A New Strip . . . and More!

I haven't posted much since last month's Amazing Arizona Comic Con, but I've been busy at the drawing board plotting this year's worth of Amazing Arizona Comics and more.  I'll tease some upcoming projects at the end of this post, but, in the meantime, I hope to post weekly newsletter-style updates of what's happening here at KaraokeFanboy Press . . . starting today!

McGruff . . . Enough!

You may have heard this week that McGruff the Crime Dog has barked up the wrong tree of the law, but do you know the whole story?  If you're cruising comic shops in Phoenix this week, you can pick up a noir copy of this strip, but here it is in glorious color, revealing McGruff's connection to America's Super Secret Service, the national extension of Amazing Arizona Comics explored here in years past.  (Click here for easier reading.)

Cool Cosplay

I get to see a lot of cool cosplay at the cons I attend, and rather than post endless slideshows of fat Batmen, I like to feature one great costume at a time, ideally revealing the wearer's creativity, originality, and most importantly to me practicality.  So, here's a look at a Samurai Flash from the Amazing Arizona Comic Con!  Great threads, dude!

This Week's Intake

This week, I've been catching up on Dean Haspiel's The Fox through Archie Comics' Red Circle Comics imprint.  I've dug Dean since the Billy Dogma days, but his out-of-this-world take on classic superhero shtick is really fun.  I think the next issue (#5) wraps the current storyline, so pick up the back issues while you can!  Sure, a trade is right around the corner, but nothing beats this series' funky floppy issue design, which includes a nice batch of bio pages and back-up stories.

Coming Soon . . .

I've created a yearlong game plan of projects for 2014, which started with the Amazing Arizona Comics: No Burn Day Special that month, and continues with Amazing Arizona Comics Quarterly, my first standard comic-sized issue!  AACQ will collect old and new adventures alongside extras exploring the rich superhero subtext of Arizona's history.  The first issue, scheduled for publication by mid-March, will feature Cupid's annual plot to usurp Arizona's birthday in favor of his beloved Valentine's Day, both of which fall on February 14.  The mini-comics will continue, but AACQ will be fun way to get these tales out there in a different format for new readers.

Karaoke Comics and my old fanzine Far & Wee are all on the to-do list for this year, as well.  Keep your eyes on freebie shelves around Phoenix -- and of course right here on the blog -- for excerpts of all this stuff.  

Until next week, happy birthday, Arizona!

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #11: In Love . . . Out of Luck! (repost with image)

Cupid's arrows are missing, just days before Valentines' Day!  If the intimate imp isn't able to infect the world with love, what will become of February 14?  Fortunately, Santa's on the case, and he discovers the culprits -- leprechauns, on a pre-St. Patty's Day bender, bent on using the amorous arrows to persuade the ladies usually disgusted by their drunken advances!  Will Santa be able to stop the leprechauns, or is the world condemned to a fate of hate?

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #12: Saint Nick Returns!

Blogger's Note: This is it!  The last day of my little writing exercise, featuring a make-believe comic about a make-believe holiday hero!  My original mentality was to present story concepts in the way illustrators often present costume redesigns through blogs like Project: Rooftop.  Sketchbooks are common practice for artists, wherein the unfinished product is celebrated, but writers don't have that luxury!  By brandishing this brainstorm, I hope others are inspired to at least purge themselves of the concepts that clutter their minds -- by getting past the pitch, the rest of the story might just tell itself.  And, so, speaking of finality --

The last Santa story is here!  It's been 10 years since anyone has seen (or thought they've seen) Santa Claus.  With Black Friday sales happening earlier and earlier in the year, everyone gets what they need way before Christmas -- so, who needs St. Nick?  The old man has finally retired.  Global warming has turned his North Pole property to a land of slush . . . but a cold front is coming.  Santa has learned folks are using Black Friday sales to buy for themselves as much as others, if even at all.  They're turning a cold shoulder to their fellow man, and Claus can't stand for it -- then, the storm hits.  Lightning strikes, and St. Nick returns!  Just in time, too . . . the city is gripped by a band of mutant elves, the Easter Bunny is scheduled to appear on Letterman, and the baby Jesus has been tasked by the President to take Santa down.

"This will be a jolly life . . . jolly enough."

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #8: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow -- Or Else!

Global warming would be a global truth . . . if not for that pesky groundhog every February, proving that weather prediction really is just a game of chance.  So, a crazed Al Gore* takes matters into his own hands, abducting the groundhog and dooming the world to a season of truly tumultuous climate!  Santa tracks down the villainous Veep, but is it too late to avoid inconvenient natural disaster? 

* You may remember a similarly crazed Al Gore appearing in Amazing Arizona Comics #2, when he tried to steal June Monsoon's powers with his global warming gun, resulting in the untimely destruction of the Tempe Town Lake dam!  Here's a panel from that very issue to refresh your memory.

Coming Soon: The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics!)

I love Christmas, and I love comics -- and I love Christmas comics!  So, on each of the final twelve days before Christmas (starting Friday the 13th!), I'll be posting a different story arc pitch for a dream, Christmas-themed comic book series starring Santa Claus.  I won't be pursuing any of these ideas, and some of them will be quite derivative (expect "Crisis on Infinite Christmases"), but I can't resist the chance to end the year with a little holiday fanfic.  I hope to include some conceptual sketches with each pitch, to prove their potential, but no promises. By then, they'll only be twelve shopping days until Christmas, so I'll be pretty busy!

Note: I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda sorta stealing the idea of a "12 days of Christmas" theme from my good buddy Brent, whose 12 Murders of Christmas last year remain one of my favorite blog post series ever.  The above image (by Brent) is the last, 12 Drummers Detonating, but click here to read them all!  (Needless to say, my pitches won't include a murder mystery story; it's already been done, and done better.)

REAL Amazing Arizona Adventures #2: Walking the Green Carpet

I donned the shell proudly.  One part portable home, one part armor, is there any better way to describe the things geeks love?

Last week, my wife and I walked the green carpet at a special screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, which was followed by a meet and greet with Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and actor Ernie Reyes, Jr.  I chronicled the event at Nerdvana, but it's worth mentioning again because this unique experience happened right here in Phoenix.

From left to right: Me, Raphael, Kevin Eastman

I've spent a significant amount of time watching TMNT cartoons and movies, or collecting and playing with TMNT toys, or reading TMNT comics -- all because a couple of guys had an idea back in 1984.  To meet one of these guys in the town of my youth was a truly charming experience.  I'll post a few more pictures from the experience in the coming days . . . all to prove that Arizona is indeed a place where your inner child can come out of his shell once in a while.

Donald Trump Strikes!

The adventure of Arizona's superhero Speed Cameron on Election Night continues, with portents of things to come.  Click on each of the panels to discover their connections to reality . . .

To be continued!

Starting Tomorrow

Only on Nerdvana!

The Birthday Wishes Continue . . .

In today's East Valley Tribune: