Not that I should be surprised, the female hero has kind of had a run of bad luck lately starting with the off-page Catwoman movie and the never-happened Wonder Woman movie and Wonder Woman TV show. And it’s not just comic book heroes; strong fictional females seem to be hard to find in video games, movies, TV, and novels. In fact, in the recently over-hyped video game Brink you can customize your character so much that it (potentially) could be unique only to you, but there’s no female characters.

All of this is despite the fact that women are quickly becoming the bigger spenders at the box office. What gives? If we want to see a kick-ass female this summer in the theater we’re going to have to go see Hunger Games (okay, I was going to see it anyways), but why must comic book fans retreat to YA?

Sadly, it seems that the major publishers of comics don’t want to play to the female audience (despite the fact that women are 90% more likely to choose where the household income goes). Traditional publishing, TV, and radio have already understood that their target audiences are usually women, but the entertainment industry seems to keep going, “oh my, we had no idea you females watched movies.”

I pray for strong, female heroes that little girls can look up to and emulate. I have to give props to the smart and strong secondary characters from the recent movies like Pepper Pots (Iron Man) and Sif (Thor), but hopefully soon there’ll be a main character. And it’s totally okay if it’s not Wonder Woman…

Stranger Comics has released issue 2 of Peter Bergting’s The Portent on Graphicly.

Synopsis

Secrets are revealed as Milo, Lin and Alkuin confront the mighty Mokkurkalve… and each other. When the heroes arrive at their destination, they find it deserted. Dai-Jiu, the good spirit they seek to protect, is gone. Instead, they meet Mokkurkalve, once the Guardian of Dai-Jiu when the gods were young, now sent to be the Destroyer.

Or so they think.

Download issue 2 HERE or buy the trade paperback HERE.

More from Peter Bergting…

The first three issues of The Untamed with art by Peter Bergting are available on Graphicly with issue 4 scheduled for release March 7th. And stay tuned for an exciting announcement about Stranger’s ongoing relationship with the Swedish master.

“It’s a rare treat when a creator comes along that can bring his vision to life in both visual and narrative form. Even rare if that creator is gifted in both arenas. Peter’s Portent is just such a treat.”
- BROM

“It’s phenomenal. I had never heard of Peter Bergting before and he just comes out of nowhere with this masterpiece.”
- MIKE WIERINGO (Superman, The Flash, X-Men)

“I love the art!”
- MICHAEL KALUTA (Starstruck)


“Peter’s one of my favorite working artists today. Fluid storytelling with an eye for acting and mood.”
- RICK REMENDER (Fear Agent, Punisher)

“Brilliant stuff! Really beautiful, and great storytelling!”
- CHRISTOPHER MOELLER (JLA, Star Wars, Rocket Man)

iFanboy has featured The Untamed on their website today with a review befitting our grim tale.

Give it a read HERE.

What is up moyng friends!?

I hope you all are lucky enough to be loving this Southern California weather like I am. I feel like Mother Nature stuck her finger into the face of the Winter Warlock and said “suck it!” Anyways, the new year is upon us and now is the time to start cranking away on all things that must be completed by end of year. My brain, nice and cooked, is still actively processing yesterday’s workload. What was the workload, you ask? Why issue 5 boards on Win City, boards on issue 2 of ERATHUNE, and lastly, layouts and concept designs of a new kids book… yeesh.

But what is Win City? Well, I will tell you (in brief). Win City is a really killer science fiction story that was written and created by none other than the illustrious Ken Locsmandi. Filled with all things great and apocalyptic, I am having a blast changing into 2nd gear, getting out of Asunda and into a new world of futuristic design. Now going from swords and sandals to drop ships and 100,000 ton mobile planetariums can be quite the drastic change. My brain almost didn’t make it through the transfer. But, I have made it through, and this is how I did it.

Part of my process is to go through image after image of amazing concept designs by other artists. Doing this, I purged my mind of the fantasy realm and munched my way into the universe of sci-fi. Interestingly, when I sat down to absorb the genius, only one artist blew my mind with his technical abilities. That artist was Gene Ha.

The image below is one of my favorite double spreads in any comic book.

This is the cityscape of all cityscapes. Take a moment and look at it. There are a few factors that make this image so amazing. First, the perspective is flawless, in my opinion. From the composition of the buildings, the train, the waterfront warehouses, and the skyscrapers, to the colossal structures in the background, everything lives where they are supposed to. Second is the detail. Every last window, every pipe is there. Tons and tons of line work riddles the colossal structures, adding so much dimension and depth to each tower that I can’t believe he made this up. Lastly, the blend of post WWII architecture and the futuristic design of the towers work nicely. Sometimes when an artist works in an era, they miss the mark. But here, Gene has successfully pulled the reader into the obscure world that Alan Moore has created in The Forty-Niners. Bravo.

