THE BLACK BEETLE "NO WAY OUT" #1 Preview

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Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so excited to share the latest 2 lobby cards with some support words from two comicbook legends and a huge inspiration of mine: Jim Steranko and Warren Ellis. I am lucky enough to call Jim a friend and he has always been enjoying The Black Beetle since the ashcan from a few years ago, so having his stamp of approval (being the Pulp authority he is) really means a lot to me.
     And to add another cherry to the pie, Warren asked to see the pages from issue 1, enjoyed it and gave me the blurb I used on the lobby card below. More thumbs up from these greats means I might be doing this right :) Let's hope I don't screw it up along the way ;)


     Issue #0 (collecting the NIGHT SHIFT 3-parter published in DHP plus extra material) is coming out in less than two weeks and there is still time to put in pre-orders for issue 1 coming out in January.

     Speaking of issue 1 of NO WAY OUT, here's an excerpt of an interview that was recently published on CBR (done with Daniel Glendening) in which I talk a bit of the story, The Black Beetle, and show some sneak peek of the book (first 3 pages).

~~Ŧ~~

     Back alleys shrouded in darkness and long shadows cast by dim streetlights, all-night diners and wise guy gangsters, esoteric artifacts and Nazi secret agents: this is the world readers have come to associate with classic noir, and the world readers will find in writer/artist Francesco Francavilla's "The Black Beetle" from Dark Horse Comics. With the release of "The Black Beetle" #0, collecting the three-part story "NightShift" that originally ran in Dark Horse's anthology series, "DarkHorse Presents," on December 19 and the subsequent launch of "The Black Beetle: No Way Out" four-issue miniseries on January 16, Francavilla continues his impressive rise in the comic book industry. Francavilla nabbed the 2012 Eisner Award for Best Cover Artist as well as the 2012 Eagle Award for Favourite Newcomer Artist. He brings his signature graphic, pulp aesthetic to every panel of his developing series, eagerly sharing the process on his "Black Beetle"-centered blog.

     "We are still at a very early phase of the Black Beetle's history," Francavilla told Comic Book Resources. "We know he operates in Colt City and we know he is some sort of masked vigilante or hero. The events in 'Night Shift' span one night -- We've learned what the Black Beetle is capable of, and where his 'base of operations' is located."

     The Black Beetle is a hero, to be sure, and he's willing to take a bullet in defense of the innocent. However, he is not without his flaws, as hinted at in "Night Shift," and Francavilla compares him to Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine in the 1941 film, "Casablanca."

     "[The Black Beetle] operates outside the radar of the law, which allows him to get information on criminal activity in Colt City and act accordingly, sometimes adopting unorthodox measures," said Francavilla. "He is a hero, after all -- not a perfect hero, but still a hero."

[...]

      "There is something else going on more than just simply 'protecting the citizens of Colt City,'" said Francavilla. "What is that 'something else?' That's one of the major plot-points that we'll discover a bit at a time through the next several issues in the series."

[...]

    "A main goal I had for this book is to explore several genres of the pulps," Francavilla explained. "'Night Shift' was a mix of spy-war story with some supernatural elements, while 'No Way Out' is more of a crime-mystery story."

     Francavilla cites the pulp and noir films and serials of the 1930s, '40s and '50s as direct influences on The Black Beetle, as well as classic pulp crime fiction writers like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. The series is also clearly indebted to early masked-heroes like The Shadow and The Spider.

     "I always loved the high entertainment value of those stories," said Francavilla. "You didn't need to know much going in except that some bad guy is going to do something bad and The Shadow or The Spider was going to take care of him. Same goes with the gangster or crime movies from that period: you were going in without any pre-conception or knowledge of the characters; getting to meet the hero (or anti-hero) during the movie, and deciding to like or hate him or her at the end. You probably thought you knew how the movie was going to end, but somehow the whole experience wasn't as predictable as you thought. And that made it fun, entertaining. Hopefully I will be able to achieve the same effect with 'The Black Beetle.'"

~~Ŧ~~

So please spread the word about BB, pre-order #1 and #2, tell your store to order some extra copies, and -last but not least- have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

The Black Beetle NO WAY OUT #1 Lobby Card Week #1&2

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Hello BB Friends,

Dark Horse has released the second Lobby card for NO WAY OUT, this time featuring a quote by my dear friend Rick Remender.
I have been putting together these lobby cards to help promote the book in Previews and can't wait to show the next 3 (one for each week in November).

