The Black Beetle NO WAY OUT #3 (of 4)

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Hello Beetlemaniacs,

    Time to reveal the third issue of the series now available for pre-orders: you can see the cover above (first cover showcasing the name of the city BB operates in too) and here is the solicits text to tease you while you wait for the release (in March) ;)

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3
Written by Francesco Francavilla
Art by Francesco Francavilla
On sale March 20, 2013     
Under the watchful gaze of the mysterious Labyrinto, Black Beetle fights for his life! Is this the doing of a man that Black Beetle thought was dead? Could a zombie mobster be commanding the foes of Colt City’s dark avenger?! If he survives the night, the investigative insect will be left with questions to ponder as he takes his investigation . . . to the morgue!  

    Next we have a sneak peek at NO WAY OUT #1 that my editor Jim Gibbons kindly gave in his blog post on the Dark Horse website. I suggest to click on the image to really enjoy this spread in all its glory :)

    THE BLACK BEETLE NO WAY OUT #1 is still available for pre-orders: here's a pre-order form Dark Horse put together to make things easy for you. Just click on the image, print out the form, bring it to the shop, and -voila- it's done! :)



THE BLACK BEETLE NO WAY OUT #1 will be in stores in less than two weeks. Can't wait for you guys to dig in :)

   And the love keeps coming! BLACK BEETLE NIGHT SHIFT (aka #0) came out 2 weeks ago but the great reviews and kind words about it keep coming!

    I am seriously overwhelmed by all the BB love that is pouring on the first issue: definitely grateful and humbled by the readers' appreciation but also fueled by it to do more and better, and hopefully it will show already in the next issue from the NO WAY OUT mini.

   But really, THANK YOU, GRAZIE MILLE, everyone, I am so glad y'all are enjoying the character and the stories :)

    And now here some more, recent, reviews.

FOLLOWING THE NERD
COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Black Beetle #0 5/5★ 
   Based on the strength of this issue and the gorgeous art, I’ll definitely be picking up the next Black Beetle adventure and if it upholds the quality set here, we are all in for a treat.

COMIC ADDICTION
REVIEW: The Black Beetle #0 
   There is an obvious pulp feel to this book that reminds you of classic characters like The Shadow, The Spider, Green Hornet, and others.  Francavilla’s decision to create a new character in that same vein really plays to his amazing art style that could easily fit into that era of comic book history and stand toe to toe with them.

BATMAN-NEWS
Break From Batman: Wonder Woman, Vol. 1 and best December comics list
   This was absolute no-nonsense pulp at its best.

COMICS & GAMING MAGAZINE
The Black Beetle in Night Shift #0 4.5/5★
   There’s something really iconic about every aspect of this book, from the title to his character to the artwork and more. The visuals are superb, heavy shadows and a very simple colour palette. [...] It’s a meticulously created mythos and I’m excited to read the rest.

MULTIVERSITY COMICS
Comics Should Be Cheap! (12/19/2012)
   If for whatever reason you are hesitant about checking out the new mini, pick this issue up and you’ll have your mind changed.

THE WEEKLY-CRISIS
Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 12/19/12
   I shouldn't have to remind you of how good Francesco Francavilla is.

DANGER ROOM COMICS
Featured First
   Masterfully-illustrated, pulpy adventure! HIGHLY recommended!

THIRD EYE COMICS
This Week’s Highlights at Third Eye Comics
   BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0 BRINGS THE PULPY AWESOMENESS OF FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA’S MYSTERYMAN TO LIFE! GORGEOUS ART FROM THE MAN WHO BROUGHT US BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR.

IMAGES AND NERDS
Derekommendation of the Week: The Black Beetle #0
   Love, love, love the retro vibe.  I guess I really like Francesco Francavilla.

Cheers,
Francesco

BLACK BEETLE Is A SMASHING Success!

Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so happy to see that Black Beetle #0 (collecting the NIGHT SHIFT 3-parter published in DHP plus extra material) was received so well by critics and fans (lots of BB love on Twitter) - makes me even more excited to get the new mini NO WAY OUT rolling this year.
If you haven't picked it up yet, please do: I heard of several store being sold out already and I don't want you to miss out on the fun that Black Beetle is :)

Here some of the reviews (click on the links for the full reviews).

~~Ŧ~~

THE BEAT
REVIEW: THE BLACK BEETLE #0, “Night Shift”
   BLACK BEETLE certainly has the potential to become an enduring “cult classic”, inspiring readers to roll up for more “twisted thoughts” from Francavilla in 2013.

COMICOSITY
Review: BLACK BEETLE: THE NIGHT SHIFT #0 9/10★
   Francavilla truly understands the economy of excellent storytelling, both in character movement and illustrative detail.

COMICS ALLIANCE
Francesco Francavilla's 'The Black Beetle: Night Shift' is the Hottest Cape Comic You Can Buy This Week
   The Black Beetle is the purest expression yet of Eisner-winning artist Francavilla's love for pulp, mystery, noir and superhero aesthetics

GEEKS OF DOOM
Comic Review: The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0
   The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 is all set up and all AWESOME! Let’s be honest, there’s plenty of pulp heroes running around these days, but The Black Beetle is all sorts of fun. No downbeat, depressing, down on humanity story here, just some fantastic action and adventure!

CBR
The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 Review 4/5★
   "The Black Beetle" is a delightful slice of skewed madness from one of today’s finest artists.

LOGO GO /NO GO (Tom Muller)
GO: THE BLACK BEETLE — NIGHT SHIFT
   The Black Beetle is Francesco Francavilla’s love letter to the pulp fiction serials of the 30s and 40s. Francavilla is pulling out all the stops to really capture the finer points of the pulp design language, both for the cover designs and the related promo material to create a fully realised design language that is flexible but immediately recognisable.