I fell in love with these two pages the first time I saw them. I was floored by Gene’s designs and kept going back and looking at the pages over and over. But as I turned the pages of the book, new angles and perspectives kept popping up. Most artists will not go to these lengths to pull their audience into their work. It takes time, effort and talent, and it seems to me Gene had bags of each when he drew this book.

When I draw, I try to remember images like this because it helps me turn out better work. When I have been drawing rocks and rocks and more rocks and I am completely over it, I say to myself, “Hey, douche bag, keep drawing or this page is going to suck.” It works most of the time, and when I step back and look at the result… I see tons of orcs running across my rocks, and I realize that it was all worth it. Thanks for the inspiration, Gene.

Here are some links to Gene and his work, check it.

http://www.geneha.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gene-Ha/163146063704467

http://www.amazon.com/Top-Ten-Forty-Niners-10/dp/1401205739/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315437952&sr=1-1

http://www.comicartfans.com/SearchResult.asp

“I reviewed the first issue of The Untamed a little while ago, and have been looking forward to reading more in the series. I think they went on a short hiatus, but finally the next two issues are available! The first is still available as a free read over on Graphicly, and I would certainly recommend it. This week, I got my hands on the next two issues of the series, as well as the first issue in another new title from Stranger: The Portent.”

CLICK HERE to read the full review.

Last week, on Feburary 1, 2012, a date which will live in comic book infamy, the world was suddenly and deliberately attacked by Watchmen prequels. Now, I will not cast judgment as of yet, for Jae Lee is to draw the Ozymandias book and you all know how I love me some Jae Lee. But I cannot ignore the signs as all of the gods and fiends across infinite earths and alternate universes move towards us for the coming Ragnarok. Galactus has moved off the frontline of The Fault, leaving the Cancerverse unwatched (pun intended). Darkseid has hit the ignition on the engines of Apokolips and has once again taken aim at the heart of Superman. The end is here for those that pray at the altar of the Watchmen.

Now that we, the comic nerds of the world, have had some time to digest the coming of a new era of Watchmen books, what are we to do?

Do we partake in what some have hailed as blasphemy? Or do we pick up our AIM tech, unsheathe our adamantium claws and start hunting down Moloids for answers? Or, do we wait to see what DC and this amazing team of talent has in store for us? I, for one, am going to suppress my judgment until I get to read it. I usually jump all over shit like this as if it’s going to make me sick or ruin the quality of my intellectual nerdity, but the 12 year old in me wants to peek into the peephole and see what’s inside.

The creative teams that have been assembled to pave the way into this new era of Watchmen content are as creative and as experienced as it gets. And who is that, you ask? I’m glad you asked, but I am not going to name them all, just the ones I give a shit about. No, I should not say it like that, I just don’t want to ramble on about every last bit of talent that has been assembled. I love me some Kuberts, I really do, just not enough to write about them today. I will save that for another blog.

Darwyn Cooke, a fan favorite for many years, is set to write Minutemen and Silk Spectre and is drawing the former. I loved his work on Parker and DC’s The New Frontier.

Lee Bermejo, who recently just completed Batman Noel, one of my favorite books to come out last year, will be tackling Rorschach. Can’t think of a more gritty and detailed artist to attack the dreaded Rorschach. You can literally smell the streets when he draws Batman.

Straczynski, one of my favorite writers, takes on Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan. A good choice considering JMS is responsible for an exceptional and modern take on Thor. And let’s not forget his iconic run on Spider Man. Love it or hate it, it is an accomplishment to create that kind of buzz with your work.

And last but not least, Jae Lee. The man that brought us into the world of Roland and the Dark Tower.

The man who brought us the greatest manifestation of the Inhumans these eyes have ever seen.

The man who beat Batman to a pulp with such angelic composition, that I found myself starring at the page for far too long. Plus, his take on Harvey Dent was as visually sick on the outside as it was on the inside.

This is the man who will be drawing the smartest man alive, Ozymandias.

Well, I know this is going to be controversial and could be a complete train wreck, but I am willing to bet that the books will do well and fans will respond positively, for the most part. Before Watchmen will be enjoyable and will be riddled with talented writing and art, but as talented as the creators are, it also will not be anywhere near as brilliant and magical as the original.

So chill out and enjoy it for what it is.

After battling a horde of demons and emerging triumphant, Stranger Comics is proud to unleash the Third Day (issue) of its maiden property upon the masses. Written by Stranger founder Sebastian A. Jones (Pinata) and painted by the Norse God Peter Bergting (Frazetta’s Creatures, The Portent), The Untamed is set in the unwelcoming Town of Oasis. Some say the desert way station is a watering hole for the devil. Others know it to be a cancer that grows upon the vast and volatile world of Asunda.