While we wait, why don't just go ahead and pre-order the book at your local (or on-line) comicbook shop? And maybe tell the store to order some extra copies as well? :)

Here are the solicits for #1 and #2 again :)

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #1 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Jan 16. FC, 32 pages $3.99

Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #2 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Feb 20. FC, 32 pages $3.99

While investigating a mysterious mass murder that leveled Colt City’s mob bosses, Black Beetle gets wrapped up in a puzzling maze of clues. Could the appearance of a costumed criminal named Labyrinto be related to the destruction of the powerful organized-crime racket?

Cheers,
Francesco

THE BLACK BEETLE in "NO WAY OUT" #1 & #2

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Hello BB Friends,


Here are the covers for THE BLACK BEETLE #1 (above) and #2 (below), now available for preorders.

I can't stress enough how important is for a new book to get as many pre-orders as possible, and in this specific case I invite you to do it even more: The Black Beetle's future kind of depends on it. The better number it gets, the more DH will ask me to draw more, which is exactly what I want to do: got so many stories planned for our favorite neo-pulp hero, and I will only be able to tell them if we get the book selling enough copies to justify the printing run. Yes, now with the digital comics you can get around that, but Black beetle has to be printed on paper: it's PULP after all ;)

Hope you guys pre-order these two issues (and the next 2) and tell your LCS to order a few copies as well.
I am putting some promo lobby cards as well with quotes from some of my friends. Above is the first one from the sweet and talented writer Gail Simone. More coming this week and the next ones.

And here are the solicts for issue 1 and 2.

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #1 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Jan 16. FC, 32 pages $3.99

Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?


THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #2 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Feb 20. FC, 32 pages $3.99

While investigating a mysterious mass murder that leveled Colt City’s mob bosses, Black Beetle gets wrapped up in a puzzling maze of clues. Could the appearance of a costumed criminal named Labyrinto be related to the destruction of the powerful organized-crime racket?

I am very EXCITED about this finally coming out. And if you are too, pls leave a note: as always, I love hearing from y'all :)

Cheers,
Francesco

The Black Beetle Returns!

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Hello Pulp Friends,

I AM SUPER-EXCITED to officially announce that THE BLACK BEETLE is getting a new mini titled NO WAY OUT and will be in stores this coming January 2013 thanks to the fantastic and awesome friends of DARK HORSE COMICS.

NO WAY OUT will be the first BB mini, with more minis coming after that.
And to get you in that perfect BB mood, NIGHT SHIFT, the Black Beetle's first tale published in 3 parts in the pages of DARK HORSE PRESENTS, will be released as a special one shot (or issue 0) this coming December: 24 pages plus some extras and a brand new cover! (see above)

