NEWS: INTERVIEW AND DIGITAL SALE

Check out an interview Steve Darnall and Alex Ross gave about their upcoming series PETER CANNON: THUNDERBOLT over at ComicVine.com. Here's an excerpt about the new costume:

"This is the same character who shares the same history, and even the costume design I’ve done is essentially a look he’s moved into, not eradicating what he wore before."

This explains why the character isn't wearing a unitard with speedos showing his bare legs like he used to.

Read the rest of the interview HERE.

And over at COMIXOLOGY there's a 3-Day Digital Sale of the entire run of the Kirby: Genesis mini-series, including issue #0 for free, everything else for US$0.99 except for issue #8 which is discounted at US$1.99

Enjoy this fantastic series. CLICK HERE

ON SALE THIS WEEK: THE SHADOW 4 & MERCILESS 3

THE SHADOW #4
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Art by AARON CAMPBELL
Covers by ALEX ROSS (25%), HOWARD CHAYKIN (25%), JOHN CASSADAY (25%), STEPHEN SEGOVIA (25%)
Exactly who the Shadow might be- or who he once was- is the subject of some grim speculation by Taro Kondo and Buffalo Wong, but the answer may be closer than either suspects. Meanwhile, Cranston and Margo come face to face with the full horror of the Japanese occupation... and on the River Yangtze, a deadly ambush awaits the unwary.
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +





MERCILESS – THE RISE OF MING #3
Written by SCOTT BEATTY
Art by RON ADRIAN
Cover by ALEX ROSS
The waters of Mongo run red with blood as Ming's feud with the Sharkmen threatens to spill over into all-out war! But even as new alliances are forged to pave the way for Ming's utter supremacy, the merciless Prince of Mongo suffers a personal loss that threatens to rip a giant black hole in his already dark heart!
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +

OCTOBER 2012 SOLICITATIONS

GHOST #1
Written by KELLY SUE DeCONNICK
Art by PHIL NOTO
Covers by PHIL NOTO (Main), ALEX ROSS (variant)
The enigmatic Ghost, along with paranormal investigators Tommy and Vaughn, takes to the streets of Chicago in search of the crystal-powered machine that first conjured her, hoping to find clues to her mysterious past life. But the machine’s original owners have a deadly agenda of their own. Picking up right where Ghost #0 left off, Ghost #1 continues Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel) and Phil Noto’s (Angel & Faith) reimagining of Dark Horse’s greatest heroine!
32 pages FC • $2.99

PLANET OF THE APES: CATACLYSM #2
Written by CORRINA BECHKO & GABRIEL HARDMAN
Art by DAMIAN COUCEIRO
Covers by: ALEX ROSS, GABRIEL HARDMAN
Description: Eight years before Astronaut George Taylor fell from the stars…the stars fell on the PLANET OF THE APES! As fragments of the planetary body that once was Earth's moon begin to fall on Ape City, Doctor Zaius must find a way to bring the survivors together, before panic and fear plunges them all into chaos!
32 pages FC • $3.99

PETER CANNON: THUNDERBOLT #2
Written by STEVE DARNALL & ALEX ROSS
Art by JONATHAN LAU
Covers by ALEX ROSS (25%), JAE LEE (25%), ARDIAN SYAF (25%), STEPHEN SEGOVIA (25%)
• LEE black & white art cover retailer incentive
• ROSS “virgin art” cover retailer incentive
In “The Grand Illusion,” Peter Cannon heads to Japan on business, reflecting on how his act of rage unleashed a dragon upon the world and led this very private hero to become a very public celebrity. When he arrives in Tokyo, his more immediate concerns include fighting off a mysterious band of assailants—and coming face-to-fact with the mysterious, murderous Master Tiger!
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +

THE SHADOW #7
Written by VICTOR GISCHLER
Art by JACK HERBERT
Covers by ALEX ROSS (25%), DARWYN COOKE (25%), JOHN CASSADAY (25%), FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA (25%)
• CASSADAY “blood red art” cover retailer incentive
• COOKE “virgin art”cover retailer incentive
• ROSS “virgin art”cover retailer incentive
NEW CREATIVE TEAM! NEW STORY ARC!
The Shadow is known for the mystic power which allows him to cloud men’s minds and read their hearts. But what happens when this power fails him? After the Shadow fails to stop a routine mugging, he travels to the Far East with his pilot and sidekick WWI ace Miles Crofton. In Nepal, he hopes to reconnect with his old masters and to consult with them about what could be amiss with his powers. Instead, he finds opium smugglers. As always, The Shadow faces danger... but he must also look within himself.
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +

THE BIONIC MAN #15
Written by PHIL HESTER, AARON GILLESPIE
Art by ED TADEO
Covers by ALEX ROSS (MAIN), ED TADEO (1:10)
• ROSS “VIRGIN ART” cover retailer incentive
After leading a search and destroy mission to put an end to a long forgotten evil, Steve finds himself in a life and death struggle with an army of bionic beasts. Steve has faced seemingly impossible odds before, but can he survive the madness he uncovers deep in the belly of the beast? Find out as the Secret of Bigfoot story arc reaches its epic conclusion!
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +

THE ART OF PAINTED COMICS HC
Written by CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE
Art by ALEX ROSS, FRANK FRAZETTA, JOE JUSKO, MICHAEL WILLIAM KALUTA,
BILL SIENKIEWICZ, NEAL ADAMS, JULIE BELL, JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER. GREG HILDEBRANDT, SIMON BISLEY, & SO MANY MORE!
Cover by ALEX ROSS

THE MOST comprehensive. premium hardcover on comics greatest painters! Overseen by Alex Ross, Painted Comics is THE hardcover coffee table art book which offers a complete history of painted comics. It is an overview of the topic: a glimpse into a world that has, to date, been regrettably overlooked; a sampling of artistry that will foster an appreciation of the mastery of the men and women behind the images that have long held our collective imagination.
300+ pages FC • $49.99 • Teen+


ALSO AVAILABLE:

THE ART OF PAINTED COMICS HC SIGNED BY ALEX ROSS
300+ pages FC • $89.99 • Teen
Features a tip-in sheet signed by Alex Ross!

THE ART OF PAINTED COMICS HC SIGNED AND REMARKED BY A SPECIAL, SURPRISE ARTIST!
300+ pages FC • $300.00 • Teen +
Features a tip-in sheet signed and remarked by one of the luminary artists featured in this book!

ON SALE THIS WEEK: BIONIC MAN 11

THE BIONIC MAN #11
Written by PHIL HESTER
Art by ED TADEO
Covers by ALEX ROSS (main), JONATHAN LAU (1:10)
Fans, ask your retailer for the variant incentive cover!
ALEX ROSS virgin art cover retailer incentive
After his epic battle with Hull, Steve Austin returns to his family's farm to reconnect with his loved ones. How can he break the news of his bionic transformation to his family who believed him dead, especially when that information may cost him the life of his father? Also, just who or what is stalking Steve from the outskirts of the farm?
32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen +

NEWS: DARK HORSE'S GHOST #1

Another surprise Dark Horse Comics presented last weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con was a preview of a new Ghost miniseries by Captain Marvel's Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Phil Noto. The cover to issue #1 is beautifully painted by Alex Ross featuring the sexy character.
An 11 X 17 in. print of this image (right) was exclusively given to attendees to the 2012 Diamond Retailer Appreciation Luncheon, that's why this image will also be featured in next month's Previews magazine (left).

THE MOST SINCERE FORM OF FLATTERY...

By now, many of you may have already seen the poster for the upcoming Man of Steel movie (left) starring Henry Cavill as Superman and directed by Zach Snyder which debuted at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con. Does it look familiar to you? As a collector of the art of Alex Ross, it should because it's based on the Kingdom Come image that appears on the first hardcover compilation of the award-winning series (right).
They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. So, they couldn't go wrong in using an Alex Ross design as their debut poster.

NEWS: ALEX ROSS OVERSEEING ART BOOK

THE ART OF PAINTED COMICS!

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE HISTORY OF PAINTED COMICS!!!

July 13th , 2012, Mt. Laurel, NJ - Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce the The Art of Painted Comics hardcover, containing the first all-encompassing retrospective covering the entire history of Painted Comics. Featuring art by Alex Ross, Greg Hildebrandt, Frank Frazetta, Joe Jusko, Michael William Kaluta, Bill Sienkiewicz, Neal Adams, Julie Bell, Joseph Michael Linsner, Glen Orbik, Simon Bisley, Dave Dorman, Phil Noto, Greg Horn, Brian Bolland, Ashley Wood, Charles Vess, Mark Teixeira, Arthur Suydam, Dave McKean, and MANY MANY MORE!!

Overseen by Alex Ross, The Art of Painted Comics is the art book which offers a complete history of painted comics. It is an overview of the topic: a glimpse into a world that has, to date, been regrettably overlooked; a sampling of artistry that will foster an appreciation of the mastery of the men and women behind the images that have long held our collective imagination. Make sure to pick this amazing book this coming October!

