Press Releases

SHAZBOT #3 AVAILABLE NOW, AND FREE!

Yes, Shazbot #3, the mini-comic is out now by Promethian Press!

In this latest installment, we see Shazbot taking on mutant terrorist bent on having total control of a Nuclear power plants, and wishing to blow Miami to the next kingdom!

You can get it now, FREE, by sending one 33 cent stamp to:

    Promethian Press
    Shazbot #3
    2390 W. 78 St.
    Hialeah FL, 33016

Don't miss out!

Still available: Shazbot #2!

LINSNER AND NEXTPLANETOVER.COM LEAD BENEFIT AUCTION FOR CBLDF

NextPlanetOver.com, one of the nation's premiere on-line comics retailers, is sponsoring an On-Line Auction to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The auction will take place from September 6 through September 19 on eBay, the electronic epicenter of collectibles trading (http://www.ebay.com). The auction will include original comics art and rare collectibles, and its centerpiece is an original painting by Joseph Michael Linsner.

Linsner is one of the comic book industry's most celebrated artists. Internationally known for his depictions of beautiful women, Linsner is the creator of Dawn, who stars in her own series from Sirius Publications. The art at auction is the cover for Peregrine Entertainment's upcoming anthology, "Independent Voices" #2, shipping in September. All proceeds from this comic benefit the Fund, and the cover image will also grace a new CBLDF t-shirt.

Linsner is very generously donating the cover painting for "Independent Voices" #2 for NextPlanetOver.com's CBLDF auction. This is the first time Linsner has ever allowed any of his cover art to be sold. "This is a very special occasion," said CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr. "Joe's been a long-time supporter of the Fund, and I'm grateful that he's taking the lead in making such a major commitment to this auction. He never sells his originals, but in this case he's making a rare exception for the Fund. We couldn't be happier."

"I believe absolutely in free speech," said Linsner, "and I'm very excited to be able to support the cause and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund through the sale of my art." Linsner's original cover painting, measuring 11" by 17", is mixed-media on high-quality Bristol paper.

The auction will also feature a variety of original artwork and collectibles, including variant color artwork by Lyn Varley done for the covers of Frank Miller's upcoming "Sin City: Hell and Back," an original "Swamp Thing" painting by Charles Vess, and a number of rare and signed figures from McFarlane Toys. NextPlanetOver.com is working with other artists, publishers, and its fellow retailers to gather additional materials for the auction.

NextPlanetOver.com is sponsoring and organizing this special event to raise funds and awareness for the CBLDF. Thanks to NPO's strategic partnership with eBay, the CBLDF benefit will be the featured auction on eBay's collectibles section for the first half of September. This event will be the largest on-line fundraiser ever undertaken on the Fund's behalf.

"This industry relies on the CBLDF to protect the creative freedom that writers, illustrators, publishers, and retailers need in order to give us a never-ending flow of provocative work," said NextPlanetOver.com co-founder and CEO Dave Scott. "We are committed to giving them the support they need in order to carry on with their crucial work."

"The internet is a vital component of the comic book industry, and NextPlanetOver.com is an increasingly important part of that," said Oarr. "It says a lot about NPO that, virtually since the company was founded, they have been looking for ways to support the Fund. That kind of leadership is rare, and we certainly appreciate NPO's support."

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization preserving the First Amendment rights of the comics community. Donations and inquiries can always be sent directly to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. Be sure to check out "Busted!" the CBLDF's quarterly newsletter or http://www.cbldf.org for more CBLDF news.

More Mojo

Left Hand Men Press, the publishing arm of Syndicate Enterprises is positively sweaty with joy to announce the arrival of the second issue of the inimitable Mojo Mechanics. This time out of the gate our minimum wage warriors find themselves lost in a jungle populated by all manner of toothed nasty - as well as by a bloodthirsty tribe of water balloon shaped horrors. But amidst this virgin wilderness, they discover a secret and enigmatic woman of the shade, Angela. In pursuit of this fleeting vision of beauty, they discover that beneath the jungle muck and vine there lies a greater, older enigma and that there is no such thing as a routine mission.