Here's DARK HORSE's official press release :)
~~~~~

Dark Horse Press Release

Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce a new creator-owned series from Francesco Francavilla, the 2012 Eisner Award winner for Best Cover Artist!

Francavilla’s critically acclaimed The Black Beetle returns in December with The Black Beetle #0, which will collect the three-part story entitled Night Shift that originally appeared in the pages of the Eisner Award–winning Dark Horse Presents. The issue will feature a brand-new cover, twenty-four story pages, and bonus sketch material and art!

January brings The Black Beetle: No Way Out, a four-issue story that marks the first full series for Francavilla’s Black Beetle, continuing from the self-published, limited-edition ashcan comic of the same name—the first appearance of this exciting new pulp hero!

In Night Shift, an ancient artifact known as the Hollow Lizard—a powerful totem of dark magic—shows up at the Colt City Natural History Museum. Hitler sends his fearsome Werwolf Korps to collect the piece in hopes it will help him unlock the secrets of ancient Egypt’s Black Priests. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!

In No Way Out, Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what damage might that murderous bomber inflict upon Colt City and Black Beetle?

Francavilla’s The Black Beetle series will also showcase a letter page so fans have the chance to have their thoughts, comments, and compliments answered by the creator himself! E-mail blackbeetle[at]darkhorse[dot]com for a chance to see your letter in The Black Beetle: No Way Out!

“Francavilla delivers the pulp noir that suits his style perfectly.”—Comic Book Resources

Look for The Black Beetle #0 on comic store shelves everywhere on December 19, 2012!

About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.~~~~~
Stay tuned for more great Black Beetle news!

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2012 Francesco Francavilla
KARA BOCEK, BLACK BEETLE & COLT CITY created by, ™ and © 2006-2012 Francesco Francavilla

The Black Beetle's "NIGHT SHIFT" Pt.3 Preview

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Hello B-Beetle Friends,

part 3 of THE BLACK BEETLE's NIGH SHIFT (inside DARK HORSE PRESENTS #13) is finally here: above you can enjoy the first 3 pages of what you will find in the issue out tomorrow :)).
Hope you guys will enjoy the final chapter and stay tuned for some more exciting Black Beetle news coming soon :)

DHP #13 comes out tomorrow in all the stores around the Country: pls pick up a copy or two (and recommend it to friends)) and be there when this all started :)
Looking forward to hear your thoughts on it.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla
KARA BOCEK, BLACK BEETLE & COLT CITY created by, ™ and © 2006-2012 Francesco Francavilla

The Black Beetle's "NIGHT SHIFT" Pt.2 Preview

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Hello B-Beetle Friends,

part 2 of THE BLACK BEETLE's NIGH SHIFT (inside DARK HORSE PRESENTS #12) is finally here: above you can enjoy the first 3 pages (the double spread will have balloons on it, I just avoided here so not to ruin the reading experience tomorrow :)).
Hope you guys will enjoy the new chapter and, agin, pls let me know if you do (or if you don't :))

DHP #12 comes out tomorrow in all the stores around the Country: pls pick up a copy or two (and recommend it to friends)) and be there when this all started :)
Looking forward to hear your thoughts on it.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla
KARA BOCEK, BLACK BEETLE & COLT CITY created by, ™ and © 2006-2012 Francesco Francavilla

The Black Beetle's "NIGHT SHIFT" Pt.1 Preview & Interview!

Hello B-Beetle Friends,

Are you as excited as I am for the Black Beetle finally hitting the shelves all over the Country tomorrow? :D
I really hope you will enjoy "NIGHT SHIFT" cause I have big plans for BB and if he gets enough love, those plans will go in motion :)

To get you in the mood here's some preview pages and an extract from an interview that went up a couple of weeks ago on the excellent iFanboy website thanks to Paul Montgomery - thanks for all the support, guys :)


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iFanboy – Let’s give the people some history. How long have you been tinkering with the Black Beetle character? How personal is this creation to you and what does it mean to see him in the pages of Dark Horse Presents?
FF: I’ve been tinkering with what came to be THE BLACK BEETLE for a few years now—the quintessential pulp hero protecting the streets of a fictional city—but the very first Black Beetle as we know him today came to paper at the beginning of the past decade.

Once I had defined his character, name, look, and setting, I slowly started to build the universe (including Colt City) around him. The story itself has evolved and now it’s a much bigger, wider scheme which I can’t wait to unveil to the public, one page at the time.

I’ve been self-publishing some web stories and print ashcans for the last several years, but having him now in the pages of Dark Horse Presents is like seeing your kid graduating and getting out there in the world to start building his own future. Once again, a huge thanks to Mike Richardson and all the folks at Dark Horse for asking me to bring THE BLACK BEETLE to DHP: I can’t think of a better publisher to get these stories out to a much wider audience.


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iFanboy – Just as your name is synonymous with a revival in a pulp style of art, the Black Beetle carries the torch for a bygone era in serial adventures. What characters or stories inspired his creation?
FF: I guess the short answer for the inspiration is: all and none. Definitely the BLACK BEETLE does owe a lot to the many pulp and noir movies and serials from the 30s to the 50s I’ve been watching all my life, and also to more recent productions.

And I’d say it’s also owes a good bit to classic crime and pulp writers like Hammett and Chandler. So I’ve tried to take all those influences and put a unique spin and my own stamp on it to really make The BLACK BEETLE its own thing with clear pulp and noir influences, but I’m also trying to bring something new and fresh to the genre. Time (and readers) will tell if I’ve succeeded.


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iFanboy - What can you tell us about the latest adventures of Black Beetle? Is it all under the cowl or does his civilian life play any kind of role?
FF: When approaching “Night Shift” for DHP, I wanted to make sure the story was accessible to everyone, both those who are already familiar with The Black Beetle and those who get to meet him for the first time. The format itself (3 short installments of 8 pages) played in my favor and let me focus on our hero and introduce the vibe/mood of the Black Beetle.

I can’t give too many details on the story because I don’t want to spoil it, but I am confident it will entertain the readers and introduce the Black Beetle to a wider audience.

For the same reason, we will not get to see his civilian alter ego (which is a major plot point in a future story) in Night Shift, but I will be revealing something that will play a major role in the Black Beetle mythology.


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You can read the whole interview on the iFanboy page.

DHP #11 comes out tomorrow in all the stores around the Country: pls pick up a copy or two (and recommend it to friends)) and be there when this all started :)
Looking forward to hear your thoughts on it.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla
KARA BOCEK, BLACK BEETLE & COLT CITY created by, ™ and © 2006-2012 Francesco Francavilla