NYCC 2008: Troia by Jamie Fay

The creative crew of the indie-hit, Sentinels, was in full force at the New York Comic-Con. Artist Jamie Fay and writer Rich Bernatovech were both in attendance. I got a really cool Superboy piece from Jaime last year (which I still have to scan, along with a few other pieces I will be posting soon).

A 10-page story drawn by Jamie appears in graphic-novel collection titled “Sentinels Anthology” that will be published in June. Right now, he is busy drawing “Neverminds,” that deals with ghosts, souls and other supernatural elements. Jamie was doing a lot of pretty cool commissions, so I had him draw Troia. I love the way this one came out! Read more about Jamie here.

Check out "Neverminds" when it hits. Looks to be good stuff!

NYCC 2008: Mirage by Kerry Gammill

Kerry Gammill was at the show, and I commissioned him to do a drawing of one of the Team Titans. Kerry drew NEW TITANS #80, which fully introduced the Teamers into the current timeline. During Titans Hunt, Kerry was a go-to guy to fill-in on Titans. Kerry was originally slated to draw the TEAM TITANS ongoing series, until Kevin Maguire stepped in. Kerry even drew a few pages that never saw print. Hmm... maybe I should post those pages soon... Anyways, Kerry drew a nifty Mirage to add to my collection. Mirage and Terra were my favorites of the Teamers.

NYCC 2008: Jessica Jones by Michael Gaydos

Here's a sketch of Jessica Jones by Michael Gaydos... which he did free as a quick sketch. I'm a big fan of ALIAS, so I was wowed by this.

NYCC 2008: Captain America by Steve Epting

One of my favorite pieces from the show: Captain America by Steve Epting. The current Brubaker/Epting CAPTAIN AMERICA run is a modern-day classic. If you aren't reading that title, you owe it to yourself to go out and buy it!

NYCC 2008: Kid Flash by Duncan Rouleau

I got this nifty Kid Flash sketch from Duncan Rouleau. He did a sketch for some kids that were big fans of Ben 10 (Duncan did a lot of the initial character designs). The kids were absolutely thrilled.

NYCC 2008: Tiny Titans Creators

Art Baltazar and Franco were both at New York Comic-Con, chatting with fans and churning out sketches - at the ridiculously low price of $1 each character! Turns out, the guys have been using titanstower.com a lot for research, so they were grateful for the site being around. I had 'em do the original five titans. Love this one!

NYCC 2008: Cheshire by Brad Walker

I got a commission piece from SECRET SIX artist Brad Walker. I had him draw Cheshire, given her connection to the SIX. One of my friends thought I saw "stertching" the Titans theme with thsi one, since Chesh was never a Titan. But my rule is "Titans Universe" character -- so she definitely fits! OK, Kevin? ;)

NYCC 2008: Pantha by J Daniel Bradford

Saturday, I commissioned a piece from J. Daniel Bradford. He has a very dark off-kilter style so I thought he'd be perfect to draw Pantha! I think it came out pretty nice.

NYCC 2008: Deathstroke by Wes Craig

Here's a Deathstroke commission from Wildstorm's up-and-comer Wes Craig!

NYCC 2008: Ravager by Michael Avon Oeming

Love Mike's stuff. And he did a fantastic job with Ravager, I must say.

NYCC 2008: Eddy Barrows

I first saw Eddy Barrows signing at the DC Booth on Friday. I was able to get a fantastic Ravager sketch while my friend Matt scored a Kid Devil sketch. It was hard to communicate because Eddy doesn't know a lot of English (he hails from Brazil), so I couldn't express how much I've been enjoying his work on the book.







Caught Eddy again on Saturday. This time, I got Miss Martian, while my friend Matt got Starfire and my friend Mark got Wonder Girl.



Finally, on Sunday, I literally tripped over a booth which hosted a number of the South American artists who work for DC. I quickly purchased Eddy's sketchbook and had him sign it. There was a woman at the booth that was able to act as my translator, so Eddy was able to make the connection with me to titanstower.com. He couldn't have been more gracious. Here's a picture I took of Eddy with the sketchbook.

NYCC: The Thing by Steve McNiven

Steve did this quickie sketch for me of The Thing. Man, I loved his CIVIL WAR stuff, and his latest SPIDER-MAN arc.

