plan to have is at least a 12 page primer to the series fully completed and ready to rock. We may even do a WW Chicago exclusive if we can get it ready in time. So there you go. all the news that’s fit to print! You got it here first! And here’s a taste!
More growing!
Wow. It seems like when it rains it pours! It also seems like all I ever do is announce new studio members! But that’s a cool thing to have to do when it means we’re adding such a great bunch of talent to the group! This time around I’m telling you about a couple of new writers adding their pens to the mix. First off is Chuck Kennedy. For those that know me, you know Chuck and I have been friends for several years and have a close kinship in both life outlook and love for comics. Chuck has been there as a good friend through my trials ongoing these last few years and I’ve been fortunate to watch as he and his wife have blessed the world with three kids who make things all the brighter for being here. When I first decided to continue the world I started with Fallen Justice by way of the Dynagirl series I tapped three of my friends first for back up stories because I knew I’d need some help and who better to give it than the three guys who had been with me through the whole genesis? You’ll see Brant Fowler and Jason Berek-Lewis in due time, but Chuck is going first and from our conversations, I think you’ll be more than a little surprised and pleased with the results.
Now then, I said two writers right? Yep, sure did! In addition to Chuck, we’ve added Erik Hendrix to the mix around here. Erik is currently deeply embroiled in the Small Press Idol contest and doing well thus far. He’s prolific, and funny, and perfect for a Dynagirl story, and that’s what he’s doing. We’re still working out the specifics as to when and what, but for the record, Erik’s in and working hard so count on it happening, and soon.
Speaking of Dynagirl, we’re wrapped on the first six script plots. I’m adding dialog on them now and they should be in the can next week or so. Then i’m adding in a two part arc before turning things over to Chuck and his story, and then Erik right on his heels. Once that’s done and I’ve had my break (cause lord knows I need it!) I’ll be back on the pen for another 6-8 issues before giving my girl over yet again for some guest writers. We’re planning to continue like that for the foreseeable future, provided the public digs it. So buy our books would ya!
For today that’s about it. I’ve got a class to take, and some comics to send off to the printer, so I’m outta here. Till next time!
Growing!
Last time I mentioned we’d expanded a bit I alluded to an inker being onboard. I didn’t mention him by name as we hadn’t talked about it completely and I didn’t want to jump the gun. Well that was then, and now Peter Palmiotti is here in force! Peter has been working in comics for years and is one hell of a nice guy besides being a really dynamic inker. He’s got projects with both Highburn studios and Dark Elf Designs, and we’re proud to have him as a member here at Red Handed now as well. So welcome Peter!
Otherwise, we’re just about recovered from the massive road trip we undertook after STAPLE. Whew. The older I get the rougher the road seems to treat me! But we’re back at mission control looking at ways to make things cooler as we continue moving forward, so stay tuned cause there’s still lots we have to show you.
And in case you’re wondering what we have on tap here right this minute, we’re doing colors and letters on Fallen Justice issue 6, writing the scripts for Dynagirl #4-8, doing pre-production on Seppuku Blues and The Kansas Hit, and looking at yet another project I won’t mention right now for early development. So yeah, we’ve got some stuff to show you! In keeping with that, here’s a shot from issue #7 of Fallen Justice that just immediately grabs you when you turn to that page. I got the originals in the mail right before STAPLE but only just got to scan them in yesterday, so I’m understandably giddy still.
That’s my girl!
Before I forget, the store is newly updated! We’ve added status to each item to show you exactly where it’s at and when you can expect it to ship to your house. We’ve also tossed in some new additions! We had a great response to the prints we worked up for STAPLE and we’ve decided to offer these great looking pieces through the store on a more permanent basis. And we’ll be adding more shortly so keep checking back!
I also added the “Comics” tab to the userbar at the top and have begun putting things in order to add in the new projects we’ve fired up over the course of the last few months! I like the way it looks right now, but wow what a job I didn’t want! lol
And last but not least today we want to send out our appreciation again to everyone who came by to see us at STAPLE, talked with us and decided to take a chance on the book. STAPLE isn’t what you’d call the average comic convention. There were a lot more non-superhero books there than superhero titles, but we had a steady stream of interest and a great response to the book. So thanks for making it fun!
And that’s a wrap!
Whew! Well, STAPLE is over and done with for another year and we had a total blast! We ran into old fans, new fans, and hopefully brought lots more folks who had never heard of Fallen Justice into the fold as well! Everyone seemed to really like the book and were incredibly supportive. The people in and around the Austin area are the best! I guess that’s yet another reason to put in the plus column for moving here! A huge thanks to everyone who came out, talked with us and checked out the book! Stay tuned, because we’re just getting things rolling. You won’t be sorry you did!
Check out the Red Handed Podcast!
Chuck Moore over at Comic Related was kind enough to spend over an hour talking about not only Fallen Justice but pretty much everything Red Handed! We also shoot the bull about comics in general, my day job, and the works! Check it out: Comic Related Podcast #82