COMIC VINE
Best Comic Covers of the Week
   We loved the really pulpy cover to THE BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0 by Francesco Francavilla this week. It reminded us of those old 1950's mystery paperback covers in the way it is styled, and the way Francavilla plays with light and shadows is simply awesome.

SCIFI PULSE
In Review: The Black Beetle #0 A
   Francesco Francavilla has got a mastery of this universe and shifts us around it expertly. I cannot wait to see where he takes us next!

COMICBOOKBIN
The Black Beetle #0 Review 9/10★
   Easily one of the year's best debut issues, The Black Beetle #0 is opening salvo of what looks to be one of the best ongoing series of its kind.

COMIC ATTACK
Dark Horse Reviews: The Black Beetle #0 5/5★
   The quality of this issue is unsurpassed.

COMIC BASTARDS
Review: The Black Beetle #0 4/5★
   The story and artwork flows seamlessly together, a beneficial effect of having a single creative mind at work, and the plot is masterfully paced with no dull moments to be found.

NOSTALGIC Books and Comics
Picks of the Week: 12/19/12
   This handsome collection features three Dark Horse Presents stories originally published in issues #11–#13, from Eisner Award winning talent, Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror). Pure masterful pulp at its finest. This buzz-worthy read is as beautiful as action/adventure gets!

EXAMINER
‘New York Times’ best-selling artist creates pulp hero the Black Beetle
   Through the Black Beetle, Francavilla is able to explore all he loves about classic pulp-noir characters adding his own storytelling sensibilities by writing and drawing a story with no limits.

GEEKSUNLEASHED
Wednesday Watchlist
   I’d seriously consider buying a Russian telephone directory if it was illustrated by Francesco Francavilla.

COMICBOOK THERAPY
Advance Review 4/5★
   It’s a throwback comic that is worth your time and money.

NERDIST
Top Picks
   The Black Beetle is Eisner Award winner Francesco Francavilla’s chance to flex his mystery muscles in this hardboiled pulp-noir tale with a superheroic twist.

BIFF BUMP POP!
You Won’t Throwback The Black Beetle #0 On The Wednesday Run
   The comic book seamlessly mixes the noir and superheroes genres, is beautiful to look at and, most importantly, it’s super fun to read!

COMICS CRUX
The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0
   This Wednesday, grab The Black Beetle #0, smooth as silk and a reading adventure like you won’t believe. The Black Beetle earns every bit of your reading dollar.

THIRD EYE COMICS

Picks of the week.
   FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, the incredibly talented artist of BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR, totally blows our minds with the first issue of this mini-series that debuts his tribute to the pulp era, the BLACK BEETLE.

REVIEWFIX
The Black Beetle: Night Shift Review: Worth Getting Excited About
   “The Black Beetle: Night Shift” is a well written pulp comic that is a joy to read from begging to end. It is well written, a page turner and has some of the best art the genre has seen this generation. “The Black Beetle” series and Francesco Francavilla are going places and those places will be huge.

COMICOSITY
THE HONOR ROLL
   It may have been the most flat out entertaining book of the week.

COMIC-PER-DAY REVIEWS
Black Beetle #0
   This is a moody, atmospheric piece that really hits the pulp target.

ROBOT6
Chain Reactions | The Black Beetle #0
   If you like pulp heroes or Francavilla’s awesome artwork, this might be the book for you

THE WEEKLY-CRISIS

BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0
   This is a story of high adventure, where moral dilemmas are pretty black and white, and it's an awful fun adventure to be on.

DEN OF GEEK
Black Beetle #0 (Dark Horse), Night Shift, Review 9/10★
   While reading the full color comic, I could practically hear the breathless tones of an old radio drama, or see the Black Beetle as the star of his own Republic serial. There's no doubt about it, boys and girls! The Black Beetle #0 was the best thing I read all week!

THE PARADOX COMICS GROUP
BLACK BEETLE #0 8/10★
   Clandestine Nazi agents, ancient mystical artifacts and an ice-cool, gun-wielding costumed crimefighter, presented in the comic format with style and aplomb? How could I not sign up for this?

MAJOR SPOILERS

Staff Picks of the Week

COMICS: THE GATHERING

Black Beetle : Night Shift #0 Review 8/10★
   Francavilla’s writing is straight forward with colourful characters, pulse pounding action and suspense.

GEEKING ALLY

The Weekly Pull: ‘Black Beetle: Night Shift’
   Pulp heroes, noir and fantastic art; this might just be the best $3 you spend all week!

COMPLEX
Review
Using heavy inks, deep colors, and powerful composition, Francavilla brings the fictional world of Colt City to life in style.

COMICS! THE BLOG
You Read These With Your Eyes!
   Artist Francesco Francavilla wears his pulp influences on his sleeve. From his colouring choices, to his sense of panel design, the majority of his work feels like it emerged from the radio drama days of old, when characters like The Shadow and The Spider reigned supreme.

ROBOT6
Food or Comics? | Black beans or Black Beetle

UPROXX
Early Panels: Three Comics To Look Forward To Tomorrow
Francavilla knows his way around the pulps and the art is every bit as gorgeous as you’d expect.

BLOODY DISGUSTING

Review: ‘Black Beetle’ #0 3/5★
A fun book to read. It’s got a strong aesthetic narrative to it.

CHUD.COM
THOR’S COMIC COLUMN 12/28
It’s stunningly visual with a great sense of design.

~~Ŧ~~

What a great way to end 2012 and start the New Year.
Happy New Year to you all! Look for more Black Beetle action on the shelves all year long, starting this January with NO WAY OUT #1! :)

Cheers,
Francesco

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

(click on the page for larger view)

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