Sunday, August 18, 2013

From Russia... with THE SHADOW!


Hello, Pulp Friends,

here’s a look at the latest SHADOW cover. Really enjoyed the Russian theme - it allowed me to play a bit  more on the graphic design/side of making a cover.

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone!
Cheers,
FF

Sunday, August 4, 2013

THE ROARING SHADOW!!!!


Hello, my Pulp Friends!

Today's offering is the cover for THE SHADOW #17, which should be in stores this month.
We don't get to see much of THE SHADOW on cars or behind the wheel, so needless to say this was ton of fun to draw :)

Hope everyone is having a great PULP SUNDAY!

Cheers,
FF

Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT ~ HC Vol.1 ~~ Click on the cover for a large preview of NO WAY OUT HC Vol.1 ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so happy to announce that he first collected edition of the adventures of THE BLACK BEETLE, titled NO WAY OUT, is at the presses as I type. This beautiful HC includes the One-Shot "NIGHT SHIFT" (published as #0) and the 4 issues of NO WAY OUT, plus a rich section of extra material, some never printed/published before. Layouts, sketches, pinup, tons of good stuff. Click on the image above for a sneak peek.

Here's the solicits for the HC. Pre-order now at your local comicshop or at your online shop, AMazon, B&N or any other fine place that has this HC for pre-sale.
Tell your friends, tell your family, pre-order multiple copies: this is really good comic and good fun for cheap money! :D


The Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC

After witnessing an explosion that decimates the city’s organized crime community, killing dozens, the Black Beetle—Colt City’s sleuthing sentinel—is on the hunt for answers and justice!
Follow Francesco Francavilla’s critically acclaimed pulp hero as he searches island prisons, dank sewers, and swanky nightclubs for the mysterious man known as Labyrinto.
“The Black Beetle #1 is one of the most exhilarating, stunning superhero comics on the stands . . . This miniseries presents a high-stakes mystery realized through Francavilla’s intensely graphic style, full of innovative layouts and spectacular splash pages.”—The Onion’s A.V. Club

“I , FOR ONE, CANNOT WAIT TO GET MORE!” —Comic Book Resources

“The hard-boiled mystery hits the ground running and doesn’t pause to catch its breath.”—Nerdist
TFAW Logo Pre-Order Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC Now @ TFAW.com
Creators


Writer:    Francesco Francavilla
Artist:    Francesco Francavilla
Cover Artist:    Francesco Francavilla

Genre: Superhero, Crime, Action/Adventure

Publication Date:    October 16, 2013
Format:    FC, 152 Pages; HC, 7" x 10"
Price:    $19.99


Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Monday, July 22, 2013

THE BLACK BEETLE IN “NECROLOGUE" Coming this October (#1 of 5)


Finally announced!!!
The Black Beetle is coming back this October with a brand new mini that promises to scare! The 5-issue arc is titled NECROLOGUE and will introduce new villains.
Here’s the solicitation text from Dark Horse.

THE BLACK BEETLE ~ NECROLOGUE, #1 of 5
Written and drawn by Francesco Francavilla
Lettering by Nate Piekos of BLAMBOT®
On sale: 10/23/13

Someone’s murdering the citizens of Colt City, and there’s only one man who can stop this killing spree: the Black Beetle!
But as Black Beetle investigates these grisly murders, questions arise about the masked detective: Is he a daring hero or a reckless vigilante? With a past veiled in the shadow of mystery, Black Beetle takes on a dark mission that will keep you screaming in the thrilling new miniseries Necrologue!
-Necrologue will keep you screaming!
-Horror comes to Colt City!
-From the mind of Eisner Award–winning and New York Times best-selling creator Francesco Francavilla!


If you want to know more about NECROLOGUE, here is an interview I did with CBR last week announcing the new mini.
 
At the conclusion of “The Black Beetle: No Way Out" #4, creator Francesco Francavilla included a teaser for the next chapter in the noir-tinged superhero’s adventures: “Necrologue." Now, with the first issue of the next installment due to sweep into comic shops this October from Francavilla and Dark Horse Comics, Comic Book Resources spoke with the Eisner Award winner about the forthcoming miniseries.

The story picks up shortly after the conclusion of the widely acclaimed “No Way Out." The Black Beetle has, it seems, vanquished the villainous Labyrinto — but there’s no rest for the weary. There’s a new menace in store for Colt City, and the supernatural forces hinted at in the pages of “No Way Out" are beginning to reveal themselves. As we spoke, Francavilla touched on his love of the classic Universal Horror films, the importance of expanding The Black Beetle’s world at a slow, sustainable pace and the prospect of some familiar faces returning for his second go-round with the pulp-inspired hero.

