Joe Kelly's Blog

Hey all,
Just a quick one to let you know that the I Kill Giants: Titan Edition now officially exists. I am holding a copy in my grubby little hands right now, and it is gorgeous. Completely freaking gorgeous.
I know that fans of the book have been waiting for a long time for this, and again, my apologies for the delay, but when you get your hands on this thing, I'm hoping you'll feel a wave of forgiveness followed by the warm glow of knowing you're in possession of a quality piece of work.
There are nuances in Ken's work that even I didn't notice until seeing it "Titan Sized". The design is clean and beautiful. I love seeing the covers as double page spreads in Ken's original ink/tone drawings. I've lived with this project for years, and I can't tell you how pumped I am to leaf through this edition.
I'll let you know when I get an official street release date, but rest assured, the giants are coming...make room on your shelf.
Thanks!
-JK

Okay, that sounds considerably more pretentious than I meant it. I officially “eew” myself with the first blog of a new decade…but that said, it IS the first blog of a new decade, an while I’ve said it before on many a morning “this time it’ll be different!”

Segue to “Resolutions.”

This year those of you who have been patiently waiting WILL see chapter 4 of Four Eyes, Issue 4 of Bad Dog, and after that, even more of both! Watch the solicits for the upcoming Four Eyes TPB which will be followed by the next “chapter” in Enrico’s saga. Bad Dog will also move to a more consistent schedule, the exact details TBA, but I can promise you this – in 2010, it is my goal to ONLY solicit work that is guaranteed to come out when we say it will. Apologies to those of you who have been led down the primrose path of my pickled prose…but last year was a steep learning curve, and we learned our lessons well.

Also, blogging…whether or not I’m just yelling into the ether of the ‘net, I will be making a marked attempt to blog more and keep ya’ll up to date on what’s happening…which should be a lot…

On to “Revelations.”

Always the shortest segment of any missive, because who wants to reveal too much? But this year, you can expect to see a Horror anthology project from me featuring some extremely talented (and possibly disturbed) artists, a new creator owned action-adventure project, and *fingers crossed* my next project with JM Ken Niimura. (Yeah, the I Kill Giants guy, for those of you keeping track of one of the most lauded books of the year…just sayin’.) As promised in the proceeding paragraph, you’ll catch sneaks about these projects here, but they won’t appear in Previews’ til they’re fully baked and ready to serve.

Speaking of, a few fans have asked about the hold up on the IKG Hard Cover (linked above) - it IS coming, just a little late due to some production hold ups on our end. My apologies, but I think when you finally see it it'll be worth the wait. A gorgeous looking book!

On the MOA front, keep your eyes peeled to the Cartoon Network as any day now you should start seeing promos for our new show, Generator Rex. We’ve been busting our collective butts on this one, guys and gals, and I think it’s going to show on the screen. (You might also correctly surmise that this is part of the reason some of my books is so late!)

Lastly, count on at least one Hollywood related announcement that I am very stoked to share…how’s that for a cliffhanger?

And finally…the Rapture.

It’s here. Didn’t anyone tell you? The Apocalypse has come, proudly brought to you by THQ and Vigil Games in Darksiders: Wrath of War, the unstoppably bad-assed video game releasing today. The story, if I may say so, is insane and awe inspiring…and I may say so because I wrote the script with a sword dipped in the blood of my enemies! (Or in Final Draft, I forget) Joe Madureira brought me on way back in the day to help develop the story and write the script, and I had a blast working with the guys at Vigil. This game is going to rock your world, and I’m proud to have been a part of it – so if you’ve got the cash to plunk down and the inclination to see what happens when the Apocalypse really REALLY does come to Earth, pick up Darksiders!

More mayhem to come in MMX!

Peace!

-JK

Hey Gang!
Sorry for the long silence - the months proceeding San Diego Comic-Con are always hell on wheels! I'm putting a ton of work to bed (or trying to!) before jetting off to the pop-culture capital of this or any universe.
As the faithful already know, you can see me and all of the Mans of Action at our beloved booth, #2007, all weekend! Appearing with me at the booth will be Diego Greco, of the beloved (and somewhat late) Bad Dog, plus a host of other special guests! We'll have a sneak preview of Bad Dog #3 (it really IS coming out, guys!) as well as some other MOA projects.
In the meantime, I wanted to alert your browsing systems to an article that just went up on MTV about moi, Spidey, and a certain Merc-with-a-Mouth. Check it!
And god help me, I'm going to do my best to blog from San Diego and try to refocus my commitment to staying in touch with everyone by blog... because it would take way too long to come to your homes and touch you there...not to mention illegal.
Hope your summers are swingin'!
-JK

