OUR TOP STORY...
I love that we're finally rolling into October this week - I think my whole year is a build-up to this month. Leaves are changing, it's cooler out, and the spooks and shadows are creeping to life, peering around corners and following you down lonely streets. Speaking of...
We've got some exciting happenings coming in October, courtesy of the Awakening Halloween Signing Tour! For anyone who missed it, let's run this badboy down one more time because there's something exclusive and awesome for everybody who's reading this blog:
1 - Do you already own a copy of Awakening Volume One but can't make it to one of our four signing stops? Then hurry up and send a picture of you with the book to AwakeningComic@gmail.com by 11:59pm EST on 10/30/2009!
2 - Are you waiting to try out the book but can't make it to one of our four signing stops? Do you want to see some of what comes next so the wait for Volume Two isn't as excruciating? Pick up the book at your local comic shop (and promote them by taking your photo with the book in front of the shop) or, if you can't get it there for some reason (and shame on them for not ordering it for you!), go ahead and grab it at Amazon.com (Awakening Volume One on Amazon). Same deal, email a pic of you with the book to AwakeningComic@gmail.com by 11:59pm EST on 10/30/2009.
Everyone who emails a picture in by 11:59pm EST on 10/30/2009 is going to get an email from us at 12am, Halloween morning with an exclusive link and login info to read the entire first chapter of Volume Two!
3 - Now, let's say you're near one of the four signing stops listed below. If you come by and pick up a copy of the book, or bring your copy to be signed, not only will we take down your email so you get a link to the exclusive preview, but you'll also get an exclusive, signed print created by Alex just for this Halloween tour! Mark these dates on your calenders:
Oct. 10, 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Oct-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Artist Alley Table #60, Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(Separate admission fee required for entry into Baltimore Comic-Con)
Oct. 17, 1-5 p.m. [Nick Tapalansky only]
Upstate Comics
Freedom Business Center
1097 Route 55
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
(845) 432- 3320
Oct. 24, 12-4 p.m.
Brave New Worlds Comics
45 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-6525
Oct. 28, 4-7 p.m.
Jim Hanley’s Universe
4 West 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 268-7088
I wish we could branch out further but, for now, we're limited in our travel distance - sorry Mid-West, South, and West! If this tour is as big as I think we're going to make it though, we should be able to go much wider for Volume Two next year!
Hope to see a ton of people at these stops - maybe some folks dressed as Derrick or Cynthia? Zombies, anybody?
AWAKENING IN THE NEWS...
Lot's of interviews and reviews abound, so hold on to your pants:
First, we catch up with Kris over at Broken Frontier about the launch of the book and what comes next - Zombie Awakening - Lowdown
Jill Pantozzi aka The Nerdy Bird says of Awakening, "Forget Zombies for Dummies. This is Zombies for Intellectuals." - Read the whole review here and then check out an amazing interview for GEN where Jill and I talk about zombie survival, Alex's anatomy, and Mexican brothels! - GEN Interview -
Speaking of reviews, here's one in its entirety from Ain't It Cool News (link!) that made Alex and I blush heartily:
"Too many zombie comics start with the outbreak and move right into an examination of the human condition when faced with the end of civilization as we know it. We've seen it a million times. And frankly, I'm pretty sick of reading that story. While AWAKENING focuses on the beginnings of what looks to be the zombie apocalypse, this isn't your usual stow a bunch of random people in a house/mall/army bunker/prison/whatever and see them tear each other apart story. At its core, AWAKENING is a detective story, where one private dick is investigating what at first seems like a missing persons case, but soon turns into something a whole lot more diabolical and dire. Detective Peters is a bit jaded, as all good detectives are, but he's good at his job. When the town crazy woman starts spouting stories of zombies, everyone (including Peters) thinks she's just nuts. But then some crazy things start happening and unlike most outbreak stories, this one takes its sweet old time. Literally months pass in this story before anyone even believes there may be a zombie outbreak occurring. It's an extended version of the initial outbreak scenes in SHAUN OF THE DEAD where the dead are walking, but no one is noticing. A very cool statement about the apathetic world we live in and there's no better backdrop than the jaded world of detective noir for this scenario to play out on. Unlike most zombie books that mix genres, this one isn't winking at the reader. This is an all too serious look at one man who is opening his eyes and noticing that there's a problem going on right under everyone's noses that will most definitely get out of hand soon. I love the tension that permeates from every page. Nick Tapalansky has more patience that I've ever seen a writer have, doling out tiny bits of info to disbelieving characters making those who know what's coming chomp at their own bits in anticipation. Artist Alex Eckman-Lawn literally evolves as an artist as you turn through all five issues collected in this novel. His style starts out blocky and overly dark, but shifts almost seamlessly to a more softy, cloudy tone by the end of the book. But in every page, this looks like a detective/horror book with stark blacks with hints of colors peeking through the scribbles. This is a phenomenal achievement in writing and artistry and proof that when done well even when utilizing the most worn out of genres there still can exist something special."
