After a surprisingly impressive debut , I have settled down with Savage Avengers #2 fully expecting the wheels to come off. Spoiler alert — They don’t.
Here’s how Marvel describes the issue:
The Hand has teamed up with the evil wizards of the Hyborian Age to summon a death god from a celestial hell. The only thing standing between Earth and destruction is the Savage Avengers: Conan, Wolverine, Punisher and Voodoo. Plus: Logan donates blood, changing one Avenger forever. And Conan discovers a dark secret squirming in a genie bottle. Your new favorite ongoing series is knives out in its second chapter. (Parental Advisory)
*Review: Savage Avengers #1 – SPOILER ALERT!*
Hyperbole not withstanding, Savage Avengers delivers. Yes, I still find the modern trappings intermixing with the fantasy element annoying, almost as much as the inclusion of the other protagonists, but the simple truth remains — Gerry Duggan and Mike Deodato are delivering an awesome Conan the Barbarian comic.
The writing is excellent. The artwork is exquisite.
The book lives up to its name. It’s villains are suitably nasty. The heroes are drenched in copious amounts of blood. There is violence and mayhem at every turn.
It feels like a Conan book should feel.
The super-hero element is a turn-off, but it’s so pretty, and so much superior to the actual Conan titles, that it is easily overlooked.
If you’re a Conan comic fan who is not checking out this book because of its Marvel Universe trappings, I urge you to give it a chance. Howard purists have plenty to grouse about, but this is still the best Conan comic you’re going to get without delving into back issues of Savage Sword.
I give this book 7 out of 10 skulls of my enemies. Substitute the Avengers for appropriate Hyborian Age mercenaries, change the location to Stygia or some other exotic region, and I would be tossing all 10 skulls at this book.
If you’re in Northeast Ohio this coming weekend, stop by Lost Nation Comic Con. Our very own associate editor Joeseph Simon will be hosting a panel including former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and several other industry talents.
Joeseph is also a creative guest at the con, and will be repping Gwandanaland Comics, his own creative endeavors, and maybe – just maybe – putting out a good word for the Library, too.
I wish I could be there, but Chicago is a long way from Willoughby, Ohio….
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
April 20th, 2019 Interviews, NewsComments Off on INTERVIEW: Archie, Mighty Crusaders & The Shield (II)
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a two-part interview with Rik Offenberger. To read the first installment, please click here. My apologies to all of the readers who have been patiently waiting to hear more about these brave Golden Age heroes!)
By JOESEPH SIMON – PM Library Associate Editor
Rik Offenberger is a dedicated comic book professional. He knows what he loves, and it shows in all of his projects and industry-related accomplishments. The co-author of The MLJ Companion: The Complete History of the Archie Super-Heroes and former PR coordinator at Archie Comics talks here about the Shield and the legacy of The Mighty Crusaders.
The first part of Rik’s interview ended with discussion of the new Shield G-Man Fan Club, which Rik brought back for super-fans of these characters.
JOESEPH SIMON
No doubt running a fan club could be fun. Have there been any surprises running the Shield G-Man Fan Club?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“The Shield has a niche following and he hasn’t been published in a lot of comics internationally, but we have international fans in the club and they care a great deal about a patriotic character from a different country. I think that’s great. I have a fondness for both Captain Canuck and Captain Britain so I get it. But it still makes me happy to see the reach these characters have around the world.”
JOESEPH SIMON
You occasionally revise the contents of the Shield G-Man Club that are mailed back to people in the SASE, tell us more about that.
RIK OFFENBERGER
“It is unintentional. I have both of the original Shield G-Man pinback button styles. But you can’t wear them. They are old and fragile and worth a bit of money. I wanted to produce a new button for myself DIY, but you know what? If you make one and want quality, you pay a really large fee for a one off. However, if you produce 200 it really brings down the cost per unit. The other item is a membership card. It’s just a business card. The people who produce our business cards at www.firstcomicsnews.com do a great job at a good price. So that was the membership kit, same as 1941, a card and a pinback button. Better quality than the originals and you can wear the pin and show the card without fear of losing hundreds of dollars of investment.
My cost per button is 26¢ including shipping and they gave me $5.00 off plus free shipping. The membership cards are 10¢ each. My total cost was 36¢ and I could make a lot of super fans happy, maybe not a lot, but at least 200. I get to share my joy for these heroes and the fans share their joy with me. Tons of fan art and a really good time had by all. I can’t really explain the rest, except the bookmark. Mitchell Kwok did an exceptional piece of original art with all the Shield characters on it, and Ric Croxton wanted a bookmark for his Mighty Crusaders Companion. He’s a longtime friend and he reviews books and comics with me, so how could I say no. Also, I thought I would like a bookmark for my Mighty Crusaders Companion too. So, now we all have bookmarks.”
