Zak Penn, screenwriter of such big budget films as X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Incredible Hulk, and Marvel’s The Avengers, is bringing his own brand of superhero action to Avatar Press with the upcoming series, Hero Worship, co-written with Scott Murphy (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and illustrated by Michael DiPascale (cover artist of Crossed, Lady Death, and War Goddess). We’re happy to provide the below interview with Penn, but first, let’s show you a glimpse of the new series, available now for retailer order and set to debut in July!

Superheroes began on the comic page, but are now big screen mainstays. As a screenwriter and director now launching a new comic book series, you’re almost doing it in reverse. What prompted you to tell your latest tale, Hero Worship, in comic book format?

I’ve always wanted to work in comics, I’ve just been sidelined by my film career. When Scott (Murphy) pitched me the idea for Hero Worship, it seemed like the version that would be closest to the vision we had for it would be in comic book form. Before it got turned into something different, it would be nice to see it executed exactly as we imagined, so that no matter what happened we would have something tangible to hold in our hands and say “This is what we wanted to create.” Unless you write and direct, movies very rarely afford you anywhere close to that creative control.

How did the idolization of superheroes become the focus of your first comic series?

It’s a cliché, but ideas really do find you. Scott’s idea for Hero Worship fell into my lap at the right time. Also, I have tried in the past to get some comic book work off the ground, but it never seemed to fully come together. Credit William (Christensen) and Avatar for making it happen.

For the films and television shows you’ve developed, the scope has frequently been very far-reaching; “epic” would fit their description nicely. How would you describe the scope of Hero Worship?

Hero Worship starts on a pretty small, personal level, which is partly what was so appealing about the pitch. The character is a real kid, some of the specific references to his life in Los Angeles are based on the kids that I mentored through the Big Brothers program, and I think that’s a great place to build from. But the story expands in a pretty epic way, so I think we’ll end up on the same scale as some of the stuff I’ve worked on.

How did you choose to bring your new creator-owned series to Avatar?

William Christensen kidnapped my dog. I get him back after I publicize the comic. Also, Avatar has a reputation for giving you unlimited creative freedom, which they did. Plus, Scott and I both really liked the Warren Ellis stuff they were putting out.

How would you describe Zenith, the central figure of the series’ idol worship?

I don’t want to give too much away, but Zenith is absolutely not what he appears to be. The book is very much about the way people see what they want, they find the patterns that are comforting to them, but life is much messier than that. Zenith is an example of just how messy life can be.

Who is Adam, the “everyman” of Hero Worship?

The paradox of creating a good everyman is that you need to make him as singular and unique as possible. Specificity is essential. As I mentioned earlier, we based Adam on some real kids; he is the product of mixed race parentage, street smart because he needs to be, but his life is no picnic. His family life is dispiriting. He’s not socially inept, but his obsession with Zenith is where he has invested all of his emotional energy, and that limits how involved in the day to day world he is. The book has a fairly minimalist style, we want a lot of detail about Adam to come about as the story unfolds, but we really tried to create a character who lives in the real world.

To craft the story, you’re partnered alongside Scott Murphy, a writer of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. How would you describe the collaborative process in putting the story together?

Have you ever seen War of the Roses? Scott is a volcanic personality, prone to fits of rage and madness, and then the next moment, will nurse some abandoned kittens back to health. It was my job to rein him in. Also, we did a lot of brainstorming. Seriously, though, Scott and I are very much on the same wavelength and he’s probably one of the easiest people to get along with you’ll ever meet.

Speaking of collaborations, many of the scripts you’ve worked on have shared credits with other writers. Is the collaborative process something almost mandated by the industry, or is it something that you’ve found helps build a stronger story?

Both. Many times when you are credited on a movie with other writers its because you’ve all been hired separately; you rewriting them or vice versa. But I have also chosen to work with a number of different people – Mike White, Simon Kinberg, Werner Herzog, and Scott Murphy, of course – because I thought it would be more fun, and the intersection of our abilities would produce something better.

What are your thoughts on the artwork of Michael DiPascale, whose interior and cover illustrations are bringing the story of Adam and Zenith to life?

We wanted someone who could make the real world feel real, and the action feel big. Michael’s work is crisp, clear, and incredibly naturalistic, but also cinematic. He also is an economic storyteller in his own right, which was essential. One day, I hope to be as adventurous with the form as some of my comic book idols, but this book begged for clarity and focus. Michael brought that to bear.

Have there been particular comic book series, storylines, or creators that particularly influenced your interest in the superhero genre, and if so, which ones?

Obviously, given the work I’ve done, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, (Steve) Ditko, (Chris) Claremont and (John) Byrne; I grew up on Marvel Comics. Frank Miller as much as anyone; that was the first time a comic book seemed truly cinematic to me. There’s so much silence in his work, so little omniscient narrating; his run on Daredevil might have been the first time I started thinking about the form as much as the content. Alan Moore‘s Watchmen was one of those books that I read and reread when it came out. Incredible.

But I must say that (Mark) Millar and (Brian Michael) Bendis completely changed my thinking about the superhero genre. Those two made superhero stories seem real to me. Millar’s Ultimates run, and Bendis’s Powers and Alias books reinvigorated my interest in superhero stories. The 90’s were a decade that made me stop reading superhero books. Those guys brought me back.

I’ll just add, as a bit of arcana, that I absolutely loved the What If comic where Korvac destroys the Avengers, and then the universe. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve run into that cite that issue as something they could never get out of their head.

If you’re visiting the Avatar Press website, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’re awesome. Truly, truly awesome.

But beyond that undeniable fact, you’re probably a devout supporter of Avatar Press (and its sister company, Boundless Comics) and would like to see Avatar sweep up a ton of recognition at this year’s Bleeding cool Fan Awards!

And heck, even if you would rather vote for some nominated non-Avatar project as the recipient of a Fan Award, we’d understand. All we want is for comic fans to raise their voices and support the Bleeding Cool Fan Awards, however they might vote! Want to know how? Check out below!

Votes can be cast in two ways, both available through the dedicated award page at Bleeding Cool. You can click off your votes on the website itself, and also Tweet your vote by clicking the “Tweet” link. That’s right — you can vote twice!

The deadline for voting is Tuesday, May 22nd. Once all voting has been tallied, the winners will be announced at Phoenix Comicon on Friday, May 25th, at 6:00pm, in room 132BC of the convention hall.

We hope you exercise your right to vote!

Bleeding Cool, the premiere source for breaking news and gossip in the comic book industry (www.bleedingcool.com), announced today the nominees for the second annual Bleeding Cool Fan Awards, to be voted on by the website’s extensive fan community and awarded during the Phoenix Comicon in two weeks.  Selected by site founder Rich Johnston, the nominees for the twenty award categories reflect the website’s most trending topics spanning the first half of 2012, a mixture of topics that range from the industry-shaping to the most controversial and sensational.

The list of categories and nominees can be found below. Please be sure to visit Bleeding Cool’s official announcement for Rich Johnston’s flavorful descriptions of each category!

BEST MONTHLY-ISH COMIC OF 2012 SO FAR
Prophet
Journey into Mystery
Supurbia
Amazing Spider-Man
Ferals

BEST COMIC WRITER OF 2012 SO FAR
Brandon Graham
Dan Slott
Kieron Gillen
Scott Snyder
David Lapham

COMIC-BASED FILM/TV OF THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS THAT WE COULD WATCH WITHOUT SHAME
X-Men: First Class
The Avengers
The Walking Dead
DC Nation Shorts
Captain America

In addition to today’s launch of Dan the Unharmable #1 by David Lapham and Rafael Ortiz, Avatar Press shipped three other great titles today, available at fine comic shops everywhere! We are happy to share the below previews with our dedicated fans.

Presenting a preview of Crossed: Badlands #5 by Jamie Delano and Leandro Rizzo:

Presenting a preview of Dicks #4 by Garth Ennis and John McCrea:

Presenting a preview of Ferals #5 by David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade:

David Lapham‘s industry credentials are too numerous to list, but Avatar fans know him from some of our hottest titles of the past few years:

Crossed: Family Values.

Caligula.

Crossed 3D.

Ferals.

Crossed: Psychopath.

His work at Avatar Press is helping to guide the company to a new level. But all the while, as he was diligently working on these numerous projects, there’s been one project that he’s been painstakingly developing and mapping out, an ongoing series that holds a very special place in his heart. That project is Dan the Unharmable. And tomorrow, the first issue of this bloody crime story finally hits stores.

To set the stage, we proudly share the first few pages of issue #1 below!

Dan the Unharmable #1 introduces a bohemian slacker, a man without direction or moral convictions… who just happens to be completely invulnerable. “I had this idea, what about a guy who just couldn’t be hurt? Bullets, fire, drowning, whatever… nothing can hurt him,” says Lapham. “And what if that extended to the psychological? Dan doesn’t get riled up if you call him any horrible thing that you can imagine. You can’t insult Dan’s mama, or dare him to do things. Dan’s just chill. So extending from that, I entered a situation that Dan can’t ignore. Four orphaned kids, their mother brutally murdered in the style of a classic Hollywood murder – even the most hardened man couldn’t ignore this.”

Featuring interior and cover artwork by Rafael Ortiz, Dan the Unharmable #1 will be available tomorrow in comic shops with three variant editions available for purchase.

Dan the Unharmable #1 Regular Edition
Diamond Item Code: MAR120783
Retail Price: $3.99
Cover artwork pictured above

Dan the Unharmable #1 Retro Edition
Ask Diamond Item Code: MAR120785
Retail Price: Ask your retailer!
Cover artwork pictured left

Dan the Unharmable #1 Wraparound Edition
Ask Diamond Item Code: MAR120784
Retail Price: $3.99
Cover artwork pictured below

Every year, the first Saturday in May marks a celebration of comic book culture, as comic shops spanning two continents open their doors to the curious and adventurous public, welcoming them to sample their goods for free! It’s Free Comic Book Day, and this year’s big celebration takes place on this coming Saturday, May 5th. While Avatar Press has not submitted a Free Comic Book item itself (thus sparing thousands of children from getting their all-too-eager hands on mature titles like Crossed and Ferals), your favorite comic book publisher (that’s us!) is certainly getting involved in the experience!

If you haven’t heard, our sister company Boundless Comics has offered its first-ever Free Comic Book Day item, Lady Death: The Beginning, which features a script written by Mike Wolfer (Stitched, Night of the Living Dead) and Brian Pulido (creator of Lady Death), with artwork by Marcelo Mueller. This 40-page introductory issue includes the original Lady Death Premiere and #0 issues, which re-introduce the beloved femme fatale for a new generation. The book features a gorgeous new cover by artist Jason Eden, plus a back-up story featuring War Goddess, an explosive warrior-women-versus-evil-monsters series (that you should be reading, naturally) by Mike Wolfer and Gabriel Andrade.  It’s free and it’s fantastic!

There’s a high demand for Lady Death: The Premiere.  As reported by William Moulton of Mile High Comics, customer pre-orders on Lady Death are running neck-and-neck with comics from such distinguished publishers as Marvel Comics and DC Comics! You’d better watch out, Johnny DC and Marvel Zombies, we’re gunning for ya!

Also in Free Comic Book Day news, Avatar’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Keith Davidsen, will be making setting up at Collectors Corner in Baltimore, MD, for most of the day. He’ll be representing the Avatar line at the store, answering fan questions, and generally introducing new mature readers to the wonders of Avatar Press. Furthermore, he’ll be decked out in Crossed face paint, just for good measure! If you live in Charm City, make sure to swing by Collectors Corner at 7911 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21234, and say hello! We’re sure that Randy Myers and the crew at Collectors Corner will be thrilled to see you!

Everyone have an enjoyable Free Comic Book Day!

The title really does say it all, doesn’t it?

Avatar Press is headed to Alberta for Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo (let’s just call it Calgary Expo for convenience’s sake), and we’re bringing some of our top-notch talent with us!  Beginning on Friday, April 27th, and running through Sunday, April 29th, Stampede City will host the pop culture convention at the BMO Centre, and Avatar Press (alongside sister company Boundless Comics) will be setting up at Booth #622.  If you live in the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, or are willing to take a road trip through the lovely Alberta countryside to Cowtown (yes, I am pulling out all the stops with Calgary nicknames), come join us!

Just to reinforce our awesome line-up of guests:

MAX BROOKS

Author of The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z, and The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
(Plus some incredible Avatar projects currently under top-secret development, so hush!)

MIKE WOLFER

Writer/Artist of Stitched, Night of the Living Dead, and Gravel
(Plus War Goddess and Lady Death from our awesome Boundless Comics imprint)

JACEN BURROWS

Artist of Crossed, Neonomicon, Crossed: Badlands, and Chronicles of Wormwood
(Uhm… Max and Mike had a second line, and we wouldn’t want Jacen to feel left out)

Avatar Press proudly announces that the Zak Penn, the accomplished screenwriter with a half dozen superhero film credits under his belt, will launch his first-ever comic book series, Hero Worship, in July 2012. The six-issue miniseries will be co-written by Scott Murphy (screenwriter of Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and feature artwork by Michael DiPascale.

Hero Worship introduces the ultimate celebrity, an indestructible superhero called Zenith, and the rabid fans that worship him. These legions of adoring admirers follow every disaster, trying to speculate where they can catch a glimpse of their modern messiah – even risking their own lives in the process. But what happens when one fan’s unhealthy obsession leads to the development of powers all his own?

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about Zak Penn bringing his debut comic project to Avatar,” says publisher William Christensen. “Zak is an incredibly gifted and inventive writer, and Hero Worship is a fresh perspective on the entire genre. It’s slick and innovative, taking risks like every great Avatar title should. Let the other Brand-X companies tell the same-old, ‘Guy-in-Tights-Punches-Another-Guy-in-Tights’ stories; here at Avatar, Zak’s got the freedom to blow all the doors off their hinges.”

Zak Penn began his career as a screenwriter when selling his first script, Last Action Hero, at the age of twenty-three. Since then, Penn’s name has become synonymous with big-budget superhero films, predominantly those based on Marvel Comics characters: The Avengers, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, Elektra, and The Incredible Hulk. His first foray into television, the critically acclaimed Alphas, debuted in July 2011 on the cable channel Syfy and is set to enter its second season shortly.

Penn is joined in this creative venture by Scott Murphy, a writing partner whose work on Star Wars: The Clone Wars provides the perfect frame of reference for working with iconic characters. The series’ luscious, painted art style is provided by Michael DiPascale, whose artwork has long graced the front covers of Avatar Press (and sister company Boundless Comics) publications, including Lady Death, War Goddess, Crossed, and Night of the Living Dead, among others.

Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer (Lady Death, War Goddess) continue to expand the world of Stitched with tomorrow’s release of Stitched #4. The horror series, originally conceived by Ennis as a movie treatment, follows six soldiers through the Afghanistan desert as they evade small bands of undead war machines and the black magicians who are their vicious masters. Like the three-issue story arc that launched Crossed: Badlands, Stitched has been slowly building the terror in each issue, as the soldiers’ journey across the unforgiving landscape sheds more light on dark secrets better kept in shadows.