Another fun interview, this one with Gavin over at The 4th Letter - if you've ever wondered what characters I'd want to write at the big two, or how I'd tackle Johnny Storm's pal Wingfoot, this is the interview to read. - The 4th Letter -
FOLLOW AWAKENING...
...on the interweb:
Follow Awakening on Twitter: http://twitter.com/awakeningcomic
Trailer for Awakening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qJQB68NkP0
Nick Tapalansky’s website: http://www.nicktapalansky.com/
Alex Eckman-Lawn’s website: http://www.alexeckmanlawn.com/
Keep it locked here for updates as we blow through the best month of the year. First stop: BALTIMORE!
- Nick
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
‘AWAKENING’ CREATORS TO HOLD EAST COAST HALLOWEEN SIGNING TOUR
This is it, kids! That October event I've been mentioning is revealed below!
Los Angeles, CA (September 21, 2009) – To help get comics fans in the proper mood for Halloween, writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn will embark on a four-stop tour to sign and promote their hardcover horror book, Awakening, and will even offer exclusive prints and a link to read a free, online preview of the first chapter in the next volume. Fans who are unable to attend any of the signings but purchase the book, or have purchased it already, will also get the opportunity to read the free preview.
“The amount of support we’ve received over the past few years has been mindblowing,” said writer Tapalansky. “When the volume was solicited back in April, we partnered with DCBS to offer an exclusive print to fans who ordered the book through their website and it was HUGE! Now that the book is available in stores we wanted to do something special for all of our fans, including those who might’ve been waiting to try it, as well as the local comic shops that support us.”
The stops on the tour are as follows:
Oct. 10, 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Oct-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Artist Alley, Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(Separate admission fee required for entry into Baltimore Comic-Con)
Oct. 17, 1-5 p.m. [Nick Tapalansky only]
Upstate Comics
Freedom Business Center
1097 Route 55
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
(845) 432-3320
Oct. 24, 12-4 p.m.
Brave New Worlds Comics
45 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-6525
Oct. 28, 4-7 p.m.
Jim Hanley’s Universe
4 West 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 268-7088
Fans who purchase a copy of Awakening at any of these appearances, or who bring their already purchased copy to be signed, will receive a free Awakening print created exclusively for the tour. Plus, by submitting their e-mail address they will be sent a link to read a free, online preview of the complete first chapter of Awakening Volume Two, due out next summer. The preview will be distributed at 12 a.m. ET on Halloween morning, Oct. 31, 2009
Fans who aren’t able to attend any of these appearances but would still like to gain access to the preview can send in a picture of themselves with their copy of Awakening standing in front of the local comics shop where it was purchased, along with the shop’s information, to AwakeningComic@gmail.com so that they can receive the link in return, while also getting their shop featured on the blogs of the Awakening creators.
Those readers who do not have access to a local comics shop and are only able to buy their copy online or at their local book store need only to send an e-mail to AwakeningComic@gmail.com.
