ALL THE MADMEN

More crazy pin-ups for the Madman In Your Face 3D Special. I haven't seen it yet, but folks have been getting their comps, and the photos I've seen look great. The comic is on stores November 26, the day before Thanksgiving.

More details.

The first gallery.

Click on the images in the gallery to see pictures by Aaron Conley, Eduardo Risso, Jae Lee, Jenny Frison, Joe Quinones, Maris Wicks, and Ming Doyle.

Current Soundtrack: Hanz Zimmer, Interstellar original motion picture soundtrack

I'VE COME FOR MY AWARD

Oh, awards season.

Look, let's be honest. We all bitch and grouse about how they don't mean anything and it's a popularity contest or whatever, but we all want to win one when it comes down to it. I kept my fingers crossed reading over the Eisner nominations last month. Everyone probably did.

While a committee decides on the Eisners, there are other award ceremonies where the nomination process is more open.

There are the Harvey Awards, which industry professionals can vote for. Ballots accepted until May 19.

And there are the Eagle Awards, recently renamed for Stan Lee, that any reader can have a say in. Put in nominations here until May 16.

No big sales pitch here. I'm just going to make a list of books I worked on and that my friends worked on that you might consider. It's hard to remember what's what in any given year, so I'm going to jog both of our memories. In most cases, you can vote for any of these in the major categories: series, writer, artist, etc. I'll make notes if maybe you should consider something else.

* Battlepug digital comic, and vol. 2 collected edition by Mike Norton (writer/artist), Allen Passalaqua (colorist), and Crank! (letterer) [self-published/Dark Horse Comics]

* A Boy and a Girl graphic novel by Jamie S. Rich (writer), Natalie Nourigat (artist), and Ed Brisson (letterer) [Oni Press]

* The Double Life of Miranda Turner digital only series by Jamie S. Rich (writer), George Kambadais (artist), Paulina Ganucheau (colorist), and Crank! (letterer) [Monkeybrain Comics]

* FF by Matt Fraction & Lee Allred (writers), Michael Allred (artist, incl. covers), and Laura Allred (colorist) [Marvel Comics] 

* Helheim miniseries by Cullen Bunn (writer), Joëlle Jones (artist, incl. covers), Nick Filardi (colorist), and Ed Brisson (letterer) [Oni Press]

* It Girl and the Atomics #s 6-12 by Jamie S. Rich [writer], Mike Norton [7, 8, 9, 12], Chynna Clugston-Flores [6, 12], and Natalie Nourigat [10, 11, 12] (artists), Allen Passalaqua (colorist), Crank! (letterer), and Michael & Laura Allred (covers) [Image Comics]

* Revival by Tim Seeley (writer), Mike Norton (artist), Mark Englert (colorist), Crank! (letterer), and Jenny Frisson (covers) [Image Comics]

* The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn (writer), Brian Hurtt (artist, incl. covers), and Bill Crabtree (colorist) [Oni Press]

* Spell Checkers, vol. 3: Careless Whisper graphic novel by Jamie S. Rich (writer), Nicolas Hitori de and Joëlle Jones (artists), Warren Wucinich (letterer), and Joëlle Jones (cover) [Oni Press]

* Please also consider George Kambadais for Best New Talent and It Girl and the Atomics #6 as Best Single Issue.

These are, of course, not everything published last year, not all of my friends, and not even all of some of these folks' work. But its a good core of friends and colleagues. Keep them in mind!

Current Soundtrack: This week's episode of Survivor

READER MEET AUTHOR: Special Edition NYC & Free Comic Book Day

First, a reminder, May 3 come see myself, Joëlle Jones, and Mike Norton at Zeus Comics in Dallas, TX, to celebrate Free Comic Book Day. I

Then, the following month, June 14 and 15, I'll be joining Mike Norton, Michael & Laura Allred, and a tons of great folks for Special Edition: New York City. I'm really excited about this show. I haven't been to the East Coast since I went to NY Comic Con a couple of years ago, and this new event is put on by the same people. It's a Special Edition because it's comic books only. No big media, video games, or anything else. Just comics!