To all fantasy fans, let it be known that a gritty and brutally dark fantasy world has come to claim its place. This world shall be a haven for those who do not want watered down, airbrushed swords and sorcery. It is a world without waxed eyebrows and bereft of contrived comic relief. This world, the world of Asunda, is for those who enjoy good, character driven tales, in harsh climates set upon violent and beautiful landscapes.

And The Untamed is the perfect introduction to our world.

Love versus lust. Can a man tell the difference?

Two souls have been claimed, but Stranger’s focus on killing is distracted by a beautiful woman from his past. He is drawn to her without knowing why, trapped in a game he cannot win. With his guard down, he is nearly caught when he discovers the man responsible for his family’s death – Phylax, the leader of the Kraven – and Stranger’s older brother.

Some praise for THE UNTAMED:

“THE UNTAMED promises to be an epic tale, conceived and crafted not only with a great love of comics, but also a profound understanding of the power of visionary storytelling.”
- CLIVE BARKER (Hellraiser, Candyman)

“What’s not to love about Jones and Bertging’s THE UNTAMED: it’s a Sergio Leone, Frank Frazetta, William Blake fever dream mash-up. And that’s just where it begins!”
- LLOYD LEVIN (Watchmen, Hellboy, Boogie Nights)

“Sebastian A. Jones’ THE UNTAMED is what we fantasy fans have been starving for — a completely original dark and gritty thriller set in a brutal world that delivers on all levels.”
- ANDREW COSBY (Co-Founder of BOOM! Studios, Creator of Eureka)

“Peter’s one of my favorite working artists today. Fluid storytelling with an eye for acting and mood.”

- RICK REMENDER (Fear Agent, Punisher)

To check out The Untamed #3 CLICK HERE.

We made it to 2012, and we’re already coming up to the love month and the celebration of black history. This year, Stranger Comics is going to celebrate a glorious mix of both (in between Ruining Christmas snippets and a new fairy tale from our legendary Viking, Peter Bergting).

And to that end, I want to kick off this sprightly blog with a gentleman’s nod to Mr. Bergting, who it must be said, is a remarkable talent as a writer, painter, and Swedish meatball master chef. He is also a dear friend who has once again picked up his wand and is attacking the tale that started Stranger Comics with his genius eye. It’s a deal we made many lifetimes ago.

THE UNTAMED IS REBORN! A SINNER’S PRAYER HAS BEEN ANSWERED…

And to those who know who the Untamed truly is, that is a hellish fantasy to behold indeed. The Untamed Issue #3 is almost upon us, as Peter improves upon the first two issues. And with #4 at the letterer and #5 underway, Peter is only raising expectations each time. The seventh and final day in the series will prove to be simply sweeter, darker, and more delicious than all before it, as only dealing with the devil can be.

We are the lucky mortals who get to witness an artist in his prime on a tale that has never been told…

PETER BERGTING

Have you ever picked up a copy of THE PORTENT? I did, and it blew me away. There was something… beautifully off about it. I couldn’t put my finger on it, and that challenged me. It had mystery, charm, and intelligence. It was timeless. There was sensitivity to the narrative that was a blend of darkness and innocent hope. And beautiful irony that spoke in metaphors of today’s world heading into an impending doom if we don’t all become the everyday hero we can be.

Since that first day, I have watched Peter’s work bloom into something so original and wonderfully unique, that even the masters he so admires have taken note. Yet his humility will not allow him the recognition he richly deserves, and he cannot see that he is sitting right alongside them.

Stranger Comics would not be the same without Peter Bergting. We are proud to be partnered with him and honored to call his wonderful family our own.

To Sofia, Tilde, Amelie, and Peter…

Thank you,

The Stranger Team

Most people celebrate Christmas. Stranger Comics is RUINING it.

Just like we ruined Comic Con. Take a look at this video of a couple of our naughty elves wrecking havoc in San Diego. But they’ll get theirs. Just you wait…

And while you’re waiting, please read the preview of Ruining Christmas, Stranger and Foundry Comics’ upcoming irreverent Christmas story. It can be seen HERE and downloaded for free on Graphicly HERE.

In the meantime, we’ll check the Naughty List, and if you’ve been good, to make up for destroying your holiday season, Stranger Comics will give you a few gifts. Use coupon code RUINING to get 20% off anything in our store, and use coupon code FOUNDRY to get a FREE download of everyone’s favorite stripper chelf, Candie Canes, singing a broken down Billie Holiday version of Christmas classic Winter Wonderland. Just click HERE.

Both of these gifts expire January 31st, so hop to it.

CLICK HERE to read their review