JOESEPH SIMON
What motivated you to write the Twomorrows press book? What interesting stories have resulted from it being published?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“Paul Castiglia is a longtime friend, we both worked at Archie Comics and we both love the Crusaders. He is my editor and co-writer on the book. He asked me, ‘Do you want to write the MLJ Companion for Twomorrows?’ I said sure. I have written for the Comic Buyers Guide, Newsarama and Comic Book Resources. I write for First Comics News daily but this was my first book. I have tons of material from the website but I needed Paul’s help and guidance on a project this size. I started with an outline I turned in to Paul and he made revisions and turned it in to John Morrows. Next thing I know, Twomorrows sends me a contract. It’s really cool to have a book to show people, much cooler than showing the website. But the real joy of the project is when people tell me they enjoyed reading the book. “
JOESEPH SIMON
The original publishers of Shield, MLJ, eventually turns into Archie. Taken together, the company has accomplished quite a lot in its long history. What do you think are some of the noteworthy moments in the way the company handled its super heroes?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“The heroes have been around for 70 years. They have been published in every decade – given many chances to find an audience and they have. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about them now. Archie Comics is a Mom and Pop shop. It’s still owned by the founding family. It’s not a major conglomerate like Warner Bros. or Disney that owns DC and Marvel, so the heroes have always had to take a backseat to Archie who outsells them.
The success of Archie made the other superheroes take a back seat.
But they have had major pushes with Mighty Comics, Red Circle, DC’s Impact and DC’s Red Circle. Dark Circle continues the heroes legacy and puts out new stories with legacy versions of the classic MLJ heroes. Each venture had some high points. The original Red Circle will always be the high point for me, I loved the handling of the heroes. The historic text pieces and the feeling that I was getting in on something new and special. But I have been excited about every relaunch ever since. I was a comic retailer when Impact launched and very excited to see the heroes at DC, I encouraged all my customers to sample the Impact line.”
JOESEPH SIMON
Now that the Archie & Mighty Crusaders two issue team up is over, is there any news on upcoming Mighty Crusaders releases?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I don’t work for Archie Comics any more, so I don’t have any inside information to give you. I know there are a few trade paperbacks in the works. But I don’t know what they have planned next.”
JOESEPH SIMON
You also run a site devoted to the team. What might one find at the site?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“www.mightycrusaders.new has literally everything you ever wanted to know about the Mighty Crusaders and MLJ Heroes. A comprehensive who’s who, fan art, fan fiction, history of all the publishing ventures, copies of every Golden Age MLJ comic to read, unpublished comics not seen anywhere else. If you want to know anything about these heroes it is on the site. “
JOESEPH SIMON
You are a spokesperson for Archie. It has to be an exciting time, with the successes of many of the story lines of late to the TV Show. I loved how elements of the Mighty Crusaders made it to the Riverdale TV show. Who was behind that?
Elements of The Mighty Crusaders on television?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I was the public relations coordinator for Archie Comics for 10 years but it’s been 3 years since Archie eliminated my position, so I don’t have a lot of current inside information. I do know that in the first season, the producers had elements of DC Comics in Riverdale because it was the same production company that does Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning. After the first season they stated using elements for Archie’s own heroes. Part of the fun watching Riverdale is all the “Easter eggs”.
JOESEPH SIMON
Marvel Comics and Archie have collaborated to get Marvel digests out to the general market (non direct comic market). Even under Disney ownership, this shows the incredible fan base Archie has on the newsstand. My very first contact with the Archie superheroes were the digests. Those digests were great and influenced me even to today.
RIK OFFENBERGER
“The digest has been one of the most innovative comic formats, and no one had done as well with it as Archie. Michael Silberkleit told me his father came up with the idea. It’s amazing how many decades you have been able to find Archie Digests at the checkout line.”
JOESEPH SIMON
My very first contact with the Archie superheroes were the Archie Super Hero Special and Super Hero Comics Digest Magazine from 1978 and 1979. Those digests were great and influenced me even to today. It would be incredible if Archie did super hero digests of their own! Any thoughts on those coming back?
ZAP! SPLAT! It’s the first issue of Archie Superhero Special digest.
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I loved those super hero digests, I have both the American editions. I have the French and German Star Team editions as well. When I was first hired by Archie, I asked about more superhero digests and was told the sales under performed. The thinking was the smaller panel size was still good for a joke but too small for the action needed for a superhero story. DC also abandoned their superhero digests.”
JOESEPH SIMON
The original publishers of Shield, MLJ, eventually turns into Archie Comic Publication, Inc. Taken together, the company has accomplished quite a lot in its long history. It is noteworthy, that, with its start as MLJ, Archie will be turning 80 next year! What do you think are some of the noteworthy moments in its the companies handling of its super heroes?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“The Shield was the star of Pep Comics and was so popular they did a second series Shield/Wizard Comic. Dusty also expanded to Boy Buddies. They were really excited about the heroes until Archie came along. Then it was all a matter of the marketplace telling them what to do. Archie outsold everything else they did. They keep bringing the heroes back and testing the waters.
The Silver Age brought Private Strong and the Fly both by Simon and Kirby, what’s not to love about that? Later Mighty Comics, The Mighty Crusaders and Jaguar. When the direct market started, they were one of the initial publishers to start the entire direct market and they launched the Red Circle line to bring their heroes back. That was the high point for me and my collecting. Even the new Dark Circle was an attempt to do something different and unique with the heroes. Not every version resonated with the market but I appreciate that they keep trying new ideas.”