NYCC 2008: Phil Jimenez

I caught up with Phil on Friday, who was doing his usual friendly chatting while sketching. He asked me what I thought of TITANS #1. I told him I didn't hate it as much as a lot other people seem to! "It wasn't horrible," is as much as I can say about it right now. I did tell Phil that I hate Donna Troy's new costume, and they never should have changed it from the one he designed. Phil just laughed.

I'm also really enjoying Phil's Spidey. He's really proud of some upcoming stuff, including a character he had a hand in creating. So watch for that!

I've gotten a good amount of sketches from Phil over the years. I gave him three choices: Joker's Daughter, Ravager or Cassie as Wonder Girl. He chose Cassie. And in typical Phil fashion, he goes above and beyond and adds the looming figure of Ares behind her.

My friend Matt was along for the show. This was his first real con, so he was a bit overwhelmed. By Sunday, he mentioned that Phil was one of the creators he most enjoyed talking to and watching sketch. Now HE wants a sketch from Phil someday as well.

LOVE this piece. What a great start to the con!

NYCC 2008: Bigger and Better!

So yep, I went to the New York Con again this year. I'm three for three now! Every year, it gets bigger and better. This year, there was definitely a more "San Diego" feel to it. The floor set-up and the aisle banners were a sign of that. Much better flow with picking up tickets and badges. They've really gotten it down to a science at this point.

The thing I like about the New York con, is that it's still very comic book focused. Sure, there's the gaming, animation, movies and video game elements to the show, but there's also a more comic book presence than San Diego. And that's great.

The DC booth, I noticed, was woefully understaffed. Many times, there was no one around to field questions. Even the pros were confused at where they were signing at times. No video screens. No preview copies (something that was done away with since San Diego 2007, as far as I can tell). No signing schedules posted. What's going on here?

By contrast, the Marvel booth had a bunch of staffers generating buzz and excitement. Marvel still needs to fix their signing station, however. They should take a cue from DC and create separate lines for each creator.... waiting in a massive line for 5 creators all signing at the same table? Madness.

Minor complaints. All in all, the show was a lot of fun. I felt like I didn't have enough time to do everything I set out to do! But isn't that always the way these things go?

NYCC 2008: Green Lantern Goes Missing

I was lucky enough to catch Ivan Reis to do a sketch for me at HERO booth. And I loved it. Great head sketch of Hal Jordan GL. And then Sunday, it went missing. Where? I don't know.

I'm a very Blue Lantern today :(

If anyone has news of this missing sketch, please let me know. Thanks!

NYCC 2008!

YES, I went! YES, there will be reports and sketches! Keep checking back all week!

Teen Titans Filmation Toons on DVD

The excellent tvshowsondvd.com has reported: "When The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure aired on CBS Saturday mornings in 1967-68, it didn't limit the action to only the Man of Steel and the the King of the Seven Seas; various other DC superheroes would appear as guests in side-stories. Among them were Green Lantern, The Flash (with Kid Flash), Hawkman, The Atom, The Teen Titans (Aqualad, Kid Flash, Speedy and Wonder Girl) and The Justice League (Superman, Atom, Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman). There were 3 cartoons made for each of these.

The "Guest DC Universe Heroes" from the late '60s program are the focus of a just-announced Warner Home Video DVD release titled DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures. Besides the cartoons, there will also be bonus content that includes interviews with animation experts. Cost is $24.98 SRP for a 2-disc set. The release date is August 12th."

Titans In July

Here's the Titans-related solicits for July!

TEEN TITANS #61
Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Carlos Rodriguez Cover by Eddy Barrows & Ruy Jos�
Kid Devil's out to prove himself, but that won't stop the latest object of his contempt from getting in the way! In the tradition of Tango & Cash, Starsky & Hutch, and Turner & Hooch comes this instant buddy classic! You’ve already read “The Blue and The Gold” -- Is the world ready for -- “The Red and the Blue”?
On sale July 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TITANS #4
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Joe Benitez & Victor Llamas
Cover by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund
The conclusion of the team’s first adventure features the return of their deadliest foe and the sacrifice of one of the Titans! Will the Sons of Trigon live up to their father’s expectations?
On sale July 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

DC SPECIAL: CYBORG #3
Written by Mark Sable Cover by Tony Daniel & Sandu Florea
Art by Carlos Magno & Jonathan Glapion
Victor Stone thought he was the only man to deal with the power and pain that comes with the name Cyborg. Now, he's learned that someone long thought dead is using Vic's deadly technology to battle the Teen Titans. Can Vic stop this new enemy and learn the dark truth behind his foe's creation?
On sale July 23 • 3 of 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

