Studio-407 Blog

2012-01-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

STUDIO 407 APPOINTS
IVAN SALAZAR
AS
PR & MARKETING MANAGER

January 4, 2011 – Los Angeles – Innovative comic publisher Studio 407 proudly announced today the addition of Ivan Salazar as the company’s new PR & Marketing Manager. Salazar is joining Studio 407 as they gear up to unleash a bevy of new comic book and graphic novel releases in the coming year.

“We’re extremely thrilled to bring Ivan aboard to lend his marketing talents in a time where Studio 407 is looking to make some waves in the comic book industry,” said Managing Director Alex Leung of Studio 407. “We’ll be relying on his tenacity and ingenuity to really put our brand out there and make sure that our books get the huge marketing push they deserve!”

Most Recently the Marketing Manager at BOOM! Studios, Salazar was an integral part of the company’s power house marketing department, helping create and implement campaigns that captured the imagination of comic fans everywhere. Salazar was essential in the success of the “Stan’s Back” campaign which created tremendous buzz & speculation online, culminating in an internationally covered press conference with Stan Lee himself at Comic Con International 2010. The “Stan’s Back” campaign saw BOOM! debuting their highest selling #1 issue in the history of the company.

Additionally, Salazar also helped spearhead BOOM!'s Digital Initiative – helping to expand the publisher’s presence across top digital vendors such as comiXology, iVerse, Graphicly, Panelfly and mydigitalcomics.com. Salazar designed the branding on BOOM! Studios Comics App in conjunction with comiXology. At BOOM!, he most recently designed and managed a number of BOOM! Studios web comics including the RISE OF THE PLANE OF THE APES free online comic that tied into 20th Century Fox’s major motion picture release this past Fall.

Studio 407 Giving Gifts!

2011-12-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

STUDIO 407
GIVES GIFTS TO FANS
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

WIN ONE OF THESE FANTASTIC TRADES
& EVEN A STUDIO 407 T-SHIRT

'Tis the season for giving and Studio 407 wants to give our fans some great holiday gifts! That’s right, from now until the New Year you can win one of three fantastic trades and even a Studio 407 t-shirt!

Entering is easy! Friend us on facebook (facebook.com/theStudio407) and follow us on twitter (@studio407) and if you see #407GIFTGIVEAWAY “Like” or retweet us right away. This will automatically enter you in the drawing to win a free holiday gift from Studio 407. It’s that easy!

You could win a copy of the deep sea creature feature HYBRID, the mutant military survivor/horror NIGHT & FOG, or the scintillating supernatural saga SMUGGLING SPIRITS. Not to mention an exquisitely crafted Studio 407 t-shirt!

So be sure to “Like” and retweet whenever you see #407GIFTGIVEAWAY for your chance to win awesome prizes this holiday season!

Drawing the line at $2.99. Heh. Clever.

2011-02-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

So far, as of this year, DC has kept its promises on not raising their prices on their single issues. However, what we really wanted to know here at Studio-407 is this: does that really matter?

In the end, it is not only about our wallets, but also whether we believe that the price itself is enough to convince us to continue adding to our collection of single issues.

I have heard many complaining that why pay 3 or 4 bucks for something that they can just flip through in a few minutes and be done with it? They rather try to avoid spoilers online and wait until the trade paper back. Which is not only good for their wallets but also they won’t have to annoying (or eagerly, depends on that person) wait for an entire 30 days (granted no delays) just for the next story.

BUT, as soon as they say that, they end with: “ IF their stories were better, I wouldn’t mind. I would find some way every week to shell out 3 bucks for that particular issue. I can wait month after month, kinda like how a trailer amps us up for the movie.”

I thought about what they said and I find it very true. If one truly loves the characters and ESPECIALLY the way the story is written and plots are unfolded, we are more willing to buy those single issues.

Here at Studio-407, we believe heavily on plot and story. Yes, art is important, but people’s minds should be riveted when reading our original graphic novel. They should be able to leave wanting for more, or even, asking more of our titles to be single issues.

Here are some of our titles that came in both single issues and tradepaperback!

What do you guys think about pricing on single issues? And nowadays, with our economy and just the sheer number of people who even collect single issues, SHOULD comics even be monthly titles? Or having a trade paperback is better?

Studio-407 on Live Nude Geeks!

2011-02-02T04:58:00.000-08:00

Studio-407 is getting more and more popular. How you ask? Well for one, they end up being mentioned once a week on Live Nude Geeks on Geekscape.

I make my weekly presence on the show and talk about all things geek, from Studio-407 to Henry Cavill casted as Superman, the new Young Justice cartoon, flawlessly written and drawn Wolverine/Jubilee #1, to things not geeky, like my non-date date and what kind of men I'm into. Apparently, people in the nerd world really care, and I have no idea why. But I hope it amuses you to hear me freak out.

Here are a few things to look out for in our upcoming year with Studio-407:

Podcasts: whether it's me being cornered with questions, both about my love life and nerd world topics, or interviews with our writers and artists, stay tuned so that your ears are never bored.

Videos: Yes, our youtube channel will not only feature Studio-407 news but also booktrailers on our upcoming and already titles.

Signings/Conventions: Stay up to date through our newsletters on where we'll be signing and showing our lovely faces. Also, keep in touch through our facebook group page , facebook fan page and twitter.

Contests: Again, by keeping in touch with us, you'll know not only our upcoming titles but also enter to win PRACTICAL prizes. None of that useless crap that you'll probably throw away, we'll make you guys WEAR our prizes: t-shirts, hats, or even DRINK our prizes: cups, mugs.

Is there anything else you guys want from us? Rant below!

Comic Book Deaths

2011-01-26T05:03:00.000-08:00

So here at Studio-407, we not only publish our own comics, we also wouldn't be in this business if it wasn't for our love for comics.

From Marvel's Spiderman, Iron-Man, X-Men to DC's Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and all the way to the independents like Aspen, Image, Top Cow, BOOM! Studios, Archaia, IDW and others, comics have been a long loved medium that have been with us since the beginning of civilization (think pictographs from the Egyptians)

But with that lifelong love of comics that us fanboys have, we also have to deal with the ups and downs of our favorite characters. Whether it's alcoholism to domestic abuse, or the marriage of a god-like alien to a mortal woman, we celebrate and mourn along with characters that sometimes we forget are fictional. They affect our daily lives and even, sadly, to whether we continue our weekly emptying of our wallets to buy their titles.

As we can't avoid taxes, we also can't avoid death. And this week's huge news is the highly anticipated death of one of Marvel's beloved characters. The famous group Fantastic Four is now down to just three. As announced towards the end of last year, Marvel editorial made a decision to kill off one of their popular characters and make it stick.

That poor character was Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch. He went out fighting monsters and going through the Negative Zone. ( We don't know if he even went Super-Nova, he could have an we would never know). But as we read this, I know that many of us are thinking: does death even really matter in the comic book world?

I used to be saddened by the death of a character ( and sometimes still do) but a part of me rolls my eyes because I know: THEY WILL BE BACK.

As shocking as Captain America was being sniped and announcing him dead-dead ( I remember that even FOX news ran a story on it), he still came back.

Jason Todd, Batman's greatest failure, eventually wormed his way back into our lives. And let's not go there with Superman.

I can't help but wonder: why even bother killing off superheroes/villains? They'll come back sooner or later. Readers will soon become (if not already) numb to supposedly, epic-changing stories. We will stop taking comic book publishers seriously.

But even so, I'm proud to say that some publishers take death quite seriously. The founder and director of Studio-407 sure does. As an outside person coming into this company, I was very happy to read our titles and know that when a character dies: THEY STAY DEAD. (zombies is another story). I never once felt cheated by some cheap plot twist or even turn the pages with one eye open because, lo and behold, some previously dead character is back to taunt me.

The writers that work with us are fanboys themselves and understand how much it means when a death means just that: life no longer exists in any form. They give what they know the reader wants without any ulterior motive.

What do you guys think? Do you guys mind when a dead character comes back? Do you guys think that Johnny will be back? Do you think it's a coincidence that Human Torch is a goner around the same time Chris Evans is Captain America? Hm...suspicions, suspicions.

We miss you buddy......well for now.

Geekscape's pick for Best Comics of 2010!

2011-01-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

Geekscape (www.geekscape.net) picked Night & Fog Volume 1 as one of the Best Comics for 2010!

Read about it here:

http://www.geekscape.net/geekscape-s-best-comics-of-2010.html

I was so delighted when I was notified that we were picked. However, my jaw dropped when I saw that we were listed along with Green Lantern, Batman, Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour!

I'm super excited because as you saw last week, we have a new title every month, meaning, we're just upping our chances to outdo ourselves. Perhaps like DC, we can get more than one title picked!

HAPPY 2011!!!

2011-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2011!!!

As I type this, the new year has just begun and I'm super excited.

I don't know how well your 2010 went. For some of us, it was an amazing year and one that leaves us with hope that 2011 will be better. The rest of us had a pretty neutral or crappy 2010 and are looking forward to a brand new start.

Don't ever lose hope for a great new year, and even when circumstances seem down, have faith that it will be better and nothing is stronger than the human spirit. Sometimes, even when outside influences get us down, we can make the best of it. A great day, week, month and year can come from our own doing.

Much like how comic stories can be good or a bad, a new year springs joy from me due to the fact that I look forward for brand new stories, new writers taking on different titles, new characters being introduced, new plot twists, and new comic book films. Whether all of the said above will be good or bad, it will be something of a change.