I should hopefully have copies of Archer Coe & the Thousand Natural Shocks to debut at the show, as well as the first two issues of Madame Frankenstein and a smattering of other books. If I have any A Boy and a Girl hardcovers left by then, for instance. 

Here are more details.

Current Soundtrack: Phantogram, Voices

WE GOT IT 4 CHEAP

Comixology and Image Comics have teamed up for a "Leading Ladies" sale that includes the entire run of It Girl and the Atomics.

That means you can get all twelve issues for $0.99 each. Though the real deal looks like buying the trades, which you can get as a pair for $11 total.

If you've been waiting to read the book, or have been curious to see what Allen Passalaqua's colors look like on an fancy screen, it's never going to be cheaper than this.

Natalie Nourigat's original It Girl pin-up, printed in It Girl and the Atomics, Round One.

Natalie Nourigat's original It Girl pin-up, printed in It Girl and the Atomics, Round One.

BIG NATALIE NOURIGAT BIRTHDAY ART SALE!

It's hard to believe that my little sister from another mister is already 26 years old, but as of this moment, yes, she is. 

To celebrate, all art in the Natalie Nourigat art store is 26% off. That's right, 1% for each year she's been alive. And the deal is going to be good until the end of the day on December 26. How appropriate is that?!

All you have to do take advantage of this opportunity is enter the code Sweet26 when you checkout. The discount will be applied before you confirm you order.

As you'll see, all available art from A Boy and a Girl has been uploaded to the site, so now is the time to grab it. That includes the cover and process material in the first gallery, and the back half of the book in the second gallery.

But you can also pick from any category.

Between Gears

Husbands

It Girl and the Atomics

Meet Your Mind

My Boyfriend's a Monster: Wrapped Up in You

You can jump between any of the above galleries by using the dropdown menu that appears when you click on Natalie's name in the site's menu bar.

An additional bonus to buying the art is this will help Natalie continue to fund her year-long residency in France!

Pages from the other books not yet in the gallery may also be available. E-mail me at golightly [a] gmail dot com and I will quote you a price for any page you are looking for, plus the discount.

Current Soundtrack: Busta Rhymes & Q-Tip, The Abstract & the Dragon

BORN IN A UFO

Wow. We did it. Nine episodes in nine weeks.

Our finale is one of the best we've done, which is why we saved it for last. Michael Allred and I having a chat about all kinds of crazy topics. Particularly tune in for Part III when we move into his studio and take a look through his most recent pages (at least at the time), including Batman '66 covers and FF interiors. 

There is also a little bonus there: Mike and the Gear performing a Dandy Warhols song.

Links to the second and third parts follow the episode, but here they are for your easy access: Part II - Part III

Other links: 

My reprinted introduction from Madman Atomic Comics vol. 1

A gallery of Paul Pope drawing Allred characters

Oh, and hey: It Girl and the Atomics vol. 1 available for digital download for only $4.99! That's 2/3 off! (Sale ends December 2nd.)

Like us on Facebook to keep getting From the Gutters news.

And follow us on Twitter.

Current Soundtrack: These New Puritans, Field of Reeds

HAVE YOU SEEN HER LATELY?

Hey! Remember that time that It Girl and the Slug fought mummies who'd escaped from the Snap City Museum? 

Art by Chynna Clugston Flores & Allen Passalaqua.

Well, you would if you'd bought It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat .

Did you know it went on sale yesterday? 

If you did pick up the book, and you're a Goodreads user or have an Amazon account, please consider leaving us a review. They really do help! 