JOESEPH SIMON
Speaking of comic history, I am a fan of the Archie Super Heroes from all different periods. MLJ’s version was different than Archie’s take on their heroes in the 1960s. Archie would describe its super hero line at the time as high camp. Archie imprint Belmont released a paperback style comic collection that flashed “Dig Their Crazy Costumes—Marvel at their Deeds! High Camp Super Heroes” (with an introduction and stories from Co-creator of Superman Jerry Siegal)! Its interesting looking back on that style from today’s vantage point, what exactly it encompasses. High Camp was deemed as a “thing to be” due to the success of the Batman TV show. Tower Comics attempted to jump on that band wagon with the T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents and Archie saw it as an opportunity to take their heroes in.
I think
Camp might be a vague term that many might be unfamiliar with and not
understand completely.
Camp has
been defined as an aesthetic style that sees something as appealing
because of its bad taste and ironic value. Another definition says
that Camp opposes satisfaction and seeks to challenge.
Examples of camp can be found in film, cabaret and pantomime. Camp is amazingly diverse. In addition to the 60’s Batman TV show, you can find camp in film like Flaming Creatures, most of John Waters films, Beat The Devil, Valley of the Dolls, Mommie Dearest, Duck and Cover, Toxic Avenger, Pulp Fiction, Rocky Horror Picture Show and TV shows like Mod Squad, the 60’s Avengers, Adams Family, Munsters, Gilligans Island, Lost in Space, Wild Wild West, Get Smart, Dallas, and Dynasty. Even in music, Cher has been called Queen of Camp and Dusty Springfield and others have performed under a camp styling.
I find comments in Christopher Isherwood’s 1954 novel “The World in the Evening” to be insightful to the ideals of camp where he wrote “You can’t camp about something you don’t take seriously. You’re not making fun of it, you’re making fun out of it. You’re expressing what’s basically serious to you in terms of fun and artifice and elegance.” Susan Sontag even included Ishewood’s qoute in an essay “Notes on Camp.”
I am curious what your thoughts are on camp and Archie’s appropriation of it for Archie super heroes in the 1960s as high camp given all the above.
RIK OFFENBERGER
“It didn’t start out as camp in 1959. Adventures of the Fly and Private Strong were very straight forward arch type superheroes. As time went on Archie ran superhero stories in both Pep Comics and Laugh Comics. As primarily a humor publisher, they were trying something different with their heroes. It wasn’t the archetypes from DC nor was it the angst of Marvel. It was camp. The heroes had problems. The Shield couldn’t keep a job and the Web was henpecked. These were problems but they weren’t Marvel style problems.
By analogy, if DC was Coke and Marvel was Pepsi, then Archie was Dr. Pepper. People who think that Archie tried to do the Marvel style and failed don’t understand camp. The heroes were uber-heroic and villains were evil all in a Golden Age type example of how heroes and villains should behave.
But there was humor in the rigidness of the roles and the seriousness of the reactions at a time when the readers were seeing the presentation as passé. It was 8 years from Adventure of the Fly #1 until Mighty Comics #50. So there were fans and they understood and enjoyed the presentation. I think it was a valid presentation of the heroes. Almost all Mighty Crusader fans love “Too Many Super Heroes”, it’s just that Dr. Pepper isn’t everyone’s favorite.
JOESEPH SIMON
How would you classify the MLJ era and the eras after the camp of the 60s?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I think the MLJ era was very straight forward super heroics. I think they were one of the more successful publishers of their era. Red Circle started out very strong and produced a life long love for the heroes in my mind. It was very influential to my fandom.
Impact was a good idea if Image and Valiant hadn’t launched at about the same time and given unrealistic expectations about what a launch should look like. I liked everything about the DC Red Circle and if JMS had used them exclusively in The Brave & the Bold, with Batman and outside of DC continuity, it would have had a stronger launch and sales would have been better. I was very excited at the Red Circle/Dark Circle launch, and enjoyed every issue, the Fox standing out as trying something different and exciting.”
JOESEPH SIMON
You reprinted a number of stories from the members of the Mighty Crusaders in your book. What did you reprint, and what led you to include those out of the the history of the characters?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“You and I are talking about this because we are both hard core MLJ superfans. However, we wanted the book to appeal to fans and non-fans of MLJ. So if you were a Golden Age comics history buff and wanted to learn more about the MLJ heroes, you would have a few stories to read and get a feel for who they were. “
JOESEPH SIMON
Your site has really cool unpublished scripts and art of the Mighty Crusaders. The deeper you look, the more you find the characters are thriving in all sorts of ways. There is a whole culture of fan art, commissioned art, custom figures and other activities occurring around the Mighty Crusaders. Gwandanaland, a comic publisher who is reprinting much of the Golden Age, has released collections of quite a few of the MLJ publications revolving around the heroes.