Stay tuned next week on this blog for what's new and upcoming from Studio-407 and I leave with you a brand spanking new wallpaper from us that will brighten your new year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM STUDIO-407!

2010-12-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

and with that, here is a free gift from us!

Last Minute Comic Rush of 2010

2010-12-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

How many of you guys are rushing around still buying presents at the last minute? I know that I am, and like many of you, I struggle with what to get my friends and relatives.

No matter how well you know them, you still would like to get them a gift that not only delights them but also surprises them. Most people don't expect graphic novels and comic books in a genre that they like, so why not do that?

I know that sometimes we don't always order things on time and due to the weather lately around world being particularly bad (did you hear about the million travelers stranded in Europe?) we can't expect the items we ordered to arrive on time.

But no worries, I'm here to save you!

If you live in the Southern California area, Studio-407 is conveniently located here so that you won't have the agonizing wait by your door for the UPS/FEDEX/USPS man, when you can just get some of our wonderful original graphic novels straight from us!

And for those that are a little farther away, many retailers and comic shops that carry our title will be open special hours to accomadate the season. One in praticular near my house is even having a holiday sale and I'm sure that this isn't limited to just this one store!

Not really into graphic novels but a fan of us anyways? Or have that extra Christmas bonus to do rush deliveries?

We have an online store at Zazzle .

Here is a quick reminder of some of our great titles and with that I wish you all

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Stuff a stocking full of COMICS!

2010-12-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

It's December 1st!!! Do you know what that means?

2010-12-01T21:48:00.000-08:00

Here we are: the first of December. It pretty much much means two things:

The year is ending and a new year is coming. That can either make you very happy or very depressed.

The holidays are coming sooner than you think.

As Studio-407 tweeted towards the end of last week, Black Friday is usually when people make a mad dash to reward themselves for waiting an entire year to get that thingy-ma-bob that they wanted on a steep discount and/or start to stack up presents for the people that you love. Afterall, you can never plan too early for gifts.

I don't know what you want for the holidays, but for me, all I ask for is geeky/nerdy stuff. I'd be happy with anything, but if I had to narrow it down to a single genre, I'd say comics. Graphic novels. Tradepaperbacks. Sequential art. Whatever term you wanna use.

And what would I want to get for others? Unless it's something that I know that they absolutely love or relentlessly hinted to you for almost 11 months, I usually go with a comic book.

Why? Regardless of whether they "like" the comic art medium or not, they cannot deny that they come in all kinds of genre's, themes, motifs and what not. You are bound to find something that your friend or family member will like.

As you scour the internet for these such comics, Studio-407 is here to present some of those genres!

Sensitive about those being oppressed and seeking justice?

A best friend who adores Jeepers Creepers and other like horror? Yes, yes and yes.

The vampire craze is on. But not Twilight style. This one comes with a unique plot and great twist!

Know a Sin City and/or Hellboy nut? Well surprise, surprise....we have something in store for you!

A sister who has a love for the Walking Dead and/or Aliens the movie? Check.

Go to our site and take a look around first. We even have previews of the comics before you spend your hard earned on money them! See? Aren't we nice? Other than the ones listed above there are many more great titles that we have on our Studio-407 site! Maybe you'll find something like you, or something you know, would like that was not pictured above.

There really IS something for everyone! No? Don't want comics and just great merchandise? You are in luck, here is our nifty site for that! Click here!

So what do you want this holiday? Leave a comment below because I would love to know what you guys are thinking!

Things that I am thankful for

2010-11-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

Early Happy Thanksgiving everyone! (at least people who live in America. To all those that live outside of the U.S., Happy Thursday then!)

Tomorrow here in the United States is known as Thanksgiving. Many people have many different views on this holiday due to history, but to me, regardless of whatever the interpretations may be, it is a day that I take the extra time to remind myself how thankful I truly am with all the wonderful "little things" that are often over looked and taken for granted.

Other than being thankful to be working, having a warm home with people who care and love me, I have come to realize that the biggest thing that I take for granted everyday is reading comics.

Reading. Comics. Those two words together sound a bit ridiculous for this grand gesture that I'm making. But given some time and thought it's not just about reading comics.

I have the ability and eyesight (although I wear glasses) to see the pages. I can see color. I live in a country where certain comics genre and plotlines can be published. This same country also belongs in a world where illteracy is a huge problem and I blessed enough to have free public education where being able to read at least at a highschool level is enforced.

It is not just about what I can see and understand but also what I can feel. There is nothing like holding a comic book in my hand and feeling the soft wind ripple through my hair at each turn of the page. There is a certain disease out there (whose compliated scientific name escapes me at the moment) where select people cannot feel. It is sad that they cannot experience a touch from a loved one, the warmth of holding a cuddly animal that loves you, or the gentle roughness of a page in your favorite book.

Many publishers have found ways around people with disabilities such as audio-comic books. But even with that, there is nothing like experiencing another world with all the intended senses hard working comic book companies originally wanted for us.

Reading comics seems like such an simple thing that I do everyday that it has completely slipped my mind of what the bigger picture it represents. All that I should be thankful for.

I know that with our busy schedules and the bustle of everyday life, it hardly occurs to us to stop and remember all the wonderful things in our lives however big or small. When one stops to really count all the small things even, they really do add up!

So to make up for all those lost times that slipped by, take some time tomorrow (or right now) and make a mental (or even written list) of all that is good in our lives, review it in our brain and go about the rest of your week with a smile.

Feel free to leave a comment below of some of things that you guys are thankful for! Let's share!

Cheers! And Happy Thanksgiving! (For those that live in the U.S.!)

Studio-407 and EPICNESS

2010-11-17T22:35:00.000-08:00

With nearly a day left (or less) until the midnight release of Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part it got me thinking of epics (in the film industry. Not poems.)

The Harry Potter movie franchise is coming to an end with this new movie being part 1 of the last book. Harry Potter will be known as not only an award winning billion dollar novel franchise but also an epic story divided into 8 movies.

One of dictionary.com's definitions of the word epic is : heroic; majestic; impressively great.

Usually when someone says " oh it was an epic movie" or " The entire series of movies made an great epic" the first couple of film titles that come to mind would be the Lord of the Ring trilogy, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or even for a single film not in a series: Lawrence of Arabia.

A great as Inception was, it was amazing film but it is not as an "epic". Many films have epic moments, but few can really call themselves epics.

Everyone's favorite reliable source is wikipedia. When looking up the article of Epic Film, we find that

"An epic is a genre of film that emphasizes human drama on a grand scale. Epics are more ambitious in scope than other film genres, and their ambitious nature helps to differentiate them from similar genres such as the period piece or adventure film. They typically entail high production values, a sweeping musical score (often by an acclaimed film composer), and an ensemble of bankable stars placing them among the most expensive of films to produce."

I look forward to seeing an Studio-407 film in theater sometime in the near future and know that we have it takes to make an epic film, or even, a series of films that becomes one epic. But what title exactly?

Upon further inspection, I find that Heroes Unlimited would be amazing as a series of films. To further convince myself, I was taken to the Heroes Unlimited online comic preview and went to page 13 where instantly. I could picture this live action movie to feature this scene on an IMAX screen shown internationally around the world.

What do you guys think? And if not, what kind of films do you want to see Studio-407 produce? Leave you comments below! I want to read them! =)

Alright, off to get a good nights rest, after all, I dunno about you, but I'll be at the midnight showing of Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 1 and experience film history as this series come to a close.

Digital Comics and CBD!

2010-11-10T23:38:00.001-08:00

It's Wednesday aka Comic Book Day!

What titles did you guys pick up after eagerly rushing off of work to your friendly local comic book retailer? Leave comments below because I want to know!

Everywhere I go, I see billboard ads for the iPad. And it gets me thinking about digital comics. Or at least, comics being read digitally.

Whether you torrent them or purchase them online to be read, how do you feel about the move that all comic book publishers are making towards making them digital? The move is initiated by several factors such as price, all the space that comic books take up and the simplicity of being able to download them and carry them wherever you go. (plus, it is the age of technology afterall)

I breath comics, so I take them in any form that they come, yes, even audio book style. However, there is nothing like walking into a comic bookstore, breathing in the new book smell, picking up a 32 page issue in my hand, and flipping through them. The sensation of being able to hold something material in my hand is devoided when iIm scrolling up and down, pushing keyboard buttons, and zooming in and out on my monitor. Of course I can look at 2 page spreads and flip back to an earlier scene on my computer or iPad/iPhone, but I miss having an actual book in my hand. Plus, I'm super worried if I were to drop my iPad or the battery runs out. Won't have that problem when I have the "real" thing.

Whether you are old school or embracing the modern age of technology, I'm just grateful that comics are still around. The move towards the digital medium is inevitable, but do you guys think that paper comics will still be around 10 years from now? Let me know what you think!

Studio-407 is no stranger to publishing comics in the hard copy format and having them online all ready for you!

So pull out your iPad/iTouch/iPhone and get ready to download and read!

LBCC and Halloween!

2010-11-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

So how was your weekend guys? Please comment below and let me know!

So this weekend for us here at Studio-407 was crazy due to all that would be happening. The Long Beach Comic Con (next to the gorgeous ocean) took place at the same time as a ZomBcon (sadly, we have no time-turner and could only be at one place at once). But if you guys can go the next year, please do! A shout out to Brian Walton and Jonathan London of Geekscape who started the first real big ZomBcon.

