Mini Battle Men.... Know how to Party

new Mini Battle Men panel by Zees Moreno...

the Ultimate Gift for a true Comics geek

 If you've got a hardcore comics nerd in your life and want to get him a gift that'll make him slap his mama,  but don't quite wanna mortgage your house to do it, you could drop a couple Benjamins on 75 Years Of DC Comics: The Art Of Modern Mythmaking, 720 pages of pure comics history... from the arrival of that kid from Krypton, to the peak of the Hollywood Superhero boom (yeah, they got Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan in here), this joint covers it all. I snagged a massive dump of review pages off'a CBR below, so go nuts

start the Day off Right w/ Jay Electronica

Good Morning. Here's A Million in the Morning, by the mighty Jay Electronica, inspired by the documentary of the same name...

Power Man and Iron Fist "Watchmen" rap circa 1985

Found this while doing research for the Luke Cage tribute issue. Yeah, it's bad, but I know some of you like to pass around bad viral videos. so here you go...

Start the Day off Right w/Sol Messiah, Stahhr, Sa-Roc, Mike Flo, Ekundayo, and Skippcoon

To quote my dude Goldi (I swiped this youTubery for this Sol Messiah joint Afrika off his blog) "Look! Throw this on your blog. Say it's dope. Then actually listen to it. You'll feel like you're psychic for doing it!!"
Now, to be fair, I did listen to it first, but yeah, it's dope.

Shadoweyes in Love cover art

 

Here's some cover art process work from one of my absolute favorite artists in the world, GhettoManga Award-winning cartoonist Ross Campbell. This piece is for the cover to Shadoweyes in Love, the second volume of his OGN* series about a teenage vigilante turned teenage MUTANT vigilante... no ninjitsu, though. Or turtles... At least not yet. Where was I? Oh Yeah... so peep some more process art and the final cover artwork below. As usual, there will be some random meandering on my part as well...

unpublished "Orc Stain" pages

As I mentioned in a previous post, that dude James Stokoe is putting together extras for the Orc Stain TPB*, and has been leaking some of the goodies (including the cover shown here). I figured I would also share these unpublished story pages from Longscar's Heat, (a story he said will NOT appear in the book), because I'm such a nice guy...

PREVIEW: "Salimba" by Steve Perry and Paul Chadwick

I just stumbled upon this on the internet, and now I hafta have it! There's a paperback dropping next month from a small publisher called About Comics that collects a little-known 80's comic about Salimba, a "jungle woman, fighter, protector, and goddess" who rolls with sabretooth tigers and defends the unspoiled land of Osha-Kamir from monsters, pirates and zombie apes. Did I mention it was by late animation screenwriter Steve Perry (Thundercats) and Eisner Award-winner Paul Chadwick (Concrete)? Well, yeah... it is. Here's some random pages I snagged from the internet

New Firebreather #1 and Firebreather movie dropping Wednesday

Wednesday is a great day for fans of Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn's awesome monster superhero comic Firebreather. Not only will they be able to sashay into comic shops and buy the first issue of Firebreather (Vol 3) #1, but they'll also be able to kick back and watch the Firebreather animated film on Cartoon Network. And you should feel pretty lucky right now, because you're gonna get healthy spoiler-free previews of both below.

don't miss the "Young Justice" double-sized debut this Friday on Cartoon Network!

I'm Mad busy today, but I had to take a break to post this...

Start the Day off right w/ Awkword & The People's Champs

Got this song The People's Champions in my email yesterday. Pretty tight... listen to the track and get the Sales Pitch below...

Jean Grae + RJD2 = DOWNLOAD THIS

This RJD2-laced track Bridge (featuring Jean Grae at her most feminine) is off of an upcoming Year of the Blacksmith mixtape.

PREVIEW: Stan Lee's Starborn #1

Maybe it's just me, but I'm thinking Khary Randolph freaking BODIED the art on this joint! I can't wait to get my hands on this comic. Of course, I'll have to wait, since this book doesn't drop until after Christmas, but this preview below looks pretty good.  
Here's the Sales Pitch
The most colossal creative force in the history of comics, Stan Lee, teams up with BOOM! Studios to deliver a brand new line of superhero comics, marking Stan's explosive return to the direct market! Stan joins with critically-acclaimed writer Chris Roberson (iZombie, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Dust to Dust) and fan-favorite artist Khary Randolph (Spider-Man) to present Stan Lee's third, epic new ongoing series, Starborn! Benjamin Warner is a failed fantasy novelist, always dreaming of far off worlds and exciting adventures. But when a familiar face reenters his life, and devastating trouble follows, Benjamin learns his rejected stories weren't fiction but memories of his home planet! Benjamin's forgotten past comes crashing down around him as he finds himself at the center of a galactic war and is forced to face the truth that he is not of this world! With a cover by fan-favorite artist Humberto Ramos!.