Francesco Francavilla:
I always knew the Black Beetle had a special chemistry with his audience: I mean, the guy knows how to captivate the readers and keep them hooked for the ride. It happened since the ashcan and the first web mini episodes came out. What I didn’t know was that word of mouth would have spread so quickly and the Beetle’s following would grow so big. I’m definitely feeling really, really good about the awesome response, and a bit more pressured as I work on the next installment — there are many more eyes on this now!


What’s the premise of the upcoming mini? I’m inferring that it is somehow related to the “Intermezzo" sections of the “No Way Out" books, as well as the character Stephano Corallo.

Even [though] we decided — for a number of reasons — to go with the series-of-minis route (successfully experimented with the many Hellboy titles), “Necrologue" will pick up right after “No Way Out." We will definitely see what all those “Intermezzos" were about and what Stephano Corallo’s special skills might be. But that will not be the only thing to make Black Beetle’s life more troublesome. We’ll see also the introduction of a new menace to not just the Beetle himself, but to all of Colt City.




What does "Necrologue" refer to?


"Necrologue" refers to the series of deaths that will mark this second mini. Even though there was quite a series of deaths in the first mini as well, now that I think about it.


We saw, at the conclusion of "No Way Out," Labyrinto stuck inside a burning building. Will we be seeing his return, or the return of any other supporting cast?


Let's just say that will not be the last we hear -- or see -- from Labyrinto and leave it at that for the moment.
Professor Antonia Howard -- seen in "Night Shift" and in the Intermezzos -- will definitely return in a more active role. And probably we will see Coco Club's biggest attraction, Jazz singer Ava, making an appearance as well.
I like to build the Colt City world a bit at a time and get everyone accustomed with its inhabitants. I realized that dropping a whole new "universe" in front of the readers might not be the best way to have them appreciate it and get to know it. With this slow reveal, I believe the readers will get used to Colt City a bit at a time, and will start to get familiar with it. And once you get familiar with it, you care about it. It's a bit like when you move into a new city -- you start from your neighborhood and branch out from there.
"Necrologue" is billed as a "Horror Tale." In crafting a horror-tinged story, what do you look to for inspiration? Is there a singular horror film or story that sparked your love of the genre?

All those classic Universal Horror films had -- and still have -- a huge influence on me, and they definitely inspired the way I set the mood with the chiaroscuro. The Hammer films helped me with the use of the red and blood. Both were gothic, which is the way I like my horror.
One of the goals when I first started working on "The Black Beetle" was to try to tackle all the classic genres that are so dear to my heart. After the more noir-centric action of the first mini, I'm planning to push a little more on the horror pedal for the second one. As usual, my horror is more about setting a mood rather than showing severed limbs.
If everything goes as planned, it's gonna be a scary arc.

"The Black Beetle: Necrologue" debuts in October from Francavilla and Dark Horse

More on ComicBookResources.

Hope you guys put this on your October pull list: it’s gonna be another FUN ride.

Cheers,
FF

Sunday, July 7, 2013

THE LONE RANGER ~ Double Feature




Hello Pulp Friends,

With the newest LONE RANGER movie playing in the theaters this weekend (at the moment I type this I haven't seen it yet), I thought it would be good time to share the latest 2 covers for the great series Dynamite is publishing, written by Ande Parks and drawn by Esteve Polls.

Have a wonderful PULP SUNDAY, everyone!

Cheers,
FF


Sunday, June 23, 2013

The Black Beetle in "NO WAY OUT" ~ MONDO Edition

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT ~ MONDO Poster ~~ Click on the cover for a large preview of NO WAY OUT MONDO Variant Edition ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so happy to announce that soon I will have regular, variant and Artist Proof editions of the very first BLACK BEETLE MONDO poster for sale on my webstore (keep an eye on my blogs and on my twitter @f_francavilla for forthcoming updates and more details).

   This huge poster (24"x36") - a nod to the classic serials posters from the '40s - debuted at HeroesCon a couple of weeks ago and it has been the first time MONDO has released a comicbook related poster that is not tied in in a movie (even though we all looking forward to see a Black Beetle movie one day, right? :))

Here's Mondo's Press Release and some detailed close-up shot of the poster courtesy of the Mondo blog.