There was also a fundraiser for Hero Initiative (a non-profit organization that supports comic book artists and writers.) and also Sunday night (Halloween!) was the highly anticipated Walking Dead series premiere on AMC. (Support comic book turns films and tv shows!)

Zombies and vampires are extremely popular with obvious reasons. Zombies (not just for their gore and horrific faces) can symbolize any sort of negative element in our life. While vampires, long before their sparkly days, was the reflection of the human soul, the part of us that was fascinated with darkness, lust, mystery, immortality, and mythology.

You can find zombie and vampire themed books, t shirts, mugs, merchandise anywhere, including here, at the lovely Studio-407 website!

The main problem that many of us find is that any sort of vampire or zombie story has already "been done before". But Studio-407 was commended by various readers and review sites as having to have written a vampire and zombie story that is unique and not been touched upon by other publishers.

Check them out for yourself and tell us what you think!

Night Projectionist

Night & Fog

Like what you guys have seen so far?

Night Projectionist is available by asking your friendly local retailer or going to comixology

Night & Fog is available at your local comic shop, comixology, and Amazon!

Comixology dreaming

2010-10-27T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know that the title of today's post is a play of a famous Mamas and Papas oldies song. =)

I just woke up from the most curious dream to type this. Earlier in the afternoon, I was having a migraine. I don't deal well with migraines and have absolutely no idea/admiration for those who can work through an entire day (amongst the busy office, ringing of phones, loud talking of people) and still manage to get their work done without stabbing a person in the eye with a pencil. (thanks SDCC of 2010!)

As someone who rarely suffers from headaches, this was a setback. Drinking plenty of water and napping usually cures me so that's exactly what I did. Most of the time, I just sleep, wake up and then go about my business, or sometimes I have a dream then wake up and totally forget about it a few minutes later.

But this one, was totally different.

I was stuck IN comixology. Much like.....Kevin Flynn in TRON. I had the same suit (but female version) of Sam Flynn's but instead of holding an identity disc, I had a round shaped comic in my hand. All around me, large (Phantom Zone-like) shaped comics were flying around my head.

There was no way out of this virtual world other than through "games" to survive. So basically, picture TRON, but with a comic book theme.

I was completely terrified and confused and then I startled awake about 20 minutes earlier than the alarm time I had set.

I got up to to go sit on my couch (where I'm typing now) to think about my dream, I realized two things of why my subconscious /dream world decided to mess with me:

1) Today is Wednesday! Therefore: Comic Book Day. And earlier in the the week, I had received an email message about when Studio-407's titles will be released on comixology.

2) Tomorrow night I will be going to a special preview screening (invited by a friend) to California Adventureland's elecTRONica. Basically, it's Disneyland and California Adventure all TRON themed out. There are preview pictures of it on google already and I am very excited. This is a limited time engagement only and will be for promotion of the new TRON: Legacy movie that comes out this December 17th! I think for a few months. I have been waiting for tomorrow night for weeks!

Now, it makes total sense to me about my dream, which I also hope will never, never, never happen. I don't know if I could survive that virtual world. But I do know that I can survive in the real world long enough because I love my comics, and Studio-407 will be releasing new comics every week!!! ( Some are already out) Go HERE!

10/20

Night Projectionist #1

10/27

Night Projectionist #2

11/3

Smuggling Spirits #2

11/10

Smuggling Spirits #3

11/17

Smuggling Spirits #4

11/24

Havoc Brigade #1

What is your passion?

2010-10-20T23:38:00.001-07:00

This weekend was a great reminder of what brings joy in my life and what my passion is. I had great plans to do alot of work (which of course involves movies and comics, therefore making me very happy). But on Friday I had a family related incident which involved an entire weekend sacrificed at the ER following a frantic 911 call.

I barely slept 2 hours a day for 5 days straight. With that, included barely eating. As I saw my immediate family member in such a fragile and critical state, I felt great sadness. And of course, it is a cliche that we hear that during moments of great trauma, we come to realize what important things in life are or even, have them reinforced.

To pass the time and to get my mind off of the current situation, I turned to my new smartphone for such distraction. Like muscle memory, I started checking up on comic book news, graphic novel sites. fansites with updates on Smallville, and wanting to see something familiar, I went to Studio-407's website.

As I took a quick vision break (I don't want to stare at an electronic device too long, my eyesight is bad enough!) I realized that I felt happier and a bit better, even if it would be for a short amount of time. I knew that my calming center in my life are comic books.

Obviously, if you are reading this, following us on twitter, being our Facebook friend and/or coming to see us at conventions, you already are a fan of comics. Like me, comics is a passion in our life, whether it is a career or simply a hobby, it is the interest in it it that brings a beam of shining light into our lives and a smile to our face.

I once tried everything I could to stop a friend from ending his life, when nothing could talk him out of it, I said the only thing that was left in my brain. Out of desperation I blurted: "If you end your life now, how will you know what happens in the Spiderman One More Day arc next Wednesday?"

Although trivial to some, this was a defining moment for him. And to this day, he keeps reading. Literally, Wednesday is Comic Book Day and it "saves" us in different ways.

Whether it is just an interest or a deep love, pop culture is something that resonates in us, and people of all ages, gender and race will and have experienced it.

Coca Cola is one of those examples and I fully believe Studio-407 will also be another one day.

As we gear up to bring you guys more of our wonderful books and products, keep in mind that comics is something that unites us to go to conventions and call ourselves nerds, but also a passion in our life that fuels us.

Other than comics, what else is your passion that fuels you? Leave your comments below! I want to read them.

And with that, I end this post with some of our great titles that are here/will be coming. May they fuel that love for pop-culture in all of you! Have a great and safe night!

Night & Fog ( November 17, 2010 TPB Volume 1) Amazon, Comixology and your friendly neighborhood comic book store!

Golem

The Spark

Hybrid

Night Projectionist

Smuggling Spirits

Forgotten 22

Change is coming!

2010-10-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

As we all know the key to survival or success is accepting change or at least, adapting to it. I'm not saying to sell out and just go with the flow or stubbornly believing that staying the same which "worked fine before" will make one's life or concept better. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Unique business plans have always been a recurring key element in success in Fortune 500 companies.

Take myself for example, I lived with a regular non-smart phone for the past 5 years. Before, that was great, but now, as my life becomes more busy and I depend on the internet for day to day needs, I've come to realize that I cannot survive without a smartphone much longer.

So after saving up some money and doing many months of careful research, I finally got the Droid X yesterday! In less than a day, I have noticed an increase of my efficiency. However with that, comes the fact that I am a total slop when typing on that virtual keyboard. I have skinny little fingers but for whatever reason, I always end up typing a sentence that could be an alien language. But to accept change, I have to learn to adapt by spending 30 minutes of my day typing notes to myself as practice in order to get to know my Droid X. I see this as a life long "skillset" that will help me in both my personal life and my business life. Ah, I have embraced change.

Basically, change is inevitable. Which leads to two exciting news for all you who read this blog. Blogging about Studio-407 every week from now on can only lead to so many topics such as our new products, our signings, what conventions that we'll be hitting up and etc. After awhile, I know that you readers will want to see something new.

I was thinking about putting up interviews with authors, artists, up and coming founders of new companies etc. Videos and podcasts are other ideas that have been floating around in my head. Please, comment below with suggestions! ( I know you guys read this and rarely comment! So step up and don't be shy!)

The other change is what Studio-407 is bringing to the world of comics. When saying the word comic books, most people will think of superheroes. But lately, with the success with Walking Dead ( which is now an AMC show that I'm very stoked about), Chew, 100 Bullets, Y the Last Man, Scott Pilgrim ( still sad that movie made so little) etc, people are beginning to see a change on their personal bookshelves at home. I see it myself actually. I grew up collecting all kinds of comics, but let's be honest here, mostly superheroes. But with an increase interest in Archaia's Mouseguard and aforementioned titles, people are in urge to try something new. And for those who are not down with change will eventually find themselves checking out several titles of non-superhero comics after hearing everyone talk about it.

NIght & Fog is hitting shelves November 17th and will bring a change to not only your local comic book stores shelves but also on your own shelves. As stated in way earlier posts, it has been adapted to a movie and also combines four of the Gothic classic elements: Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Invisible Man. Many publishers have done graphic novel versions of each individual title and/or did retelling of the story set in various eras, but only Studio-407 to date, have combined all four of the elements and made a graphic novel that is completely new.

The Night & Fog trade paperback can be yours by bugging your friendly local comic book store, ordering through Amazon or comixology!

Keep on collecting those superhero comics and expanding your shelves with many other non-superhero titles. Studio-407 will be expanding on comic book shelves soon everywhere. Don't say that you weren't notified!

Thursday comes comics!

2010-09-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll!

How was your Labor Day weekend? Now that we've all re-cooperated from it, our heads are now clear enough to remember that Thursday is Comic Book Day!

I don't know what's on your pull list but mines include a something from each comic book company out there, including Studio-407. But I know that alot of you guys have iPhones and iPads and so many of you guys are familiar with Comixology. If you guys aren't, you can create pull lists on there of the comics that you want and then be able to bring it with you everywhere you go on your tech! Pull one of our comics and I guarantee that you won't be disappointed!

Along with not only giving you guys the simplicity of Comixology, here is also the FREEBIE of the day! Remember, these are exclusive and many of the wallpapers are already taken down, so right and click and save while you can!

I freaking LOVE this one, the color scheme and design is amazing. And not your average wallpaper.

www.studio-407.com/downloads.php

Come and be a friend with us on twitter and facebook! And tell all of your friends too! And while you are pull-listing our titles on comixology, let us know what you guys think of our titles!!!