"Several years ago, Dynamite Entertainment had, at my urging, begun work with writer Chris Lawrence and me to finally create a book devoted to the art of painted comics," says legendary comic book creator Alex Ross. "I've always found that painted art in comics is regarded by most people as a recent application and not a mainstream part of how comics are made. Painted covers and stories for the comics medium has been around for decades, with some of it going back to the beginnings of the art form. This much labored-over, lushly illustrated book will finally set the record straight and expose the reader to a rich history of how painted art has shaped the popular art form of comics."

"When Alex [Ross] and I first discussed ‘The Art of Painted Comics', we talked about it as a magazine article - a retrospective feature, to be more precise," adds writer Chris Lawrence. "Then we began brainstorming, and - in no time at all - our ‘must-have' list of artists, projects, and paintings (more than 27 pages in length) made it abundantly clear we had to think bigger. A lot bigger. The end result is absolutely astounding - a gorgeous volume that is equal parts art book and comics history. With hundreds (if not thousands) of images drawn from the collections of artists and comics aficionados from around the globe, this book represents a one-of-a-kind visual timeline of an artistic approach that's played a role in comic books for...well, for almost as long as there have been comic books. It is the story of painted comics, told by those who have studied its lore, by those who have found inspiration in its artistry, and by the artists themselves. Assembling the art required a Herculean effort, but Alex and the team at Dynamite proved they were up to the task, putting together pages upon pages of paintings that will captivate readers for hours. Once those readers discover the stories of the men and women behind the brushstrokes...after learning how the images influenced the artists and painted comics they love...they'll look at the paintings again with new eyes. And they'll be captivated all over again."

"This book started out as us wanting to do a retrospective book on the distinguished career of Alex Ross," adds Dynamite President and Publisher Nick Barrucci. "Alex preferred to go another route by instead creating the ultimate definitive book of the art and history of painted comics. This project involved lots of work and research since it is the first of its kind, and we are all proud of The Art of Painted Comics!"

2012 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON - BOOTH #2419

A quick reminder for all those attending the San Diego Comic-Con to drop by the AlexRossArt.com booth #2419 and get yourselves some cool original art as well as the brand new 2012 sketchbook (below).

Also say hi to Sal Abbinanti while you're there and tell him he's got a cool job!

NEWS: ALEX ROSS COVERS "THE TOWER CHRONICLES"

Official Press Release

Earlier this year, Legendary Comics revealed Jim Lee's cover for the first book of The Tower Chronicles trilogy. At that time, the company promised that the remaining covers were going to be drawn by equally renowned comic book artists. Well, if there was any doubt as to the veracity of that promise, Legendary put it to rest during its Comics panel at San Diego Comic-Con when it revealed the cover for the second part of Volume One -- as created by Alex Ross. The art showcases a spectacular shot of the title character in action. The release is scheduled to hit stores in November.

With a lead character created by Legendary founder Thomas Tull, Executive Producer of 300 & The Dark Knight, and developed by Tull and Matt Wagner (Grendel, Mage), THE TOWER CHRONICLES creates a new mythology on familiar worlds through a unique take on the bounty hunter storyline. The all-new IP sets the standard for future releases from Legendary.

Be on the lookout at for more information on THE TOWER CHRONICLES leading up to the launch of the first book this September.

ABOUT LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT

Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television (Legendary Television) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to mainstream audiences with a targeted focus on the powerful fandom demographic. Through complete or joint ownership, Legendary is building a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world's most popular intellectual property. Among the wholly-owned projects that Legendary Pictures is currently developing in-house are the upcoming Seventh Son, directed by Sergei Bodrov; the Jackie Robinson biopic 42; an adaptation of the phenomenally successful interactive game universe Warcraft; Godzilla, based on Toho Company’s famed character; Warren Ellis’ Gravel; and Mass Effect, based on Electronic Arts’ and BioWare’s hit videogame franchise. Upcoming Legendary releases with partner Warner Bros. include the highly anticipated Pacific Rim, as well as Hangover 3, Man of Steel, Jack the Giant Killer,300: Battle of Artemisium, and this summer’s The Dark Knight Rises. Previous successful Legendary and Warner Bros. releases include the critically acclaimed Inception, which has been a box office smash grossing more than $823 million worldwide, as well as the global blockbusters The Hangover, Parts I and II (over $1 billion worldwide total), Clash of the Titans ($493 million worldwide), The Dark Knight ($1 billion worldwide), and 300 ($456 million worldwide).