TITLE: The Black Beetle
ARITST: Francesco Francavilla
SIZE: 24" x 36"
EDITION: 225 (regular), 110 (variant)
PRICE: $55 (regular), $75 (variant)


The Black Beetle is centered on a pulp-noir character and takes place in a fictional universe that's based in Colt City. The character debuted on the pages of Pulp Sunday, Francesco Francavilla's blog devoted to all things pulp, and had a brief life as webcomic before stepping in the print world with an ashcan first, and on the pages of Dark Horse Presents anthology later. Francesco quickly realized that many fans were interested in exploring this world with him, so soon after the short run in DHP, a new 4-issue mini - titled "NO WAY OUT" - was released. The first 2 issues have sold out and have required DH to go back to press for a second printing.

With issue 4 coming out next week and with the first hardcover volume - also titled "NO WAY OUT" - available for pre-orders right now, there is no better time to jump on board of the fantastic adventures of The Black Beetle.

The Black Beetle is a Detective/Vigilante SuperHero – His mission is to fight crime in Colt City. We don't know who he is, not yet anyway. We do know that he has access to some advantaged technology and that he is patrolling the city streets and protecting the citizens the best he can. He is –after all- one man. Colt City is a fictional city set in the late '40s America on the East Coast and has a very "pulp" vibe to the city's depiction and inhabitants.


Commenting on his collaboration with Mondo, Francavilla said, "I've been a huge fan of Mondo for a while, and I've recently become one of their poster artists (which brings me joy all the time), so you can only imagine how happy I was when I heard that they were a big fan of my creation, The Black Beetle. From there it didn't take too long to get to the poster you see here. Hopefully it's just the first of many. Hope you guys enjoy the poster and consider jumping on the books as well: they are what comics should be: 100% entertainment and FUN! Thanks again, Mondo, for making this happen."

Framed Poster - Photo courtesy of Z-ATL


Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, June 16, 2013

"AFTER-LIFE WITH ARCHIE"


Hello, Pulp Friends,

I can finally let this dead cat out of the coffin! :)
This Fall I will be teaming up with talented powerhouse writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Archie Comics to bring the HORROR to Riverdale with the new book AFTER LIFE WITH ARCHIE.
Above you can see my cover for the first issue and the variant cover I did last year that inspired this all.
And on L.A. TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX you can learn a bit more about the book and on how it came to be thanks to an interview with Roberto and me.
If you love the classic EC and Creepy stile horror books, you guys are gonna love this, I promise!


Here’s the solicits for #1 and - below - my variant cover for #1.

AFTER LIFE WITH ARCHIE #1
WRITTEN BY: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
ART BY: Francesco Francavilla, Jack Morelli
COVER: Francesco Francavilla
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: 10/9

NEW ONGOING SERIES! “Escape From Riverdale”—This is how the end of the world begins… Harvey Award-winning writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Stephen King’s Carrie, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) and Eisner-winning artist Francesco Francavilla (Batman, Black Beetle) take Archie and the gang where they’ve never been before—to the grave and back! A horrific accident sets off a series of grim events and Sabrina the Teenage Witch must try to repair the unspeakable evil her spell has unleashed. Gasp in horror as Riverdale faces an impending zombie Arch-pocalypse in this brand-new, spine-tingling ongoing series—but be warned, kiddies, this one’s not for the faint of heart! For TEEN+ readers.

Have a wonderful PULP SUNDAY, everyone!

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, May 19, 2013

~~ THE SHADOW ~~ Double Feature

THE SHADOW #16 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla
~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

  After the 1970s of the last 2 Sundays, we go back to the 40s with a DOUBLE PULP FEATURE featuring THE SHADOW! :)

  Above is my cover for THE SHADOW #16 and below is the cover for #17, both of which should hit the stand in June and July.

THE SHADOW #15 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla


Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone! :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, May 12, 2013

More "BATMAN 1972"

~~ Click on each image for larger views ~~



   Hello Pulp Friends,

  My take on a 70s style Batploitation has been so popular (with thousands of notes on Tumblr and other social media) that I decided to do some more BATMAN 1972!

   Pictured today we have (above) a trailer style COMING SOON (a movie of this would be EXTRA COOL :)), Lieutenant Jim Gordon (with period appropriate 'stache ;)) and (here on the right) Ed Nygma AKA The Riddler.

   I have also been developing a bit more of that story pitch for a possible Elseworlds. If that ever happens you guys are gonna dig it big time, I promise :)

   Meanwhile I hope you dig the new additions to this Batploitation.
 
   Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday and Happy Mother's Day, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Saturday, April 27, 2013

"BATMAN 1972"

~~ Click on each image for larger views ~~


Hello Pulp Friends,

     I believe early '70s exploitation/grindhouse genres qualify as PULP, don't you all agree? :)

   I have been tinkering recently with a take on Batman set in that 70s styling. So, this Sunday, I give you BATMAN 1972!

   To keep him in "the part", my Batman smokes, wear a leather coat and a turtleneck, and drives a cool 70s BatMobile (an OldsMobile maybe? ;) I still need to decide on brand and model :))

   I even have already a story pitch that could make for a cool Elseworlds or "out of continuity" GN. (I am keeping that pitch "secret" for now ;))

   Of course, as usually it happens in these cases, I start to flesh out all the other characters/stars of the story.
So following is a couple of takes on Selina Kyle, aka Foxy CATWOMAN.

   Yes, you are witnessing the first case of BATPLOITATION. Hope ya dig it :)

   I might be doing/posting more...

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco


Sunday, April 14, 2013

THE BLACK BEETLE ~ NO WAY OUT #3 is here!

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #3 Cover ~~ Click on the cover for a large preview of NO WAY OUT #3 ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     The third episode of The Black Beetle's NO WAY OUT is airing this Wednesday in all your favorite comicbook stores, and you can get a meaty preview by clicking the cover above.


Please trust me when I say this is the prettier chapter yet and make sure to be there in about 30 days for the explosive conclusion of the first adventure/foray of The Black Beetle on the shelves.
Hope you enjoy the read :)

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3
Written by Francesco Francavilla
Art by Francesco Francavilla
On sale April 17th, 2013     
Under the watchful gaze of the mysterious Labyrinto, Black Beetle fights for his life! Is this the doing of a man that Black Beetle thought was dead? Could a zombie mobster be commanding the foes of Colt City’s dark avenger?! If he survives the night, the investigative insect will be left with questions to ponder as he takes his investigation . . . to the morgue!



Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, March 31, 2013

TALES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD

TALES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD #1 Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   some time ago I was asked by the Spanish publisher NORMA Editorial if I wanted to draw a cover for their upcoming Horror anthology titled TALES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD.
   "We would like something int he vein of the classic EC covers and we think you would be perfect for it", they said.
   Of course, they had me at "in the vein of EC covers" ;)

   The result is the above cover, where I didn't just draw the art, but I also hand drew the logo/title, the text TERROR on the side bar, and the inset circled-art teasing some of the tales included int he anthology.

   Hope you guys enjoy this cover as much as Norma did :)

   Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday and Happy Easter, everyone!

Cheers,
Francesco

Monday, March 25, 2013

ROBOT TERROR!

MARS ATTACKS! #6 Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   Inspired by the COLONIZED cover I posted this past Sunday, I decided to make this a ALIENS WEEK! So expect to see Martians (and other creatures from Outer Space) to land right here on Pulp Sunday all this week.

   Today we showcase those bad bad Martians from the classic TOPPS' MARS ATTACKS, which is having a revival as comicbook series thanks to IDW.
   I was asked to do a variant cover for #6 and had the option to be inspired by the classic set of cards by participating to the "30 seconds later" initiative. Pretty self-explanatory, the cover has to happen 30 seconds later of any of the scenes from the original cards.
   I went with ROBOT TERROR, (card #32) because, ya know, Aliens and Robots! :D

   Below the original card from the 50s, and above my 30 seconds later (and cover for #6).

 
FUN!

Check back for more Aliens Week!

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, March 24, 2013

COLONIZED!

THE COLONIZED #4 Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

It has been a while I haven't featured some good ole Sci-Fi art here on the blog.
I am very happy to fix that by sharing this recent Var Cover I did for Chris Ryall's and Drew Moss' "THE COLONIZED", their sci-fi book that is an homage to classic '50s genere book featuring (get ready) ZOMBIES VS ALIENS! :D
FUN!
Issue 4 (with this cover) will be on sale in June from IDW.

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

FF @ ECCC 2013 - Sketches & Panel info


Emerald City Comic Convention - Seattle March 1-3 2013

I'm so excited to be invited back to this beautiful city and show. A lot of people have asked me about my sketch availability and rates, so here's how I plan to handle that (subject to change if needed).

Location: I'm in Artist Alley, table M-06 (see diagram below - click on the image for larger view).