It's Labor Day Weekend!

2010-09-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's already Friday and that means that the long weekend has begun! I want to hear what you guys plan on doing this weekend!

What am I doing you ask? Before, I would be spending my Friday nights with John (Connor) and/or Clark Kent (via Smallville) but lately, I would be at a show called Comics and Comics where comedians talk about pop culture. And as a geek, my Friday night is complete because I feel surrounded by people that understand my nerdiness.

What about my friends? Many of my friends have the gift of gaming. and are spending their Friday nights with friends decapitating zombies, being a female elf, or shooting prostitutes. I wish I had that skill of gaming, I love videogames but I'm not really good at it. But I do understand for those that play their games on their PC and every once in a while they will take a break and then just stare vacantly at their computer screens.

They wouldn't be staring vacantly if they had more vivid wallpapers and screensavers! Studio-407 is here to save them from staring vacantly. For we have FREE exclusive wallpapers that will bring more color to your screen! And for all of you guys who are so devoted and reading this blog on a Friday night, this wallpaper is a reward for you too!

www.studio-407.com Scroll down to DOWNLOADS, click, and select Studio 407 from the drop down menu

So here you guys go!

Well, I'm off to start my long weekend and celebrate Labor Day!

One month away from the movie Let Me In

2010-09-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

Vampires are THE trend right now. Well, zombies first and now vampires. Although vampires have always been part of literature, it wasn't until Twilight that really got the world in a tizzy. Now, no matter what form of entertainment I'm sucked into at the moment, I see something about vampires ( and werewolves!). Turning on the t.v., I happen to watch a few moments of Vampire Diaries. And in England, they are watching Being Human, a show about a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf that try to be normal citizens in Bristol. Recently, SyFy has gotten the rights to make our American version of that show.

Then there is the new summer hit, The Gates, about a suburban community, much like Wisteria Lane, whose residents aren't who they seem. From witches, to werewolves to vampires, this show is quite the talk of this summer.

Then there's Tru Blood. Enough said.

And vampires in film? You already know that answer to that.

In books, more and more female authors are churning out stories about star-crossed lovers, a vampire always being involved and somehow an innocent human and among a few other supernatural beings. Females of all ages are buying those books up like kids at a candy festival.

But I hear the outcry of people who have loved vampire folklore and mythology years before Stephanie Meyer wrote the Twilight Saga. They miss how vampires used to be portrayed. Or rather, should be portrayed.

For those of you out there who love vampires and are the people that I just described, fear not! Studio-407 understands how vampires should be written. So we put together an awesome graphic novel that all of you guys should read: The Night Projectionist.

I won't spoil what it's about (also because you can scroll down and read my earlier blog entries), but Fangoria and Aint it Cool News gave the most amazing reviews. So if they took the time to check it out, you should too!

And here along with the link to the site, is our exclusive FREEBIE of the day!

Night Projectionist wallpaper!

You guys know the drill: Click, right click to save and then set as wallpaper!

800 x 600

1024 x 768
1280 x 1024

1600 x 1200

Let me know what you guys think about The Night Projectionist! Leave comments below!! =D

Wednesday has passed!

2010-09-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

I DID say that I will be blogging everyday ( or an equal of 7 days of blog entries =P ) so I will stick to that! Look for another update today!

I want to hear what you guys have to say about Diamond's announcement that starting next year, there will no longer be a delay in shipping comics when there has been a holiday! Instead, Diamond will be delivering comics to the stores on Tuesdays now to give a leeway/buffer time for holidays.

I am so freaking excited about this news! As blogged about earlier, this coming weekend is Labor Day, so comics won't be in until Thursday next week instead of our usual Wednesday. I usually get so bummed whenever I forget that the comics will be coming in on a Thursday instead and I have trekked all the way to my local comic book store with a happy heart.

What did you guys pull today for your comics? I want to know so please comment below.

I really love this new freebie that we are giving out and remember, get them while you can! I like the brilliant yellow color and it brightens up on my laptop! Remember, these will only be up for a limited time.

Just click, then right click and save! Presto! A brand new beautiful background for your eyes.

I love this new wallpaper so much that I think I'm gonna make it my background right now! Hurry! You should too!

It's Tuesday and the last day of August!

2010-08-31T23:48:00.000-07:00

The year flies by fast doesn't it? It's already the 31st of August and tomorrow will be September 1 which starts a new month!

With a new month starting, what could be a better way to begin it with Wednesday: Comic Book Day! Comic book day is upon us and I don't know about you guys, but I am super excited! I live for Wednesdays!

As promised, some new exclusive freebie will be posted each day until Labor Day!

Today's freebie is.....*drum roll please!*

Ta da!!! Introducing Studio-407's Night & Fog wallpaper!

Here are several sizes to accommodate you guys. Open it up to get your free goodie and right click and save!
Hurry! Because these are exclusive!

800 x 600

1024 x 768

1280 x 1024

1600 x 1200

Remember, you can pre-order Night & Fog on Amazon and also get it on comixology!

Happy one day closer to Comic Book Day!

Labor Day is coming!

2010-08-31T00:16:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! Sorry about missing two blogs last week. ( as I type this, I haven't slept yet, so it's still a Monday! No judging! =P )

But because of it, you guys will get double the goodness! I'll be blogging EVERYDAY this week. Yes you read that right. I will be blogging everyday until Labor Day, then revert back to the friendlier 3 days a week post!

With Labor Day coming, it means two things. First of all, as a reminder that comics will not be coming out on a Wednesday after any holiday. Instead, comics come out on a Thursday! Sometimes I get so excited that it's "Comic Book Day" and then I end up being disappointed when I show up at the comic book store only to discover that I had forgotten that there was a holiday! I don't want you lovely people to do the same mistake that I did!

And second of all, there will be an exclusive FREEBIE with every blog post! Yes, you read that right! A FREEBIE! Now, who doesn't like freebies?

I know how much we are glued to our computers and we are constantly trying to find new ways to spruce it up! So introducing this awesome wallpaper!

There are several sizes that you can choose from:

Right click and save while you can! These won't be around forever!

Happy decorating, catch you guys tomorrow!

Blergh! It's a Monday!

2010-08-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

And for many of you, it's another day where it marks the beginning of a work week. I hope that your Monday went better than mine! I had to suffer in a massive heatwave with no air conditioning AND * dramatic drum roll* NO INTERNET! I was cut off from the world!

But alas! It is all fixed now and I am happily sitting here typing to all of you wonderful people in the cool night of Los Angeles.

The night isn't over yet! I am here to give you guys a happy FREEBIE! Yes, you read it right: FREEBIE!

For all of you guys who don't know Comixology it is a wonderful site! And if you don't know what it is, I highly recommend you to scurry on over and click the link above. Check it out!

I am addicted to Comixology like kids to candy. You can create pull lists, check out what retailers have to offer, previews, reviews, podcasts, forums for us geeks to talk about what we love the most, updated news, and for all those iPad and iPhone users, you guys can get comics on your beloved devices too!

So speaking about the iPad and the iPhone, our FREEBIE of the day is Night & Fog #1 !!! And don't worry if you don't have an iPad or iPhone, you can still view it!

The Night & Fog that we showed off a couple of days ago was in black and white, but here we are in glorious color!

Looking for more Studio-407 stuff on Comixology? Search no more! Here is the awesome link:

http://www.comixology.com/digital/publisher/60-0/Studio-407

Perfect ending to a Monday night. This will hold you guys over until Wednesday where there will be more of my ramblings about comics, Studio-407 and maybe some more free stuff!

What do you guys think about reading comics on your iPhone and iPad? What did you think about Night and Fog #1? I am eager to hear your feedback!

I spend my Friday nights with John

2010-08-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Connor that is. Well I used to. Man, I miss that show, Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I was so sad that Fox canceled it. But the good news is that there is a direct to dvd movie coming out. At least, Brian Austin Green ( Mr. Megan Fox) who played Uncle Derek, said recently at a Sci-Fi convention.

There are more and more sci-fi movies than I have ever seen and not only that, alot of books and comics turned into movies. And speaking of movies, today is movie day! ( With the exception of the Star Wars movies that came out on Thursdays and some blockbusters that start on Wednesdays) Friday is often known as the start of opening weekend for new releases.

If you guys haven't already, from all the titles on our site, which ones would you want to see make it to the big screen one day? Who would you guys cast? I'm so curious to know what all of you guys are thinking! Leave comments below!!! I look forward to reading them!

Have a safe and wonderful weekend. And go watch a movie!

Wednesday is Comic Book Day!

2010-08-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

By the time you are reading this two things would have happened:

Either you just got back home from work or you just picked up your comics from your local friendly comic book store. If you didn't pick up any of your comics yet and are waiting for the weekend, have no fear, Studio-407 is here to tie you over until that day when you do.

Night & Fog is making some splash for those who didn't know. This article ( among many other sweet ones) is pure evidence

http://screenrant.com/comic-night-and-fog-movie-adaptation-robf-39684/

Can't get enough horror? Night & Fog is just one of the few horror titles that Studio-407 publishes.

The Night Projectionist

Forgotten 22

Hybrid

Golem

Our fiction titles include Smuggling Spirits for those who are fans of Frank Miller and Sin City.

Know someone who is a newbie into comics? The Spark is perfect for all those starting to get into comics and old collectors alike!

I know that you guys are wondering where to get our wonderful titles. Well you're in luck! Our titles are available on the iPad/iPhone, Amazon and your local comic book store! Visit our homepage for links and much more awesome stuff!