We’re happy to share a preview with you of this issue. Just wait until you see what’s waiting for the troops once they start their descent into the Afghanistan canyons after this scene!

Interestingly enough, if you know Ennis’ previous work, there’s evidence in this issue that he still maintains his love affair with the “303″ Lee-Enfield rifle. Longtime fans might remember that Ennis wrote a series called 303, published a few years back by Avatar Press and featuring a pre-Crossed collaboration with Jacen Burrows. In Stitched #4, the 303 once again makes an appearance, with Barclay conversing to his British SAS soldiers about the value of the weapon. It’s nice when a theme comes back ’round.

Stitched #4 will be available tomorrow in comic shops, with the following cover variants (all by series scriptwriter and artist Mike Wolfer) available for purchase.

Stitched #4 Regular Edition
$3.99, Diamond Item Code: JAN120892

Stitched #4 Gore Edition
$3.99, Diamond Item Code: JAN120894

Stitched #4 Wraparound Edition
$3.99, Diamond Item Code: JAN120893

Welcome to New Comic Wednesday! Today, comic shops across the globe will offer the third issue of CROSSED: BADLANDS, including the final chapter in Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows’ opening story arc for the series.

In CROSSED: BADLANDS #3,the Crossed hordes have finally tracked down Ian and his band of ragtag survivors in the snow-covered Scottish Highlands.  Burdened by the elements, armed with their last few bullets, and distrustful of one another, these survivors don’t have much hope of survival.  Still, Ian presses on… to a bloody finale that will tear at your heartstrings.

CROSSED: BADLANDS #3 is written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Jacen Burrows.  Today’s releases include three variant covers, all illustrated by Burrows himself:

CROSSED: BADLANDS #3 Regular Edition
$3.99, Item Code: FEB120783

CROSSED: BADLANDS #3 Torture Edition
$3.99, Item Code: FEB120784

CROSSED: BADLANDS #3 Wraparound Edition
$3.99, Item Code: FEB120785

Enjoy our preview of BADLANDS #3 below!

But just because the Ennis & Burrows story is coming to a close, don’t think for a second that we don’t have thrilling new CROSSED adventures ready to share! In just two short weeks, legendary writer Jamie Delano (Hellblazer, Rawbone, Narcopolis) and Leandro Rizzo will deliver the first chapter of a new bloody BADLANDS arc, featuring three groups of survivors set on an explosive collision course in the Florida Everglades. BADLANDS is your source for bi-weekly extreme horror!

And if a bi-weekly publishing schedule is not enough for you, then you can enjoy our weekly CROSSED shenanigans over at CrossedComic.com, where Si Spurrier and Javier Barreno kindly serve new online installments to their long-form epic, WISH YOU WERE HERE, every Thursday. Tune in tomorrow for the latest madness to pour out of Si Spurrier’s mind!

We’re happy to share two previews with you, showcasing Avatar’s two titles hitting store shelves for the first time today!  First up, we present FERALS #4 by David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade:

Next, we are happy to present the preview of DICKS (COLOR) #3, by Garth Ennis and John McCrea!

Yesterday, the Horror Writers Association held its 25th annual Bram Stoker Awards, recognizing superior achievements in horror writing. The 2011 awards consideration marked the first-ever inclusion of the category “Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel.” The contenders included:

• Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol (First Second)
• Locke & Key Volume 4 by Joe Hill (IDW Publishing)
• Green River Killer by Jeff Jensen (Dark Horse)
• Marvel Universe vs. Wolverine by Jonathan Maberry (Marvel)
• Baltimore Volume I: The Plague Ships by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden (Dark Horse)
• Neonomicon by Alan Moore (Avatar Press)

From this fine list of projects, Alan Moore was recipient of the award. In absentia, Alan Moore’s acceptance was read with good humor by award presenters Scott Edelman and Rocky Wood:

If I may, I’d like to strike a sour note from the onset with regard to my unfathomable and near pathological aversion to awards. I’ve witnessed far too many good and valuable creators make awards a measure, either of themselves or of their craft, and suffer subsequent inertia or derangement. If they fail to win one they become unbearable in their own eyes and if they win one they become unbearable to everybody else. Aged just eleven I was made Head Prefect at the primary school that I attended in Spring Lane, thus ruinously altering my personality. Berserk with power I became tyrannical and autocratic in my duties as milk-monitor, and personally believe that I was a short step away from unexplained mass graves on the school playing field and a tight-lipped appearance in a glass box at some paediatric version of the Haag.

Perhaps as a result of this, in later life I find I have a tendency to shun awards and, while appreciating the good will they represent, to get them out of my immediate environment as quickly as is possible. I’m currently residing in a sterilised and strictly accolade-free zone, with one unique exception. This, it hardly need be said, is the Bram Stoker that I had the honour of receiving in 2000 for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

One might ask why this is the sole survivor of a cull that saw its fellow statuettes, certificates and once, I promise, a container of Bart Simpson bubble-bath which had a sticker with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ printed on it covering the barcode; that saw all of these consigned to history. Firstly, and least importantly, I’d have to say that the award is in itself a piece of art, a beautiful creation that I never tire of looking at and handling. Secondly, and crucially, there is the provenance of the award to be considered. The Bram Stoker is, to me, a priceless token of appreciation from a group of people for whom I have limitless respect and admiration, these being my fellow workers at this darkest of all coalfaces. The landscape of imagination, and especially it’s less hospitable far boundary, is perhaps the most important human territory of all, and so to feel acknowledged by a lineage of fine writers which extends from the Great Old Ones of the past to the still unrevealed giants yet to come means more to me than I can readily express.