PREVIEW: Misty Knight's "Blood on the Street" series conclusion

Misty Knight and crew have apparently been getting the worst of it in the conflict against the ninjas of the Hand... I haven't been reading this, but it looks decent.
Here's the Sales Pitch and a preview.
It’s the chilling climax for the odd squad of Misty Knight, Paladin, Silver Sable and The Shroud! The unlikely quartet believe they've uncovered the real villain behind the mob murders. But the truth is even more shocking than they realize! To lay a trap for the death-dealing ninjas, the four fearless fighters must execute a daring plan, coming together to face off against The Hand...and one of them must face an ugly truth! Don't miss this explosive, dark and bloody conclusion.

PREVIEW: Klaws of the Panther #3

 I bought Klaws of the Panther #1 the last time I went to the comic shop and really enjoyed it. The art by Gianluca Gugliotta, was good enough, and I have said before that I'm a fan of series writer Jon Maberry. When I go into the shop, I will probably buy the second and third issues. I have a few preview pages below.In this preview, there's a sequence taking place in Brooklyn with art by Pepe Larraz that looks pretty cool...

"Brown Study" is Stores NOW!

If you've been hanging around here very long, you know I loves me some Boog Brown. So you might also figure out on your own that I'm happy to report that Brown Study, her collabo plate w/Apollo Brown (no relation) is in stores now, waiting to separate you from your hard-earned scrilla.

Now Playing: "Assassins" by Laelo Hood

I was in the mood for some music to fuel my ghetto paranoia while I do some freelance work, so I was very satisfied to come upon the blues vocal-enhanced track Assassin from Inner Loop Records recording artist Laelo Hood. Son gets his ghetto revolutionary on quite nicely, and is accompanied on the track by New York underground emcees Akir and Mr. Hawkins, who both rock the mic right as well.

PREVIEWS: Silver Surfer and Orc Stain TPB by James Stokoe

Peep some hyper-detailed Galactus and Silver Surfer art by James Stokoe (of the mighty Meathaus collective), who has a five pager in Marvel's Strange Tales II #3. I've been checking this dude out for a minute. He takes detailed art to an almost masochistic level. I bet he gets hand-cramps like you wouldn't believe...

Need a West coast education? Go to MED school

Some of you may not be familiar with Oxnard, CA emcee Medaphoar. well, I suggest you get familiar...MED has nice flows and only seems to work with dope producers (Just Blaze, Oh No, Babu, Georgia Ann Muldrow, Madlib, Diamond D, Dilla). He delivered some fire via this Bang Ya Head III mixtape... Enjoy it with my compliments to the chef, fammo!

PREVIEW: King City #12 by Brandon Graham

If my clandestine sources on the internet can be believed, Brandon Graham's urban fantasy, the dark yet whimsical opus King City, will come to a close next week, with the release of King City #12. If you haven't read this ghettoManga Award- nominated comic yet, it sure as hell isn't MY fault! I've done my level best to make you guys believe a cat can fly... or something. Eff the spoiler-alerts or whatever! LIVE a little and peep this preview, why don'tcha?!?

"Mini Battle Men" joins GMQ Lineup!

I'm happy to inform you that Zees' sci-fi comedy webcomic Mini Battle Men will make it's print debut in the GhettoManga Sweet Christmas Special, which we are feverishly assembling at this very moment...

Jay Electronica + Jay Z + Dream = DOWNLOAD THIS!!!

"Me and Puff, we was chillin' in Miami, he said 'Nigga f*ck the underground, you need to win a grammy, for your mama and your family. They need to see you shined up. You built a mighty high ladder, lemme see you climb up.  Nigga, what you scared of? Terrorize these artificial rap niggas and spread love, pollen in their ear buds...'"
-Jay Electronica
I can't be mad at Jay for name-dropping Puff when he raps, if he's gonna spit dopeness. That's what we got happening on Shiny Suit Theory... oh, and Jay-Z's on there too...

Start the day off Right w/ Ransom

My homegirl SmoovArt sent me a link to this video last night on Twitter. I never heard of this dude Ransom before, but he's nice...

Preview- Southside Nefertiti: Fist of the South Star

So when is Type Illy Press's long-awaited graphic novel Southside Nefertiti: Fist of the Southstar coming out? When it's finished. That's another way of saying "I don't know"... but I can't stay mad, 'cause whenever I see the preview art, it's always gorgeous! Series creator, publisher and writer Mike Sales dropped a link with some new pages on my Facebook wall, so I'm happy to pass the love on to you!

"Enough Lines to fill Bill Nye's hard drive"

If you wanna listen to a whole lotta rappers who need Jesus really bad, peep this. Indie rap just like mom usedta make...

Couple Multiple Warheads preview pages...

Here's some in-progress artwork from a double page spread from Brandon Graham's long-awaited return to his post- apocalyptic werewolf romance comic Multiple Warheads. Rather than try to think of something pithy or ironic to say about the spread, I'll just let you look at it and meet anyone who wants to discuss it in the comments...

I heard Jay Electronica's on that Roc...

When I got up this morning, the web was on fire with news that GhettoManga Award-Winning emcee Jay Electronica inked a deal with Jay-z's Roc Nation. so I guess Hammer's dissing HIM next...

PREVIEW: Thunderbolts #150

I recently bought the last few issues of Thunderbolts, and I will admit I'm hooked on the book again. There is really a pressure cooker brewing on Luke Cage's team of ne'er do wells, and now we have an opportunity for some serious beef with Cage's fellow Avengers in the super-sized Thunderbolts 150.

happy Veteran's day

The Soldier by Samax Amen

Jim Mahfood & Justin Hampton art show this Saturday

 "SubSpace Art is proud to announce an exhibit of works from Justin Hampton and Jim Mahfood - AKA Food One. The exhibit will feature new works from both artists, widely known for their illustrative, poster, graffiti and comic-based art. Their collective images pull from a wide variety of popular and underground elements of music, visual art, comic art, manga and film.

PREVIEW: Grant Morrison's "18 Days"

 We all know comic book writer Grant Morrison (We3, Seven Soldiers, All-Star Superman) is on some other isht, but let's face it: he's one of the illest cats in the game! Here's some art from Morrison's lushly illustrated script book/story bible for 18 Days...

Start the Day off RIGHT w /Alkhemi Jones

It's been a while since I posted any new music from the lovely and talented Alkhemi Jones, but I think this Southern belle is loaded with musical talent, including a gift for outside the box rhyme-writing, and fresh vocal delivery. If this new song, Dreamin' is any indication of what she's got cooking, heads will definitely be talking about her particular brand of voodoo soon enough...

PREVIEW: Firebreather on Cartoon Network

I'm not the biggest fan of 3d animation, but as a big fan of Firebreather, The teen monster superhero comic by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn, I'm excited to see it come to the small screen...

Playdough rocking my "Gorgeous Destroyer" tee...

Playdough of the mighty Deepspace 5 crew has been one of my favorite emcees for years, even before I knew he lived in my area.

Speaking of Zees...

If you haven't checked out his smash-mouth webcomic Mini Battle Men, you're wack and it's all your fault!

Like Sunday Morning...

If I was a rapper, r&b or gospel singer, I would steal beats from this dude B. Lewis and make a bangin' ass mixtape...my dude Zees Moreno put me on to this dude, and all I can say is he sure knows his way around the boards...
I'm actually in the middle of listening to his free offering, La Semaine (literally, The Week)... can't give you much of a review, since I may never get past Day Two: When The Wise Men Fall, but I feel confident recommending it anyway. it is FREE, after all...

that new J-Live

I posted the video for The Way That I Rhyme f/Boog Brown last Friday, and just found out the record it's from, J-Live's Undivided Attention, is on Bandcamp, So you can listen to it free below

In Stores Now: Invincible #75

I'm always happy to find out someone finds a new book they like because of this blog, and my dude Mutantstar on Twitter is hooked on Invincible based on my raving about it (you're welcome). So if you, like Mutantstar, are catching up reading the trades, you may not want to check out this 5 page preview from Invincible #75. For everyone else, peep the sampling of this super-sized episode of TheViltrumite War storyline.

Start the day off RIGHT w/Brother Ali

 my Philly-bred big- brother- in-comics Jamar took a break from slobbering all over Kanye to turn me on to this dude Brother Ali. Dude is straight mustard*... no fast cars, no big booty chicks, no bullshit. Hard raps grown folks need not feel guilty for liking over beats that should move you... A winning combo unless you're in the mood for some dumb shit.

need inspiration to #makeComics? lookie HERE!

Ms Peel (and other sketches) by Brandon Graham-
yeah, I had a crappy day yesterday and needed some inspiration... then I woke up this morning and found a new Playdough mixtape and an encouraging email (that led to an even more encouraging phone call) from one of my favorite clients waiting for me. yay...