Category Archives: Comics
New Valiant Comic About a Plus-Sized Superheroine is On My List!
A new comic book announcement caught my eye the other day — Zephyr, the first plus-sized superheroine to headline her own comic book. Zephyr is a supporting character at Valiant Comics, and in January, she’s going to start in her own four-issue mini-series called Faith. Zephyr’s secret identity is Faith Herbert, so it checks out.
Let’s hope this doesn’t get confused with “Faith + 1”
I’m all about inclusion and diversity when it comes to comic book superheroes, and this one took me completely by surprise. I’d never heard of the character, but she looks and sounds like a lot of fun. Faith is a geek who loves comics, and bases her superhero career on her favorites. She’s an optimistic, carefree woman who gets a job as a newspaper reporter.
This is kind of starting to sound like my life…
Love this cover
Anyway, Faith will be written by Jody Houser, with art by Francis Portela. You can read an interview with Houser at Comic Book Resources.
I think comic fans always enjoy seeing a fellow geek stepping into the role of the hero, but beyond that, Faith’s confidence and optimism is something that makes her stand out to me. She’s a plus-size woman who loves sci-fi and fantasy and enjoys sex, and is 100% comfortable with that. She has a very clear idea of what a hero should be, and is perfectly fine stepping away from people whose actions run counter to that.
You could say that Faith already has a strong sense of who she is; the real story is seeing just how much she can accomplish and grow.
The series, and the character, sound really cool. Someone remind me in January to pick up this comic!
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The 6 Best Premiere Superhero Teams (That Aren’t the Avengers or the Justice League)
The Avengers and the Justice League represent the best of the best of their superhero universes. They are the heroes on the front lines of the fight against evil, drawing together their champion heroes and spear-heading their entire caped communities. So, of course, they’ve become shorthand for superhero teams from other universes as well.
Only one shall stand
Marvel and DC are not the only publishers in the superhero business. But just like we’ve got both Green Arrow and Hawkeye and both Superman and the Sentry, sometimes ideas and characters get copied across publishers. The same is true for superhero teams. Marvel has the Avengers, DC has the Justice League…but who does everybody else have?
Just for the fun of it, and because I love comics, I decided to look around and pick out the best Avengers/JLA analogues!
Sean Ian Mills in the Proving Grounds!
It’s an exciting day for me! Instead of posting the latest funny Internet video or comic book news, we get to delve into one of my own personal projects today! As some of you have already read, I’m working on my own comic called Gamer Girl & Vixen. The first issues are due back from the printer later this fall. But that’s not my only project!
Another comic I’m writing is going to be called Forever Blue. It’s a Firefly meets Power Rangers idea about a team of colorful commandoes who must reunite several years after they failed to save the universe.
Logo is a work in progress
Right now, I’ve got the first storyline planned out, and I’ve started scripting the first two issues. Forever Blue was one of my submissions to the Oni Press open submission competition this summer — and it didn’t make the cut. But I’m not going to give up. If I can get it scripted, I’m going to look into hiring an artist and maybe posting it as a web comic sometime next year.
But that’s all in the future.
Today is exciting because I submitted the script for issue #1 to the website Comix Tribe, which hosts a peer review feature called The Proving Grounds. A team of Comix Tribe editors dig into submitted amateur scripts and offer critiques and other constructive criticisms. I’ve been on pins and needles waiting for my turn for weeks now, and today is the day!
Click here to check out Forever Blue on The Proving Grounds.
They ping me for my pacing problems, and I totally understand what they’re getting at. It’s great advice, and something I’m going to have to work on when I finally start producing Forever Blue.
If you’d like to read the full scene, which is a few pages longer than what was critiqued, you can Click Here.
Also, I’m a little embarrassed about a scene I wrote involving the main character’s butt, and my attempt to make a pun about it on Page 3. Heh. As you henchies know, I’m not the kind of creator/reader who’s in this for the gratuitous butt shots. But it seems I have a long way to go in my mastery of ass-related puns.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this first sneak peek into Forever Blue! I hope to have more news about it going forward.
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 9/26/15
Short and sweet week for comics for me! Marvel is still mired in Secret Wars delays, so I didn’t grab anything from them this week. And none of my regular indie titles came out. Granted, this would make for a great week to pick up a new indie title…but I have more Witcher 3 to play! I can’t remember the last time I was this absorbed in a new video game. It feels great — while being simultaneously bad for business!
Fortunately, DC Comics put out three of my favorite comics: Batgirl, Grayson and We Are Robin. All three were fun to read, but Grayson edges out as the Comic Book of the Week for a milestone-ish issue.
Acting!
I love me some Bat-Family times.
In other comic news, I read the latest volume of Empowered this week, and it’s as much fun as the rest of the series. Anybody else read Empowered? I keep wanting to find some way to spotlight that indie series. It’s a real gem.
Comic Reviews: Batgirl #44, Grayson #12 and We Are Robin #4.
Some Minor Prowler News to Salvage Today
I was supposed to have something really exciting to share with everybody today! I waited all day for it to show up, but nope, it didn’t. I guess I’ll have to share it tomorrow. Still, man, how disappointing? Have you ever checked and rechecked a website all day waiting for something awesome to get posted, only for the mysterious forces of the Internet to fail you? Alas.
Anyway, rather than wallow in disappointment, I thought I’d share a tidbit of news that came over the Internet this week: the Prowler is going to be a supporting character in the new Amazing Spider-Man comic!
Complete with costume redesign!
I love the Prowler! He’s one of my all-time favorite comic book characters, especially in the Spider-Man books. I love that Peter has a legit superhero friend out there who isn’t a love interest and isn’t just a different A-list hero. He’s just a good guy who pals around with Spidey sometimes. So finding out that he’s going to be a player in the new, relaunched Amazing Spider-Man series was some welcome, geeky news.
Hopefully stay tuned tomorrow for my really exciting news!
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Henchman-4-Hire 