It’s a testament to the characters. In talking about that culture, what have you discovered since you released the book or is new and noteworthy that might not be on the radar of every reader?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I love everything about the MLJ Heroes! I love every era and almost every version of the characters. I have discovered that I may be alone in this. While there is a strong and thriving fan base, they don’t all want the same version of the Mighty Crusaders, and that is why they have had such a difficult time finding their audience. Some people only like the Golden Age version – others only the Silver Age version. Some people only like Impact while others hate the Impact versions of the characters. So the problem is that you can’t make everyone happy and the comics aren’t selling well enough to generate buzz and bring in a large enough new generation of fans to love these heroes too.
As to what new, the greatest part of having the site is it’s a collaborative effort. A lot of people helped with the Who’s Who. A lot of artists have contributed to the galleries. People start sending things to help. I discover new items much more frequently than I would have suspected. When I find them, I share them with the G-Man Club and post them to the site to catalog them for all the MLJ fans to find. I found a reverse colored version of Lancelot Strong by Joe Simon that looks amazing.”
JOESEPH SIMON
In addition, you are part of First Comics News, which by appearance pays homage to First Comics, the famous indie publisher of the past. At one point, it was mentioned First, the publisher, was making a comeback. This was a while back. Any knowledge what happened to that, what I consider, great news?
RIK OFFENBERGER
“I was writing for Newsarama and Comic Book Resources when the Editor-In-Chief at the Pulse quit. I had been the senior feature editor at Silver Bullet comic books, and I understood how the news websites operate. I put together a business plan and made a pitch to take over the Pulse. They made me an offer, but the offer was lower than I expected.
Instead, I decided to start www.firstcomicsnews.com using the business plan I put together for the Pulse. I stared with the above-mentioned Ric Croxton and Phil Latter, both of whom still contribute to the site. I owned Super Hero News, which was a clipping service on one of Yahoo’s platforms, I wanted to use that name but someone else had registered it and was sitting on the domain name. I needed a new name that indicated we loved independent comics and would reliably get you the news to readers quickly.
I loved Nexus, the Badger, Jon Sable Freelance and all the comics at First Comics and First Comics was out of business for 15 years at that point. So, I checked on the availability of the name. We have a trademark for use in journalism. After we started First Comics News, word came out that First Comics was coming back. But they aren’t a comic news site and we don’t publish comics so it’s hard for fans to mistake one for the other.
They did come back as 1First Comics with a “1” in front of the name, so that is a little different too. They publish monthly and are in every issue of preview. The even brought back the Badger! We have an excellent relationship with 1First Comics and cover everything they do, with interviews, previews and reviews. They put out a lot of fun comics.”
***
Thank you, Rik, for your time!
For more information on the heroes of the Mighty Crusaders:
Your local comic book store can order the MJL Companion from Diamond or you can buy it from Amazon: www.amazon.com/MLJ-Companion-Complete-History-Super-Heroes/ and other online seller of comics as well as directly from the publisher Twomorrows Publishing at http://twomorrows.com with other great books on the comic industry.
Gwandanaland has released most of the golden age appearances by the individual members of the team in trade paperbacks. Gwandanaland has also released over 2,000 trade collections from the golden age of comics! You can visit them at their home on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/gwandanaland.
The stories are diverse and the adventures plenty. Many known creators have taken part in the Mighty Crusaders history, including Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, Alex Nino, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn, Rich Buckler, Dick Ayers, Ian Flynn, Marco Rudy, Marc Guggenheim, J. Michael Straczynski, Mike Parobeck, Len Strazewski, Michael Gaydos, Howard Chaykin, Dean Haspiel, Mark Waid, J.M. DeMatteis and many others.
If you’re looking for something different for super hero comics, there heroes of the Mighty Crusaders might be that something you need!
April 19th, 2019 Crowdfunding, NewsComments Off on NEWS: Jim Starlin takes “Dreadstar” to Kickstarter
As if there weren’t enough exciting comic projects out there in the crowd-funding world this month, there’s another great one out there: The Dreadstar Omnibus, Vol. 1 by Jim Starlin and Creation.Ink. While I can’t afford this one at the moment, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.
From the Kickstarter page:
Ominous Press is proud to announce the Jim Starlin’s Dreadstar Omnibus Collection. Featuring more than 1,500 pages of classic Dreadstar action over three volumes, each page has been meticulously remastered by Jim Starlin himself, making this the definitive Dreadstar collection.
The three-volume hardcover Omnibus Collection will gather the complete Dreadstar stories by cosmic master Jim Starlin. Volume 1 is a 512-page collection of Dreadstar’s journey, from the original Metamorphosis Odyssey presented in Epic Illustrated magazine, to the Dreadstar Graphic Novel, The Price graphic novel, the Epic Illustrated short story, and the first eight issues of the original standalone Dreadstar comic series. As an exclusive bonus, Jim Starlin’s Dreadstar Omnibus Volume 1 also features the original painted Metamorphosis Odyssey Portfolio, as well as a four-page bonus story, The Prayer.
Whether you’re a longtime Dreadstar fan, or this is your first introduction to the acclaimed series, this volume is a massive, must-own masterpiece.