As is often the case when one’s work crosses personal boundaries, I spent a long time in fretful deliberation over Neonomicon and six months after finishing the work was still uncertain as to whether it was good or even publishable. These doubts dwindled at first glimpse of Jacen Burrows’ wonderfully controlled delineations, both unflinching and meticulous, and have vanished entirely on receipt of this remarkable award. To all of you, thank you so much for this. You’ve made an unkempt and increasingly bewildered old man very happy.

The acceptance speech went over extremely well with the crowd, inciting laughter and applause at all the right moments. You can view the entire Bram Stoker Award ceremony online. The graphic novel portion of the Award ceremony can be found between 1:10:00 and 1:17:20.

On C-Day (this past March 14th), Avatar Press launched the new, ongoing Crossed: Badlands print series in a simultaneous launch with CrossedComic.com‘s own Crossed: Wish You Were Here webcomic. If you love Crossed and can’t get enough of its edge-of-the-seat violence and drama, you’ll want to make sure you follow both series! While Wish You Were Here posts online weekly on Thursdays, Badlands runs on a bi-weekly print schedule. As such, today is the release date of our second Badlands issue, and we’d love to share the following preview with you.

Badlands reunites creator Garth Ennis with his original Crossed creative partner Jacen Burrows (the artist extraordinaire whose previous project was the critically acclaimed Neonomicon) for a tale of desperate survivors struggling to evade the roving homicidal hordes among the Scottish Highlands. In this latest chapter, tensions rise between the survivors, and tough choices need to be made. What will they do when a survivor steals from the others? Or when a pregnant girl’s impending labor threatens to slow their escape? Also, issue #2 reveals more from the brooding hero Ian’s past, and what terrors shaped his views on survival in this post-apocalyptic world. It’s a heart-wrenching, personal tale!

Crossed: Badlands #2 comes available in multiple cover variants, giving the fans freedom of choice. This week’s releases are listed below. We’ve also presented thumbnail images of each cover below, which you can click on to see the various artwork.

Crossed: Badlands #2 Regular Edition
$3.99, Cover by Jacen Burrows
Diamond Item Code: JAN120883

Crossed: Badlands #2 Torture Edition
$3.99, Cover by Gianluca Pagliarani
Diamond Item Code: JAN120884

Crossed: Badlands #2 Wraparound Edition
$3.99, Cover by Jacen Burrows
Diamond Item Code: JAN120885

The Avatar Press convention season is in full swing! As we speak, our worker bees and talented creators are preparing for some of the biggest comic shows across the country. Where will you be when Avatar comes to town?

After last week’s appearance at WonderCon alongside superstar writer Max Brooks, Avatar is turning its attention to Seattle. That’s right, we’re headed to the Pacific Northwest’s most spectacular pop culture event, Emerald City Comic-Con (3/30 – 4/1)! We’re shipping out two top-level talents to represent the company: Mike Wolfer and Jacen Burrows! Sure, you know all about these two… but we’re going to tell you about them anyway! Jacen is best known as the atmospheric illustrator of Neonomicon and Crossed: Badlands. Mike is the creative powerhouse behind a string of Avatar titles (like Stitched, Gravel, and Night of the Living Dead), as well as a key creative force at sister company Boundless Comics!  Get ready to talk about great comics, because these guys are known for their great fan service.

Want to learn more about our appearance at Emerald City? Check out our ECCC convention page for show details and our list of exclusive merchandise, and feel free to explore the wonders of our special Avatar Emerald City 2012 V.I.P. Set!

Two weeks after Emerald City, we return to that city we know so well: Chi-Town! Yes, the boys are back in town, as Avatar Press sets up in its own backyard at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, otherwise known as C2E2 (4/13 – 4/15)! Jacen Burrows will make an appearance at the show, ready and willing to chat with dedicated fans and curious newcomers about his vast body of Avatar work. Also, we’re proud to announce that painter Michael DiPascale will be on-hand to show off his stellar cover illustrations (Crossed, Lady Death, War Goddess), some amazing pieces that will quicken your heartbeat.

For full disclosure on C2E2, including info on our exclusive merchandise, check out this link. Also, explore our Avatar C2E2 2012 V.I.P. Set, a huge amount of swag for a thrilling value price!

So we asked ourselves, should we show off the interiors of Dan the Unharmable #1? Well, it couldn’t hurt. Get it? “Couldn’t hurt?” “Unharmable?”

Okay, so that wasn’t the most inspired bit of humor ever (puns rarely are). But if you do want solid storytelling, fascinating characters, and the kinds of unpredictable plot twists that only David Lapham can deliver, you should check out the Dan the Unharmable preview below!