Even more than the first issue, this installment concentrates on simple storytelling entertainment told with an eye to crisp clean cartooning draughtsmanship. Hearkening back to the works of other adventure story greats, the art is inspired by creators like Hergé and Berni Wrightson to create a sense of jungle mystery. The story is inspired by that sense of the familiar in the bizarre found in the works of creators like Mark Twain and Phil Foglio.

Also featured are the artist, Matt Pasteris’ skills as fashion designer - Ajax and his semi-redoubtable companion, Bippy the Space Hippo fight their way through primeval mayhem in a brand new set of flashy jungle togs done up mojo-style! Even if other comic characters are doomed to wearing the same boring uniform in every story, the Mojo crew always gets the job done tricked out in serious style. In this story, longer than either of those in the first issue, Matt has the room to really demonstrate his full talent as a designer both in background detail, and in the over all flow from panel to panel.

And more than all this, Left Hand Men is virtually insensate with excitement to announce the debut of the great comic find of 1999 - like Tintin with an attention deficit disorder, Tom Sawyer on crack - we proudly present the clown prince of boy wonders: Lil’ Timmy Smithers! In this, his first appearance, our plucky little hell-raiser attempts to complete the plans for his radioactive death ray by finding the last crucial ingredient - sauerkraut ice cream. Unfortunately for him, he makes his search at the Monsta Mart, the original convenience store from Heck! Staffed by grim and gruesome grotesqueries of every nature, Timmy must demonstrate intestinal fortitude and a propensity for mischief greater than that of Calvin, Charlie Brown and Dennis the Menace combined!

The art, more cartoony than that of the main feature, showcases Matt’s amazing brushwork, much of it reminiscent of the ‘drippy-slimey’ effects produced by Kelley Jones and Wrightson, while holding a Dr. Seuss edge. Filled with visual jokes and a bouncy rhythm that rocks the story from panel to panel, this ten page short is calculated to introduce this dynamic character with a big bang!

Mojo Mechanics #2! Chock-full of fresh and piping hot comic book goodness! Why live a life devoid of meaning or hope? Order your copy today - you and your comic dollar are the only things standing between humanity and the rising tide of evil that threatens to engulf the world in eternal darkness!!! Mojo Mechanics. 32 pages. Black and white with color covers. Mojo Mechanics #2 can be found in the June Previews on page 297 under Syndicate Publishing. Diamond order code JUN991572.

Be sure to check out the Mojo Cover Gallery at:

http://www.wesworks.com/mojo/mojo1.html

SPX: THE COMIC RETURNS!

This August, the Small Press Expo will unveil the latest and greatest in small press anthologies -- "SPX 99: The Comic." Featuring a who's who of the burgeoning small press and self-publishing scene, this collection is wrapped in a new "Jay and Silent Bob" cover from Matt Wagner. Altogether, it's 200 pages of high quality sequential entertainment for the unbelievably low price of only $5.00. And like previous SPX volumes, all proceeds from "SPX 99: The Comic" benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

However, due to a technical error, Wagner's cover art for "SPX 99: The Comic" was not included the June issue of Diamond's "Previews" for items shipping in August. A full description of the book appears under the Small Press Expo listing on page 296, and the item code is JUN991560. For those wishing to see Wagner's cover, it's up the CBLDF web-site at http://www.cbldf.org.

Over the years, the Small Press Expo has raised more than $15,000 in support of the CBLDF's mission to protect and promote free speech in comics. This year's Expo (September 17-19 in Bethesda, MD) and "SPX 99: The Comic" will continue that tradition with an even more diverse array of comics talent. The 1999 comic includes new stories and strips from Jim Mahfood, Brian Ralph, Dean Haspiel, James Kochalka, Rachel Hartman, Jordan Crane, Bob Fingerman, John Hastings, Nick Bertozzi, Steve Conley, and many more.