Happy Comic Book Day!

It's a typical Monday night....

2010-08-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

And that can only mean great two things

1.) The day that everyone dreads (due it being the beginning of a work week) is almost over

but more importantly

2.) One day down and one more day to go before it's Wednesday. That hump day of the week is better known as "Comic Book Day" ( as I, Jessica, have lovingly nicknamed it) because new comics are released at stores nationwide and become available online.

So I know that you guys have two very awesome questions floating through your head right now.

A) Who is this Jessica?

and

B) What comics are available from Studio-407 for us comic book lovers to read?

To reminiscence about the past where, as kids, proudly celebrated "backwards day", I will answer B first than move on to A.

Studio-407 is a company that boasts 35 amazing titles ( please check our website frequently to see more titles being added!) and many of which, are available on the ipad, iphone and in print!

Now there there is something for everyone, so no more excuses for those who can't find something that they would like to get sucked into!

Night and Fog takes place on the small island of Cape Sable off the coast of Novia Scotia, where it shares a Canadian Army Reserve Base. Unbeknown to the villagers, the reserve base is actually a front for the U.S. military black ops bioengineering testing facility. As scientists proceed in perfecting a super-soldier serum, a freak accident occurs, causing the serum to be released into the air and becoming a dense fog. The horror dawns on the people of Cape Sable as they realize the fog has a mind of it's own. It transforms all those in contact with it into terrifying creatures that represent every word of Darwin's famous coined phrase "survival of the fittest". For all you who love classic stories like Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you will not be disappointed with this thrilling horror title that allows the readers to struggle along with the survivors of the little village. Be there as the survivors discover that the creatures become more horrifying and unstoppable with every moment that passes.

Night and Fog's first 17 pages are already online. Stay tuned this Wednesday for more pages to come and if you really can't wait, Night and Fog is available online to purchase!

Love vampires? Who doesn't! The Night Projectionist will restore your faith in Gothic horror where vampires terrified us late into the the night. After a mysterious disease plagues the city of Kisilova, Hungary in 1707, a superstitious priest and his townsfolk exhume the body of Theodore Burak and his last heir Carmilla and burn them. But things go wrong as it leads to the destruction of the town and one of their own betrays them. Meanwhile in the present time, the city of Crosstown Falls hosts a Dracula-thon film festival. As horror loving moviegoers gather in the theater, vampires descend. They barricade themselves inside and struggle to survive from the bloodthirsty creatures outside only to discover that their night projectionist is also a vampire and the man who betrayed the townspeople of Kisilova is among them....

An amazing 51 pages of The Night Projectionist are available on our website right now! Now aren't we nice?

And one last goodie to end your Monday night. Western theme+ monsters+the devil himself = The Forgotten 22.

I know that your heads are spinning from all the wonderful comic storylines introduced to you, but before we end the night, let me answer question A. I'm Jessica, and I will be the one bringing you guys more Studio-407 updates, news, goodies, FREE STUFF and contests. I am pleased to be marketing such a great company whose potential I know that you guys are realizing from the titles alone, are endless.

Blog posts will be updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so check back frequently! Visit our homepage and register to be part of our mailing list on the upper right hand corner. I know that none of you guys will want to miss out on all the amazing things Studio-407 will be introducing to the world.

Don't forget that we're on twitter and become our facebook friend!

Have a great night and may it be filled with vampires and other creatures.

Smuggling Spirits and the Spice of Life

2009-02-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

The best thing about working for Studio 407 is the variety. Everyday, the Big Pencil and Lord Galactitron find new and exciting ways to make our jobs a thrill. For example, you never know what color lunch will be. Some days, it's baby-poop brown slop. Other days, it's dog-vomit green slop. And once or twice a week, the Big Pencil makes a big show of sprinkling Crystal Light into the vat of luke-warm water we drink from. Will it be Raspberry Peach or Tangerine Surprise? We never know until it happens!

Friday is a thrill because it's casual day, which means Lord Galactitron undoes our shackles and lets us walk the yard for a full fifteen minutes. Sweet freedom!

And Saturdays are best of all because it's Knight Rider day! Of course, we're not allowed tocactually watch television because the Big Pencil says it'll steal our souls, but he did have one of the artists make flipbooks of a couple episodes. Will we flip through "Knightmares" or "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R."? Who knows!

Speaking of variety, I wanted to tell you about a new graphic novel Studio 407 has in Previews this month. By now, you're probably used to our special brand of high-octane, glossy, full-color sci fi and horror. Well, now for something completely different.

It's called Smuggling Spirits, a moody, atmospheric ditty written by Ben Fisher and drawn up in Sin City-style stark black and white by Mike Henderson. Ain't it Cool News calls it "Road to Perdition with monsters." Here's how Studio 407 describes it:

Set in a nightmarish vision of the past where deadly monstrosities roam the shadows of Prohibition-Era America, Al Stone is a bootlegger who finds himself on the run when he inadvertently stumbles upon the bloody secret of the creatures' survival. As the beasts close in to take it back, Al and his young ward, Nathan, make their final stand in this blend of horror, drama, action and suspense.

Chilling! It's cool, smart and chicks dig it, or at least that's what I'm told. I haven't seen a woman in a while, given Lord Galactitron keeps all the foxy interns in a separate cage.

Order Smuggling Spirits now at Heavy Ink by clicking here.

Singing with Satan

2009-01-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

I went to my first karaoke bar the other night. It was a birthday party for the wife of a director I know -- one of those fancy, alternative types who uses a single letter for his name. This guy calls himself Y.

Anyway, I showed up at the bar with a gift for Y's wife (who uses several letters in her name). It was my left buttock cast in bronze. Despite the fact that this is considered a great complement in some cultures, it didn't go over so great with Y. Fortunately, the guy I came to the party with, Georgia Tom, is well-versed in Greco-Roman wrestling and was able to subdue Y so that I could take the stage for a quick rendition of "Man, I Feel Like A Woman!" by Shania Twain.

Things were going alright until Studio 407's Managing Director, Lord Galactitron, showed up and kiboshed the fun.

"Edgar!" he bellowed, grabbing the microphone from Bob Saget's daughter. (The Saget family was also at the bar, only not with us.) "What the hell are you doing making merry when Studio 407 needs its blog? Get back to your cave!"

Then he just yelled "Studio 407" again because he's always bugging me to include the name of the company in these blogs as often as possible and he probably knew I'd write about this.

I tried to unleash Georgia Tom on him, but Tom's wrestling skills were no match for Lord Galactitron who, thanks to years and years spent as a bikini jello wrestler, is no slouch in the ring himself.

Needless to say, I got my toys and went home as Lord Galactitron took the stage with some of his fellow evil dictators to sing "A Whole New World" from Aladdin.

What's the moral of this story? Well, it's that if you ever go to karaoke and you think your boss might be there, make sure to have access to a camera so you can post things like this as payback:

Speaking of being tormented by the forces of hell, this week I'd like to tell you about our new book Helix. It's the story of an exorcist who, due to a botched exorcism, is forced to absorb a legion of demons. Now he has their powers, which is pretty cool, but every time he uses them, the demons steal a little more of his soul. Dark stuff.

The book was written by Denis Faye, who proved with his indie book The Monocle and Jimmy Specs that he has a weird preoccupation with superheroes in desperate need of therapy. The art was done by Stefano Cardoselli, who some of you might know from 2000AD or Heavy Metal.

Helix is a quick read, but a good one. Check it out here.

Buy it here.

The Spark, Spider-Man and a nice bowl of dead squirrel

2009-01-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

The thing that bugs me most about the way "reluctant" heros are portrayed in comics is that they're reluctant in the same way that Studio 407's Editor-in-Chief, "The Big Pencil," is reluctant to eat roadkill. That is to say, they're not reluctant at all.

Take Spider-Man. Mind you, I love the web-slinger as much as the next geek, but issue after issue, on page 7 he'll be all, "I'm reluctant! I'm reluctant!" then on page 9, he changes his tune to "Should I wear my red and blue Spidey suit or my black one? Tell me, seriously, because I'm worried the black one make my butt look big."

These guys have all this existential angst and blah, blah, blah, but ultimately, they just luuuuuuuv to slide on that spandex almost as fast as The Big Pencil tucks into a freshly-grilled possum kabob.

That's why I truly dig Studio 407's new graphic novel The Spark. It's the story of this kid Lucas who, thanks to a mysterious phenomenon called The Spark, gets super powers. At this point, he's supposed to join three other Spark-empowered kids to prevent an alien invasion. Unfortunately, he's (you guessed it) reluctant. He's got a busy life, a dysfunctional family to prop-up, a job to keep. Sure, saving the planet seems the obvious choice from an outsider's perspective, but in real life, sometimes personal issues seem far more overwhelming than even the risk of extraterrestrial enslavement.

It features writing from Martin Renard, art from Nahuel Sagarnaga Cozman -- and an excellent wet t-shirt scene about half way through the book.

Ask for it at your local book store or comic book shop. Click here to check it out.

If you just can't wait for it to hit the shelves, pre-order at Barnes and Noble here.

Regarding The Night Projectionist, a Pink Elephant and Nude Robot Dancers

2008-12-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

I was chillin' with a little Vedanta meditation last night after eating one of those weird-tasting brownies that 407 editor-in-chief Chad, aka "The Big Pencil," supplies me with. Man, when I eat those things, I can reach all kinds of crazy-ass levels of consciousness. (Thanks, Chad!)