In the 1980s, writer Chuck Dixon teamed up with Tim Truman and Tom Yeates to resurrect the Golden Age hero Airboy. The run of the series lasted 50 issues, and featured other Golden Age characters like Valkyrie, Sky Wolf and The Heap.
Flash forward 30 years, and Chuck Dixon is back with Airboy #51, a comic that he’s scripted with art by Brent McKee and Jok. The comic picks up where the Eclipse Comics series ended decades ago.
$8 for a .PDF copy, and $10 for the single issue. For $100, you can get a signed copy of Airboy #51 with all of the (8) different variant covers.
I’m thinking of jumping in for a single copy. This monk already has a signed and CGC graded copy of Airboy #1 from Eclipse, and I’m looking forward to adding a new chapter of the Airboy legend to my collection.
Did you know that Robert E. Howard, HP Lovecraft and Edgar Rice Burroughs had a long list of poems to their credit in addition to their famous prose? I didn’t.
Thanks to artist Mark Wheatley, collectors and fans of these legendary pulp authors can get their hands on a lavishly illustrated hardcover book – one that focuses on the poetry of all three well-loved authors. It looks as if the publisher, ComicMix LLC, has three previous crowdfunding projects under their belt and this is their newest venture.
“Songs of Giants” is currently on Kickstarter with only four days left, and it’s fully funded and heading toward more stretch goals. Some samples of the illustrations found in the book are below:
This monk has pledged at the $35 level, which includes the hardcover poetry book an an audio CD of “Edgar Allan Poe’s Haunted House of Usher”. I don’t know the artist or the project creator, but it looks like a project any Howard, Lovecraft or Burroughs fan shouldn’t miss. Remember, it ends in a mere four days so don’t miss out.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
April 15th, 2019 NewsComments Off on NEWS: Marvel Crossover Spotlights the Savage Land
Marvel Comics has announced this summer’s cross-over event, which will bring to the forefront everyone’s favorite Antarctic prehistoric paradise.
The crossover, titled “Prodigal Sun”, will take place in three one shot stories: Fantastic Four: Prodigal Sun #1, Guardians of the Galaxy: Prodigal Sun #1 and Silver Surfer: Prodigal Sun #1.
The series will be written by Peter David with art by Francesco Manna.
Only a few details were released today. The series will kick off as the Fantastic Four heads to the Savage Land, where an entity named Prodigal is being worshiped as a god.
The cover of the issue shows Marvel’s own Tarzan and Jane – Ka-Zar and Shanna – leaping into battle alongside the Richards family, with a massive Tyrannosaurus in the background.
Congratulations to Phil Stidham, of St. Paul, Indiana. Phil is the winner of the Giant-Sized Conan the Barbarian #1 April giveaway.
It’s easy to enter the comic giveaway. Just share your thoughts about our new site by commenting on one of the posts here – that’s all you need to do! One name will be selected to receive the next free comic on May 31.
I’ll be giving away a new classic Conan comic book every month, selecting a different name each time from those of you who take the time to share your thoughts here. See the details on the sidebar on the right – and good luck!
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
September 30th, 2018 Interviews, NewsComments Off on INTERVIEW: Self-Publishing Brings Success For Ohio Artist
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an interview with Robert A. Kraus, owner of RAK Graphics and creator of independent comic characters like Thundermace, Stephen Darklord, and Chakan, the Foreverman. Robert’s success comes purely from his own creativity, and his willingness to do nearly everything himself and in his own way! Robert is a native of Akron, Ohio and can be seen all over the Midwest and at small cons in his home state. Thank you, Robert, for taking the time to share with our readers!)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
WALLY MONK
“Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into drawing? And were comics your first love, or did you at some point have different aspirations for your artwork? How old were you when you made your first drawing and thought, “I’m going to publish that one day…?”
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I am a late bloomer as artists go. Sure, i drew a bit as a kid, but I mostly liked being outside and playing sports and enjoyed reading much more as a pastime than art. Comic books, sci-fi books, in addition to most of the classic authors. I came from a big family, and books were everywhere as well as trips to the library. I still am addicted to reading, and at the time I wanted to be a writer more than an artist.
The RAK Graphics convention booth, where Robert sells comics, graphic novels, as well as illustrated cards and his own games.
I got serious about art in 10th grade. I attended a vocational high school and we did rotations in several vocations to see if any appealed to us. Carpentry and graphic arts and commercial art were all interesting to me, but I decided on trying for commercial art. I was terrible, but I told the teacher, Mr. Schwartz, that if he let me into the program I would really try to get good. He let me in, and I started doing tons of work to become more adept. Around this time, late 70s, I rediscovered comics, and started writing and drawing my own characters. I loved the medium because it was a mix of my two passions, art and writing. In the middle of my senior year in high school, I got a job at an ad specialty company as a staff artist and have been a professional artist ever since.”
WALLY MONK
If I’m correct, you started self-publishing during the black-and-white comic book explosion of the mid-80s. What was that time like, and did you ever dream of producing comic books before that? And what was your original vision for RAK Graphics?
ROBERT KRAUS
“I actually started publishing before the explosion, before RAK Graphics, as a way to get my artwork and ideas out there. I published two books, Straight From the Sketchbook and Aliens of The Cosmos.