Current Soundtrack: Christina Aguilera, "We Remain"

HERE SHE COMES, YOU'D BETTER WATCH YOUR STEP

 For Immediate Release - September 27, 2013

SECOND IT GIRL & THE ATOMICS PAPERBACK COLLECTS THE REST OF BELOVED SERIES

Jamie S. Rich and a cadre of artists top off their acclaimed year-long run on the It Girl and the Atomics series with the second trade paperback collection. It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat collects issues #7 through #12, drawn by Mike Norton (Revival) and Natalie Nourigat (The Thrillling Adventure Hour), with a special spooktacular appearance by Chynna Clugston Flores. The book will be published by Image Comics on October 2, 2013.

It Girl originally appeared in Michael Allred’s late 1990s comics series The Atomics, and later as a cast member in Madman Atomic Comics. This is her first solo series, as well as the first fully sanctioned Madman spin-off. It Girl’s superpowers are that she can touch any object and adopt its attributes, becoming “it.”

“I’m extremely proud of the work we did on these comics,” Rich said. “The series garnered what are so far the best reviews of my career, and it’s become the first thing people want to talk to me about when I’m at conventions. Having the whole thing together in two complete books is extremely gratifying. It’s a great way to end the project, and we want to reward our readers by giving them a special package.

In addition to all the stories from the individual comics, It Girl and the Atomics also has all the cover art by the original creators of It Girl, Madman masterminds Michael and Laura Allred. Bonus content includes brand-new pin-ups by Brian Churilla, Ming Doyle, Megan Levens, George Kambadais, Monica Gallagher, Brennan Wagner, Mike Russell, Christopher Mitten, and pioneering indie cartoonist Matt Wagner (Mage, Grendel).  The introduction was written by Eric M. Esquivel, writer of Freelancers for Boom! Studios.

“The support from our friends and colleagues on this one was tremendous,” Rich continued. “I think in a few years time, people will look back at the pin-up gallery and be shocked by what an impressive and varied list of people it is. Lots of up-and-comers in there with the more established professionals.”

It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat collects six issues, but it’s made up of several shorter stories. “After the first trade paperback’s long, continuous narrative, I wanted to write superhero adventures that were done in one or two issues. Like most soap opera capes-and-cowls comics, there are still bits and pieces that connect them all, but the intention was to allow any new reader to jump in at just about anytime and go along with what we were doing. Really, you can read The World is Flat without ever having glanced at Dark Streets, Snap City and know what’s going on.

It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat will be released by Image Comics on October 2. It has 168 color pages, retails for $14.99, and sports an all-new cover by Michael & Laura Allred.

Diamond ID: JUL130455

ISBN: 978-1607067917

For further enquiries, review materials, or interviews, contact Jamie S. Rich at golightly@gmail.com. 

Current Soundtrack: Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience, part 2

I NEED AN EVERLASTING LOVE (WAIT FOR IT, WAIT FOR IT...)

There have been some updates to my shop on this site.

I've added a couple of limited items: 

* one complete set of the original Love the Way You Love issues

* A bundle with my second The Everlasting and the last copies of my self-published short story "Chevelu."

I only just got a box of The Everlasting back in stock, and so it seemed a good way to start off. They will be in the store indefinitely on their own, but this is the last chance to get "Chevelu" in this format.

 

Original color file for the The Everlasting cover, art by Chynna Clugston Flores.

I also sold most of my It Girl and the Atomic #1s at Rose City Comic Con, so each of the bundles with the first five issues is now limited to one more sale. That's all I have left!

I expect my copies of the second It Girl trade paperback any day now, and as soon as they are here, I will have them up on the site. If I can get them up in the next couple of days, I'll take preorders to mail for arrival on release day, next Wednesday, October 2nd.

 Current Soundtrack: Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe

 

IMAGINE THE SWAN

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table at Rose City Comic Con this past weekend and chatted or bought books. It was a good show, and the From the Gutters panel went really well. 

Yet, of all the good times had, one thing--or more importantly, one person--really stands out. 

For my money, the little girl who came to the show dressed as It Girl was the highlight of the convention.  If not my career.

Her name is Melanie*, and her favorite comic is It Girl and the Atomics . She asked her mother to make her the costume, and her mother kindly complied. The whole family came down to the convention, including Melanie's younger sister, who was cosplaying as Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony .

I can't imagine I'll ever receive a bigger compliment than this one. When I cast back to when I was Melanie's age, and to what comics and cartoons and everything meant to me, and how the stuff I read back then sparked my imagination, I can think of no greater accomplishment than to pass on that kind of excitement to a child through my work.  

Most days, it seems like comics fandom and professionals alike spend the majority of time complaining about what bothers them instead of celebrating the things that excite them. It drives me nuts. If we put as much energy into spreading the word about the good as we do promoting the bad, we'd all be a lot healthier.

Melanie is the best reminder of why I make comics. She reminds me why I read comics. If it's not the same for you, you might want to consider another field. Even the stuff that maybe isn't for her right now, hopefully when she's older her experience with It Girl will eventually lead her to A Boy and a Girl and then maybe 12 Reasons Why I Love Her and a life-long relationship with comics and reading in general.

She wasn't just the star of my show, either. An hour didn't go by on Saturday or Sunday when someone--including people I had never met before--didn't come by and ask me if I had seen the tiny It Girl running around. Her enthusiasm was contagious. 

 

* I changed Melanie's name because, when I met her, it didn't occur to me that i might write this post. Hopefully she and her parents won't mind my writing about this encounter.

CHILD IS THE FATHER OF THE MAN

The last two pin-ups for It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat  are a special duo, created by father and son.

Matt Wagner is, of course, one of mentors, and the creator of Grendel and Mage, as well as a ton of other great comics. He currently writes The Shadow: Year One for Dynamite and The Tower Chronicles for Legendary. Mike Allred asked him to do something sexy. He went ahead and did it.

His son, Brennan Wagner, colored his old man's piece, and he also drew his own. Brennan has been coloring things for Matt for a year or two now, and he also colors other books at Dynamite. He's a damn good artist in his own right, as you'll see. 

 

Matt Wagner

Brennan Wagner

Current Soundtrack:  A Tribe Called Kast  - Outkast raps over A Tribe Called Quest beats

CHIN-UP PIN-UP

It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat is getting its final tune-up before heading to Image Comics and then the printers, and so the last of the pin-ups are coming in. There are two more that should be here later today, but how about waking up to these two lovely drawings first thing in the morning? 

The first is by the awesome Ming Doyle, whose book Mara with Brian Wood is one of the years top new series.

The second is by George Kambadais, who has one of my favorite art blogs over at gkambadais.com . George and I are actually working on a project together that we'll be announcing very soon!

Ming Doyle

George Kambadais

Current Soundtrack: Random b-sides from Mansun

LOOKS GOOD WITH TROUBLE

I was pretty worried about people being disappointed in It Girl and the Atomics #12, but so far the response has been very enthusiastic. 

Robot 6 named the issue "Best of the Week." 

 Newsarama said: "Sadly though, this is the last issue of It Girl and The Atomics. Rich broke the news earlier in the year and here, he was given the chance to wrap everything up with his rotating team of artists - and is done oh so nicely."

And Comic Bastards maintained their awesome support: " Well it’s over…I’m bummed, but it was a hell of a ride."

The love the series has received over the last year has been nothing short of fantastic. I thank all of you who came along with us on our comic book adventure--and hope more will do the same. The trade is still in production and should be out late September. A few more pin-ups are set to roll in.  

I got this amazing drawing from Christopher Mitten, an old and dear friend, today. So much pretty.

 

Current Soundtrack: Solange, "Looks Good With Trouble (feat. Kendrick Lamar);" BRMC, "Fire Walker;" Martin Rossiter, "Three Points on a Compass"

DIG IF YOU WILL SOME PICTURES

The Natalie Nourigat art store has been updated and revamped, with lots of new art added. You can now browse the main page and look at all the art, or scroll over the "NATALIE NOURIGAT" shop link in the top menu anywhere on the Confessions123 site and you can choose each book on its own.