Anyway, I was floating about three feet off the ground, trying hard to ignore the naked, dancing robot girls playing a bump-and-grind version of Duck, Duck, Goose around my head, when all of the sudden, a huge, four-armed, fuschia elephant wearing a fez appeared. "Yo, Edgar, you ever tried enlightenment?" he said. "I'd like to turn you on, so the first taste is free."

Of course, this wasn't the first time an obscure Hindu deity has tried to turn me into an enlightenment junkie. Haven't we all had this happen to us at some point? But still, the pink pachyderm was offering to answer any question I wanted to ask. How can we fix the economy? How do we fix the Middle East? How do I get Transformers star Megan Fox to check out my personal Optimus Prime, if you catch my drift? These are the questions for the ages -- and I could get one of them answered.

Then Lord Galactitron called.

"Edgar!" he barked, as the elephant chatted up my robot girls, waiting for my question, "I want more people to know about 407's awesome vampire title, The Night Projectionist! If you don't write the best friggin' blog about it ever, by tomorrow, I'm cutting off your 'Big Pencil' space cookie supply! And your elbows! I'm cutting those off too."

I hung up the phone and hung my head in despair. I could live without elbows, but I love my space cookies. The elephant looked up from his quickly forming robotic harem "Well?" he asked.

"How do I best get the word out about The Night Projectionist?" I sighed.

"Easy," said the elephant, "Tell people about all the other people who dig the book. For example...

A spooky theater. A group of mismatched people. A shadowy man with pointy teeth and piercing eyes. All ingredients for the fun that makes up THE NIGHT PROJECTIONIST... An impressive first issue and one I will be following as the series progresses. - Ain't It Cool News

Heske's writing is nice and crisp... The dialogue feels natural and never clunky. He does an excellent job of setting up tension and subplots that will play out in the series itself. Artist Diego Yapura has an excellent style for this story. It has elements of old school EC Comics, while maintaining a modern feel. - Comics Bulletin

The Night Projectionist is a no-holds-barred, bone-chilling tale of blood and revenge. - The Rundown

"And if that doesn't work," he added, "just give them a little taste."

Studio 407's preview of The Night Projectionist.

An android babe in each arm and one hanging from his trunk, my elephant enlightenment pusherman prepared to vanish -- but first he said one more thing.

"Funny you should ask that question," he mused. "A long time ago, Stan Lee asked the exact same thing about Spider-Man. Now he's one of my best customers."

Regarding Horror Anthologies and My Cannibal Boss.

2008-12-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry about my absence last week. As it turns out, 407's Managing Director Alex doesn't want to be called Galactitron. He wants to be called Lord Galactitron.

So, long story short, he went ballistic on me about the whole thing. Yeah, I could have cleaned his clock, but he's the guy who writes my paychecks, so I had to let him rough me up a little. As luck would have it, the morphine they gave me in post-op messed with my concentration and the wifi network at the hospital was terrible and blah, blah, blah...

The good news is that the doctors were able to save my leg, although it will probably stick out funny. Also, here's an interesting fun fact: your liver actually grows back, even if the majority of it has been eaten!

The moral of this story is that if Lord Galactitron comes at you with a loaded stapler and he hasn't had his morning snack yet, run the other direction.

Speaking of eating body parts out of living people, I'd like to tell you about our new horror anthology coming out in January, Shadow Chronicles. It's a creepy little taste of the vampires, space zombies and ghost hunters you can expect to see hanging around the pages of Studio 407 in the future, including Night Projectionist by Robert Heske and Diego Yapura, Netherworld by Chad "Big Pencil" Jones and R.B. Silva and Demon Squad by Neil Marshal Stevens and Rafael Ortiz.

Odds are, you're too much of a mama's boy to enjoy stuff this scary, but if I'm wrong, check out the preview here. If you just can't wait until 2009 to pick up a copy, pre-order now at Heavy Ink. Tell 'em Edgar Fiend sent you. They won't give a rat's arse, but if you don't, I'm telling Lord Galactitron.

I have a little Golem, I made it out of clay...

2008-12-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

Our managing director, ahem, Galactitron (Do I really need to call you that, Alex?) wanted me to let you know that we got some good stuff coming out in January.

One of our new years books will be Golem, the story of a big hunk of animated clay that kicks ass. Of course, I'm generalizing slightly. It's actually a really hip update of a old Jewish legend about a guy who crafts a slave monster out of clay and brings it to life to do his bidding. In our version, penned by Scott Barkman & Jeff Le and drawn by Mark Louie Vuycankiat, the Golem comes to life in war-torn 1992 Sarajevo. He's a smart-mouthed bad-ass with an agenda of his own. Think Frankenstein's Monster crossed with Bruce Willis.

And if you don't believe me, here's what Ain't It Cool News had to say...

There are a lot of cool elements going into Studio 407’s GOLEM. Writers Scott Barkman and Jeff Lee do a nice job of making this story of a man in trouble giving life to a lump of clay different than any Golem tale before it.

Sounds cooler by the minute, no? If you want to beat the rush, reserve your copy online at Heavy Ink.

Or look for it on the racks at the start of 2009. That's it for now, geek buddies. Next time I'll tell you a little about our new horror anthology, Shadow Chronicles.

Introducing Edgar

2008-12-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hi. I'm Edgar Fiend. I'll be your new host here at the Studio 407 blog. The kids down in the editorial pool may know a thing or two about putting out great comics, but when it comes to blogging, they're just scared little children. To wit, when I talked to 407 Editor-in-Chief Chad -- or "The Big Pencil," as we call him -- about his reluctance to post here more often, he just stammered and blushed in the same way he did at a recent comic store appearance when a babe dressed like Vampirella asked him to sign her Shadow Chronicles, so to speak.

So to make a long story short, they had to pull in the blogging big guns -- me.

I'll be keeping you up-to-date on new releases and upcoming Studio 407 events. In fact, if next year goes as well as planned, 407's managing director Alex -- or "Galactitron," as he's asked us to call him (Don't ask) -- has promised The Big Pencil that he can throw that Saran Wrap toga party he's been asking for. So if for no other reason, stay tuned to hear more details on that.

Studio 407 Signing In Los Angeles

2008-10-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday, creators will sign both Studio 407 titles currently on the shelves. Peter Kwong will be signing issues 1 and 2 of Hybrid and Matthew Bradford and Alex Leung will be signing issues 1-3 of Night & Fog at Meltdown Comics at 7522 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles from 6-8PM.

October Previews

2008-10-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

The October issue of Previews, on stands now, solicits Hybrid #4 for a December release. Be sure to ask your local comic shop to reserve you a copy now! Here's the copy:

It's the thrilling conclusion to the series Ain't In Cool News called, "a good, old fashioned horror story... delivering on all levels." With time running out, Brooke and Ethan make their final stand against a man driven mad with obsession and the deadly, inhuman creature that's been hunting them in this action-packed, oversized finale.

Sounds exciting! And guess what? I've had a peek... and it is! You won't want to miss this thrilling conclusion.

Another Positive Hybrid Review

2008-10-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

Pair-A-Dice Hobbies has included a review of Hybrid in their newest video. It's a cool review because they actually show pages of the book while they're talking about it, and a good review because they love it! And owing to certain preconceptions, they weren't expecting to. The two reviewers preface their review by saying that they don't generally dig indie comics, "but oh my God, when you read it..." says one reviewer, "It was a very good comic!" his cohort excitedly finishes. That's great to hear, because at Studio 407 we strive to make our books stand out with the highest quality art and storytelling. Be sure to watch the whole thing and listen to these guys praise Peter Kwong's excellent book!

Night & Fog Signing In L.A. Today

2008-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Featuring The Creature

2008-09-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here's editor Chad Jones again, with some insight on the creature design for Hybrid...

It's fairly obvious that one of the first things you're going to need when you do a monster book like Hybrid is, well, the monster. And as we approached the creature design, it became a lot easier to describe the creature in terms of things we didn't want.

We didn't want it to look too fishy. We didn't want a crab monster. We didn't want tentacles. We didn't want a shark. Ultimately, we just didn't want the thing to look silly. We didn't want it to look like something that walked out of cartoon featuring four sleuthing kids and their Great Dane. 'Cause believe me, if you say to an artist, 'it's kind of a humanoid fish monster,' you're going to get some silly-looking drawings in response.

It's important for a monster to be just that. A monster. And I think after a few false starts with the creature design, we turned to concept artist Peter Lam and got on track with something that looked both natural and horrific. Something that looked dangerous. Something nasty. Something that looked like it would carve your average, every-day person into fillets.

The creature you've now seen. And we hope you like him, so to speak. And as a special treat, here's a peek at some of the early creature concepts. Enjoy.

—Chad Jones
Editor-In-Chief

New Horror Anthology: Shadow Chronicles

2008-09-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

Studio 407 is proud to present Shadow Chronicles, a blood-curdling collection of all new horror tales. A bloodthirsty vampire plagues 18th Century Europe... and a modern movie theater. In the farthest reaches of space, the crew of a research vessel is seconded by the military for a mission to a desolate planet of pure terror. And a small town is beset both by demons and the elite paramilitary squad tasked with destroying them! But which force is scarier? Find out in Shadow Chronicles, Studio 407's first ever anthology book, which affords readers a sneak peak at our most terrifying new comics!

Shadow Chronicles features stories written by Robert Heske, Chad Jones and acclaimed horror screenwriter Neal Marshal Stevens. These tales of terror are blood-chillingly brought to life by artists Diego Yapura, R.B. Silva and Rafael Ortiz.