Avatar Press will offer different cover editions of each Dan the Unharmable issue, providing fans and retailers with freedom of choice. All cover artwork for issue #1 will be provided by series artist Rafael Ortiz.

DAN THE UNHARMABLE #1 Regular Cover Edition
$3.99 SRP, Diamond Item Code: MAR120783

DAN THE UNHARMABLE #1 Wraparound Cover Edition
$3.99 SRP, Diamond Item Code: MAR120784

A lot of people think that the Avatar crew have horror rattling around their brains every day of the week.  It’s not true.  We like science fiction and fantasy, crime and Westerns.  Some days, our staff even gets in touch with their feelings by gathering for chick flicks and rom-coms.  …Ah, who are we kidding?  Avatar is the new home for horror, and Wednesdays are our day to unleash new terrors on the world!  If you like werewolves that tear people to itty bitty pieces, or weaponized zombies animated by black magic, then you’ll want to visit your local comic shop and ask for the following fine products!

FERALS #1 Auxiliary Edition

FERALS #1 Auxiliary Edition
Retail: $3.99, Cover by Gabriel Andrade
Diamond Item Code: FEB120802

Gabriel Andrade (Lady Death) has been tearing up (literally) the Ferals series, his artwork creating a believable yet unpredictable landscape for terror in David Lapham’s werewolf epic.  Here, Gabriel shows us just how bad-ass Dale Chesnutt is!  Our hero, morally ambiguous and ready to fight… the lady in his life, a victim of a morning mauling… and the creature who stalks and vindictively kills the citizens of Cypress.  If you haven’t ready Ferals yet, here’s another chance for you to begin Lapham and Andrade’s monster-piece.  And if you’ve read it before, then the Auxiliary Edition may just be a cool new cover for your Avatar collection!

STITCHED #3 Auxiliary Edition

STITCHED #3 Auxiliary Edition
Retail: $3.99, Cover by Mike Wolfer
Diamond Item Code: FEB120797

We’ve said it before: Mike Wolfer is a master of modern horror.  From his work with combat magicians on Gravel, to his creepy contributions to the original zombie epic Night of the Living Dead, to the dark fantasy and macabre majesty of Lady Death, he’s a writer and artist steeped in spine-tingling storytelling.  Stitched, his artistic collaboration with Garth Ennis (Crossed: Badlands), is just the latest in a long line of horror successes for Mr. Wolfer!  In this issue, readers discover more secrets to the black magic that animates the dead in Afghanistan… and how these corpses-turned-undead-weapons may be scattered throughout the desert, ready to strike at the whim of sadistic slave traders!

It’s the day you’ve all been waiting for.  Crossed: Badlands!  Crossed: Wish You Were Here!  Crossed: Get Infected!  Crossed EVERYTHING!

The cornerstone of today’s global celebration of extreme horror is the much-anticipated in-store release of Crossed: Badlands #1, a bi-weekly series written by creator Garth Ennis (Preacher, Hellblazer, Stitched) and illustrated by his original creative partner on the Crossed series, Jacen Burrows (Neonomicon). The first three-issue story arc sees the first reunion of these two superstar creators in the Crossed universe since the end of their original series back in 2009 (which can be read in the collected Crossed Volume 1 graphic novel). Their new tale is moody, atmospheric, and emotionally heart-wrenching, described by Ennis as taking place at a time “when the tricks and risks of survival become second nature, and people are starting to wonder what they’re surviving for.” The main character, Ian, roams the Scottish Highlands with a small band of survivors, avoiding roving Crossed berserkers and wrestling with the memories of his wife’s tragic death.  There’s a beautiful balance to the storytelling, with subtle and simmering dramatic tension interspersed with short bursts of the violence and action you’ve come to know and love from Crossed. Enjoy the following preview, and then strike out to your local comic shop to pick up the issue!

Building upon today’s C-Day release of of Badlands #1, Avatar Press has proudly debuted the first-ever episode of Crossed: Wish You Were Here, the new ongoing webcomic written by comic writer and novelist Simon Spurrier, with artwork by Javier Barreno (who returns to the Crossed universe for the first time since his work on Crossed Volume 2: Family Values).  The first episode of Wish You Were Here went live this morning at the website CrossedComic.com, and new episodes will be posted online every Thursday for years to come!  It’s the first-ever “long form” Crossed epic, introducing a wide cast of characters who are tired of running from maniacs and masochists.  They’ve made a sanctuary on the remote island of Cava, cautiously watching for roaming predators and finding themselves often at odds with one another. “Apart from the random and sporadic attacks by roving packs of insane nutbag human predators,” explains Spurrier, “these guys have a lot of time to think, to fret, to freak-out. There’s the eternal danger of daydreaming. The danger of losing hope. The danger of getting bored (and the attendant danger of looking for trouble). There’s just the horizon, and the terrifying things lurking just beyond it.”

Want to check out Wish You Were Here from its very start? Click on the below graphic, and the internet will take you right to it!