"SPX 99: The Comic" is a 200-page square-bound book with a full-color cover retailing for $5.00. It's an outstanding read and an outstanding way to support the Fund. Fans of comic innovation should ask for it by name at their local comic shop. Retailers can order it directly from Cold Cut, Diamond, FM International, Bud Plant, and other distributors of fine sequential art.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization preserving the First Amendment rights of the comics community. Donations and inquiries can always be sent directly to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. Be sure to check out "Busted!" the CBLDF's quarterly newsletter or http://www.cbldf.org for more CBLDF news.

MANKIND #1 PREMIUM EDITION

You¹ve seen him in the pages of The Undertaker and in the WWF ring - now Mankind stars in his own special from Chaos! Comics and the WWF! Limited to just 3000 copies, this Premium edition of Mankind #1 has an incredible painted cover by Roy ( Cremator) Young! Have a nice day . . .

    MANKIND #1 PREMIUM EDITION Limited to 3000. . . . . . . . $10.00
    Full Color.
    Terms: 50% off retail.

    LADY DEATH ARMAGEDDON STICKER
    ITEM# ARMS1

It's the end of the world and we feel sin-sational! Celebrate the end of the millennium Chaos! style with this exclusive four-color Lady Death Armageddon sticker perfect for skateboards, bumpers, helmets or wherever you want to show the world you know when and where it's all gonna end!

    LADY DEATH ARMAGEDDON STICKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.50
    Terms: 50% off retail.

DIAMOND SPRINGS INTO ACTION TO BENEFIT CBLDF

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. continues its support of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund with the 1999 Spring Breaks. Over the last several years, Diamond has redoubled its efforts to turn these regional industry gatherings into fundraisers for the CBLDF through live and silent auctions, special giveaways, and other events. This year, the Spring Breaks raised more than $2,400 to benefit the Fund.

The Spring Breaks are the natural descendants of the annual Diamond Retailer Seminars and are sponsored by Diamond in conjunction with DC, Dark Horse, Image, Marvel, and other publishers. Held at various locations throughout the country from April 6th through the 19th, the Spring Breaks brought comics retailers and publishers together to exchange ideas and discuss issues crucial to the industry. The events featured presentations by representatives of most major comics publishers and vendors.

"One of the great things about the Spring Breaks," said Diamond trade show coordinator Todd Scott, "is that it gave us a chance to work with both retailers and publishers to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It's an opportunity for all three arms of the industry to get together for a good cause. I'm infinitely pleased to have been able to help pull this together, but it wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of the retailers and publishers who participated."

The annual Spring Breaks represent an important source of funding for the CBLDF. It is, however, just one of the ways in which Diamond contributes to the Fund's efforts to promote free speech in comics. Diamond also donates its usual cut of all CBLDF premium items sold through Previews back to the Fund. In the first quarter of 1999 alone, this amounted to a cash donation of more than $2,300.

"We're grateful for the consideration and support which Diamond gives to the Fund," said CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr. "What makes the Spring Break donations especially meaningful is that the support is coming from the retailers who are far and away the Fund's largest constituency. I'm proud and grateful that they came together with Diamond and comic publishers to support us through these Spring Breaks."

The CBLDF would like to thank all the retailers who participated in the auctions and made donations to the Fund:

The CBLDF would also like to thank those retailers who made cash donations, as well as the vendors who donated items for the auctions, including Beckett Publications, Central Park Media, Dark Horse, DC, Decipher, Inc., Inkworks, Marvel Comics, and Pioneer Entertainment.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization preserving the First Amendment rights of the comics community. Donations and inquiries can always be sent directly to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. Be sure to check out "Busted!" the CBLDF's quarterly newsletter or http://www.cbldf.org for more CBLDF news.

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Copyright © 1999 Sheryl Roberts, Editor