Hey All!
Just a quick check in to let you know that I'll be appearing at the MoCCA festival this weekend on Saturday, June 6th, camped out at the Vertigo Booth at 11:30 am to pimp Bang!Tango to your eye-sockets.  I really like the MoCCA festival because it's THE East Coast nexus for books out of the mainstream, and I always find exceptional and provocative new work in those aisles.  So come down and say hi, bring books for me to sign and pick up Bang!Tango!
Then on Sunday, if you're the early-riser-cares-about-children-charity type, I'll be waiting at the finish line of the Sunrise Day Camp Walk to Help the Sun Rise for Children with Cancer, which is at the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds in Wheatley Heights NY at 8:30 am.  As they say on their website, "Sunrise Day Camp, for children ages 3-16, is the only dedicated day camp in the nation for children with cancer. It is a camp designed to meet the emotional, social, recreational and physical needs of these children while allowing them to enjoy the comforts and safety of their own homes at night." Come on down, walk and make a donation - I'll be at the finish line celebration handing out comics and autographs.
Lastly, for those of you who plan ahead, I'll be at Wizard World Philadelphia this June 19-21st.  I really enjoyed this con the last time I was there, and look forward to meeting all the folks who didn't make it to NY this year!
That's all on this end. Have a great one!
-JK

Hey Gang,
So guess what? While you were going about your daily lives not worrying about comics at all, we finished issue #3 of Four Eyes - and it's on the stands now!  While I probably do an inordinate amount of apologizing on this blog, I am truly sorry that it's taken us this long between issues.  Max and I are having a blast with Four Eyes and the book is near and dear to both of us. But we're busy with a ton of projects, so it be what it be.  Going forward, though, here's the skinny:
Issue #4 - on sale in a few months, probably after comic-con.  Then a trade, and then we're going to get the next arc in the can before soliciting, which means we won't be in Previews for a while, but we will be posting images here of the work as Max completes it!  Like this image, for example:
Yum!

As to Bad Dog #3, being drawn right now, and should be in your hands before Comic-Con, I think!  You can check out more in this article on everyone's favorite book about werewolf bounty hunters and vertically challenged potty mouths: HERE ON IGN. Yeah, I gots interviewed!
There's a lot more happening that I can't discuss yet - a DVD project that's pretty cool, plenty o' animation, etc. but check back for dribbles of news as I can share them.
Back to work!
-JK

This was a great weekend. Lots of time with the kiddies. Lots of time on the bike.  And movies...TWO movies in one weekend, which, while probably not a big deal for some folks, is huge for me.  And since so many people have asked...
Appropos to nothing, I LOVED Star Trek. It was, by far, one of the best action films I've seen in years, and pulled off more than one magic trick in its two hours, not the least of which was reignighting my childhood imagination while doing the same for my son and daughter. This is a fantastic movie whether you're a Trek fan, have a passing interest in Sci-Fi, or just like sweet lookin' films. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Appropos to something, I really liked Wolverine despite the pre-screening discontent that permeated my inbox. Yes, it's got plot holes and no, swords could never fit in there...but it was a good popcorn movie, and Hugh Jackman can sell anything.  I'm also one of those people who can turn off parts of my brain when watching a film - like the critical fan boy parts who read all of these books and loved them - so I wasn't hampered by the continuity stuff - even to the previous films (though that did bug me a little)... and then there was Deadpool.
Deadpool I paid close attention to.
I'm looking at him as two separate characters in this film - Wade and Weapon XI.  I thought Wade was great. Ryan Reynolds brought it and stuck it to the screen with his beloved katanas. His dialogue was funny, the delivery was great, and his moment of glorious sword spinning combat was fan-damn-tastic.  Wish we had a ton more of it, but it wasn't his movie. Use what was done here as the genesis for a Deadpool film and we're off to a great start.
And to my friends who have been warning me my head was going to explode when I saw this movie because of "what they did to Wade..." 
Whatever. It's the end of the movie, they needed a big bad guy and so they picked him because they didn't want to introduce someone new and he was the coolest of the non-sideburned bunch. Obviously if they move forward with a Deadpool movie, none of that stuff is going to stick - we can ALL come up with reasons why the operation wasn't a success and he's just left with the healing factor - so it's no biggie to me.  Let's be thankful that a great character is getting some notice, and just laugh the rest off as one in a long string of painful moments in Wade Wilson's twisted life... that's what Deadpool would do!
-JK

Hey Gang!
Just got back from back to back business and pleasure trips, and I need a vacation from my vacation!  Sorry that the blog has been dim, but my resolution of the day is to make with more blah blah blah and less wah wah wah... whatever that means.
On the plate today are updates! I wanted to clue you in on where your favorite books are, as you may notice that they have not hit the stands yet...
Bad Dog #3 - Diego and I are pushing through the issue, but it's gonna be late, gang, sorry. I'm attaching some pages below so you can see the nasty goodness as a consolation prize. As you know, I love Bad Dog, and so does Diego, but this is a case where our mouths were bigger than our stomachs, and we need more time. Just so you know, once we push through 3 and 4, we're not going to solicit until the book is back on track.  We'd rather go silent for a little while than fail to hit a delivery date.