DC SPECIAL: RAVEN #5
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art and cover by Damion Scott & Robert Campanella
In the final issue of Raven’s solo adventure, the Medusa Mask grows more powerful. Can Raven save her schoolmates and herself as well?
On sale July 2 • 5 of 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

NIGHTWING #146
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Don Kramer & Sandu Florea
Cover by Andy Kubert
Nightwing confronts Talia and the evil Doctor Creighton at a deserted castle on the banks of the Hudson River. Strange alliances are formed and new enemies are made as “Freefall” comes to its unbelievable and tragic conclusion.

ROBIN #176
Written by Chuck Dixon Cover by Freddie E. Williams II
Art by Chris Batista & Cam Smith
A “Batman: R.I.P.” story! The shocking conclusion that will start of the rest of Tim Drake’s life -- or is it the end? With Batman missing, Robin becomes the new Dark Knight. It’s Robin and Spoiler in an all-out brawl with Gotham City’s underworld -- but with Batman’s trail growing cold, the end of this fight will decide the future of the Bat family!

THE FLASH #242
Written by Tom Peyer
Art and cover by Freddie E. Williams II
The Flash takes the twins to Gorilla City on their first international mission, and the round-the-world trip becomes an adventure in itself! Plus, the upheavals at Keystone News result in a huge discovery -- one that could blow the Wests’ cover for good!
On sale July 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BATGIRL #1
Written by Adam Beechen
Art by Jim Calafiore & Jonathan Glapion
Cover by Andy Clarke
Fresh from appearances in BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, the enigmatic Cassandra Cain stars in this six-issue miniseries written by Adam Beechen (COUNTDOWN, ROBIN) with pencils by Jim Calafiore (GOTHAM UNDERGROUND)! Now that Batgirl has finally gained Batman’s trust, it’s time to conquer her inner demons and prove herself to the rest of the world. This six-issue epic will take Cassandra on an intense, personal journey involving friends, family and foes!

FINAL CRISIS #3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and covers by J.G. Jones
Batman missing in action! Superman immobilized! Green Lantern on trial for his life!
A shadow is falling across Earth’s super heroes -- and now it’s Wonder Woman’s turn to face the Evil Gods! What bizarre warning from beyond awaits Frankenstein, The Question and the agents of S.H.A.D.E. in the shadows of the Dark Side Club? What grim fate lies in store for The Human Flame? What happens when the Anti-Life Equation hits the internet? Can the Fastest Men Alive outrun The Black Racer -- Death himself? And who are the Justifiers?
The answers are all here as the unstoppable rise of evil continues in FINAL CRISIS #3 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones.

TINY TITANS #6
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
New pals Blue Beetle and Supergirl stop by the Titans Treehouse, only to find most of the Tiny Titans away on a field trip. Good thing a few lesser-known heroes are still at school! Plus: follow Raven and Trigon through a typically crazy morning.
On sale July 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.25 US

New Teen Titans Archives Vol. 4 in October

NEW TEEN TITANS ARCHIVES VOL. 4 HC
Collects: NEW TEEN TITANS #21-27 and NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1
Publisher: DC Comics (October 14, 2008)
$49.99 U.S., 224 pages



Pre-order it! It'll save you money and help support titanstower.com! The introduction of Brother Blood and the Blackfire Space Saga! Awesome!!!!! Plus the first apperance of Terra and the ground-breaking teenage runaways storyline.

Between the 4 archives and "Terra Incognito", we have almost the entire Wolfman/Perez Titans on slick paper. Keep going, though, DC! the entire W/P Titans needs to get archive treatment!

Pantha's Origin Revealed?

Booster Gold #8 featured a rag-tag band of Freedom Fighters. Among them: Pantha! In this issue, Pantha gets quite a bit of backstory revealed, including her real name. A post-mortum origin. (see the scan...) There's all you need to know about Pantha on the titanstower.com Pantha page, but here's the basics: A result of the Wildebeest Society's macabre experiments, Pantha long sought the truths behind her origins. Pantha's razor sharp personality was softened when Baby Wildebeest bonded with the ferocious feline as his 'mama' - much to her chagrin. Pantha and Wildebeest were later tragically killed during the Infinite Crisis. And Pantha never did learn her origin.