Fans who have already purchased their copy of the Awakening hardcover won’t be left out! These readers can also e-mail a picture of themselves with their book to AwakeningComic@gmail.com and receive a link to the exclusive preview.
Awakening takes place in the once-peaceful city of Park Falls, where a series of gruesome murders and missing persons has put the town on edge, and Cynthia Ford, known as the town “crazy,” finds retired police detective Derrick Peters and relates to him her belief about what’s going on. Her explanation: Zombies. Unable to ignore Cynthia’s information, though not sharing her beliefs, Derrick and others in the town explore the mystery as weeks turn to months and the death toll rises. Could Cynthia be right or has she finally gone insane?
“I don’t think we can fall over ourselves enough to say how much our readers mean to us,” said Tapalansky. “Our readers have been amazingly patient waiting for this volume and, now that it’s available, we want to give them something cool to not only show how much we appreciate them, but that Volume Two isn’t so far away either.”
Aint It Cool News said Awakening is “a phenomenal achievement in writing and artistry and proof that, when done well, even when utilizing the most worn-out of genres there still can exist something special.”
Brian LeTendre of the Secret Identity podcast called Awakening “a unique take on the zombie genre that has a distinct noir flavor.”
Follow Awakening on Twitter: http://twitter.com/awakeningcomic
Trailer for Awakening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qJQB68NkP0
Nick Tapalansky’s website: http://www.nicktapalansky.com/
Alex Eckman-Lawn’s website: http://www.alexeckmanlawn.com/
Diamond Order Code: APR09 0649
ISBN-10: 1932386483
ISBN-13: 978-1932386486
About Archaia
Founded in 2002, Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds. With a slate including such popular Eisner-Award winning titles as Mouse Guard and The Killer, as well as Awakening, Gunnerkrigg Court, Robotika, Killing Pickman, Artesia and the Publisher’s latest additions of Titanium Rain, God Machine, Roddenberry Productions’ Days Missing, The Jim Henson Company library and Mr. Murder Is Dead and Lucid with Zachary Quinto’s production company, Before the Door Pictures, Archaia has become synonymous with quality content. For more information on Archaia or any Archaia titles please visit www.Archaia.com. Archaia can also be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/archaiacomics), MySpace (www.myspace.com/archaiacomics) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/archaiacomics).
***********************************
FANS WHO PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK AT ANY OF THE FOUR SIGNINGS OR BRING ONE TO BE SIGNED WILL RECEIVE A FREE, EXCLUSIVE ‘AWAKENING’ PRINT AND ACCESS TO THE FIRST CHAPTER OF AWAKENING VOLUME TWO ONLINE!
FANS WHO PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK AT ANY OF THE FOUR SIGNINGS OR BRING ONE TO BE SIGNED WILL RECEIVE A FREE, EXCLUSIVE ‘AWAKENING’ PRINT AND ACCESS TO THE FIRST CHAPTER OF AWAKENING VOLUME TWO ONLINE!
Los Angeles, CA (September 21, 2009) – To help get comics fans in the proper mood for Halloween, writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn will embark on a four-stop tour to sign and promote their hardcover horror book, Awakening, and will even offer exclusive prints and a link to read a free, online preview of the first chapter in the next volume. Fans who are unable to attend any of the signings but purchase the book, or have purchased it already, will also get the opportunity to read the free preview.
“The amount of support we’ve received over the past few years has been mindblowing,” said writer Tapalansky. “When the volume was solicited back in April, we partnered with DCBS to offer an exclusive print to fans who ordered the book through their website and it was HUGE! Now that the book is available in stores we wanted to do something special for all of our fans, including those who might’ve been waiting to try it, as well as the local comic shops that support us.”
The stops on the tour are as follows:
Oct. 10, 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Oct-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Artist Alley, Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(Separate admission fee required for entry into Baltimore Comic-Con)
Oct. 17, 1-5 p.m. [Nick Tapalansky only]
Upstate Comics
Freedom Business Center
1097 Route 55
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
(845) 432-3320
Oct. 24, 12-4 p.m.