Added to today's update, art from:

 It Girl and the Atomics  #12

 It Girl and the Atomics  #12

 Between Gears

 Between Gears

 My Boyfriend is a Monster: Wrapped Up In You

 My Boyfriend is a Monster: Wrapped Up In You

For both Between Gears and Wrapped Up In You, almost all of the art is available. If you don't see the page you want listed, drop a line! 

Current Soundtrack: Lorde, "Tennis Court/Swingin' Party"

BEAUTIFUL FRIEND, THE END

Comicosity is running a sneak peek of It Girl and the Atomics #12, on sale tomorrow.

It's the opening six pages, drawn by Mike Norton with colors by Allen Passalaqua and lettering by Crank!

The cover, of course, is by Michael and Laura Allred. 

I'm really proud of this book. Hopefully more of you will pick it up in trade. You can also get all the issues from my storefront. 

 

Current Soundtrack: Bastille, Haunt EP

STOP AS YOU MEANT TO GO ON

It's a bittersweet sense of accomplishment to put It Girl and the Atomics  #12 to bed, but we did that this morning. There's still the second trade to put together, but the principle work is done.

The issue will be out late this month, but for now, here are some samples, one page from each contributing artist, all colored by Allen Passalaqua: 

 

Mike Norton

Natalie Nourigat

Chynna Clugston Flores

Current Soundtrack: Franz Ferdinand, "Right Action/Love Illumination"

HOW TO GET AHEAD IN SUPERHEROING

 Mike Russell, the creator of the hilarious Sabertooth Vampire  comic, has drawn this clever pin-up for our second It Girl and the Atomics trade paperback. 

The coloring was done by his regular cohort, Bill Mudron. 

Check out both of their work, it's great stuff. 

The book is up for pre-order several places online, including TFAW  and Cheap Graphic Novels. It's also in the current Diamond catalogue in the Image Comics section if you want to have your local comic book retailer order it for you.

Current Soundtrack: Feathers @ Good Danny's, 5/24/13 (Daytrotter Session)

MY AUTUMN'S DONE COME

The new issue of Diamond's Previews catalogue is out this Wednesday, and it includes three books of mine, set to be released over three months: the second It Girl and the Atomics collection from Image Comics in September, followed by Spell Checkers, Volume 3 in October and A Boy and a Girl in November, both from Oni Press.

It Girl and the Atomics, Round Two: The World is Flat details were already posted here.

The other two books have advance solicits listed at Comics Continuum. Check out Oni's full catalogue for the month.

 

Illustration by Joëlle Jones, colors by Warren Wucinich, design by Keith Wood

SPELL CHECKERS VOLUME 3: CARELESS WHISPER GN

Written by Jamie S. Rich, art by Nicolas Hitori De, Joelle Jones, cover by Joelle Jones, Warren Wucinich.

It's time for prom, and Cynthia really wants to be prom queen. The only hitch is, she wants to win the crown legitimately, meaning all the students she terrorized with wickedness and magic over the school year hold her fate in their hands. Meanwhile, an ancient evil with an even bigger grudge against all three Spell Checkers finally sees its opportunity for revenge. Expect all kinds of insults and injuries in an epic dance floor showdown!

152 pages, black and white, $11.99

Illustrations by Natalie Nourigat, design by Keith Wood

A BOY AND A GIRL GN

Written by Jamie S. Rich, art by Natalie Nourigat

Travis and Charley have just met. It's Charley's last night in town, and Travis can't let her leave without getting her to go on a date. In a future where real people are rapidly being supplanted by lifelike androids, sometimes one shot is all you get. Intelligence may be artificial, but the emotion is real in a futuristic romance from the writer of 12 Reasons Why I Love Her and the cartoonist behind Between Gears.

168 pages, $19.99

* 

Note: We will be selling A Boy and a Girl   art here in the store. Have you checked out Natalie's art that's already on sale? More is coming!

Current Soundtrack: The Blow Monkeys, Feels Like a New Morning