NEWS: DYNAMITE'S PULP HEROES CROSS OVER!

THE FIRST EVER CROSS-OVER FEATURING THE TOP PULP HEROES OF ALL TIME!

THE ENTIRE FIRST ISSUE IS PAINTED BY ALEX ROSS!!!

July 11th, 2012, Mt. Laurel, NJ - The Shadow, Green Hornet, Kato, Zorro, The Spider, Miss Fury, The Black Bat and MORE are all featured in Masks, the Dynamite Entertainment cross-over featuring the top pulp heroes of all time. Written by Chris Roberson, the ENTIRE FIRST ISSUE IS PAINTED BY ALEX ROSS!! This is his first full interior work since "Justice" at DC Comics!!! Masks is hitting comic book stores everywhere this November, also featuring covers by Alex Ross, Sean Phillips, Howard Chaykin and Jae Lee!!!

In Masks #1, it's 1938, and the Justice Party has swept into office in New York State. But the newly-elected officials are in the control of powerful criminals, who quickly corrupt the law to their own advantage. When a fascist police state is instituted, the only ones who stand in defense of the innocent are masked vigilantes like the Shadow, the Green Hornet, Kato, and the Spider. When the law is unjust, justice must be an outlaw…

"For years now, Dynamite Entertainment and I have desired to unite all of the varied pulp characters they've been publishing into one big crossover event," says legendary comic book creator Alex Ross. "When the Green Hornet and Kato paved the way for a successful relaunch of the original masked duo characters, we knew that the grand prize of revivals should then be the ultimate original, the Shadow. Now, to be able for the first time in history to have these legends meet, along with fellow mysterymen; The Spider, Zorro, Black Bat, and others, makes this project a unique accomplishment. I always thought that illustrating the first hero archetypes like The Shadow would be a milestone in my career. I'm thrilled to touch upon the legends that began the very concept of the superhero in Masks with a crossover that is literally the longest overdue."

"Masks is the comic I've wanted to write since I first discovered the pulp heroes in the 1970s," says writer Chris Roberson. "Just working with these characters is already a dream come true, but having the first issue painted by Alex Ross makes it that much more amazing!"

"When we were exploring writers, I emailed Chris and we spent a couple of emails back and forth and in that short span, he laid out a basic framework that was pitch-perfect for what we were looking for," adds Dynamite Editor Joe Rybandt. "Alex had initially laid out a character list and high concept, but Chris added the flesh to the bones and we've got something really cool coming together here."

"Alex is so incredible excited about Masks, and realizes that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to draw so many classic and iconic characters in one series," exclaims Dynamite President and Publisher Nick Barrucci. "Alex promptly jumped head-first when presented with the idea to pain the interiors of the entire first issue, which will bring the most amount of attention to the series possible."

NEWS: ALEX ROSS COVER FOR STAR WARS COMIC

Dark Horse Comics has just revealed a new comic book series simply called Star Wars, which will take place in the universe of the original trilogy.

Written by the acclaimed indie writer of DMZ and Northlanders Brian Wood with art by Carlos D'Anda who designed characters for the video games Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.

This masterpiece cover by Alex (left) will surely be the delight of Star Wars and comic book fans in general.

More details of this new series will be revealed this weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con. In the meantime, read this interview with Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley about this new series at io9.com

UPDATE: Brian Wood talks about this series in more detail over at CBR.

INTERVIEW: ALEX ROSS TALKS PETER CANNON - THUNDERBOLT

Comic Book Resources has posted an interview with Alex Ross where he talks about working on his upcoming project with Dynamite Entertainment, Peter Cannon - Thunderbolt, the Charlton Comics character which later became the inspiration for Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Ozymandias in Watchmen.
Here's an excerpt of what Alex says of the character:
"He was part of this unique universe that was not pure analogue characters for Superman and Batman. They were a very unique set with the Question, Blue Beetle and Captain Atom. He wasn't a part of some company mindset that said, 'Let's have these kinds of characters.' They just happened to be that way and belonged to something of the eccentricity that was Charlton Comics -- and eventually what that would get turned into in the hands of Alan Moore."

Read the rest of the interview HERE.

NEWS: TWITTER UPDATES NOW ON THIS SITE

For those of you who don't have a Twitter account and are missing out on the breaking news I sometimes post there like new covers by Alex Ross the minute they hit the web (or my inbox), I have now put the latest twitter updates on the sidebar to your right.

Enjoy!

Andrew
The Alex Ross Collector