Panels
I'm on 2 panels, Friday & Saturday and hope you'll attend.

FRIDAY MARCH 1st
DARK HORSE SUPERHEROES
Room: HALL B (608-610)
Start: 3:10PM
End: 4:05PM
The latter half of 2012 saw the return of two of Dark Horse's classic characters, Ghost and X, new faces like Michael Avon Oeming's The Victories, and Francesco Francavilla's The Black Beetle, and even a completely reimagined hero from yesteryear, Captain Midnight! As we move into 2013, there is no sign of slowing down, as Dark Horse will introduce even more original heroes and villains throughout the year! Join Dark Horse PR Director, Jeremy Atkins, as well as a cast of the industry's top talent, including Kelly Sue DeConnick (Ghost, Captain Marvel, Avengers Assemble), Joe Casey (Catalyst, Sex), Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories, Powers), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), and Joshua Williamson (Captain Midnight, Masks and Mobsters), for a look at an exciting new cast of characters for 2013!

SATURDAY MARCH 2nd
DYNAMITE IS READY TO EXPLODE!
Room: HALL B (608-610)
Start: 6:10PM
End: 7:05PM
Join the Dynamite gang and their star-studded line-up of creative talent for an hour of explosive power!  Mark Waid takes charge with Green Hornet!  Matt Wagner knows what evil lurks at the heart of The Shadow!  Chris Roberson unmasks Masks!  Get the latest news right from the source, as the guys give a dynamic glimpse behind-the-scenes with Ron Marz’s Prophecy, Brandon Jerwa’s Vampirella, and Eric Trautman’s Red Sonja!  Plus Francesco Francavilla, Jim Zub, and more!


Signings
I will sign books and prints (and thank you for supporting me by buying my stuff)! If you have a lot of books and there's a long line, I may ask you to let me do it in batches just to be considerate to others. This year, I'm joining HERO INITIATIVE's goal to raise some money for their charity. I will have a tip jar at my table and will be very happy if you make a donation (even of 1 dollar) to Hero as a thanks for signing your books. You can read more details about HERO INTITATIVE at ECCC here.
I might also set up some specific time for the signatures if needed, but for STOP&CHAT and handshakes, pls feel free to stop anytime, as long I am at the table ;)


OFFICIAL SIGNINGS
I will be at both Dark Horse and Dynamite booths on Friday and Saturday to sign all the books you want:

Friday March 1st - 4:30 p.m
DARK HORSE Booth #1102
Superhero Signing: Frank Barbiere (Blackout), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories), Josh Williamson (Captain Midnight)

Saturday March 2nd - 4:30-5:30
DYNAMITE Ent. Booth #1802
Francesco Francavilla Signing at Dynamite

Convention Sketches
Yes, I will be doing sketches at the show. I can't do any sketching prior to the show due to deadlines.
The sketches (or, as I like to call them, mini-commissions) will be 9x12 Bristol, single-figure, some background, done with pencils, inks and probably washes.
My prices are: Head/Bust - $100; Full-Figure $250.
I try to do a few of these per day. It's done first-come, first-serve, so just come see me early to get on the list. I will do a new list every day. I take cash or credit card (assuming this new iPad gizmo works).
Below is a sample of a 9x12 full figure, fully inked sketch.

Prints & Books
I'm flying so I won't have a large variety of prints with me. I'll definitely have some Black Beetle, Poe, Lovecraft, and USRA prints. I'll also have a limited quantity of my sketchbooks (Chiaroscuro Vol.1 & Schermoscuro Vol.1).
Sketchbooks are $20 each and they come with a quick small sketch inside.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2013 Francesco Francavilla

Saturday, February 23, 2013

DARK SHADOWS

DARK SHADOWS #15 Cover
DARK SHADOWS #17 Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

It's a creepy Pulp Sunday courtesy of DARK SHADOWS (covers for #15 and #17).
Hope you enjoy ;)

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, February 17, 2013

PULP TRIPLE FEATURE! The Shadow, The Spider, and MASKS!

MASKS #7 Cover Art
~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   Today we have a TRIPLE PULP FEATURE with The Shadow, The Spider, and MASKS! :)

  MASKS is the miniseries featuring all of the classic pulp heroes in one book: Shadow, Spider, Zorro, Green Hornet, Kato, you name it and it will probably be in there :)
I was fortunate enough to provide a variant cover for the first issue and I was very happy to be asked to do some more covers, like the one for #7 above.