I learned a lot from those two little projects. So I guess my original vision that eventually came to fruition under my RAK Graphics label was to get all these ideas I had out to other people.
“Aliens of the Cosmos” was one of RAK’s first published projects.
There was no internet, so it was hard to showcase and exchange ideas back then. My publishing company facilitated that for me.”
WALLY MONK
Chakan the Foreverman is arguably your most popular title and character. He was a back-up story in the original Thundermace comics. Did you expect Chakan to become as big as he is, or were you surprised he took the spotlight? It seems, from looking at your current offerings, that you really love drawing dragons!
Chakan the Everman is perhaps Robert’s most successful character. He’s been made into a SEGA Genesis video game and written into nearly two dozen graphic novels!
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“Chakan was the backup feature, and I put him into the Thundermace book because I knew that story was going to take a while to tell, and wanted readers to have a short complete character and story to satisfy them while the Thundermace story unfolded. Chakan was perfect for that. I was able to tell snippets of his long existence in 4-8 page shorts. I was surprised at how much fans loved him. That was cool. Did I expect to have a video game and to sell 100K+ graphic novels? Not a chance (laughs). The grey warrior has been good to me!”
WALLY MONK
One of the many notable traits in RAK comics is that you never used word balloons in the early issues. Your comics were more like illustrated books. What was your reasoning for that, and how was it received by your fans?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I was never a fan of word and thought balloons, in fact, I liked the old comic strips like Foster’s Prince Valiant, where the text blended with the art. Burne Hogarth did a great Tarzan of the Apes book where he used mostly type blended into the art that I enjoyed. Plus, although I loved Marvel and DC Comics, I wanted to do my own thing, experiment with a media that employed text and art. I wanted to take my own path and see where it lead me, good or bad. I do things my way, and have been able to stand out a bit because of that.”
“I love the characters in mainstream comics, but I do not want to play in that sandbox when I have a perfectly fine sandbox of my own to have fun with.”
– Robert Kraus
WALLY MONK
You continue to promote your own work through RAK Graphics, and have branched out from comics into a card game (Dragon Wars) and collecting stories in the now popular trade paperback format. Did you ever consider working for one of the big comic publishers? Why or why not?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I have worked for many gaming companies, and of course SEGA, as well as doing commercial work for decades, so I just enjoy doing my own thing. I am selfish in that I want to create my work and see what happens. I do not mind taking a risk a major publisher may not want to take. As I said, I love the characters in mainstream comics, but I do not want to play in that sandbox when I have a perfectly fine sandbox of my own to have fun with.”
WALLY MONK
RAK Graphics had some other interesting series – two that come to mind are Stephen Darklord and Buce and Gar. How did these two series come about? And were they explored as much as you would have liked? Would you like to revisit them some day?
Buce and Gar was created by Robert’s friend James Groman and published by RAK.
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“Darklord was a sci-fi/men’s adventure yarn, kind of like the Executioner Mack Bolan paperback series meets Mad Max movies in the comics. It was fun, I would like to revamp and finish that tale one day. Buce and Gar was the case where my good buddy James Groman had this amazing talent and story and I wanted to help him get it out there. Fun stuff, and also a sci-fi type book done in a time where there was not more than the traditional spandex superhero or superhero team books out there. I have always thought comics should be a broad range of styles and stories. Now with print on demand and the internet, there is a healthy dose of all things out there, not like when I started out.”
WALLY MONK
RAK graphics survived the independent comics crash of the mid-1980s, and you’re still drawing today. What makes your company different from the dozens of companies – even major ones like Eclipse and First – that shut down during that time? What allowed RAK to survive when others failed?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“Being different, having a wide variety of offerings – books, games, toys. Wildlife to visual poetry to fantasy art, a portfolio where everyone can find something to enjoy! Too many just try to do one art style or a single product. Being a one-trick pony is the surest way to have a short and rocky stint in the art biz.”
WALLY MONK
How do you see your comic properties in today’s market?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“Not to brag, but I feel I am as good at what I do as anyone else out there. Of course there are better writers and artists than me, but my concepts and stories and how I put them together hold their own against the top competition across the US every week I am at a comic con. I am proud that I can compete at a high level while still retaining an outsider art/writing presence.”
WALLY MONK
Your business model is much different than mainstream and even many other indie publishers. Have you thought about taking your properties to companies like Image or AfterShock, where creators retain ownership of their own characters? The independent comic environment seems to be much more organized than it was decades ago.
Robert keeps his offerings diverse to attract the widest possible audience and offer something for everyone – even card games!
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I would like to some day have another company publish and promote my work, but not at the expense of my creative freedom. If one of those want to work with me, that would be fine. I could use some editing help and their bigger distribution footprint, but I have a loyal fan base that supports what I do.”
WALLY MONK
It seems like a lot of comic book talent came out of the Greater Cleveland area. Ryan Brown, Dan Berger and many others (including Brian Michael Bendis) all hailed from somewhere in Northeast Ohio. Did you know any of those guys during the 80s, and if so, do you have any contact with them today?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I have met many talented people throughout my career, but I have always been an isolated creator. Actually, until the Facebook thing, I had no idea how many other creators were out there. It’s amazing how many talented people there are. I have always been this little island where I write and draw and then disperse my creations and then return to my island to do it again.”