Brave New Worlds Comics
45 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-6525
Oct. 28, 4-7 p.m.
Jim Hanley’s Universe
4 West 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 268-7088
Fans who purchase a copy of Awakening at any of these appearances, or who bring their already purchased copy to be signed, will receive a free Awakening print created exclusively for the tour. Plus, by submitting their e-mail address they will be sent a link to read a free, online preview of the complete first chapter of Awakening Volume Two, due out next summer. The preview will be distributed at 12 a.m. ET on Halloween morning, Oct. 31, 2009
Fans who aren’t able to attend any of these appearances but would still like to gain access to the preview can send in a picture of themselves with their copy of Awakening standing in front of the local comics shop where it was purchased, along with the shop’s information, to AwakeningComic@gmail.com so that they can receive the link in return, while also getting their shop featured on the blogs of the Awakening creators.
Those readers who do not have access to a local comics shop and are only able to buy their copy online or at their local book store need only to send an e-mail to AwakeningComic@gmail.com.
Fans who have already purchased their copy of the Awakening hardcover won’t be left out! These readers can also e-mail a picture of themselves with their book to AwakeningComic@gmail.com and receive a link to the exclusive preview.
Awakening takes place in the once-peaceful city of Park Falls, where a series of gruesome murders and missing persons has put the town on edge, and Cynthia Ford, known as the town “crazy,” finds retired police detective Derrick Peters and relates to him her belief about what’s going on. Her explanation: Zombies. Unable to ignore Cynthia’s information, though not sharing her beliefs, Derrick and others in the town explore the mystery as weeks turn to months and the death toll rises. Could Cynthia be right or has she finally gone insane?
“I don’t think we can fall over ourselves enough to say how much our readers mean to us,” said Tapalansky. “Our readers have been amazingly patient waiting for this volume and, now that it’s available, we want to give them something cool to not only show how much we appreciate them, but that Volume Two isn’t so far away either.”
Aint It Cool News said Awakening is “a phenomenal achievement in writing and artistry and proof that, when done well, even when utilizing the most worn-out of genres there still can exist something special.”
Brian LeTendre of the Secret Identity podcast called Awakening “a unique take on the zombie genre that has a distinct noir flavor.”
Follow Awakening on Twitter: http://twitter.com/awakeningcomic
Trailer for Awakening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qJQB68NkP0
Nick Tapalansky’s website: http://www.nicktapalansky.com/
Alex Eckman-Lawn’s website: http://www.alexeckmanlawn.com/
Diamond Order Code: APR09 0649
ISBN-10: 1932386483
ISBN-13: 978-1932386486
About Archaia
Founded in 2002, Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds. With a slate including such popular Eisner-Award winning titles as Mouse Guard and The Killer, as well as Awakening, Gunnerkrigg Court, Robotika, Killing Pickman, Artesia and the Publisher’s latest additions of Titanium Rain, God Machine, Roddenberry Productions’ Days Missing, The Jim Henson Company library and Mr. Murder Is Dead and Lucid with Zachary Quinto’s production company, Before the Door Pictures, Archaia has become synonymous with quality content. For more information on Archaia or any Archaia titles please visit www.Archaia.com. Archaia can also be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/archaiacomics), MySpace (www.myspace.com/archaiacomics) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/archaiacomics).
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Wicked October Plans Part 1
First of all, a big thanks to everybody who's been helping out the book by sharing our "Open Letter to Comic Shops." The letter is still being retweeted on Twitter (Are YOU following @AwakeningComic yet?!) and finding it's way onto new blogs every day thanks to you, and Alex and I can't thank you all enough. All the emails I've been getting back from shops have been really excited about Awakening and they're glad to have been able to check out the book before ordering it just to stock it (i.e., without a customer request).