If you’re a Crossed fan, you might remember a little diddy that Avatar published last year called Crossed: Psychopath, written by David Lapham (Stray Bullets, Ferals) and illustrated by Raulo Caceres (Captain Swing).  In keeping with the running theme of all-around awesomeness for March 14th, Avatar is proudly releasing the third volume in its graphic novel series with Crossed Volume 3: Psychopath, collecting the seven-issue miniseries in its entirety.  Psychopath is truly disturbing tale of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a deranged man who infiltrates a tight-knit group of survivors, fooling them into thinking he’s like them.  But Harold Lorre is not like them.  He’s not even like the Crossed.  He’s something so much worse.  Horror fans will be amazed at how deep inside a killer’s mind they will travel, as they learn each of Harold’s perverse pleasures and vengeful schemes.  Care to give it a try?  We’ve included a preview of it below!

As if that wasn’t enough, here’s a quick rundown of our other Crossed happenings for today’s C-Day celebration!

Crossed: Get Infected, a special sampler comic, introduces new readers to the Crossed universe by re-printing the original Crossed first chapter from 2008! Written by Garth Ennis with art by Jacen Burrows, Get Infected will be available worldwide at retail locations today!

Hundreds of retailers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have stocked the Crossed Survival Kit for today, an assortment of Crossed promotional items designed to maximize comic fan awareness and drive sales for area retailers. Your local comic shop may very well be handing out cool little giveaway items like buttons, temporary tattoos, and face masks!

Over two dozen comic retailers have entered Avatar’s C-Day Retailer Contest!  These stores will be celebrating the launch of Crossed: Badlands #1 in their own unique ways, vying for the position of World’s Greatest Crossed Promoter!  If you live near to any of the below store locations, you really should visit their stores today and enjoy the festivities, which may include costume and art contests, outrageous displays and decorations, and even grotesque (but delicious) baked goods!  (Events vary by location!)  The list of participating retailers is below, and you can find full store contact information and addresses by clicking on our Bleeding Cool link here.

• Vigilante Press (Chicago, IL)
• Third Eye Comics (Annapolis, MD)
• Samurai Comics – Central Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ)
• Samurai Comics – West Valley (Phoenix, AZ)
• Samurai Comics – East Valley (Mesa, AZ)
• Runch Comics (Vienna, Austria)
• Rubber Chicken Comics (Bellingham, MA)
• Larry’s Comics, Inc. (Lowell, MA)
• Jetpack Comics LLC (Rochester, NH)
• MaximuM Comics (Las Vegas, NV)
• MaximuM Comics (Henderson, NV)
• Quest Comic Shop (Carrollton, GA)
• DCBS – Discount Comic Book Service (Fort Wayne, IN)
• Giant Robot Comics (Dartmouth, NS)
• Cup o’ Kryptonite (Des Moines, IA)
• Comic Oasis (Las Vegas, NV)
• Pittsburgh Comics (McMurray, PA)
• Alternate Worlds Comics & Games (Cockeysville, MD)
• OK Comics (Briggate, Leeds)
• Collectors Corner (Baltimore, MD)
• Velvet Underground Comics (Las Vegas, NV)
• Darktower Comics & Collectibles (Chicago, IL)
• Black Cat Comics (Salt Lake City, UT)
• Orbital Comics & Collectibles (London, UK)
• Inter-Comics (Online)
• A Comic Shop (Winter Park, FL)

All in all, it’s a huge day to be a Crossed fan!  If you love horror, if you love terror-filled tales that are uncompromising in their content, if you love brilliant creators like Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows, then join Avatar Press and thousands of retail shops worldwide in the glorious celebration of C-Day!

Talk about an aggressive convention schedule!  Avatar Press will be setting up at tons of shows across the United States and Canada in 2012, and we’re kicking off the year next week with a trip to sunny California for WonderCon (March 16-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center).

Conventions can be pretty overwhelming at times, with thousands of comic fans pouring into the hall like zombies in a Romero flick.  At WonderCon, it’ll be a good thing that Avatar will be bringing Max Brooks, the author of the best-selling books The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z, to face the hordes!

Max Brooks will be signing at the Avatar booth during the weekend (Friday at 12:00pm-2:00pm, and Sunday at 11:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-2:00pm).  Those time slots will be great opportunities to pick up a variety of ZSG and WWZ merchandise, enjoy adding his hilarious personalized messages to your autograph collection, and pick his brains about the upcoming World War Z major motion picture starring Brad Pitt (although we’d advise against the “picking his brains” part literally, since he is highly skilled at killing the undead).  Also, Max will bring his fan-favorite Zombie Survival lecture to WonderCon on Sunday, March 18^th, starting at noon in Room 204.  Come prepared with questions… and prepared for awesomeness!

Avatar Press will also be offering a handful of variant comics exclusive to the show.  First, from David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade, Avatar presents the WonderCon exclusive edition of the chilling werewolf epic: Ferals #1 WonderCon Edition.  Also, from their sister company Boundless Comics, they will offer the Lady Death #14 WonderCon Daily Event series: individual Friday, Saturday, and Sunday editions, each with a unique cover design, plus a complete set of all five covers (the three daily variants, plus the rare VIP and Retailer Bonus editions).