WALLY MONK
Comic books are a tough business. They were then and they are now. What would you tell the next young Robert Kraus about starting up an independent comic company?
ROBERT A. KRAUS
“I would just tell them to do it. That their challenges will be different than my challenges were, but that there are always ways to get around them if you never give up and stay true to your dreams. Also, that it takes hard work, so if you do not enjoy the work, do something else. I myself have loved doing what I do for over 40 years!”
* * *
Thank you, Robert, for sharing your story with Paint Monk’s Library. To learn more about RAK, please visit his website and online store at www.rakgraphics.com. Photos in this article provided by Robert Kraus.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
June 23rd, 2018 Interviews, NewsComments Off on NEW Scout – Interview With Tim Truman (Part II)
Scout: Marauder, An Upcoming Movie, Scout: Blue Leader and More! Part 2 of 2
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Paint Monk’s Library is proud to feature an interview with legendary comic book creator and artist Timothy Truman. Interview conducted by librarian Joeseph Simon. This is the second and final part of the interview. You can find the first part here.)
JOESEPH SIMON
Will Scout: Blue Leader be next? The idea of the entirety of Scout being given a trade collection and/or hardbound is very enticing! I hope for good things in the Scout-related future.
TIM TRUMAN
“This initial Scout: Marauder graphic novel is the first volume of a two-volume arc, and afterwards we have a few more tales set in the Scout: Marauder/Vic and Tahzey timeline that we want to tell. Blue Leader is another beast entirely – a whole new timeline. Understand that the Scout books were conceived from the beginning as a multi-generational saga. It’s been conceived that way since the beginning. As I see it, Blue Leader is set years – many years – after the events of Marauder graphic novels. Also worth noting, there are certain threads running through some of my other creations that connect them with the Scout “universe” – specifically Black Lamb, Dragon Chiang and A Man Named Hawken. There are linkages between those concepts that hard-core Truman fans might enjoy looking for.
As for a trade collection or series of omnibus editions, I’m certainly hoping for that as well. The omnibus editions would be huge books, though, page count-wise. We might have to partner with another publisher for something like that. We’ll see. First things first. We’re concentrating on the Marauder books for now.”
JOESEPH SIMON
Speaking of Kickstarter, another change in the comic industry is the use of crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter. You’re back to publishing on your own like you did with 4Winds Publishing. This time you are using Kickstarter. Did your experience with 4Winds help make the choice of doing a Kickstarter for Scout: Marauder easier or perhaps harder?
TIM TRUMAN
“Well, I think I probably covered many of the aspects of that earlier. I’m 62 now and I certainly would rather just be drawing than also handling a lot of the marketing and communication and things like that, when Ben and Em can’t lend a hand. But believe me, it was a lot harder in the 4Winds days.”
JOESEPH SIMON
One of the interesting aspects of your many works involving Native Americans is the amazing research you do and respect that you show for indigenous American history, culture and historical figures. Your writing on Scout has been noted by Native American author Michael A. Sheyahshe, who wrote “Native Americans in Comic Books.” In the book, he says “Scout is presented in a respectful and genuine manner, with tribal-specific cultural ties.” And your work on “Wilderness: The True Story of Simon Girty” was praised by Allen W. Echert, the Pulitzer nominated historian and Emmy winner with whom you would later collaborate on the the graphic novel adaptation of his Tecumseh! play. Other experts have also praised you for your research and honest portrayal of indigenous history and culture. I believe this is one of the many great aspects of your work. Undoubtedly Scout: Marauder will continue that.
SCOUT as a comic has always been respectful of and
worked in dialogue with the indigenous American community.
Regarding how much time has passed and changes have occurred since Scout in the 1980s and 1990s was published, your knowledge of Native Americans and their culture must have expanded and evolved.
TIM TRUMAN
“Well, I hope it has. I was 29 or 30 when I wrote and drew Scout #1 for Eclipse. I’m 62 now. A lot of things have happened during that time – not only for myself, but more importantly within Native American culture. One of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life has been invited to attend the last two years of Indigenous Comic Con in Albuquerque. To have some of my favorite folks in the indigenous creative community tell me that Scout was an inspiration to them is an indescribable experience. It’s beyond anything I hoped for or even set out to do. I just wanted to tell a great science fiction adventure story with some meat on its bones and chose to give it a really interesting and unique lead character. I didn’t really think about it much. I just did it, and let the lead character instruct me about how he wanted to be portrayed. It all seemed very logical to me at the time.
These days, we took pains to invite some oversight and participation from the indigenous community. It was really important to Ben and me. Michael A. Sheyahshe, whom you mentioned, has agreed to lend his expertise as a cultural consultant as we go along, as has Pueblo author and publisher Lee Francis, who is one of the founders of Indigenous Con. Weshoyot Alvitre, an incredible artist from California, is working with me on the digital coloring.”