Shadow Chronicles hits comics shops January 21, 2009.

Night & Fog #2 In Stores Today!

2008-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

That's right, issue 2 hits comic shops around the country and online today. Be sure to pick it up today to discover the terrifying secret of Serum 37B, and find out if the survivor's of issue 1's catastrophe can somehow make it off the doomed military base alive!

Rave Reviews!

2008-07-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

Comics Bulletin calls Pablo Churin's Hybrid artwork "first rate" and says Peter Kwong's script is "paced perfectly!" They conclude: "If you’re a fan of old school, creature feature movies and like a little more monster in your horror, then this is a good book for you." Couldn't have said it better myself!

And Aintitcool's Ambush Bug feels that Night & Fog #1 has "the right ingredients for a pretty kick @$$ story!" He goes on to say that writers Alex Leung and Matthew Bradford "set a nice foreboding mood for the book. This book is touting itself as a 'Hammer film meets ALIENS' which is a high standard to live up to, but the set-up looks very promising and the gritty art by Roberto Castro definitely delivers in tension and thrills. I’m going to keep my eye on this one to see if it lives up its hype. So far so good, though."

HYBRID Out Today!

2008-07-10T00:31:00.000-07:00

The second official Studio 407 title hits comic shops today (a Thursday instead of a Wednesday thanks to the holiday last week)!

Hybrid is a four-issue miniseries that plums the depths of ecological terror off the coast of Cancun. Four friends charter a boat for a relaxing vacation, only to sail headlong into an unfathomable nightmare. As they cast off, they learn that just a day earlier a diver disappeared in the same waters they're cruising. The further out they sail, the more they find biological irregularities in the local marine life, a sea darkened with mass quantities of a mysterious ink, the looming threat of modern-day pirates, and a towering whaling trawler adrift in the open water. When they spot a frightened little girl waving at them from the bow of the derelict ship, they have no choice but to investigate. But when they reach the ship, they realize she may not be alone...

Hybrid is written by Peter Kwong. Artist Pablo Churin and the talented colorists at Shipeng Lee Studio provide the atmospheric visuals. Editor Chad Jones rounds out the creative team.

Hybrid #1 (of 4) carries a cover price of $2.75 and is suggested for mature readers.

Meet Chad Jones

2008-06-17T17:43:00.001-07:00

This week, Studio 407's Editor-in-Chief Chad Jones contributes a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming comic Netherworld. Here's Chad:

My name is Chad Jones and I work in funny books. There's a lot I'm excited about at Studio 407. I mean a lot. A lot a lot. When the Managing Director, Alex Leung, asked me to join as Creative Director and Editor-In-Chief, the question was barely out of his mouth when I said, "I'm in." All in. You see, my background is advertising. I've written commercials for lawnmowers, generators, healthcare, blah, blah blah. And the opportunity to tell stories in a medium I love instead of selling products in 30 seconds... Seriously? Robots, monsters, ninjas, vampires, capes, cowls and everything in between? For a living? Of course, I'm in.

So, the first thing I'm going to tell you about is totally self-serving. I mean, I could go on about how Tiger & Crane and Hybrid are unfolding, or drop hints about the upcoming twists and turns in Night & Fog, but... this blog is about me, so here we go. I want to tell you about a little upcoming project called Netherworld. First off, I loves me some science fiction. And I've been writing genre for as long as I can remember. So, I was kicking around a novel idea and was trying to describe the creature concept in the story to a friend and made the off-hand comment, "well it's not like they're alien zombies or anything..."

And I stopped. And I thought, hmm.... that would be kind of awesome. Alien zombies. Hell, I gotta write that! And what came out is an all-out, action-packed gorefest with nods to old-school, sci-fi from the fifties. When I started the project, the first thing I had to do was design the aliens themselves. I knew I didn't want anything humanoid with a bumply forehead. I knew I wanted them to be monstrous and I knew I wanted them on page one. So phase one, design super-cool alien. And what our artist came up with is some kind of reptilian insect or an insectile reptile (I can't really decide which), treading on three legs with a single, mantis-like claw. Meet the Thanati, an alien race locked in an interstellar Cold War with humanity.

The pencils for Issue One are complete and we're about to get ramped up for Issue Two. I can't wait for you guys to see it. Should be a lot of fun. A lot a lot.

I'll keep you posted. By posting blogs.

Talk to you soon.

Thanks,

Chad

In Stores This Week: Tiger & Crane #2

2008-06-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

by Leung, Zamcheck & Vuycankiat

The plot thickens as we are introduced to master spy, Foster Dulles, and the nefarious Japanese agents of Force 777 who have been tasked with stopping him at all costs. Meanwhile, the paths of Agent Dulles and the Black Tiger converge as they search for the legendary Staff of the Monkey King!"

Co-published with Bluewater Productions

Night & Fog Signing In L.A.

2008-06-11T00:19:00.000-07:00

Today's the big day... Night & Fog #1 is in stores today! And if you're in the Los Angeles area, you can swing by Golden Apple Comics on Melrose and La Brea from 6-8 tonight and Alex and I will sign it for you! (And believe me, signing your comic would be a huge thrill for us.) Angelenos, hope to see you there tonight!

Shipping In August: Hybrid #2

2008-06-04T17:56:00.001-07:00

By Peter Kwong & Pablo Churin

Trapped on a derelict ship adrift in the ocean, four friends are stalked by a mysterious killer. Miles away from shore, they fight for survival onboard a ship that looks as if it has been pulled from the bottom of the ocean. As the killer closes in, they realize he may be something other than human!"

Night & Fog #1 Hits June 11

2008-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Well, our initial release date of May 28 came and went as we learned another frustrating lesson of comic book publishing. Our books got held up in customs on their way from the printer overseas, delaying the premiere issue by two weeks. Now, Night & Fog #1 will be in stores on Wednesday, June 11. Ask for it by name at your local comic book retailer!

Shipping In July: Night & Fog #2

2008-05-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

By Leung, Bradford, Castro & Aira

With the lid ripped off of Pandora's Box, the 'Frankenstein virus' Serum 37B has now mutated into deadly fog, infecting most of the personnel on the base and transforming them into terrifying preternatural creatures. Gathering together the remaining survivors, Lieutenant Christopher must now find an escape route off the secret military installation as the rampaging creatures close in on him!"

HYBRID: Building The Beast

2008-04-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

If you're reading this, then somehow, some way, you know that a comic book named "Hybrid" is debuting on June 27, that a feature film is scheduled to be made from it through Myriad Pictures, and you're intrigued to learn more. You've also probably guessed that I am the friendly, neighborhood writer responsible for it, so if you're expecting this blog to be critical and clear eyed, then you should just keep moving. Nothing to see here.

You see, I'm in love. Creature love. Have been ever since I was a kid and spent many a Saturday afternoon watching any number of Ray Harryhausen movies. Ever since those damn flying monkeys in "Wizard of Oz". And, yeah, ever since Luke Skywalker walked into a dive bar in Mos Eisley. When writing "Hybrid", as both comic book and screenplay, I reached back to those kinds of stories that originally fired my imagination: the creature feature. These monsters didn't just take up screen space, but seemed to be lifted from the dreams of every child who was ever afraid of the dark. The great monsters were primal, sensual, and yeah, not unlike us. They had needs as deep as any Shakespearean character. Would King Kong be as memorable if he weren't in love (or lust)? Frankenstein didn't just destroy, it hungered for human connection. And Godzilla didn't just destroy Tokyo, it was taking revenge on those whose power lust for weapons of mass destruction messed up his nap time.

The creature in "Hybrid" was conceived in this spirit. Is it a killing machine? You bet. But it's also a whole lot more. It thinks. It hides. It learns. And, as is apparent early on, it's not too crazy with those of us who litter, don't recycle, and drive SUV's. Are you going to see it in issue one? Better. You'll feel it, in every panel, every page. The dread, I hope, will be unnerving. And when you do see it, you'll think twice the next time someone invites you out for an afternoon of smooth sailing.

My other approach was to write the kind of horror story that had been MIA for some time. As a fan of the genre, I feel disenfranchised by the current, and ugly, obsession with "torture porn". Social commentary readings aside, there hasn't been anything particularly frightening about this sub genre. Since when does gore and bodily mutilation equal scary? For me, it's a lazy plot device, and I'm glad it appears to be playing itself out. No. "Hybrid" is classic monster movie stuff. It was done in the great spirit of other maritime adventures like "Jaws", "Dead Calm", and even "Knife In The Water". These movies all taught me the same lesson: Atmosphere, character, suspense, action, gore, and sincere humor can all fit into one movie, even one scene, and even onto one small, claustrophobic schooner, adrift and lost at sea, with no help in sight.

So come aboard. Dramamine to your left, life jackets to the right. Don't play with the spear gun if you've been drinking. Still, it should be fun. Just don't expect to see anyone tortured.

More Coverage of Night & Fog

2008-04-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Some more excellent write-ups on more of our favorite horror sites...

Screamstress

Shock Till You Drop

Everything Scary

Goblinhaus

Fangoria

That last link features an interview with Alex and myself about writing Night & Fog.

407 Titles in the April Previews

2008-03-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

That is to say, Studio 407 titles in the April Previews in general, not that we actually have four-hundred-and-seven individual titles in the issue! One day, but not yet. Right now we've got about eighteen in the pipeline, so we're on our way! But I'm babbling.

What was this post about? Oh, yes! That we have two titles listed in the April issue of Previews, that great tome of wonderful books and objects that comic shops order from. The one with the jaw-droppingly awesome Indiana Jones cover this month. Indy might be published by Dark Horse (oh how I hope their new series is as awesome as the Indy miniseries they used to put out back in the nineties!), but it's still cool to share pages with him in previews. (Indiana Jones? Dark Horse? "Why are you promoting other companies???" they're yelling at me. I better stop.)

The point is, we've got something just as awesome. If you like Indiana Jones, then you should definitely check out Tiger & Crane, written by my good buddy Randy and my own Night & Fog collaborator Alex, and illustrated with a furious gusto by Mark Louie Vuycankiat. It's Indy meets Bond with Kung Fu. Try it; you'll like it! Just to confuse things, it's solicited in the Bluewater section of Previews rather than the Studio 407 because they're publishing it. But I swear it's a 407 book! Under Studio 407, you'll find another comic: Hybrid. Hybrid is an incredibly creepy new maritime horror story by Peter Kwong & Pablo Churin. The full solicitation copy for both follows, along with covers. I have to say, that Tiger & Crane one with the rising sun is probably my favorite cover on any of our books yet! Isn't it a thing of beauty?

Tiger & Crane #3

Baron Akashi and Force 777, Japan’s infamous secret service, leave a swathe of terror in their wake as they continue their search for the mythic Staff of the Monkey King. Meanwhile, Agent Foster Dulles races to find the Black Tiger and enlist the martial arts hero in his cause to find the Staff before the Japanese can get their hands on it.

Hybrid #1

When four friends decide to rent a schooner for the day, everything is smooth sailing until they encounter a derelict ship adrift in the ocean--a massive trawler that looks as if it had been dragged from the bottom of the sea. When they spot a frightened little girl waving at them from the bow, they have no choice but to investigate. As they get closer to the ship, they discover that the girl is not alone.

Making Headlines

2008-03-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Now that our press release is out for Night & Fog, and the book is in Previews, coverage is starting to pop up all over the web. I've gotta say, it's kind of a thrill to see something I've been a part of creating getting mentioned on some of my favorite websites! Here's a sampling so far:

InOut Star

Bloody Disgusting

Oh My Gore

Previews (Review)

I'll post some more mentions as I see them. But I won't find out about all of them. If you've given any of our comics any coverage on your site and want it linked, I'd love to hear from you!

Official Press Release For Night & Fog

2008-03-17T00:23:00.001-07:00

STUDIO 407 PULLS THE TRIGGER

For Immediate Release

Santa Monica, CA – March 13, 2007 – Studio 407, the newly established Santa Monica-based writer-driven creative lab, will publish its first comic book title NIGHT & FOG, hitting comic book stores on May 27, 2008. The scrappy creative house, which made news recently when they announced their first-look deal with film indy Myriad Pictures, are the creators of Bluewater Productions’ smash series TIGER & CRANE.

NIGHT & FOG is a six-issue miniseries that takes its cue from classic horror literature and turns it on its head, reinventing the monster comic for a new generation. On an island off the coast of Canada, a military science experiment, linked to a terrible secret from the past, infects a nearby village, turning the inhabitants into bloodthirsty, rampaging creatures. Even armed with the state-of-the-art weaponry, the military personnel on the island are helpless against creatures who are almost impossible to destroy and can adapt under almost any attack. They’ve created the perfect killing machine that can survive under any conditions, but they no longer have the means to control them. For the small band of survivors, it’s one terrible, endless night, which they must somehow survive until an elite rescue team can arrive to save them.

NIGHT & FOG is written by Alex Leung and Matthew Bradford, with stunning artwork by Argentine artist Roberto Castro. Castro’s gritty, realistic style, hearkens back to the classic look of ’70s horror magazines Eerie and Creepy. Colorist JM Ringuet, whose evocative, painted coloring style adds to the sense of dread and excitement, rounds out the creative team.

Leung cites James Cameron’s seminal Aliens as a primary inspiration, saying, "I’ve always loved the idea of creatures so potent they render even the most cutting-edge military technology utterly useless. I like putting the most highly-trained, elite commandos in situations even they cannot comprehend."

Bradford compliments Leung by taking his cue from another generation of fear. "I listened to wall-to-wall Hammer soundtracks while writing NIGHT & FOG. Nothing sets the tone for spine-tingling terror like the music of James Bernard."

After NIGHT & FOG, Studio 407 will be coming out with three more books in the summer including HYBRID and THE NIGHT PROJECTIONIST, and have ten more books in various stages of production. "This book will set the standard for the kind of quality that we represent," promises 407 Editor-In-Chief Chad Jones. "We tell stories we love and hope others feel the same way about them."

Earlier this year, Studio 407 and Myriad Pictures, helmed by President and CEO Kirk D’Amico, formed a firstlook partnership to make full-length live-action motion pictures. The first project, HYBRID, is scheduled to begin shooting later this year.

NIGHT & FOG #1 (of 6) hits shelves late May. It’s featured as a Staff Pick on page 338 of the March 2008 issue of Diamond Previews. The Diamond Code is MAR 08 3955. Retail support for NIGHT & FOG includes a fold-out poster featuring the cover on one side, and a preview of interior pages on the other, which will be included in the March 19 issue of retailer newsletter Dateline. A nine-page preview can be viewed at: http://www.studio-407.com/nfpreview/
ABOUT STUDIO 407

Short for "40 Guns and 7 Swords," Studio 407 is an East-meets-West company that brings together the imagination and talents of writers and artists from North America and Asia to generate distinct and kinetic stories. In addition to developing its own in house material it will also be publishing graphic novels from Europe and manga and manwha titles from Asia. For more information about Studio 407 and its titles you can check out their website at studio-407.com.

A Staff Pick In Previews!

2008-03-16T23:46:00.000-07:00

Our first official* Studio 407 comic book, Night & Fog, is solicited in the current issue of Previews... and they made it a staff pick! We couldn't be more thrilled. In a beautiful quarter-page box on page 4, staffer Shelly says:

Okay, where is Night & Fog issue #2? I can't wait to read it! There is so much going on in this comic, and there are so many small stories building up into something huge, that I literally could not stop reading it! And then guess what? It wasn't over! I have to wait for
the next issue to have my questions answered! This book has left me in a state of frenzy because I yearn to read more about these characters and their predicaments!

Shelly later concludes her review with some of the kindest
words we could hope for:

Night & Fog is an excellent first offering by newcomers (to Previews, anyway) Studio 407. The writing is amazing, as is the artwork. Take a chance with someone new and give Night & Fog a try - you won't be sorry.

Well, as one of the writers on the book, all I can say is... Aw, shucks. Thanks, Shelly! I do hope readers take her advice and give the book a try. I'm blown away by Roberto Castro's artwork, and though I may be biased, I can't help but agree with Shelly that the book makes a damn good read. Read her whole review here.

*Tiger & Crane was published by Bluewater

A Bumpy Start

2008-03-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

Are we up and running? Is anyone there? I suppose the answer to the first one is yes, but the second has yet to be revealed...

Well, I mentioned that we'd be sharing the trials and tribulations of getting a new comic book company up and running, and that's all it's been so far! We're learning some lessons.

We all waited with baited breath for our first book, Tiger & Crane, to drop on February 27 via Bluewater, and then the big day came... and it didn't. Co-writer Randy Zamcheck hit the local comic shops, excited, found nothing, and started calling us. But we didn't have any answers. Turns out there was a shipping delay (let's hope that's not fortuitous!) and our big debut would be put off a few weeks. Word came through that the new date would be March 19. Then the book turned up this past week, out of the blue! Maybe that's just on the West Coast, but it is out there, and it should definitely be in your local store, wherever you live, by this coming Wednesday. So go out and pick it up! The delay may have created some brief anxiety, but we're pretty damn happy with the way it came out.

So what other lessons have we been learning? Communication is key. I guess that probably goes for all small companies, but it's certainly true in the comic biz. We've got a fulltime staff of three right now, running the office, and several part-timers (including myself) with other fulltime jobs, and some very diligent interns who come in when they can. But since we don't all see each other that regularly, it's easy for lines to get crossed. Luckily, we're working on this one too, and like the delayed release date, it will soon be nothing more than a past mistake. The fact that this blog is now live (for real) is proof of that. Like we promised, we're sharing the highs and the lows.

And if this post focuses a little too heavily on the lows, stay tuned for the highs in the next post...

Welcome to the Studio 407 blog...

2008-02-19T18:24:00.000-08:00

If you're here, I'm sure you've already been to the Studio 407 website, poked around, and presumably liked what you saw. The first issue of our first book, Tiger & Crane, comes out next week on Feb. 27, so we're pretty excited around here, and just a little scared. You see, we're pretty much all learning this comic book publishing business as we go along, and a big reason for the blog is to bring readers in on the ground floor, to share with everyone the trials and tribulations of getting a company like this off the ground, getting books in stores, and--hopefully!--getting the books into the hands of readers.

Instead of waiting till each cover is finalized, we'll share rough cover designs with you, including rejected ones. We'll put up art from comics in progress, both finished and unfinished. We'll post script pages. Writers of the various books will chime in with insight into their processes, and artists will share sketches. Those writers and artists will also probably vent a little about the weight of marketing their own books, and learning how to do so on the fly. Yes, it's true: we don't have a marketing staff... yet. We're doing it ourselves, so as we go, we'll share our failures as well as our successes, our mistakes as well as our... Is there an opposite of mistake? See? We're still learning! Stick around for the ride.