Pantha spent her whole Titans membership searching for answers (New Titans #74-114 in 1991-1994). Virtually nothing was known of Pantha's history before her transformation. Was she a human turned into a cat or a biologically altered cat?Was she a cat turned human? Or a human turned were-cat? Was Steve Dayton involved in her creation, or just Dayton Industry technologies? When Superboy-Prime beheaded Pantha in Infinite Crisis #4, it seemed like readers would never learn her origin.

Leave it to Geoff Johns to tidy up soem loose ends in Booster Gold #8. Booster Gold and the rescued-from-death Blue Beetle come face-to-face with the all-new, all-different Freedom Fighters (Hawkman, Green Arrow, Anthro, Wild Dog and Pantha) as time continues to crash down around them. After saving Beetle, an alternate timeline was created in which Max's OMAC agents conquered most of earth's heroes.
As related in the story, Pantha's real name is Rosabelle Mondez. She was a vet student at NYU until she was kidnapped and traded to the Wildebeest Society by Max Lord, leader of the shadow group known as Checkmate. Rosabelle became a failed test subject - a prototype of the real Wildebeest animal-human hybrids created later. Once she discovered Max's involvement, she vowed to hunt him down for revenge. Sadly, Pantha is slaughtered again in this alternate reality, along with the other Freedom Fighters.

This can now be accepted as Pantha's origin, even though it was an alternate reality. Too bad poor Pantha didn't learn all this before she was permanently declawed.

Just for fun, here's the original origin idea as related by New Titans editor Jonathan Peterson, from TwoMorrows' Titans Companion:

TTC: What about Pantha’s mysterious origin? Was she planned to be revealed as someone the Titans knew before? Was that worked out?

JP: The idea was supposed to be that she was actually created by the original H.I.V.E. group, and I remember that the character tied back with Deathstroke. He was somehow involved. The H.I.V.E. was responsible for her creation, and at one time she was a real woman. I do remember we had it on the drawing board as something Louise Simonson would write. There would be a story where she actually turned back into a normal woman. She pulled a Hulk/Bruce Banner, and that would be the shocking reveal of seeing who she really was. I think we toyed with the idea that she was a bookworm librarian and had all this repressed anger, and that all came out as Pantha, and at the end of the story, it would be a “Ben Grimm” type story where she tragically becomes Pantha again. The emotional thing for her would be “Good, I’d rather be Pantha.”

TTC: So was human Pantha someone the Titans knew, or just Deathstroke?

JP: Just Deathstroke, as far as I recall. I do remember planning that with Weezie, and I did challenge her to be creative about it, that maybe Pantha could be some C-level character from Titans history, if that worked. It would give us the excuse to [go],”Ah-ha!” But obviously, that story never came about.

Up Close With Judd Winick

Judd talks Titans and more at wizarduniverse.com: The 'Green Arrow' scribe opens up on 'Titans,' the ins and outs of superhero marriage and Oliver Queen’s being an complete idiot.

You were originally supposed to write Batman & the Outsiders, not Chuck Dixon. What happened?
I decided to do Titans! I can only juggle so many books. We were talking about the relaunch and [DC’s VP/Editoral] Dan [DiDio] and I started talking about bringing back the original team. The more I thought about it, the more story I could see. It just got to me. So, one title had to go, and it was a good time to hop off. I miss Outsiders, and I miss what we would have done with Bats at the helm. But there’s only so much stock for the soup until it tastes like water.

Working on Titans, are you intimidated by the Marv Wolfman/George Pérez stuff?
Yes it’s intimidating, and I get past it with how I usually get over my fears. Medication, alcohol, crying jags! I’m kidding. I try real hard to tell a good story, and we let the chips fall. I see this as honoring the characters I love.

Will there be any nods to their run in your book?
It’s all nods. But just wait for the swimming pool scene.

From what we’re hearing Aqualad/Tempest will not be featured in the book. Why not?
I’m gonna take the fifth on Tempest. Sometimes silence says more. Capice?

Who would be your dream character to write?
DC comics-wise, I’ve done them all. But I suppose getting a longer term crack at Superman is something I’d love to do. And I will say that I miss Exiles. I love that book.

Read the full article here.

First Look: Titans #1

Comics Continuum has posted some first looks, including TITANS #1, which is hitting the shelves Wednesday, April 9th!

Also of interest to Titans fans will be the preview for Booster Gold #8, which features the return of Pantha in an alternate-future storyline. She's not back for real, but they do reveal her real name for the first time!