Four Eyes #3 - Is on its way to the printer!  You should see it in a few weeks!  #4 will follow in a few months, and then it's the same deal - we're not soliciting until we have stuff in the can, though there will be a trade for those of you who like your books thick!Douglas Fredericks and the House of They - is on track for June!
I Kill Giants TPB - also on track!
And that's about it for now!
-JK

Hey Gang,
I've been so busy with all of the wordsmithing that I forgot to mention that I'll be at I-CON this weekend!  This is a premiere con event on Long Island, way out in Suffolk at the Brentwood Campus of S.C.C.C. and the Islandia Marriott, and if the schedule is to be believed, I can be found:
SATURDAY: Islandia Marriott
12:30-1:30 - Marvel Panel2:30-3:30 - Graphic Novel Panel3:30-4:30 - Mythology and Folklore in Comics Panel4:30-5:30 - an Autograph session (But if you see me hangin' out and you got stuff to sign ANYTIME, give a yell!)
SUNDAY: The Marriott
11-12: Autograph table DEALER'S ROOM (At the campus, not the hotel)12:30-1:30 - Writing for diverse media panel1:30-2:30 - Humor in Comics panel2:30-3:30 - Exploring different Genres panel
Come down, say hi, consume cool stuff!
And next week - UPDATES, I promise!  

Hey Gang,
So it occurs to me that I've spent a good deal talking about the creator owned MOA books being published through Image, but have neglected my degenerate darling kicking around over at Vertigo, Bang!Tango. The book is drawn by Adrian Sibar and inked by Rodney Ramos, colored by the Hories. A visual feast that's more than a little bit experimental in its way.
In a nutshell, Bang!Tango is the story of a low level gangster, Vincente, who's hiding out in San Francisco because a few years ago he screwed up a job that lead to the death of his boss's brother.  Life is moving along fine for him as a tango dancer/ instructor until an old girlfriend shows up who needs his help - the woman who he fought with on that fateful night...
So right about now, you're nodding, "Okay, crime noir. Femme fatale...I get it..." but, dear reader, there is as they say, a "twist."  Can't have a Tango without the twists. And the sexual tension. And the subtle but precarious transposition of male and female power roles.
The reason that breaking up with the lovely Autumn left Vinnie so emotionally shellshocked, is that three years ago, she let him in on her most precious secret...she was not born a woman.
There. Outed. Autumn is a pre-operative transsexual. A woman born in a man's body...and übermacho Vincente fell for her big time. That's gotta hurt.  
With Autumn's return, Vincente is forced to confront not only his violent past, but also the storm of conflicting emotions around his relationship with Autumn, complicated by the promise that one day soon, she will have the operation that will make her "outside match the inside."
Yeah. Bang!Tango goes there and then some. At its base, this is a fucked-up Joe Esterhause style crime story replete with sex, violence, and over-the-top badasses hurling truckloads of bullets at one another. Beneath that, if I may be so bold, it's a deconstruction of a traditional mob-hero via his sexuality - the unravelling of a man who defines himself through sex and violence when he is forced to confront his actual feelings.
I'm not gonna lie. It's a challenging one, kids. Not for the faint of heart, but I really hope you'll give it a shot if you're in the market for a wayyyy left of center book. 
-JK

Hey Gang!
So in case you're keeping track, two of my more "mature" reads are on sale this week - Bad Dog #2, and Bang!Tango #2. Both promise to disturb and delight in very different ways, so whether you prefer Werewolves laying a high hairy smackdown on White Supremacists or ex-gangsters who sublimate their sexual confusion through rough sex and violence, I got you covered...
And then, there's a young reader's book? 
Yup! In a few months, Douglas Fredericks and the House of They will be hitting the shelves, drawn by the uber-savant Benjamin Roman, whose work you may know from I Luv Halloween and The Cryptics. It's a gorgeous hardcover, perfect for some quality time with the little ones, or for an older reader who likes cool art with their subversive morality tales.
(and then, someone in cyber-land scratches their head and leafs through Bang!Tango, wondering just how sick my "younger reader's work" must be...)
And I point that person to one of my heroes, Osamu Tezuka, who is not only the undisputed Godfather of modern manga, but whose work ran the gamut from the lovable Astro Boy to the devastatingly dark MW.  If you want to read someone who's all over the map, yet brings an undeniable humanity and point of view to both the benign and the bizarre, check out Tezuka. And while you're at it, Terry Gilliam and Guillermo Del Toro...David Lynch...Satoshi Kon...
I'm not comparing my work to any of those greats, but my inspiration comes from artists like them who refuse to be pigeonholed, knowing there are stories to chase all across the creative map. 
Here's to the hunt!
-JK