For more information on Avatar’s plans for WonderCon, please visit our WonderCon page.   We have also posted information online regarding our other upcoming convention appearances, including Emerald City, C2E2, Calgary, Phoenix, and more.  Visit our convention page to discover our guest list, convention exclusives, and V.I.P. admission ticket-with-merchandise packages.

Prepare to leave your local comic shop today with a huge score of Avatar Press comics! This week’s new comic releases include DICKS COLOR EDITION #2 by Garth Ennis and John McCrea, FERALS #3 by David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade, and STITCHED #3 by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer.

DICKS COLOR EDITION #2 by Garth Ennis & John McCrea

DICKS COLOR EDITION #2
Retail: $3.99, Covers by John McCrea
Diamond Item Code: JAN120889 (Regular), JAN120890 (Offensive)

You will not believe what Garth Ennis and John McCrea have in store for you with their second, wild issue of the newly-colored, totally re-mastered DICKS series!  Behold the outrageous antics as Ivor gets another visitation from the angry ghost  of his dear, departed Uncle Shuggie, Dougie discovers a terrible truth about his foul-mouthed infant son, a shadowy sniper tries his best to assassinate the pair of would-be investigators, and our boys from Belfast come into a box full of bouncing powder (that’s cocaine, folks)! Plus, our illustrious hosts Ennis and McCrea present a lost tale of young Dougie and Ivor, as they were just wee, obscene lads dodging the bully named Big Billy on the playground!  It’s an origin story with the same attitude, the same violent behavior, the same level of glorious, crude humor… only shorter characters!

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FERALS #3 by David Lapham & Gabriel Andrade

FERALS #3
Retail: $3.99, Covers by Gabriel Andrade
Diamond Item Code: JAN120896 (Regular), JAN120897 (Gore), JAN120898 (Wraparound)

David Lapham continues his vicious re-defining of the werewolf genre!  As the existence of the Ferals is slowly uncovered, Officer Dale Chesnutt discovers that evisceration and disembowelment has become the new status quo in his quiet town of Cypress… and finding a way to keep the internal organs inside his chest is turning out to be a lot harder than he thought!  Lapham and Andrade have developed an incredible survival horror series that brings the reader to a new place full of blood and gore.  Available with a by series artist Gabriel Andrade.

STITCHED #3 by Garth Ennis & Mike Wolfer

STITCHED #3
Retail: $3.99, Covers by Mike Wolfer
Diamond Item Code: DEC110864 (Regular), DEC110865 (Gore), DEC110866 (Wraparound)

The crew of a downed American Blackhawk and the SAS team who they were charged with extracting begin their long walk through enemy territory. But no soldiers have ever faced adversaries quite like the ones who wait in the Afghanistan desert, twisted remnants of tortured human corpses reanimated by black magic and intent of murdering every living thing within their grasp. As the mystery of the Stitched deepens and their attacks come more unexpectedly, a few tantalizing clues to their creation begin to unfold, but it’s a truth that’s almost too unbearable to believe.

This just in! The judges of the Ghastly Awards, which honor excellence in horror comics, have announced the 2011 nominees as chosen by writers, artists, and other creators in the comic book industry. This year’s nominations include the terrifying CROSSED 3D graphic novel, as well as artist extraordinaire Jacen Burrows (Crossed: Badlands, Neonomicon).

CROSSED 3D, by writer David Lapham (Ferals, the upcoming Dan the Unharmable) and artist Gianluca Pagliarani (Wolfskin: Hundredth Dream, Ignition City), has been nominated in the category of “Best Original Graphic Novel.”

Ghastly Award 2011 Nominees for Best Original Graphic Novel

Crossed 3D (Avatar)
Flesh & Blood (Monsterverse)
Black Fire (Archaia)
Deadworld: Last Siesta (IDW Publishing)
Dear Creature (Tor)

Meanwhile, Jacen Burrows has been nominated for “Best Artist” specifically for his work on last year’s NEONOMICON miniseries. As fans can attest, Jacen’s phenomenal talents have been developing by leaps and bounds for every project that he tackles, as evidenced by his huge stack of Avatar Press work (including the original Crossed series, Chronicles of Wormwood, 303, Scars, and many more).

Ghastly Award 2011 Nominees for Best Artist

Jacen Burrows – Neonomicon (Avatar)
Gabriel Rodriguez – Locke & Key (IDW)
Riley Rossmo – Green Wake (Image)
Neil Vokes – Flesh and Blood (Monsterverse)
Garrie Gastonny – The Vault (Image)

The 2011 judging panel consists of Decapitated Dan, Lonnie Nadler, Steve Banes, Mike Howlet, and Mykal Banta, all of whom are leaders in online horror media. The Ghastly Awards are named for acclaimed comics creator “Ghastly” Graham Ingles, with 2011 marking the first year for the awards. The winners will be announced on Saturday, March 31st, 2012.

Avatar Press is proud that its publications have been considered and nominated by the full breadth of creators in this industry, and are happy its nominees are among such good company in the categories. We congratulate David Lapham, Gianluca Pagliarani, and Jacen Burrows for the industry’s recognition of their exceptional talent, and wish them luck!