THE SHADOW #14 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla
   In addition, above and below are the newest covers for THE SHADOW and THE SPIDER: all these books are slated to be released in May, so make sure to have them on your pull list: good writing (from dear friends Chris Roberson and David Liss) and great art make these a no-to miss addition to your pulp reads.

THE SPIDER #12 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone, and don't forget to pick up Black Beetle #2 this coming Wednesday! :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, February 10, 2013

THE BLACK BEETLE #1 Goes Back To Print!

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #2 Teaser ~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   I am so excited to announce that, due to the high demand and to the fact #1 is sold out pretty much everywhere (from Diamond/distributor to the local shops), Dark Horse has decided to send #1 back to print so everybody can enjoy THE BLACK BEETLE experience/fun in its entirety :)
   For the occasion I was asked to provide a new cover pretty much overnight, new cover you can see above and which I hope you enjoy.

   Thanks again everyone for making this happen: it really is a dream come true for me to bring Black Beetle in the stores (and in your hands) so seeing becoming this popular is just the cherry on top of this wonderful journey.

   Stick with us for the long run and you will be entertained, I can promise you that :)

   In related news, I wanted also to congratulate my Black Beetle editor supreme and dear friend Jim Gibbons in his well deserved promotion to Associate Editor at Dark Horse. Way to go, Jim, let's keep rockin' this :)

   Here's the Official Press Release from Dark Horse about Black Beetle #1 going back to print.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francesco Francavilla's Black Beetle #1 Being Reprinted!
02/08/2013 12:05pm

 
DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES A SECOND PRINTING WITH AN ALL-NEW COVER!

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again! Eisner Award–winning artist Francesco Francavilla’s new series at Dark Horse is already being called one of the year’s best! After receiving unanimous praise from retailers, fans, and every media outlet under the sun, The Black Beetle: No Way Out #1 has officially sold out of its first printing!

Now, we are proud to announce that despite our best efforts, demand was just too high to keep stock on shelves. In order to time as closely as possible with the release of the critically acclaimed series’ second issue, Francesco Francavilla and Dark Horse Comics have put together another printing with an all-new cover!

This new series introduces the Black Beetle, a mob-busting costumed supersleuth, as he investigates a bombing that has killed off some of Colt City’s notorious criminals! Steeped in pulp noir with modern sensibility, this is one new series you need to read!

“I am very humbled by the great response that The Black Beetle has received. This is such a work of love that’s been in the making for several years, and I am thrilled to see so many people are really digging the book,” said creator Francesco Francavilla. “It’s my goal to make this a book that can be enjoyed by those who love classic pulp stories, as well as new fans who want a fun, entertaining read. I can’t wait to show everyone what’s coming up next!”

Retailers, the second printing of The Black Beetle #1 is available through Diamond now, using the following order code: DEC128352. This issue will be on sale in the direct market on March 13, 2013.

Fans, look for The Black Beetle: No Way Out #2 at your local comic shop on February 20!


~~~~~~~~~

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Pulp West Double Feature: THE LONE RANGER!

THE LONE RANGER #15 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla
THE LONE RANGER #16 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla
~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

Time for a another Old West Double Feature with my LONE RANGER covers for #15 and #16!
These latest two are some of my favorites from all the 21 covers I've done for Ande Parks and Esteve Polls's run on this title.

Have a wonderful, western Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Sunday, January 27, 2013

PULP TRIPLE FEATURE! The Shadow, The Spider, and The Beetle

THE SHADOW #13 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla
~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   To make up for the missing post last Sunday (blame those deadlines!), here's another TRIPLE Feature featuring The Shadow, The Spider, and my own Black Beetle! :)

   Above and below are the covers for The Shadow #13 and the Spider #11 (both out in April). Both these series are doing really well, and that's a good thing because they both have strong creative teams behind and they are helping bringing the PULPS  back in everyone's hands.
   Speaking of strong creative team, look for the upcoming THE SHADOW YEAR ONE, written by dear friend Matt Wagner (so you know it's gonna be pretty darn good) and drawn excellently by Wilfredo Torres.

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #2 Sneak Peek   And above is a sneak peek at THE BLACK BEETLE NO WAY OUT #2 used as ad by Dark Horse with a series of quotes praising #1 that came out last week and it's pretty much sold out (or close to) everywhere.
   Can't wait for you guys to dig into issue 2, out in stores in about 3 weeks :)

THE SPIDER #11 Cover Art by Francesco Francavilla

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco