New Swierczy Comics, and a Question

Just a little reminder that Immortal Iron Fist #19 is available today in comic book stores everywhere. It's the third part (of four) detailing Danny Rand's brutal struggle against the creepy dude with the monster in his throat. If you've been craving a little Fat Cobra in your diet, you might want to check this one out.

Also out today: a reprint of Wolverine Annual #2, in case you missed it the first time. It also makes an excellent Halloween present.

And now for that question: I was kicking around the idea of doing posts where I'd annotate my comics a little. No spoilers, just some DVD extra-type material, explaining why I made a particular choice, sharing a bit of trivia, revealing what #$%@! really stands for, etc. Any interest? I know I'd want to read something like this... but then again, I have strange ideas about things.

Let me know in the comments below, okay?

Parenting Will Kill You

A few updates from the nerdery:

Cable #7 is out tomorrow, and it's the first issue of the next story arc, "Waiting for the End of the World." (CRB has a preview right here.) At left, however, is the insanely fucking cool Richard Corben zombie variant cover. I love Corben's work. I'm very fond of zombies. This makes my day.

Also, the hardcover edition of the first Cable arc, Messiah War (formerly known as "War Baby"), is now available at comic shops everywhere. Amazon also has it at a fairly sweet discount. There's a trade paperback edition out in early January 2009, but why wait?

And finally, I just learned that last week's one shot, Wolverine: Roar, is sold out and headed for a second printing. Thanks to everyone who picked up a copy last week!

One-Shot Times Two

Those one-shots I've been yapping about for a while now—The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California and Wolverine: Roar—hit comics shops yesterday. Oddly enough, I was actually in California yesterday, but didn't have time to pick up any copies until today. And my holy goodness do they look awesome. Forget the words and crap; just check out the art. Giuseppe Camuncoli's "cinematography" (check the credits!) in Death Queen is cool, sexy and kinetic. Mike Deodato, meanwhile, brings to life the gruesome little horror movie I've had in my mind for years. I'm so lucky to have been paired up with these gentlemen.

Also, let me not be a douche who doesn't tip his hat to the colorists, who also knocked these suckers out of the park: Paul Mounts, in the case of Death Queen, and Val Staples with Wolverine.

This may seem odd, but I don't see the finished versions of any comic I write until the day it's published. Sure, I see the color art as it comes in, and I proofread a black and white .pdf of the lettered version a few weeks before it ships. But release day is the first time I see the whole thing come together. And that includes the cover. (I was surprised to learn that Wolverine: Roar was actually titled Wolverine Annual #2.)

Hope you guys enjoy these if you have a chance to pick them up.

Yapping and Roaring

Over at CBR.com, Dave Richards and I chat about Wolverine: Roar, the one-shot (with art by Mike Deodato) that's out next Wednesday.

And earlier in the week, I yapped with Peter Jaffe over at Comixology.com about next week's Immortal Iron Fist one-shot, Cable stuff, and a bunch of other assorted topics. The podcast is available for the downloading right here.

Swierczy's Double, Orson Randall's Threesome

There's a short feature at Marvel.com highlighting my next two comics, both of which drop on the same day (September 24): Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California and Wolverine: Roar. There's also a slew of preview pages, which include the kinda kinky panel you see above. (I think it's kinky; the Bride looked at it and just thought it was weird.) Both are oversized issues (34 pages each) and self-contained stories, which means if you're new to comics, you can pick up either of one of these issues and not worry about back issue muss and fuss. Because I know that's what's been holding you back.

Also in the Me, Me, Me Department: Brian Lindenmuth posted his very kind Severance Package review over at Bookspot Central. It's so kind, I don't even mind he dredged up the whole "not living up to his potential" stuff from earlier this summer.

Fall Begins with a Roar

There are some preview pages of my upcoming Wolverine one-shot, "Roar," (with art by the amazing Mike Deodato, Jr.) over at MajorSpoilers.com. The basic idea for this story has been kicking around my head since high school. I even took a stab at writing it as a horror novel back in sophomore year of college (at which point the working title was the fairly pretentious Sound at the Edge... see what taking Creative Writing will do to you?). Like most of my novel attempts back then, it ambled along for nine or ten pages before sputtering out like a wet cigarette. It sat in the back of my mind until a year ago, when I was offered the chance to write a Wolverine story. Then suddenly, it clicked (or, snikt, as it were) into place. You never know when an old idea will suddenly sit up and demand attention.

(One) Shots Ring Out

By sheer chance I have three oversized, one-shot (i.e. self-contained) comics out this September. Originally, the King-Sized Cable Spectacular was going to be two issues, until my editor Axel and I decided it was better to give readers the story in a single blast. (It's also not a bad place to jump on, if you haven't tried Cable yet.) Wolverine: Roar was the second comic script I ever wrote, and it's been hanging in the wings, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California (cover art at left) is the newest of the lot, and follows in the fine Brubakerian and Fractonian tradition of offering up an untold tale of one of the previous Iron Fists. Fans of 1920s Hollywood, Black Mask and beautiful ladies—looking at you Bill Crider—will probably dig this one.