Those of you who read the letter might've noticed a little mention about a big October event... The details are still being finalized BUT part of it includes a few comic shop stops for signings and we want to know where YOU want us to go. We have to keep it to the east coast for now, I'm afraid, but we can get as far south as Baltimore pretty easily, depending on how we schedule things. Here's how we're shaping up so far:
Baltimore Comic-Con: 10/10 - 10/11
Brave New Worlds - Philly Fresh, PA - 10/24
??? (It's a secret to everybody) - 10/28
If you want us to pop in to your shop to hang out, sign books, and nerd out, drop me an email at Nick.Tapalansky@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do!
Some quick hits:
New interview and Making Of feature with Mr. Alex Eckman-Lawn over at Graphic Novel Reporter!
Great review of Awakening Volume One over at View From Heaven!
A fun interview with yours truly, conducted by Bryn Colvin, writer of the forthcoming Hopeless webcomic (watch this space for details!)
A very kind review over at Comixology
Titanium Rain's first hardcover is now available for pre-order at your local comic shop! Hop in there and demand it!
Places on the interweb you should be:
SpookyChan.com has gone live! Check out the work and news of Chandra Free, creator of Archaia's upcoming The God Machine.
Shadowgirls written by Starkweather: Immortal creator, Dave Rodriguez - awesome webcomic, the #1 Horror Webcomic, in fact, last I'd heard...
Yon Kuma is another sweet webcomic written by another Archaia writer, Josh Hechinger, writer of the very-nearly-released Grave Doug Freshley!
MooreReppion.com, the interweb lair of the wiley and talented John Reppion and Leah Moore, authors of a multitude of great sequential fiction including The Complete Dracula and The Trial of Sherlock Holmes, not to mention Raise the Dead.
Off to fix myself a plate of spaghetti and dive into some ::gasp:: WRITING! With Awakening Volume Two already written and a few other bits already done, what's a guy to work on next? Mystery, Adventure, or Horror? Hmmm...
We love you.
Those of you who read the letter might've noticed a little mention about a big October event... The details are still being finalized BUT part of it includes a few comic shop stops for signings and we want to know where YOU want us to go. We have to keep it to the east coast for now, I'm afraid, but we can get as far south as Baltimore pretty easily, depending on how we schedule things. Here's how we're shaping up so far:
Baltimore Comic-Con: 10/10 - 10/11
Brave New Worlds - Philly Fresh, PA - 10/24
??? (It's a secret to everybody) - 10/28
If you want us to pop in to your shop to hang out, sign books, and nerd out, drop me an email at Nick.Tapalansky@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do!
Some quick hits:
New interview and Making Of feature with Mr. Alex Eckman-Lawn over at Graphic Novel Reporter!
Great review of Awakening Volume One over at View From Heaven!
A fun interview with yours truly, conducted by Bryn Colvin, writer of the forthcoming Hopeless webcomic (watch this space for details!)
A very kind review over at Comixology
Titanium Rain's first hardcover is now available for pre-order at your local comic shop! Hop in there and demand it!
Places on the interweb you should be:
SpookyChan.com has gone live! Check out the work and news of Chandra Free, creator of Archaia's upcoming The God Machine.
Shadowgirls written by Starkweather: Immortal creator, Dave Rodriguez - awesome webcomic, the #1 Horror Webcomic, in fact, last I'd heard...
Yon Kuma is another sweet webcomic written by another Archaia writer, Josh Hechinger, writer of the very-nearly-released Grave Doug Freshley!
MooreReppion.com, the interweb lair of the wiley and talented John Reppion and Leah Moore, authors of a multitude of great sequential fiction including The Complete Dracula and The Trial of Sherlock Holmes, not to mention Raise the Dead.
Off to fix myself a plate of spaghetti and dive into some ::gasp:: WRITING! With Awakening Volume Two already written and a few other bits already done, what's a guy to work on next? Mystery, Adventure, or Horror? Hmmm...
We love you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