JOESEPH SIMON
A lot of time has passed since Scout: War Shaman was published. I have no doubt Scout fans from back then will jump on this Kickstarter when they find out about it (and will hopefully spread the word.) What can you say to engage readers who aren’t familiar with the original series? What rewards do you have in store for backers and what is your goal, if any, for stretch rewards?
TIM TRUMAN
“Well, as I told Ben, we’re approaching this story not as much as a sequel as a new beginning. It’s consciously being plotted to stand on its own as a seperate tale. Those who read and remember the original series will find an extra richness in it, hopefully. But those who are just coming onboard will be able to enjoy a high action, high drama dystopian sci-fi adventure comic that happens to feature two Native American lead characters, front and center.
GENEROUS REWARDS: In addition to Scout: Marauder,
some pledge levels give the backer access to a PDF library
of the original SCOUT series from Eclipse Comics!
Rewards wise, besides the fact that the Kickstarter edition is, by its very nature an exclusive collector’s edition, we have PDFs of the complete original series, special 8″x10″ art pieces that I’m doing, each one individually inked from my printed bluelines; the chance to get original art and special signed and “signed & inked” editions; 6″x9″ and 11″x17″ full color prints; and the Scout: Marauder Sketchbook in comic book format, full of character concept drawings, page and panel “outtakes,” and, for the first time, my original character notes and series “pitch” that I used to sell the original Scout concept to Eclipse Comics. Also, at a certain reward level, you’re able to receive subscription style PDF downloads of each chapter as we complete it – say 6-12 or more pages at a time, every 4-8 weeks. So although you have to wait until January or February for the print version, you can still read the story and see our progress as we go along during the intervening months. Those early chapters will be the “non-proofed,” unedited versions, so there might be a few things in them that will be a little different in the final printed version. That should be fun for some folks.
For stretch goals we have several things in mind. Right now, we’re talking about putting together a “Scout: Marauder #0” issue for the 2018 Indigenous Comic Con in November and including that as a bonus for most of the pledge categories. Some of your basic things like laptop stickers, but they’l be really cool and original. Some cool new full color prints. Folks are after us to do hardcovers, of course, but I have to collect some new estimates on that from our printer before we can make any decisions, and also figure out how much it would add to our foreign shipping costs, which can kill you if you’re not careful. We’re about to add some new rewards categories, too, to get us over the top and beyond. First thing we want to make sure of, though, is that everyone who is working with us on the book is paid well for their time – including us, quite frankly! I’ve turned down a lot of work offers from other publishers so that I could devote 6 full months of drawing-board time to the book. So right now we just want to hit our goal and concentrate on that. We’re very, very close. At just over one week in and we’ve already hit 80% with 24 days to go. Pretty exciting. I really, really appreciate everyone who is backing the project and making it possible at long last.”
JOESEPH SIMON
Scout has been optioned as a movie, which is outstanding news. Making a movie is not an overnight activity. These things take time. It’s understandable regarding the time from when it was announced to now.
TIM TRUMAN
“Things really seem to be moving along on that front, actually. Studio 8 just renewed that option in March and I’m reading the 4th draft of the screenplay. This shows that they’re really serious about getting the film backed and into production.”
JOESEPH SIMON
It does make one wonder what kind of film Scout would be. I love superhero movies, but I hope Scout goes a different route. Scout is quite obviously not a super hero film – what do you envision for a Scout movie?
TIM TRUMAN
“I agree with you about that. Because of nondisclosure agreements, though, I really can’t reveal much. Studio 8 and the people involved have some amazing creds, though, and a reputation for high quality stuff. Jon Silk, who originally approached me about the option, was one of the guys behind It. Braden Aftergood was one of the producers on Wind River, which was a pretty incredible film. And Studio 8 is about to release White Boy Rick, which looks like it’s going to be big. So we’ll see how things develop. I just want them to be true to the character and concept. Scout is too important to too many people to be messed with.”
***
Thank you to Tim Truman. It was a cool interview to do! Thank you to Paint Monk’s Library for publishing it!
Readers, if you miss out on Scout: Marauder, this is going to be one of those Kickstarters that comic fans are going to regret not supporting! I encourage you to take a look at what Tim and Ben have set up, including the beautiful art and their engaging and compelling story. There are a log of extras and benefits to backing this Kickstarter that will not be replicated at any other time. Visit Scout: Marauder at the link below:
Do you enjoy Robert E. Howard's classic Cimmerian in comic book form? Join Paint Monk's Library bloggers, as we review all 275 issues of Marvel's original Conan the Barbarian series. New installments added regularly!
Popular Posts
REVIEW: OAR #2 Renews, Refreshes An RPG Classic
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Musings from the Monk, a semi-regular column written by the chief archivist and comic nut who organizes Paint Monk’s Library ...
Moon Knight Squares Off with The Sun King
REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT #193 (Written by Max Bemis with art by Jacen Burrows)
When the avatars of the sun and the moon get ready ...
Do you enjoy surfing through comic book bargain bins? Join the Paint Monk as he discovers discounted treasures at comic book stores throughout the Midwest.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
June 7th, 2019 
